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Credit: Design Zentrum Hamburg

10.09.2026

Hamburg Textile Week puts future fabrics on show

Hamburg Textile Week will present 14 projects from Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden from 1 to 11 October 2026 under the theme “Stoffe mit Zukunft” – Fabrics with a Future. The program focuses on new materials, processes and technologies, including textile energy systems, bio-based materials and interactive fabrics.

Projects range from SkySails kites that generate electricity from high-altitude wind and revoltech’s hemp-residue-based LOVR material to “Talking Textiles,” which translates touch into sound in real time. A Stühmer|Scholz exoskeleton uses textile components as the interface between body and technology. Other exhibits include a curtain woven with thin-film solar cells and work on bio-based dyeing.

Design Zentrum Hamburg is joined by the FABRIC – Future Fashion Lab for talks and workshops, with HAW Hamburg, AMD Akademie Mode & Design, Made auf Veddel and Greenpeace also participating. The format brings research, design, production and circular-design questions into one city-wide textile program.

Hamburg Textile Week will present 14 projects from Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden from 1 to 11 October 2026 under the theme “Stoffe mit Zukunft” – Fabrics with a Future. The program focuses on new materials, processes and technologies, including textile energy systems, bio-based materials and interactive fabrics.

Projects range from SkySails kites that generate electricity from high-altitude wind and revoltech’s hemp-residue-based LOVR material to “Talking Textiles,” which translates touch into sound in real time. A Stühmer|Scholz exoskeleton uses textile components as the interface between body and technology. Other exhibits include a curtain woven with thin-film solar cells and work on bio-based dyeing.

Design Zentrum Hamburg is joined by the FABRIC – Future Fashion Lab for talks and workshops, with HAW Hamburg, AMD Akademie Mode & Design, Made auf Veddel and Greenpeace also participating. The format brings research, design, production and circular-design questions into one city-wide textile program.

More information:
Hamburg Textile Week Design Zentrum Hamburg FABRIC Future Fashion Lab Smart textiles bio-based materials circularity

Source:

Design Zentrum Hamburg / Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft

10.09.2026

Textile Exchange raises the bar on materials

Textile Exchange has published new guidance setting out the next requirements for brands and retailers in its Action Cohort. From 2027, participating companies will be required to report material sourcing volumes through the Materials Benchmark and set measurable targets for the share of materials sourced through standards, certification or other programs that verify preferred production practices.

The targets should cover relevant key materials accounting for at least 80% of a company’s material portfolio. Textile Exchange identifies common intervention areas including pesticide and fertilizer reduction, deforestation and conversion, animal welfare, recycled feedstocks with a focus on textile inputs, and human-rights due diligence.

Aggregate cohort results will be made public, while more detailed results will be shared with participating brands. The framework therefore tightens the connection between voluntary membership, quantitative materials data and verifiable sourcing objectives, increasing the need for brands and suppliers to document material strategies with comparable evidence.

Textile Exchange has published new guidance setting out the next requirements for brands and retailers in its Action Cohort. From 2027, participating companies will be required to report material sourcing volumes through the Materials Benchmark and set measurable targets for the share of materials sourced through standards, certification or other programs that verify preferred production practices.

The targets should cover relevant key materials accounting for at least 80% of a company’s material portfolio. Textile Exchange identifies common intervention areas including pesticide and fertilizer reduction, deforestation and conversion, animal welfare, recycled feedstocks with a focus on textile inputs, and human-rights due diligence.

Aggregate cohort results will be made public, while more detailed results will be shared with participating brands. The framework therefore tightens the connection between voluntary membership, quantitative materials data and verifiable sourcing objectives, increasing the need for brands and suppliers to document material strategies with comparable evidence.

More information:
Textile Exchange certification recycled feedstocks Animal welfare human rights

Source:

Textile Exchange

Wooden Couchcover, Buro Belén.

Photography: Belén, Guus Schoth.

Wooden Couchcover, Buro Belén.

10.09.2026

Home-Maxxing shapes Heimtextil Trends 27/28

Heimtextil Trends 27/28 place the tension between optimization and respite at the center of the coming interior-textile season. Under the theme “Home-Maxxing – The Performance of Everyday Living,” Heimtextil and Milan design platform Alcova explore how technology, functionality and sensory material qualities are reshaping homes, hospitality, workplaces and healthcare environments.

Textiles are framed explicitly as functional components: they can regulate light, absorb sound or filter air. At the same time, tactility, durability and understandable construction are gaining importance. The three directions, Staged Competence, Inside, Out and Hyper Presence, range from visibly engineered performance and exposed connections to natural fibers and surfaces whose physical qualities take priority.

The trends will be presented in the Trend Space at Heimtextil from 12 to 15 January 2027. For home and contract-textile suppliers, the key message is that technical performance is no longer expected to disappear into the background; it increasingly becomes part of the visual and material language of a product.

Heimtextil Trends 27/28 place the tension between optimization and respite at the center of the coming interior-textile season. Under the theme “Home-Maxxing – The Performance of Everyday Living,” Heimtextil and Milan design platform Alcova explore how technology, functionality and sensory material qualities are reshaping homes, hospitality, workplaces and healthcare environments.

Textiles are framed explicitly as functional components: they can regulate light, absorb sound or filter air. At the same time, tactility, durability and understandable construction are gaining importance. The three directions, Staged Competence, Inside, Out and Hyper Presence, range from visibly engineered performance and exposed connections to natural fibers and surfaces whose physical qualities take priority.

