Dornbirn GFC Asia Makes India Debut, Champions Green Fibre Solutions

The Dornbirn Global Fibre Conference (GFC) Asia, the world’s largest forum for fibre innovation, made its much-anticipated debut in Mumbai on 18 November 2025. Held under the banner of the Techtextil India Symposium 2025, the event brought together global leaders, researchers and industry visionaries for a high-impact day of knowledge exchange and collaboration. Supported by the Government of Tamil Nadu as Partner State, the conference aimed to accelerate sustainable growth and innovation in fibre solutions.

Centred around the theme ‘Shaping the Future: Sustainable Growth in Fibre Solutions and Innovations’, the conference showcased innovative research on sustainable fibres, eco-friendly manufacturing, recycling breakthroughs, circular economy practices and advancements in smart technical textiles. Delegates also explored global fibre market trends, policy frameworks and business strategies crucial for driving sustainability in the textile value chain.

A joint initiative by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India and the Austrian Fibers Institute, the debut edition of Dornbirn GFC Asia reinforced India’s position as a rising global hub for textile innovation. Against the backdrop of India’s ambition to grow textile and apparel exports to US$ 100 billion by 2030, the event provided an influential platform for collaborative progress towards a greener, smarter and more resilient textile future.

Key insights from industry leaders
Chief Guest, V Amuthavalli, IAS, Secretary – Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles & Khadi, Government of Tamil Nadu said, “Tamil Nadu has long excelled in natural fibres, but there is immense scope for diversifying into man-made fibres. As Partner State for Dornbirn GFC Asia, we look forward to deeper knowledge sharing and building our technical textiles industry further.”

Guest of Honour, Uday Paul Singh Gill, Senior Partner, Gherzi Consulting, noted, “Dornbirn GFC Asia will help the Indian industry learn from European innovations. India has tremendous potential across applications from baby diapers to airbags and hygiene products. Globally, circularity, sustainability and AI will significantly reshape the industry.”

In his keynote, Bhadresh Dodhia, Director – International Trade & Finance, Dodhia Group & Co-Chairman, Bharat Tex 2025 Committee highlighted, “As India emerges as an epicentre for man-made fibres and circular supply chains, fibre-to-fibre recycling, currently below 1% represents not a gap but an enormous opportunity to convert waste into raw material.”

Reflecting on regenerative innovation, Murugan Thenkondar, President – Marketing & Global Head – Business Development, Birla Cellulose added, “This platform brings global perspectives to India and enhances meaningful interaction. With India’s population and income levels rising, the industry has immense potential, and gatherings like these help unlock it.”

Raj Manek, Executive Director & Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd, remarked, “We are delighted to bring the Dornbirn Conference Asia to India. The platform strengthens our Texpertise Network and provides the industry with critical insights into advanced technologies and sustainable practices, enhancing India’s competitive edge in technical textiles.”

Matthias W Gluth, Managing Director, Austrian Fibers Institute, stated, “Our collaboration aims to expand Dornbirn GFC’s global reach and foster year-round innovation. As sustainability and digital transformation become non-negotiable, Dornbirn GFC Asia plays a key role in guiding industry transition.”

Key industry takeaways

• India leads several developed nations in converting post-consumer waste
• Plastic bottles are widely recycled into yarn and other materials
• EPR regulations could accelerate plastic waste-to-fibre conversion
• Technology-driven collection and sorting will strengthen circular supply chains
• India shows strong potential to become a global hub for recycled polyester

The conference saw participation from leading global and Indian companies including Lenzing, Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions, Birla Cellulose, Erema Group GmbH, Dodhia Group, High Performance Textile Ltd, Pan Healthcare Pvt Ltd, TextileGenesis, Bekaert, FibreCoat GmbH and others.

Hosted alongside Techtextil India 2025 (19–21 November), the inaugural Dornbirn GFC Asia seamlessly integrated with the broader landscape of technical textiles and linked global fibre innovation with India’s rapidly advancing textile ecosystem.