From the Sector

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has partnered with agricultural technology company Avalo to accelerate the breeding of more climate-resilient cotton. Avalo uses an AI-enabled platform to identify genetic traits relevant to locally adapted plants that require less water and fertiliser. According to BCI, the approach can shorten the time needed to develop new varieties, an increasingly important factor as heat, water scarcity and shifting rainfall patterns affect cotton-growing regions. Avalo has already worked with BCI to enrol a significant number of new producers for the 2026 season and has tested a digital platform for collecting and reporting programme data. The partnership therefore connects plant breeding, digital data management and the requirements of an international cotton standard.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), a global sustainable chemical producer, reported significantly stronger first-half 2026 earnings, reflecting favorable market conditions together with continued progress in strengthening the Company’s operating fundamentals. 

For the first half of 2026, the Company reported revenue of THB 245.3 billion, up 4% year-on-year, and EBITDA of THB 29.7 billion, up 61%. Second-quarter EBITDA was particularly strong, with all four business segments delivering year-on-year improvement. Operating cash flow after maintenance capital expenditure increased 78% to THB 25.9 billion. Strong cash generation supported further deleveraging, with Net Debt-to-Equity improving to 1.56x, reaching the Company's Capital Markets Day target for 2026 ahead of schedule. 

Management’s continued execution of IVL 2.0 self-help actions, including Sales & Operations Execution (S&OE), inventory discipline and working capital management, also supported stronger cash conversion, with inventory turnover improving to 5.0x in the second quarter from 4.7x at the end of 2025. Operating rates were prudently managed to align production with inventory targets and protect margin quality in a period of volatile pricing. 

Looking ahead, Indorama Ventures expects some of the exceptionally strong second-quarter market tailwinds to normalize. The Company’s priorities for the remainder of 2026 are to deliver sustainable earnings under normalized spreads, convert those earnings into free cash flow, reduce absolute net debt, and improve returns on capital. 

Mr. Aloke Lohia, Group CEO of Indorama Ventures, said, “Our first-half performance reflects both supportive market conditions and the progress we are making through the self-help actions we have taken to strengthen Indorama Ventures. Markets will normalize, so the more important test is whether we can convert the advantages of the platform we have built over three decades - our scale, integration, global footprint, local-for-local operating model and customer positions, into more consistent earnings, stronger cash generation and higher returns through the cycle. 
We are beginning to see that translation in our performance. Greater discipline in how we manage our operations, inventory and working capital is improving cash generation, while our portfolio actions are strengthening the quality of the business and improving returns on capital. Together, these actions are building a more agile and financially resilient Indorama Ventures. 
We remain confident in our 2026 expectations and 2028 ambitions. Our focus is to continue executing on what we can control, strengthen our balance sheet and improve returns, while retaining the flexibility to capture growth opportunities as markets evolve.” 

The earnings improvement was led by Combined PET, supported by favorable market conditions and the benefits of Indorama Ventures’ integrated global platform and local-for-local operating model. Indovida continued its growth momentum, supported by its market-leading packaging position, customer intimacy and organic growth initiatives. Indovinya delivered strong performance across both High Value Applications and Essentials, supported by commercial excellence initiatives. Fibers improved sequentially in the second quarter supported by stable Hygiene demand and transformation efforts, despite continued weakness in Lifestyle and Mobility end markets.

In 2026, the Industry Research Group (IRG) Polymer Recycling once again brought together some of the key stakeholders in textile recycling for its annual Networking Day. This year, the event took place at EREMA’s premises in Ansfelden, Austria. It brought together key players from across the textile recycling value chain for a day of structured exchange and in-depth discussions.

The conversations covered a broad range of topics relevant to the sector, including technological developments, current market dynamics, and the evolving political and regulatory landscape. Speakers from Zschimmer & Schwarz, Volkswagen Group Innovation, STRÄHLE+HESS, and the Technical University of Leoben provided substantive input across these areas. The interesting discussions were also possible thanks to our IRG partners: Bekaert, EREMA, Barmag, Stadler Anlagenbau, Technip Energies, Fibrant, BASF and Remondis.

The IRG extends its sincere thanks to EREMA for hosting the event and providing access to their technical centre, which added a valuable practical dimension to the day's programme.

The next IRG Full-Term Meeting is scheduled for autumn 2026. The Networking Day will return in 2027.