The trends will be presented in the Trend Space at Heimtextil from 12 to 15 January 2027. For home and contract-textile suppliers, the key message is that technical performance is no longer expected to disappear into the background; it increasingly becomes part of the visual and material language of a product.

More information:
Heimtextil Messe Frankfurt Interior textiles acoustics air filtration light control material trends

Source:

Messe Frankfurt

A matrix for recycled-fiber quality

Graphic: (c) Uster Technologies AG

10.09.2026

A matrix for recycled-fiber quality

Uster Technologies has introduced a structured matrix for assessing mechanically recycled fibers. The approach is intended to help spinners deal with the wider variability of recycled feedstocks and relate measured fiber properties more directly to processing decisions and intended end uses.

Mechanically recycled cotton typically shows greater variation than virgin material because fiber length is reduced and input streams differ in origin and processing history. A consistent assessment framework can therefore support bale management, blending decisions and the adjustment of spinning parameters. Uster positions the Recycled Fiber Matrix as a practical bridge between increasing recycled-content targets and reliable quality control.

This matters for circularity at industrial scale. More recycling capacity alone does not guarantee usable yarn feedstock; recycled fibers also need to enter established production systems with predictable performance. Testing and data interpretation are becoming part of the infrastructure required to move textile-to-textile recycling from availability to repeatable production.

Uster Technologies has introduced a structured matrix for assessing mechanically recycled fibers. The approach is intended to help spinners deal with the wider variability of recycled feedstocks and relate measured fiber properties more directly to processing decisions and intended end uses.

Mechanically recycled cotton typically shows greater variation than virgin material because fiber length is reduced and input streams differ in origin and processing history. A consistent assessment framework can therefore support bale management, blending decisions and the adjustment of spinning parameters. Uster positions the Recycled Fiber Matrix as a practical bridge between increasing recycled-content targets and reliable quality control.

This matters for circularity at industrial scale. More recycling capacity alone does not guarantee usable yarn feedstock; recycled fibers also need to enter established production systems with predictable performance. Testing and data interpretation are becoming part of the infrastructure required to move textile-to-textile recycling from availability to repeatable production.

More information:
Uster Technologies AG Recycled Fiber Matrix mechanical recycling cotton fiber testing quality management spinning

Source:

Uster Technologies AG

(c) De Montfort University (DMU)

08.09.2026

Smart textiles: flexible supercapacitors could power sensors directly in sportswear

An international research team involving De Montfort University Leicester is examining how flexible supercapacitors could be integrated into sports clothing. The concept goes beyond adding another sensor to a garment. Instead, the textile would become part of the energy architecture: it could store electricity and supply distributed sensors embedded across the garment. Combined with technologies that harvest energy from body movement or heat, running tops, cycling kit or gym wear could eventually generate and store part of the power needed for continuous monitoring.

The researchers identify knitted structures and conductive yarns as particularly promising because they can combine electrical functionality with stretch, flexibility and breathability. Carbon-based electrode materials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes are also considered because of their energy-storage potential and mechanical flexibility. Compared with conventional batteries, supercapacitors can charge and discharge very rapidly, while potentially being made light and flexible enough for body-worn applications.

An international research team involving De Montfort University Leicester is examining how flexible supercapacitors could be integrated into sports clothing. The concept goes beyond adding another sensor to a garment. Instead, the textile would become part of the energy architecture: it could store electricity and supply distributed sensors embedded across the garment. Combined with technologies that harvest energy from body movement or heat, running tops, cycling kit or gym wear could eventually generate and store part of the power needed for continuous monitoring.

The researchers identify knitted structures and conductive yarns as particularly promising because they can combine electrical functionality with stretch, flexibility and breathability. Carbon-based electrode materials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes are also considered because of their energy-storage potential and mechanical flexibility. Compared with conventional batteries, supercapacitors can charge and discharge very rapidly, while potentially being made light and flexible enough for body-worn applications.

The potential use case extends beyond sport. A sensor-rich garment could monitor heart rate, body temperature, muscle activity, movement and fatigue at several points on the body rather than relying on a single wrist-mounted device. In healthcare, similar garments could support continuous monitoring and provide clinicians with information collected from different body regions. The textile would therefore shift from being a passive carrier to acting as a distributed sensing and energy platform.

Crucially, the DMU source does not present a finished smart garment. The underlying paper sets out a technological framework that brings together developments in electronics, materials science, manufacturing and flexible textiles. Considerable barriers remain. Electronic fabrics would have to tolerate sweat, repeated stretching and bending and regular laundering without losing performance. They must also remain comfortable and breathable, and eventually be manufactured at a cost and scale compatible with mainstream clothing.

Circularity is another design requirement. The study discusses recyclable or biodegradable materials, greener manufacturing and garment architectures that allow electronic components to be recovered at end of life rather than creating another stream of electronic waste. The next step is therefore practical development and funding, not commercial launch. That distinction is important: the work is a credible roadmap for e-textile integration, but its industrial maturity still has to be demonstrated.

More information:
Smart textiles E-Textiles supercapacitors conductive yarns knitted fabrics graphene nanotubes Sportswear Healthcare

Source:

De Montfort University (DMU)

08.09.2026

DSC launches MORPH materials platform

Dahsheng Company has introduced MORPH, a materials platform that combines foams, textiles, films and functional layers into application-specific engineered systems. Brands can select surface materials, foam cores, colours, density, thickness, perforation and additional functional layers. The platform can be supplied as moulded components, sheet materials or fully integrated material systems, with footwear and sports applications a clear focus.

