#Research & Development

2021-11-18

Textile impulses for the future: Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference 2021

The event took place digitally this year. Photo: DITF Denkendorf

The Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference was held in Stuttgart on November 9 and 10. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) organized a digital event this year after the conference in 2020 was cancelled due to Covid-19. 360 participants from 25 countries and four continents took the opportunity to be present at one of the most important European technical congresses.

Permanent Secretary Michael Kleiner delivered a message of greeting from Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economics, Labor and Tourism Baden-Württemberg, who praised the successful program of the textile industry get-together. The conference is organized annually in alternation by the institutes ITM Dresden, DWI Aachen and DITF Denkendorf.

Chairs of the first day of the event (from left: Johannes Diebel, FKT, Jochen Gutmann, DTNW, Maike Rabe, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Michael R. Buchmeiser, Götz T. Gresser, Michael Doser, Thomas Stegmaier, DITF. Not in the picture: Thomas Gries, ITA). Photo: DITF Denkendorf

More than 60 lectures in plenary sessions and three parallel sessions were on the program. Experts from industry and research reported on research results and marketable textile innovations in the fields of high-performance fibers, fiber composites, medical textiles, functionalization and textile machine construction. The topics of the conference focused on the upheavals that the textile industry has to cope with due to the digital transformation and the requirements of a sustainable circular economy.

Chairs of the second day of the event (from left: Götz T. Gesser, DITF, Fabian Schreiber, TITV, Heike Illing-Günther, STFI, Christoph Riethmüller, DITF, Michael Doser, DITF, Ansgar Paschen, TFI, Andrij Pich, DWI. Not in the picture: Thomas Fischer, DITF). Photo: DITF

The possibilities for textile applications are vast. Whether mobility with fiber composites, architecture with modern building materials or smart textiles for everyday work, health or for new extraordinary sports - there is hardly any area of life where high-tech textiles do not contribute to solving future challenges. The session "quo vadis textile machine concepts" showed that there is also still a lot of innovation potential in terms of methods and processes, which is being exploited.

Under the motto "From idea to practice", the Forschungskuratorium Textil e. V. presented successful cooperation projects from the IGF-ZIM program in a separate transfer session, in which representatives from science and industry jointly developed and successfully implemented products and processes.

Götz T. Gresser (DITF, left) and Thomas Gries (ITA) lead the virtual discussion room of the first plenary session.

Speakers from this year's partner countries Portugal and Spain gave a comprehensive insight into the textile industry and research of both countries with lectures and discussion contributions.

The conference program was complemented by a virtual exhibition of companies and institutes as well as more than 100 scientific posters. Three of the poster presentations were awarded the Best Poster Award of the Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference 2021.

About 20 technicians and six interpreters were on duty to transmit the presentations and discussions around the world. The next ADD International Textile Conference will again be held as a face-to-face event as usual. On December 1 and 2, 2022, the DWI invites you to Aachen.

Fabolose: Fabricating vegan and circular leather alternatives from bio-tech-derived cellulose

Fabulose is an EU funded project coordinated by the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF). Its consortium consists of leading research institutes, biotech innovators, and industry stakeholders who aim to create high-performance, biobased and recyclable leather-like fabrics, using efficient biotech production routes for bacterial cellulose, cyanophycin and bacterial pigments

More safety and comfort for protective clothing thanks to auxetic fabrics

When everyday materials are pulled, they stretch or elongate in the direction of the pull and become narrower in cross-section. We can also observe this property in two-dimensional textiles. Auxetic structures behave differently here. They have the striking property of not changing under tensile stress or even increasing their width or thickness. These properties are advantageous, for example, in protective textiles or textile filter media. The DITF are researching auxetic fabrics for various applications.

Panty liners prevent bacterial vaginosis

Worldwide, almost one third of women of childbearing age suffer from bacterial vaginosis. This is when the sensitive microbiome of the vagina becomes unbalanced. Such a disorder of the vaginal flora can cause urogenital infections, abscesses on the ovaries or fallopian tubes or premature births. This significantly increases the risk of infertility in women and of contracting a sexually transmitted disease or HIV.

DITF send a signal for climate protection

The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) have successfully implemented extensive investments in photovoltaic systems at their site in Denkendorf. The systems installed on the roofs of the buildings and covered parking lots have a total installed capacity of 840 kilowatt peak (kWp). The DITF invested 1.6 million euros in this with the support of the state of Baden-Württemberg. The system was ceremonially put into operation on September 17, 2025.

Textilfabrik 7.0 launched: Mönchengladbach becomes a real-world lab for sustainable textile production

With the official kick-off event of the Textilfabrik 7.0 (T7), a major transformation project for the German textile and apparel industry has been launched in the Monforts Quarter in Mönchengladbach. At the “Textile Roundtable,” an event format organized by the Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier, representatives from industry, research, politics, and the regional economy came together to jointly lay the foundation for CO₂-neutral, circular, and economically viable textile production in Germany.

STFI presents concepts for the textile circular economy and solutions for a healthy and safe life at Techtextil

Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI) has been supporting companies in developing marketable innovations for over 30 years. With a clear focus on sustainability, the environment, health and protection, the STFI offers future-oriented research, textile testing for tailor-made solutions and certification of per- sonal protective equipment. At Techtextil 2026, the institute will present ideas for the textile circular econ- omy and showcase solutions for healthy and safe living.

Cetex: Textile innovations “Made in Saxony” at Techtextil

This year, the Cetex Institut gGmbH is once again not only exhibiting but also organising a joint booth at Techtextil. Together with co-operation partners, textile innovations “Made in Saxony” will be presented on almost 85 m². The spectrum covers everything from textile machine construction and the manufacture of technical textiles to measuring and testing technology, with research and development also having its place.

YKK launches “YZiP® Light” aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) has launched YZiP® Light, a lightweight aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants, with sales beginning in late March. The introduction of YZiP® Light expands YKK’s zipper portfolio—led by the flagship YZiP® copper alloy zipper—providing customers with greater flexibility to meet diverse garment needs.

Shima Seiki showcases WHOLEGARMENT® and 3D knitting solutions for technical textiles at Techtextil 2026

Leading textile technology solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, along with its Italian subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., will be participating in the Techtextil 2026 exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany next month. On display will be WHOLEGARMENT® and other advanced three-dimensional knitting applications across a wide range of industries besides fashion apparel that are not typically associated with knitting, such as technical textiles using industrial materials and advanced three-dimensional knitting.