#Research & Development

2026-02-04

Kick-off for the Textile Production of the Future: Establishment of a Textile Technology and Development Centre in Mönchengladbach, Germany

Textilfabrik 7.0 – Vision of a connected, emission-free industrial estate of the future for the city of Mönchengladbach © 2026 Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University

The Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University, together with its partners, is pleased to announce that it has received approval for its joint initiative, ‘Textile Factory 7.0’. The goal of the project is the establishment of a technology and development centre for the textile industry in Mönchengladbach.

The vision: to create an industrial estate of the future. The partners are the Research Institute for Textiles and Clothing at the Hochschule Niederrhein, the Association of the Northwest German Textile and Clothing Industry, the Association of the Rhineland Textile and Clothing Industry, the Textile Academy NRW, and WFMG (Wirtschaftsförderung Mönchengladbach GmbH).

Instead of examining individual technologies in isolation, “Textile Factory 7.0“ combines energy efficiency, AI/robotics, and biotechnology in a single fully operational textile real-world laboratory – focusing on a close collaboration between industry and research partners.

The project contributes to the sustainable enhancement of the attractiveness and productivity of regional textile production. With the T7-Factory, new jobs will be created, and innovative textile research will be strengthened.

Join the partners on March 19, 2026, for the T7-Factory kick-off and register here!

(This event will be held in German only. Thank you in advance for your kind understanding.)

At this networking event, industry stakeholders will explore the four key topics of the T7-Factory: “On-Demand Manufacturing“, “MicroFactory Engineering“, “Digital Textiles“, and “Biosphere“. Experts from ITA will be available for the topics „MicroFactory Engineering“ and „Digital Textiles“.

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

ITA thanks its funding partners for their trust and look forward to engaging in discussions on sustainable textile innovation. If you are interested in collaborations or insights into the project’s progress, please feel free to contact them.

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