From the Sector

• 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.  

As part of the asset deal, Pidigi and a German subsidiary are acquiring the core assets of Sympatex and intend to continue business operations under the Sympatex brand. At the Unterföhring site near Munich, 21 jobs and the apprenticeships of all four trainees will be retained. The international locations in France, China, and Hong Kong, as well as the Korean sales office, are also to be continued. As part of the structural realignment, 25 employees at the Unterföhring site will receive notices of termination for operational reasons in the course of May, effective at the end of August. 

To mitigate the economic consequences for the affected employees, a reconciliation of interests and a social plan have been agreed upon. Around 20 employees have already left the company on their own initiative during the preliminary insolvency proceedings. With the transfer of business operations to Pidigi, future operational responsibilities will also be reorganized. Kim Scholze, who took over Sympatex as sole managing director during an extremely challenging phase and guided the company through the insolvency proceedings, will leave the company upon completion of the transaction. 

Basis secured for the continuation of operations at the Unterföhring site 
Insolvency administrator Bierbach described it as particularly encouraging that Sympatex’s Unterföhring site will be retained, thereby laying a crucial foundation for the sustainable continuation of business operations in Germany. He expressly thanked Kim Scholze, the entire workforce, and the works council for their dedication over the past few months. “Under difficult circumstances, Sympatex’s employees and managing director have contributed with a high degree of professionalism, great commitment, and remarkable loyalty to maintaining stable business operations and laying the groundwork for this investor solution,” Bierbach stated. Business operations have been able to continue in full during the three and a half months since the insolvency filing at the end of January 2026.  

“The past few months have demanded an enormous amount from Sympatex’s employees. This makes me all the more filled with respect for how professionally, loyally, and dedicatedly the teams worldwide have supported business operations, customer relationships and key projects during this phase. The fact that an investor solution for the technology, brand, and core business areas has now been achieved is a significant shared success. My special thanks go to all employees, partners, and customers who have supported Sympatex during this time with trust, dedication, and resilience,” said Kim Scholze.  

From the perspective of insolvency administrator Bierbach, Pidigi’s entry has created a viable future for the company. “Given the challenging market environment, which is subject to significant competitive and cost pressures, and Sympatex’s unique corporate history, finding a suitable buyer for Sympatex was a very demanding task. I am all the more pleased that we were able to secure an ideal investor in Pidigi, a company that knows this highly specialized market well and has itself been successfully rooted in the footwear and apparel industry for many decades. Pidigi has a clear vision for and brings excellent operational capabilities as well as deep industry expertise to secure and sustainably develop Sympatex’s international market presence, technological know-how, and established customer relationships,” the insolvency administrator said.

Pidigi has been working with Sympatex for several decades and, as a long-standing distributor in the footwear segment in Italy, possesses comprehensive market knowledge as well as a strong international network in the footwear and apparel industry. In addition, there is a long-standing partnership in the field of tape production. The Italian family-owned business uses Sympatex laminates and membranes, which Pidigi incorporates into its footwear and apparel products. 
This creates significant operational and economic synergy potential throughout the value chain.  

Strong foundation for continued growth and new market opportunities 
For Dr. Giorgio De Gara, owner and managing director of Pidigi, the transaction marks a milestone in the family business’s continued development. “The acquisition of Sympatex is an important strategic step for us, building on a long-standing and trusting partnership. We have known the company, its technologies and the people behind them for many years and are delighted to now welcome Sympatex as part of the Pidigi family. Together, we aim to further develop Sympatex’s international business in a targeted manner – from performance laminates and tapes for footwear applications to technical solutions for the public sector, workwear and apparel markets. By combining Sympatex’s technological expertise with Pidigi’s global market presence and operational strength, we are creating a strong foundation for further growth and new market opportunities. It is important to us to preserve Sympatex’s valuable technological know-how and the Unterföhring site, and to offer employees long-term prospects”, Dr. De Gara said. 

The structured investor sale process was supported by an experienced team of advisers. On the M&A side, the insolvency administrator was advised by Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P). Led by Dr. Hubertus Bartelheimer, M&A specialists Ante Jelavic and Thomas Müller oversaw the entire transaction process. Legal advice to the insolvency administrator was provided by Taylor Wessing Germany, led by Dr. Hendrik Boss and Lisa K. Iwersen, LL.M. (Stellenbosch). 

