Therapeutic patterns and mythology as design inspiration: New Talent Area curated by Trendease at Heimtextil grows

Cascale launches member-led process to shape 2030 strategy

Cascale has launched a member-led process to define the industry alliance’s strategic direction for the next decade. At the Cascale Annual Meeting 2026 in Athens, CEO Ying McGuire announced that members will contribute to an industry system map that will inform Cascale’s 10-year vision, its 2030 strategy and priorities for 2027. The new strategy is scheduled to be finalized in December.

#Nonwovens

INDA hires Ben Muller as executive director

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced that Ben Muller has joined the association as executive director. Muller brings more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning nonprofit organizations, corporations and trade associations.

#Associations

2026-09-22

ITMF names five winners of the Start-up Award 2026

Five start-ups from Switzerland, Brazil, the United States and China have been selected as winners of the ITMF Start-up Award 2026. Their concepts range from new polymer chemistry and natural-fiber biocomposites to zero-waste design, 3D weaving and enzymatic PET recycling.

#Associations

2026-09-19

HeiQ & Archroma and Lenzing & Armedangels win ITMF International Collaboration Awards 2026

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has named two industry partnerships as winners of the ITMF International Collaboration Awards 2026. The awards go to collaborations between HeiQ and Archroma as well as Lenzing and Armedangels, highlighting joint approaches to innovation and sustainability across different parts of the textile value chain.

#Research & Development

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.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Moving Advanced Recycling from Innovation to Implementation

The Advanced Recycling Conference 2026 explores technologies, markets, financing and scale-up of innovative recycling solutions for waste streams including mixed plastic waste, textiles and PVC. Europe’s chemical and materials sector faces growing pressure to close carbon loops, strengthen raw-material safety and resilience and meet increasingly ambitious EU recycling targets. Against this backdrop, the Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) will bring together industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, innovators and policy-makers on 17–18 November 2026 in Cologne, Germany.

#Associations

German textile industry and retailers form alliance to shape textile EPR system

Germany’s textile and fashion industry and retail sector have joined forces to establish the “Alliance for Textile Circularity” (Allianz für textile Kreisläufe). Initiated by the German Textile and Fashion Industry Association (Gesamtverband textil+mode) and the German Retail Federation (HDE), the alliance aims to contribute industry expertise to the development of Germany’s future Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for textiles and footwear.

#Functional Fabrics

PERFORMANCE DAYS introduces Digital Design Journey with CLO and VIZOO

PERFORMANCE DAYS will introduce a new Digital Design Journey at its upcoming edition in Munich, connecting physical fabric sourcing with 3D product development. Supported by CLO and VIZOO, the installation will demonstrate how real performance fabrics can be digitized and incorporated into virtual garment development workflows.

Arc'teryx introduces System 0™, a new framework for the future of product design and circularity

Recover™ names Enes Adak and Fehmi Yüksel as Co-CEOs to accelerate its next growth phase

ITMA Asia 2026: How Barmag is reshaping the future of man-made fiber production

KARL MAYER launches extra-wide HKS 3-M EL for increased productivity

Editors choice

Cascale launches member-led process to shape 2030 strategy

"Dynamic markets do not only create uncertainty – they also create opportunities."

Dyeing, finishing and singeing expertise now closer than ever to Brazilian customers

Rieter and partners launch Recycling Powerhouse for industrial-scale textile recycling

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Intertextile Apparel concludes with strong global engagement and future-focused sourcing momentum

Textile innovation in the form of widely applicable, scalable solutions was on show as Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2026 concluded on 27 August. The show brought together over 3,500 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions across 240,000 sqm at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), and welcomed over 100,000 visitors. Across three days, the fair served as a platform for sourcing, product discovery and industry exchange, reflecting demand for materials and solutions that balance creativity, functionality, responsibility and efficiency.

