Karl Mayer reports an exceptional response from the Indian textile sector at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025, signalling the country’s emergence as a key growth engine for the global warp knitting industry. Around 30% of qualified discussions at the exhibition were held with Indian partners, underscoring the country’s rapidly expanding appetite for advanced knitting technologies.

According to the company, India is on track to become its second-largest sales region after China. The surge in interest reflects a decisive technological shift within the industry, as manufacturers move from staple to filament fibres and from weaving to knitting. This transition is opening new opportunities across apparel, athleisure, and sportswear markets.

With rising demand, deepening partnerships, and growing government engagement, India is rapidly becoming a central pillar of global warp knitting innovation

Mark Smith, Deputy Vice President of Sales for Warp Knitting at Karl Mayer, describes India as “an exciting market”, while Navin Agrawal, Senior Vice President of A.T.E. Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., stresses that success depends on deep partnership rather than machine sales alone. He notes that Karl Mayer has installed around 1,500 machines in India over the past 15 years and now commands a market share of 60 to 70%, with demand continuing to rise.

The shift from simple mesh textiles to high-quality warp knitted fabrics is particularly noticeable in Tirupur, long recognised as India’s knitwear capital. Manufacturers there have increasingly moved from rigid fabrics and mosquito nets to semi-stretch and elastic materials for activewear. Key players such as TechnoSport have already invested in multiple Karl Mayer machines and are expanding further.

Interest also came from Ludhiana and Panipat, India’s major home textiles hubs, where leading corporations are exploring warp knitting for apparel. Trident, renowned for its home textiles expertise, is assessing opportunities in the garment sector, while Shahi Exports – one of the country’s largest integrated textile producers – is evaluating warp knitting technologies, with Procurement Head Kanak Israni and her team engaging closely with Karl Mayer’s experts.

A highlight of the exhibition was a visit from an official Indian delegation led by Shri Rohit Kansal, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Textiles. He emphasised the strategic role warp knitting will play in strengthening India’s textile future.

Karl Mayer demonstrated its commitment to supporting this expansion with two machine premieres: the HKS 2-SE TWO, offering high productivity and ease of use for the elastic market, and the HKS 4-M EL ECO, tailored to price-sensitive fashion applications. A textile showcase of sample fabrics and garments further encouraged dialogue around new product possibilities.

Strong interest was also shown in the company’s Care Solutions, which help manufacturers maximise machine availability through advanced digital services. These include Remote Support flat for rapid diagnostics and maintenance, and a performance dashboard for monitoring entire machine fleets. Additionally, the Karl Mayer Academy in Surat continues to play a vital role in developing technical and managerial skills for India’s warp knitting professionals – a prerequisite for successful adoption of the technology, according to Mark Smith.

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