Global Textile Research To Converge At TIWC 2025 In Portugal
The Textile Institute has announced the full programme for the 93rd Textile Institute World Conference (TIWC 2025), set to take place from October 7–10 at the Porto Palácio Hotel and Spa. More than 100 presentations will be delivered in parallel sessions, showcasing cutting-edge global research driving the future of textiles.
This year’s conference will spotlight four converging themes shaping the sector: circularity, digitalisation, cleaner chemistry, and human-centred reform. According to organisers, these interlinked directions signal a shared global momentum towards a circular and sustainable textiles economy.
From advanced fibre-to-fibre recycling to closed-loop business models, circularity will be one of the strongest threads running through the programme. Researchers from Manchester will demonstrate how nearly half of discarded garments could be channelled into recycling, while German innovators from Chemnitz will unveil new knitting technology enabling higher recycled content without compromising softness or durability. Case studies from Bangladesh and Pakistan will highlight local enterprises already embedding recycled yarns into global supply chains.
Beyond design software, digital tools are increasingly recognised as the backbone of sustainability. Presentations will cover blockchain, digital product passports and RFID systems that track garments across their lifecycle, reinforcing trust and regulatory compliance. Advances in digital textile printing and open-source knitting software will further show how production can be localised and creative possibilities expanded.
Equally significant will be sessions focusing on the human side of the industry. Researchers will present tools supporting apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka facing climate-related risks, while the Sustainable Fibre Alliance will share progress with Mongolian cashmere herders working to prevent rangeland degradation. UK educators will discuss preparing future designers to embed ethics and circular models into practice, while new consumer research will expose gaps between brand care instructions and real-world behaviour.
“These examples will remind delegates that technology and recycling alone cannot deliver sustainability without parallel shifts in culture, education and policy,” said Stephanie Dick, CEO of the Textile Institute. “The challenges facing textiles are global, but what will emerge from this conference is an unmistakable sense of convergence and solid progress.”
