#Research & Development

2022-08-04

Prof. Thomas Gries on "The Recycling Problem of Clothes" at "Uni am Rathaus".

The discussion participants at the Katschhof in Aachen, Germany, far right Prof. Thomas Gries © 2022 ITA

On 20 July, Prof. Thomas Gries joined Sibylle Keupen, Mayor of the City of Aachen, Heiko Thomas, Councillor for Climate and Environment, Municipal Operations and Buildings of the City of Aachen, and Professor Marzia Traverso, Head of the Institute for Sustainability in Construction at RWTH Aachen University, at a panel discussion on "Textiles in the Circular Economy: Are our clothes becoming a problem?" at the Katschhof from 6 pm. (see picture, Prof. Gries is on the far right, source: ITA).

Textiles are - after food - the second most important consumer product in Germany: 20 to 25 kilogrammes are consumed per capita annually. Of this, 75 per cent is clothing, the rest is, for example, nappies, carpets or household textiles. However, the recycling rate is only one percent. How can this problem be solved? What can cities and municipalities do, what can science do? Is it possible to produce regionally produced clothing on a large scale again in Germany? Structural change also opens up opportunities for change in the textile industry.

Prof. Gries showed current projects on these topics and, among other things, how new textiles are produced at ITA from old blankets. The process addresses one of the main problems of recycling, the processing of mixed waste. With the process developed at ITA, pure acrylic fibres could be recovered from mixed waste and knitted into a cushion cover presented there.

The Citizens' Forum RWTHextern („Bürgerforum RWTH Extern“) and the City of Aachen had invited to this panel discussion. The event was moderated by Jens Tervooren from WDR.

Aachen Summer School: Textiles become smart through 3D printing and origami

From 21 to 29 September 2026, the Aachen Summer School will transform Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University into a laboratory of the future: over the course of a week, students will use origami folding techniques and 3D printing to develop active textile structures capable of performing programmable movements. This interdisciplinary event combines theoretical foundations with practical prototyping – from digital modelling right through to functional textile prototypes.

ITA has developed a washable digital smart jacket with real-time feedback and an AI-powered app for rehabilitation

As part of the PhysioTaix research project, the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University is developing a digital smart jacket with integrated sensors. The jacket is washable and reusable; it tracks movements during rehabilitation exercises in real time and transmits the data to an app.

From smart jackets to laser technology: Mona Neubaur explores Textile Factory 7.0

As part of her summer tour, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Mona Neubaur, visited Textilfabrik 7.0 in Mönchengladbach to experience the project’s innovations first-hand. Under the motto “smart and clean”, the visit focused on innovative technologies and sustainable alternatives for textile production - from smart jackets to the decolourisation of textiles using fungal cultures.

25 years of medical devices: ITVP combines experience with innovation

ITV Denkendorf Produktservice GmbH (ITVP) is celebrating its 25th anniversary. On October 1, 2001, ITVP was founded as a subsidiary of the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF), Europe’s largest textile research center. This spin-off company made it possible to consolidate expertise in medical technology and significantly expand production, which had previously been initiated mostly in the DITF’s cleanrooms.

An eco-friendly alternative to fluorocarbon treatments

Protective and outdoor clothing derives its durable water-, dirt- and oil- repellent properties from the application of fluorinated polymers or per- and polyfluorinated low-molecular- weight chemicals (PFCs). The beneficial properties thus achieved on textiles are offset by environmental and human health risks. For manufacturers of sports, medical, protective and automotive textiles, researchers at the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. and the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research have developed liquid-applied dispersions and solutions to functionalise textiles without the use of fluorine.

180 years of TESTEX: From Zurich silk testing to global certification

For 180 years, TESTEX has developed alongside the textile industry while maintaining the same underlying purpose: creating trust through independent and reliable measurement. Founded in Zurich in 1846 as the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute, TESTEX has grown from a local institution serving the silk trade into an international Swiss testing and certification institute for textiles and leather.