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#Recycling / Circular Economy

Covestro CEO leads European plastics association

Covestro CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann (c) 2020 Covestro
Covestro CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann is the new President of PlasticsEurope, the association of plastics manufacturers in Europe. The 50-year-old manager was appointed to the position on Wednesday for three years. He succeeds Javier Constante of Dow Chemical, who oversaw a fundamental reorganization of PlasticsEurope. Mr. Steilemann wants to focus the work of the association even more on driving sustainability and in particular the circular economy.

Markus Steilemann elected to head PlasticsEurope

Special focus on sustainability and circular economy

“Given the many global challenges, plastics are vital to create a truly sustainable future and to make the circular economy the new guiding principle,” said Steilemann. “In this context, it is important to use end-of-life materials and waste as a resource for new products. Under no circumstances should they continue to enter the environment uncontrolled. In addition, plastics as particularly sustainable material must be used in as many areas as possible. This is how our industry can and will help Europe move towards sustainability.”


In addition to his new position at PlasticsEurope, Steilemann has also recently been elected as vice-president of the German Association of Chemical Industries (VCI). He is also a member of the board of the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) and Chairman of SusChem, the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry. PlasticsEurope, with centers in Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan and Paris, represents around hundred companies that produce more than 90% of polymers in the 27 EU member states, as well as Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and UK.


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#Smart Textiles

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

#Techtextil 2026

Covestro to exhibit solutions for a more sustainable and productive textile industry at Techtextil 2026

Covestro will present a broad portfolio of material innovations for textile coatings, adhesive films and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) at Techtextil 2026 (Hall 11.0, Booth C79). The exhibits will demonstrate how advanced solutions can enhance durability, recyclability and manufacturing efficiency across applications such as automotive, infrastructure, protective apparel and sportswear. A particular focus will be on more sustainable coating technologies, including antimicrobial systems based on INSQIN® in combination with AGXX from Heraeus Precious Metals, as well as the integration of Pontacol® thermoplastic adhesive films into Covestro’s offering.

#Technical Textiles

Covestro showcases monomaterial concept in autonomous SUE People Mover

UE | STUDIOS has unveiled the fully autonomous electric minibus “Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle” (SUE), placing strong emphasis on sustainable material design. Developed within a project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and the European Union, the vehicle will begin public road testing this year. At the core of the concept is the consistent use of recyclable monomaterials to improve circularity at end of life.

#Textile chemistry

Covestro and Heraeus Precious Metals collaborate to enable safer, more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings

Laboratory tests reveal that AGXX antimicrobial surface technology from Heraeus Precious Metals is fully compatible with Impranil® PU dispersions which are part of the waterborne INSQIN® textile coating technology from Covestro, paving the way for more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings. This discovery comes at a key moment for the textile coatings industry. As the sharing economy continues to grow, more people are coming into regular contact with high-use surfaces, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to thrive.

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#Recycling / Circular Economy

Indorama Ventures advances circularity tthrough PETValue Philippines' “Zero Waste to Landfill Partnership” with Republic Cement

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#Research & Development

Networking Day 2026: Industry stakeholders unite around textile recycling

In 2026, the Industry Research Group (IRG) Polymer Recycling once again brought together some of the key stakeholders in textile recycling for its annual Networking Day. This year, the event took place at EREMA’s premises in Ansfelden, Austria. It brought together key players from across the textile recycling value chain for a day of structured exchange and in-depth discussions.

#Europe

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.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Circ launches first denim collection with H&M featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology

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#ITMA 2027

ITMA 2027 receives strong industry response

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#Heimtextil 2027

Heimtextil expands Bed, Bath & Living with new ‘Comfort & Connect’ area

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#Associations

Business situation weakens slightly, but the industry stays cautiously optimistic

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has published the results of its 39th Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS), conducted from 14 to 22 July 2026 among companies along the entire global textile value chain. Worldwide, 10% of participants rated their business situation as good, 53% as satisfactory and 37% as bad — a balance of -26pp, down from -17pp in May but still well above the 2023 lows. All regions are now in negative territory, from South Asia at -3pp to North & Central America at -58pp.

#Man-Made Fibers

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

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