#Associations

2025-02-06

6th AddTex project partner meeting in Prague

On January 21 and 22, 2025, the 6th AddTex project partner meeting took place in Prague at the invitation of the Czech cluster for technical textiles CLUTEX. After an update on the activities of the eleven European partners, the IVGT presented a draft business model that will ensure sustainable activities beyond the end of the project.

The 6th AddTex project partner meeting took place in Prague in January 2025 at the invitation of CLUTEX.© 2025 ADDTEX

Workshops develop ideas for HUBs

The focus was on the question of how HUBs in the textile industry can contribute to driving digitalization and sustainability through innovations in education and training. The project partners worked together to develop tasks, objectives and potential for the AddTex HUBs, contributing their perspectives as clusters, universities (HEI) and educational institutions (VET). The feedback collected is now being evaluated and integrated into further project work.

AddTex Masterclass Webinars: Dates are set

In Prague, the dates for the AddTex Masterclass webinar series on the project topics Green - Smart - Digital were also set. The 60-minute webinars will take place from February to May 2025 and are free of charge. As IVGT members, Penn Textile Solutions and the TFI - Institute for Floor and Spatial Systems at RWTH Aachen eV are participating with specialist presentations.

Dates:

February 5, 2025 – Building bridges between industry and education

March 5, 2025 – Intelligent solutions in textiles

April 2, 2025 – Digital Transformation in Textiles

May 7, 2025 – Green solutions in textiles

Registration: www.addtex.eu ? HUBS / Masterclasses section

Language: English

IVGT Textile Connect #3: Digitalization & AI in focus

Digital transformation is a decisive competitive factor in the textile industry. In keeping with this, the IVGT is opening its seminar year 2025 with IVGT Textile Connect #3 on February 11 and 12, 2025 in Aachen.

The event offers in-depth insights into automated data exchange, digital product passports and process optimization with AI

A special highlight is the visit to the DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials eV, which presents the latest research approaches to fibers and AI-supported analytics. There is also the opportunity to visit the McKinsey Innovation Center for Narrow Textiles in cooperation with the ITA Aachen Academy. Take the chance to get to know practical applications and network with experts! Register at: https://ivgt.info/itc3/ Further information at www.ivgt.de

International practical experience for textile students

As part of the European Erasmus+ project AddTex, the partner institutions organised several hackathons simultaneously from 15 to 17 May 2024 at the universities in Borås (Sweden), UPC (Spain), PIN (Italy) and TUS (Ireland). The aim was to develop practical solutions to real challenges facing the textile industry. The German family-owned company Schmitz Textiles, a specialist in complete textile solutions for indoor and outdoor use, challenged students at the University of PIN in Prato to increase the recycled content of yarns for awning production to 100 per cent.

Fifth transnational ADDTEX meeting in Prato

From 1 to 5 July 2024, the fifth member meeting of ADDTEX took place in Prato at PIN s.c.r.l. Educational and Scientific Services for the University of Florence. Parallel to the meeting of the project partners and in the same building in Piazza Giovanni Ciardi, 25, PIN organised a textile innovation boot camp with students from Sweden, Spain, Romania, Ireland, Italy and Portugal.

VDMA members at Techtextil: Smart technologies for technical textiles

At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt, the members of VDMA Textile Machinery underline their key role as global technology leaders for technical textiles and textile processing. With a strong presence of more than 50 members they will highlight how engineering excellence, innovation strength and sustainability expertise from Germany and Europe are shaping the future of the textile industry. Seven companies will be present at the VDMA group stand in the centre of hall 12.0.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Europe is losing its textile industry

EURATEX has released its latest Economic Update on the performance of the European textile and apparel industry in 2025. For the third consecutive year, the sector recorded negative results across all key indicators — production, turnover and employment — confirming a continued erosion of competitiveness across Europe.

Speed and connectivity: Techtextil and Texprocess provided market-ready solutions for industries under pressure

With more than 36,000 visitors and 1,700 exhibitors from a total of 112 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 demonstrated how innovation comes into industrial use. The convergence of research, industry and application proved to be a breeding ground for new material solutions, manufacturing and processing technologies. Natural fibres, performance apparel, connected systems and AI-driven processing technologies emerged as key growth and future markets.

Italian Textile Machinery heads to Geneva for Index 2026

An important delegation of Italian companies will exhibit at the upcoming INDEX 2026, the world’s leading event for the nonwovens sector, taking place from May 19 to 22 in Geneva (Switzerland). Numerous Italian exhibitors will be present within the Italy Pavilion, organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and ACIMIT, an exhibition area of over 140 square meters dedicated to the latest innovations proposed by the Italian industry.