[pageLogInLogOut]

#Techtextil 2026

VDMA members at Techtextil: Smart technologies for technical textiles

At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt, the members of VDMA Textile Machinery underline their key role as global technology leaders for technical textiles and textile processing. With a strong presence of more than 50 members they will highlight how engineering excellence, innovation strength and sustainability expertise from Germany and Europe are shaping the future of the textile industry. Seven companies will be present at the VDMA group stand in the centre of hall 12.0.

VDMA member companies are internationally recognised for their high performance production technologies, enabling advanced technical textiles for a wide range of applications – from mobility, construction and filtration to medical and protective textiles. At Techtextil 2026, they present solutions that combine maximum productivity, precise process control and resource efficiency, meeting the rising demands of global markets.

A key focus is digitalisation and automation. Smart machines, data-driven process optimisation and integrated system solutions enable textile producers worldwide to increase efficiency, ensure consistent quality and remain competitive in a challenging economic environment. These technologies are essential for transforming textile manufacturing into a more resilient and future-proof industry.

Sustainability is another central pillar of textile machinery innovation. Equipment and systems from VDMA members support energy-efficient production, lower emissions and the responsible use of raw materials. In addition, the machinery manufacturers are pioneers in textile recycling and circular economy solutions, providing the technological foundation for closing material loops and complying with increasingly strict environmental regulations worldwide.

The strong presence of VDMA member companies at Techtextil 2026 reflects the significance of Germany and Europe as a competence centre for textile machinery engineering. Acting as partners to textile producers around the globe, the machine manufacturers combine decades of mechanical engineering know-how with advanced digital solutions and application-specific expertise.

“We are looking forward to Techtextil 2026, as it serves as an important platform for international dialogue, business development and technological exchange.” says Dr. Harald Weber, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Machinery.

At its group stand (hall 12.0, C55/56), VDMA will be hosting several events for member companies and trade fair visitors:

Panel discussion: Technical textiles – quo vadis?

Moderated by Dr Harald Weber (VDMA), Lutz Walter (Textile ETP), Hagen Lotzmann (Karl Mayer) and Prof. Dr Holger Erth (Textilausrüstung Pfand) will discuss current trends, challenges and requirements for technical textiles, new fields of application, further developments, sustainability and recycling, as well as the implications for manufacturing technology. Date: Tuesday, 21 April, 3 pm. (Language: English).

Walter Reiners-Foundation Awards Ceremony

The 60th anniversary of VDMA’s Walter Reiners-Foundation marks sixty years of commitment to the next generation of engineers – and VDMA will celebrate this at Techtextil!

During the event, VDMA will look back on this history through the careers of Foundation award winners from different decades. Afterwards, visitors will have the chance to meet the 2026 award winners and learn about their work. A total of five graduates will be presented with awards for their bachelor and master theses by the foundation’s chairman, Peter D. Dornier. Date: Thursday, 23 April, 4 pm. (Language: German).

Delegations from India

At Techtextil, several delegations from the key market of India will be welcomed at the VDMA stand.

VDMA is looking forward to seeing numerous member companies and visitors at these events.




More News from

#Research & Development

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

#Nonwovens

Katharina Obergruber appointed to the Management Board of Sandler AG

The Supervisory Board of Sandler AG has appointed Katharina Obergruber to the company’s Management Board. Effective September 1, 2026, the Board will consist of Philipp Ebbinghaus (CEO), Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck (currently CCO, future COO), and Katharina Obergruber (CCO). Katharina Obergruber, currently Chief Sales Officer Hygiene and member of the Management Team of Sandler AG, will assume responsibility for all sales activities as Chief Commercial Officer. She will assume this role from Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck, who will focus primarily on production and supply chain topics.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

DePoly Inaugurates its Showcase Plant in Monthey Switzerland

What if used plastic bottles, PET packaging material and polyester textiles could become raw materials just as high performing as virgin resources? That is the ambition of DePoly, a circular materials company based in Sion, Switzerland which inaugurated its Showcase Plant in Monthey on July 6th & 7th. The first depolymerization facility of its kind and scale in Switzerland, this industrial Showcase Plant represents a major milestone in the company's growth and its journey toward commercialization.

More News on Techtextil 2026

#Techtextil 2026

FET’s revolutionary gel spinning system wins Techtextil Innovation Award

FET has received the prestigious Techtextil Innovation Award 2026 in the New Production Technology category. The Techtextil Innovation Award honours outstanding ideas in textile technology, sustainability, AI and the creation of technical textiles, selected by an international jury of experts. Ranging from new materials to new production technologies, this award recognises progressive ideas that are driving forces for numerous industries, such as automotive, medical and construction.

#Techtextil 2026

Young talents honoured – 60 years Walter Reiners Foundation

At the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt at the end of April, Peter D. Dornier, chairman of the VDMA’s Walter Reiners Foundation, presented awards to five successful young engineers. Promotion and sustainability awards were presented in the categories of bachelor’s/project theses and diploma/master’s theses. Academic theses are eligible for the sustainability awards if, for example, they develop solutions for resource-efficient products and technologies.

#Techtextil 2026

Techtextil 2026: KARL MAYER impresses as an innovative sector partner

KARL MAYER looks back with satisfaction on its participation in Techtextil 2026. From April 21 to 24, the international industry leader used the trade show in Frankfurt to meet with numerous key customers at its booth and, at the same time, establish many new contacts. Most visitors came from Germany, followed by major markets such as Poland, the United Kingdom, Turkey, France, and Portugal.

Latest News

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Commission clarifies rules on plastic bottles recycling

The European Commission today adopted new rules on recycling of single-use plastic beverage bottles made primarily of polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles). These rules establish, for the first time, a methodology to calculate, verify and report chemically recycled content. This is part of the Commission’s December 2025 plastics package.

#Sustainability

Global Standards establishes new non-profit foundation to strengthen governance

Global Standards gGmbH, the nonprofit organisation behind the globally recognised Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), announced a new governance structure designed to support its long-term mission and reinforce organisational autonomy of its Voluntary Sustainability Standards and programmes.

#Textile chemistry

DyStar releases FY2025 sustainability report, marking a new milestone towards its 2030 targets

DyStar, a leading specialty chemicals company with more than a century of expertise in product development and innovation, today announced the release of its FY2025 Sustainability Report, marking a significant milestone in its sustainability journey and reinforcing its commitment to long-term value creation.

#Research & Development

TERIS reaches milestone: Fraunhofer consortium develops new standards for tire analysis

In the “TERIS” project, the Fraunhofer institutes ICT, IGD, and IWM—led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF—have reached a decisive milestone. For the first time, the teams aim to generate, analyse, and predict tire wear in the laboratory in a standardized and practical manner. As part of this milestone, results are now available on reference abrasion, particle analysis, tribological models, AI-based surface analysis, a test bench concept, and methods for accelerated aging and VOC detection. The tire industry, testing services, and environmental agencies will in future benefit from reliable, rapid laboratory procedures for emissions assessment.

TOP