The IRG Polymer Recycling is a continuously running cooperation project between companies interested in the research field of textile recycling and the ITA Group. The aim is to systematically address technological, economic and strategic issues regarding textile recycling and create a strong network to tackle the challenges. 

At Carrington Textiles, we are pleased to announce the publication of the third Sustainability Report from the RTS Textiles Group, showcasing another year of progress towards more responsible manufacturing across our global operations.

The report reflects continued investment in technologies and initiatives that improve environmental performance while supporting long-term business resilience. From renewable energy and water stewardship to circular economy projects and product innovation, sustainability remains embedded in how we operate across the Group.

Among this year's highlights is the completion of a new wastewater treatment plant in Pakistan, significantly strengthening water treatment capacity at CTi ahead of becoming operational later this year. The site has also expanded its circular economy initiatives through the reuse of biomass and coal ash in brick manufacturing and projects that support local biodiversity.

At MGC in Portugal, investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency has continued, with solar generation capacity increasing to 8.3 MW and further projects underway to reduce natural gas consumption and carbon emissions. At Pincroft in the UK, continued progress has been made through Combined Heat and Power (CHP), the ongoing development of its Carbon Roadmap and wider decarbonisation initiatives.

The report also highlights how the RTS Textiles Group continues to expand the use of innovative fibres and technologies that combine comfort, protection and performance with a reduced environmental impact, supporting customers in achieving their own sustainability objectives.

John Vareldzis, CEO of RTS Textiles Group, said: "Building on the foundations established in previous years, this report highlights our progress and reaffirms our commitment to responsible manufacturing, innovation and transparency across our global operations."

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Under the coordination of the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF), ten European project partners are developing and integrating platforms, technologies, and viable business models for circular textile production over four years. ALADIN stands for Advanced LocAl and Digital Innovation Network for Circular Garments and aims to establish viable business models for circular textile production.

The concept is based on four pillars:

• A digital platform for services provided by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Regional cooperation to promote local production
• Technologies for recycling strategies
• Local and renewable raw materials

The project partners come from six different countries (Germany, Romania, Belgium, France, Czechia, Italy) and bring a wide range of expertise to the table, for example in the areas of design, embroidery, printing, digitalization, recycling, AI, and microfactory production.

This diverse range of experiences enables a high-performance digital infrastructure for B2B and B2B2C relationships. The partners will develop innovative technologies such as a Digital Product Passport module, or an AI-supported ecodesign assistant and apparel textiles including ring-spun recycled cotton yarns, while ensuring a broad transfer of project results to make a lasting impact. This will result in a network that jointly utilizes the infrastructure - from design and production to customer service and recycling.

To validate the approach, three specific use cases are being implemented: a semi-automated T-shirt, a smart parka, and a circular, versatile blazer dress. These products use sustainable materials such as bio-based fibers and recycled textiles, which are processed in a way that makes them easier to recycle at the end of their life cycle. Production takes place locally in microfactories, and the products are custom-made according to customer specifications.

In addition, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups and further stakeholders will be actively involved in two Open Calls. Innovations within the ecosystem are also promoted, for example in the areas of automation, production technologies, and digital services.

In the long term, the project aims to establish a Europe-wide network of microfactories, create new jobs, and significantly increase the use of sustainable materials. At the same time, the project intends to reduce waste and strengthen regional value creation.

To this end, ALADIN brings together industry, customers, policymakers, and academia - to promote sustainable, circular textile production. In this way, ALADIN will also serve as a model for similar networks, thereby multiplying the positive effects on the market and the environment.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101294463. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Researchers demonstrate how to use the power of the sun to turn plastic waste, such as drinks bottles, into clean hydrogen fuel at a scale large enough to be genuinely useful in the real world using a scalable approach.

The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, have previously demonstrated that a solar-powered reactor can convert plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel and valuable industrial chemicals, but only at laboratory scale. 

Now, they have shown a clear path for converting this technology to a commercial scale, in outdoor, real-world conditions. 

While previous demonstrations have used a small reactor (catalyst) about 25cm square, the new device is significantly larger – about one metre square – which they tested under natural sunlight outside Cambridge’s Chemistry Department. This is the first time that this technology has been successfully used in outdoor conditions using scalable techniques. 

Instead of generating electricity like a conventional solar panel, the Cambridge devices drives a chemical reaction that converts waste into useful products while converting water to release clean hydrogen.

