Istanbul is set to become the epicentre of global textile manufacturing next week as the ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition opens its doors for five days of high-stakes trade, technology showcases, and cross-border deal-making at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center.
Ranked the world’s second-largest exhibition in textile technologies, ITM 2026 runs from June 9 to 13 and is on course to surpass the record-breaking performance of its 2024 predecessor. More than 1,000 companies and representatives from 55 countries are registered to exhibit, spanning the entire production chain from yarn spinning and knitting to weaving, dyeing, digital printing, and finishing. The event is jointly organised by Tüyap Tüm Fuarcılık Yapım A.Ş. and Teknik Fuarcılık A.Ş. in partnership with TEMSAD, the Turkish Textile Machinery and Accessories Industrialists Association.
Organisers are projecting a strong commercial outcome, with billion-dollar machinery sales and strategic supply agreements anticipated across the five-day programme. That ambition is grounded in precedent: ITM 2024 drew 66,200 visitors from 99 countries — nearly half of them international — and hosted 1,385 companies from 71 nations. This edition is expected to go further.
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Delegations from major textile-producing nations including Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Russia are confirmed to attend, alongside purchasing missions from emerging markets in Syria as the region rebuilds its industrial base. The diversity of participating countries reflects Istanbul’s consolidating role as a neutral bridge market — reachable for buyers who face visa or logistical friction at flagship European trade fairs, thanks to Turkey’s broadly accessible entry policies and the city’s dense international flight network.
Technology themes at ITM 2026 are sharply focused on the industry’s two dominant imperatives: digital transformation and environmental sustainability. Exhibitors will demonstrate artificial intelligence–supported production systems, smart factory automation platforms, and data-driven manufacturing tools alongside energy-efficient machinery engineered to cut both operating costs and carbon output. Water-saving dyeing processes and eco-friendly finishing chemicals will feature prominently, reflecting tightening regulatory pressure globally and rising demand from international fashion brands for auditable green supply chains.
The exhibition runs concurrently with HIGHTEX 2026, dedicated to high-performance and technical textiles, widening the combined proposition for industrial buyers seeking advanced material solutions alongside conventional machinery. Together, the two shows cement Istanbul’s position as one of the most consequential meeting points on the annual textile industry calendar.
