Aus der Branche

Fresh from its highly successful 63rd conference held in Porto, Portugal, from October 7-10, The Textile Institute (TI) will celebrate a major milestone at the ITMA Asia+CITME textile machinery exhibition in Singapore later this month.

One hundred years ago, in 1925, TI was granted its Royal Charter by King George V, transforming it from a professional association into a globally recognised chartered body, and in Singapore from October 28-31, is seeking to strengthen its international partnerships while welcoming new Corporate Members to its expanding global network.

Shared growth
TI will exhibit as a reciprocal member of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA), showcasing the power of collaboration and shared growth. The long-standing partnership between the two organisations has been further strengthened by the appointment of BTMA CEO Jason Kent as TI’s new Commercial Vice President, bringing fresh industry insight and influence to the role.

“Our joint presence in Singapore underlines how enduring partnerships strengthen the entire industry,” Kent says. “Corporate Membership of The Textile Institute gives organisations access to an international network of professionals, cutting-edge research and strategic benefits valued at over £10,000 a year.”

Advantages
Membership unlocks a host of advantages, including global promotion and visibility, invitations to high-level networking events and training, collaboration on industry-led research, professional recognition through chartered qualifications and access to TI’s publications, data and R&D resources.

“As the only global professional body in this sector with a Royal Charter, we are driving the industry forward through high-quality events and training courses that equip professionals for the future,” says TI CEO Stephanie Dick. “Together with our Corporate Members, we’re tackling skills gaps, developing practical training solutions and reaching international audiences.”

New industries
“This is an exciting time for the industry, especially with the major opportunities being opened up in new technical textiles for rising industries such as energy and data storage, future mobility and advanced infrastructure,” adds TI President Charles Wood. “Whether you’re a multinational manufacturer or a fast-growing SME, TI offers a neutral, not-for-profit platform where your voice is heard and your ambitions are supported. As we expand our influence across Asia and beyond, we’re inviting new Corporate Members to join us, benefit from our resources and help shape the Institute with their expertise.”

The Textile Institute is ideally positioned to help organisations stay competitive, connected and compliant. From its first foundation in Manchester in 1910, its approach has always been to be “not of Manchester, but international”, and with sections and special interest groups active across the globe, it now serves members in over 60 countries, empowering professionals across every link in the textile supply chain. 

“We are looking forward to exploring new possibilities with as many forward-looking companies as possible at this year’s ITMA Asia+CITME,” concludes Jason Kent.

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg Apparel) hat am 14. Oktober die Erweiterung seines Produktionsstandorts in Chennai, Indien eröffnet. Das Unternehmen expandiert seine Produktionsfläche um nahezu 2.000 Quadratmeter und führt neue Produktionslinien ein, die speziell auf den indischen Bekleidungsmarkt zugeschnitten sind. Die strategische Investition zielt darauf ab, die Durchlaufzeiten deutlich zu verkürzen und die Verfügbarkeit hochwertiger, lokal produzierter Einlagen für den sich schnell entwickelnden Bekleidungssektor in Indien und Südasien zu verbessern.

Die Erweiterung vergrößert die Produktionsfläche des Standortes von rund 3.700 auf rund 5.600 Quadratmeter. Zudem nimmt Freudenberg Apparel spezielle Produktionslinien für Einlagen aus 100 Prozent Baumwolle und 100 Prozent Polyester in Betrieb. Die neuen Produktionslinien ermöglichen insbesondere die lokale Produktion von Einlagen aus bi-elastischem Polyester für Oberhemden und Gewebeeinlagen aus Polyester. Dadurch kann die steigende Nachfrage nach innovativen, hochwertigen Materialien mit schnellerer Lieferung gedeckt werden.

Deutlich kürzere Vorlaufzeiten 
Der mit modernsten Maschinen ausgestattete erweiterte Standort verfügt nun über eine verbesserte interne Qualitätssicherung und beschleunigte Produktionsprozesse. Die Vorlaufzeiten für indische Kunden reduzieren sich aufgrund der lokalen Produktion von sechs bis acht Wochen auf nur ein bis zwei Wochen - verglichen mit bisherigen Importen aus China. Darüber hinaus können Kunden mit einem Kostenvorteil gegenüber zollpflichtigen Importwaren rechnen.