Earlier versions of the solar-powered panels required high temperatures, harsh chemicals, or complicated manufacturing processes. Typically, this involved small particles suspended in solution and deposited onto a substrate. 

“When we started trying to scale this technology up, we quickly found out that what seems simple on a small scale is not simple at all when you’re trying to make it at scale,” said co-first author Ariffin Bin Mohamad Annuar, from Cambridge’s Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry. “We can’t really have giant vats of solution to make these panels – it’s just not practical at scale.”

“If we’re really going to change the way we deal with the twin problems of plastic pollution and clean energy generation, we’ve got to develop a very scalable way to make these photocatalyst materials and reactors — and show that they really work outdoors,” said Professor Erwin Reisner, who led the research. 

The new panels can be assembled at room temperature without specialist equipment: first the light-absorbing material is sprayed onto a glass panel, and then the panel is coated with specially designed molecules containing cobalt and zirconium.

Co-author Professor Dominic Wright’s team, also from the Department of Chemistry, did the work to make the molecular precursor material. These precursors were then used by Reisner’s team for loading into a sprayer– like a household paint sprayer – so that the coating could be sprayed directly onto a glass panel. 

“What surprised me was, after all the optimisation, just how simple it is,” said Mohamad Annuar. “We just have this huge panel, we spray our catalyst on it, put it into our solution, put it under the sun, and it produces hydrogen and other valuable chemicals just from plastic waste. It’s just simple and scalable.”

The researchers showed the reactor works on materials ranging from cellulose to PET plastic bottles: the kind used for fizzy drinks. They also carried out a cost analysis to show what it would realistically take to scale the technology up commercially, which they say is a first for this type of research.

The spray-coating method developed by the Cambridge researchers dramatically reduces the cost to produce the reactors, which is vital to producing them at scale. However, the researchers say they still need to improve the durability and efficiency of the reactors before they are ready for commercial production. 

A patent for the technology has been filed with Cambridge Enterprise, the University’s innovation arm. The research was supported in part by the UK Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and Petronas. Erwin Reisner is a Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge. Ariffin Bin Mohamad Annuar is a Member of Clare College, Cambridge.

The undersigned associations, representing several European industrial sectors, call on EU institutions to maintain the current legal text of the Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD), adopted in 2019. While the signatories recognise the importance of ensuring that the SUPD delivers measurable and meaningful environmental outcomes, reopening the Directive now will create legal uncertainty, add disproportionate burden for economic operators that are already navigating partial and often divergent national transpositions, and increase the risk of regulatory overlaps or contradictions with existing and upcoming legislation. Moreover, there is currently insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of the current SUPD to justify a revision, as described below: 

• Insufficient evidence to inform a revision of the SUPD. 
  An impact assessment of the SUPD cannot be carried out at a moment when several of its provisions are not yet in place. While a first report on the state of implementation of the SUPD was published in April 2026, it remains partial, and reporting is not harmonised, preventing meaningful comparison of data across countries. Taking the example of consumption reduction targets, Member States and other EEA countries only reported data on SUP products placed on the market in 2022 and, even for this report, did so using different indicators. Crucially, since the target on consumption reduction is set for 2026, no data are yet available on whether that target has been achieved. In summary, the partial application of the SUPD and the limited data available suggest that a revision of the SUPD would be premature at this time. 
• Preventing further fragmentation and gold-plating. 
  The transposition of the SUPD has produced significant regulatory fragmentation, uneven enforcement, and widespread instances of gold plating, creating persistent uncertainty for companies active across multiple Member States. The result is a patchwork of national rules that undermines the integrity of the Single Market, inflates compliance costs, and fails to deliver proportionate environmental benefits. These structural shortcomings must be fully recognised in the evaluation of the SUPD and effectively addressed prior to considering a reopening of the Directive. 
• Ensuring legal certainty for economic operators. 
  A revision of the SUPD would create legal uncertainty for companies and Member States that are still implementing several of its provisions. While the SUPD entered into force in mid-2021, the date of application for most of its provisions is at a later stage. Furthermore, the EU Commission has only recently adopted some of the implementing decisions and guidelines on the current SUPD. Any change to the SUPD at a moment when companies are still adapting to new obligations, and Member States are still in the process of implementing some key provisions, would create legal uncertainty for economic operators who do not know whether targets or the scope of the SUPD may change. Legal uncertainty carries significant economic costs for economic operators, notably in terms of investment delays likely to persist throughout the entire SUPD revision process (2–3 years). 
• Avoiding overlaps with other legislation. 
  Revising the SUPD while the Ecodesign and Packaging Regulations are still being implemented, and as negotiations on the Circular Economy Act (CEA) begin, increases the risk of regulatory overlaps and contradictions. These frameworks cover intersecting areas and a revision of the SUPD in parallel with the CEA would almost inevitably lead to duplicative or conflicting provisions. Even if the EU Commission ensured full coherence in its proposal, the co-legislators could still introduce provisions that diverge from or contradict the SUPD framework, further undermining legal certainty and the functioning of the Single Market. 