At the core are DSC’s DREAMCELL open-cell and DURAPONTEX closed-cell foam technologies. The company says more than 100 fabric and colour options are available for the top layer. Depending on the construction, the system can combine comfort, low weight, durability, breathability and impact protection. The emphasis therefore shifts from a single foam or textile to a coordinated multilayer material architecture.

Dahsheng Company has introduced MORPH, a materials platform that combines foams, textiles, films and functional layers into application-specific engineered systems. Brands can select surface materials, foam cores, colours, density, thickness, perforation and additional functional layers. The platform can be supplied as moulded components, sheet materials or fully integrated material systems, with footwear and sports applications a clear focus.

At the core are DSC’s DREAMCELL open-cell and DURAPONTEX closed-cell foam technologies. The company says more than 100 fabric and colour options are available for the top layer. Depending on the construction, the system can combine comfort, low weight, durability, breathability and impact protection. The emphasis therefore shifts from a single foam or textile to a coordinated multilayer material architecture.

For textile developers, the interface between softgoods and foam engineering is the most relevant aspect. Face fabrics, synthetic surfaces, films, foam and backing layers can be engineered together for the end use. That can streamline material development for brands, but it also raises questions around adhesion, long-term durability, recyclability and the end-of-life handling of heterogeneous multilayer constructions.

DSC does not publish standardised performance values, comparative test data or recycling routes for MORPH in the announcement. Performance and environmental claims should therefore be treated as manufacturer statements at this stage. The editorial significance lies in the platform approach and the deeper integration of textile and polymer functional layers within one materials-development process.

More information:
DSC Dahsheng MORPH composite materials footwear

Source:

Dahsheng Company / DSC

Image by Sallman Hayat, Pixabay

08.09.2026

IIT Delhi and Indian Air Force launch AI research for parachutes and safety equipment

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are combining research expertise in technical textiles. According to IIT Delhi’s Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering, the cooperation will focus on AI-powered research for parachutes and other safety equipment.

The initiative brings together textile material and structural expertise with data-driven methods. In parachute systems, material ageing, fabric construction, seams and joining technologies, as well as behaviour under dynamic loads, are safety-critical. AI models can support faster evaluation of testing data, condition classification and data-based development or maintenance decisions.

For the technical-textile industry, the cooperation is particularly relevant because it demonstrates how established textile testing and engineering can be combined with digital models. Beyond military use, the approach may also be relevant to rescue systems, personal protective equipment and other highly loaded textile structures.

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are combining research expertise in technical textiles. According to IIT Delhi’s Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering, the cooperation will focus on AI-powered research for parachutes and other safety equipment.

The initiative brings together textile material and structural expertise with data-driven methods. In parachute systems, material ageing, fabric construction, seams and joining technologies, as well as behaviour under dynamic loads, are safety-critical. AI models can support faster evaluation of testing data, condition classification and data-based development or maintenance decisions.

For the technical-textile industry, the cooperation is particularly relevant because it demonstrates how established textile testing and engineering can be combined with digital models. Beyond military use, the approach may also be relevant to rescue systems, personal protective equipment and other highly loaded textile structures.

More information:
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi Indian Air Force parachutes

Source:

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering

07.09.2026

EURATEX calls for €10 EU handling fee on low-value e-commerce imports

The European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX) is calling for an EU handling fee of around €10 on low-value e-commerce consignments entering the European market. The association argues that the fee should contribute to the costs of customs controls, market surveillance and product-safety enforcement associated with the rapidly growing volume of direct-to-consumer imports.

Low-value e-commerce imports into the European Union have increased sharply in recent years. According to the European Commission, around 5.9 billion low-value e-commerce items entered the EU in 2025, up 26% from 2024. The growth of direct shipments from non-EU online retailers and marketplaces has increased the workload for customs and market-surveillance authorities and intensified the debate about compliance with European product, safety and customs requirements.

The European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX) is calling for an EU handling fee of around €10 on low-value e-commerce consignments entering the European market. The association argues that the fee should contribute to the costs of customs controls, market surveillance and product-safety enforcement associated with the rapidly growing volume of direct-to-consumer imports.

Low-value e-commerce imports into the European Union have increased sharply in recent years. According to the European Commission, around 5.9 billion low-value e-commerce items entered the EU in 2025, up 26% from 2024. The growth of direct shipments from non-EU online retailers and marketplaces has increased the workload for customs and market-surveillance authorities and intensified the debate about compliance with European product, safety and customs requirements.

Since 1 July 2026, the EU has applied a temporary customs duty of €3 to low-value consignments of up to €150. The measure replaced the previous customs-duty exemption for such imports and is intended as a transitional arrangement until the new EU Customs Data Hub becomes operational. It is separate from the EU-wide handling fee for small e-commerce consignments provided for under the broader reform of the EU customs framework.

Following the latest agreement on the customs reform, the handling fee is to be introduced by 1 November 2026. Its level will be determined by the European Commission before the member states begin applying it.

Against this background, EURATEX used Première Vision in Paris to argue that the handling fee should be set at a level that more closely reflects the actual enforcement costs associated with the large number of individual consignments entering the Single Market.

The association proposes a benchmark of around €10 per parcel. According to EURATEX, the amount should ultimately be based on a detailed assessment of the costs incurred by customs authorities, market-surveillance bodies and other public authorities involved in checking imported goods.

Processing large numbers of small consignments requires customs declarations to be assessed, risks to be analysed and compliance requirements to be checked. Market-surveillance authorities are also responsible for identifying unsafe or non-compliant products and enforcing EU product-safety rules.

