Italian investor Pidigi to continue Sympatex

• Pidigi S.p.A. of Verona and a German subsidiary acquire key assets of Sympatex by way of an asset deal  
• 21 jobs and all four apprenticeship positions will be retained at the Unterföhring site 
• Transaction creates significant operational and economic synergies 

In the insolvency proceedings concerning the assets of the Munich-based textile company Sympatex Technologies GmbH, insolvency administrator Axel W. Bierbach of the law firm Müller-Heydenreich Bierbach & Kollegen (Munich) has found a viable solution for the continuation of business operations. The operating business is to be taken over by Pidigi S.p.A. of Verona by way of an asset deal effective June 1, 2026. Pidigi is an owner-managed, internationally active Italian supplier and innovation partner to the footwear, leather goods, and apparel industries, with a market presence spanning more than 70 years. Pidigi develops and markets high-quality materials and sustainable components for industrial applications.  

FET’s gel spinning system wins Techtextil Innovation Award

FET has received the Techtextil Innovation Award 2026 in the New Production Technology category. The Techtextil Innovation Award honours outstanding ideas in textile technology, sustainability, AI and the creation of technical textiles, selected by an international jury of experts. Ranging from new materials to new production technologies, this award recognises progressive ideas that are driving forces for numerous industries, such as automotive, medical and construction.

The new FET-500 Series now allows rapid, small-scale gel spinning of UHMWPE without the use of the toxic solvents typically associated with the process. This game-changing equipment will finally unlock R&D and new product development in UHMWPE yarns, which was previously blocked by the large-scale nature of UHMWPE yarn production, enabling significant savings in cost, footprint and environmental factors.

“We are proud that the Techtextil Innovation Award recognises our intensive work. It shows that we are at the forefront of technological developments supporting the textiles of tomorrow.” - Richard Slack, Managing Director.

Temafa Maschinenfabrik GmbH supplies a complete decortication plant for processing hemp straw

Temafa Maschinenfabrik GmbH, a leading supplier of machinery and plants for fibre processing, has successfully secured an order to supply a complete plant for processing hemp straw to Hanffaser Geiseltal eG, based in Mücheln.

With this project, Hanffaser Geiseltal eG is implementing its first industrial plant for processing hemp straw into hemp fibres. The plant will be delivered, installed and commissioned in the course of the year.

The plant, designed and manufactured by Temafa, is specifically engineered for the efficient processing of hemp straw. The aim is to produce high-quality fibre products, which are primarily used in the building materials industry, for example in sustainable insulation materials and other ecological applications.

With this investment, Hanffaser Geiseltal eG is strengthening its position in the field of sustainable raw materials and sending a clear signal regarding the increasing industrialisation of hemp processing in Germany.

ACIMIT: Textile Machinery Orders Index, Q1 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, order intake for Italian textile machinery manufacturers recorded a decrease of 5% compared to the same period in 2025, reflecting a still challenging start to the year. The decline affected foreign markets (-7%), while the domestic market showed growth (+21%).

Compared with the previous quarter (October–December 2025), total order intake increased by 18%. The orders index for the January–March 2026 period stood at 37.3 points (base year 2021=100). In Italy, the index reached 35.3 points, while in foreign markets it stood at 37.6 points.

In the first quarter of 2026, the order backlog guaranteed a workload of approximately 4.5 months.

From a sector perspective, weaving and other manufacturing segments showed relatively more dynamic signals.

Forecasts for the second quarter of 2026 (compared with the previous quarter) indicate pessimism for the domestic market and stability for the foreign one.

Kornit Digital Launches Konnections 365: Bringing together Brands, Retailers, Creatives, Print Producers

Local events, webinars, on-demand content, and podcasts unite creatives, brands, retailers, supply-chain experts, and print producers – leading seismic shift in apparel and textile production.
 
Kornit Digital, a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production today announced the launch of Konnections 365 - a year-round movement designed for the people moving the apparel, print, and retail industries forward. The strategy is built on the success of Konnections 2026 held in Hollywood, Florida, featuring more than 500 customers, partners, and collaborators who together are driving the future of apparel and textiles.
 
