Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

With 1,700 exhibitors from 54 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 showcase the full range of innovation within the international textile industry – from new materials and recycling technologies to finishing solutions and high-performance textile manufacturing and processing technologies. The opening press conference centred on a key theme where innovation is especially strong: Performance Apparel Textiles.

Techtextil brings together 1,500 exhibitors from 52 countries. Highlights include the newly consolidated standalone segment Textile Chemicals & Dyes, as well as the Nature Performance-labelled offering from more than 110 exhibitors presenting natural and bio-based fibres and yarns. In addition, compared to the previous edition, Performance Apparel Textiles features twice as many exhibitors. Texprocess, with 200 exhibitors from 28 countries, showcases the latest developments in textile processing – from design through to finishing, shaped by automation, digitalisation and AI. One highlight is the Start-up Stars area, where emerging newcomers meet partners from industry and research directly.

Performance Apparel Textiles: High Demand, Rising Requirements Whether in sports, outdoor, fashion and workwear applications or in safety-critical fields, the demand for highly functional textile solutions is high. Rising investment in security, defence and disaster response is increasing the demand for durable, standards-compliant and technologically advanced products – and is driving innovation in the industry.

This results in different requirements – for example, for certified protective clothing with heat-resistant yarns and reinforced seams compared to fashion products. Elgar Straub, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, explains: “Only through precise, state-of-the-art processing technologies – tailored to the respective fields of application – do innovative materials become high-performance, standards-compliant and production-ready apparel solutions.”
 

Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

Functional Fabric Fair concluded its Spring 2026 edition at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon, April 7–9. The event brought together the global performance and outdoor apparel industry to explore the latest advancements in sustainable material innovation, with a strong focus on next-generation textiles, emerging technologies and future-ready sourcing.

Over three days, the fair served as a hub for discovery, highlighting how advancements in fibers, finishes and fabric engineering are reshaping performance, functionality and end-use across apparel categories.

The event welcomed thousands of industry professionals, including apparel executives, product developers, designers, and sourcing leaders from brands such as Adidas, Alo, Amazon, Arc’teryx, Bass Pro Shops, Brooks Running, Columbia Sportswear Company, Eddie Bauer, HOKA, Lululemon, New Balance, Nike, Nordstrom, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, REI, Rhone, Tommy Bahama, Under Armour, Vuori and more.

The workshop was followed by two full days of exhibit hall sourcing and Expert Talks programming, where attendees explored how new materials and technologies from more than 300 certified sustainable suppliers who presented cutting-edge fabrics, trims and finishes for the Spring 2027/2028 seasons. Innovations on display ranged from biobased and non-petroleum materials to advanced moisture management, durability enhancements, and multifunctional fabric constructions.

Following a successful Spring 2026 edition, Functional Fabric Fair will continue its 2026 schedule with upcoming events in New York City.
 

Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

From start-ups to universities and research institutes: at Techtextil and Texprocess, the world’s leading innovation trade fairs in Frankfurt am Main, exhibitors present future-oriented concepts for the global textile industry. With the international Campus & Research area, a strong participation from start-ups and the latest AI applications for textile processing, both trade fairs showcase current developments in the textile industry. By bringing together innovation, research and application, they enable new partnerships across the textile value chain.

About 20 start-ups exhibit their ideas and technologies on the exhibition grounds. At Techtextil, numerous newcomers present innovative approaches to fibres and yarns: the Swiss company Climatex displays circular textile technologies and fully recyclable products, whilst qCella (Switzerland) showcases a cellulose fibre innovation and ultra-thin surface heating technology. R.O.A.M Systems (USA) presents a new type of nonwoven fabric production using additive fibre placement. At Texprocess, the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab, Hong Kong) demonstrates an AI-supported textile inspection technology for automated textile fault detection and real-time quality control. The Bulgarian start-up Prodactive Solutions showcases, among other things, an AI-supported SaaS platform for production control in the apparel industry. These and other start-ups can be easily found via a sign at their exhibition stands and in the online exhibitor search.

