[pageLogInLogOut]

#Research & Development

Textile impulses for the future: Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference 2021

The event took place digitally this year. Photo: DITF Denkendorf
The Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference was held in Stuttgart on November 9 and 10. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) organized a digital event this year after the conference in 2020 was cancelled due to Covid-19. 360 participants from 25 countries and four continents took the opportunity to be present at one of the most important European technical congresses.

Permanent Secretary Michael Kleiner delivered a message of greeting from Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economics, Labor and Tourism Baden-Württemberg, who praised the successful program of the textile industry get-together. The conference is organized annually in alternation by the institutes ITM Dresden, DWI Aachen and DITF Denkendorf.

Chairs of the first day of the event (from left: Johannes Diebel, FKT, Jochen Gutmann, DTNW, Maike Rabe, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Michael R. Buchmeiser, Götz T. Gresser, Michael Doser, Thomas Stegmaier, DITF. Not in the picture: Thomas Gries, ITA). Photo: DITF Denkendorf
Chairs of the first day of the event (from left: Johannes Diebel, FKT, Jochen Gutmann, DTNW, Maike Rabe, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Michael R. Buchmeiser, Götz T. Gresser, Michael Doser, Thomas Stegmaier, DITF. Not in the picture: Thomas Gries, ITA). Photo: DITF Denkendorf


More than 60 lectures in plenary sessions and three parallel sessions were on the program. Experts from industry and research reported on research results and marketable textile innovations in the fields of high-performance fibers, fiber composites, medical textiles, functionalization and textile machine construction. The topics of the conference focused on the upheavals that the textile industry has to cope with due to the digital transformation and the requirements of a sustainable circular economy.

Chairs of the second day of the event (from left: Götz T. Gesser, DITF, Fabian Schreiber, TITV, Heike Illing-Günther, STFI, Christoph Riethmüller, DITF, Michael Doser, DITF, Ansgar Paschen, TFI, Andrij Pich, DWI. Not in the picture: Thomas Fischer, DITF). Photo: DITF
Chairs of the second day of the event (from left: Götz T. Gesser, DITF, Fabian Schreiber, TITV, Heike Illing-Günther, STFI, Christoph Riethmüller, DITF, Michael Doser, DITF, Ansgar Paschen, TFI, Andrij Pich, DWI. Not in the picture: Thomas Fischer, DITF). Photo: DITF


The possibilities for textile applications are vast. Whether mobility with fiber composites, architecture with modern building materials or smart textiles for everyday work, health or for new extraordinary sports - there is hardly any area of life where high-tech textiles do not contribute to solving future challenges. The session "quo vadis textile machine concepts" showed that there is also still a lot of innovation potential in terms of methods and processes, which is being exploited.



Under the motto "From idea to practice", the Forschungskuratorium Textil e. V. presented successful cooperation projects from the IGF-ZIM program in a separate transfer session, in which representatives from science and industry jointly developed and successfully implemented products and processes.

Götz T. Gresser (DITF, left) and Thomas Gries (ITA) lead the virtual discussion room of the first plenary session.
Götz T. Gresser (DITF, left) and Thomas Gries (ITA) lead the virtual discussion room of the first plenary session.


Speakers from this year's partner countries Portugal and Spain gave a comprehensive insight into the textile industry and research of both countries with lectures and discussion contributions.

The conference program was complemented by a virtual exhibition of companies and institutes as well as more than 100 scientific posters. Three of the poster presentations were awarded the Best Poster Award of the Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference 2021.

About 20 technicians and six interpreters were on duty to transmit the presentations and discussions around the world. The next ADD International Textile Conference will again be held as a face-to-face event as usual. On December 1 and 2, 2022, the DWI invites you to Aachen.



More News from Deutsche Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung Denkendorf

#Techtextil 2026

Stylish design made from sustainable materials – two DITF research projects receive Techtextil Innovation Awards

Materials made from domestic, renewable raw materials reduce CO₂ emissions, prevent microplastics from entering the environment, and close the material cycle. The German Institutes for Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing nature-based alternatives to synthetically produced and predominantly petroleum-based materials. Two research projects have received a prestigious Techtextil Innovation Award. NUO Flexholz and the lignin-coated material FormLig demonstrate that sustainable concepts can meet high standards of functionality and design. Both projects were carried out in close collaboration with industry.

#Research & Development

Textile cascade filter for removing microplastics from wastewater

Microplastics are now found almost everywhere, even in remote regions of Antarctica. They enter the human body through the food chain. Studies indicate that microplastics may have negative effects on the human health.

#Research & Development

Fabolose: Fabricating vegan and circular leather alternatives from bio-tech-derived cellulose

Fabulose is an EU funded project coordinated by the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF). Its consortium consists of leading research institutes, biotech innovators, and industry stakeholders who aim to create high-performance, biobased and recyclable leather-like fabrics, using efficient biotech production routes for bacterial cellulose, cyanophycin and bacterial pigments

#Research & Development

More safety and comfort for protective clothing thanks to auxetic fabrics

When everyday materials are pulled, they stretch or elongate in the direction of the pull and become narrower in cross-section. We can also observe this property in two-dimensional textiles. Auxetic structures behave differently here. They have the striking property of not changing under tensile stress or even increasing their width or thickness. These properties are advantageous, for example, in protective textiles or textile filter media. The DITF are researching auxetic fabrics for various applications.

More News on Research & Development

#Research & Development

ITA spin-off Solid Air (SA) Dynamics reaches the semi-finals of the Rice Business Plan Competition

The ITA spin-off SA Dynamics has been nominated for the semi-finals of this year’s Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC), one of the world’s most prestigious start-up competitions, held at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

#Techtextil 2026

Smart textiles can also be sustainable, eco-friendly and AI-powered – ITA at Techtextil 2026

Sports shoes made from algae, leggings made from mushrooms, filtering (diesel) oil from water, 4D textiles, recyclable, sustainable and featuring AI – this is what the ITA Group is presenting at three individual stands run by ITA Aachen, ITA Augsburg gGmbH and ITA Technologietransfer GmbH on the joint stand of Elmatex in hall 12.0 D05.

#Research & Development

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.

#Techtextil 2026

ITM presents cutting-edge textile research at Techtextil

From April 21 to 24, 2026, the Chair of Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology (ITM) at TUD Dresden University of Technology will be presenting its current research at Techtextil, the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. In Hall 12.0, Stand D41, the team will be demonstrating how it combines high-performance fibers, AI-supported digital development tools and innovative machine technologies to develop textile solutions for lightweight construction, construction, medical technology and sustainable production from atom to product.

Latest News

#Sustainability

Number of GOTS-certified facilities grow 15% globally as demand for credible sustainability standards continues to strengthen

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification continued to grow in 2025, with nearly 18,000 certified facilities worldwide, despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and rapidly evolving regulatory requirements across global textile supply chains.

#Raw Materials

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.

#Man-Made Fibers

The LYCRA Company strengthens sustainability leadership, appoints Alistair Williamson as VP of Product Sustainability

The LYCRA Company has appointed longtime executive Alistair Williamson as vice president of product sustainability, reaffirming its commitment to developing sustainable solutions for apparel and personal care products. In this role, he will guide the company’s next chapter of sustainability strategy and oversee all initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across products, operations, and innovation platforms.

#Raw Materials

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories reports major progress converting record-setting spider silk cocoon production into reeled silk

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced significant progress in the processing of its recently produced recombinant spider silk cocoons into reeled silk.

TOP