ITMF Innovation & Sustainability Awards 2026
The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) is one of the oldest international non-governmental organizations, founded in 1904. It functions as an international forum for the world‘s textile industries with the mission to:
- Connect its members by providing meeting grounds to strengthen relations along the entire textile value chain from fiber to fashion,
- Inform its members by collecting, analyzing and distributing relevant data and by providing neutral forums for discussions and the exchange of best practices,
- Represent the textile industry towards governments, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) by actively participating in discussions about the evolution of the industry.
What are the ITMF Innovation & Sustainability Awards?
They celebrate merits and achievements in the textile field:
Objective:
Recognize sustainable and innovative achievements in the textile industry with focus on innovation, design, development, and production under the strictest standards of sustainability and respect for the environment.
Requirements:
The jury will grant this award to a company/organisation or person which/who significantly improved textile manufacturing in the combined areas of innovation and sustainability.
Application Process
Companies/organisations or people active in the textile field may apply. Applications must entail:
- An executive summary (maximum 1 page) with a description of the achievement, including approach, objective, methodology, and (expected) results.
- A short biography of the participants including, i.e., the applicant’s contact data, career achievements and history, education, list of publications, etc.
- A description of the exceptional achievements (maximum two-pages) containing the following information:
- Which aspects of textile manufacturing does the achievement focus on?
- Which challenges were taken on, what was the pursued aim?
- Which was the methodical approach? Is the achievement related to a process or product? What were the key steps to success?
- Quantify the benefit of your approach leading to the achievement.
- Describe how your experience will promote further advances in your respective field or beyond.
Evaluation criteria – ITMF Innovation & Sustainability Awards
Within the category of Innovation & Sustainability, achievements will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Value proposition of the chosen approach– (25 points)
- Environmental impact and results obtained – (25 points)
- Innovation and results obtained (novelty) – (25 points)
- Socio-economic impact and economic viability – (25 points)
Deadline
April 30th, 2026. All applications received until this date will be considered. It is advised to follow the application process when it comes to handing in the right documents.
Endowment
The winners of the ITMF Innovation & Sustainability Awards 2026 will present their achievements at the ITMF Annual Conference 2026 in Fortaleza - Ceará - Brazil (October 14-15, 2026). Therefore, your availability to present in-person is essential. The organisers will cover all expenses at the conference in Fortaleza (accommodation, airport pick-up/drop-off, etc.). Air travel is not included.
Jury & Criteria
The Jury is made up of the following persons:
Chairman: Mr Juan Pares, Textil Santanderina, AIPTA, ITMF President (Spain)
Mr Mustafa Denizer, Diktas, TTEA, ITMF Vice President (Türkiye)
Mr Xu Yingxin, CNTAC, ITMF Board Member (China)
Mr Tae Jin Kang, Prof. Emeritus, Seoul National University, ITMF Board Member (Korea Rep.)
Mr Loek de Vries, Bombyx Growth Capital, ITMF Board Member (Netherlands)
Mr Thomas Gries, Professor, RWTH Aachen University, ITA (Germany)
Mr R. Alagirusamy, Professor, Indian Institute of Technology (India)
Mr Fu Guangwei, Director General, China Textile Engineering Society (China)
Mr Juan Marcos Sanz Casado, Director R & D, Textil Santanderina (Spain)
Additional specialists/experts can be invited, if deemed necessary.
Secretary of the Jury: Mr. Christian Schindler, Director General, ITMF