Techtextil, to be held during May 14 to 17, 2019, will bring together more exhibitors from even more countries than before. Around four months before it opens its doors, Techtextil is almost fully booked, exceeding once again booking levels for the previous event. With its trend theme, ‘Urban Living – City of the Future’, the leading international trade fair also takes a look ahead to see how technical textiles will shape urban life in the future.
“Every two years, Techtextil mirrors the range of applications for textile materials. Leading international experts from the most diverse industries – be they from architecture, the automotive industry, medicine, the fashion industry or personal protection – come together at Techtextil in search of lightweight, durable and sustainable materials”, says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President – Textiles and Textile Technologies, Messe Frankfurt.
The suppliers at Techtextil represent the complete spectrum of technical textiles and nonwovens. There is a significant increase in the number of suppliers in the fields of technology, as well as fibres and yarns.
Suppliers of woven fabrics, coated textiles and functional apparel textiles are also strongly represented. All areas of application for textile materials are covered. In particular, representatives from industry, architecture and construction, the fashion and clothing industry, the automotive sector, aerospace, medicine, sport, and hazard protection will find a more comprehensive range of products than before.
Textile solutions for life in the city of the future
In collaboration with ‘Creative Holland’, the Dutch creative industries, Techtextil is dedicating an exhibition space to life in the city of the future with the ‘Urban Living – City of the Future’ special event. According to the United Nations, nearly 70 per cent of all people are expected to be living in metropolises and megacities by 2050. This poses new challenges for living and mobility concepts, as well as food supplies and health services provision. Functional apparel, with smart functions for example, could also play an even more important role in people’s everyday lives in the future. The Techtextil and Texprocess exhibition area will be presenting examples of textile applications. In addition, an accompanying complementary programme will offer insights into the industry.
On all four days, the trade fair will offer a new format of lectures, discussions and interactive sessions with the Techtextil Forum. The forum, which replaces the Techtextil Symposium and all Techtextil participants will be able to access it free of charge. Trade visitors can look forward to contributions in the thematic areas: sustainability, digital transformation, smart textiles, urban textiles, composites, and technical textiles in medical technology.
In addition, both the Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress (GFC) and the textiles competence centre at the General Association of the German Textile and Fashion Industry are organising a thematic block.
Awards for innovative ideas
For the 15th time now, Techtextil will be giving the Techtextil Innovation Award for outstanding new and further developments in the field of technical textiles, nonwovens and functional apparel fabrics. Both the exhibitors and non-exhibitors at Techtextil can take part in the competition. Entries can be submitted online up till February 18 next at: www.techtextil-award.com.
Also for the 15th time, Techtextil will be giving awards to students and young professionals for their work, as part of the ‘Textile Structures for New Building’ competition. The online application deadline is February 24 at: www.techtextil-student.com. All the award-winning works and ideas will be presented in special shows.
Focus on sustainability
Sustainability is one of the central themes of the upcoming Techtextil and Texprocess. For the first time, the two fairs will be showcasing their exhibitors’ efforts towards sustainability. The Techtextil and Texprocess Innovation Awards give prizes for sustainable textile innovations and processing approaches.
In addition, the Texprocess Forum will offer a thematic block exclusively around the theme of sustainability in the textile and fashion industry, with an offshoot of Fashionsustain, Messe Frankfurt’s conference on sustainable textile innovations.