ITMF & IAF Convention Highlights Textile Industry’s Future In Samarkand
The joint ITMF Annual Conference and IAF World Fashion Convention took place from September 8-10 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Co-organized by the International Apparel Federation (IAF) and the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), and hosted by Uztextileprom, the Uzbekistan Textile and Garment Industry Association, and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Uzbekistan, the convention underscored the vital interdependence of the textile and apparel sectors.
Uzbekistan was selected as this year’s host due to its burgeoning role in the global textile and apparel markets. Known for its strong cotton production tradition, recent robust export growth, and ambitious sustainability plans, Uzbekistan is rapidly becoming a significant player in the textile value chain.
The event attracted over 350 leaders from more than 30 countries across the fibre, textile, and apparel value chain. IAF President Cem Altan emphasized the pivotal role of manufacturers in driving positive change, noting that initiatives such as decarbonization, reducing overproduction, enhancing transparency, and advancing digitalization are critical and depend on manufacturers’ efforts and investments.
ITMF President K. V. Srinivasan highlighted the current challenges facing the industry, including high input costs and low demand that are squeezing profit margins and leaving more capacities idle. Despite these difficulties, the ITMF Awards 2024 winners in categories such as ‘Start-up,’ ‘Sustainability & Innovation,’ and ‘International Cooperation’ demonstrated the industry’s capacity for innovation and collaboration.
The convention also addressed the growing regulatory pressures on the industry, with a call for shared responsibility. Cem Altan stressed the need for equitable distribution of the financial burden of meeting sustainability standards among all supply chain partners, from raw materials to end consumers.
Srinivasan added that it is crucial for industry leaders and experts to meet in person to discuss and analyze both short- and long-term challenges and opportunities, including sustainability, compliance, digitalization, and AI.
As the convention concludes, ITMF and IAF are optimistic that the partnerships and insights gained will drive lasting, positive change across the apparel and textile industries.