EURATEX therefore argues that the handling fee should primarily be viewed as an enforcement instrument rather than simply as a trade or taxation measure. Revenues generated by the fee should, in the association's view, be linked to additional resources for customs controls, market surveillance, product-safety enforcement and risk-analysis systems.

The proposed €10 level is a EURATEX position and has not been adopted by the European Union. The European Commission is responsible for determining the actual amount of the forthcoming EU handling fee.

The customs reform also changes the responsibilities of companies involved in distance selling to EU consumers. Online platforms and sellers covered by the new rules are to be treated as importers for customs purposes and will therefore assume greater responsibility for customs formalities and duty payments rather than leaving these obligations with individual consumers.

EURATEX considers stronger platform responsibility an important element in addressing non-compliant imports but also points to the risk of alternative logistics structures being used to circumvent controls. More intensive checks on individual direct-to-consumer parcels should not, according to the association, result in goods simply being channelled through bulk imports, EU warehouses or fulfilment centres instead.

Effective enforcement would therefore need to cover different logistics models and provide customs and market-surveillance authorities with sufficiently detailed information on both business-to-consumer and business-to-business flows.

The European textile and clothing industry comprises nearly 200,000 companies in the EU-27 and employs around 1.2 million people. The sector generates annual turnover of approximately €166 billion. Most companies are small and medium-sized enterprises.

For EURATEX, the debate about low-value imports is consequently also a question of competitive conditions. The association is calling for companies selling products to European consumers, irrespective of their country of establishment or distribution model, to be identifiable and subject to comparable customs, product-safety and market-surveillance requirements.

More information:
Euratex European Apparel and Textile Confederation EURATEX ecommerce Première Vision European market Chinese imports

Source:

European Apparel and Textile Confederation EURATEX

Photo (c) PITAKA

PITAKA's Brand Event in Berlin: 'Signals in the Wind'

07.09.2026

PITAKA turns aramid fibre into a deliberately irregular woven surface

PITAKA has introduced a new weaving technique for aramid fibre at a brand event in Berlin. The company is best known for thin smartphone cases and accessories made with aramid. Its new “Trace Form” technique is intended to avoid a completely uniform programmed surface: selected fibres are allowed to drift from their prescribed path so that texture emerges from controlled irregularity.

The first application is the “Wind Over Wheat Trace Form Edition”, with a surface intended to evoke wind moving across a wheat field and offered in three finishes. PITAKA presents the method as an interaction between industrial precision, material response and human judgement. For textile and material developers, the notable point is that a high-performance fibre normally valued for strength and low weight is being used as the visible aesthetic element of the product itself.

PITAKA has introduced a new weaving technique for aramid fibre at a brand event in Berlin. The company is best known for thin smartphone cases and accessories made with aramid. Its new “Trace Form” technique is intended to avoid a completely uniform programmed surface: selected fibres are allowed to drift from their prescribed path so that texture emerges from controlled irregularity.

The first application is the “Wind Over Wheat Trace Form Edition”, with a surface intended to evoke wind moving across a wheat field and offered in three finishes. PITAKA presents the method as an interaction between industrial precision, material response and human judgement. For textile and material developers, the notable point is that a high-performance fibre normally valued for strength and low weight is being used as the visible aesthetic element of the product itself.

The release leaves important technical questions unanswered. It provides no fibre fineness, weave parameters, mechanical data or quantified performance difference versus earlier aramid constructions. It would therefore be misleading to describe the launch as a new performance class. What can be stated is that PITAKA is translating a deliberately variable woven structure into a commercial aramid product and broadening the interface between technical fibres, composite structures and lifestyle design.

The limited Trace Form edition is scheduled to launch on 17 September. For textile-industry coverage, the relevant angle is not the consumer-electronics accessory itself but the material strategy: technical fibres can acquire additional value through construction, surface appearance and tactile expression beyond their conventional performance role.

More information:
PITAKA aramid

Source:

PITAKA

07.09.2026

CENTRESTAGE reports record attendance with more than 12,000 trade buyers

The eleventh edition of Hong Kong fashion event CENTRESTAGE closed with a new attendance record. According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the four-day fair attracted more than 12,000 trade buyers from 93 countries and regions. Buyer numbers from Vietnam, Russia, the United States and Malaysia showed notable growth, providing a current indicator of Hong Kong’s reach as a fashion and sourcing platform.

The attendance figures also need to be read in the context of the event format. CENTRESTAGE formed part of Hong Kong Fashion Fest and combined design presentations, brand showcases, runway programmes and commercial meetings. Other lifestyle events ran concurrently. CENTRESTAGE and Salon de Time were also opened to the public free of charge, together recording more than 20,000 public attendances.

The eleventh edition of Hong Kong fashion event CENTRESTAGE closed with a new attendance record. According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the four-day fair attracted more than 12,000 trade buyers from 93 countries and regions. Buyer numbers from Vietnam, Russia, the United States and Malaysia showed notable growth, providing a current indicator of Hong Kong’s reach as a fashion and sourcing platform.

The attendance figures also need to be read in the context of the event format. CENTRESTAGE formed part of Hong Kong Fashion Fest and combined design presentations, brand showcases, runway programmes and commercial meetings. Other lifestyle events ran concurrently. CENTRESTAGE and Salon de Time were also opened to the public free of charge, together recording more than 20,000 public attendances.

For manufacturers, brands and sourcing teams, the buyer composition is more informative than the public visitor count. Buyers from 93 markets point to a broad international sourcing base. Growth from Vietnam and Malaysia also reflects Southeast Asia’s increasing importance as a consumer, production and sourcing region. Higher buyer numbers from the US are noteworthy against the backdrop of changing trade and sourcing configurations.

