From the Sector

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), spanning the entire spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber to finished sewn products, issued a statement today commending the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) for passing the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains a provision that could boost domestic textile industry sales to the U.S. military. 

The House NDAA bill, which authorizes funding levels and provides authorities for the U.S. military, includes a provision that would eliminate a statutory exemption under the Berry Amendment that acts as a loophole allowing the U.S. military to buy textiles abroad instead of from American textile manufacturers as long as the purchase is at or below a small purchase threshold of $150,000.

The NDAA also includes language from the Better Outfitting Our Troops (BOOTS) Act, a bill that NCTO has pushed for as part of a broader coalition. The provision requires the Secretary of Defense to issue regulations within two years that prohibit any member of the Armed Forces from wearing optional combat boots as part of a required uniform unless those boots are made in the United States with American-made components, with a few exceptions.

“We applaud the HASC for passing the FY 2026 NDAA and including provisions that would help boost domestic manufacturing, strengthen American economic competitiveness, and meet the mission-critical needs of our Armed Forces,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas.

“We are sincerely appreciative of the leadership of Congressman Don Davis (D-NC) and Congressman Pat Harrigan (R-NC), who led efforts to close the Berry Amendment loophole and co-sponsored the amendment to the NDAA.

“The Berry Amendment requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to purchase 100% U.S.-made textiles and clothing. But the small-purchase exemption in the statute has led to U.S. military purchases of foreign-made textile articles largely at the expense of American textile manufacturers who have potentially lost several million dollars per year in U.S. government sales.

“Eliminating this exemption will lead to the military procurement of more American-made military textile products as well as oversight of Berry Amendment compliance.  

“Lastly, we also applaud the inclusion of the BOOTS Act in the NDAA, which will support domestic military footwear production. 

“This is a win for the American textile and apparel industry, a key strategic contributor to our national defense that supplies over 8,000 products a year to our men and women in uniform. The industry provides high-tech, functional components for the U.S. government, including more than $1.8 billion worth of vital uniforms and equipment for our armed forces annually.

“It is vital to America’s national security that the U.S. military maintain the ability to source high-quality, innovative textile materials, apparel, and personal equipment from a vibrant American textile industrial base. After passage of the FY 2026 NDAA by the full House, we look forward to working with the Senate and House to ensure this provision is included in the final NDAA conference report.”

Ulrike Reich has been appointed Head Corporate Communications at Autoneum, effective immediately. She succeeds Claudia Güntert, who left the company last year.

Ulrike Reich holds a Master of Arts in communication from the University of Miami, Florida, USA, and a diploma in journalism from the University of Dortmund, Germany. With over 25 years of experience in international communication roles, most recently as Vice President Corporate Communications at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, she brings extensive expertise in global media relations, executive and crisis communication, branding, and internal communication.

Ulrike Reich is reporting to Eelco Spoelder, CEO Autoneum.

High registration numbers with many new exhibitors herald a strong Techtextil and Texprocess 2026. From 21 to 24 April 2026, international suppliers present their innovations at the two leading trade fairs - whether in terms of materials, technologies or sustainability. With an adapted hall layout and new product groups, Techtextil and Texprocess create the best conditions for this.

Turbulent times for the industry: recession, sustainability requirements and geopolitical challenges are putting market participants under pressure with subdued purchasing behaviour, restrained investment or complex process adjustments. The industry's response: innovation and outstanding solutions. Whether new material ideas, efficient processes or sustainable developments: Very important platforms to present these are the world's leading trade fairs Techtextil and Texprocess in Frankfurt. In addition to the familiar big players, an exceptionally large number of new exhibitors will take part in 2026.

