Textile World Special Report
For those who have attended Techtextil and Texprocess in the past, the shows hold the promise of connecting with like-minded textile individuals who are driven by innovation, collaboration and the goal to take textiles to a new realm of form and function. In May, event organizer Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH welcomed more than 36,000 visitors to Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 at the Messe Frankfurt fairgrounds, featuring 1,700 exhibitors.
The organizer characterized the event, saying: “In a challenging market, Techtextil and Texprocess provided the global industry with a stable meeting place.”
With participants from 112 countries represented at the exhibition grounds, the organizer reported that the top 10 visitor countries were Germany, Italy, France, Türkiye, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Poland and Switzerland. The organizer reported growth in international attendance, underscoring the global reach of the Frankfurt shows.
Techtextil featured 1,500 exhibitors from 52 countries.
Innovation In A Challenging Market
Energy costs, geopolitical conflict and trade uncertainty were undercurrents of the May event.
Messe Frankfurt Executive Board Member Detlef Braun commented: “Volatile market developments are driving lasting changes in business models. Connectivity, flexibility and speed are key success factors in this environment. At Techtextil and Texprocess, relevant partners come together to rapidly translate ideas into applications.”
Global challenges leading up to the May 2026 event may have dampened turnout but were often overcome on the show floor — new ideas, innovations and cutting-edge companies were not in short supply.
On The Show Floor
Trützschler Nonwovens GmbH, Dülmen, Germany, acknowledged the lower turnout but was not surprised based on pre-show discussions with its clients.
“The overall situation reflects the current global uncertainty. Companies are cautious with investments and eager to cut costs,” said Matthias Schemken, managing director of Trützschler Nonwovens. “This is exactly where practical, efficient solutions become important.”
“We are seeing a clear trend toward refurbishments and retrofits,” explained Robert Koert, director of service at Trützschler Nonwovens. “Customers want to restore and exceed original performance levels.”
A Pavilion At Home
VDMA Textile Machinery had a strong presence with more than 50 exhibiting companies and seven companies at the VDMA group stand.
“The fact that Techtextil is held in Frankfurt, where our headquarters are based, has a very practical advantage for us: we can meet with our member companies face to face, practically on our doorstep. This saves both us and the companies a great deal of time,” VDMA said in a statement.”
The association also celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Walter Reiners Foundation, highlighting six decades of commitment to young engineers. VDMA representatives noted: “The event reflected on past award winners and their careers before introducing the 2026 recipients. Five graduates received awards for their bachelor’s and master’s theses, presented by Foundation chairman Peter D. Dornier.”
Innovation Awards
The presentation of the Techtextil and Texprocess Innovation Awards 2026 was a great source for discovering trends and standout members of the industry.
The organizers reported that “across 10 categories, 17 international winners were being recognized for pioneering research, innovative products and materials, as well as new processes and technologies. These innovations provide solutions far beyond the textile industry — including sectors such as automotive, aerospace, medical, architecture, construction and robotics.”
Show Floor Forums
The show floor forums were a highlight of the event, featuring what seemed like an endless progression of interesting presentations.
Sabine Scharrer, director of brand management technical textiles and textile processing at Messe Frankfurt and show director of Techtextil and Texprocess, commented: “The NASA presentation was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the trade fairs and attracted a diverse audience, ranging from textile engineers and material scientists to manufacturers, researchers, students and technology providers.
“We were particularly pleased to welcome Jane Gensler, Crew Health and Performance Domain Lead at NASA Headquarters, and Wendy Gao, Textile Material Lead at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
“Their presentation demonstrated how critical advanced textiles are — from fire protection and thermal management to abrasion resistance, wearable technologies, and future habitat concepts. The clear message: many of the challenges of future Moon and Mars missions are, in fact, material and textile challenges.
“This resonated strongly with our audience because it highlighted the growing importance of technical textiles in highly demanding applications. The level of engagement was remarkable,” said Scharrer.
“The forum was packed, and many attendees stayed afterwards to continue discussions, meet the speakers in person, and take photos. At the same time, NASA made it clear that solving these challenges will require close collaboration between industry, research institutions, and technology providers.”
This post-presentation interaction was commonplace at both the Techtextil and Texprocess forums. The forums were a strong draw but also represented the real spirit behind Techtextil.
“The [NASA] session illustrated how material innovation developed for extreme environments can create opportunities beyond space exploration,” Scharrer added. “This reflects exactly what Techtextil and Texprocess stand for: bringing together the expertise needed to turn ambitious ideas into real-world solutions.”
2026 Quarterly Issue III