The figures are organiser data and should therefore be treated as event metrics rather than independent market statistics. Even so, they are useful for industry monitoring. They suggest that physical B2B platforms continue to matter alongside digital sourcing tools when brands, designers, suppliers and international buyers need to establish new relationships and reassess regional production networks.

More information:
CENTRESTAGE HKTDC Hong Kong Fashion Sourcing Asia Hong Kong Trade Development Council

Source:

Hong Kong Trade Development Council

Graphic (c) Discover e-Solutions (DeSL)

07.09.2026

DeSL generates Digital Product Passports directly

DeSL has launched a Digital Product Passport solution built directly on product, material, supplier, quality and certification data managed in Product Lifecycle Management. The approach addresses a central challenge in emerging DPP requirements: companies need to combine information from multiple functions while retaining evidence of where data came from, how it was approved and whether supporting documentation remains valid.

Rather than creating a separate static passport record, DeSL generates the DPP from the current approved information held in PLM. Published information therefore remains connected to its underlying product and supplier records, version history and approvals. This can become particularly important when material composition, suppliers, certifications or quality information change during the product lifecycle.

DeSL has launched a Digital Product Passport solution built directly on product, material, supplier, quality and certification data managed in Product Lifecycle Management. The approach addresses a central challenge in emerging DPP requirements: companies need to combine information from multiple functions while retaining evidence of where data came from, how it was approved and whether supporting documentation remains valid.

Rather than creating a separate static passport record, DeSL generates the DPP from the current approved information held in PLM. Published information therefore remains connected to its underlying product and supplier records, version history and approvals. This can become particularly important when material composition, suppliers, certifications or quality information change during the product lifecycle.

The platform can combine product specifications, materials, supplier information, declarations, inspections and certifications. DeSL’s AI document intelligence is intended to analyse supporting documents, identify required information and expiry dates, and compare documentation with information maintained in PLM. Passports can be generated at the appropriate product level and delivered via QR codes, portals, retail systems and open APIs. Different audiences can receive different information while still drawing from the same governed product record.

For fashion and textile companies, the important shift is conceptual: DPP compliance becomes a master-data and governance challenge rather than simply a publishing task. The software announcement does not prove automatic compliance with every future regulatory requirement. It does, however, demonstrate a credible architecture in which product passports are generated from the same data used for product development, quality, supplier management and compliance.

More information:
DeSL Digital Product Passports PLM certifications QR code compliance

Source:

Discover e-Solutions (DeSL)

01.09.2026

MELANGE project moves colour design upstream in interior-textile production

The new Horizon Europe project MELANGE aims to reorganise how colour is designed and applied in interior textiles. Rather than treating coloration mainly as a finishing-stage operation, the project moves colour decisions upstream and explores fibre-stage technologies including spin, dope and solution dyeing, as well as the use of pre-coloured recycled fibres. The rationale is that conventional coloration consumes substantial water, energy and chemicals, while the pursuit of near-perfect uniformity can drive additional trials and material losses.

The new Horizon Europe project MELANGE aims to reorganise how colour is designed and applied in interior textiles. Rather than treating coloration mainly as a finishing-stage operation, the project moves colour decisions upstream and explores fibre-stage technologies including spin, dope and solution dyeing, as well as the use of pre-coloured recycled fibres. The rationale is that conventional coloration consumes substantial water, energy and chemicals, while the pursuit of near-perfect uniformity can drive additional trials and material losses.

MELANGE brings together nine partners from seven European countries under the leadership of Aalto University, with Textile ETP responsible for dissemination and stakeholder engagement. The project proposes treating variation as a design feature rather than automatically as a defect. It draws inspiration from Prato’s practice of blending pre-coloured recycled fibres by shade to avoid re-dyeing. According to the project communication, the approach aims to reduce water and chemical use by up to 50% compared with conventional finishing-stage processes. Business models, B2B marketing, standards and policy are also part of the work.

More information:
MELANGE Aalto University spin dyeing recycled fibres Horizon Europe water use

Source:

Textile ETP / MELANGE consortium

01.09.2026

bluesign links textile-mill water management to input-stream chemistry

bluesign argues that water management in textile wet processing starts with the chemicals and raw materials entering the process. Its core point is that water in dyeing and finishing is not simply a resource but a carrier for chemistry. What enters the process therefore affects water demand, wastewater load, air emissions, workplace exposure and potential residues in the finished textile.

The input-stream-management approach intervenes before wastewater treatment. By selecting appropriate chemical products and controlling the process, substances of concern should ideally be prevented from entering the system in the first place. For mills, the point is operationally important because investment in water and effluent treatment alone does not address the source of many impacts. The article provides useful context as chemical restrictions, water scarcity and supply-chain transparency requirements become more demanding.

bluesign argues that water management in textile wet processing starts with the chemicals and raw materials entering the process. Its core point is that water in dyeing and finishing is not simply a resource but a carrier for chemistry. What enters the process therefore affects water demand, wastewater load, air emissions, workplace exposure and potential residues in the finished textile.

The input-stream-management approach intervenes before wastewater treatment. By selecting appropriate chemical products and controlling the process, substances of concern should ideally be prevented from entering the system in the first place. For mills, the point is operationally important because investment in water and effluent treatment alone does not address the source of many impacts. The article provides useful context as chemical restrictions, water scarcity and supply-chain transparency requirements become more demanding.

