#Colloquia / Symposia

2017-11-10

Aachen, Dresden and Denkendorf, together, are forming the 'textile triangle' of the future

Boasting over 600 participants most recently, this conference counts as one of the most important textile conferences in Europe. Starting in 2016, the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research, Denkendorf (DITF) are now also a co-organizer. Thus, the Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference will take place on a yearly alternating basis at one of the three sites. This year it will take place in Stuttgart from 30-Nov-2017 to 1-Dec-2017.

Parallel to the International Textile Conference, the organizers respectively launch the German Textile Colloquium as a national equivalent with changing special themes in the spring.

This year’s partner country USA is represented by speakers among others in two plenary and three keynote lectures, presenting new technologies and developments. High-class presentations and posters will showcase national and international scientific achievements and results from the fields of high performance fibers and yarns, medical textiles and medical technologies, and composites for various applications.

In addition, ADD ITC and Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V. have organized a transfer session where achievements within the IGF-ZIM program will be summarized.

The research institutions in the Aachen, Dresden and Denkendorf regions invite all interested companies, research institutes, associations and students from all over the world to participate in the lively exchange of experiences, new ideas, and information at the Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference, held at the Kongresszentrum Liederhalle in Stuttgart.

For the plenary sessions, internationally renowned contributors offer insights into industry visions, trends, and innovations from the areas of research, automotive, medical technologies and composites.

The opening plenary session on Thursday ends with a panel discussion on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Walter Reiners-Stiftung. The chairman of the Foundation, Peter D. Dornier from Lindauer DORNIER GmbH, speaks with former prize winners of the VDMA Textile Machinery Foundation for young engineers.

The closing plenary session on Friday provides an outlook on the future of textile auxiliaries and gives impulses for the development of sustainable fibers.

IGF-ZIM Transfer Event: From Idea to Practice

The well-established IGF-ZIM Transfer Event “From Idea to Practice” will again be organized by the Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V.. Attendants will be introduced to selected successful products and methods developed in co-operation between researchers and industry representatives, and effectively realized by the industry.

http://www.aachen-dresden-denkendorf.de/en/itc/

Plenary lectures:

Prof. Dr. Raymond G. Boeman; IACMI – The Composites Institute, Knoxville, USA
Prof. Dr. David Hinks; NC State University – College of Textiles, Raleigh, USA
Eckhard Reese; Daimler AG, Mercedes Benz Werk Hamburg, Germany
Dr. Pau Turon; B. Braun Surgical S.A., Barcelona, Spain
Dr. Herbert Bachus; CHT R. Beitlich GmbH, Tübingen, Germany
René Bethmann; VAUDE GmbH & Co. KG, Tettnang, Germany

Keynote lectures:

Prof. Dr. Martin W. King; NC State University, Raleigh, USA
Mary Lynn Landgraf; OTEXA – Office of Textiles and Apparel, Washington, USA
Dr. Tom Masselter; Universität Freiburg, Germany
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Felix L. Paulauskas; Oak Ridge National Laboratory/University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge, USA
Dr. Andreas Schmidt; Hohenstein Institute, Bönnigheim, Germany
Sven Torstrick; German Aerospace Center (DLR), Stade, Germany
Dietrich Wienke; DSM Dyneema, Geelen, Netherlands

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

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.

Carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre proves its worth – NRW Minister for Science Mona Neubaur congratulates ITA start-up TERNAfil

MAXCarbon technology, a novel carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre developed by ITA spin-off TERNAfil, secured third place at the HIGH-TECH.NRW Demo Day on the TÜV NORD campus in Essen. The technology combines the strength of carbon fibres with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. Mona Neubaur, Minister for Science in North Rhine-Westphalia, congratulated the team on their success and on winning prize money of 4,000 euros.

TCLF: Resilient value chains in times of crises

The textiles, clothing, leather and footwear (TCLF) industry was at the centre of the webinar “Resilient value chains in times of crises”, which took place on 28 April 2026. Global supply chains continue to face increasing pressure, raw material dependencies are growing and economic uncertainties are affecting the entire sector.

EU ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear now in force

The European Union's ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear has entered into force. Since July 19, 2026, large companies across the EU have been prohibited from destroying unsold textile products, while medium-sized companies will be required to comply with the same rules from 2030.

Eastman Naia™ brings its inside-out denim vision to Kingpins New York

Following its debut at Kingpins Amsterdam, Eastman Naia™ brings the next chapter of its denim story to Kingpins New York, taking place July 22–23. At Booth Green 7, Naia™ presents its denim proposition built around three complementary design directions: Performance Denim, Fashion Denim and Authentic Denim.