#Research & Development

2019-05-23

Know-how improves a company’s profile

Review TITV Workshop (c) 2019 KARL MAYER

The second workshop, “Additive manufacturing for the textile industry”, showed once again that looking beyond the boundaries of technology creates synergist effects and generates ideas for new products. This series of events was begun successfully in January 2018 and was continued on 13 May 2019.

Second workshop entitled, “Additive manufacturing for the textile industry”, brought all of KARL MAYER’s technologies together on 13.05.2019

The next event was again organised by the Textilforschungsinstitut Thüringen-Vogtland e.V., TITV (Textile Research Institute Thuringia-Vogtland) and held at KARL MAYER in Obertshausen. “We see real potential in the new technologies. As one of the leading, global textile machinery manufacturers, we believe, therefore, that we have a responsibility to promote their development,” said Arno Gärtner, the CEO of KARL MAYER, in his welcoming address. Opportunities have opened up in the areas of design, construction and product characteristics especially, as well as by shortening the value-added processes and bringing them closer to the consumer.

Roughly 80 guests were keen to learn more about the opportunities on offer. They came from companies involved in conventional warp knitting, textile machine building, filament production and the manufacture of 3D printers, as well as from institutes and universities. The guests also included users of textiles and 3D printing processes. The extensive programme of papers certainly gave them their money’s worth. The nine speakers were experts in industry and research, and presented papers on process, machine and materials technology used in 3D printing, and also showed the results of research into end-uses.

During the workshop, KARL MAYER also presented its new TEXTILE MAKERSPACE. Like the workshop, the aim of this innovations platform is to bring together the two worlds of additive manufacturing and the textile industry – a goal that was achieved perfectly on 13 May. The guests listened with great interest to the words of Michael Kieren, the chief organiser of the TEXTILE MAKERSPACE, who spoke on the opportunities and initial results of this new platform for pioneering companies. In particular, these include the customised incorporation of electrically conductive yarns on the warp knitting machine, and the 3D printing of warp-knitted textiles.

“In particular, 3D printing is an area in which many companies have already been actively engaged to some extent,” says Michael Kieren, when speaking about the conversations he had had with participants of the workshop in the TEXTILE MAKERSPACE. “Most of their ideas have been directed at products with a unique selling point, but could be transformed just by using suitable technologies.” KARL MAYER would be involved in this process as an expert partner.

New business momentum for the Turkish warp knitting industry

Warp knitting companies can look forward to new opportunities for their business development when they visit the KARL MAYER stand at ITM. At the important trade fair in Istanbul, the industry leader will be presenting selected solutions to support customers in a market that is as important as it is difficult. The focus will be on flexibility and speed.

ADD-ITC 2026 publishes preliminary conference program

The organizers of the Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference (ADD-ITC) 2026 have released the preliminary program for this year's event, which will take place on November 26–27, 2026, at the International Congress Center Dresden. The conference is expected to attract between 500 and 700 participants from industry, research, and academia.

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.

Smart textiles reversibly change shape in an energy-efficient manner in response to ambient temperature

Self-actuating textile structures are used in a wide range of applications, such as medical technology, automation, architecture, agriculture, and the apparel industry. An example is the use of shading nets in greenhouses, which can be deployed and retracted depending on the sunlight intensity. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing textiles based on shape-memory polymers with reversibly controllable geometry.

Meadow Grove Research joins ITMF as Corporate Member

Meadow Grove Research is a commodity research firm specializing in supply, demand, and trade analysis in cotton and other soft commodities. Providing clarity to the complex nature of the global fiber supply chain is one of its most formidable services. The firm thrives on customer engagement and providing the best framework for critical decisions.

PERFORMANCE DAYS announces new focus topic & forums for October 2026

With its upcoming October 13–14, 2026 edition, PERFORMANCE DAYS is placing the spotlight on one of the textile industry’s most important transformations: “Bio-Based Materials – From Fiber to Fabric”, a two-part Focus Topic exploring the future of bio-based innovation across the textile value chain. Part 1, presented in October 2026, will focus on fibers and next-generation material developments, while Part 2 at the March 2027 edition will shift the perspective toward dyeing, finishing, additives, and processing technologies.

Febratex 2026 to be the largest edition of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas with 10 exhibition halls

Febratex 2026 will be the largest edition in the history of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas. Dedicated to the textile and apparel manufacturing industries, the event will take place from August 18–21, 2026, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a strong focus on technology, sustainability, and business generation.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues field trip brings international stakeholders closer to Brazil’s cotton production chain

How do you build trust across the global textile value chain? By opening the farm gates. This is the principle behind the Cotton Brazil Dialogues. At the end of July, the programme welcomed its first group of international participants for a five-day immersion into Brazilian cotton production, combining field visits with technical workshops to showcase the quality, sustainability, innovation and traceability behind one of the world’s leading cotton origins.