The Textile Industries Media Group (TIMG) -- publishers of trade magazines Textile World , Textile World Asia and Textiles Panamericanos -- has been named official media partner for the 2009 International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) Annual Conference, to be held October 23-25 in Shanghai. TIMG will provide exclusive pre-conference coverage in special sections to be included in the September/October 2009 issues of TW and TPA and the July/August/September 2009 issue of TW Asia , and a conference report to be published in the following issues.
ITMF is one of the oldest non-governmental organizations. It was founded in 1904 at a meeting held in Zurich and convened at the initiative of the British cotton spinning industry. That's why it still has a very close relationship with the whole cotton industry. However, today, ITMF activities cover the entire textile industry, including nonwovens and technical textiles as well as apparel.
The main objectives are to provide a forum for discussion, to be a neutral meeting ground for textile trade associations to exchange information and to act as an overall organization of the textile industry for the collection of information, statistical and otherwise, on textile manufacturing developments around the world.
ITMF also acts as a narrator for the world textile industry and functions as a liaison agent among the textile industries and governments and intergovernmental organizations interested in the textile industry.
High-Ranking Organization
ITMF is without doubt the most important textile association around the world. Members are associations and other constituted organizations of textile manufacturers. There can be only one member association from each country. The members have access to all annual statistics as well as to other important data and committee papers. Associate members are associations and other constituted organizations of textile manufacturers in countries in which there is already a member association. It is also possible to be a corporate member. These are manufacturers of textiles or of products allied to the textile industry, such as textile machinery.
ITMF is the highest-ranking global meeting point for networking. At the annual meeting, held somewhere around the globe, the top-ranking textile industry leaders meet, to attend an excellent conference but also to exchange information and strengthen contacts with the leaders of the global textile machinery and textile industry. These high-level gatherings are probably even more important than are just the statistics. This comment is made based on personally participating at these annual meetings for many years.
China, 2009 Host Country
The annual meeting is always organized by a country association, which invites the delegates from all four corners of the world. The 2009 ITMF Annual Conference in Shanghai is organized by the China National Textile & Apparel Council (CNTAC). CNTAC says it is honored to host the 2009 conference, and believes "that the convention of the delegates in China will help participants to reach a certain consensus on issues of common interest and to push forward the bilateral and multilateral cooperation as well as to provide grounds for the textile industry in China and the rest of world to develop ... a better understanding."
Structural Changes
The general theme of the conference, "Structural Adjustments in the World Textile Industry," is based on the current situation of the world textile industry, which is challenged by various difficulties - like structural technological adjustments in this traditional industry, the short supply of resources and the increasing obligations to environmental concerns. At the same time, the entire industry sees continuous opportunities to further upgrade its technology both for efficacious and ecological reasons. The 2009 ITMF Annual Conference will give the opportunity for in-depth presentations and discussions on all these aspects of the general theme, with the aim of promoting mutual understanding, enhancing cooperation and creating new prosperity for the world textile industry.