Asahi Kasei has announced plans to streamline operations at its Mizushima Works by fiscal 2030. 

There will be no immediate impact on the company’s supply of derivative products. The businesses covered by this initiative recorded revenue of ¥116.2 billion in fiscal year 2025, compared with ¥1,306.2 billion for the Material segment overall. 

Asahi Kasei’s discontinuation of these derivatives and realignment of its supply chain form part of a broader initiative to streamline its Material sector portfolio and enhance capital efficiency. 

These measures are intended to exit businesses where profitability has become inherently challenging and to restructure the related supply chains within the global petrochemical markets. This is expected to improve margins and reduce cash outflows associated with maintaining these operations, enabling the strategic reallocation of capital toward higher-value opportunities. Such disciplined portfolio man-agement reinforces Asahi Kasei’s focus on areas with stronger long-term return potential. 

Under its three-year medium-term management plan "Trailblaze Together," Asahi Kasei is improving capital efficiency and accelerating earnings by converting past growth investments into tangible returns. To support this, the company is implementing structural reforms that channel resources to its key growth pillars—pharmaceuticals, critical care, overseas homes, and electronics. 

Recent actions such as entering a basic agreement with Mitsui Chemicals and Mitsubishi Chemical to promote the decarbonization of ethylene production in western Japan, and acquiring Aicuris to strengthen its specialty pharma platform in severe infectious diseases, demonstrate Asahi Kasei’s dis-ciplined execution of this strategy and reinforce the foundation for sustained, profitable growth.

Alchemie Technology, a leader of jet precision dyeing solutions, is pleased to share that Endeavour demonstrates up to 92% water saving in their dyeing process.

The demonstration was validated by Fashion for Good and conducted by BluWin, through Fashion for Good’s Advanced Process Matrix (APM) assessment, an initiative to find sustainable resources for “Future Forward Factories”, seeking low-carbon innovative solutions to help textile process transition from wet processing to dry processing.

Alchemie Technology announced the results of the APM assessment, confirming that Endeavour digital dyeing technology delivers significant reduction in resource consumption, compared to traditional jet dyeing and thermosol processes. 

The assessment, conducted in Taiwan in September 2025, demonstrates that the Endeavour process—excluding pre and post treatment, achieves up to 92% reduction in water usage compared to jet dyeing and up to 90% reduction compared to the Thermosol method. By eliminating steam usage entirely, the technology reduces total energy consumption by up to 86% against Thermosol and up to 70% against jet dyeing. While the process is fully electric, it results in an increase in electricity consumption ranging from 30% to 128%, the shift facilitates a significant net decrease in Greenhouse Gas emissions, by up to 86% compared to Thermosol and up to 70% compared to jet dyeing methods. 

The data of the assessment was captured in a commercial production environment, highlighting Endeavour as a production-ready solution that can deliver environmental and operational advantages. In addition to reducing resource use, the technology operates at line speeds of 35 metres per minute, with the potential for higher speeds depending on fabric specifications. The impact assessment confirmed that the dyed polyester fabrics achieved colour fastness grades of 4 and above in all cases, meeting all standard industry requirements.

“The assessment was orchestrated by our partner, Fashion for Good under their APM project to validate the performance and impact of Endeavour” said Dr. Alan Hudd, CEO and Founder of Alchemie Technology. “The results of the APM or most people understand as a form of LCA confirm that it is possible to significantly reduce water, energy, and emissions in our dyeing process, without compromising on quality or production efficiency. This is a critical step in enabling the industry to adopt more resource-efficient processes at scale.”

Endeavour is a digital dyeing platform configurable for polyester, cotton, and man-made cellulosic fibres. It uses Alchemie’s proprietary dye application system to precisely apply dye to fabric, ensuring that no excess dye is used. By eliminating the need for large volumes of heated water, the process delivers substantial reductions in resource consumption compared to traditional dyeing methods.

The assessment evaluated the Endeavour polyester process against conventional jet exhaust dyeing and thermosol process, incorporating data from a full production workflow. The results of this assessment reinforce Alchemie Technology’s position as a provider of production-ready solutions that combine measurable sustainability improvements with consistent, high-quality output and operational efficiency.

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.

“We are delighted to be supporting Hanffaser Geiseltal eG as it enters the field of industrial hemp fibre processing,” says Dr Jörg Morgner, Managing Director at Temafa Maschinenfabrik GmbH. “This project underscores the growing importance of natural fibres as sustainable raw materials and our expertise in developing bespoke plant solutions.”