#Sustainability

Jeanologia Sustainability Report highlights environmental impact of textile technologies

Jeanologia has published its Sustainability Report 2025, reporting a 13.64% reduction in its own carbon footprint and quantifying the environmental impact associated with the use of its technologies across the global textile industry. According to the company’s calculations, their use avoided the pollution of 21.52 million m³ of water and emissions of approximately 103,530 tonnes of CO₂ compared with conventional textile finishing processes.

#Sustainability

Global Standards announce launch of a new textile processing standard

The 14th September 2026 marks the public launch of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS), a new standard for the processing of textiles made from fibres certified to third-party standards recognised by GRTS and covering a broad range of plant, animal, synthetic, man-made cellulosic and recycled fibres.

#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

Orient Rongheng connects production planning across China and Bangladesh with FastReactPlan

Chinese apparel manufacturer Orient Rongheng is implementing Coats Digital’s FastReactPlan to digitalize production planning across its manufacturing operations in China and Bangladesh. The project aims to connect capacity, materials and order planning across multiple factories while integrating these processes with the company’s existing ERP and Manufacturing Execution System (MES).

#Raw Materials

ALLIED expands down traceability with lot-level carbon footprint data

ALLIED Feather + Down has expanded its TrackMyDown traceability platform to include validated cradle-to-gate carbon footprint data linked to individual down lots. The initiative is designed to provide brands and consumers with more detailed environmental information on the materials used in finished products and could also support future data requirements associated with Digital Product Passports.

#Sustainability

bluesign launches bluepass alongside first consumer-facing campaign

With its first consumer-facing advertising campaign, bluesign is taking a new approach to making chemical management, manufacturing standards and third-party verification more visible to consumers. The UNSEEN campaign will launch on September 20 around New York Climate Week and accompanies the introduction of bluepass, bluesign’s new consumer-facing designation.

ARTICLES FROM

textile.4U

ITM 2026: The new geography of textile production

“Production is a product”

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

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

R & D Articles

textile.4U

Warp-knitted PCL nets: Degradable textile structures for regenerative medicine

Leonie Anna Hoffmann, Dr.-Ing. Caroline Emonts, Univ.-Prof. Prof. h. c. (MGU) Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gries

Shape memory polymer fibres for textile shading systems

Felix Krooss, Sandy Voebel, Safwen Rekik, Univ.-Prof. Prof. h. c. (MGU) Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gries

Processing of bio-based polymers in textile technology – challenges and approaches at the Institute of Textile Technology of RWTH Aachen University

Melina Sachtleben Dahmann, Ricarda Wissel, Dr.-Ing. Lukasz Debicki, Univ.-Prof. Prof. h. c. (MGU) Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gries

Futureweaving: Concepts for individual weaving machine optimisation

Varqha Bagwan, Univ.-Prof. Prof. h. c. (MGU) Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gries

#Fabrics

Texhibition Istanbul strengthens international sourcing profile with innovation and technical textiles

Texhibition Istanbul Fabric and Textile Accessories Fair concluded its 10th edition from 9–11 September 2026 at Istanbul Expo Center. Around 500 exhibitors presented their latest collections and developments across five halls and 42,850 sqm, covering knitted and woven fabrics, prints, artificial leather, denim, yarns, embroidery, lace, textile accessories as well as innovative, sustainable and technical textile solutions.

#Spinning

Barmag showcases pump solutions for demanding PU applications at PU China 2026

At PU China, taking place November 3–5, 2026, at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Center in Shanghai, Barmag’s Pumps Division will present high-performance metering solutions for the processing of polyurethane systems (Hall 1, Booth 135). The focus is on high-precision gear metering pumps that enable the exact delivery of PUR components as well as other high-viscosity and reactive media. With their high metering accuracy, they help reduce material consumption, stabilize processes, and ensure consistently high product quality.

#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

Lectra launches Apogy with agentic AI for fashion product development

Lectra has launched Apogy, a new cloud-based solution for fashion product development that combines product data, collaborative workflows and agentic artificial intelligence. The platform is designed to connect the different stakeholders and processes between initial design and production while using AI agents to automate tasks and support decision-making throughout the development cycle.

