The two trade fairs Techtextil and Texprocess in Frankfurt am Main last week showed how much innovative power there is in the textile industry. Around 1,700 exhibitors from over 100 countries presented new solutions for performance textiles and their processing. At the same time, it became clear in many conversations: There are many good ideas – the main challenge lies in implementing them on an industrial scale.
More than 36,000 visitors from 112 countries used the trade fairs to find out about current developments and talk about the state of the industry. It also covered the noticeable burdens caused by geopolitical uncertainties, disrupted supply chains, high energy and raw material prices and growing regulatory requirements. “The volatile market developments are permanently changing business models,” says Detlef Braun, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt. “Connectivity, flexibility and speed are key success factors in this environment. The relevant players come together at Techtextil and Texprocess to convert ideas into applications more quickly.”
Recycling innovations and reduced dependence on fossil raw materials
While at the last event two years ago the topic of sustainability was still clearly at the center of many innovations, this year it became clear that it continues to be a major concern in the industry – albeit less loudly and less as the sole driver.
An example of this is the theme “Nature Performance”, under which natural and bio-based alternatives to classic chemical fibers were presented at the trade fair. The focus was on materials that combine sustainability with high performance and at the same time reduce CO₂ emissions and are recyclable. For example, the sewing thread specialist Amann presented the first sewing thread made from cellulose – without a polyester core, and Oceansafe presented a high-performance polymer based on bio-based and recycled raw materials that can be scaled up for industrial use.
The US fiber and technology provider The Lycra Company is also increasingly relying on bio-based fiber components and at the same time is working on recycling solutions. “It used to be thought that Lycra fabrics couldn’t be recycled – but that’s not true. It’s a question of technology,” says Arnaud Ruffin, Vice President Brands & Retail Business at The Lycra Company. Today it is possible to separate mixed fibers containing Lycra into their components, such as polyamide and Lycra. In order to further develop these technologies, a collaboration began in December between RadiciGroup – through the research division Radici InNova -, the underwear manufacturer Triumph and The Lycra Company. The aim is to recycle production leftovers and test the processes under real conditions. At the same time, solutions for recycling post-consumer waste are already being worked on, says Ruffin.
The equipment is also moving towards bio-based starting materials, such as the German textile chemistry specialist Rudolf. The company has developed a bio-based finish that has thermoregulating properties and prevents heat build-up. Water-repellent finishes that are free of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) continue to be an important topic in the industry. It was only in January of this year that Greenpeace in Austria had jackets from C&A tested positive for various “perpetual chemicals” and made public that limit values had been exceeded. Significantly more testing is now being carried out, says Alexander Hanel from Rudolf, although the problem with PFAS in particular is that these substances can now be detected everywhere due to cross-contamination. “It’s hard not to find them now,” says Hanel. A general ban on PFAS in the clothing industry has been discussed for several years. Extensive restrictions already exist in France, Denmark, Norway and some US states. Rudolf has been offering PFAS-free equipment since 2004.
Sustainability remains – but under new circumstances
Sustainability remains an important focus, but with a noticeable change in perspective. Just a few years ago, the main aim of the European Green Deal was to make the textile industry more sustainable and climate-friendly. Although this vision remains, it is increasingly being supplemented by a second central question: How can ecological transformation be reconciled with industrial competitiveness in Europe? Against the backdrop of global crises, disrupted supply chains and growing geopolitical tensions, the political focus in Brussels has expanded significantly, explains Dirk Vantyghem from the European textile and clothing association Euratex. The Green Deal has now become a “Clean Industrial Deal” in which competitiveness, security of supply and strategic autonomy are given greater focus.
“The last few years have overwhelmed many companies,” says Vantyghem. “There were too many new rules, especially for small and medium-sized companies. Now the pace should be slowed down.” The high EU standards and compliance requirements should continue to apply, but in the future they should also be enforced more consistently for companies that sell in Europe – not just for those that produce here. This means that large international fast fashion providers in particular are moving more into the focus of regulation.
At the same time, the EU is planning closer and centralized control through a common customs authority to improve enforcement of rules. Public procurement should also be used more to strengthen European companies and promote investment in domestic industry. In addition, the EU is increasingly relying on new international partnerships in order to reduce existing dependencies, for example on China or the USA.
Automation and AI: Big promises, difficult reality
The automation and further development of production has played a central role in the textile industry for years – and was particularly tangible at the trade fair. For example, sewing machine manufacturers such as Dürkopp Adler showed their latest sewing machines, while machine builders presented concepts with which simple products can be manufactured completely automatically, such as keychains or similar standard products. An artificial intelligence (AI)-driven fabric inspection from the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design in Hong Kong also detects defects on textile surfaces more reliably and quickly than the human eye.
Overall, AI, robotics and sensors are considered to be the central drivers of the next production stage, even if implementation is still lacking. “Robots can already understand textiles, but the industry cannot yet,” said Massoud Sattari Torki from the ITA Group, meaning less the individual step that robots can carry out and more the digitization and automation of entire processes. Textiles are highly variable, which is why classic automation has its limits. Closed control loops are therefore required in which sensors and movement work closely together. At the same time, fragmented data, a lack of integration and high costs slow down scaling. “Too many solutions remain stuck in the pilot stage,” says Torki, calling for more real-world implementations. The aim is not to replace workers, but to supplement them, also because of the increasing shortage of skilled workers.
Product development can also be digitized and made more efficient with the help of 3D simulation and artificial intelligence. “AI is the most important topic at the trade fair,” says Hans-Peter Hiemer from the 3D software specialist Assyst. “In Europe, companies are just starting to get involved with AI. Asia is two years ahead of us.” Assyst has therefore started training an AI for the language of fashion. This is not just intended to solve communication problems, an AI that understands fashion terms can analyze collections more quickly, structure trends or generate design ideas without having to translate everything into technical parameters. This accelerates processes such as prototyping or variant development.
Further innovations from the areas of robotics and automation: Robot systems that can grab and stack layers of material either using airflow or through targeted freezing. Robotextile’s airflow solution is already being used at C&A and Vaude, says co-managing director Michael Müller. “Falling robot prices, labor shortages and nearshoring are driving automation,” he is convinced.
Military as a growth market: demand for protection and origin is increasing
A clear trend at Techtextil and Texprocess was the growing importance of the military and security segment for the textile industry. The fact that there is currently increased investment here was noticeable at many stands. At the same time, the boundaries between classic workwear, outdoor and military applications are increasingly blurring.
“Workwear and, increasingly, military wear are extremely popular,” says Michael Pümpel from the Austrian fabric producer Getzner Textil, which, among other things, develops materials for ballistic vests and infrared camouflage. The production location is also becoming more important: “The armed forces of course pay first attention to the security aspect, but it is becoming increasingly important where the products are manufactured and whether the supply chains are trustworthy.” Many clients are increasingly forgoing procurement in China and are specifically looking for European suppliers.
This is also evident among suppliers: even the button manufacturer Prym is now specifically targeting the military as a customer group and is presenting itself at the trade fair in a military look.
Against this background, “Made in EU” takes on a new dimension. For a long time the term primarily stood for sustainability, but today aspects such as safety, reliability and strategic independence are increasingly coming to the fore. The demand for regional production structures is growing accordingly – to which the EU regulations now want to respond quickly.