ITAMMA and SITRA will organise an international conference on “AI – A Friend & Not Enemy of Textile Industry” in Coimbatore on September 25, 2026. The event will examine AI applications in textile manufacturing, design, quality control, cataloguing and supply chains. More than 250 delegates are expected, with international experts, industry leaders, researchers and government representatives participating.
The Indian Textile Accessories and Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (ITAMMA), in association with the South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) and with the support of the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), will organise an international conference titled “AI – A Friend & Not Enemy of Textile Industry” in Coimbatore on September 25, 2026.
The conference aims to create greater awareness about the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across India’s textile value chain and help manufacturers, machinery companies, designers, sellers and other industry stakeholders understand how AI can be practically deployed to improve productivity, quality, efficiency and market access.
AI Emerging as a Strategic Tool for Indian Textiles
India’s textile industry, valued at around ₹12 lakh crore, is witnessing increasing interest in AI-based technologies. Applications such as AI-powered fabric inspection, automated design, predictive maintenance, computer vision, digital product photography and supply-chain optimisation are enabling businesses to improve operational efficiency and reduce waste.
AI is also creating new opportunities for textile sellers, designers and manufacturers by enabling them to visualise finished garments from raw fabrics, automatically generate product catalogues and digitally connect with buyers at scale.
The growing availability of AI-powered textile solutions is particularly significant for MSMEs, which can use digital tools to compete more effectively without making the same level of investments traditionally required for large-scale technology infrastructure.
Addressing the AI Adoption Gap
Despite the growing potential, AI adoption across India’s textile industry remains uneven. Large manufacturers are increasingly experimenting with AI for trend forecasting and quality control, while smaller businesses are primarily using basic digital tools for product photography and WhatsApp-based catalogues.
According to the conference organisers, the estimated adoption levels vary significantly across business segments, with adoption at around 35% among large manufacturers, compared with approximately 15% among mid-sized wholesalers, 7% among small wholesale sellers and less than 2% among individual artisans.
The conference is therefore expected to focus strongly on practical implementation, particularly for MSMEs and smaller textile businesses.
AI Across the Textile Value Chain
AI is already finding applications across several stages of textile and apparel production and marketing. These include:
- Fabric Visualisation: Converting fabric concepts and inventories into visual representations of finished garments.
- AI-Powered Product Photography: Creating digital product imagery and enhancing product presentation.
- Automated Catalogue Creation: Generating product catalogues rapidly from fabric and product data.
- Design Intelligence: Using data and AI to identify trends and support product development.
- Quality Control: Applying computer vision for automated fabric inspection and defect detection.
- Supply Chain and Inventory Optimisation: Improving forecasting, inventory management and production planning.
The organisers believe these applications can help textile companies shorten development cycles, improve quality and access new markets.
Global Fibre Trends Strengthen the Case for AI
The conference will also examine how changing global fibre consumption is increasing the complexity of textile manufacturing. Man-made fibres currently account for a dominant share of global textile fibre consumption, creating new possibilities for innovation across fibre, yarn, fabric and fashion stages.
Compared with conventional cotton-based manufacturing processes, the growing diversity and complexity of man-made fibre production can require greater levels of process monitoring and control. This is increasing the potential role of AI in analysing production data, identifying deviations and supporting faster decision-making.
International and Industry Experts to Share Insights
The conference is expected to feature international speakers from MAS Holdings, Sri Lanka, and SMARTEX.AI, Portugal, who will discuss the contribution of AI to the global textile industry.
A keynote address is also planned by Dr. Sridhar Chitraju, Director and Chief Technology Officer, Center of Excellence (CTO CoE), Kyndryl, formerly associated with IBM.
Senior representatives from leading textile companies, including Raymond Lifestyle Ltd., Krios Global Pvt. Ltd. (Daga Group – Import & Export Division), TT Ltd., KPR Mill Limited and Arvind Limited, are expected to share their experiences and perspectives on AI implementation in textile manufacturing.
The research and academic segment will feature initiatives from SITRA and academic institutions including Kumaraguru College of Technology (KCT), PSG and SVPIT, covering AI applications at pilot-plant and production levels.
Government officials, including representatives from the Ministry of Textiles and Ministry of MSME, are also expected to discuss government initiatives and the broader policy landscape surrounding AI and technology adoption.
Platform for Technology Partnerships and Start-ups
The organisers expect more than 250 delegates to attend the conference, including senior executives from textile mills, machinery and component manufacturers and academic institutions across Southern India.
Beyond knowledge sharing, ITAMMA intends to use the conference as a platform for building technology partnerships. The association plans to encourage start-ups and members of the textile engineering industry to explore opportunities involving joint ventures, technology transfers and new business collaborations.
With AI rapidly moving from experimentation to practical industrial applications, the conference is positioned as an industry platform to help textile stakeholders understand not only why AI should be adopted, but also when, where, what and how AI can be implemented across their operations.