From the Sector

ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, one of the most important meeting points of the textile machinery sector, attracted attention in its first three days, particularly with its diverse international visitor numbers. Industry professionals from all over the world had the opportunity to closely examine the latest technology machines and solutions displayed in operation. Thousands of visitors from approximately 100 countries, primarily Egypt, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, met at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center for new investment and cooperation opportunities.

Organised by Teknik Fuarcılık A.Ş. and Tüyap Tüm Fuarcılık Yapım A.Ş. in partnership with TEMSAD, ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition opened its doors to its visitors on 9 June. Hosting the innovative technologies of textile technology leaders, ITM 2026 Exhibition offered unique opportunities to exhibitors by providing an excellent platform for world launches and new collaborations. For many industry professionals who find it difficult to attend exhibitions in Europe due to visa and travel costs, ITM stood out as an accessible exhibition. Hosting visitors from a wide geographical area, including Asia, Europe, Africa, America, the Middle East, and the Turkic Republics, ITM 2026 Exhibition once again demonstrated its international character.

ITM 2026 Has Become the Address for Business Owners Planning New Investments
Companies participating in ITM 2026 stated that the exhibition stood out not only in terms of visitor numbers but also in the quality of its visitors from the very first days. The strong interest shown in the exhibition, particularly by business owners, factory managers, and decision-makers planning new investments, met the expectations of participating companies. Industry representatives state that the fact that professionals who maintain their investment agenda despite the current economic conditions are choosing ITM 2026 is increasing the commercial success of the exhibition.

Machine Sales and Strong Collaborations Signed at ITM 2024  
The intensive meetings held at the stands of participating companies are laying the groundwork for new collaborations, while many companies are also signing significant machinery sales agreements during the exhibition. Industry representatives state that despite the current economic conditions, the appetite for investment continues, and the exhibition is an important source of motivation in this respect.

ITM 2026 Exhibition, where innovations from every field of textile from weaving to knitting, from yarn to digital printing, from finishing to denim, will continue to host its visitors until 13 June. Visitors to the exhibition will discover innovative, nature-protecting, pioneering technologies in digitalisation for a sustainable future. Company owners who will be able to get information from experts about the technologies they will use in their factories; will develop their products and direct their investments. Thanks to the machine sales and new investment decisions to be taken, the textile machinery sector will gain a great momentum in the world and in Türkiye.

A Cornell researcher’s bold new redesign of firefighter gear – which hasn’t significantly changed in decades – is more versatile and better adapted to their actual work, only a small fraction of which involves actually fighting structure fires.

Heeju Terry Park, the Vincent V.C. Woo Professor in the Department of Human Centered Design in the College of Human Ecology, and his lab developed the new two-piece, Velcro- and zipper-equipped suits after interviewing more than 50 firefighters. 

“I was asked to design new turnout gear for better thermal management and work efficiency,” Park said. “Current turnout gear has been used for decades with modest changes of design and materials despite increasing fire service roles for handling more wildland fires and emergency rescue operations.”

Huieun Do, M.A. ’25, a member of the Performance Apparel Design Lab, works with a prototype of the redesigned fire gear the lab is developing in coordination with professional firefighters.

Park’s yearlong redesign project – which included Huieun Do, M.A. ’25; Albert Lin, M.A. ’23; and Kim Phung Nguyen, all doctoral students in apparel design – was supported by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The project was in collaboration with International Personnel Protection Inc., a private consulting company, as a subcontractor to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the union representing more than 360,000 professional firefighters and paramedics in North America. This work was undertaken as part of a Department of Homeland Security grant to the IAFF.

The term “firefighter,” while technically accurate, doesn’t paint the full picture of what these men and women do on a daily basis. In fact, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 60% of fire department responses are for medical aid calls. Firefighters respond more to false alarms (8%) than to actual fires (3.9%).

Firefighters don’t always need their bulky turnout gear, which creates additional physiological stress due to heat and restricted movement. Additionally, some of the materials these protective suits contain or are treated with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known carcinogens dubbed “forever chemicals.”

