ITMA, the world's most established textile and garment machinery exhibition, will put the spotlight on innovations that promote sustainability for its 17th presentation in Milan, Italy, in 2015. A trendsetting showcase of exciting innovations since 1951, the theme chosen for the 2015 edition is 'Master the Art of Sustainable Innovation'.

Mr Stephen R Combes, president of CEMATEX, which owns the show, said: "The drive towards sustainability is increasingly integrated with enlightened business practices. The keyword here is 'sustainability', and we hope industry members will join us in this responsible mission to promote more eco-friendly solutions and practices for the entire textile and garment value chain."

ITMA 2015 will continue to be an industry leading platform for the textile and garment community. It is expected to span over 1,00,000 sqm of net exhibit space and attract over 1,400 exhibitors.

Miss Maria Avery, Secretary-General of CEMATEX, said: "In 2011, we introduced several new ideas that have enhanced the participation of all stakeholders. They included the inaugural World Textile Summit and Sustainable Textile Leaders Roundtable Dialogue. These were immensely popular and we intend to continue with them. We hope to further enhance the relevance and look at how we can better support the green theme."

Among the new initiatives that will be organised in line with the theme are conferences and workshops on sustainable innovations. The exhibition will also have a bigger focus on the waste management and recycling sector. In addition, for the research and education (R&E) sector, more emphasis will be placed on innovations that promote sustainability.

Ms Sylvia Phua, chief executive officer of MP International, which is organising ITMA 2015, added: "ITMA has always been a catalyst for industry competitiveness for over 60-years. Besides the mindset change, we believe that innovative technologies hold the key to environmental sustainability."

MP International will be working closely with CEMATEX and other key associations to ensure the new initiatives are relevant for industry players to allow for maximum benefits for their participation.

Besides the value-added initiatives, ITMA remains the global marketplace and one-stop sourcing platform for emerging trends and innovative solutions.

An ideal city to host ITMA 2015, Milan is widely recognised as one of the world's fashion capitals, with a long history within the fashion, clothing and textile industries. Hosting ITMA for the fifth time, the city continues to draw fashion aficionados, supermodels and international media twice yearly for its spring and autumn fairs.

Fiera Milano Rho boasts one of the largest fairgrounds in the world, spanning 3,45,000 square metres of covered gross exhibition space. The venue is well-equipped with some 10 conference halls and a host of restaurants, bars and coffee houses.

Designed by architect Massimiliano Fuksas, Fiera Milano Rho is located in the west of Milan and connected to the city centre via a dedicated metro station, Rho Fiera. It is also served by railway and there are 14,000 parking spaces for visitors. Fiera Milano Rho is also the site of World Expo 2015, which will take place from May to October 2015.

Space application for the exhibition sales opens in mid 2013. For more information and updates, please visit www.itma.com.

Considered the 'Olympics' of textile machinery exhibitions, ITMA has a 60-year history of displaying the latest in machinery and software for every single work process of textile making. It is held every four years in Europe. The European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) comprises national textile machinery associations from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It is the owner of ITMA and ITMA ASIA.

Established in Singapore in 1987, MP International Pte Ltd specialises in organising exhibitions, conferences and special events. The group has organised and managed over 1,000 national, regional and international events, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2009 Leaders' Week. It is a leading international organiser of trade exhibitions, including ITMA and ITMA ASIA.