Frankfurt am Main, 24 April 2026 – Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 closed today after four days of intensive networking, innovation showcases and live demonstrations. The two leading international trade fairs once again proved their position as the most important platforms for technical textiles and textile processing technologies.
Techtextil brought together 1,700 exhibitors from 52 countries. A major highlight was the newly consolidated standalone segment Textile Chemicals & Dyes. The Nature Performance area featured more than 110 exhibitors presenting natural and biobased fibres and yarns. The Performance Apparel Textiles segment recorded particularly strong growth, attracting twice as many exhibitors as the previous edition.
Texprocess, running parallel, welcomed 200 exhibitors from 28 countries and showcased the latest developments in textile processing – from design through to finishing – driven by automation, digitalisation and AI. The popular Startup Stars area once again successfully connected emerging companies with established industry partners and research institutions.
Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, summarised the fairs’ impact: “A good idea that remains in the laboratory changes nothing. A technology that does not scale solves no problem. The real lever is the ability to translate innovations into market-ready solutions – from fibre to application, from prototype to product. That is precisely what Techtextil and Texprocess stood for this year.”
Performance Apparel Textiles: High Demand and Rising Requirements The strong demand for highly functional textile solutions in sports, outdoor, fashion, workwear and safety-critical applications was clearly visible. The curated section “Performance Apparels on Stage” in Hall 9.0 became one of the most visited highlights of the fairs. An independent expert jury selected outstanding exhibits that deliver real-world performance in protection, comfort, durability and sustainability.
Judith Bosch, Senior Manager Smart and Technical Textiles at ETP and jury member, stated: “Requirements have become significantly more complex. Today, performance textiles must fulfil several functions simultaneously – protection, comfort, durability and sustainability. This can only be achieved through the close integration of material innovation and processing technology.”
Elgar Straub, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, added: “Only through precise, state-of-the-art processing technologies – tailored to the respective fields of application – do innovative materials become high-performance, standards-compliant and production-ready apparel solutions.”
Three standout examples presented at the opening press conference:
- Molotov Cocktail Protective Suit (Saxon Textile Research Institute): Developed for special units on prolonged deployments of ten hours or more, the lightweight and breathable suit offers reliable protection against fire attacks through an optimised fibre blend and innovative weaving process.
- Warp Knitted UV Protection Jacket (KARL MAYER Textilmaschinen GmbH): Achieves UV protection factor 50+ entirely without chemical finishing, thanks to a dense warp-knitted structure. The fabric is lighter, more breathable and more comfortable than comparable circular knits.
- Royotec Timeless: GRS Multi-Norm PPE Fabrics (Tejidos Royo): Inherently flame-retardant multi-risk fabric with 25 % recycled content. The protective properties remain fully effective even after 100 industrial washes, while maintaining elasticity and offering significantly extended service life.
Live demonstrations at “Performance Apparels on Stage” ran several times daily throughout the four days, bringing these innovations to life for visitors.
Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 once again confirmed their role as the global meeting place where future-oriented ideas are transformed into marketable, scalable solutions for the textile industry.