On 29 April 2026, ITA student Tobias Dickmeiß was awarded a sponsorship prize by the Wilhelm Lorch-Stiftung for his innovative approach, to replacing conventional elastane with elastic yarns made from thermoplastic copolyester elastomers (TPC). Thanks to their thermoplastic nature and compatibility with typical polyesters used in the textile industry, elastic TPC yarns offer improved recyclability. Furthermore, the use of the melt-spinning process in yarn production eliminates the need for solvents that are harmful to the environment and human health.

Elastic textiles have become an integral part of our everyday lives, as they ensure comfort, a good fit and freedom of movement. At the same time, the increasing use of traditional elastic yarns, known as elastanes, significantly complicates textile recycling. Even small amounts of elastane can impair thermomechanical recycling processes and prevent a closed recycling loop.

As part of his bachelor’s thesis, Tobias Dickmeiß carried out extensive empirical process studies on a pilot-scale melt-spinning line. By systematically analysing the influence of various process parameters on yarn properties, he succeeded in specifically improving the properties of the resulting TPC yarns. The findings of his bachelor’s thesis thus provide a promising basis for the further development of recyclable elastic yarns and textiles.

Tobias Dickmeiß was granted a sponsorship prize of EUR 5,000 for specific further training in recognition of his outstanding bachelor’s thesis, ‘Development of a melt spinning process for elastic yarns made from thermoplastic copolyester elastomers at pilot scale’.

During his bachelor’s thesis, hr was supervised by ITA PhD student Ricarda Wissel.

EIM (Environmental Impact Measurement), the global reference platform for measuring the environmental impact of garment finishing, presents the second edition of its annual report Denim Industry Progress & Insights 2025. The study analyses over 100,000 real denim finishing processes, providing an accurate and up-to-date view of the industry’s evolution towards more sustainable models.

The textile industry, as one of the sectors with the greatest environmental impact, plays a key role in the transition towards more sustainable production models. To move forward, measuring, understanding, and acting are essential. EIM acts as a compass for the industry, enabling the objective assessment of process impacts and supporting decision-making towards more eco-efficient production.

The report confirms that the denim industry continues to make progress in reducing its environmental impact. Currently, 66% of processes are already classified as low impact, reflecting a positive trend driven by process optimization and the adoption of more efficient technologies.

In terms of resource use, significant progress has been made in optimizing water and energy, although there is still room for improvement to reach more advanced standards. Water consumption remains stable at around 30 liters per garment, indicating a plateau after years of continuous improvement. Energy shows the strongest performance, with 85% of processes classified as low impact, driven by equipment modernization and automation.

However, the report highlights that chemical impact remains the industry’s main challenge, with 27% of processes still classified as high impact. Factors such as the use of generic chemicals, lack of transparency in formulations, and the persistence of legacy practices, such as pumice stones or potassium permanganate, continue to limit progress, despite the availability of more sustainable alternatives.

At the same time, worker health impact has improved significantly, with 68% of processes classified as low impact, driven by the increasing adoption of automated technologies replacing more harmful manual techniques.

“The industry has proven that it can improve when it measures its impact, but the next step requires accelerating the adoption of technologies and leaving behind practices that are no longer sustainable,” says Begoña García, creator of EIM and co-author of the report. “Today more than ever, we need reliable data to make informed decisions and move towards a real transformation of the industry.”

This second report further establishes EIM as a global reference standard to measure and track environmental impact in denim finishing. Its annual nature allows brands and manufacturers to benchmark performance, identify improvement areas, and move forward together towards more ambitious sustainability goals.

The full report is available for download and will be updated annually, reinforcing the industry’s commitment to transparency, continuous improvement and environmental impact reduction.

EIM, a global standard to measure and compare environmental impact
EIM, Environmental Impact Measurement, is a globally recognized tool for assessing the environmental performance of garment finishing processes.

It evaluates four key categories, water consumption, energy consumption, chemical impact and worker health impact. Each process is assessed and classified into three levels, low, medium or high impact, according to standardized benchmarks.

EIM includes specific benchmarks for denim finishing, garment washing and garment dyeing, ensuring that results are accurate, comparable and relevant for each type of process.

This methodology enables brands and manufacturers to measure their processes with precision, track improvements and communicate environmental performance in a transparent and verifiable way.

