#Techtextil 2019

2019-04-04

Techtextil and Texprocess look ahead to the city of the future

By 2050, almost 70 percent of the world’s population will be living in urban regions, metropolises and megacities, according to the United Nations. This poses new challenges for construction, mobility concepts and health services, as well as for smart fashion and functional clothing. With the special event “Urban Living – City of the Future” from 14-17 May 2019, Techtextil and Texprocess are dedicating a separate themed area to life in the city of the future.

From 14-17 May 2019, “Urban Living – City of the Future” will be the key theme of Techtextil and Texprocess 2019 in Frankfurt am Main, the leading international trade fairs for technical textiles and nonwovens, and the processing of textile and flexible materials. Taking centre stage this time are the Netherlands: supported by Creative Holland, an initiative of the Dutch creative industries, a special presentation area will examine the role that textiles and textile composites can play in the future of cities and highlight an array of outstanding examples of urban textile innovations from the Netherlands.

“With “Urban Living – City of the Future” as the guiding theme, Techtextil and Texprocess are creating a shared interaction space that brings the application areas of Techtextil and Texprocess even closer together. “After embarking on a journey into outer space and into the future for the previous edition of Techtextil and Texprocess, with Urban Living we’re now coming back down to earth and into the here and now,” explains Olaf Schmidt, Vice President of Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt. “And with the Dutch creative industries, we have been able to bring the ideal partner on board to do this: on the one hand, textiles are firmly anchored in the history and national DNA of the Netherlands. And on the other, the country is practically its own metropolitan region. The design orientation of the Dutch creative industries and the innovative, forward-looking and sustainable ingenuity that sets our neighbouring country apart are perfectly in line with the positioning of Techtextil and Texprocess.”

On an area of more than 500 m2 in the foyer of Hall 4.2, which is being shared by Techtextil and Texprocess for the first time, selected examples will be showing how textile innovations can already improve the way people live together in urban surroundings today. They will refer in particular to Techtextil’s spectrum of textile solutions that are of great relevance within the context of the urbanisation megatrend: architecture & construction, mobility, medicine and clothing. Selected innovations will be shown in a disruptive architectonic landscape. The inspiring exhibition area will be accompanied by a Material Gallery showing related best-practice solutions from exhibitors and the presentation area of the Techtextil student competition, Textile Structures for New Building.

Curated by the Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and structurally implemented by Dutch architect firm Refunc, “Urban Living – City of the Future” is proving the Netherlands’ expertise in providing answers to current, social and global challenges associated with the urbanisation megatrend. Awaiting the visitors are exhibits from, amongst others, the textile upcycling pioneers DenimX, research institutes like the Hyperloop team from Delft Technical University (TU Delft), contributions from the Next Nature Network as well as independent representatives of the Dutch creative scene like textile architect Samira Boon.

In a cross-sector, collaborative and innovative way, the representatives of the Dutch creative industries will be presenting pioneering solutions to global challenges. Along these lines, they will be showing how a future urban narrative can be told from a Dutch point of view that also reflects the country’s own identity: open and transparent, bold and original, inclusive, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary.

In 2017, Techtextil and Texprocess attracted a total of 1,789 exhibitors from 66 countries and over 47,500 visitors from 114 countries.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris highlights evolving global sourcing landscape

From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will bring together more than 1,000 international exhibitors at Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. This edition reflects the new global balance of textile and apparel sourcing, highlighting a strong diversity of sourcing countries — some unexpected.

Messe Frankfurt commits further to East Africa: three textiles trade fairs during Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week from 2027

Messe Frankfurt and its Texpertise Network continue their steady, successful trajectory in the region. As Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) opened today, Member of the Executive Board Detlef Braun announced that Messe Frankfurt is licencing its three leading international trade fair brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess to Nairobi, Kenya for the first time in 2027. From now on, they will take place annually as part of the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) Nairobi.

YKK develops concept EXCELLA® zipper tape using nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.

Dedicated car seat model of SHIMA SEIKI’s P-CAM® R Cutting Machine unveiled

Leading Japanese textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, showed a special version of its P-CAM® R multi-ply computerized cutting machine dedicated to the production of car seats for the first time, at a private exhibition held over two days on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd at the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center in Aichi Prefecture.

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.

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.