From the Sector

Archroma and Portuguese home-textile manufacturer Lameirinho have moved the InOneGO continuous dyeing process into commercial production. Lameirinho's first bed-linen collection made with the technology is now available worldwide.

InOneGO combines coloration, fixation and softening in a single pad-dry application. It was developed for woven cellulosic textiles including denim, fashion fabrics and home textiles, and works with Archroma sulfur-dye systems including DIRESUL RDT, EarthColors and FiberColors.

Archroma's ONE WAY Impact Calculator indicates reductions of up to 81% in process time, 97% in water consumption, 65% in energy use and 75% in CO2 emissions when a defined InOneGO/DIRESUL RDT scenario is compared with conventional cold pad-batch reactive dyeing plus pigment top-dye finishing. These are supplier calculations for a specified benchmark, not universal mill values.

The process runs on stenter and Thermosol lines. That makes the industrial proposition particularly relevant: mills may be able to remove several wet and dry processing stages without replacing the core line architecture.

A new German research project is exploring how Lusatia can build a regional natural-fibre economy as the former lignite region undergoes structural transformation. Over three years, IÖW and Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences will examine value chains based on flax, industrial hemp, fibre nettle, miscanthus and residues such as straw and municipal leaves.

The focus is explicitly on industrial applications rather than conventional apparel textiles. Potential outlets include natural-fibre-reinforced plastics, specialty papers, lightweight panels, composites, automotive components and new packaging materials. A regionally resolved material-flow model will map feedstock availability, processing routes, land-use conflicts and possible bottlenecks.

The project is relevant to technical textiles and composites because it treats raw-material availability and industrialisation as one system. Workshops with farmers, processors, manufacturers, municipalities and economic-development actors are intended to produce practical transformation pathways for a circular bioeconomy.

Editorial relevance: Very high – a measurable functional-textile application combining natural fibre and surface engineering.
Cornell University researchers have demonstrated that polydopamine-dyed wool can serve as a low-cost, renewable material for solar-driven water purification. The approach uses interfacial solar vapor generation, concentrating solar heat at the water surface while a textile structure transports water and converts it into vapor.

The strongest configuration used ultrablack wool positioned vertically and illuminated from both sides. It produced 2.43 kilograms of water per square metre of fabric per hour, while polydopamine-only wool achieved 2.21 kilograms. Both rates were nearly twice those reported for conventional horizontal two-dimensional evaporation systems. The material also operated continuously for ten hours without salt accumulation.

The work is relevant to technical textiles because performance depends on fibre choice, dye chemistry, surface structure and textile geometry acting together. Salt levels in the collected water were below the World Health Organization drinking-water threshold. Future work will test rainwater and wastewater and improve water-collection designs.

An international research team involving De Montfort University Leicester is examining how flexible supercapacitors could be integrated into sports clothing. The concept goes beyond adding another sensor to a garment. Instead, the textile would become part of the energy architecture: it could store electricity and supply distributed sensors embedded across the garment. Combined with technologies that harvest energy from body movement or heat, running tops, cycling kit or gym wear could eventually generate and store part of the power needed for continuous monitoring.

The researchers identify knitted structures and conductive yarns as particularly promising because they can combine electrical functionality with stretch, flexibility and breathability. Carbon-based electrode materials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes are also considered because of their energy-storage potential and mechanical flexibility. Compared with conventional batteries, supercapacitors can charge and discharge very rapidly, while potentially being made light and flexible enough for body-worn applications.

The potential use case extends beyond sport. A sensor-rich garment could monitor heart rate, body temperature, muscle activity, movement and fatigue at several points on the body rather than relying on a single wrist-mounted device. In healthcare, similar garments could support continuous monitoring and provide clinicians with information collected from different body regions. The textile would therefore shift from being a passive carrier to acting as a distributed sensing and energy platform.

