From the Sector

Eastman Naia™ is participating at this spring’s Functional Fabric Fair in Portland, a leading expo for high-performance and sustainable textiles focusing on outdoor, lifestyle, and activewear textiles. The event offers an ideal platform to unveil Naia™ On The Move, the latest application for dynamic and urban living.

Naia™ On The Move marks the next evolution in Eastman’s Naia™ cellulosic fiber development. This new blending solution concept extends the outstanding properties of Naia™ Renew staple fiber and is designed for the light sports activities and urban lifestyle segments. Manufactured through Eastman’s molecular recycling technology, Naia™ Renew fiber incorporates 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% recycled waste materials via GRS-certified mass balance. This enables the creation of high-quality cellulose acetate fibers with a significantly reduced environmental impact.

Naia™ On The Move is an application designed for active, everyday wear, showcasing how Naia™ Renew staple fiber blends deliver next-to-skin comfort, breathability, and a soft hand feel, along with superior moisture management and quick-dry capability. Garments stay fresh throughout the day, holding their shape and resisting pilling even after repeated washes. In addition, the application supports consumers navigating urban environments where shifting temperatures, humidity, and active routines call for adaptable apparel solutions.

Third-party testing confirms Naia™ Renew staple fiber can manage moisture and reduce odor more effectively than polyester, and at lower blend ratios. Furthermore, it combines well with fibers such as wool and polyester to enhance overall comfort and wearing experience. This adaptability empowers designers to create collections that are effortlessly stylish, responsibly made and always on the move.

After premiering in Shanghai, Naia™ On The Move makes its official debut in Portlandti “Naia™ On The Move was born from a clear need in the market, for materials that move with the rhythm of people’s lives,” said Chad Doub, global segment leader of staple fibers for Eastman’s textiles division. “It responds to how people really live today, bringing together everyday comfort and technical performance that last throughout the day.”

Functional Fabric Fair is the perfect setting for visitors to experience Naia™ On The Move and the full Naia™ range. Attendees can visit Naia™ from Eastman at Booth 920 to discover certified fiber solutions that unite comfort, function, and a more sustainable future for textiles.

Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd and Concept N Strategies has announced partnership to introduce ‘Sporttech pavilion’ – a dedicated area showcasing sports and activewear textiles and accessories under Techtextil India 2025. It is a premier platform dedicated to the rapidly expanding sports and fitness textiles at Techtextil India 2025. This strategic alliance aims to provide a major boost to the segment aiming to showcase innovations in speciality fabrics, yarns, sportswear and gear, high-performance textiles and sustainable materials, generating remarkable opportunities for the entire textile universe, especially, for sportswear brands.

The Indian sports and fitness textiles sector are transforming remarkably, driven by the evolving consumer lifestyles, advanced material innovations and growing government support. Amidst this backdrop, this partnership marks a significant leap of growth for the specialised textiles segment, which is envisioned as a game-changer in the Indian sports and activewear market.

The demand for cutting-edge moisture-wicking fabrics, compression wear, breathable textiles and sustainable sports and fitness fabrics are at an all-time high. Rising health consciousness consumers and increasing appetite for high-performance sportswear, are also contributing to the growing demand. This makes Techtextil India 2025 the perfect launchpad for this specialised segment. This collaboration seamlessly aligns with the growing push for self-reliance in textile manufacturing, bundled with the Indian government’s focus on technical textile innovations and expanding domestic production capabilities. Industry leaders are recognising this as the perfect time to showcase national innovations in fitness textiles on the global stage of Techtextil India.

Industry figures highlight growth of this segment:

• The Indian sportswear market: valued at USD 10.2 million in 2024
• Expected to reach USD 16.6 million by 2033 at a CAGR of 5.1% during 2025-2033*1 according to a recent report by IMARC Group.
• Global sportswear market size was valued at USD 206.64 billion in 2024.
• Expected to reach USD 350.45 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.84% during the forecast period.