At a time when EU leaders have made regulatory simplifications and a fully integrated Single Market central to Europe’s competitiveness agenda, we urge EU policymakers to focus legislative efforts where they are most needed and avoid reopening a framework that has yet to deliver concrete results.

New skills for the circular economy and digitalisation
Recycling, traceability, eco-design and digitalisation are among the key future challenges facing the European textile industry. The Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity, involving 21 partners from twelve countries, is investigating the skills required to address these challenges. 

Skills4Circularity is an Erasmus+ project involving 21 partners from twelve countries. The aim is to prepare the European textile industry for the challenges of the circular economy, recycling, traceability and digitalisation through new training programmes. The IVGT is participating as the German industry partner. The project runs from November 2025 to October 2029 and is developing, among other things, training modules, MOOCs, masterclasses and a European Textile Skills Observatory. 

The aim of the project is to identify skills gaps and, building on these, to develop tailor-made training programmes for the circular textile economy. The project is based on a Europe-wide company survey involving 183 participants from twelve countries, 22 expert interviews, and an AI-supported analysis of 313 job advertisements across eleven countries. The results clearly show that the industry’s greatest challenges lie less in a lack of technology and more in a lack of skills. Knowledge of regulatory requirements, the circular economy, life cycle assessments (LCA), data management and process integration is particularly in demand. Traceability, material sorting and sustainable production processes also rank among the industry’s most important areas of expertise.

Sustainability requires systemic thinking
The analysis also highlights that whilst sustainability, the circular economy and technological innovation are recognised as strategic goals regardless of company size, their implementation often takes place incrementally and in isolation. In many cases, measures are not yet viewed as part of a holistic transformation strategy.

There are clear differences between company sizes in this regard. Large companies have extensive technological and organisational resources but face significant regulatory and transformational pressure. Medium-sized companies often drive the functional and sustainable development of textiles but are frequently constrained by economic conditions and customer requirements. Small enterprises score highly on flexibility but have only limited technological capacity. Micro-enterprises often operate as innovative niche providers but are particularly dependent on partnerships and stable market conditions.

A key finding of the research was that the greatest obstacles to implementing circular economy concepts do not stem from a lack of awareness of the issues. Rather, skills gaps, insufficient integration of processes across the entire product life cycle, a lack of data standards, and often inadequate coordination along the value chain are the decisive factors. There is a particularly acute need for specialist knowledge to translate the increasing EU regulations and sustainability requirements into operational practice.

The study also shows that recycling, eco-design and sustainable production are not yet sufficiently integrated within many companies. Furthermore, recycling processes are often outsourced and only considered at the end of the product life cycle. Although eco-design is increasingly being incorporated into product development, it is rarely firmly integrated into standardised development processes. Sustainable production measures often focus on resource efficiency and process optimisation without being systematically linked to circular strategies. As a result, potential for life-cycle-oriented optimisation of materials, products and processes often remains untapped.

Three training modules for the textile transformation
Based on the analysis results, Skills4Circularity is now developing three practice-oriented training modules on the topics of recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable production.

The ‘Recycling Technologies’ module provides knowledge on legal requirements, material sorting and the processing of textile waste. The aim is to support companies in better structuring recycling processes and improving collaboration along the recycling value chain.

The “Eco-design for the Circular Economy” module focuses on regulatory requirements, life-cycle assessment and traceability systems. Participants will be equipped to systematically integrate circular design principles into product development and to establish the conditions for a functioning circular economy as early as the initial development phases.

The third module is dedicated to sustainable production. The focus is on resource-efficient and low-waste production processes, as well as the organisational embedding of sustainability goals within the company. In particular, the aim is to link production processes more closely with circular strategies and recycling approaches.

