During the General Assembly of ACIMIT (Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association) held in Milan earlier this month – the need to remain focused on innovation despite current geopolitical uncertainties was emphasised.  ACIMIT president Marco Salvadè presented data over 2023 revealing that the production of Italian textile machinery fell by 16%, while exports also fell by 16%.

However, some positive signals have emerged in the first quarter of this year, especially from the Chinese market. To emphasize the opportunities that the European green transition may present for technology suppliers, the public section of the ACIMIT General Assembly paid attention to a current issue – textile recycling.

The EU legislative guidelines aim to accelerate the circular transition of the textile sector with a range of actions, from eco-design to EPR and from waste export regulations to green claims. In  the meantime, there is a growing demand for recycled textile fibres driven by the sustainable policies of brands. Technologies can play an important role in providing solutions for companies engaged in the new circularity supply chain – from sorting and the selection of garments to the preparation phases and recycling processes.