From the Sector

Autoneum has closed the acquisition of Chengdu Yiqi-Sihuan Automobile Interior Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese supplier of acoustic and thermal management solutions for the automotive industry. This strategic transaction marks a key step in Autoneum’s expansion in Asia and further strengthens its position in the world’s largest automotive market. 

Originally announced in May 2025 as the takeover of Chengdu FAW-Sihuan Group, the transaction includes all shares of Chengdu Yiqi-Sihuan. The company name was clarified during the process to better reflect the scope of the transaction. This takeover follows the recent integration of Jiangsu Huanyu Group. Together, these initiatives reinforce Autoneum’s commitment to its “Level Up” strategy and its goal to generate 20 percent of Group revenue in Asia over the medium term. 

Founded in 2011, Chengdu Yiqi-Sihuan operates four production facilities across China and em-ploys approximately 240 people. The company supplies major Chinese OEMs including FAW-VW, FAW-Audi, FAW-Toyota, and Geely. In 2024, it generated revenues of approximately CHF 27 mil-lion, with further growth expected in the coming years. 

“This acquisition is another milestone in our Asia strategy,” said Eelco Spoelder, CEO Autoneum. “We aim to grow with Chinese OEMs not only in China but also globally. Expanding our local presence in China allows us to be closer to the local customers and accelerate innovation cycles—both of which are critical for sustainable growth.” 

Autoneum will continue to operate the entities of Chengdu Yiqi-Sihuan under their existing Chinese names, while fully integrating them into its Business Group Asia. This approach aligns with Autoneum’s strategic focus on sustainability, innovation, and customer-centric solutions—particularly in the dynamic Chinese market.

Fashion for Good launches the first open-source blueprint for near-net-zero textile manufacturing, tackling one of fashion’s biggest emissions hotspots. Developed under the Future Forward Factory project, the blueprint offers Tier 2 manufacturers in India five practical, financially viable pathways to reduce carbon emissions by up to 93%. 

The urgent need for practical decarbonisation strategies
Textile dyeing, treatment, and finishing facilities (Tier 2 of the fashion supply chain) are a major source of pollution and emissions. These wet processes consume high amounts of water, energy, and chemicals, yet manufacturers face a tangle of barriers: prohibitive upgrade costs, a fragmented approach, and no clear path forward. Without a holistic playbook, decarbonisation remains out of reach and unjustified for most, hindering the industry’s biggest opportunity to decarbonise.
 
A blueprint for scaling the future of textile manufacturing
Developed as part of the Future Forward Factories project, this one-of-its-kind blueprint is freely available to manufacturers, brands, bringing together energy interventions, disruptive process innovations and best-in-class technologies. 

Designed as a practical guide for Tier 2 textile manufacturers in India producing cotton knits and wovens, the blueprint launches today through Fashion for Good. The initiative is backed by catalytic funders Laudes Foundation and H&M Foundation, as well as Apparel Impact Institute, IDH, and on-the-ground experts Bluwin, Wazir Advisors, Grant Thornton Bharat, and Sattva Consulting. Arvind Mills serves as the anchor partner supporting the blueprint’s development in India.

The blueprint provides five tailored pathways based on product type and production process, identifying best available technologies and innovative processes to achieve near-net-zero operations. In case of full implementation of all processes and infrastructure upgrades, factories can achieve up to: 

• 93% reduction in carbon emissions
• 33% reduction in water usage and 
• 41% reduction in electricity consumption.

Critically, each pathway includes financial analysis (payback periods, internal rates of return, and net present value calculations), revealing where additional support is needed. The blueprint also incorporates a Policy Landscape Overview that maps available government incentives, and includes a “How to Navigate” section enabling manufacturers to identify the scenario most applicable to them.

“The Future Forward Factory blueprint removes the guesswork and delivers a pragmatic solution to a complex problem,” said Katrin Ley, Managing Director of Fashion for Good. “By making this knowledge freely available, we are systematically dismantling the biggest barrier to decarbonisation: the lack of a clear, implementable ‘how-to.’ Every manufacturer now has access to concrete guidance and validated financial data. This is more than a roadmap; it is the essential guide for the industry’s factory transformation.”

Fashion for Good aims to support a selected set of manufacturers in India to retrofit their facilities with the help of this blueprint, with the support of Apparel Impact Institute (Aii). Selected facilities will gain hands-on guidance, technical expertise, and financial clarity to implement the blueprint. Manufacturers interested in taking part in the programme can register their interest here. 

 “As we build this facility, we are committed to sharing what we will learn. The Future Forward Factory blueprint is proof that a holistic understanding of the decarbonisation journey can unlock an investment case and create operational efficiencies for long-term profitability. Moving from assessments to the actual deployment of solutions.” Abhishek Bansal, SVP-Sustainability at Arvind Mills.

Moving beyond theory, the blueprint‘s viability will be concretely demonstrated by Fashion for Good and Arvind. The partners are aiming to transition from concept to reality and are in the process of exploring the set-up of the first Future Forward factory using this blueprint. This near-net-zero textile production facility will function as a demonstrative, operational proof of concept and will set the foundation for future blueprints, which Fashion for Good is already looking to develop in South Asia and Latin America, developing bespoke solutions to suit the diverse needs of different manufacturing contexts. 

To get the blueprint, please visit the Fashion for Good website at this link.

Imagine a road cyclist or downhill skier whose clothing adapts to their wind speed, allowing them to shave time just by pulling or stretching the fabric.