Support-Netzwerk für die indische Textilindustrie
Freudenberg Apparel hat seit der Expansion nach Indien im Jahr 1998 ein Support-Netzwerk für die indische Textilindustrie aufgebaut, darunter technische Studios in Chennai, Bangalore und Gurgaon. Diese Studios bieten technische Beratung, Lösungsdienstleistungen, technische Seminare, Trendkollektionen und Mockups, Empfehlungen für Einlagen und Audits für Fusing-Pressen – Dienstleistungen, die die erweiterten Fertigungskapazitäten ergänzen. 

Die neuen Produktionslinien ergänzen die bestehenden Kapazitäten für Pastendruck, 3P-Druck und Pulverdruck im Werk in Chennai und erweitern so die Palette der Produkte, die vor Ort hergestellt werden können.

Die Reifenhäuser Gruppe hat auf der K 2025 in Düsseldorf erstmals sein neues unternehmensweites User Interface präsentiert, das eine einheitliche Designsprache für Blasfolien-, Flachfolien- und Vliesstoff- Anlagen sowie eine besonders einfache Bedienung bietet. Das Gesamtkonzept überzeugt auch die Jury des German Design Awards, die das System während der Messe mit dem renommierten Designpreis ausgezeichnet hat. 

In Zeiten des weltweit wachsenden Fachkräftemangels, ist die einfache und intuitive Bedienung von Produktionsanlagen ein entscheidendes Erfolgskriterium. Deshalb hat Reifenhäuser sein Human Maschine Interface (HMI) komplett überarbeitet und eine neue, optisch ansprechende und reaktionsschnelle Lösung vorgestellt. Sie vereint die komplexen und heterogenen Anforderungen unterschiedlicher Extrusionsbereiche in einem flexiblen und skalierbaren System. Reifenhäuser zeigt die neue HMI im Rahmen seines – während der K Messe stattfindenden – Open House an seinen neuen Blas- und Flachfolienanlagen EVO GEN3 und EVEREX. 

Der Bediener gelangt in maximal zwei Klicks zu jeder Einstellung und behält dank individualisierbarer Dashboards und einer übersichtlichen Start-up- Seite jederzeit die Kontrolle über den gesamten Extrusionsprozess. Das intelligente Farbkonzept sowie die intuitive und reaktionsschnelle Touch- Oberfläche beschleunigen die Eingaben deutlich.

Die Neuentwicklung erfolgte gemeinsam mit HMI Project - ein vielfach ausgezeichnetes Büro für Human Maschine Interfaces (HMI). Um den Bedienalltag an komplexen Maschinen zu erleichtern, stand bei der Entwicklung der neuen HMI der Mensch im Mittelpunkt. In einem nutzerzentrierten Prozess wurden reale Nutzungsszenarien analysiert und durch Usability-Tests validiert. Ergebnis ist ein modulares, skalierbares und extrem flexibles Interface, das technische Komplexität und Benutzerfreundlichkeit auf höchstem Niveau vereint. Assistenzsysteme, informative Illustrationen und eine klare visuelle Hierarchie unterstützen den Bediener bei der Einrichtung, Überwachung und Optimierung sensibler Produktionsprozesse. 

Der German Design Award zählt zu den angesehensten Auszeichnungen der Designlandschaft. Seit 2012 identifiziert der Award maßgebliche Gestaltungstrends, macht sie sichtbar und zeichnet sie aus. Jährlich werden herausragende Arbeiten aus den Bereichen Produktdesign, Kommunikationsdesign und Architektur prämiert.

Source Fashion, the UK’s leading responsible sourcing show, announced Redress as the headline catwalk partner for its return to Olympia London from 13–15 January 2026, spotlighting pioneering designers who are reshaping fashion through circular and sustainable design.