Bringing together brands, retailers, creatives, print producers, and supply-chain experts, Konnections 365 delivers thought leadership, local and global experiences, committees, webinars, podcasts, and on-demand resources. The intent is to help the industry navigate a watershed moment driven by digital print, AI, sustainability, new inventory models, and emerging technologies.
 

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris: At the heart of the global textile offering

From August 31 to September 2, 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will once again bring together all international players in textiles and apparel at the Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Center.

A strategic platform for buyers
As a global sourcing hub for fashion professionals, the event will offer direct access to nearly 1,200 international textile and apparel companies across two main areas: Texworld, dedicated to fabrics and raw materials, and Apparel Sourcing, focused on finished products and accessories. These two shows stand out for their broad offering, centered on mid-range and premium segments, meeting the growing expectations of buyers seeking quality and added value. They will be complemented by the key Avantex sector, dedicated to innovative solutions for high-performance and responsible fashion. 

NCTO: Officer elections for fiscal year 2026

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber through finished sewn products, held its officer elections for fiscal year 2026 at its annual meeting April 14-16.

NCTO has elected Amy Bircher Bruyn, CEO and Founder of MMI Textiles as Chair, and Jay Todd, CEO and Managing Partner of Service Thread, as Vice Chair.

In addition to the appointment of a new chair and vice chair, NCTO elected chairs for each of its five councils. NCTO is comprised of five councils to ensure a broad representation of the industry supply chain. Each council has an allotted number of members who are elected to the association’s Board of Directors, in addition to the Executive Committee.

Source Fashion: What Matters to Buyers in 2026?

As fashion brands and retailers navigate an increasingly complex landscape shaped by geopolitical disruption, ongoing supply chain challenges, evolving trade tensions and regulatory uncertainty, alongside shifting consumer demand, understanding what truly matters to buyers has never been more critical. For its July 2026 edition, Source Fashion is placing these challenges at the centre of its content agenda, using new industry insights and advisory board input to shape a programme designed to help buyers make more informed, commercially viable decisions in a market defined by constant change.

Insights from Source Fashion’s advisory board and from industry research point to a growing sense of complexity and fatigue across the industry. Buyers are being asked to navigate rising costs, increasing regulation and ongoing uncertainty, while making faster, higher-stakes sourcing decisions. Sustainability, once driven by advocacy, is now increasingly shaped by compliance and reporting requirements, leaving many teams questioning how to balance commercial reality with long-term responsibility.

Kraig Launches April/May Production Cycle Following Record Spider Silk Output

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc., a world leader in spider silk technology, announced that it has officially launched its next production cycle following the Company's recent record-setting production run.
 
Earlier this month, the Company announced the successful production of nearly 1.8 metric tons of recombinant spider silk cocoons. 1.8 metric tons was the largest production run in the Company's history. Today, Kraig Labs confirmed that its follow-on production cycle is underway. Consistent with the Company's aggressive commercialization strategy, this cycle is expected to show a substantial increase over the previous cycle.
 
This next production expansion represents another major step in the Company's carefully structured plan to rapidly scale output toward its long-term objective of producing more than 10 metric tons of recombinant spider silk cocoons in a single month.
 

Wacker: Polymers division under new leadership

• Maximilian Peter to take charge of the Polymers division on May 1, 2026 
• Effective the same date, the previous head of the division, Peter Summo, to take charge of Sales & Distribution 

On May 1, 2026, Maximilian Peter will take over as head of WACKER’s Polymers division. Holding a doctorate in chemical engineering, he has been with WACKER since 2012. After working in process development, he took charge of Corporate Development and was most recently responsible for Human Resources. 

Maximilian Peter succeeds Peter Summo, who headed the Polymers division for ten years. Effective May 1, 2026, Summo will take charge of Sales & Distribution. A graduate in business administration, he began his career at specialty chemicals manufacturer Akzo Nobel before joining WACKER in 1995. Since then, he has held various management positions within the company.