3 questions for the Director of the Techtextil/Texprocess

Now the Techtextil and Texprocess is finally taking place in person in Frankfurt/Germany, what do you hope/expect from this fair?
We are very pleased that Techtextil and Texprocess can take place again after a Corona-related break of 3 years. Finally, experts can once again exchange ideas face-to-face and establish business relationships. Over 1,300 registered exhibitors from 53 countries promise a diverse and international range of materials, products and technologies for all industries and application areas. Many exhibitors have used the last 3 years intensively for research and development. We therefore expect numerous new and further developments of the technologies and products. Visitors should not miss highlights such as the Denim Future Lab, the special show Performance Textiles in Fashion, the Techtextil and Texprocess Forum and the Techtextil and Texprocess Innovation Award areas. For the first time, visitors and exhibitors can also experience the two leading trade fairs digitally in the Digital Extension and benefit from additional offers such as matchmaking, web sessions or time-shifted streaming of Messe Frankfurt events.

At the moment, every new development, every new product should also be sustainable and environmentally friendly. What is your approach to a greener world?
Sustainable products are increasingly being offered and demanded - from innovative and sustainable fibers, yarns and fabrics, new cutting technologies, water-saving dyeing processes, future-oriented processing technologies to recycling options. This development is an important step towards a sustainable future for the textile industry. At Techtextil and Texprocess, we support exhibitors with sustainable offerings and make them recognizable to visitors as part of Sustainability@Techtextil and Sustainability@Texprocess. In addition to a label at the stand, the relevant exhibitors are listed in a small brochure and can be found in the online exhibitor search and the Techtextil and Texprocess apps. Sustainable production, processing and recycling will also be the subject of presentations at the Techtextil and Texprocess Forum. And it is a topic of the Texprocess special project “Denim Future Lab”.

What are the biggest challenges for the textile industry in times of pandemic and war in Europe?
The textile industry is currently facing economic and social challenges such as supply bottlenecks, raw material shortages, increase of costs, lack of staff, etc. Companies need to find solutions and new approaches such as regional production. It is therefore all the more important for the industry to meet and exchange ideas in person at Techtextil and Texprocess. Despite all the challenges, the industry holds great potential for the future. We look forward to developing this together at Techtextil and Texprocess and to driving the industry forward.