Such cutting-edge textiles are within reach, thanks to researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). Led by SEAS mechanical engineering graduate student David Farrell, a study published in Advanced Materials describes a new type of textile that uses dimpling to adjust its aerodynamic properties while worn on the body. The research has potential to change not only high-speed sports, but also industries like aerospace, maritime, and civil engineering.

The research is a collaboration between the labs of Katia Bertoldi, the William and Ami Kuan Danoff Professor of Applied Mechanics, and Conor J. Walsh, the Paul A. Maeder Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences.  

On-demand golf ball dimples
Farrell, whose research interests lie at the intersection of fluid dynamics and artificially engineered materials, or metamaterials, led the creation of a unique textile that forms dimples on its surface when stretched, even when tightly fitted around a person’s body. The fabrics utilize the same aerodynamic principles as a golf ball, whose dimpled surface causes a ball to fly further by using turbulence to reduce drag. Because the fabric is soft and elastic, it can move and stretch to change the size and shape of the dimples on demand.  

Adjusting dimple sizes can make the fabric perform better in certain wind speeds by reducing drag by up to 20%, according to the researchers’ experiments using a wind tunnel.

“By performing 3,000 simulations, we were able to explore thousands of dimpling patterns,” Farrell said. “We were able to tune how big the dimple is, as well as its form. When we put these patterns back in the wind tunnel, we find that certain patterns and dimples are optimized for specific wind-speed regions.”

Farrell and team used a laser cutter and heat press to create a dual-toned fabric made of a stiffer black woven material, similar to a backpack strap, and a gray softer knit that’s flexible and comfortable. Using a two-step manufacturing process, they cut patterns into the woven fabric and sealed it together with the knit layer to form a textile composite. Experimenting with multiple flat samples patterned in lattices like squares and hexagons, they systematically explored how different tessellations affect the mechanical response of each textile material.

Lattice pattern
The textile composite’s on-demand dimpling is the result of a lattice pattern that Bertoldi and others have previously explored for its unusual properties. Stretch a traditional textile onto the body, and it will smooth out and tighten. “Our textile composite breaks that rule,” Farrell explained. “The unique lattice pattern allows the textile to expand around the arm rather than clamp down.

“We’re using this unique property that [Bertoldi] and others have explored for the last 10 years in metamaterials, and we’re putting it into wearables in a way that no one’s really seen before,” Farrell said. 

The paper was co-authored by Connor M. McCann and Antonio Elia Forte. The research had federal support from the National Science Foundation under award No. DMR-2011754. The Harvard Office of Technology Development has safeguarded the innovations associated with this research and is exploring commercial opportunities.

From February 2 to 4, 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will again bring together key players in textiles and clothing at the Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Center. For 3 days, visitors will discover, compare and select among 1,300 suppliers who will shape the collections of tomorrow, from ready-to-wear to luxury. 
 
Crossroads for fashion professionals 
As a barometer of the international textile industry, this 58th edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will gather over a thousand exhibitors, fabric makers and manufacturers of finished products, coming from around thirty major producing countries. This diversity confirms the lasting role of European markets in global demand and highlights Paris’s strategic position as the capital of fashion, sourcing and creativity. 
 
The development of the Spring-Summer 2027 collections will remain at the heart of discussions with buyers, with creative directions revealed by the show’s artistic directors, Louis Gérin and Gregory Lamaud. Sustainability and supply chain traceability, central concerns for market players, will also be highlighted through dedicated itineraries, conferences and the Texpertise Econogy tools developed by Messe Frankfurt to identify innovations and industrial partners committed to more responsible production (Econogy Finder, Econogy Talks, Econogy Tour...). The Econogy HUB, located in the passage between Hall 2 and Hall 3, will focus on the sustainable initiatives and actions of the show’s partners. 
 
A redesigned sector layout 
While the overall structure of the show, centered around Halls 2, 3 and 4, remains unchanged from the past two editions, Messe Frankfurt France has decided to rethink the distribution of major sectors within the exhibition space. The goal is to meet the expectations of buyers who want to explore fabrics and finished products in one continuous flow while optimizing their visit. The Apparel Sourcing area dedicated to women’s wardrobes (All about her) and Texworld’s Knit offer will move to Hall 3, alongside the national pavilions. In Hall 4, Texworld’s Activewear sector will be grouped with the Casual & sport clothing area, while Print and Jacquard will be placed closer to Silky Aspects, strengthening the women’s ready-to-wear offer. Hall 2 will remain dedicated to trend forums, round tables and services areas (food, networking...) while also offering comfortable breathing zones. 

This new organization makes it easier to connect different product worlds according to their uses and types, strengthening synergies between Texworld and Apparel Sourcing exhibitors. Buyers can now move naturally from one skill to another and circulate freely between materials, accessories and finished product lines, enjoying a smoother sourcing experience with easier navigation. 
 
Areas dedicated to showcasing products and expertise 
Visitors will find several features that were highly appreciated in previous editions. Initiatives, the showcase area dedicated to craftsmanship and collective projects from industries or countries, will be accessible at the entrance of the show. As an area that highlights textile identities and the know-how of French and European training schools, it will offer an expanded view of international expertise. The Ready to Sell area, located in Hall 2 near the trend forums, will present a carefully curated selection of finished products chosen by Texworld’s artistic directors. Buyers will be able to quickly identify collection suggestions available from exhibitors, in line with the creative trends shaping the coming season. These features help make Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris both a practical and forward-looking service platform.