From the Sector

After three days of facilitating meaningful exchange for numerous applications of technical textiles and nonwovens, Cinte Techtextil China 2025 concluded on 5 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Feedback across the fairground was highly positive, especially from first-time exhibitors and buyers who valued the platform’s capability to create new opportunities both in China and overseas markets. The fair attracted nearly 20,000 visits from 74 countries and regions – a 17% increase from last year, and, as the most comprehensive edition ever in terms of product categories, visitors had much to explore. Major fringe events, such as the China International Nonwovens Conference (CINC), Econogy Tour, Sustainability Forum, and AI Panel, linked innovation and sustainability with industry demands, maximising reach and business opportunities for participants.

As Asia’s only dedicated show for the full spectrum of technical textiles and nonwovens, Cinte Techtextil China 2025 hosted over 300 global exhibitors, and welcomed a wide range of visitors, including sourcing decision-makers, textile & mechanical engineers, product developers, researchers, and more. The fair saw a significant rise in visitor pre-registrations, with international numbers increasing by over 40% compared to the previous edition. VIP buyers from across the globe attended the fair, as did 14 visitor delegations with over 250 participants. Some of the leading brands included domestic representatives from Kimberly-Clark (China), Li Auto, Li Ning, and L'Oréal (China); and international participants from Lego System (Denmark), Norafin Industries (Germany), Rockline Industries (USA), and Toyoshima & Co. Ltd (Japan).

Among the returning exhibitors, key international players included AUTEFA Solutions, Lindauer DORNIER and Rowa Group from Germany, Fil Man Made Group from Italy, Graf + Cie and Swisstulle from Switzerland, Picanol from Belgium, and more. This edition also welcomed several newcomers, partly due to the incorporation of textile chemicals and dyes into this year's product categories. Key exhibitors making their debuts included: Serel Industrie (Belgium) and Proton Products (UK) in the European Zone; Wetekam Group in the German Zone; Dupre Minerals (UK) and Michelman (USA) in the Textile Chemicals and Dyes Zone; Huamao (Xiamen), BW Advanced Materials, Shanghai Shenda, and Zhejiang Kingsafe Group from China, JCT Industries Group from Malaysia, Vietnam Geotextile from Vietnam, and more.

To support the diverse array of exhibitors and visitors onsite, Cinte Techtextil China identified specific development areas and offered relevant fringe events to facilitate meaningful interaction. The Econogy Tour and Sustainability Forum promoted the industry’s eco-transition, with the latter sparking cross-sector discussions among academia, brands, and other industry players. On the innovation front, the AI Panel and the Innovation Product Award and Presentation provided forward-looking insights from various perspectives, helping the industry reshape its future.

Other events like the CINC, themed ‘Breaking the Deadlock and Reconstruction’, offered in-depth discussions and report presentations for the nonwovens industry to navigate upcoming challenges and opportunities. To harness the promising Mobiltech trend, the fair organised a Technical Innovation Exchange Conference on Automotive Textiles followed by a tour visiting related exhibitors. Interested parties could also enjoy live-streamed tours organised for in-demand sectors such as Medtech, Mobiltech, and Protech.

The next edition of Cinte Techtextil China will be held from 1 – 3 September 2026.

The fair is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA).

A new step forward in the collaboration between C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy) and FILO: a new open and collaborative space designed for those seeking inspiration and practical tools to navigate the path of Responsible Innovation.

Not just a stand, but a dynamic platform: accessible to everyone, able to cross boundaries and connect people, materials, and ideas. A place where vision, research, and new value-driven narratives meet to imagine the future of textiles.

Key players selected to represent the focus of this first edition:

• Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp
• Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei
• SUPIMA®
• Haelixa  (for traceability, now crucial for the entire sector)
• The InsideOut Value System by C.L.A.S.S. strategy for a next-generation communication

Communicating sustainability: the new challenge
In a landscape clouded by confusion, lack of transparency, scandals, and greenwashing, consumer trust is increasingly fragile. This creates an urgent need to provide authentic information, grounded in clear, real, and measurable values, and to rebuild a relationship of trust that supports and guides consumers with information enabling more conscious, value-driven everyday choices. Aesthetics and performance remain fundamental to people’s choices.  Today, however, it is just as important to communicate clearly and sincerely the invisible yet measurable values: ethics, social initiatives, traceability and transparency, environmental responsibility, health, circular economy practices, design, ingredients, production, dyeing, and finishing.

