#Associations

2025-04-19

StitchTogether project - Turkish social partners present the Istanbul Declaration

On 8-9 April 2025, social partners from the Turkish textile industry met in Istanbul to discuss different topics such as the green and digital transition, due diligence and brand responsibility, skills and training in the textile sector, as well as the next steps in their efforts to achieve broader and more effective social dialogue.

In the context of the EU-funded StitchTogether project, which aims at promoting social partnerships in the European Textiles and Clothing Industry in seven countries in the EU and Türkiye, this seminar was also the occasion to draft the Istanbul Declaration: a joint statement to emphasise the social partners’ strong commitment to work together.

The meeting in Türkiye brought together representatives of the Turkish textile industry, including the Turkish employer association (TTSiS), national trade unions (Teksif, Öz Iplik Is, DiSK Tekstil), brands representatives, the Ministry of Labour and stakeholders from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Social Labour Convergence Programme, to discuss the future of the industry.

Together, social partners call upon the Government and the European Union to support the upcoming transformation of the textile and clothing industries, technology and skills upgrades, regional development and just transition. The Istanbul Declaration also includes a series of priorities, confirming social partners’ commitment in working together for a more competitive and fair Turkish textile industry.

Judith Kirton-Darling, IndustriAll Europe's general secretary stated that “There are more than 1 million workers in the textile industry in Türkiye, who are facing many challenges which they have to adapt to. We stand in solidarity with our Turkish partners and recall the fundamental importance of freedom of association and freedom of collective bargaining in both law and practice, essential for the sector’s economic resilience.”

Dirk Vantyghem, EURATEX Director General, stressed that “Turkish companies face important challenges to adapt to a fast changing environment. This requires flexibility and joint efforts from workers and employers alike, to remain competitive. A constructive and open social dialogue is critical in this regard.”

European and Canadian textile associations call for stronger transatlantic cooperation

Ahead of the EU–Canada Summit in Montréal on 29–30 October 2026, EURATEX, the Canadian Textile Industry Association (CTIA) and the Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF) have issued a joint statement calling for closer industrial cooperation, improved implementation of the CETA trade agreement and stronger partnerships in innovation, sustainability and advanced textile technologies.

EURATEX urges Member States to prioritise competitiveness in the next EU budget

Ahead of crucial discussions among EU Member States on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034, EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, calls on European leaders to safeguard ambitious funding for industrial competitiveness and ensure that these resources translate into concrete investment support in European companies.

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.

New momentum for British textile machinery in India

The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is looking to India ITME 2026 as a major opportunity to strengthen industrial partnerships and mutually expand exports, following the introduction of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement and the formation of the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition (UKITMC).

Data and skills, not algorithms, hold back AI adoption in textiles, finds ITMF and ITA white paper

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) and the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA) have published a new white paper entitled AI in the Textile Value Chain: A Strategic Guide to Artificial Intelligence for the Global Textile Industry. The study concludes that the main barriers to artificial intelligence adoption in the textile and apparel industry are not technological limitations, but poor data integration, skills shortages and gaps in governance. According to the authors, further progress will depend on coordinated efforts to develop capabilities across the industry.

Stäubli to introduce new S3292 dobby for high-speed weaving at ITME India 2026

Stäubli will introduce its new S3292 dobby at ITME India 2026, taking place from December 4 to 9 at the India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Designed for high-speed air-jet weaving, the new machine will be among the highlights of the company's presentation, which also includes warp preparation systems, cam motions, Jacquard technologies and digital services.

DITF develops bio-based binding fibers for wood-fiber insulation materials

As part of the CelluWoodFlex project, the German Institutes of Textile- and Fiber-Research in Denkendorf (DITF) are developing bio-based cellulose ester fibers as alternative binding fibers for flexible wood fiber insulation materials. In addition to the spinning process and the production of suitable staple fibers, the institute is also investigating how wood and cellulose fibers can be separated and recycled at the end of their useful life.

Reju expands textile-to-textile recycling network with six international fabric manufacturers

Reju, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, is expanding its industrial network through collaborations with six fabric manufacturers in Europe and the Americas. The initiative aims to accelerate the integration of regenerated polyester into textile manufacturing and support the development of finished fabrics for commercial applications.

Magnera highlights HighPleat™ filtration media technology at FiltXPO 2026

At FiltXPO 2026, held on October 28–29 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Magnera highlighted advances in air filtration media architecture, with a particular focus on its HighPleat™ platform for MERV 8–10 applications. The technology combines a lofted fiber structure with optimized pore architecture to address the challenge of balancing filtration efficiency, airflow resistance and contaminant-holding capacity.