The new Obertshausen facility gives brands, mills and technology partners a shared platform to move textile ideas from concept to industrial production.
Karl Mayer has opened its new Textile Innovation Center at its headquarters in Obertshausen, Germany, strengthening its role as a technology partner for warp knitting, warp preparation and technical textiles. The opening week, held from April 21 to 24, ended with a ceremony attended by around 220 international guests, including customers, brands and partners from across the textile value chain.
From machinery showroom to development platform
The new centre is designed as more than a demonstration space. Karl Mayer is positioning it as a collaborative development environment where customers and partners can test materials, refine processes and convert ideas into market-ready textile solutions.
Chief executive Lutz Wolf described the centre as a milestone in the company’s strategic development, stressing its role in turning concepts into practical applications through cooperation and open exchange. Karl Josef Mayer, representing the founding family and serving on the Supervisory Board, said the investment reflected the company’s confidence in the future value of textiles and its commitment to the wider industry.
Scale, machines and applications
The Obertshausen TIC covers 5,000 square metres and is equipped with 14 advanced machines. It brings warp knitting, warp preparation and technical textile capabilities into one integrated platform, allowing faster product development from initial concept through to industrialisation.
The centre includes a dedicated showroom covering applications in fashion, apparel, sports textiles, footwear, home textiles and technical textiles, with particular attention to future-oriented workwear. A keynote by Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy of New Balance Athletics highlighted how warp knitting technologies can support advanced footwear innovation.
Global innovation network
The facility forms part of Karl Mayer’s wider innovation network, which also includes centres in China and Japan. Across these locations, about 15 specialists work on materials, processes, machinery and textile applications.
The centre also features an Inspiration Hub, drawing on nearly 90 years of design knowledge, and the Karl Mayer Academy, which provides practical training for real production needs.
The next test will be how effectively the TIC converts collaboration into commercial products. For customers, its value will depend on faster development cycles, validated production routes and clearer pathways from design inspiration to scalable textile manufacturing.