This segment will see an expansion of the exhibitor profile with inclusion of:

• Sports textile material producers including compression fabrics, breathable textiles, suppliers of sustainable and recycled textiles suitable for sports equipment and gear manufacturers
• Producers of sports and fitness equipment with an emphasis on textile-based products like: yoga mats, fitness bands, straps, & etc
• Accessories and footwear manufacturers for products like gloves, bands headgear and socks using innovative materials; manufacturers and brands showcasing new textile technologies in sports footwear and performance shoes
• Smart textile manufacturers producing materials embedded with sensors for fitness tracking; chemical suppliers for sports textiles
• Producers of finishing chemicals that enhance performance e.g. anti-odour, UV protection, water-repellent coatings
• Manufacturers of various fitness textiles and activewear materials and textile machinery manufacturers, equipment suppliers, suppliers of technology for fabric testing, dyeing, and finishing for sportswear and more.

With such an extensive product showcase, the expo aims to attract visitors from major sportswear retailers and distributors, product developers, fitness enthusiasts, fashion designers, research and development professionals, textile institutes, sourcing specialists and other professionals from the textile spectrum looking for the next big breakthrough in the segment. The dedicated space for Sporttech Pavilion will serve as a powerful business catalyst connecting material innovators, sportswear brands and textile manufacturers with national and international sourcing leaders.

The Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference 2025 will take place on November 27 and 28, 2025 at the Eurogress Aachen.

To contribute to the conference program and submit an abstract for a talk or poster presentation, please note that the Call for Abstracts for oral presentations ends on May 5, 2025. The Call for Abstracts for poster contributions is open until July 31, 2025.

The conference program includes plenary lectures and themed sessions in the areas of

• Sustainable Textiles and Circular Textile Economy
• Bio-based Fibers
• Synthetic High-Performance Fibers
• Artificial Intelligence in the Textile Sector
• Textile Production
• Smart Textiles & Applications
• Textiles for Medicine & Health Care
• Technology Transfer & Start-up Pitches
• Fiber Composites and Lightweight Construction
• Best-Practices – Examples from Collaboration Projects between Academia and Industry
• Functionalization & Finishing

Further information about the conference and the call for abstracts (including the submission form) at  https://www.aachen-dresden-denkendorf.de/en/itc/registration/call-for-abstracts/.

At Chinaplas 2025, the Reifenhäuser Group will present its latest technological innovations for the efficient and sustainable production of plastic films. The extrusion specialists will showcase at Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center from April 15 – 18 solutions that address the key challenges of today’s plastic industry: reducing resource consumption, increasing recyclability, and making production more autonomous and efficient. Meeting these demands requires advanced production technologies that Reifenhäuser already offers today.

A central focus at the show will be the use of Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) technologies for producing fully recyclable mono-material films with performance and cost-effectiveness equivalent to conventional multi-material structures.

Marcel Perrevort, CSO of the Reifenhäuser Group, explains: “In the flexible packaging sector, we are currently seeing a huge trend away from conventional and non-recyclable mixed material laminates towards fully recyclable mono-material composites, both for blown and cast films. Our state-of-the-art MDO stretching units enable enhanced mechanical properties for all-PE or all-PP films. Thus, PET films commonly used in material composites can be replaced. By downgauging, we also reduce production costs to a competitive level, making recyclable films a profitable choice.”

MDO for blown film lines
With the EVO Ultra Stretch MDO unit for Reifenhäuser’s blown film lines manufacturers produce all-PE mono films for applications such as high-barrier food pouches. Due to the stretch process film thicknesses of 18μm (with properties of a 25μm product) and less can be achieved, keeping production costs within the range of conventional films. With the patented integration of the MDO unit directly into the haul-off, the film is stretched in the ideal phase of the process – using the first heat – for maximum efficiency and film stability. Furthermore, the all-PE film achieves the required barrier effect with an EVOH content of less than five percent, fully meeting the criteria for recyclability. At the same time, Ultra Stretch enhances the performance of the EVOH barrier layer while reducing material usage, delivering cost and sustainability benefits.