With these training programmes, Skills4Circularity aims to support the European textile industry in integrating the circular economy, digitalisation and sustainability more closely into operational practice. Continuing professional development thus becomes a key success factor for the transformation of the sector. 

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation. 

With a degree in Production Polymer Engineering from the University of Minho, Mario Jorge Machado brings extensive industrial experience and a strong commitment to innovation, competitiveness and sustainable transformation. 

Upon his re-election, Mario Jorge Machado said:
“My priority for this new mandate is clear: to strengthen the competitiveness of our industry, ensure that the same rules apply to all products sold in Europe, and support our companies through the green and digital transition. Europe must decarbonise its industry, not deindustrialise it.” 

Three priorities for the new mandate

1. Competitiveness as the foundation
Mario Jorge Machado has made clear that competitiveness must be the starting point for any successful industrial policy. In his recent Brussels address, he stressed that without competitiveness there can be no investment, no innovation, no sustainability and no strategic autonomy. He will therefore continue to push for a stronger business environment for textile companies, with support for investment in automation, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, skills and innovation, especially for SMEs. 

2. A genuine level playing field
A second key priority is to ensure that the same rules apply to everything sold in Europe, not only to what is made in Europe. Mario Jorge Machado has repeatedly called for stronger market surveillance, better border enforcement and more effective control of imports sold through digital platforms, so that European companies are not put at a disadvantage against products that bypass EU safety, environmental and consumer rules. EURATEX will continue to advocate for equal enforcement, fair competition and a market where compliance is rewarded. 

3. Supporting industry through the transition
Mario Jorge Machado also wants to ensure that the green and digital transition strengthens European industry rather than weakening it. He has underlined that sustainability must become a source of competitiveness, not a burden, and that companies need realistic rules, affordable energy, workable implementation and targeted support to adapt successfully. He has also stressed the importance of stimulating demand for sustainable European-made textiles, including through public procurement and transparency tools that are feasible for companies. 

Presidency Team
The General Assembly also confirmed the composition of the EURATEX Presidency Team, which will support the President in steering the organisation’s strategic direction:

• Mr. Franz Peter Falke, T+M, Germany
• Ms. Barbara Cimmino, Confindustria Moda, Italy
• Mr. Ismail Kolunsag, IHKIB, Türkiye 
• Mr. Grégory Marchand, UIT, France 

More than 620 talents, nine editions, one milestone: Neo.Fashion. celebrates its 10th edition this July and announces a new organizational structure — a clear statement of commitment to the long-term development of emerging talent in the German fashion industry. 

Germany’s most versatile platform for emerging fashion talent marks its 10th anniversary with a strategic repositioning and a new venue: For its 10th edition, Neo.Fashion. will take place during Berlin Fashion Week from July 2 to 4, 2026, in a former industrial hall at “Neues Ufer 13” in Berlin-Moabit. The program includes the Best Graduates Shows and Aspiring Designer Shows, alongside the presentation of the Neo.Fashion. Award and the Digital Fashion Award. To date, ten universities from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Ukraine have confirmed their participation. A strong emphasis on sustainability defines this year’s collections. With the establishment of the non-profit Neo.Fashion. e.V. in 2025, the initiative has further professionalized its organizational structure, creating a more robust foundation for the long-term promotion of emerging design talent. 
 
What started in 2017 as a vision has since become a defining fixture for young fashion designers across Germany: Neo.Fashion. is celebrating its 10th edition this year. Since the inaugural graduate show in the fall of 2017 at Motorwerk Weißensee in Berlin, more than 620 graduates from across the country have presented their final collections on the Neo.Fashion. stage. In 2019, the platform became an official part of Berlin Fashion Week, cementing its place in the international fashion calendar. With the Best Graduates Shows, the Aspiring Designer Shows, the Neo.Fashion. Award, and the Digital Fashion Award — launched for the first time last year — Neo.Fashion. has grown into a unique ecosystem that goes far beyond a pure presentation platform. 

The founding of the nonprofit Neo.Fashion. e.V. in 2025 marks a pivotal step toward sustained, structured talent development. A newly expanded organizational team now manages the full range of Neo.Fashion. activities — from university coordination and communications to technical production, industry partnerships, textile research, and startup outreach. Workshops, competitions, mentoring programs, and international collaborations will be part of the platform’s expanded offering going forward. 