#Man-Made Fibers

Dutch court orders Shanghai Port Star to stop sales of HMPE link chains in EU

The District Court of The Hague has ordered Chinese supplier Shanghai Port Star to stop selling and distributing certain synthetic fiber link chains in the European Union after finding that the products infringe EU design rights held by Avient Corporation. The ruling concerns link chains made from high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE) fibers for marine and industrial applications.

#Associations

2026-09-16

Automation, digitalization and new business models are shaping the future of footwear and leather technology

The European footwear and leather machinery industry is facing profound transformations. Global competitive dynamics, technological innovation, automation and digitalization are fundamentally reshaping markets, production processes and business models. This is one of the key findings of the new study “Threads of the Future – Footwear and Leather Technology Edition”, which was presented today by VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies (VDMA TFL) during a press conference at SIMAC Tanning Tech in Milan.

#Knitting & Hosiery

2026-09-16

SHIMA SEIKI to showcase flat knitting and digital design solutions at Egypt Stitch & Tex

Leading Japanese computerized flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its sales representative in Egypt, TTS (EL MASRIA FOR TRADE & TECHNICAL SERVICES), will participate in the upcoming 24th International Exhibition for Textile & Carpet Machineries, Printing Technologies and Accessories (Egypt Stitch & Tex) to be held in Cairo, Egypt this month.

#Associations

2026-09-16

EURATEX calls for urgent action on industrial competitiveness

EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, welcomes today’s State of the Union Address by European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and in particular her recognition of Europe’s need to rebalance unfair trade, cut red tape, and strengthen its industrial and strategic autonomy.

#Raw Materials

2026-09-15

Cotton made in Africa puts farmer dialogue at the heart of agricultural training

A new manual created by the Aid by Trade Foundation and African People & Wildlife shows how Cotton made in Africa aims to transform cotton cultivation through dialogue rather than directives.

#Sustainability

2026-09-15

Wendy Woods named Chair of the Fashion for Good BV Board

Fashion for Good is pleased to welcome Wendy Woods as its new board chair, succeeding Jill Beraud as of 1 September 2026, who had led the board since 2022.

#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

Coats Digital launches AI-powered GSD RealMotion for motion analysis

Coats Digital has launched GSD RealMotion, an AI-powered solution designed to provide apparel manufacturers with greater visibility into factory-floor operations. By analysing shop-floor video and applying Coats Digital’s GSD methodology, the solution turns video recordings into structured, motion-by-motion method studies.

#Textile chemistry

Archroma and Lameirinho partner in pioneering deployment of InOneGO single-step dyeing

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, and Lameirinho, a leading home textiles manufacturer based in Portugal, are collaborating to bring InOneGO by Archroma, a new single-step dyeing process, into commercial production. Lameirinho’s first InOneGo bedlinens collection is now available worldwide.

#Knitting & Hosiery

KARL MAYER launches extra-wide HKS 3-M EL for increased productivity

KARL MAYER has launched a new extra-wide version of its HKS 3-M EL tricot machine, designed to increase productivity particularly in the manufacture of textiles for sports, activewear and athleisure applications.

#Research & Development

2026-09-11

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.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Recover™ names Enes Adak and Fehmi Yüksel as Co-CEOs to accelerate its next growth phase

Recover™, a leading materials science company and global producer of consistent high-quality, recycled cotton fibers and circular material solutions at scale, today announced the appointment of Enes Adak and Fehmi Yüksel as Co-Chief Executive Officers. This leadership transition marks an important step in Recover’s evolution as the company enters its next stage of development.

#Research & Development

ADD-ITC 2026 highlights strong industry participation

The Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference (ADD-ITC) 2026 will place a strong focus on the exchange between textile research and industry when it takes place on November 26–27, 2026, at the International Congress Center Dresden. According to the preliminary conference program, more than two-thirds of all presentations will be contributed by companies or jointly presented by industry and research institutions.