When textiles are equipped with electronic components, conductive yarns and textile sensors, the application possibilities are almost unlimited. These high-tech textiles are a global growth market. In Stuttgart, manufacturers, users and researchers presented amazing examples of applications in construction, architecture and mobility. The appropriate standards ensure quality and safety.

In keeping with the themes of the event, participants were able to take a look behind the construction fence of the Stuttgart 21 rail project on the first day. After the tour, DITF board member Götz T. Gresser drew parallels with the market for smart textiles. Just like the completion of the underground station, the market potential for smart textiles is developing more slowly than predicted.

One important reason for this is that there is still a lot to be regulated. Standardization was therefore a key topic in the presentations on the second day of the event. Norms and standards create trust among users. They reduce the error rate in design and therefore development costs, helping to bring innovations and new technological developments into use. Kristina Müller from the German Institute for Standardization explained that consistent compliance with standards can reduce error costs in construction, for example, from the current estimated eleven percent to five percent per year. Jan Beringer from the Hohenstein Group used the example of actively illuminated high-visibility clothing to show the hurdles that need to be overcome on the way to standardization.

In addition to high-visibility equipment, workwear offers many opportunities for smart functions. Despite all safety precautions, accidents at work cannot always be avoided, explained Silke Rehm from Adresys. Smart clothing can then automatically make an emergency call and trigger an emergency shutdown of the machine.

There are suitable testing devices for monitoring and quality assurance of materials and textile surfaces. Stefan Fliescher from Textechno presented a device that has so far been exclusively used at the DITF.

The second block of presentations focused on mobility: examples included textile ideas for flight cabins of the future from Diehl Aviation, precise and therefore energy-saving heating systems for vehicles from Köstler and contactless sensor technology from Rotec, which detects when fiber ropes need to be replaced. Erhardt manufactures flexible, customized bodies for commercial vehicles They are particularly suitable for logistics in city centers and are equipped with textile sensors, for example for measuring temperature or determining the optimum load. The textile superstructures not only offer a textile surface for design, they can also communicate with their surroundings. Digital lettering shows when the vehicle is giving way or warns cyclists of blind spots when turning. Modules that are not required can be folded or rolled up to save space.

In the construction and architecture application area, solutions for climate change are in demand. TEC KNIT has developed smart shading systems made from “shape memory” polymer fibers that close or reopen depending on the temperature. Optigrün relies on smart rainwater management for greening buildings. Textile sensor technology ensures that the water is optimally distributed over the surface - digitally controlled according to the weather forecast. Michael Schneider from the Smart Textiles Hub showed how intelligent knitted fabrics installed on flat roofs detect moisture and temperature by contracting or expanding accordingly. This can also prevent damage caused by icing, for example. Christoph Riethmüller from the DITF explained that the actual state of buildings is constantly changing due to events. The charm of smart textiles is that they can adapt to these changes. In this way, it is possible to intervene before negative consequences become noticeable. This saves a lot of energy. For example, the targeted heating of walls depending on the relative humidity prevents the occurrence of mold with low energy consumption. Intelligent shading systems also ensure that rooms remain at a pleasant temperature in summer without air conditioning and that the heat remains in the room in winter.

The event was accompanied by an exhibition where participants were able to try out numerous smart products.

The annual User Forum is organized by the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF), the Textile Research Institute Thuringia-Vogtland e.V. (TITV Greiz) and the Forschungskuratorium Textil e. V. (FKT).

The next SMART TEXTILES User Forum will take place on March 4-5, 2026 in Zeulenroda.

Textile interior design at its best is an integral part of Heimtextil. Designer and architect Patricia Urquiola expressed this spectacularly in January in Frankfurt with her installation ‘among-us’. Now the leading trade fair is making its mark at Milan Design Week: exclusive products by Patricia Urquiola, created specifically for Heimtextil, are celebrating their premiere at the Design Week in Milan. Set within a diverse interior setting, they highlight the vital role textiles play in holistic design.