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. 

This 59th edition continues to build on a strategy of qualitative consolidation. In line with previous editions, the overall structure of the show remains unchanged to ensure a smooth and intuitive visitor experience: Halls 3 and 4 will bring together the full offering, organized by expertise and end use. Synergies between exhibitors from both shows will be strengthened to optimize visitor flow, with a focus on womenswear, casualwear and sportswear. Hall 2 will host Avantex exhibitors, the Trend Forums, and the conference and service areas, forming a spacious zone designed to encourage interaction.

An enriched international offer for Texworld
Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris reinforces its position as a barometer of the global textile industry. Alongside major historic producing countries (China, Türkiye, India, Korea, etc.), the 2026 edition stands out for the upgrading of the expertise presented and the growing interest in new sourcing regions.

On the Texworld side, the exceptional participation of La Lainière de Picardie marks a first and highlights the value of European know-how in export markets. Specializing in high-end wool linings, this French company embodies industrial excellence, textile innovation, and a commitment to natural and sustainable materials. In a spirit of international openness, an ECO-HUB dedicated to China’s Zhejiang province will bring together around thirty exhibitors committed to 100% sustainable production. Located in Hall 4, this key area underscores the evolution of supply chains toward more responsible and traceable models, aligned with market expectations.

Apparel Sourcing: confirmed momentum and new perspectives
Following a record edition in September 2025, Apparel Sourcing continues its trajectory of qualitative growth. The interest shown by new countries, particularly Mongolia, Pakistan and Taiwan, reflects the industrial capabilities of these production regions while responding to European buyers’ demand for a broader sourcing offer.

In a continued effort to improve clarity and visibility, new pavilions dedicated to leather and jewelry will better showcase these specific finished-product sectors. Similarly, a new Outdoor area, positioned at the intersection of Texworld and Apparel Sourcing, will bring together around fifty exhibitors and offer a cross-category selection combining technical fabric manufacturers (active wear fabrics) and sportswear garment makers, meeting the needs of a rapidly evolving market.
Finally, the new Apparel Sourcing Initiatives area, an extension of the existing Texworld concept, will highlight high-value-added industrial know-how, production flexibility, and premium services offered by a selection of finished-product exhibitors.

Avantex: innovation and commitment for the fashion of tomorrow
Once again this year, the Avantex sector will confirm its role as an innovation laboratory, showcasing technological solutions and sustainable initiatives for the fashion industry. Conferences, workshops and professional meetings will enrich discussions around these key issues in a context of profound transformation within the textile sector. True to its DNA, Messe Frankfurt reaffirms its commitment to supporting and promoting industry players working toward a more responsible, transparent and competitive global model. The creation of the Texworld ECO-HUB is part of this vision.

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.

Key themes shaping 2026
The research highlights six key shifts shaping buyer priorities in 2026:

• Operating in permanent volatility - as geopolitical disruption, supply chain instability and unpredictable consumer demand force businesses to plan in a world that is constantly shifting. 
• The commercial realities of sustainability – where doing the right thing does not always align with cost pressures, margins and supplier constraints. 
• Making circularity commercially viable – with growing focus on resale, repair and lifecycle integration as part of a scalable business model. 
• Rethinking the fashion value chain – as traditional sourcing strategies evolve and closer collaboration across the value chain becomes essential. 
• Innovation with measurable impact – as brands look beyond hype to understand which technologies, including AI, can deliver real, scalable value. 
• Regulation, data and compliance – as increasing reporting requirements and upcoming legislation reshape how businesses approach sustainability often shifting the focus from advocacy to obligation.

In response to these insights, Source Fashion’s July 2026 content programme has been designed to move beyond discussion and provide practical, commercially relevant guidance for buyers navigating an increasingly complex landscape. Through a series of new formats and returning features, the show will translate industry challenges into actionable insight, helping visitors better understand how to balance cost, risk and responsibility within their sourcing strategies. This approach is designed to support faster, more confident decision-making in a rapidly changing market.

Fashion Deconstructed will offer a hands-on, interactive space designed to help buyers better understand materials, processes and techniques, from upcycling and repair to innovative production methods. Alongside this, the Catwalk Stage will bring together industry leaders and practitioners to explore the future of fashion through panels, case studies and debates, while the return of the Debates Stage will create space for more open, peer-led discussion around the issues shaping the industry today. 