AI can be experienced first-hand at Techtextil and Texprocess: visitors can interact with two robots at the Style 3D/Assyst booth. The company demonstrates how training software can be used to manage complex processes in apparel production. The Italian exhibitor Willy Italiana presents a checklabel machine that uses self-learning AI to inspect the quality of ribbons and labels. The Spanish exhibitor Picvisa Machine Vision Systems demonstrates how AI-supported optical sorting systems can assist recycling processes by identifying and separating textiles by material or colour. Exhibitors and presentations on the topic of AI can be easily found with the “Texpertise Focus AI” sign.
 

Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

Yarn Expo Spring 2026 wrapped up successfully on 13 March, as a record-high of over 600 exhibitors from 12 countries and regions welcomed over 25,000 visitors from 113 countries and regions. Held across 27,000 sqm in Hall 8.2 of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the fair spotlighted the textile industry’s accelerating shift toward a lower-impact, more functional future. Exhibitors showcased eco-friendly organic, regenerated and recycled yarns and fibres, plus innovative options like sweat-resistant and high-performance fibres. Beyond the show floor, a strong fringe programme added depth to the experience, giving fairgoers practical market insights and fresh opportunities to build quality business connections.

Global reach and diverse industry participation
The visitor figures – up by 7% compared to the previous edition – underscore the fair’s role as a key sourcing hub in Asia, with top visiting countries and regions including Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Türkiye, US and the Vietnam. Meanwhile, exhibitors from China, India, Pakistan, Taiwan and other markets represented a balanced mix of established and emerging suppliers, with a rising focus on recycled, regenerated and next-generation fibres.

Across the International Zone and seven product-focused zones – Cashmere Yarn, Cotton Yarn, Chemical Fibre, Fancy Yarn, Linen Yarn, Silk Yarn and Wool Yarn – the fair presented a broad spectrum of conventional and specialty solutions. Products with certifications including BCI, GOTS and GRS were prominent, including recycled polyester for activewear and organic cotton for low-impact apparel. New exhibitors like Toray Industries Inc (Japan), debuting its Premium GOUSEN select high-function fibres overseas, and Circ Inc (USA), with its polycotton-to-polyester/lyocell recycling, drew strong interest among domestic buyers. Various Indian exhibitors presented water-saving Kasturi Cotton, while NORGIIS GROUP (UK) offered premium air-jet and ring-spun cottons from Uzbekistan, Türkiye and Turkmenistan, further expanding the sustainable offerings.

Complementing the exhibitor displays, a series of innovation-focused fringe events – such as Tongkun China Fibres Fashion Trends 2026/2027 Show and From Textile to Textile, Powered by Enzymatic Renewal – spotlighted forward-looking applications, trends and circular textile strategies, with the presentations and displays equipping buyers with insights into market directions and sustainable material integration.
 

Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

It’s Texworld NYC’s 20th birthday! Born in 2006 as a way to bring together professionals from across the globe — from apparel fabric buyers to product developers, designers, and merchandisers to manufacturers — Texworld NYC is now one of the largest sourcing events on the East Coast, attracting thousands of new and returning buyers each year.

“Over the past 20 years, Texworld NYC has become an important meeting point for the global textile supply chain and the North American apparel market,” said Jennifer Bacon, Vice President of Fashion and Apparel Shows. “Being in New York, one of the world’s fashion capitals, has allowed the show to connect international manufacturers with designers, brands, and sourcing professionals who are shaping the future of the industry.”

Printsource, the premier hub for surface and textile design, will be back at Texworld NYC for the Summer 2026 edition, July 20 - 31. This will mark three years in a row that Printsource has been able to host the world’s top creative talent, and the value added by being co-located with Texworld NYC is undeniable. Printsource showcases hundreds of collections by surface and textile design studios and agents around the world — including England, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, and the U.S., to name a few — in categories spanning apparel, bed & bath, kitchen & tabletop, paper goods & stationery, wall coverings, and window fashions.