Techtextil And Texprocess 2026 Highlight Innovation As Key Driver Of Textile Industry
At a press conference ahead of Techtextil and Texprocess 2026, industry leaders emphasized innovation as the textile sector’s response to economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and restrained investment. The discussion highlighted how technologies from AI and automation to sustainable materials and circular production models are transforming development and manufacturing.
“Especially in times of restrained investment, innovative strength becomes crucial,” said Olaf Schmidt, VP Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt. “The Innovation Awards at Techtextil and Texprocess showcase solutions that turn research into market-ready applications and partnerships.”
Elgar Straub, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, noted that innovation drives both efficiency and growth, enabling flexible production and resource conservation through digitalization, automation, and AI.
Walter Wählt, Chairman of the Texprocess Innovation Award, highlighted how 3D design, virtual prototyping and AI shorten development cycles and reduce material usage, while underscoring that human creativity remains indispensable.
António Braz Costa, Chairman of the Techtextil Innovation Award, stressed the importance of translating research and advanced materials into industrial processes to make sustainability economically viable. Recycling technologies, circular solutions and new materials only create impact when applied at scale — a bridge facilitated by trade fairs and the Innovation Awards.
The Techtextil and Texprocess Innovation Awards spotlight pioneering solutions in technical textiles, nonwovens and textile processing, showcasing how AI, new materials and sustainable production are shaping the industry’s future.
The fairs will take place 21–24 April 2026, with Innovation Award winners announced from 14 April 2026.
