#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2021-04-29

2021 Taiwan fashion Design Award inviting new talents to the stage of Taipei Fashion Week

Taiwan Fashion Design Award (TFDA), a major annual event in Asia’s fashion industry, is now open for registration to worldwide new generation fashion designers. In the 35 years of history, TFDA has drawn over 14,000 participants and 90,000 works into the contest of top fashion design, including contestants coming from the art and fashion academy of USA, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, China, Hong Kong, Macau, etc.

2021 Taiwan Fashion Design Award Inviting New Talents to the Stage of Taipei Fashion Week

TFDA has been served the purpose of discovering new talents in fashion design over the past 34 years. Through the promotion of this contest and the cooperation between industry and design academia, the foundation of the textile and fashion industry has been enforced, and therefore, TFDA has the mission to lead designers to make the further refinement of the industry through the newly discovered design ideas and perspectives.

For the inspiration in the theme of design, the 4 keywords to note are CREATIVITY, PERFORMANCE, FUNCTION, and SUSTAINABILITY. CREATIVITY is to communicate with people in aesthetic methods. PERFORMANCE is to utilize High-tech, high-value-added textile materials to enhance comfort experience. FUNCTION is to create innovative and practical apparel, making our life better. Furthermore, the competition expects designers to focus on "SUSTAINABILITY" in terms of environmental friendliness and extending the life of materials and garments, in line with the global concern of green fashion issues.

Through this competition, contestants of TFDA from different places are encouraged to explore more possibilities in design, to enhance their skills by observing and learning from other talents. Also, they are noticed by the industry and media and extend their global vision. Hsieh, Yi-Ting, the designer who won the First Prize of 2020 TFDA, is currently studying at Fu Jen Catholic University for a Master's Degree in Fashion & Textiles. She said, "Being recognized on the stage of TFDA not only granted me the media attention and coverage, but also the opportunities to work with stylists, photographers, make-up artists, and celebrities. My design capability gained more and more recognition, which is a great encouragement for me to keep up with more excellent work."

The Finalist Designer Tang, Tsung-Chien is studying in Institut Français de la Mode of France. He mentioned, "After the competition, I received many work opportunities such as Merryson, Karomax, Sinta, Junmay Label, T-sa Tailor Shop, and Maluda Awi the Taiwanese Austronesian Craftman. I’m planning to develop my own brand in Taiwan and France."

The Chinese designer Hou, Qinglin, who currently studying at Berlin University of the Arts, stated, "I’ve been benefited a lot from my finalist fashion show during the TFDA, for example, I used my reward to have an internship at D’heygere of Paris. Getting in the finalist of TFDA is a milestone of my life and also the stepping stone of future career."

TFDA is sponsored by the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan and is organized by Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF). This year, with strong sponsorship from industry, including Lealea Enterprise Co., Ltd., Li Peng Enterprise Co., Ltd., Coddy Global Ltd. and Fortune Industrial and Commercial Development Foundation, etc. to contribute the prize reward. The Preliminary round is estimated to be held in July, only 12 of the elite finalists will be chosen to enter the final round to claim the total prize of US$ 35,000. In addition, TFDA is also supported by the Ministry of Culture, and the best works will be exhibited on the international stage of Taipei Fashion Week, and will also be presented live worldwide.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.