Texprocess 2026: Global visibility for world premieres
Exhibitors from all product groups have already registered to take part in Texprocess, the leading trade fair for processing textile and flexible materials. From cutting and sewing to finishing. Among them are Brother Internationale Industriemaschinen, Gütermann (Germany), Morgan Tecnica (Italy), Robotech (Turkey), Sheffield Cutting Equipment (USA), Style3D | Assyst, Veit and Zünd Germany. New exhibitors include Amann (Germany), Coloreel (Sweden), Comelz, Cutting Edge Automation Machines (Italy) or Pathfinder Australia. Driven by automation, digitalisation and AI, exhibitors are developing increasingly efficient solutions - and are thus resonating with the needs of the international market.

Techtextil 2026: realising market potential with innovations
Techtextil is also seeing great booking interest from exhibitors. Among those registered are Concordia Textiles (Belgium), Groz-Beckert (Germany), Klopman International (Italy), Kolon Industries (Korea), Lenzing, Sattler Pro-Tex (Austria), Sioen (Belgium) and Schill+Seilacher (Germany). The many new exhibitors include Dystar Singapore, Indorama Ventures Fibers Germany, Monteiro Ribas (Portugal), TreeToTextile (Sweden) and Woolmark (Germany). The leading trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens covers the entire spectrum of high-tech textiles. Suppliers meet buyers from a wide range of industries here. They are looking for customised material solutions - whether for the automotive or apparel industry. For the first time, there is a separate area for Textile Chemicals & Dyes in Hall 9.0, which is already in high demand. The new Performance Apparel Textiles area in Hall 9.0 is also attracting great interest. It offers promising synergies: With Fibres & Yarns, manufacturers find their upstream stage in the same hall. In addition, the proximity to Texprocess in Hall 8.0 makes it even more accessible for the apparel industry.
 
Techtextil and Texprocess will be held from 21 to 24 April 2026.

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), National Chamber of the Textile Industry (CANAINTEX), and Canadian Textile Industry Association (CTIA) issued a joint statement urging President Donald Trump to reach a deal with Mexico and Canada to avoid imposing 25 percent tariffs on imports from these countries and to close the de minimis loophole immediately.

“All three of our countries are partners in a vital textile and apparel coproduction chain that generates $20 billion in two-way trade and helps support over 1.6 million jobs under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) — a trade deal that was negotiated during President Trump’s first term in office,” the associations said.

The U.S. textile industry ships $12.3 billion, or 53 percent, of its total global textile exports to Mexico and Canada. Those inputs come back as finished products to the United States under the USMCA.

Mexico exports $9 billion in textile and apparel to the United States. Mexico is the 4th largest exporter of textiles and the 6th largest exporter of apparel to the United States.

Canada exports approximately $1.8 billion in textiles and apparel to the United States and Mexico, with the United States being the destination for 64 percent of its total global textile export, including high-quality flame-resistant materials and medical equipment including PPE.

“While we fully support President Trump’s efforts to stem illegal migration and to address the fentanyl crisis as quickly as possible, we urge the administration to refrain from imposing penalty tariffs on imports from USMCA partners. We are focused on ensuring a normalized trading relationship between our countries,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas. “Imposing penalty tariffs on imports from critical U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) partners will only serve to benefit China and other Asian countries that don’t play by the rules and to harm the U.S. textile industry and manufacturers in our Western Hemisphere supply chains.”

“As part of any deal with Mexico, Canada—and China—we also call on the Trump administration to end the de minimis tariff exemption immediately for imports from all countries. This loophole in U.S. trade law, which allows imports valued at $800 or less to enter the United States duty-free hurts our textile and apparel industries, rewards countries like China, and helps facilitate the flow of illegal and toxic products, such as fentanyl and fentanyl precursors into the U.S. market,” Glas added.

“Despite steps taken by our countries to prevent the importation of goods that are undervalued, made with forced labor or transshipped, we have seen firsthand how the Asian market has gained an unfair advantage through predatory trade practices, displacing companies and workers in our industries and undermining our critical coproduction chain,” said Rafael Zaga Saba President of CANAINTEX.