More information:
bluesign bluesign® wet processing industrial wastewater treatment wastewater treatment technologies textile finishing

Source:

bluesign technologies ag

The LYCRA Company Reimagines the Trade Show Experience at Intertextile

Photo via Lycra

31.08.2026

LYCRA: New fibre technologies for performance, stretch and renewable content

The LYCRA Company is presenting several fibre technologies in commercial apparel applications at Intertextile Shanghai. COOLMAX CloakFX for woven fabrics is designed to mask the appearance of sweat, improve wet and dry opacity and provide moisture management; the company says the fibre is made from 100% recycled PET and certified to the Global Recycled Standard. LYCRA FiT400 is being shown for knits and wovens, combining non-spandex mechanical stretch with cooling functionality. RENEWABLE LYCRA fibre contains 70% renewable content derived in part from field corn grown in the US Midwest. The technologies are presented in a 356-square-metre co-creation district with Asian textile partners, illustrating how ingredient-brand technologies are translated into workwear, denim, performance and everyday apparel.

The LYCRA Company is presenting several fibre technologies in commercial apparel applications at Intertextile Shanghai. COOLMAX CloakFX for woven fabrics is designed to mask the appearance of sweat, improve wet and dry opacity and provide moisture management; the company says the fibre is made from 100% recycled PET and certified to the Global Recycled Standard. LYCRA FiT400 is being shown for knits and wovens, combining non-spandex mechanical stretch with cooling functionality. RENEWABLE LYCRA fibre contains 70% renewable content derived in part from field corn grown in the US Midwest. The technologies are presented in a 356-square-metre co-creation district with Asian textile partners, illustrating how ingredient-brand technologies are translated into workwear, denim, performance and everyday apparel.

More information:
Lycra COOLMAX CloakFX LYCRA FiT400 Renewable LYCRA Intertextile Shanghai performance apparel recycled PET

Source:

The LYCRA Company

31.08.2026

Circ and Shenghong move textile-recycled polyester into commercial filament yarn production

US textile-to-textile recycler Circ has entered into a partnership with Shenghong Chemical Fiber New Material for the commercial production of polyester filament yarn using Circ’s recycled material. Shenghong will purchase Circ PET chip and manufacture recycled-content filament yarn at commercial scale. For Circ, the agreement expands access to one of China’s major fibre producers and creates an additional route to market for polyester recovered from textile waste. For brands and mills, the key point is that textile-to-textile feedstock is moving closer to established high-volume yarn manufacturing structures. The partnership also underlines that scaling chemical recycling depends not only on polymer recovery but on robust downstream relationships with fibre and yarn producers.

US textile-to-textile recycler Circ has entered into a partnership with Shenghong Chemical Fiber New Material for the commercial production of polyester filament yarn using Circ’s recycled material. Shenghong will purchase Circ PET chip and manufacture recycled-content filament yarn at commercial scale. For Circ, the agreement expands access to one of China’s major fibre producers and creates an additional route to market for polyester recovered from textile waste. For brands and mills, the key point is that textile-to-textile feedstock is moving closer to established high-volume yarn manufacturing structures. The partnership also underlines that scaling chemical recycling depends not only on polymer recovery but on robust downstream relationships with fibre and yarn producers.

More information:
textile-to-textile textile-to-textile recycling Circ recycled fibres China polyester PET

Source:

Circ

31.08.2026

Better Cotton and Avalo use AI to accelerate climate-resilient cotton breeding

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has partnered with agricultural technology company Avalo to accelerate the breeding of more climate-resilient cotton. Avalo uses an AI-enabled platform to identify genetic traits relevant to locally adapted plants that require less water and fertiliser. According to BCI, the approach can shorten the time needed to develop new varieties, an increasingly important factor as heat, water scarcity and shifting rainfall patterns affect cotton-growing regions. Avalo has already worked with BCI to enrol a significant number of new producers for the 2026 season and has tested a digital platform for collecting and reporting programme data. The partnership therefore connects plant breeding, digital data management and the requirements of an international cotton standard.

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has partnered with agricultural technology company Avalo to accelerate the breeding of more climate-resilient cotton. Avalo uses an AI-enabled platform to identify genetic traits relevant to locally adapted plants that require less water and fertiliser. According to BCI, the approach can shorten the time needed to develop new varieties, an increasingly important factor as heat, water scarcity and shifting rainfall patterns affect cotton-growing regions. Avalo has already worked with BCI to enrol a significant number of new producers for the 2026 season and has tested a digital platform for collecting and reporting programme data. The partnership therefore connects plant breeding, digital data management and the requirements of an international cotton standard.

More information:
Better Cotton Initiative Avalo cotton artificial intelligence

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Better Cotton Initiative

Cinte Techtextil China

Photo: Messe Frankfurt

28.08.2026

Cinte Techtextil China 2026 to open next week

As Asia’s premier platform catering to the evolving needs in technical textiles and nonwovens, Cinte Techtextil China will open next week at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, gathering over 300 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions. Across Halls W3 to W5, this edition will create chances for fast-growing sectors and emerging trends – such as Mobiltech, Medtech & Protech, Indutech and more. The curated zones, pavilions, and fringe programme are designed to better connect exhibitors with targeted buyers from across China, Asia-Pacific, and further afield. Meanwhile, the Association Village will gather international industry associations to foster even more global collaboration.

As a hub for global innovation, the fair will feature a strong contingent of international industry leaders in Hall W5’s Overseas Zone, including Andritz (China) Ltd, Groz-Beckert (Germany), A.Celli SPA (Italy), and Dilo (Germany), while others such as Picanol NV (Belgium) will showcase in Hall W4.