Park’s Performance Apparel Design Lab’s modernized gear, inspired by the suits worn by Formula 1 racecar drivers, can be adapted to the task at hand, and uses noncarcinogenic materials.

In interviews, the researchers identified three primary problems with firefighter suits:
•    These suits are designed mainly for thermal protection – understandable, but since less than 4% of firefighter calls are for fires, firefighters are often overdressed. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the main cause of on-duty firefighter death is cardiovascular in nature, triggered by heat stress;
•    A growing number of firefighters are women (approximately 9% of all firefighters, paid and volunteer), and clothing generally designed for men don’t always work if they’re just made smaller; and
•    The PFAS chemicals used to treat suits pose a significant health risk. According to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, firefighters are 9% more likely than the general public to be diagnosed with cancer, and 14% more likely to die from it.

Traditional fire suits are multilayer, heavy-duty coats and pants featuring three layers of material – a flame- and puncture-resistant outer shell, made from a blend of Kevlar (Para-aramid) and polybenzimidazole (PBI) or Nomex fibers; a moisture barrier, typically made from heat-resistant breathable film material laminated to an aramid substrate; and a thermal barrier to provide additional thermal insulation. 

The main difference between current firefighter clothing and the Park lab’s redesign is versatility. The new clothing strikes a balance between a one-piece coverall concept and the more traditional two-piece design. Lin said that in interviews with firefighters, a one-piece coverall wasn’t well received.

“The firefighters were very hesitant to accept a coverall design,” Lin said, “so we had to navigate creating something that has the level of protection that a coverall provides, but in a design where firefighters will be more accepting of it.”

The new design is two pieces, which can be connected with zippers and Velcro to function as a coverall. The protective outer layer of the top can be unzipped and secured around the waist or completely removed when not needed, a feature similar to the suits worn by F1 racers.

“This unique design feature will enable firefighters to quickly cool down their body in non-firefighting situations,” Park said. In particular, the upper portion of the redesigned gear promotes effective heat release; more than 60% of perspiration occurs in the head and torso.

Additionally, the top features dual vertical zippers, for ease of donning and removal; a detachable front panel, convenient for bathroom breaks; two-way zippers to allow for ventilation; and a lower collar to reduce skin irritation and improve breathability.

The detachable front pocket of the redesigned fire suit features compartments so tools can be custom-organized by the firefighter. 

Another improvement is the front pocket, which typically stores the tools a firefighter needs. To facilitate quick access, the new design’s pocket features compartments so the tools can be custom-organized by the firefighter for ease of access in stressful situations.

The pocket is also detachable, and can be secured in front to accommodate either right- or left-handed people, and so access is not restricted, for example, by the straps of an oxygen tank.

Considering the significant concern over PFAS chemicals, the new gear Park’s team designed were prototyped using PFAS-free fabrics for the outer shell and moisture barrier. Recently, some U.S. states have moved toward banning turnout gear with PFAS; Canada and the European Union have moved toward banning PFAS in all goods, including turnout gear.

In the U.S., PFAS bans are mostly enacted at the local and state level; what few federal proposals there are only fund research into PFAS replacements, but not regulation. State-level bans have been enacted, but are not yet in effect, in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Illinois, and California; disclosure laws also have been enacted in Rhode Island.

Most state-level PFAS bans restrict buying of turnout gear with PFAS; however, they do not fund the replacement or purchase of new turnout gear.

Park is hoping to secure additional funding to enable further testing of the updated fire suits, with firefighters in Ithaca as well as at the New York City Fire Department training facility on Randall’s Island.

“I want to test whether this is really better designed to handle all the stressful tasks,” he said. “We want to see how quickly they can put it on and take it off, and how quickly they can reach the tools without dexterity issues, and how they feel about the new design aesthetically, culturally, psychologically, and whether it works for men, women, tall people, small people. That’s the next step.”

Neuthread has been named as Source Fashion's Charity and Design Partner in a new 12-month collaboration designed to champion circular fashion, inclusion and industry innovation.