The Source Fashion Catwalk will take place three times daily, showcasing responsibly produced collections, trend-led designs, and cutting-edge innovation. Each show will present a compelling story of sustainability in practice, inspiring buyers with practical ideas they can implement directly from the show floor.

Based in Hong Kong, Redress is an Asia-focused environmental NGO on a mission to accelerate the transition to a circular fashion industry by educating and empowering designers and consumers to reduce clothing’s negative environmental impacts. In response to fashion’s unsustainable linear model of ‘take, make, use, and waste,’ Redress champions a circular economy that takes responsibility for a product’s entire lifecycle and its impact on the planet.

At the heart of its work is the Redress Design Award, a leading sustainable fashion design competition, which has built a global network of over 300 emerging designers pioneering circular and waste-reducing practices. This makes Redress an ideal partner for Source Fashion, as both organisations share a commitment to innovation, education, and driving real-world change in the fashion industry. Together, they are empowering the next generation of designers to reshape fashion’s future through creativity and responsibility.

For Source Fashion January 2026, Redress will select two to three Redress Design Award alumni to headline the catwalk. Their curated showcase will highlight innovation, circular design thinking, and a strong commitment to reducing environmental impact. The dynamic catwalk will run three times a day, offering a visual narrative of how responsible design and creative excellence can join forces to redefine the future of fashion.

“This partnership with Redress marks an exciting next chapter for the Source Fashion catwalk,” says Suzanne Ellingham, Director of Source Fashion. “Redress has been instrumental in nurturing some of the most forward-thinking designers working in sustainability today. Their alumni are proof that creativity and responsibility are not opposing forces, they’re the foundation of fashion’s future. By bringing their work to our stage, we’re giving buyers and brands a glimpse of what truly circular design can look like in practice.”

Christina Dean, Founder of Redress, “Our partnership with Source Fashion creates the perfect stage to show that sustainable fashion isn’t just a passing trend, it’s the future. By putting our Redress Design Award alumni in the spotlight, we’re proving that circular design can be innovative, beautiful, and commercially viable. This partnership is about inspiring the industry and showing that responsibility and creativity go hand in hand.”

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc., a leader in spider silk technology*, announced the company has succeeded in significantly increasing the production throughput of its recombinant spider silk production platform.   
 
This increase is the successful result of the continuous work in the selective breeding of parental strains for its production hybrid silkworms, which is the basis of its recombinant spider silk production system. Kraig's first successful hybrid, designated the BAM-1, demonstrated hybrid vigor, which increased both cocoon shell weight (a critical measure of silk output) and robustness. That hybrid was created by mating two genetically divergent parental strains. The fielding of the BAM-1 was a major improvement in spider silk production technology. 
 
Over the past two years, the Kraig has been using selective breeding to create more advanced parental strains with the goal of increasing hybrid vigor to further increase shell weight. One of these new advanced strains was specifically designed as a replacement for one of the original BAM-1 parental strains. 
 
By mating the strongest of the BAM-1 parental strains with the new advanced strain, the company has demonstrated measurable hybrid vigor (as measured by cocoon shell weight) of 22%, an increase in hybrid vigor of more than 245% compared to the BAM-1. The new advanced hybrid has been designated as BAM-1 Alpha and will be the Company's production workhorse moving forward.
 
"Our small team of researchers continues to outperform our competitors in spider silk R&D and commercial development. The creation of our new BAM-1 Alpha hybrid is the product of our focused vision for large-scale commercialization of spider silk and the dedication of our geneticists to that vision," said Kim Thompson, Founder and CEO of Kraig Labs. "Frankly, the 250% increase in hybrid vigor over the original BAM-1 has significantly exceeded our expectations and design parameters. The BAM-1 Alpha is producing larger cocoons and more silk, resulting in increased throughput and lower production cost. Though we do not have hard data yet on increases in robustness other than cocoon size and shell weight, our expectation is that general robustness will follow this same pattern."
 
Kraig Labs utilizes its proprietary genetically enhanced silkworm technology platform to produce recombinant spider silk. These silkworms spin recombinant spider silk fibers naturally within their cocoons, combining the scalability of traditional sericulture with the superior performance of spider silk proteins.
 