Two pieces designed by Patricia Urquiola exclusively for Heimtextil are staged in Milan. With their organic shapes, the ‘Gruuvelot’ sofa and the padded sculpture ‘Mushmonster’ by Moroso morph to their surroundings and invite touching and interaction. ‘Gruuvelot’ represents an organism that expands and unfolds within space. Exceptional protrusions, extensions and volumes form a flowing seating ecosystem that adapts to the body and offers a variety of possibilities for interaction. ‘Mushmonster’ is inspired by the shape of a giant mushroom and shows an organism in constant metamorphosis. At the same time, it contains a filling that enables sustainable production and complex shapes. The covering designed by Patricia Urquiola envelops the padded object. Sustainable and innovative: the fabric is produced using a water-based and CO2-saving printing process.

Until Sunday, the upholstered pieces will merge with a new design environment at the heart of Milan Design Week. Patricia Urquiola designed the Palazzo Bovara for Elle Decor. Under the title ‘Alchemica’, the installation explores the home as a transforming organism that changes throughout the day, the seasons and the stages of life. The designer plays with the metaphor of alchemy, the senses, balance and opposites. She invites visitors to experience the metamorphosis in different rooms. Right in the centre: the padded sculptures of the Heimtextil installation ‘among-us’. ‘Gruuvelot’ is positioned in the purification and light phase in a reflective room with light tones. In the indoor garden, ‘Mushmonster’ is part of a union of opposites and biomorphs in moving, cyclical light.

FILTREX™ 2025, EDANA’s flagship event for the filtration industry, wrapped up last week after two dynamic days of discussions, technical advancements, and industry collaboration. This 10th edition brought together more than 100 professionals to explore the latest developments in air and liquid filtration, sustainability, and regulatory challenges.

Industry Insights and Key Conversations
The FILTREX 2025 conference brought together experts from across the filtration industry to discuss innovation, sustainability, and regulatory challenges shaping the sector. The event opened with a keynote by Dr.-Ing. Frank Möbius, Senior Innovation Advisor at UnternehmerTUM and former BMW Group Manager, highlighting the role of Open Innovation in maintaining competitiveness in an evolving market.

Throughout the sessions, industry leaders addressed major trends influencing filtration. Dr. Marc Schmidt (AAF-Lufttechnik) explored how economic and social shifts are reshaping filtration markets, while Anthony Lawson (Hengst Filtration) examined the impact of evolving air quality guidelines and PFAS restrictions on filter design. Experts such as Cédric Vallet (Ahlstrom) and Christof Keppler (Gessner) presented innovations in filtration efficiency, carbon footprint reduction, and the development of biodegradable filter media. Meanwhile, Dr. Pero Mićić (FutureManagementGroup AG) offered a strategic framework for future-proofing businesses against industry disruptions.

Spotlight on Sustainability in Filtration
Sustainability took centre stage at FILTREX 2025, with a dedicated round table that saw insights from Oswaldo Anaya (Freudenberg Performance Materials), Cédric Vallet (Ahlstrom), and Bruce Lorange (Hollingsworth & Vose). The discussions focused on how the industry can reduce its environmental impact while still delivering high-performance solutions. Oswaldo Anaya, Product Marketing Manager at Freudenberg Performance Materials, reflected on the event, saying, “I was glad to join this last edition of FILTREX. It confirmed the great things I’d heard from colleagues about previous events. Highly relevant and timely topics for the filtration industry, plus valuable networking in a relaxed setting.”

FILTREX™ Innovation Award 2025
A major highlight of the event was the FILTREX™ Innovation Award, which this year went to Johns Manville for its Evalith® product. Their groundbreaking recycling process transforms HVAC glass microfiber waste into compounded pellets for injection molding, turning waste into durable, second-life products. The award was presented during a Networking Evening Cocktail at Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, providing an ideal atmosphere for further discussions and potential collaborations.

