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Machinery and Technology

20 Start-Ups To Showcase Textile Innovations At ITMA 2027

• By  Textile Excellence
• October 31, 2026

CEMATEX has selected 20 start-ups from nine countries for its Start-Up Grant programme. Their participation at Start-Up Valley during ITMA 2027 in Hanover will be fully funded, giving them access to manufacturers, brands and investors at the global textile and garment technology exhibition.

The start-ups cover six areas: Colourants & Chemicals, Fibres, Yarns & Fabrics, Garment Making, Recycling, Software & Automation, and Testing. Their innovations address challenges ranging from harmful chemicals and resource consumption to textile recycling, material identification and production efficiency.

Meet the innovators

The 20 grant recipients are Amphico, BioFluff, Eeden, EverDye, Fibarcode, Gemell Technology, Innovo Fiber, NunoX, Re.Solution, Recyc’Elit, Refiberd, ReSpin, Revoltech, RubyLab, Sages, Silana, Solena Materials, Sparxell, SwitchDye and Tintte.

Amphico is developing a PFAS-free membrane for waterproof, breathable performance fabrics, alongside a colour platform that introduces colour through weaving rather than dyeing.

SwitchDye has developed CO₂-switchable dyes that reduce chemical, water and energy consumption while working with existing dyeing equipment.

In textile-to-textile recycling, Recyc’Elit separates blended fabrics into pure monomers for recycled polyester, while recovering co-materials such as elastane and cotton. Refiberd combines software with hyperspectral imaging to identify fabric composition, helping recyclers sort incoming materials more accurately.

These technologies reflect a wider shift towards embedding sustainability and circularity into materials, processing and production systems. They also connect with ITMA 2027's other focus areas: Advanced Materials, Automation & Digital Future, and Human-Centric Manufacturing.

“The submissions demonstrated the breadth of innovation across the textile value chain, with solutions offering potential for industrial application, scalability and measurable impact.” - Dr Christian P. Schindler, Director General of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)