New quilting machine doubles productivity

Having achieved rapid market success with its fully automated fitted sheet system, Automatex, a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, has developed a quilting machine which doubles productivity compared to what has previously been achievable.

The P12-PB Automatic Lock Stitch Quilting Unit is engineered to deliver continuous, programmable quilting while reducing manual intervention in the stitching of bedding and padded home textiles.

“Across our member companies we are seeing automation move beyond individual machines towards intelligent, interconnected production environments,” says TMAS General Secretary Therese Premler-Andersson. “Solutions like this demonstrate how textile technology manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of consistency, productivity and digital control in areas that were traditionally dependent on operator skill.”

lululemon: First-Ever Sweat-Concealing Technology For High-Sweat Activities

lululemon announced the launch of its first-ever sweat-concealing technology designed for high-sweat activities. The new technology, which will live under lululemon’s ShowZero™platform, conceals higher volumes of sweat, while ensuring enhanced breathability, moisture management, and an incredibly lightweight feel, to support the most demanding, high-sweat activities. 

The new ShowZero technology was developed in collaboration with lululemon Ambassador Frances Tiafoe and will be featured in his custom kit for the BNP Paribas Open. The kit features a Burgundy Bay colourway, with a vertical stripe design on the shorts. 

lululemon's Product Innovation team began developing the new ShowZero technology in 2024, using insights from extensive in-lab and on-court testing and feedback sessions with Tiafoe. By analyzing Tiafoe’s sweat rate, on-court movements, and competitive environments, lululemon identified an opportunity to solve for an unmet need by evolving its ShowZero technology platform and developing a sweat-concealing solution for high-sweat activities like tennis. 

Girbau: Industrial laundry for PortAventura World

Girbau, a global leader in commercial and industrial laundry solutions, has developed a new industrial laundry for PortAventura World, one of Europe’s most visited theme resorts, with millions of visitors each year. The facility is a turnkey project delivered by Girbau, from design and consulting through to implementation, with the capacity to process up to 15 tonnes of laundry per day. It has been designed to deliver efficiency, reliability and sustainability, providing service not only to the resort but also to nearby hotels, tourist accommodations and businesses requiring a high-performance professional service. 

The project originated from PortAventura World’s need to establish a completely new industrial laundry capable of handling high daily production volumes without interruption. To achieve this, the company opted for a comprehensive approach that combined strategic consulting, customised design, high-capacity machinery and automation, with the goal of making solid decisions from day one and ensuring an efficient start-up.

ROICA™: European Innovation and Japanese Craftsmanship at Performance Days

ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei will exhibit at Performance Days 2026 in Munich, presenting a curated selection of textile developments that highlight performance‑driven innovation and material expertise across regions. ROICA™ brings together leading European partners alongside two Japanese textile specialists, demonstrating how refined stretch performance enables diverse approaches to fabric design, construction, and application. From advanced warp‑knit–based structures and engineered developments to precision‑crafted materials, the ROICA™ booth offers a comprehensive view of how elastic functionality supports contemporary sportswear, active, and lifestyle textiles. 
 
Brugnoli 

‘Fashioning Justice’: The Politics of Lace

Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54 – a.k.a. RBG – was an influencer before it was even a profession, advocating for women’s equality. Her personal style, and the substance behind it, will be on display in the Human Ecology Building in an exhibit, “Fashioning Justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54 and the Power of Presence.”

One theme of the exhibit will be “The Politics of Lace,” and its ascension from accessory to a feature often worn by Ginsburg.

The exhibit – a collaboration between the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and the College of Human Ecology – will run March 16 to May 1, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, in the Rachel Hope Doran ’19 and Terrace Level Display Cases in the Human Ecology Building. A celebration event on April 14 will feature remarks by Ginsburg’s granddaughter, Clara Spera, an attorney at Hecker Fink LLP who has worked on her grandmother’s defining issue, reproductive rights, with the National Women’s Law Center.

UNIFI introduces Luxel™: A linen-inspired, easy-care performance yarn

UNIFI, Inc. launches Luxel™, a yarn technology that combines the luxurious look and feel of linen with high-performance, easy-care, and textile-to-textile recycled materials. 

Luxel captures the natural look and feel of linen while offering advanced performance features such as moisture-wicking, wrinkle resistance, and odor control. This innovative technology is built directly into the yarn, providing exceptional versatility across a wide range of fabric constructions ranging from apparel and footwear to home furnishings, work wear, and accessories, empowering material developers to innovate across multiple categories with ease. 

Luxel is available globally and made with REPREVE recycled polyester yarn, including 30% REPREVE Takeback™, reinforcing UNIFI®’s commitment to sustainability and circularity in the textile industry. By incorporating recycled content, including textile waste, Luxel helps brands reduce environmental impact while delivering high-performance, stylish fabrics. 

Key Benefits of Luxel: 

Development of bio-based polyethylene fibers for textile applications

In the German research project bioPEtex, BB Engineering (BBE) is working with other partners to develop textiles made from 100% bio-based polyethylene (PE). The aim is to make use of this polymer, which has hardly been used in the chemical fiber industry to date. BBE is contributing its spinning and texturizing expertise and developing the texturing process on an industrial scale. The first promising results are already available – opening up new opportunities for sustainable and economically attractive applications in the textile industry.

For years, the global chemical fiber market has been dominated by PET, a technically mature, versatile, and cost-effective polymer for textile applications. However, despite its advantages in terms of processability, strength, and economic availability, PET has come under criticism: its dependence on fossil raw materials, high CO2 emissions along the value chain, and challenges in recycling PET products are drawing the attention of researchers and industry to alternative materials that are both economical and sustainable.

Petri Alava, Founder of Infinited Fiber Company, Joins Haelixa Board

Haelixa, the Swiss pioneer in DNA-based traceability and product authentication, announced that Petri Alava, founder and former CEO of Infinited Fiber Company, has joined its Board of Directors. 
 
Alava founded Infinited Fiber Company and, over a 10-year journey, led it through the stages of development to the threshold of its industrial scale-up phase, transforming breakthrough textile-to-textile recycling technology into a globally recognised material innovation platform. During his tenure, the company secured more than €100 million in strategic funding from H&M Group, Inditex, Adidas and Zalando, and established over €200 million in long-term commercial offtake agreements with brands including Patagonia and PVH. 
 
His appointment follows Haelixa's recent €2M capital raise and accelerating international deployment across textiles, luxury goods and high-value materials, bringing operational scale experience to complement the company's deep scientific expertise. 
 

British textile machinery at Techtextil and Texprocess 2026

As global demand accelerates for lighter, stronger and more sustainable technical textiles, the machinery and testing technologies behind their manufacture are evolving at pace. 

At the Techtextil and Texprocess exhibitions in Frankfurt this April, eight members of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) will demonstrate how advanced engineering continues to shape the performance, precision and resource efficiency of advanced fibre and fabric production.

From the careful handling of ultra-high value yarns to the forensic inspection of finished fabrics, the exhibiting BTMA members collectively represent a complete chain of innovation across processing, monitoring and quality assurance.

adidas AG: Bjørn Gulden’s contract as CEO extended

The Supervisory Board of adidas AG resolved on several matters regarding the Executive and Supervisory Board that ensure leadership continuity and underpin the company’s successful trajectory of strong and profitable growth.

Executive Board
The Supervisory Board of adidas AG has extended Bjørn Gulden’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer until December 31, 2030. Bjørn Gulden has been a member of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of adidas AG since January 1, 2023.