From this need arises the InsideOut Value System by C.L.A.S.S., an initiative that expresses these values through the universal language of art. With the support of artist Gianluca Cannizzo, values are transformed into immediate visual icons, capable of going beyond words and entering the realm of direct perception. Icons capable of making sustainability concrete, understandable, and tangible: a push toward a more conscious, verified, engaging, and trustworthy culture of consumption.
 
Two dialogues to go beyond the exhibition 
Alongside the physical space, C.L.A.S.S. presents two FILO Dialogues: moments of reflection and in-depth discussion with leading voices aligned with this edition’s focus.

• 23rd September, 3.00 PM
  “The New Era of Fibres: Knowledge, Traceability, Research, and Sustainability” 
  A journey through advanced natural and regenerated fibres, traceability technologies, and new perspectives.
  Speakers: Paolo Pezzin (Napapijri – VF Corporation), Giorgia Carissimi (Albini Group/Albini Next - here representing SUPIMA®), Ettore Pellegrini (Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei), Fausto Pozzi (Brunello), Letizia Scopelliti (Haelixa). 
  Moderator: Giusy Bettoni, CEO and Founder of C.L.A.S.S.
•   24th September, 10.30 AM
   “InsideOut – Making Values Visible: Why Trust Is the New Luxury” 
  Trust as the new fashion capital: transparency, authentic data, and innovative languages that build value through the identification of values.
  Speakers: Giusy Bettoni (C.L.A.S.S.), Chiara Tronville (journalist and communication consultant), Simone and Manuela Gaslini (Filatura Astro).
  Moderator: Chiara Puglisi, SkyTG24 Journalist.

Converting the most personal data—the genome—into an enduring artwork designed to be used, displayed, gifted, and passed on.

Lifeweave, an artist-run company at the intersection of genomics and textile craft, launches a service that turns DNA into Jacquard-woven artworks. DNA sequencing is performed at Broad Clinical Labs, a subsidiary of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and all data is safely stored on Terra.bio, a renowned platform for biomedical data management. Proprietary software completes the pipeline, bridging art, science, and technology.

Amid disposable images, screen-only experiences, and mass-produced objects, people seek physical artifacts with deep meaning. Lifeweave meets this moment with a distinctive concept: converting genetic codes into Jacquard-woven textiles, allowing everyone to craft unique pieces of art based on their DNA.

Customers can submit their orders on lifeweave.app, with two styles available: Mathesis (geometric), and Floral (botanical). Each customer will receive a saliva collection kit via mail and will return their sample using a prepaid mailer. Customers' genetic data is used only to create the artwork and is handled under safeguards that meet and, where appropriate, exceed legal standards; see lifeweave.app/legal Once sequencing is complete, Lifeweave weaves the customer’s artwork and ships it to their address. 

Each customer receives:

• A unique woven tapestry made from their DNA (queen-size: 82" × 62" / 208 x 157 cm; 3.3 lb / 1.5 kg; 95% cotton, 5% polyester)
• A digitally-traceable Certificate of Authenticity
• (Optional) Full raw-data download

Pattern details of the finished work derive from the customer’s genetic sequence, ensuring each artwork is one of a kind. Furthermore, each Lifeweave tapestry includes a woven 32-character hash code signature: a string of colored squares that serves as the unique ID for the genome represented in the tapestry. Every artwork is produced using ethically sourced yarns that meet YESS and OEKO-TEX standards.

DNA and textiles share an interesting property: their material structures do not serve as supports for information subsequently applied on top of them. This property distinguishes DNA and textiles from traditional media such as painting, photography, or writing. Structure and information, as much in textiles as in DNA, coincide. Lifeweave tapestries do not ‘represent’ information, like pigments or graphite on paper, but instead they embody and present it in a unique homology between form and content.