Crucially, the DMU source does not present a finished smart garment. The underlying paper sets out a technological framework that brings together developments in electronics, materials science, manufacturing and flexible textiles. Considerable barriers remain. Electronic fabrics would have to tolerate sweat, repeated stretching and bending and regular laundering without losing performance. They must also remain comfortable and breathable, and eventually be manufactured at a cost and scale compatible with mainstream clothing.

Circularity is another design requirement. The study discusses recyclable or biodegradable materials, greener manufacturing and garment architectures that allow electronic components to be recovered at end of life rather than creating another stream of electronic waste. The next step is therefore practical development and funding, not commercial launch. That distinction is important: the work is a credible roadmap for e-textile integration, but its industrial maturity still has to be demonstrated.

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are combining research expertise in technical textiles. According to IIT Delhi’s Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering, the cooperation will focus on AI-powered research for parachutes and other safety equipment.

The initiative brings together textile material and structural expertise with data-driven methods. In parachute systems, material ageing, fabric construction, seams and joining technologies, as well as behaviour under dynamic loads, are safety-critical. AI models can support faster evaluation of testing data, condition classification and data-based development or maintenance decisions.

For the technical-textile industry, the cooperation is particularly relevant because it demonstrates how established textile testing and engineering can be combined with digital models. Beyond military use, the approach may also be relevant to rescue systems, personal protective equipment and other highly loaded textile structures.

As Asia’s premier platform catering to the evolving needs in technical textiles and nonwovens, Cinte Techtextil China will open next week at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, gathering over 300 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions. Across Halls W3 to W5, this edition will create chances for fast-growing sectors and emerging trends – such as Mobiltech, Medtech & Protech, Indutech and more. The curated zones, pavilions, and fringe programme are designed to better connect exhibitors with targeted buyers from across China, Asia-Pacific, and further afield. Meanwhile, the Association Village will gather international industry associations to foster even more global collaboration.

As a hub for global innovation, the fair will feature a strong contingent of international industry leaders in Hall W5’s Overseas Zone, including Andritz (China) Ltd, Groz-Beckert (Germany), A.Celli SPA (Italy), and Dilo (Germany), while others such as Picanol NV (Belgium) will showcase in Hall W4.

The sought-after European and German Zones will also be in Hall W5, featuring high-performance solutions from such markets. Key suppliers in the European Zone will include Monosuisse Group (Switzerland) and Comerio Ercole S.p.A (Italy), while the German Zone will include IBENA Textilwerke GmbH and Mahlo GmbH + Co KG. Nearby, the Textile Chemicals and Dyes Zone will return to offer advanced solutions for diverse technical applications.

A key highlight of Hall W5 is the Association Village, designed to showcase expertise, foster international trade networks and collaboration, as well as present the latest trends that shape the industry’s future. Key organisations anchoring this feature include the Asia International Hemp Federation (AIHF) (Thailand), UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), Government of Tamil Nadu India, and Nonwoven Federation of India (NWFI).

Targeted solutions displayed across high-demand application areas
With the technical textiles and nonwovens markets evolving, exhibitors are presenting advances engineered for critical application areas across the show floor:

• Mobiltech: highlighted suppliers include JR Ltd (Korea) and Eastex Industrial Science & Technology (China). Also on the domestic side, Tiandingfeng Holdings Co Ltd will showcase high-strength PET filament needle-punched nonwovens. The Mobiltech Zone, set to feature other key exhibitors, will also be in Hall W4.
• Medtech: featuring first-time exhibitor NIPPON Paper Industries Co Ltd (Japan) with its Cu-TOP product – a functional material derived from wood pulp combined with copper technology. The Reifenhauser Group from Germany will also be in Hall W5, with Reifenhauser Reicofil presenting full nonwoven production lines, and Reifenhauser Enka Tecnica the service components that aid their longevity. Joining the lineup, Yixiang Health Technology Co Ltd and Zhejiang Kingsafe Hygiene Materials Technology Co Ltd will both showcase medical and hygiene nonwovens.
• Protech: key Protech exhibitors include a new exhibitor Tepar Tekstil San Ve Tic A S (Turkiye), and Dawnsens New Materials (Xiamen) Co Ltd (China), both showcasing advanced safety materials.
• Indutech: IMAE Industries Ltd (Japan) will make its debut at the fair. The company specialises in thermal insulation fibre products and supplies fine ceramics for heavy industry, automotive, iron and steel, chemical, power generation and more.