“Canada is seeking to preserve our strong coproduction chain with Mexico and the United States which spurs investment, trade and employment in our three countries,” said Jeff Ayoub, Chairman of the Board of CTIA. “These additional tariffs would harm our industries and workers, and we urge President Trump stop these expected tariffs from being imposed.”

“We look forward to working closely with the Trump administration and continuing to educate officials about the adverse impact of penalty tariffs on imports from Western Hemisphere countries and de minimis on our industries and workers, while highlighting the critical nature of our strong coproduction chain, which contributes to our overall investment, job growth, and economic stability,” the associations jointly added.

NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.

• U.S. employment in the textile and apparel supply chain was 501,755 in 2023.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $64.8 billion in 2023.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $29.7 billion in 2023.
• Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $2.27 billion in 2021, the last year for which data is available.

CANAINTEX is a Mexico City-based trade association representing Mexican textile producers.

• The textile industry in Mexico provides over 1.1 million jobs.
• Mexican textile exports are projected to reach 9 billion USD in 2024.
• Mexico is the 4th largest exporter of textiles and the 6th largest exporter of apparel to the United States.
• One out of every three pairs of pants sold in the U.S. is made in Mexico.
• With 36% domestic content in its exports, the textile industry generates the highest value-added of any manufacturing sector in the country.

CTIA represents domestic textile manufacturers across Canada, advocating for policies that support innovation, sustainability, and growth in the sector.

• The Canadian textile industry employs approximately 30,000 textile and apparel workers.
• The total value of shipments for Canadian textiles and apparel was approximately C$7.5 billion in 2023.
• Canada exported approximately US$2.66 billion in textiles in 2023, with 64% (US$1.71 billion) going to the United States.

2025 International Battery Seminar in Orlando: Freudenberg to present innovative battery separator solutions for stationary energy storage systems and further applications

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) will be showcasing its nonwoven battery separators at the International Battery Seminar in Orlando, Florida, USA, from March 17-20, 2025. The manufacturer of technical textiles will present innovative materials that enable long-duration, high-performance and safe stationary energy storage systems.

Freudenberg will present its range of battery separators that increase the cycle-life, performance and safety of batteries for stationary energy storage systems, as well as batteries used in transportation, communications and computer systems. This includes nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, nickel-zinc, nickel-hydrogen, metal-air and lead-acid batteries plus many more.

One highlight will be the latest unique surface finishing technology that provides excellent electrolyte absorption as well as increasing the speed. The company combines this new finishing and a variety of other finishes with its versatile nonwoven technologies to develop further custom-made separators that meet the needs of energy storage system manufacturers and other battery manufacturers in the aviation, rail vehicle construction or computer systems sectors. Freudenberg has a broad range of nonwoven technologies in the industry, including wetlaid, drylaid and spunbond processes. These offer unique capabilities to tailor material homogeneity and uniformity, electrolyte absorption, wicking rate, air permeability, thickness and tensile strength.
With production sites on several continents, Freudenberg can manufacture locally and offer major battery manufacturers optimal service.

Freudenberg high-performance nonwoven separators play an important functional role in batteries. Besides their primary function of separating the electrode and cathode, they form an electrolyte reservoir in the battery, and contribute to enhancing battery functionality, self-discharge, and durability. They help to prevent short circuits by avoiding dendrite growth.

The ZEBRA (Zero wastE Blade ReseArch) project marks a significant leap forward in the recycling and circular economy for wind turbine blades. This collaborative effort demonstrates a breakthrough in the complete recycling of thermoplastic blades achieving significant environmental and economic benefits.

The ZEBRA project is a unique partnership led by the French Institute for Technological Research, IRT Jules Verne. Joining forces are industry leaders Arkema (resin supplier), Owens Corning (glass fiber supplier), LM Wind Power (blade manufacturer), SUEZ (dismantling and waste processing), CANOE R&D center (recycling technology), and ENGIE (life cycle analysis).