Neo.Fashion. is also making a geographic move. From July 2 through 4, 2026 — as always, in sync with Berlin Fashion Week — the event relocates to “Neues Ufer 13” (“New Shore 13”) in the Berlin district of Moabit: a former industrial hall whose raw, urban aesthetic provides an authentic backdrop for young, uncharted fashion voices. “We see ‘Neues Ufer’ as a metaphor — for us as a format that has reinvented itself time and again over ten years, and for the talents who show their collections here with a new shore as their destination,” says Jens Zander, CEO of brand experience agency S49, founder of Neo.Fashion., and director of the new Neo.Fashion. e.V., where he oversees production and strategic development. 

More than ten professional runway shows are planned, featuring selected graduates from nearly all German fashion schools presenting their collections. Each show will spotlight six to eight emerging designers. In total, up to 80 participants will take the stage in July, presenting their work to a broad public audience—well beyond the industry itself. This open and inclusive approach sets Neo.Fashion apart from other formats. 
Ten universities have already confirmed their participation: Hochschule Pforzheim (Pforzheim), Hochschule Niederrhein (Krefeld, Mönchengladbach), AMD Akademie Mode & Design (Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Wiesbaden, Munich), Hochschule Reutlingen (Reutlingen), Hochschule Hannover (Hannover), Hochschule Bielefeld (Bielefeld), Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin – HTW Berlin (Berlin), Hochschule Macromedia (Berlin), Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle (Halle/Saale), and HAW Hamburg – University of Applied Sciences (Hamburg). On the international side: the University of Art and Design Linz (Linz, Austria), the Academy of Art and Design Basel – HGK FHNW (Basel, Switzerland), Fashion Art Toronto (Toronto, Canada), and the Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design – KNUTD (Kyiv, Ukraine). 

One theme runs through nearly every collection shown at Neo.Fashion.: sustainability. What was a niche concern a decade ago is now a core driver of young designers’ creative work. From material sourcing and production processes to circular design principles, Neo.Fashion. graduates are rethinking fashion from the ground up — and setting new standards for a responsible future in the industry. Neo.Fashion. actively supports this shift, providing space for innovative, sustainable approaches. 

Nurturing Talent as an Investment in the Future 
Germany’s fashion economy — including retail, startups, and FashionTech — contributes approximately €70 billion to the country’s GDP and supports around one million jobs, according to research by Oxford Economics commissioned by the Fashion Council Germany (FCG) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The German textile and apparel industry generates around €32 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 120,000 people across approximately 1,400 companies. The German apparel market as a whole recorded revenues of around €67.7 billion in 2025. 

Maintaining and growing that position demands a consistent pipeline of new talent. Platforms like Neo.Fashion. play a central role in bridging the gap between education and professional entry — giving emerging designers the visibility and industry connections they need to launch their careers. 

Success Stories and International Partnerships 
The impact of Neo.Fashion. as a launchpad for young designers is evident in the careers that have followed: many alumni who showed their first collections on the Neo.Fashion. runway have since returned with their own labels — and are now fixtures in the Berlin Fashion Week calendar. 

Particularly noteworthy is the partnership with Ukrainian Fashion Week, established in 2022, which gives Ukrainian design talent an international platform despite the difficult situation in their home country. Strategic partners including the Fashion Council Germany (FCG) and the German Textile and Fashion Federation (Gesamtverband textil+mode) support Neo.Fashion. in broadening its reach and opening doors into the industry for emerging designers. 

Neo.Fashion. — The Ecosystem 
Best Graduates Show: The flagship show of Neo.Fashion. during Berlin Fashion Week, in which the best final collections from fashion design students across Germany are presented in professional runway shows. 

Neo.Fashion. Award: An award recognizing outstanding emerging talent distinguished by exceptional creativity, innovation, or sustainability in their collections — designers who are setting the agenda for the future of the industry. 

Aspiring Designer Shows: A platform for young designers who have already taken their first steps toward independence and are building their own labels — giving them the opportunity to present their current collections to a broad professional audience. 

Digital Fashion Award: Launched in 2025, this award signals a shift in how fashion engages with the digital world — treating it not just as a tool, but as a creative space in its own right. For Neo.Fashion., it marks a key step in the evolution of the format and opens a new chapter in supporting digital emerging talent.