Other first-time international brands will include Care Holdings Pte Ltd (Singapore) and Texbond Nonwovens (India); while China’s innovation will be spotlighted with domestic pavilions in Hall W3 featuring medical and hygiene textiles and in Hall W4 featuring filtration and separation textiles. Exhibitors are set to be greeted by a wide range of industry visitors.

Before the fair, overseas visitor pre-registrations have risen notably compared to the same period last year. These include 139 VIP buyers from 27 countries and regions, such as Hyundai Motor Company and Sejong Healthcare (Korea), Meditec Japan Co Ltd (Japan), ALSICO (Belgium), Focus Industries Limited (Hong Kong), Freudenberg Performance Materials Service GmbH and MöllerWerke GmbH (Germany), seeking high-demand solutions across Mobiltech, Medtech and Protech, Indutech, and more. In addition, seven international buyer delegations, from industry hubs across Asia-Pacific and beyond, will add to the fair’s global business appeal.

Fringe events explore innovation, emerging markets, and automotive trends in Halls W4 and W5 

• Panel Discussion (Day 1 morning) (W5 E20): the discussion topic, Industrial Hemp Fibre – Building the Future of Sustainable Materials, will take Thailand as a successful example to explore the use of advanced hemp fibre materials through cross-sector innovation and international investment. Complemented by the AIHF display area (W5 B20), featuring the evolution of raw hemp stalks into modern bioplastics, composites, mobility components, lifestyle products and other engineered applications.
• 2026 Nonwovens Industry High-Quality Development Conference (Day 1 afternoon) (W4 D38): under the theme ‘Redefine the growth paradigm’, Ms Guimei Li, President of China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association, will show China’s nonwovens development during the 15th Five-Year Plan. Guest speaker Mr Anshumali Jain, Vice President of the Nonwoven Federation of India, will discuss the situation and opportunities of India’s industrial ecosystem, while Mr Tony Fragnito, President of the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, will explore the state of the US market.
• Automotive textile panel (Day 2 afternoon) (W5 E20): titled “Defining the Future Cabin: Multi-functional Evolution of Nonwoven Materials in Automotive”, the panel will include automotive end users, Tier-1 automotive interior suppliers, and upstream nonwoven technology providers. The Mobiltech Display Area (W4 F25) will complement the panel, with exhibits from Groz-Beckert, AIHF, Care Holdings Pte Ltd, Swisstulle (Qingdao) Co Ltd, and more.

Other key events include a presentation on sustainability by UKFT and the Sustainability Tour by Mr Karl Borgschulze, Managing Director of Consulting Service Intl Ltd (both on Day 2 morning) (W5 E20); other guided tours led by industry experts (covering medical, protective, automotive, and tents & coverings); Technology Innovation and Product Development for Future Technical Textiles; Deeyeo Flushable Wipes Scientific Consensus Release and Industry High-Quality Development Dialogue; and a display zone dedicated to Industrial Textiles in the 15th Five-Year Plan.

The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

Avient is introducing Dyneema SK80, a new HMPE fibre grade for mooring lines and offshore applications. According to the company, the fibre was engineered at polymer level to deliver at least twice the durability and fatigue resistance of Dyneema SK78 in demanding mooring applications.

The technological emphasis is therefore less on headline tensile strength than on service life under cyclic loading. In mooring systems, repeated load cycles, abrasion, bending stress and environmental exposure are major failure drivers. Improved fatigue resistance can therefore have a direct effect on maintenance intervals, operational safety and lifecycle costs.

The new fibre will be presented at SMM in Hamburg in early September. For Textination, the development is relevant because high-performance fibres are increasingly being positioned not only through weight and strength advantages, but through durability, reliability and the total cost of technical textile systems.