PFAS-Free Filtration and Industry Innovation
The closing session tackled the critical topic of PFAS-free filtration, revealing solutions like high-performance PFAS-free HEPA media and nanofiber membranes that not only enhance performance but also reduce environmental impact. Industry leaders also discussed upcoming changes in PFAS regulations and the continued push for safer alternatives in the filtration industry.

Looking Ahead
FILTREX™ 2025 firmly established itself as the key event for the filtration industry, providing a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation. As Bruce Lorange, Global Marketing Communications Director at Hollingsworth & Vose, put it: “The recent FILTREX event in Vienna presented a unique opportunity to network, learn, see old friends, and make new ones in the filtration and nonwovens space. The quality of presentations was top-notch—informative and thought-provoking—and the venue provided the perfect backdrop for the thought leaders gathered to take our industry to the next level. A sincere thanks to the EDANA FILTREX team for arranging such an impactful event!”

The Lenzing Group, a leading supplier of regenerated cellulose fibers for the textile and nonwovens industries, will be presenting its sustainable innovations at Hannover Messe 2025, the world’s leading trade fair for the industry, from March 31 to April 4. As a co-exhibitor at the EU Commission’s stand, the leading integrated fiber group is representing a European flagship company in the clean industry.

Lenzing is currently the only producer of regenerated cellulosic fibers with a verified, science-based net-zero target. Lenzing is also proactively developing and promoting innovation to provide economically viable and scalable solutions to the global textile waste problem and accelerate the transition to a circular economy model.

A current example of Lenzing’s pioneering work in this field is the CELLFIL project, which was launched in 2024 and is co-funded by the EU with EUR 6.9 mn. As part of this project, Lenzing is working with the non-profit organization RTDS Group and 13 other partners from research and industry to promote the scaling of lyocell filaments.

Since 2021, Lenzing has been working with Swedish pulp producer Södra to jointly develop new processes for recycling used textiles on an industrial scale. The project was supported in 2023 as part of the LIFE 2022 program with a grant of EUR 10 mn from the EU.

Another example of Lenzing’s innovative strength is the project “Glacial Threads: From Forests to Future Textiles”, which combines glacier protection and textile recycling and will be presented at HANNOVER MESSE 2025.

The capacity crowd at the 41st annual Cornell Fashion Collective (CFC) Runway Show saw the mother of all fashion shows.

The annual event, held March 22 in Barton Hall, had one common thread – and it was not necessarily by design: Three designers asked their mothers to wear their designs on the runway. Several more designers’ mothers traveled to Ithaca to see the show, put on by the student-led organization; other designers were inspired by their grandparents.

“It’s unusual to have multiple mothers walk in one show,” said Kim Phoenix, senior lecturer in Human Centered Design in the College of Human Ecology and adviser to CFC. “Historically, a lot of moms pitch in behind the scenes to help with the sewing.”

After traveling five hours to model the collection of her son, Drew Brown ’25, Adria Brown was immediately pressed into service, practically pulling an all-nighter to help him get his design just right. Drew thanked his mom: “It was only through experiencing your embodiment of womanhood that I could produce this collection.”

Brown’s “Jadine” collection was inspired by the movement of water and used symbols from artists and intellectuals from Western Europe, West Africa and America.

Zoe Alvarez ’25 was inspired by the Flower Festival in Medellin, Colombia, where her father lives; her mother, Karen Lopez, modeled the final look in her collection. “Aflora” explored the beauty of flowers, as well as the important function they serve to support pollinators and sustain ecosystems. Each of the pieces in the collection has hidden adjustable features, like a tiered red ruffled skirt that can be unzipped to choose a mini, midi, tea length or floor length to fit the occasion.
A model displays an ensemble designed by Maria Fernanda Serra Almeida Leite ’26. , Click to open gallery view
Credit: Sreang Hok/Cornell University

A model displays an ensemble designed by Maria Fernanda Serra Almeida Leite ’26.

