Three Stages, Multiple Customer Benefits: KARL MAYER At ITMA ASIA 2026

Innovations for warp knitting, warp preparation and technical textiles across two trade show booths and a product show in Changzhou

KARL MAYER will showcase its latest technologies and textile solutions for the Asian market at ITMA ASIA 2026 in Shanghai, addressing key challenges such as rising labour, energy and financing costs, continued price pressure, growing sustainability demands, shorter lead times and smaller production batches.

The company will present its innovations across three platforms:

• Hall 4.1, Booth C18 – warp knitting
• Hall 3, Booth A24 – warp preparation
• KARL MAYER (CHINA), Changzhou – Product Show featuring additional machine premieres

Asia remains one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative textile markets and is a key pillar of KARL MAYER’s global strategy. Against a backdrop of rising costs and intense competition, textile manufacturers are under increasing pressure to improve productivity, flexibility and resource efficiency.

KARL MAYER’s latest machine and textile solutions are designed to respond directly to these market requirements.

Lutz Wolf, CEO of KARL MAYER

“Our closeness to customers in Asia helps us identify market requirements at an early stage and translate them into targeted innovations. That is why, at this trade fair, we will be showcasing solutions that are not only technologically leading but, above all, deliver one key benefit: they create measurable added value and long-term growth opportunities for our customers,” says Lutz Wolf, CEO of KARL MAYER.

The company will engage with customers from the warp knitting and warp preparation sectors at its two Shanghai booths, while KARL MAYER (CHINA) will host a Product Show at its Changzhou facility, featuring additional machine premieres and textile innovations.

Performance Upgrade for the Next Generation of Warp Knitting
KARL MAYER helped drive the growth of cost-effective tricot machines in China in the late 2010s. The company is now introducing a new generation designed to deliver higher performance and support further business growth.

The new two-, three- and four-bar models combine increased output and flexibility with enhanced product quality. Features include XXL working widths, higher operating speeds and finer gauges.

At Hall 4.1, Booth C18 at NECC Shanghai, visitors will see:

• A two-bar elastic tricot machine optimized for performance and value, designed for demanding applications in sportswear, outerwear and lingerie, with high flexibility in panel width.
• A three-bar tricot machine offering greater patterning possibilities and fabric widths, with a strong focus on productivity and cost efficiency.

The machine displays will be complemented by a textile innovation show featuring natural fibres and trend-focused collections for growth markets including sportswear, fashion and footwear. Sustainable material concepts will be a particular focus, with KARL MAYER presenting new natural-fibre warp knits designed to meet the growing demand from brands for more environmentally responsible textiles.

The company will also highlight its Care Solutions offering, including the Customer Portal, latest digital services and the SPARE PARTS WEBSHOP, supporting customers with faster and more comprehensive service solutions.

Innovative Warp Preparation Machines for Staple Fibres
KARL MAYER will present its latest warp preparation technologies for weaving customers at Hall 3, Booth A24.

The focus will be on solutions for efficient staple-fibre processing, including:

• A next-generation direct warping machine equipped with a creel and yarn tensioners, designed to deliver high output, simplified operation, precise yarn tension and high-quality beams. The premium-quality beams help reduce yarn waste during sizing and improve efficiency throughout the weaving process.
• An intelligently engineered sizing box designed to achieve maximum yarn coverage with minimal sizing-agent consumption and high occupancy rates, while also reducing maintenance requirements.

Product Show in Changzhou to Feature Machine Premieres
Further world premieres and innovations will be presented at KARL MAYER (CHINA) in Changzhou, offering visitors a broader look at the company’s latest developments in warp knitting and technical textiles.

Highlights will include:

• A four-bar short-stroke tricot machine combining high speed and flexibility with the finest gauge in KARL MAYER’s four-bar portfolio. The machine enables the production of premium-looking textiles with a wide variety of designs.
• The public premiere of multiple double-needle-bar Raschel machines, offering new patterning possibilities, particularly for footwear applications, while delivering high production efficiency.
• A RASCHELTRONIC® machine opening up new creative possibilities in product development for knitting mills and brands.
• An upgraded weft-insertion machine designed to create new opportunities in fashion through finer fabrics and easier pattern changes while maintaining high productivity, particularly compared with weaving.
• A new composite machine expanding KARL MAYER’s reinforcement-textile portfolio, particularly for wind-energy applications. The solution enables customers to source all required non-crimp fabrics from a single supplier while benefiting from high productivity, ease of operation and operational reliability.

Textile Innovation Center Connects Trends with Business Opportunities
KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER (TIC) in Changzhou will also showcase new fabrics reflecting emerging trends and applications with significant future potential.

The textiles developed at the TIC demonstrate the capabilities of KARL MAYER’s machinery while translating market trends, customer requirements and new materials into practical business opportunities.

Visitors will have access to new textile concepts, inspiration for future markets and ideas for specific development projects, supported by KARL MAYER experts.

With its three-stage presence in Shanghai and Changzhou, KARL MAYER aims to demonstrate how its latest technologies, textile innovations and customer services can help Asian textile manufacturers improve efficiency, flexibility and competitiveness while opening up new opportunities for growth.