Each company played a crucial role in the development of the closed-loop recycling process:

• Arkema developed and validated the generation of recycled Elium® monomer through thermolysis, and, together with its subsidiary Bostik, an innovative adhesive for the blade assembly that is recycled together with Elium® paving the way for industrial-scale implementation.
• Owens Corning successfully recovered glass fiber at pilot scale, enabling its reintroduction into the production process for their Sustaina® product line.
• LM Wind Power manufactured two wind turbine blades with Arkema’s Elium® resin and Owens Corning’s Ultrablade® fabrics; one blade including a large structural element made with recycled Elium® resin.
• SUEZ provided cutting and grinding expertise for processing the blades.
• CANOE R&D center optimized recycling for production and carbon blade waste, additionally developing methods for repurposing waste streams through mechanical recycling.
• ENGIE conducted a comprehensive life cycle analysis demonstrating the environmental benefits of closed-loop ZEBRA blades and validated their economic viability.

A Sustainable Future for Wind Energy
The ZEBRA project successfully recycled Elium® resin and Ultrablade® fabrics from wind turbine blades and manufacturing waste, reformulating them back into usable materials. This closed-loop process addresses the growing challenge of end-of-life blade management within the wind energy industry.

• Recycled Elium® Monomer: Arkema achieved a yield of over 75% in the thermolysis process, paving the way for industrial-scale production of recycled resin.
• Recovered Glass Fiber: Owens Corning successfully retrieved glass fiber for remelting and reintegration into their Sustaina® product line.
• Life Cycle and Cost Analysis: ENGIE's study confirmed the significant environmental benefits and economic viability of ZEBRA blades when assuming a closed-loop recycling system from production to end-of-life.

ZEBRA blade using Elium® thermoplastic resin, Bostik’s highly compatible adhesive and Ultrablade® fabrics is bringing the best closed-loop recycling solution compared to traditional thermoset system. The operating cost and investments for recycling facility are significantly lowered. The CO2 emission linked to the recycling operations is reduced as well. All those results are making the closed-loop recycling solution of ZEBRA blades a viable option both on economic and environmental standpoints.

By demonstrating the feasibility of full wind turbine blade recycling, the ZEBRA project paves the way for a more sustainable future in the wind energy sector.

Traditional heating systems in vehicles often rely on bulky and energy-intensive methods. Smart textiles, equipped with integrated heating elements powered by Loomia’s technology, offer an efficient alternative. These textiles can provide targeted warmth directly to occupants, reducing energy consumption compared to conventional heating systems. Whether integrated into seats, armrests, or steering wheels, smart heating textiles enhance comfort while optimizing energy use.

Smart surfaces in automotive interiors go beyond aesthetics, offering interactive functionalities that improve safety and convenience. Loomia’s smart surfaces can transform mundane surfaces into dynamic interfaces, capable of displaying information, adjusting settings, and responding to touch or gestures. For example, smart door panels can illuminate and provide feedback when touched, enhancing both usability and safety during nighttime operation.

Loomia’s expertise in smart textiles allows seamless integration into various aspects of vehicle design. From customizable lighting elements embedded within upholstery to responsive control panels, smart textiles enhance the overall aesthetics and functionality of automotive interiors. These innovations not only elevate the driving experience but also contribute to a more sustainable and technologically advanced automotive industry.

Looking ahead, the potential applications of smart textiles in automotive environments are vast. Future developments could include adaptive textiles that respond to environmental conditions, such as adjusting ventilation based on temperature and humidity levels. Moreover, advancements in sensor technology integrated into smart textiles may enable enhanced vehicle monitoring and diagnostics, further improving safety and efficiency on the road.

British technology company Hypetex has been awarded a significant grant from Innovate UK to develop the world’s first technical coloured flax fibre, which will have applications in the sustainable manufacturing of cars, boats and other products that are usually made with carbon fibre.

Called FlaxTex the material is strong, lightweight and 100 per cent biodegradable, having a net positive carbon footprint at point of manufacturing. It can be colourised whilst enhancing its performance properties, with the process adding some important manufacturing attributes compared to standard flax fibre.