The Mannheim-based retailer engelhorn announces it has expanded its collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger, with extensive updates to the brand’s shops in the “Mode im Quadrat” department stores in Mannheim and in Viernheim. At the heart of the redesign is Tommy Hilfiger’s latest store concept, which offers contemporary brand staging in a modern, customer-focused environment.

Fabian Engelhorn, CEO of engelhorn Group, highlights the significance of the collaboration: “On our 135th anniversary, we are showcasing what has always made us strong: close and trusting cooperation with our industry partners. In a time of great challenges in retail, this solidarity is more important than ever – and we are very grateful for it. Together, we have implemented new store designs in Mannheim and in Viernheim, with the Tommy Hilfiger space as a prime example. In mid-September, our first Gridx experience world in Luxembourg will mark another milestone full of inspiration and extraordinary shopping.”

“The partnership with engelhorn is an impressive demonstration of how strong brand expertise and local retail success can go hand in hand,” emphasizes Peter Kurre, Senior Vice President, Market Leader West, PVH Europe.

At “Mode im Quadrat” in Mannheim, the Tommy Hilfiger menswear space has been expanded to nearly 165 square meters in a prime ground-floor location that is characterized by maximum visibility and brand strength. With this step, engelhorn and Tommy Hilfiger once again underline their shared vision: to stage fashion in inspiring spaces and to delight customers through quality, innovation and collaboration.

Having rapidly evolved from promising start-up to industry spotlight, RE&UP showcases solutions ready for mainstream adoption. 

Textile-to-textile circulartech RE&UP strengthens its presence at Première Vision, one of the fashion industry’s most influential trade fairs. The company demonstrates how its next-generation textile-to-textile recycling technology enables fashion brands to transform end-of-life textiles into high-quality fibers ready for large-scale adoption. Its two flagship products – Next-Gen Cotton and Next-Gen Polyester – are engineered to match the performance of virgin fibers and designed to integrate seamlessly into mainstream collections. 

In addition to its booth presence, RE&UP takes part in the official Première Vision program. General Manager Andreas Dorner joined industry peers in the panel discussion “Tech, Feedstock and Flows: Inside the Recycling Value Chain.” The session, moderated by Elsa May, explored the complexities of textile recycling – from feedstock realities and logistical challenges to the potential of truly “100% recycled” fibers. 

“Première Vision is where the industry looks for what’s next,” says Andreas Dorner, General Manager at RE&UP. “Last year, we introduced our vision. This year, we’re back with full proof – proven technology, growing partnerships, and solutions that are already integrated into the market. Circular textiles are not a distant goal, they are happening now, at scale.” 

A joint declaration presented at the Première Vision trade fair: On the occasion of the Première Vision trade fair in Villepinte, the leading European textile and clothing federations issued a solemn call for urgent action against the rapid rise of ultra fast fashion.

This model, driven by major non-European e-commerce platforms, already accounted for 4.5 billion imported parcels in the European Union in 2024—representing 5% of clothing sales (20% online)—and continues to grow at a staggering pace.

The signatories warn of the severe consequences of this phenomenon:

• Explosion of textile waste due to the overproduction of items with a very short lifespan.
• Unbearable pressure on European SMEs, committed to strict social and environmental standards.
• A direct threat to local retailers, accelerating the decline of city centers.
• Practices in breach of European rules, such as VAT fraud, counterfeiting, and unfair competition.

Key demands
The federations call on the European institutions and Member States to act without delay to:

• Enforce the reform of the European Customs Code adopted on 27 June 2025.
• Strengthen controls and sanctions through the DSA and DMA.
• Require e-commerce platforms to appoint legally authorized representatives, so they can be held accountable.
• Introduce taxation on small parcels and abolish the customs duty exemption below €150.
• Ensure VAT collection on these massive flows.
• Engage in dialogue with the Chinese authorities to regulate the practices of their platforms.

European consumers are also invited to choose durable products and support companies investing in quality and innovation.