As Asia’s premier platform catering to the evolving needs in technical textiles and nonwovens, Cinte Techtextil China will open next week at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, gathering over 300 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions. Across Halls W3 to W5, this edition will create chances for fast-growing sectors and emerging trends – such as Mobiltech, Medtech & Protech, Indutech and more. The curated zones, pavilions, and fringe programme are designed to better connect exhibitors with targeted buyers from across China, Asia-Pacific, and further afield. Meanwhile, the Association Village will gather international industry associations to foster even more global collaboration.

As a hub for global innovation, the fair will feature a strong contingent of international industry leaders in Hall W5’s Overseas Zone, including Andritz (China) Ltd, Groz-Beckert (Germany), A.Celli SPA (Italy), and Dilo (Germany), while others such as Picanol NV (Belgium) will showcase in Hall W4.

The sought-after European and German Zones will also be in Hall W5, featuring high-performance solutions from such markets. Key suppliers in the European Zone will include Monosuisse Group (Switzerland) and Comerio Ercole S.p.A (Italy), while the German Zone will include IBENA Textilwerke GmbH and Mahlo GmbH + Co KG. Nearby, the Textile Chemicals and Dyes Zone will return to offer advanced solutions for diverse technical applications.

A key highlight of Hall W5 is the Association Village, designed to showcase expertise, foster international trade networks and collaboration, as well as present the latest trends that shape the industry’s future. Key organisations anchoring this feature include the Asia International Hemp Federation (AIHF) (Thailand), UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), Government of Tamil Nadu India, and Nonwoven Federation of India (NWFI).

Targeted solutions displayed across high-demand application areas
With the technical textiles and nonwovens markets evolving, exhibitors are presenting advances engineered for critical application areas across the show floor:

Mobiltech: highlighted suppliers include JR Ltd (Korea) and Eastex Industrial Science & Technology (China). Also on the domestic side, Tiandingfeng Holdings Co Ltd will showcase high-strength PET filament needle-punched nonwovens. The Mobiltech Zone, set to feature other key exhibitors, will also be in Hall W4.
Medtech: featuring first-time exhibitor NIPPON Paper Industries Co Ltd (Japan) with its Cu-TOP product – a functional material derived from wood pulp combined with copper technology. The Reifenhauser Group from Germany will also be in Hall W5, with Reifenhauser Reicofil presenting full nonwoven production lines, and Reifenhauser Enka Tecnica the service components that aid their longevity. Joining the lineup, Yixiang Health Technology Co Ltd and Zhejiang Kingsafe Hygiene Materials Technology Co Ltd will both showcase medical and hygiene nonwovens.
Protech: key Protech exhibitors include a new exhibitor Tepar Tekstil San Ve Tic A S (Turkiye), and Dawnsens New Materials (Xiamen) Co Ltd (China), both showcasing advanced safety materials.
Indutech: IMAE Industries Ltd (Japan) will make its debut at the fair. The company specialises in thermal insulation fibre products and supplies fine ceramics for heavy industry, automotive, iron and steel, chemical, power generation and more.

Other first-time international brands will include Care Holdings Pte Ltd (Singapore) and Texbond Nonwovens (India); while China’s innovation will be spotlighted with domestic pavilions in Hall W3 featuring medical and hygiene textiles and in Hall W4 featuring filtration and separation textiles. Exhibitors are set to be greeted by a wide range of industry visitors.

Before the fair, overseas visitor pre-registrations have risen notably compared to the same period last year. These include 139 VIP buyers from 27 countries and regions, such as Hyundai Motor Company and Sejong Healthcare (Korea), Meditec Japan Co Ltd (Japan), ALSICO (Belgium), Focus Industries Limited (Hong Kong), Freudenberg Performance Materials Service GmbH and MöllerWerke GmbH (Germany), seeking high-demand solutions across Mobiltech, Medtech and Protech, Indutech, and more. In addition, seven international buyer delegations, from industry hubs across Asia-Pacific and beyond, will add to the fair’s global business appeal.

Fringe events explore innovation, emerging markets, and automotive trends in Halls W4 and W5

Panel Discussion (Day 1 morning) (W5 E20): the discussion topic, Industrial Hemp Fibre – Building the Future of Sustainable Materials, will take Thailand as a successful example to explore the use of advanced hemp fibre materials through cross-sector innovation and international investment. Complemented by the AIHF display area (W5 B20), featuring the evolution of raw hemp stalks into modern bioplastics, composites, mobility components, lifestyle products and other engineered applications.
2026 Nonwovens Industry High-Quality Development Conference (Day 1 afternoon) (W4 D38): under the theme ‘Redefine the growth paradigm’, Ms Guimei Li, President of China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association, will show China’s nonwovens development during the 15th Five-Year Plan. Guest speaker Mr Anshumali Jain, Vice President of the Nonwoven Federation of India, will discuss the situation and opportunities of India’s industrial ecosystem, while Mr Tony Fragnito, President of the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, will explore the state of the US market.
Automotive textile panel (Day 2 afternoon) (W5 E20): titled “Defining the Future Cabin: Multi-functional Evolution of Nonwoven Materials in Automotive”, the panel will include automotive end users, Tier-1 automotive interior suppliers, and upstream nonwoven technology providers. The Mobiltech Display Area (W4 F25) will complement the panel, with exhibits from Groz-Beckert, AIHF, Care Holdings Pte Ltd, Swisstulle (Qingdao) Co Ltd, and more.

