#Research & Development

2020-01-24

Hohenstein advances textile sustainability with microfiber analysis.

Hohenstein has completed the development of its new method for analysing microfibreshedding from textiles. Using dynamic image analysis, the method quantifies shedding behavior and reveals previously unattainable data with practical implications for material development throughout the supply chain.

The new method is the result of four years of research at Hohenstein, published in anarticleby lead scientistJasmin Haap. The research team developed, refined and validated an analytical method that goes beyond current approaches of measuring the shedded mass to quantify fibre count, length, diameter and shape.

Further analysis can reveal the distribution of these attributes and even generate separate results for cellulosic fibres (e.g. cotton) and non-cellulosic fibres (e.g. polyester). This analysis is currently available exclusively through Hohenstein.

With this level of detail, researchers can now quantify in more detail which types of fibre and material constructions contribute most to microfibre release, leading to informed decisions in development of more sustainable textiles that shed less.Synthetic microfibres are tiny pieces of plastic released into water during mechanical stress, particularly washing. Wastewater containing microfibres eventually flows through sewage into larger bodies of water.

Along the way, synthetic microfibres attract harmful substances and pollutants from the environment, thus being able to reach sea life and entering the food chains of larger sea life and even humans. Dynamic image analysis of wastewater is non-destructive, allowing additional tests, such as filtration, to be performed for further analysis.

Filtration, the most common method to date, involves filtering the wastewater from textile laundering, then weighing the remaining particles.In November 2019, Hohenstein joined the Microfibre Consortium (TMC)as a contributing research member.

A new standard to combat plastic waste in forests

With DIN SPEC 35808 “Tree Shelter for Forestry Applications,” the testing and research service provider Hohenstein, in collaboration with Rottenburg University of Forestry, as well as forestry authorities and industry partners, has established a clear framework for bio-based and fully biodegradable tree shelters. The pre-standard defines requirements and practical testing methods designed to reduce plastic waste in forests and strengthen the long-term protection of soil and the environment.

Hohenstein publishes 2025 Sustainability Report

The testing and research service provider Hohenstein has published its latest sustainability report, outlining key progress and strategic initiatives. The report focuses on ambitious CO₂ reduction targets, the company’s new mission statement and the systematic expansion of sustainable services for customers worldwide.

New DIN SPEC assesses environmental impact of textile fragments in soil

Textile products made from synthetic fibres, finished fabrics or dyed materials release fibre fragments into the environment at every stage of their life cycle. With the new DIN SPEC 19296, Hohenstein has developed a standardised testing method to analyse how these fragments behave in soil under natural conditions. Until now, little was known about their environmental behaviour or potential ecological effects once released.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.