#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2016-09-07

ETP High-tech Textiles Conference demonstrates textile future in Europe

ETP, the 'European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing', will hold a High-tech Textiles Conference from 12-13 October 2016 in Brussels, Belgium. The International conference will launch the new Strategic Innovation and Research Agenda for the European Textile and Clothing Sector and will showcase the high-tech materials, advanced production technologies, new business models and growth markets for the textile industry of the future.

While the last 10 years in the aftermath of the liberalisation of global textile markets in 2004 were characterized by off-shoring of volume textile and clothing production, shrinkage and restructuring of the European manufacturing base and a search for new market niches and business models, the next 10 years will more likely see the re-emergence of European textile leadership.

Digitisation, advanced materials, high-tech processes and new growth markets offer great opportunities for Europe’s textile innovators. Companies that flexibly, yet highly efficiently make customised textile based products smartly linked with value adding services, always close to the customer will conquer global market niches. In addition, textiles will be critical innovation enablers in global growth markets such as affordable, personalised health care, smart wearables for sports and personal protection, light-weight transport systems or flexible and multifunctional construction materials or resource-efficient material solutions for renewable energy generation or agricultural productivity.

Join this high-level conference to:

Discover the new Strategic Research Agenda of the European Textile and Clothing sector for the next 10 years

Learn how digital technologies transform textile and clothing production and enable business models based on flexibility and short run production close to the end market

Explore market opportunities for high-tech textile innovations in growth markets such as health, sports, protection, construction, infrastructure or transport

Meet the next generation of European textile start-up entrepreneurs

Get first-hand information about the objectives and results of major EU-funded collaborative textile research projects

Better understand how European policies and programs support textile research, innovation and the emergence of a powerful network of regional innovation clusters

Network with leading European textile researchers and industry innovators

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

Cotton made in Africa partners receive top marks in independent verifications

Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) and CmiA Organic are two internationally recognised standards that aim to promote sustainable development in the African cotton sector south of the Sahara. To ensure the standards’ credibility among brands, retailers, and consumers, independent verifiers evaluate compliance on the ground. The verification results for 2025, now published in the Aggregated Verification & Implementation Report, were very strong: The verifiers awarded consistently very good remarks regarding management, people, prosperity, and the environment.

Bangladesh: Italian textile machinery mission stops in Dhaka and Chittagong

Technological upgrading and the transition toward higher value-added production are driving the new Italian industrial mission to Bangladesh. This year, the mission will split between the country’s two main manufacturing hubs, where Italian manufacturers will meet the leaders of the local textile supply chain in two strategic stages: July 7th in Dhaka and July 9th in Chittagong.

Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026 closes doors, advancing sustainable and innovative sourcing in South China

Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026 served as a strategically positioned mid-year sourcing platform for the Greater Bay Area, highlighting Shenzhen’s role in connecting regional demand, supply and innovation exchange across the textile value chain. During the three-day fair, over 20,000 visits were drawn from 74 countries and regions[1], as exhibitors and buyers engaged with new developments in greener, performance-led, and value-added yarn and fibre solutions. Held in conjunction with Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and PH Value, the fair underscored the benefits of closer synergy and new materials across yarn, fabric and apparel platforms for the South China market.