Created by autism and neurodiversity charity Daisy Chain, Neuthread has gained industry recognition for transforming textile waste into high-quality fashion collections and became the first charity-led fashion brand to present a scheduled runway show at London Fashion Week in 2024. Through the new partnership, Source Fashion and Neuthread will work together to raise awareness of circular fashion, promote innovative approaches to tackling textile waste and encourage greater collaboration between brands, manufacturers, retailers and sustainability leaders.

Founded to challenge the perception that textile waste has reached the end of its life, Neuthread transforms donated, surplus and reclaimed textiles into contemporary fashion collections that combine environmental sustainability with social impact. The brand has rapidly gained recognition for its innovative approach to circular fashion, demonstrating how waste materials can be repurposed into desirable, commercially viable products while creating opportunities for autistic and neurodivergent people to develop skills and access employment pathways within the fashion and textiles sector.

Building on its London Fashion Week success, the organisation has since secured £1.5 million in investment from The National Lottery Community Fund to establish a pioneering circular fashion manufacturing facility in the North East of England, designed to reduce textile waste while creating training, volunteering and employment opportunities through its linked skills academy programme, Mend It Don't Rag It (MIDRI).

Over the next 12 months, the partnership will focus on building an eco-system of brands, manufacturers and retailers with innovative circular solutions, encouraging collaboration across the supply chain and creating new opportunities to repurpose surplus materials and textile waste.

As Design Partner, Neuthread will headline the Source Catwalk throughout the July edition, presenting its collections three times a day alongside trend-led showcases from Source Fashion exhibitors and bringing circular fashion to the forefront of the show's content programme. The partnership will provide a platform to demonstrate how surplus, reclaimed and donated textiles can be transformed into commercially relevant fashion collections, while highlighting the opportunities that circular design presents for the wider industry.

The catwalk showcases will also support Neuthread's ambition to build new relationships with brands, manufacturers and retailers looking for innovative solutions for surplus fabrics, deadstock materials and textile waste streams. Through the partnership, Neuthread hopes to encourage greater collaboration across the industry and demonstrate practical alternatives to landfill and low-value textile recycling.

Johnathon Pickard, Director of Business Development & Income Generation, Neuthread commented: "We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Source Fashion as both Charity Partner and Design Partner for the July show. Source Fashion has established itself as one of the most influential platforms driving conversations around responsible sourcing, sustainability and the future of fashion. Those are conversations that sit at the very heart of what Neuthread is seeking to achieve.

Neuthread was created to challenge the perception that textile waste has reached the end of its life. Through innovative design, circular manufacturing and the talents of autistic and neurodivergent people, we are demonstrating how fashion can create environmental, social and economic impact simultaneously.

Following our journey from becoming the first charity to showcase a scheduled fashion brand collection at London Fashion Week through to securing £1.5 million to establish a pioneering circular fashion manufacturing facility, we are now entering an exciting period of growth. Working alongside Source Fashion provides an opportunity to share that vision with a wider industry audience and inspire new ways of thinking about sustainability, creativity and inclusion.

We are excited about what this partnership can achieve over the next 12 months and look forward to collaborating with the Source Fashion team to demonstrate that fashion can be a force for positive change.”

Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Fashion, added: “Neuthread is a natural fit for Source Fashion because they bring together creativity, circular innovation and practical action in a way that genuinely resonates with the challenges facing our industry today.

"As our Charity and Design Partner, they will play a central role in the July edition, headlining the Source Catwalk with showcases that demonstrate how surplus, reclaimed and donated textiles can be transformed into commercially relevant fashion collections. Their ambition to build new partnerships across the industry also aligns closely with our mission to connect businesses, encourage collaboration and drive meaningful change.

"From their pioneering manufacturing facility in the North East of England to the Source Fashion catwalk in London, Neuthread showcases the incredible innovation taking place across the UK fashion and textiles sector. We are proud to provide a platform that helps bring those stories to a wider audience and look forward to working together over the next 12 months."

Visitors to Source Fashion's July 2026 edition will be able to experience Neuthread's catwalk collections, engage directly with the team throughout the show and learn more about the organisation's pioneering approach to circular manufacturing, textile waste reduction and inclusive employment.