From the Sector

In a major push to advance circularity and environmental accountability in the technical textiles sector, Techtextil India 2025 will launch the dedicated ‘ReCycle Zone’ in collaboration with the Society of Plastics Engineers India (SPE India). Reclaim, Reuse and Reimagine are among the key features of the zone at the upcoming edition of Techtextil India scheduled from 19th – 21st November 2025 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai.
 
As industries across the globe adopt circular economy models and sustainable production practices, the ReCycle Zone will serve as a vital platform for stakeholders working to transform textile and plastic waste into value-added materials. The initiative reflects Technical India’s ongoing commitment to driving responsible innovation by converging recyclers, solution providers, machinery manufacturers startups and policy enablers under one roof. This new industry focused zone will spotlight sustainable innovation and next-gen recycling technologies.
 
Spotlighting on Textile Waste Management and circularity, this ReCycle Zone will host companies specialising in: 

• Garment, agro-textiles and medical textiles waste recycling
• Plastic and PET waste recycling for textile applications
• Fibre to fibre and yarn regeneration 
• Sorting, shredding and advanced recycling machinery 
• EPR compliance, traceability and green certifications 
• AI and automation in waste management systems 

This initiative aims to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation by connecting buyers, suppliers, R&D specialists and sustainability officers.
 
To deepen the technical engagement, SPE India will curate a series of focused knowledge sessions and panel discussions within the ReCycle Zone. Experts from academia, policy think tanks and leading corporates will weigh in on topics such as circular product design, industry compliance and mandates, advances in waste recovery, and investment outlook in green tech.
 
The launch of ReCycle Zone aligns with India’s national efforts towards sustainable manufacturing, driven by programs like LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and PM MITRA Parks (Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel). As technical textiles play an increasingly important role across sectors such as defence, healthcare, automotive and agriculture, integrating recycling and circular design into their production processes has become essential.
 
The zone further reinforces Messe Frankfurt India’s role in nurturing a sustainable business ecosystem through its leading industry platforms. Techtextil India will mark the 10th edition of India’s most comprehensive exhibition for technical textiles, nonwovens, and composites. Organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, the show will cover 12 diverse application areas from protective wear and functional fabrics to smart textiles, filtration and mobility solutions.
 
Scheduled from 19th – 21st November 2025 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, the show will bring together global and domestic exhibitors, solutions providers, institutional buyers, research organisations and key industry bodies for three days of business, innovation and networking.
 
Adding momentum to the industry dialogue the India edition of the Dornbirn Global Fibre Conference one of the most prestigious global conferences for fibre and material innovations, will take place on 18th November 2025 also at NESCO, Mumbai – one day prior to Techtextil India show.

The Discover Natural Fibres Initiative (DNFI) was created in January 2010 as an outgrowth of the International Year of Natural Fibres 2009, declared by the United Nations General Assembly. DNFI is an organization that works to further the interests of natural fibres by serving as a platform for information exchange and by raising awareness of the benefits of natural fibre industries to the world economy, environment and consumers. 

Celebrating Breakthroughs in Natural Fibre Innovation – DNFI Award 2025 
The DNFI Innovation in Natural Fibres Award 2025 shines spotlight on groundbreaking developments in the world of natural fibres. Its mission: to highlight innovative achievements, amplify the work of leading researchers, innovators and producers, to create new pathways for commercial impact. From sustainability to smart materials, the award honors those pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with nature’s finest resources. 

The DNFI Award 2025 will be judged across three categories: Innovative products, components or applications; innovative processes or procedures; and research and science projects. Entries will be evaluated based on outstanding scientific work and technical feasibility, the extent to which the innovation improves or increases the effectiveness of existing products or processes, and its potential to open up new markets or sectors for products made from natural fibres.

Candidates for the DNFI Innovation in Natural Fibres Award 2025 are requested to send the application with the appropriate submission form by email to: Secretariat[at]dnfi.org.
 
Entries will be accepted until 30th September 2025. The winner will be announced in a press release in October 2025 and invited to attend the DNFI plenary session on 14 January 2026. The award ceremony will take place the following day, 15 January 2026, at the Heimtextil trade fair in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The 2025 award will once again be sponsored by the DNFI member organisation The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF).

Under the motto “Closing the Loop. Opening Potential,” BB Engineering (BBE) and Barmag will be presenting innovative and profitable technologies for sustainable plastics processing at K 2025. BBE will be focusing on high-performance extruders, highly efficient melt filters, and integrated recycling solutions for highquality rPET melts. A special highlight: the parallel Open House event at the BBE Technical Center with live demonstrations. 
 
BB Engineering (BBE) will once again be appearing at K 2025 together with its parent company Barmag (a member of the Swiss Oerlikon Group) and its associated brands, showcasing its expertise in extrusion, filtration, and recycling. Under the motto “Barmag Recycling Technologies – Closing the Loop. Opening Potential,” the companies will place a clear focus on profitable sustainability at their joint booth 10H12 and provide information about a wide range of products and services. 

Extrusion technologies 
BBE's origins lie in extrusion: the company can look back on decades of experience and many thousands of extruders delivered. Its single-screw extruders are suitable for a wide range of polymers such as PP, PET, rPET, PA, and PE, and are particularly well suited for demanding applications in film production, synthetic fiber spinning, and high-quality PET recycling. With screw diameters ranging from 30 to 360 mm, the systems cover a wide processing spectrum and enable throughputs of 3 to 6,000 kg/h, depending on the material and process requirements. In addition to singlescrew extruders, BBE also offers extrusion cascades for high output rates while meeting the highest quality requirements. 

Efficient filtration for melt qualities 
BBE perfectly complements its extrusion technology with a comprehensive range of melt filters – including the innovative COBRA filter, which sets new standards in continuous polymer filtration. This powerful system features automatic valve switching and integrated inline intermediate cleaning. This equipment enables continuous, uninterrupted operation with consistently high filtration quality – a clear advantage, especially when processing recycled plastics with varying material properties. With a maximum filter area of 24 m² and a throughput of up to 4,000 kg per hour, the COBRA filter impresses with its high efficiency and stable process conditions. 

Integrated recycling solutions for high-quality rPET melt 
For many years, BBE has been dedicated to developing highperformance technologies for plastics recycling. In addition to a broad portfolio of extruders, melt filters, and the VarioFil® R filament spinning system, which are designed for PET recycling, BBE offers VacuFil®, a fully integrated system for PET recycling via liquid-state polycondensation. 

VacuFil® combines large-area, gentle melt filtration with precise IV control, thus ensuring consistently high quality of the rPET melt. The modular system concept allows flexible adaptation to different material qualities and areas of application in the recycling process. The capacity is 150-4,000 kg/h. The central component of the system is Visco+®, the liquid-state polycondensation unit for targeted viscosity adjustment. Continuous adjustment of the IV results in a homogeneous melt with optimal processing properties – ideal for high-quality end products in the fiber, film, or packaging industry. 

Open House at the BBE Technical Center 
At the BBE Technical Center in Remscheid, visitors can experience the entire product portfolio live, thanks to its proximity to the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center. Here, BBE is hosting an open house event on two days of the K show, where PET waste is recycled on the test facilities and spun directly into high-quality recycled yarn (POY). The new COBRA filter will also be on display here. The yarn produced is then further processed using BBE's JeTex® airtexturizing system with a new auto-doffing unit. (October 10 and 13, 2025, participation by individual invitation)