#Techtextil 2026

2026-04-21

Techtextil & Texprocess 2026: Global benchmark for textile innovation – Performance Apparel Textiles takes centre stage at the opening

With 1,700 exhibitors from 54 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 showcase the full range of innovation within the international textile industry – from new materials and recycling technologies to finishing solutions and high-performance textile manufacturing and processing technologies. The opening press conference centred on a key theme where innovation is especially strong: Performance Apparel Textiles.

Techtextil brings together 1,500 exhibitors from 52 countries. Highlights include the newly consolidated standalone segment Textile Chemicals & Dyes, as well as the Nature Performance-labelled offering from more than 110 exhibitors presenting natural and bio-based fibres and yarns. In addition, compared to the previous edition, Performance Apparel Textiles features twice as many exhibitors. Texprocess, with 200 exhibitors from 28 countries, showcases the latest developments in textile processing – from design through to finishing, shaped by automation, digitalisation and AI. One highlight is the Start-up Stars area, where emerging newcomers meet partners from industry and research directly.

Techtextil and Texprocess rank among the most innovation-driven trade fairs worldwide. Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, states: “A good idea that remains in the laboratory changes nothing. A technology that does not scale solves no problem. The real lever is the ability to translate innovations into market-ready solutions – from fibre to application, from prototype to product. That is precisely what Techtextil and Texprocess stand for.”

Performance Apparel Textiles: High Demand, Rising Requirements Whether in sports, outdoor, fashion and workwear applications or in safety-critical fields, the demand for highly functional textile solutions is high. Rising investment in security, defence and disaster response is increasing the demand for durable, standards-compliant and technologically advanced products – and is driving innovation in the industry.

The curated section “Performance Apparels on Stage” in Hall 9.0 exemplifies textile responses to these requirements. An independent expert jury has selected exhibits that perform under real-life conditions – from flame-retardant protective clothing, UV protection, and thermoregulation solutions to integrated technologies. Judith Bosch, Senior Manager Smart and Technical Textiles at ETP and jury member of “Performance Apparels on Stage”, explains: “Requirements have become significantly more complex. Today, performance textiles must fulfil several functions simultaneously –

protection, comfort, durability and sustainability. This can only be achieved through the close integration of material innovation and processing technology.”

This results in different requirements – for example, for certified protective clothing with heat-resistant yarns and reinforced seams compared to fashion products. Elgar Straub, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, explains: “Only through precise, state-of-the-art processing technologies – tailored to the respective fields of application – do innovative materials become high-performance, standards-compliant and production-ready apparel solutions.”

Three examples from the opening press conference illustrate the breadth:

Molotov Cocktail Protective Suit (Saxon Textile Research Institute): Developed for special units on prolonged deployments of ten hours or more, the suit provides reliable protection against fire attacks while remaining lightweight and breathable. It is based on an optimised fibre blend, a precise yarn and fabric construction, and an innovative weaving process.

Warp Knitted UV Protection Jacket (KARL MAYER Textilmaschinen GmbH): UV protection 50+ – entirely without chemical finishing. The protective effect is achieved solely through the dense warp-knitted structure. At the same weight, the material is more breathable than comparable circular knits and offers excellent wearing comfort: lightweight, cooling, soft and shape-retaining – while also meeting modern design requirements.

Royotec Timeless: GRS Multi-Norm PPE Fabrics (Tejidos Royo): Multi-risk fabric for CE-certified PPE with inherent flame retardancy and a 25 per cent recycled component. The protective properties are maintained even after 100 industrial washes – whilst retaining elasticity and offering a significantly longer service life.

Live demonstrations at “Performance Apparels on Stage” will bring the exhibits to life several times a day from 21 to 24 April.

Heimtextil Trends 27/28: ‘Home-Maxxing’ between performance and respite

Sleep better, recover faster, live more efficiently: the desire for optimisation has long since reached our homes. Under the title ‘Home-Maxxing – The Performance of Everyday Living’, Heimtextil Trends 27/28 show how our relationship with efficiency-driven thinking and technology is influencing the design of spaces and textiles. The more sleep, wellness, routines, materials and spaces are optimised, the stronger the desire for a home that does not demand even more of us.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris opens with focus on AI, circularity and new sourcing regions

More than 1,000 exhibitors from around the world are gathering at Paris-Le Bourget as Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris opens its doors from August 31 to September 2. With around 500 textile manufacturers and a similar number of apparel and accessories suppliers, the trade fair reflects the ongoing transformation of global sourcing and the growing diversification of supply regions.

Messe Frankfurt and Supima introduce Prefab – a new curated fabric sourcing event in New York City

Messe Frankfurt is expanding its international textile network with the launch of Prefab, a new boutique-style sourcing event dedicated exclusively to high-quality fabrics. Taking place 19-20 January 2027 at the Altman Building in New York City, the event will bring selected Supima member fabric mills together with senior designers, fabric directors, product developers and sourcing decision-makers from premium and luxury brands. With a carefully curated exhibitor line-up and a targeted visitor approach, Prefab is designed to create a focused business setting in which material quality, expertise and meaningful exchange take priority over scale.

FET’s revolutionary gel spinning system wins Techtextil Innovation Award

FET has received the prestigious Techtextil Innovation Award 2026 in the New Production Technology category. The Techtextil Innovation Award honours outstanding ideas in textile technology, sustainability, AI and the creation of technical textiles, selected by an international jury of experts. Ranging from new materials to new production technologies, this award recognises progressive ideas that are driving forces for numerous industries, such as automotive, medical and construction.

Young talents honoured – 60 years Walter Reiners Foundation

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.

Techtextil 2026: KARL MAYER impresses as an innovative sector partner

KARL MAYER looks back with satisfaction on its participation in Techtextil 2026. From April 21 to 24, the international industry leader used the trade show in Frankfurt to meet with numerous key customers at its booth and, at the same time, establish many new contacts. Most visitors came from Germany, followed by major markets such as Poland, the United Kingdom, Turkey, France, and Portugal.

Archroma wins ICIS Innovation Award for sulfur dye breakthrough

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, has won a coveted 2026 ICIS Innovation Award for Best Product Innovation from a Large Company for FiberColors®. These high-performance sulfur dyes are synthesized from pre-consumer wool waste, reducing industry reliance on petroleum-based inputs while contributing to the circular economy by upcycling unwanted wool that farmers would otherwise pay to dispose of.

YDC 2026 names winners in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2026 (YDC) has named its winners at the conclusion of CENTRESTAGE in Hong Kong. Ten emerging local designers presented collections inspired by personal experiences and emotions, translating their ideas through distinctive tailoring, materials and craftsmanship.

Heberlein reinforces its commitment to the Chinese market

Heberlein, globally recognised as a leading provider of air interlacing and air texturing jets for synthetic filament yarns, is consolidating its success in the Chinese market with its APh- and APe-series for DTY applications. Particularly in the field of Air Covering, Heberlein technologies combine excellent quality with significant savings in compressed-air consumption. A new service hub in Shengze City underlines the company’s long-term commitment in the Chinese market.