With BAM-1 Alpha now moving into commercial deployment, Kraig Labs will leverage its multi-facility production infrastructure to integrate this enhanced production hybrid into ongoing manufacturing. This advancement supports the Company's vision of delivering high-performance spider silk fibers for applications spanning performance textiles, defense, medical, and industrial markets.

Teysha Technologies has successfully validated KarmaCane, its patented sugar-derived biopolymer, in extreme field conditions. Products manufactured from KarmaCane withstood sub-zero temperatures and intense UV exposure during the record-breaking Mission: Everest expedition.

This real-world trial marks a turning point for the material platform, showing that biopolymers can perform under the harshest conditions while offering a safe and fully biodegradable end-of-life. KarmaCane has achieved OECD 310 biodegradability certification, confirming that it breaks down into non-harmful natural sugars rather than microplastics or acids.

A Versatile Materials Platform
The Everest test underscores KarmaCane’s ability to serve a wide variety of applications beyond eyewear. The platform can be engineered into very different formats:

• Hard solids for durable goods such as frames, tools, and structural components.
• Sticky liquids as natural film-formers in cosmetics, replacing synthetic polymers.
• Water-based dispersions as hydrophobic coatings for paper and cardboard packaging.
• Filaments for 3D printing, opening pathways for additive manufacturing.

This flexibility allows industries to adapt KarmaCane to specific needs, from packaging and consumer goods to medical devices and marine applications.

Manufacturing & Scale
KarmaCane has already been validated across multiple production methods:

• Extrusion into pellets and filaments.
• Injection moulding at lab scale.
• Hydrophobic coatings for fibre- and paper-based packaging.

Teysha is preparing to scale monomer production to tonne-level manufacture, using third-party industrial assets to expand rapidly without infrastructure bottlenecks. Early modelling indicates KarmaCane products will be cost-competitive with PET, ABS and other mainstream plastics once at scale.

Commercial Potential Across Sectors
KarmaCane’s design directly addresses regulatory and commercial pressures:

• Cosmetics: Eliminates the need for microplastics used as thickeners, stabilisers and film-formers. Replacing these polymers could remove up to 8,700 tonnes annually from the cosmetics sector alone.
• Packaging: Early coating trials show water-resistant barriers for paper and cardboard without plastic laminates.
• Marine environments: Rapid aquatic biodegradation without persistent fragments makes KarmaCane suitable for coastal and offshore use.
• Medical: Degradation into alcohol and CO₂ rather than acids could reduce inflammation risks compared to existing biodegradable polymers.

Market Context
Global regulation is driving urgent demand for sustainable alternatives:

• The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is rolling out restrictions on microplastics in consumer products.
• International bans on single-use plastics are accelerating the need for scalable biodegradable solutions.

Matthew Stone, CEO of Teysha Technologies says that “The Everest test proves KarmaCane can survive the harshest environments. But more importantly, it shows that our polymer platform can be engineered to meet the needs of very different industries — from packaging to cosmetics to medical applications.”

Karen Wooley, CTO and inventor at Teysha Technologies explains, “KarmaCane is not just one product. It’s a materials platform. We can design it as a solid, a liquid, or a water-based suspension, depending on the application. That versatility sets it apart from other biopolymers and is key to scaling sustainable solutions.”

Teysha Technologies develops biodegradable polymers from natural sources to replace petroleum-based plastics across multiple industries. Founded in 2017, the company has secured multiple patents for its KarmaCane biopolymer platform and maintains research partnerships with Texas A&M University and other leading institutions.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, launches a new skin-friendly range of PET fibers and filament yarns for apparel, tested against 17 harmful chemicals and certified to standards like OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, DIN EN 71-3, and ISO 17294-2. 

Under the product brand deja™ Care, the company uses more environmentally friendly chemicals during the PET polymerization process. That enables customers and brand owners offer skin-sensitive solutions like certified maternity wear, underwear, infant and children’s wear, school uniforms, or simply essential fashion that touches consumers’ skin every day. 

