The global textile finishing industry is undergoing a significant transformation as manufacturers seek technologies that deliver superior fabric quality while reducing energy consumption and improving operational flexibility. At the same time, shifting manufacturing hubs, changing trade policies, and sustainability regulations are reshaping investment decisions across the textile sector.
During ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Behnam Ghasemi, Editor-in-Chief of Kohan Textile Journal, spoke with Giorgio Cafaggi, General Manager and Head of Sales at Sperotto Rimar, one of Italy’s long-established textile finishing machinery manufacturers. In this exclusive interview, Cafaggi discusses the company’s latest finishing innovations, the success of its Compass compacting machine, opportunities in Türkiye and the Middle East, and why sustainability must remain practical rather than ideological.
Q&A: Giorgio Cafaggi on Textile Finishing Innovation, Market Shifts, and Sustainable Manufacturing
Could you introduce Sperotto Rimar and its expertise in textile finishing?
Giorgio Cafaggi: Sperotto Rimar has been manufacturing textile finishing machinery for more than 70 years. We specialize in finishing solutions for both woven and knitted fabrics, covering a wide range of fiber compositions including cotton, viscose, wool, polyester, polyamide, elastane, and their various blends.
I have personally worked with the company for nearly 30 years, and throughout this time our focus has always been to develop technologies capable of meeting the evolving requirements of textile manufacturers worldwide.
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What are the latest technologies Sperotto Rimar is presenting to the market?
Giorgio Cafaggi: One of our newest developments is the Compass compacting machine, designed primarily to improve the dimensional stability of fabrics after washing.
We introduced Compass about four to five years ago, and since then we have sold approximately 40 machines globally. One of its greatest strengths is its versatility. Unlike many compacting machines that are designed for specific fabric types, Compass efficiently processes both woven and knitted fabrics across numerous material compositions.
In addition to dimensional stability, the machine also delivers a particularly soft and attractive fabric hand feel, offering added value beyond traditional compacting systems.
Which other finishing solution has attracted strong attention from customers?
Giorgio Cafaggi: Another important machine is our Decofast continuous decatizing system.
It operates under steam pressure and is particularly suitable for wool, wool blends, polyester-viscose fabrics, and several other blended materials. Although this technology has been available for some time, customer demand remains very strong because of the premium finishing quality it consistently delivers.
How important is the Turkish textile market for Sperotto Rimar?
Giorgio Cafaggi: Türkiye has been an important market for us since the 1980s.
Naturally, the market has changed over the years. Textile materials, customer expectations, and production requirements have evolved, so we have continuously adapted our technologies.
Although business conditions this year have been somewhat slower than usual, we still achieved several machine sales, and we remain optimistic.
Türkiye is strategically important because of its close relationship with European fashion and textile buyers. Manufacturers here need advanced finishing technologies capable of meeting European quality standards, making this market extremely valuable for us.
How do you see investment trends across the Middle East and North Africa?
Giorgio Cafaggi: We are seeing considerable investment activity, particularly in Egypt.
Many textile manufacturers from Syria, Türkiye, and even China are establishing production facilities there. Similar developments are beginning to appear in Tunisia as well.
These shifts are driven by several factors, including labor costs and international customs tariffs.
However, over time every manufacturing destination follows a similar economic path. As standards of living improve, salaries increase, production costs rise, and eventually companies begin searching for new locations.
We are witnessing the same phenomenon in Asia, where some manufacturers are now relocating to Central America because of tariff advantages and competitive labor costs.
It is a natural cycle within global manufacturing.
Sustainability has become a major topic throughout the textile industry. What is your perspective?
Giorgio Cafaggi: Sustainability is absolutely essential, and reducing pollution should always remain a priority.
However, sustainability must remain realistic.
Sometimes discussions become too ideological. Textile production inevitably requires certain chemical processes, although these can certainly be improved and optimized.
At Sperotto Rimar, we focus on practical solutions.
Our machines consume less energy by using more efficient components, and several of our technologies recover and recycle process chemicals at extremely high rates, approaching complete recovery. This allows manufacturers to significantly reduce environmental impact while maintaining production efficiency.
The industry’s direction toward lower emissions and energy savings is the correct one, but regulations must also allow manufacturers to remain competitive.
If sustainability requirements become excessively rigid, it becomes increasingly difficult for textile producers to operate successfully.
Finding the right balance between environmental responsibility and industrial productivity is the key challenge facing our industry.
Conclusion
With more than seven decades of engineering experience, Sperotto Rimar continues to demonstrate how textile finishing innovation can combine fabric quality, operational flexibility, and environmental responsibility. As textile production gradually shifts toward emerging manufacturing hubs such as Egypt while Türkiye maintains its strategic role as Europe’s nearby sourcing partner, finishing technologies capable of serving multiple fabric types efficiently are becoming increasingly valuable. According to Giorgio Cafaggi, the future of sustainable textile manufacturing will depend not on ideology, but on practical innovations that help mills reduce environmental impact without compromising productivity.