#Research & Development

Reducing development times for technical textiles by accelerated thermo-oxidative aging in a high-pressure autoclave

Synthetic polymers used in technical textiles can be effectively protected against degradation caused by heat, oxygen, and water through the use of stabilizer systems. This enables service lives of several decades, extending to more than 50 years. As the use of durable technical textiles continues to grow, so does the demand for reliable methods to predict their service life within economically feasible testing periods. For the first time the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) developed methods for robust service life prediction for textiles in an IGF research project.

#Nonwovens

25 years in the room: EDANA’s OUTLOOK™ returns to Cascais to shape a changing industry

The market does not wait, and it does not grant easy answers. Across the absorbent hygiene, personal care, and wipes sectors, business is undergoing a period of intense, necessary adjustment. New European rules on packaging, single-use items, product safety, and end-of-life are forcing companies to drop old assumptions about materials and performance. At the same time, producers must keep their goods safe, reliable, and affordable for the babies and aging adults, who rely on them every day.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Arc'teryx introduces System 0™, a new framework for the future of product design and circularity

Arc'teryx Equipment, the global design company specializing in technical high-performance apparel and equipment, today introduced System 0™, a new framework that reimagines how products can be designed, manufactured, used, repaired, and ultimately regenerated. System 0 represents the next evolution for sustainability in the outdoor industry, as it embeds circular thinking across an entire product lifecycle while maintaining the uncompromising performance standards that define the Arc’teryx brand.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

2. RETRAKT EU Conference - „Join the Circle“: Turning challenges of the textile sector into chances

On 19 November 2026, the second RETRAKT EU Conference – “Join the Circle” will take place in Brussels. The event, which focuses on the transformation of the textile sector towards a circular economy, will be held under the motto: “Turning Challenges in the Textile Sector into Chances.”

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris reflects shift towards more diversified sourcing

The latest edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris confirms the global reshaping of sourcing strategies. The offer is evolving to satisfy more selective buyers, looking for responsiveness, innovation and diversification in their sourcing options.

#ITMA Asia + CITME 2026

ITMA Asia 2026: How Barmag is reshaping the future of man-made fiber production

The textile industry is entering a groundbreaking era. Manufacturers face rising energy prices, growing sustainability demands, increasing labor shortages, and an unprecedented need for flexibility. For a globally active textile industry, where competitiveness is closely linked to production efficiency and cost leadership, this means that technology is no longer merely a means of improving operational processes – it is increasingly becoming a strategic differentiator.

#Textile chemistry

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.

#Nonwovens

From convenience to compliance: How regulations are reshaping consumer wipes

Regulatory developments are becoming an increasingly important driver of wipes innovation. At OUTLOOK™ 2026, Elisabeth Swennenhuis, Product Line Manager, Consumer Wipes at Magnera, will discuss how regulations such as the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, environmental claims legislation, and emerging circular economy policies are influencing product development and shaping the future of the wipes market.

UPCOMING EVENTS

texworld apparelsourcing, Paris

August 31 - September 2, 2026,

Paris, France

CINTE Techtextil 2026

September 1 - 3, 2026,

Shanghai, China

65th Dornbirn GFC

September 16-18, 2026

Dornbirn, Austria

#Sustainability

Action Cohort: Textile Exchange’s new initiative designed to help scale preferred production systems

Textile Exchange has published new guidance to help brands and retailers participating in its Action Cohort prepare for upcoming reporting and target-setting requirements. Earlier this year, the organization evolved its membership to create more action-oriented pathways, designed to accelerate progress toward scaling preferred production systems that create beneficial impacts and resilient supply chains and livelihoods.

#Recycled Fibers

Indorama Ventures supports KH Editions in building on its RECO experience Taking Thai circular fashion to New York Fashion Week

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, is supporting KH Editions, a Thai fashion brand that has grown through the RECO program, by providing fabrics woven with deja™ recycled polyester yarn. The fabrics have been used to create two fashion looks and accessories from the brand’s ten-look Spring/Summer 2027 collection, which will be presented in New York City, United States, on 15 September 2026 during New York Fashion Week.

#Spinning