Other key events include a presentation on sustainability by UKFT and the Sustainability Tour by Mr Karl Borgschulze, Managing Director of Consulting Service Intl Ltd (both on Day 2 morning) (W5 E20); other guided tours led by industry experts (covering medical, protective, automotive, and tents & coverings); Technology Innovation and Product Development for Future Technical Textiles; Deeyeo Flushable Wipes Scientific Consensus Release and Industry High-Quality Development Dialogue; and a display zone dedicated to Industrial Textiles in the 15th Five-Year Plan.

The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

More information:
Mobiltech MedTech ProTech Indutech Cinte Techtextil China Messe Frankfurt Shanghai

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Messe Frankfurt

28.08.2026

NC State joins $160 million initiative for biobased fibre materials

NC State University is a core partner in the BRIDGES Engine initiative backed by the US National Science Foundation, with up to $160 million available over ten years. A central focus is the development of miscanthus and switchgrass as feedstocks for biobased products.

The plant fibres are intended for applications including automotive, construction and packaging. NC State will contribute techno-economic assessment, sustainability analysis and processing expertise to convert agricultural feedstocks into fibre materials suitable for industrial use.

For technical textiles, the initiative is particularly relevant because it goes beyond laboratory-scale material development and aims to build supply chains, processing capacity and regional markets in parallel.

NC State University is a core partner in the BRIDGES Engine initiative backed by the US National Science Foundation, with up to $160 million available over ten years. A central focus is the development of miscanthus and switchgrass as feedstocks for biobased products.

The plant fibres are intended for applications including automotive, construction and packaging. NC State will contribute techno-economic assessment, sustainability analysis and processing expertise to convert agricultural feedstocks into fibre materials suitable for industrial use.

For technical textiles, the initiative is particularly relevant because it goes beyond laboratory-scale material development and aims to build supply chains, processing capacity and regional markets in parallel.

More information:
NC State University Biomaterials Automotive Buildtech research

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NC State University

Valmet 3D Fiber technology combines high capacity and speed, automation, and resource efficiency to produce high-quality molded fiber packaging.

Photo by VALMET

Valmet 3D Fiber technology combines high capacity and speed, automation, and resource efficiency to produce high-quality molded fiber packaging.

28.08.2026

Valmet and Metsä scale 3D fibre forming to commercial production

Metsä Group has selected Valmet to supply what the companies describe as the world’s first commercial-scale production line for Valmet’s 3D Fiber technology. The line will be installed in Äänekoski and is scheduled to start up in 2028, with a nominal capacity of more than 100 million three-dimensional fibre products per year.

The process converts cellulose fibres directly into lightweight yet rigid end products. Valmet combines fibre processing, forming, automation and final packing in an integrated production chain. The technology has been co-developed with Metsä Spring since 2020 and was initially validated in a demonstration plant.

Although packaging is the primary target market, the development is relevant to the textile and fibre sector because it demonstrates how fibre-based structures and forming technologies are moving into three-dimensional industrial applications.

Metsä Group has selected Valmet to supply what the companies describe as the world’s first commercial-scale production line for Valmet’s 3D Fiber technology. The line will be installed in Äänekoski and is scheduled to start up in 2028, with a nominal capacity of more than 100 million three-dimensional fibre products per year.

The process converts cellulose fibres directly into lightweight yet rigid end products. Valmet combines fibre processing, forming, automation and final packing in an integrated production chain. The technology has been co-developed with Metsä Spring since 2020 and was initially validated in a demonstration plant.

Although packaging is the primary target market, the development is relevant to the textile and fibre sector because it demonstrates how fibre-based structures and forming technologies are moving into three-dimensional industrial applications.

More information:
Metsä Group Valmet 3D fiber technology packaging

Source:

VALMET

Dyneema SK80 fiber

Photo (c) Avient Corporation

Dyneema SK80 fiber

28.08.2026

Dyneema SK80 targets significantly longer service life for mooring lines

Avient is introducing Dyneema SK80, a new HMPE fibre grade for mooring lines and offshore applications. According to the company, the fibre was engineered at polymer level to deliver at least twice the durability and fatigue resistance of Dyneema SK78 in demanding mooring applications.

The technological emphasis is therefore less on headline tensile strength than on service life under cyclic loading. In mooring systems, repeated load cycles, abrasion, bending stress and environmental exposure are major failure drivers. Improved fatigue resistance can therefore have a direct effect on maintenance intervals, operational safety and lifecycle costs.

The new fibre will be presented at SMM in Hamburg in early September. For Textination, the development is relevant because high-performance fibres are increasingly being positioned not only through weight and strength advantages, but through durability, reliability and the total cost of technical textile systems.

Avient is introducing Dyneema SK80, a new HMPE fibre grade for mooring lines and offshore applications. According to the company, the fibre was engineered at polymer level to deliver at least twice the durability and fatigue resistance of Dyneema SK78 in demanding mooring applications.

The technological emphasis is therefore less on headline tensile strength than on service life under cyclic loading. In mooring systems, repeated load cycles, abrasion, bending stress and environmental exposure are major failure drivers. Improved fatigue resistance can therefore have a direct effect on maintenance intervals, operational safety and lifecycle costs.

The new fibre will be presented at SMM in Hamburg in early September. For Textination, the development is relevant because high-performance fibres are increasingly being positioned not only through weight and strength advantages, but through durability, reliability and the total cost of technical textile systems.

More information:
Avient Corporation polymer DSM Dyneema High-Performance Fibres Marine Applications

Source:

Avient Corporation