Speaker highlights include:

• Marguerite, Global Insights Manager, Fashion, Euromonitor International  
• Bill McRaith, Executive Advisor, Future-Proof Fashion  
• Sonica Beckman, Founder and CEO, House of Kind  
• Sarah Coleman, Head of Development, Design and Sustainability, Margarett Howell 
• Nick Reed, Founder, Neem London 
• Rosie Cripps, Head of Circularity, Vivo Barefoot
• Joseph Mountain, Sustainability Manager, N Brown   

Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Fashion, said “What we’re hearing isn’t rocket science, what we know from listening is that the industry has become more complex, more pressured and, in many cases, overwhelming. There are no shortage of high expectations, new strategies, regulation or technology, but there is a real need for clarity on what actually works in practice, and what delivers real value at scale. As an industry we have to share insight now to help the boat go faster for everyone, in the right direction.

For us, this research is about listening to those challenges and shaping a content programme that responds directly to them. We want to move the conversation beyond theory and into practical, actionable insight that helps buyers navigate cost, risk and responsibility in a more confident and informed way. It’s about making sure the industry conversations we’re having translate into real business impact. Ultimately we want to talk about the things that matter.”

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.
 
"Our team continues to execute exactly as planned," said Kim Thompson, Founder and CEO of Kraig Labs. "Each production cycle is delivering larger output, improved operational efficiency, and, with our quality control backstops working as designed, greater confidence in our ability to scale. We are systematically building toward our goal of exceeding 10 metric tons of production in a single month. Our team is hitting every mark as we scale output at a rapid pace."
 
During senior management's recent trip to the Company's production operations in Southeast Asia, leadership worked directly with the production team to review current production infrastructure, staffing levels, and operational readiness to support this next phase of expansion.
 
That review included evaluating existing facilities, workforce requirements, and identifying additional opportunities to expand the Company's operational footprint to support increasing production demands. The Company has already identified opportunities for additional facility expansion and expects to provide further updates as new facilities are brought online.
 
"Our recent operational review confirmed that our production team is prepared for this next level of scale," added Thompson. "We continue to invest in the infrastructure, personnel, and production capacity required to meet the growing demand we anticipate for recombinant spider silk."
 
The Company believes that expanding production capacity in parallel with downstream silk processing capabilities remains critical as it moves toward full commercialization of its recombinant spider silk technologies for technical textiles, luxury wear, performance apparel, and other high-performance material markets.

The Company leadership in biomaterials was recently spotlighted on the cover of the March 2026 issue of National Geographic, highlighting the growing importance and predominance of our work in scaling spider silk production.

Polartec®, a Milliken & Company brand and the creator of synthetic fleece, introduces Standard Issue, a unified pre-dyed option now available in black on the company’s best-selling Fleece fabric platform. The technology will be progressively rolled out across the entire Polartec® portfolio and expanded in its color availability based on market demand. Developed to address an industry-wide problem, Standard Issue offers brands a simplified approach to producing one of the most widely used colors in outdoor apparel. 

Every year, top brands independently order thousands of rolls of fleece fabric in nearly identical shades of black. Yet because each variation requires its own dye batch, minimum order quantity and production setup, custom dyeing adds unnecessary time and complexity without necessarily delivering meaningful differentiation.

With Standard Issue, Polartec® is helping streamline production and reduce resource impact. And because the pre-dyed fabrics can be seamlessly integrated into product development, the initiative also helps simplify sourcing decisions and accelerate timelines without compromising the durability, performance, and reliability outdoor brands expect from Polartec® fabrics. More importantly, the new standard is designed to complement, not replace, the multiple customization options Polartec® already offers its partners.  

“Sometimes the biggest opportunities for progress come from questioning the most familiar parts of our industry,” said Ramesh Kesh, Senior Vice President at Milliken & Company and Business Leader for Polartec. “Standard Issue invites the industry to consider a shared alternative to producing countless variations of a visually identical color like Black. It’s a solution whose practical benefits for our partners include simplified development in addition to smarter and more efficient production practices across the global supply chain.”

“This initiative highlights Polartec’s long-standing tradition of solving real-world challenges through material innovation,” added Karen Beattie, Director of Product Management at Polartec. “By providing brands with a consistent, ready-to-use color option, we are helping design teams move from concept to production more efficiently without sacrificing the technical performance their products rely on.”