Her red leather jacket has a zipper under the belt, so it can be worn as a longer jacket dress to mid-thigh, or as a cropped jacket. Another look, a floral dress, is fully adjustable within a size range using a lace-up and belt buckle back closure. It’s also reversible to a solid maroon dress, and the bra top separates from the skirt, so it can be worn six different ways and fully adjusted.

“I wanted each look to incorporate functionality in a different way,” Alvarez said. “I want people to be comfortable in their clothes, and to be able to wear them in different settings and for different events. These garments are meant to be worn, cherished over a lifetime, and even passed down.”

Alvarez said her interest in adjustable clothing came from watching her mother struggle to find clothes that fit comfortably after experiencing the natural body changes that come with aging.

“I always disliked the idea of having to buy an entirely new wardrobe every time someone gained or lost weight,” she said. “That constant battle with clothing can really limit self-confidence and self- expression. It’s also just not sustainable to keep buying one time use garments.”

Zada Stuart ’25 paid homage in her collection, “Mother of the World,” which examined the exploitation of nature and sought to honor both mothers and cows for their duty of motherhood. Her designs included two cow fetuses laser-carved out of wood.

Designer Gabrielle Moore ’25 works on her model’s hair prior to the show.

Maria Fernanda Serra Almeida Leite ’26, CFC’s creative director, said her collection was inspired by her mother, and by the song of the Kiskadee bird, called “bem-te-vi” in Brazil. Her collection explored her emotional and physical attachment to the sounds of the Kiskadee bird, to Brazil and to her mother.

Gabrielle Moore ’25 was inspired by her Haitian grandfather to create “Anbla Dlo,” which imagines an underwater city off the coast of Haiti where history, mythology and fashion intertwine.

Marcus McDermott’s mother, Heidi, recounted her son’s lifelong interest in fashion. Even as a preteen, she said, he sported an orange fedora as his signature piece. Now, the senior is designing timeless menswear with an eye toward sustainability, reflected in his collection, “Immutable Beauty.”

McDermott’s collection illustrates how while one’s sense of style can change over time, certain classic pieces have an heirloom quality that never goes out of style.

“His interest in sustainability grew exponentially after a trip to Manhattan with a class where they saw how garments were mass produced,” Heidi McDermott said. “He’s now totally into material development and using organic and biologically sourced materials to make fabrics and dyes. That was definitely a Cornell influence.”

At the SaigonTex 2025 textile machinery exhibition which is taking place from April 9-12 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Monforts will highlight the benefits of its advanced finishing technologies for denim.

Over 900 Monforts THERMEX hotflue dyeing systems are now operational in the main textile producing countries, with many of them devoted to denim production, and a significant number already reaping the benefits of the Econtrol® and Econtrol®T-CA processes*.

Econtrol® is a continuous process for the dyeing of woven cotton and cellulosic fabrics in which reactive dyestuffs are fixed into the fabric in a one-step dyeing and drying operation with a controlled combination of steam and air. The entire pad-dry process takes just two-to-three minutes at a temperature of between 120-130°C and a relative humidity volume of 25-30%.

Monforts denim range concepts which are successfully running worldwide enable the processing of high-qualtiy and reproducible fabrics which are stretched and skewed far more gently than with conventional range combinations. The ‘double rubber’ version of a THERMEX range comprises two compressive shrinkage units and two felt calenders in line, for super elastic and bi-elastic materials. Additionally, the combined drying, stretching and skewing functions for denim fabric are possible with the ThermoStretch unit, which can also include an EcoApplicator system for the minimum application of necessary finishing chemicals.

In 2024, Vietnam surpassed Bangladesh to become the world’s second-largest textiles and apparel exporter, trailing only China, with total export revenues reaching $44 billion. This is in part due to tariffs that are currently 10-20% lower than China’s and significantly cheaper labour costs – less than half of China’s.

Vietnam’s textile and apparel industry is poised for further expansion in 2025, leveraging cost advantages and rapid production turnaround while proactively managing rising logistics costs and adapting to shifting trade dynamics.

* Econtrol® is a registered trademark of DyStar Colours Distribution GmbH, Germany.