Freudenberg to return to Wire Düsseldorf in 2026

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) is returning to the Wire trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, after a gap of several years. The experts from one of the world's leading suppliers of technical textiles are looking forward to presenting their comprehensive range of high-performance tapes for power, data, and specialty cables to visitors at the trade fair and discussing solutions from April 13-17.

U.S. Textile Industry Applauds Legislation Aimed at Ending Harmful Customs Rule

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), which represents the full U.S. textile supply chain from fiber and yarn to fabrics and finished sewn products, lauds a bill introduced today aimed at ending the U.S. Customs & Border Protection’s (CBP) “first sale” rule.

National Council of Textile Organizations President and CEO Kim Glas
“NCTO and the U.S. textile industry strongly support the Last Sale Valuation Act, a bill that would eliminate a harmful CBP rule that significantly lowers duties paid by importers on textile and apparel goods and disadvantages U.S. textile manufacturers in favor of countries that often employ predatory trade practices and fail to provide reciprocal market access.

“We sincerely thank Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) for their leadership on this bill. Closing this loophole will help level the playing field, bolster the U.S. textile industry, and spur more onshoring and investment here and in our Western Hemisphere.”

"Deliver emergency measures as Europe’s competitiveness crisis deepens"

EURATEX, representing the European textile and fashion industry, joins the Antwerp Declaration Community’s call on EU Heads of State and Government to adopt emergency measures that restore industrial competitiveness and deliver tangible results for Europe’s manufacturing base in 2026.

The call was made at the European Industry Summit, which brought together over 500 business leaders, 30 factory workers, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, under the auspices of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Senior EU leaders including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, as well as Executive Vice-Presidents Teresa Ribera and Stéphane Séjourné, and Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, also joined the discussions — underscoring the growing political urgency of Europe’s industrial competitiveness crisis.

The European Industry Summit urged a coordinated package focused on:

Avgol: New Global R&D Head for the Nonwovens Business

Marco Bruno is the new Global R&D Head for the nonwovens business at Avgol, an Indorama Ventures company. With more than 20 years of experience in the textile and nonwovens industry, including extensive expertise in high technology textile substrates, the manager brings deep knowledge in nonwoven and textile-related applications. He is one of the inventors on more than 10 international patent filings covering advanced breathable functional materials and innovative material engineering developments in the nonwoven field.

At Indorama Ventures’ Avgol nonwovens business, Marco’s key goal is to further strengthen the company’s collaboration with up- and downstream partners across the value chain, ensuring that innovation translates into tangible, high value benefits for customers.

Being an active member of the company’s cross-business R&D community globally, he will also work closely with colleagues developing next-generation fibers for nonwovens and those focusing on the further enhancements of surfactants for technical and personal care applications.

Mayer & Cie. acquired by Chinese owner family

On Monday, February 09, Xu Hongjie signed the purchase agreement for Mayer & Cie. The Chinese entrepreneur is thereby acquiring the company’s entire circular knitting business, including its subsidiaries in Vsetín (Czech Republic) and Jintan (China).

Xu Hongjie comes from a southern Chinese entrepreneurial family that has been running the company Huixing for almost 30 years. Huixing employs around 1,000 people and develops, manufactures and sells circular knitting machines worldwide. With machines under the Mayer & Cie. brand, Huixing aims to enter the premium segment in the future. As development and manufacturing are at the core of the Mayer & Cie. brand, the Albstadt site will continue to be of strategic importance going forward.
 
“We are very pleased that a future perspective has emerged for the company and for everything we associate with it,” says Wolfgang Müller. He has worked at Mayer & Cie. for many years as Head of Sales and, over the past weeks, has worked intensively with his colleagues and Xu Hongjie on a plan for the restart of Mayer & Cie.