All deja Care fibers and yarns are manufactured in fully integrated, in-house facilities in Asia, ensuring end-to-end control and traceability. Having already proven their performance in hygiene applications like baby wipes & diapers, these products now offer apparel brands a clear path towards responsible fashion. Fabric makers also benefit from cleaner, thus less polluting wastewater and lower sludge generation and disposal during fabric manufacturing. That supports more eco-friendly production practices. 

“We delivered another very strong quarter as our pivot to becoming a DTC-first, head-to-toe denim lifestyle retailer is driving a meaningful inflection in our financial performance,” said Michelle Gass, President and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. “With strength across channels, segments and categories, we are raising our full-year outlook and are well-positioned for the holiday season. While the macro environment remains complex, the consistency of our performance and operational agility gives me confidence that we will deliver sustained, profitable growth into 2026 and beyond.” 

“Our Q3 results demonstrate the power of our strategic transformation, with strong financial performance exceeding expectations across all key metrics including sales, gross margin, adjusted EBIT margin and adjusted diluted EPS,” said Harmit Singh, Chief Financial and Growth Officer of Levi Strauss & Co. “With four consecutive quarters of high-single-digit growth and record gross margins driven by our focus on profitability across the organization, we are raising our full-year revenue and adjusted diluted EPS expectations. We have built strong momentum that positions us well to continue delivering strong shareholder value next year and in the years to come.”

Financial Highlights 

• Net Revenues of $1.5 billion were up 7% on a reported and organic basis versus Q3 2024:
• In the Americas, net revenues increased 6% on a reported basis and 7% on an organic basis. Within the Americas, the U.S. grew 3% on an organic basis. 
• In Europe, net revenues increased 5% on a reported basis and 3% on an organic basis. 
• In Asia, net revenues increased 12% on a reported basis and organic basis. 
• Beyond Yoga® net revenues increased 2% on a reported and organic basis. 
• DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) net revenues increased 11% on a reported basis and 9% on an organic basis. DTC growth on an organic basis reflected a 7% increase in the U.S., a 4% increase in Europe and a 14% increase in Asia. Net revenues from e-commerce grew 18% on a reported basis and 16% on an organic basis. DTC comprised 46% of total net revenues in the third quarter. 
• Wholesale net revenues increased 3% on a reported basis and 5% on an organic basis. 

Teijin Carbon stellte in Zusammenarbeit mit A&P Technology eine gemeinsame Innovation im Bereich fortschrittlicher Verbundwerkstoffe vor: Das biaxiale IMS65 PAEK Bimax®-Geflecht ist ein Material, bei dem das thermoplastische Tape Tenax™ TPUD IMS65 PAEK von Teijin Carbon zum Einsatz kommt. Es wurde entwickelt, um die wachsende Nachfrage nach skalierbarer Hochgeschwindigkeitsproduktion von Verbundwerkstoffen in der Luft- und Raumfahrt, im Verteidigungsbereich und anderen sich entwickelnden Märkten zu erfüllen.

Tenax™ TPUD IMS65 PAEK von Teijin Carbon – ein hochwertiges thermoplastisches UD-Tape auf der Basis von Polyaryletherketon (PAEK)-Harz – wird in schmale Bahnen geschnitten und von A&P Technology zu einem 65" breiten +/-45°-Textil geflochten. Die +/-45°-Geflechtarchitektur bietet eine hohe Übersetzung der Bandeigenschaften bei gleichzeitig hervorragender Drapierbarkeit für komplexe Geometrien. Mit einem Faserflächengewicht von 184 g/m² und einem PAEK-Gehalt von 34 Prozent ermöglicht IMS65 PAEK Bimax® die Verarbeitung außerhalb des Autoklaven (OoA) und die Vakuumbeutel-Konsolidierung (VBO), wodurch die Herstellungszeit erheblich verkürzt und gleichzeitig die mechanische Leistung und Schlagfestigkeit verbessert werden.

