In the end, what matters is the result: a filter that performs reliably, a membrane that remains stable in storm conditions, a composite material with precisely defined properties. But the path to achieving this is demanding. In the production of technical textiles, numerous parameters interact – and even the smallest deviations can have major consequences.
Dyeing and finishing technologies, one of the most critical and value-added areas of the textile sector, have gained strong growth momentum on a global scale. Technologies that are pioneers of this transformation focused on sustainability, quality and efficiency will meet with sector professionals at the ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition. Dyeing and Finishing Hall (11–12) will host the latest technologies that increase efficiency, optimize resource use and reduce environmental impact in textile finishing processes.
iNTERSPARE Textilmaschinen GmbH will present its latest solutions for technical textile finishing at Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt (VDMA joint stand, Hall 12 / Stand C55A). The focus will be on further developments within the Krantz, Artos and Babcock (BTM) product lines, in particular the Krantz K30 stenter as well as the reintroduction of the Artos Vari-Flex foulard. The presentation will be complemented by modular solutions for upgrading existing installations and new approaches in automation and digitalization.
At the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt at the end of April, Peter D. Dornier, chairman of the VDMA’s Walter Reiners Foundation, presented awards to five successful young engineers. Promotion and sustainability awards were presented in the categories of bachelor’s/project theses and diploma/master’s theses. Academic theses are eligible for the sustainability awards if, for example, they develop solutions for resource-efficient products and technologies.
RE&UP contributed to the global conversation on textile circularity at Global Fashion Summit 2026 in Copenhagen, where Fatih Konukoğlu, Chairman of RE&UP and Vice Chairman of Sanko Holding, took part in both the keynote session “The New Rules” and the panel discussion “A Reckoning and Renewal for Circular Horizons”, alongside leaders from H&M Group, Looper Textile Co. and Sourcing Journal.
The EU textile system is at a critical crossroads. Today, less than 1% of discarded garments are recycled into new garments, despite EU-wide obligations for separate collection. In response, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) is launching the 2030 Circularity Blueprint, in partnership with ReHubs. This ambitious initiative is designed to support the transformation of the EU textile ecosystem to advance textile-to-textile recycling and drive the transition to a circular economy.
The cultivation of fibre hemp for the production of ropes and clothing has a long tradition in Saxony. Due to its excellent fibre properties, it is also suitable as a renewable raw material for reinforcement in fibre composites. At the STFI and IWU in Chemnitz, the CannaPul project is cur- rently investigating how a regional value chain for hemp-based lightweight construction profiles can be established. To this end, the technical processing of hemp fibres into continuous fibre strands and their embedding in a suitable bio-based matrix are being investigated.