VIATT 2026 announces inaugural lifestyle Trend Forum

“The launch of VIATT's inaugural Trend Forum marks an important new step for this fair,” stated Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “Leveraging Messe Frankfurt’s nearly three decades of leadership in coordinating apparel and home textiles trend forecasting – a track record of consistently setting industry benchmarks – we are now extending this unparalleled expertise to enlighten the entire textile value chain. Utilising the expertise of our top-level trend curators, this holistic approach is designed to deliver unparalleled insights, foster robust innovation, and empower businesses to anticipate and shape consumer preferences with greater precision and relevance.”
 
Acting as a unified set of principles that flows seamlessly across sectors, the LIFESTYLE TRENDS shape fashion choices, home interior design, and interactions with technical products and interfaces.
 

INDEX™26: Pioneering highlights at Geneva

INDEX™26, the World’s Leading Nonwovens Exhibition, will take place from 19 to 22 May 2026 at PALEXPO in Geneva. With 600 exhibitors expected, INDEX™26 represents the entire value chain of the industry, from raw materials, machinery, producers of nonwovens, components to converters.

This year’s event highlights a clear trend toward high-performance lightweight materials emerging from an increasingly integrated global supply chain. From breakthroughs in engineering to innovations in raw materials, the focus remains firmly on enhancing efficiency and sustainability without compromising quality.

One of the most eagerly awaited unveilings is the introduction of RF6 technology from Reifenhäuser Reicofil. This latest generation of spunmelt production is poised to set new global standards by delivering higher throughput for the finest fibres while enabling user-friendly, low-maintenance operation.

DIGEL: New Premium Showrooms in Düsseldorf and Munich

DIGEL AG is strengthening its national and international presence with two new, representative locations in Düsseldorf and Munich, set to open for the Spring/Summer 2027 order season. With these two showrooms, the menswear company is making a clear statement for growth, internationality, and brand strength in the premium segment.

The new showroom in Düsseldorf is located in one of Germany’s most prestigious menswear environments, in the immediate vicinity of brands such as Boss, Strellson, and PVH. Spanning 550 square meters—around 30% larger than before—the two brands Digel and Digel Move will in future offer an exclusive brand experience in an urban lifestyle setting. In addition to order activities, the location will also be used as an event venue, for the DIGEL Academy, and for VIP customer events. Thanks to Düsseldorf’s central location and international character, more than 60% of export customers can be optimally served here, with further growth potential.

Ontex: Better support for skin health in incontinence care

Ontex Group NV, a leading international developer and producer of personal care solutions, introduces a new adult incontinence range developed to offer superior protection while being gentle on the skin. The first products –Sensitive Pants, Sensitive Slip and Sensitive Form – will become gradually available for healthcare institutions across Europe.

Recent European research conducted by Ontex among more than 2,500 people living with incontinence shows that dermatitis and skin irritation remain widespread and have a meaningful impact on daily life. Almost 1 in 2 people living with incontinence have experienced dermatitis or skin irritation in the intimate area; with many describing significant discomfort and effects on confidence and wellbeing. Despite this high prevalence, “Around 80% of caregivers are not trained to recognize dermatitis. Education and better product design are key to preventing complications.” says Dr. Maria Panourgia, Geriatrician at the Milton Keynes University Hospital (UK).

Avery Dennison: New official name and number partner of Mainz 05

Avery Dennison, a global leader in materials science and digital identification solutions, announced its exclusive partnership with 1. FSV Mainz 05 (also known as Mainz 05) to enhance fan engagement through heat transfer embellishments, creating customizable and personalized team jerseys.

The partnership marks Avery Dennison’s expansion into German soccer, providing fans the unique opportunity to showcase their creativity and support through bespoke embellished merchandise.

Avery Dennison’s Embelex™ solution portfolio, renowned for its innovative options for personalization in the global sports apparel market, will play a pivotal role in the partnership. Two interactive fanzone touchscreens featuring bonders equipped with an Accurate Alignment Projector System (AAPS) have been installed at the MEWA Arena, home of Mainz 05. Fans can personalize their jerseys in minutes with the name, number or customized message of their choosing, turning matchday shopping into an event as memorable as the game itself.