An unprecedented and united European mobilization
The joint declaration was co-signed by Euratex – The European Apparel and Textile Confederation, UFIMH - Union française des Industries de la mode et de l’Habillement, UIT - Union des Industries Textiles, Confindustria Moda - Federazione Tessile e Moda (Italy), Fedustria (Belgium), Atok (Czech Republic), DM&T - Danish Fashion & Textile (Denmark), Finnish Textile & Fashion (Finland), Textil+Mode (Germany), SEPEE - Hellenic Fashion Industry Association (Greece), LATIA - Lituanian Apparel & Textile Industry Association (Lithuania), Modint (The Netherlands), ATP - Associação Textil e Vestuario de Portugal (Portugal), Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (Serbia), Consejo Intertextil Espanol (Spain), Swiss Textiles (Swiss), WKO - Fachverband der Textil-, Bekleidungs-, Schuh- und Lederindustrie (Austria), Anivec Apiv (Portugal), TEKO - Sveriges Textil- & Modeföretag (Sweden), Creamoda - Belgian Fashion (Belgium), Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp (european alliance of flax and hemp), PIOT - Federation of Apparel & Textiles Industry Employers (Poland).

A call to action
“Ultra fast fashion cannot become the norm. The European Union has both the means and the duty to act immediately to protect its businesses, its workers, and the environment.” – Declaration of the European textile and clothing federations

Industry-first breakthrough delivers longer-lasting softness so garments remain in active use for longer: Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, launched SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C, the industry’s first durable silicone softener for cellulosic as well as cotton-lycra blended knits. 

Designed to keep the fabric soft and elastic for an extended usage, it is ideal for textile and fashion applications where long-lasting comfort and breathability are important, from undergarments and sleepwear to baby and children’s clothing, dresses and trousers, activewear, T-shirts and towels.

Strong and absorbent, cotton and other cellulosic fibers are among the most widely used premium materials in the textile and fashion industry. To achieve the soft and luxurious handfeel that consumers expect, manufacturers commonly have to add a silicone softener during fabric finishing. In the past, it was necessary to choose between a durable softener that negatively impacted the natural absorbency of the cotton fiber or a softener that preserved the fiber’s ability to hold moisture but also soon washed off through home laundering.

Archroma’s new SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C was developed to overcome these challenges and produce fabrics that maintain their absorbency and their silky smooth feel for longer, extending their use life. SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C imparts an excellent, and highly durable handfeel while maintaining the natural absorbency of cotton. It also has minimum side effects, including no yellowing or phenolic yellowing, and is also compatible even with anionic components and easy-care resins extending the range of possible combinations for functional finishes including crease-resistance.

Dhirendra Gautam, VP Global Marketing and Strategy, Archroma, said, “Archroma is committed to innovation that furthers our planet conscious vision of the future of the apparel and textile industry. As our brand partners increasingly design for longevity, they want to offer garments that remain luxurious and comfortable to wear over a longer life. SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C is a breakthrough innovation that enables a new approach to softening. By enhancing both durability and cotton hand feel, it reduces the need for frequent replacement of garments to conserve resources, minimize waste and lessen the environmental impact of the industry.”

SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C is based on a new patent-pending chemistry from Archroma called micro-x. It is a cross-linkable microemulsion that forms a stable silicone network within the cellulosic fibers, ensuring more uniform distribution of the softener and locking it in to maintain softness over time while bringing wash-resistance.

In addition to developing the new silicone softener, the Archroma researchers also had to find a way to measure the durability of hand feel in an objective way.

“Handfeel was previously evaluated through human perception and expert opinion, but this does not align with our efforts to improve the transparency of the textile value chain and support mills and brands in meeting their sustainability goals,” Michael Schuhmann, Global Marketing Manager Finishing, Archroma Textile Effects, said. “We discovered that we can measure the elastic recovery added to the knitted fabric by the silicone finish and track it through multiple launderings to prove its durability. This enables mills and brands to more accurately quantify handfeel durability for the first time.”

Disruptor technology and a new ColorCut LCF520 roll-to-roll label cutter will be showcased at Labelexpo 2025 on the Plockmatic Group stand. Along with the LCF500 and a technology demonstration of a 4-bladed LCF840Di, designed to eliminate rotary flexi die-cutting, the digital system enables converters – both large and small – to save up to thousands of Euros per job order.   

