#Smart Textiles

2023-03-09

SmartX Community meets at LOPEC!

The SmartX Community met at LOPEC, an annual exhibition and conference highlighting the latest developments in printed electronics, a crucial technology for integrating electronic components into wearables, creating lightweight and flexible devices that can conform to the shape of the body.

On 1-2 March, members of the SmartX Community had the chance to catch up and collaborate at LOPEC in Munich, Germany.

Textile ETP's Project Manager and SmartX Community Manager Judith Bosch visited the fair, meeting SmartX Community members CeNTI, Sefar, Elitac Wearables and InnovationLab. Two of them, CENTI and InnovationLab, showcased their latest innovations: CENTI introduced their latest wearable technology, while InnovationLab demonstrated their energy-efficient prototypes, highlighting the possibilities of printed electronics in creating sustainable and environmentally-friendly devices.

One of the interesting developments showcased at LOPEC was the use of printed electronics in textiles, which offers new possibilities for integrating electronic components into clothing. This technology has the potential to create smart textiles that can monitor health and fitness, among other applications. Additionally, new circular economy inks were demonstrated, which can reduce waste and make printed electronics more sustainable. The fair also showcased new pilot plants that can produce wearable electronic devices more efficiently, making them more cost-effective and accessible to consumers.

The fair was an exciting platform for exploring the potential of printed electronics in driving innovative smart textile solutions across diverse markets. The SmartX Community believes that the LOPEC fair and the innovations showcased will bring interesting potential with continued research and development.

LOPEC is an annual exhibition and conference showcasing the latest developments in printed electronics, highlighting several new approaches to this technology, and taking place in Munich, Germany. The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to discover trends and technological developments on their applicability to testing.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

Catching heart disease early with AI-based sensor system

It slips on like a normal vest: Fraunhofer IZM has created a smart sensor system in cooperation with the Charité and the Technical University of Berlin. The vest records a vast array of cardiovascular parameters, which an AI-based system uses to support medical diagnostics and spot potentially dangerous developments.

Intelligent textiles for construction, architecture and mobility: Smart Textiles User Forum in Stuttgart

When textiles are equipped with electronic components, conductive yarns and textile sensors, the application possibilities are almost unlimited. These high-tech textiles are a global growth market. In Stuttgart, manufacturers, users and researchers presented amazing examples of applications in construction, architecture and mobility. The appropriate standards ensure quality and safety.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.