Merkmale und Vorteile von IMS65 PAEK Bimax®:

• Hohes Faservolumen und geringe Ondulation für hervorragende mechanische Leistung
• Extreme Drapierbarkeit für tiefgezogene Teile
• Reduzierte Verlegezeit pro Lage - 65" breites Gewebe ermöglicht schnelles Verlegen von biaxialer Verstärkung
• Native Luftevakuierungswege für eine optimale Konsolidierung dicker Komponenten
• Platzierung der Preforms bei Raumtemperatur mit Punktheftung zur Vereinfachung der Produktionsabläufe

Dieses innovative Geflecht erfüllt oder übertrifft die Eigenschaften bestehender PAEK-Prepregs, die vom National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) zertifiziert sind, und bietet eine robuste und skalierbare Lösung für Verbundwerkstoffstrukturen der nächsten Generation. Die Kombination aus der fortschrittlichen thermoplastischen UD-Band-Technologie von Teijin Carbon und dem Know-how von A&P Technology in der Herstellung von Geflechtgeweben liefert eine leistungsstarke Lösung für moderne Verbundwerkstoffanwendungen.

In a significant advancement for supply chain transparency, TextileGenesis has introduced a new feature in its advanced digital traceability solution, the Fiber-to-Retail (FTR) module, enabling suppliers to upload Haelixa DNA/Forensic Traceability Certificates via a dedicated dropdown menu: ‘DNA/Forensic Traceability Certificate’. This integration bridges the gap between physical and digital traceability, offering brands and suppliers a unified platform to verify material authenticity from source to retail.  

The textile industry continues to face growing risks of fiber adulteration, blending, and fraudulent claims, particularly when it comes to premium materials such as organic cotton, recycled fibers, cashmere, and other high-value fibers. By combining Haelixa’s forensic DNA markers, which are embedded directly into the fiber, with TextileGenesis’ blockchain-inspired digital chain of custody, this integration enables a multi-layered traceability system, providing irrefutable scientific evidence alongside transparent, tamper-proof digital records. 

“Traceability must go beyond trust—it must be verifiable,” said Gediminas Mikutis, Founder & CTO of Haelixa. “By embedding natural DNA markers at the fiber level, we offer forensic proof of origin. When paired with TextileGenesis’ digital platform, brands gain unprecedented visibility and assurance over the authenticity of their materials throughout the supply chain.” 
  
“Supply chain transparency demands both depth and integrity,” adds Amit Gautam, Founder & CEO of TextileGenesis. “This integration with Haelixa is a powerful example of how digital and physical traceability methods can complement one another. It allows brands to consolidate all traceability data, transactional, certified, and forensic, into a single, trusted system of record.” 
  
As global regulatory frameworks increasingly emphasize evidence-based sustainability claims, this collaboration supports brands and suppliers in strengthening their traceability infrastructure, reducing compliance risks, and reinforcing consumer trust through authenticated data and science-backed proof of origin. 

About Haelixa 
Traceability is in high demand across industries as regulatory pressures increase. Haelixa offers a bulletproof DNA-based traceability solution that empowers responsible textile brands to verify material authenticity and track product origins from fiber to finished garment. Natural DNA from Swiss mountain herbs, compliant with GOTS and Oeko-Tex 100, is applied. With this technology, Haelixa complements digital traceability by providing secure, physical proof of origin.  

Backed by the expertise of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Haelixa is a globally recognised leader in supply chain transparency. Trusted by major brands such as C&A, OVS, and Hugo Boss, Haelixa traced over 30 million garments in 2024, according to their sales records. 

About TextileGenesis: 
Founded in 2018, TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that enables fashion brands and sustainable textile manufacturers to ensure a reliable, secure and fully digital traceability of their textiles, from the fiber to the consumer, and thereby guarantee their authenticity and origins. The platform provides traceability for textiles, leather and footwear, employing fiber forwards traceability for sustainable and certified materials and Supply Chain discovery approach to traceability for conventional materials. 
  
Its innovative traceability mechanism, which addresses both ends of the textile value chain, as well as its network of partners for material certification, and its technology platform guarantee the exchange and tracking of reliable and secure data throughout a material's life cycle. TextileGenesis platform also identifies and flags supply chain compliance/legal risks across the value chain from tier 1-4 for brands.