Large, complex, high precision rotary flexi dies can cost thousands of euros for converters – and getting one from a third-party die manufacturer typically takes 1-2 days. But with Plockmatic Group’s ColorCut LCF range of all-in-one solutions for volume roll-to-roll production, new unique customer orders can be completed on the fly, for ultra short-run digital label production avoiding time-wasting flexi die-cutting. 

Based on the same chassis as the single-bladed ColorCut LCF500 launched earlier this year, the new Plockmatic LCF520 has two blades and unique, patented auto tracking automation to ensure highest cutting accuracy. 

A wide range of shapes and label sizes can be produced on the LCF family, which offers precise, powerful, and easily managed cut functions via its built-in control centre. It includes the added benefit to apply laminates when required using integrated lamination capabilities, along with a range of finishing options for labels, such as waste matrix removal and slitting for finished rolls.

In addition, at Labelexpo Plockmatic will have a prototype behind a screen for a new ColorCut label cutter LCF840Di with 4 heads. Important features include digital web tracking from the infeed table and automated waste removal. This new model is expected to be launched at the end of the year, with sales starting from Q1 2026.

This new model is expected to be launched at the end of the year, with sales starting from Q1 2026.

With a show theme of “Relax – Taking the Stress out of Digital Finishing”, Plockmatic Group’s stand at Labelexpo at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain, from 16-19 September 2025 will host a wide range of label, cutting and finishing systems for label and flexible packaging markets. Other specific machines include the entry-level LC330 Automated label cutting machine, the Color Cut LC700 Pro for professional applications runs and the ColorCut LC6500 compact, on-demand digital sheet cutter, which is crossover product from labels into light packaging applications, POS and lightweight card projects, as well as kiss-cutting.

“The new LCF520 roll-to-roll label spotlighted at Labelexpo is the newest family member in our disruptor technology that will eliminate the need for rotary flexi die-cutting for converters,” said Terri Winstanley, Marketing Manager, Packaging & Labels, Plockmatic Group UK. “It has the potential to save hundreds of euros, sometimes thousands, per job order. Other benefits include web-to-print label applications in extremely short run, same day dispatch plus converters can save on space where conventional dies used to be stored.”

She added: “The showcasing of this ColorCut LCF520 digital label cutter at Labelexpo will mark another important milestone for Plockmatic Group, as will the prototype LCF840Di that will also be on our stand. We’re anticipating a lot of interest from visitors.”

Artificial intelligence has long been part of design – precise, efficient, omnipresent. At the same time, there is a growing desire for the handmade, for intuition and irregularity. It is exactly within this field of tension that the Heimtextil Trends 26/27 unfold: under the central theme of ‘Craft is a verb’, they show how high-tech, and craftsmanship are not contradictory, but open up new creative perspectives together.

Together with the founders of Alcova, Heimtextil presents a trend landscape in which craftsmanship and digital design methods merge. Tangible textures meet generative patterns, natural structures meet algorithmic precision. This does not create a contrast, but rather an interplay: where traditional craft techniques reach their limits, artificial intelligence opens up new possibilities. This gives rise to a new type of player: the techno-craftsman. He does not see digital tools as competition, but as an extension of his toolkit. Heimtextil Trends 26/27 thus address the current challenges of the creative industry: AI streamlines processes but raises questions about control and creative identity. The trends therefore focus on the lasting importance of craftsmanship – and how AI can meaningfully complement and support it. 

‘The Heimtextil Trends 26/27 illustrate how artificial intelligence will change the textile industry and, in combination with craftsmanship, opens up new perspectives. They provide the industry with impulses for sustainable production methods, innovative cooperation models and the development of future-proof business strategies,’ says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt.

Alcova is not just about material and aesthetic trends. Rather, the curators focus on an attitude towards the mindful use of AI in design – as a complement to human creativity and as a means of relief and inspiration. This perspective also shapes their work: ‘At Alcova, we are drawn to objects and processes that are unexpected, experimental, even a little unruly – yet somehow find their way into our homes,’ explains Valentina Ciuffi from Alcova. ‘What surrounds us each day should provoke, raise questions, and invite conversation. That's why our focus is on projects that anticipate trends rather than chase them,’ adds Joseph Grima from Alcova. 