As such, FlaxTex’s mechanical properties represent the closest sustainable substitute for robust and lightweight materials like glass fibre and carbon fibre in composite structures.  

The performance of standard flax fibre is often hindered by its high moisture absorption, resulting in reduced structural integrity when used in composite construction. In addition, the natural brown colour of flax has been deemed unappealing for product use.

Flaxtex solves these issues by removing moisture through the colouring process and sealing the fibres, which waterproofs them and enabling their core mechanical properties. Hypetex’s patented nano-pigment technology changes the colour adding an aesthetic quality to the material.  

This colouring process is set to transform industrial design possibilities of Flax natural fibres by enhancing the strength and performance while simultaneously reducing post-processing requirements and total energy usage. This also aligns with Hypetex's commitment to supporting the green transition and helping manufacturers meet government expectations on the path to UK Net Zero targets and the European Green Deal.

Over the course of a 12-month industrial research project, Hypetex will further optimize its resin systems and processes, expanding the use of FlaxTex across various markets.  

FlaxTex has a range of industry uses, including on construction, automotive, sports equipment and furniture products.

Baldwin Technology Co. will join Elmatex GmbH at Techtexil (April 23-26 in Frankfurt, Germany) to demonstrate its TexCoat™ G4 precision spray finishing system.

With Baldwin’s system, the chemistry is precisely distributed across the textile surface and is applied only where it is required, on one or both sides of the fabric. The non-contact technology eliminates chemistry dilution in wet-on-wet processes, allowing full control of maintaining consistent chemistry coverage rates. Plus, pad bath contamination is eliminated, and changeovers are only required when there is a change of finish chemistry.
 
Furthermore, the system offers automated speed tracking, fabric-width compensation, and real-time monitoring to track system uptime, performance and chemistry usage, as well as active care alerts.
 
In addition, the TexCoat™ G4 system can process a wide range of low-viscosity water-based chemicals, such as durable water repellents, softeners, antimicrobials, flame retardants and more. Baldwin’s technology utilizes the same chemicals used in the traditional pad bath, and no special auxiliaries are required. The recipe is adjusted by increasing the concentration and reducing the pickup by a corresponding amount, so that the same level of solids is applied.
 
Some applications, such as durable water repellents, are only applied on the face of the fabric, instead of the traditional method of saturation through dipping and squeezing. Drier fabric entering the stenter means lower drying temperatures and faster process speeds. Single-side applications also open up the opportunity to process back-coated or laminated fabrics in a single pass of the stenter, instead of two passes.

Faster and more cost-effective carbon fibre production - the technology of the start-up CarboScreen comes a good deal closer to this dream. The founders Dr. Musa Akdere, Felix Pohlkemper and Tim Röding from the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University are using sensor technology to monitor carbon fibre production, thereby doubling the production speed from the current 15 to 30 m/min in the medium term and increasing turnover by up to €37.5 million per year and system. This ground-breaking development also impressed the jury at the ITMF at their Annual Conference in Keqiao, China, and was honoured with the ITMF StartUp Award 2023 on 6 November 2023.

Dr. Musa Akdere accepted the award on behalf of the CarboScreen founding team.

Carbon fibres can only develop their full potential if they are not damaged during production and further processing. Two types of fibre damage occur more frequently during fibre production: Superficial or mechanical damage to the fibres or damage to the chemical structure.

Both types of damage cannot be optimally detected by current means or only become apparent after production, to name just two examples. This leads to higher production costs. In an emergency, faulty production can even lead to plant fires. For this reason, and to ensure good production quality, the system is run at 15 m/min below its production capacity for safety reasons. However, 30 m/min or more would be possible. With the sensor-based online monitoring of CarboScreen, the production capacity can be doubled to 30 /min. This would lead to higher production, resulting in lower manufacturing costs and wider use of carbon fibres in mass markets such as automotive, aerospace and wind energy.