Six key trends at a glance
Six key trends illustrate how this fusion of craftsmanship and technology is manifesting itself in concrete terms. They open up different perspectives on how AI and manual design will interact in the future.

1.    Re: media
Textiles that emerge from the interplay of digital design and handcraft: drawings are first transferred into digital renderings, then converted back into jacquards or hand-embroidered patterns. This results in works that reveal the tension between different media. Motifs inspired by glitches – broken aesthetics, pixelated colour gradients and digitally reworked hand drawings can be expected.

2.    Visible co-work
AI provides the designs, humans complete them: in these works, the boundaries between craftsmanship and code become blurred. The design is created using artificial intelligence and is completed through skilled craftsmanship. Examples include digitally embroidered linen, 3D knitted patchwork pieces and generative patterns on classic fabrics.

3.    Sensing nature
Nature is the original source of inspiration here. Its forms, rhythms and structures reveal a diversity that is waiting to be decoded. Digital tools take on the role of translators: the rough surface of the ocean is transformed into a textile grid, while the lichen patterns growing over rocks are turned into decorative motifs through algorithmic processing.

4.    A playful touch
At a time when design is characterised by functionality and optimisation, small decorative details are coming back into focus – not for practical reasons, but for pleasure. A ruffle on an otherwise minimalist curtain, a neon element on a natural-coloured linen blanket or an unexpectedly placed tassel: such gestures act as deliberate interruptions. They remind us that joy remains an essential part of design – and that textiles can also have humour.

5.    Crafted irregularity
Fabrics with knots, irregular dyeing, visible seams and asymmetrical finishes take centre stage. These materials do not hide the craftsmanship but emphasise it – as a conscious counterpoint to the flawless perfection of AI-assisted design.

6.    The uncanny valley
Technical elements such as wires, connections and coils are no longer hidden but deliberately displayed and showcased. They appear as visible details and draw the eye to the inner workings of the machine, rather than its flawless surface. This results in designs that reveal what is hidden – and, with their playful expression, unfold something strange, almost alien.

The colour palette of Heimtextil Trends 26/27
The colour palette ranges from down-to-earth tones to digital irritation: shades such as sand, clay, soot, olive and tree bark convey stability, materiality and connection. However, this natural calm is deliberately disrupted by sharp, synthetic accents such as acidic green, digital lilac and bright screen blue. These ‘glitches’ create tension and turn the colour scheme into a vibrant statement.

From 13 to 16 January 2026, the Heimtextil Trends 26/27 will be presented in an interactive format in the Trend Arena in Hall 6.1.

At the forthcoming ITMA Asia + CITME textile machinery exhibition in Singapore this October, Monforts will introduce the new VertiDry, a vertical dryer for use in combination with coating machines, padders or Monforts EcoApplicator units in the special finishing of technical textiles.

The fully contactless and energy optimised convection dryer is intended for use in combination with a stenter, either before or after it, depending on the specific application, for the essential pre-drying of sensitive fabrics, as well as after the coating of airbags, denim fabrics and glass-fibre substrates. Other envisaged applications include the finishing of sportswear, outerwear, carpets, geotextiles and tarpaulins.

The VertiDry can be integrated into both new and existing finishing lines. A single unit can accommodate approximately eight metres of fabric at any given time and multi-storey versions are also possible. This makes it very adaptable to finishing line configurations.

Power options
In addition, the VertiDry can be powered by all available heating sources, or combinations of heating sources depending on the most economic route for the individual mill. The unit is further equipped with an integrated exhaust air duct and can also be connected to a heat recovery system such as the Monforts Energy Tower.

Different nozzle types are available for the unit which will be supplied pre-erected for shortest installation times. 

“The new VertiDry has been designed in response to demands from the market for a space and energy saving vertical dryer to fulfil the demand in terms of CO2 reduction and the need to integrate into special processes, especially in the treatment of technical textiles,” says Monforts Marketing Manager Nicole Croonenbroek. “With its contactless drying it will help our customers to produce a wide range of high-quality, added value fabrics efficiently and economically.”