Econogy Hub Spotlights Sustainable Material Innovation Amid Evolving Sourcing Priorities At Intertextile Apparel

SHANGHAI — June 29, 2026 — Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics will return from 25 – 27 August at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), continuing to serve as a key sourcing platform for the global apparel textile industry.

Yet this sector is one that is consistently changing with the times. Against a backdrop of shifting energy markets and evolving sustainability priorities, the Autumn Edition’s dedicated Econogy Hub will spotlight next-generation natural, bio-based, and recycled textile solutions that support the industry’s long-term development.

Across the value chain, manufacturers and brands are reassessing raw material strategies and expanding the integration of renewable and recycled inputs into mainstream production. With synthetic fibres accounting for around 60% of global fibre consumption[1], diversification and material innovation are becoming central to sourcing decisions. The industry is entering a phase characterised by upgrading, with greater emphasis placed on performance, differentiation, and supply stability.

Within this landscape, the Econogy Hub serves as a focused platform responding to the industry’s evolving priorities. Bringing together certifiers and standards organisations, fibre producers, manufacturers, mills, and technology providers, the zone highlights scalable solutions aligned with recognised sustainability frameworks. Sustainability as a concept is increasingly linked not only to environmental responsibility, but also to operational efficiency and long-term economic viability – principles reflected across the zone’s cross-sector exhibitor showcase.

The Econogy Hub underscores the connection between ecological responsibility and economic performance, highlighting how material innovation supports both environmental progress and commercial success. Structured to facilitate direct exchange between exhibitors and sourcing professionals, the Econogy Hub forms part of Intertextile Apparel’s broader sustainability framework.

Previous editions have featured innovations such as bio-based dyes, waterless dyeing technologies, advanced cellulosic fibres, bio-based leather alternatives, and high-performance recycled yarns from established international companies including Birla, Hyosung, Lenzing, LYCRA, Nilit, and Unifi. With its open-structured layout, dedicated seminar space, and eco-focused display areas, the Econogy Hub is designed to facilitate direct exchange between exhibitors and buyers, and forms part of the fair’s broader sustainability framework. At the upcoming edition, the zone will once again feature a strong lineup of exhibitors, including:

  • Haelixa AG (Switzerland): a provider of DNA-based traceability solutions enabling textile brands to verify material authenticity from fibre to finished garment. Using natural DNA markers, Haelixa supports transparent supply chains for fibres such as organic cotton and cashmere. Its technology is used by international brands including C&A, OVS and Hugo Boss, with over 30 million garments traced in 2024.
  • Hong Kong ZAKER New Material Technology: specialising in advanced material innovation, the company has developed the Rborne polyurethane platform, engineered for scalable, high-performance plant-based leather applications. The solution is designed to support the transition toward bio-based alternatives while maintaining durability and production efficiency for commercial use.

Sustainability as a sourcing requirement gains more prominence with each passing season. Which is why sustainable exhibitors across the fairground can be identified through the Econogy Finder initiative, with the number of approved suppliers increasing year on year to reach over 100 in the upcoming edition. The programme enhances transparency and sourcing efficiency, enabling buyers to identify verified sustainable enterprises across product categories.

Also within the fair’s green framework, an Econogy Tour will guide visitors to selected exhibitors aligned with evolving material and compliance priorities, while Econogy Talks will offer a series of forums and seminars for industry experts to exchange insights on related developments. In addition, the Econogy Hub Display Area will spotlight selected sustainable products, providing a consolidated overview of material innovations presented at the fair.

Beyond the Econogy Hub, Intertextile Apparel will present a comprehensive portfolio of specialised zones addressing diverse sourcing needs. In response to growing interest in material diversification, the Premium Wool Zone will highlight high-quality wool fabrics valued for their natural performance characteristics and versatility, particularly in suiting applications. Additional featured zones – including Accessories Vision, Beyond Denim, Essential Suits & Shirts, Functional Lab, the Innovation & Digital Solutions Zone, SalonEurope, and Verve for Design – will collectively reflect the breadth of today’s apparel textile market.

The fair is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Center. It will take place alongside Yarn Expo Autumn, CHIC and PH Value at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), with the venue playing host to the entire apparel textile value chain. For more details on this fair, please visit: www.intertextileapparel.com.

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition will be held from August 25 – 27, 2026.

Posted: June 30, 2026

Source: Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd

Cotton Incorporated Advances “Plant Not Plastic” Message Through Month-Long Education Initiative While  Concerns Around Microplastics Continue

CARY, N.C. — June 30, 2026 — As awareness of microplastics continues to grow among consumers, brands and retailers, Cotton Incorporated is expanding its efforts this July to educate the textile industry and consumers about the benefits of natural fibers and the role cotton can play in addressing evolving concerns around microplastics and sustainability, reinforcing a plant, not plastic approach to material choice.

©2025 Steve Makowski Studio LLC | http://stevemakowskistudio.com

Since 2010, Cotton Incorporated has conducted biodegradation research and continues to provide science-based resources that help brands, retailers and manufacturers navigate evolving conversations around fiber selection, sustainability, circularity and textile waste.

Recent Cotton Incorporated consumer research highlights why these conversations matter. Consumer awareness of microplastics pollution has more than doubled over the last decade, with 41% of U.S. consumers now reporting awareness of the issue, up from 17% in 20171. As awareness grows, purchasing behavior may be shifting as well: nearly six in 10 consumers (59%)2 say they are likely to look for clothing made with microplastic-free fibers. The findings point to growing interest in fiber composition and sustainability, creating new opportunities for brands and retailers to align product assortments with evolving consumer expectations.

The industry is also responding with two-thirds (67%) of textile professionals responding to a recent survey, noting their companies are actively taking steps (43%) or plan to take (24%) actions to reduce microplastics pollution.3

“Our research shows that consumers are paying closer attention to what products are made from and how those materials align with their values,” said Bev Sylvester, chief marketing officer, Cotton Incorporated. “Awareness of microplastics’ pervasive impact continues to grow, and many consumers are actively seeking products made with microplastic-free fibers. The conversation around fiber choice happening at the brand and consumer level reinforces a simple truth: cotton comes from a plant, not plastic. Through research, education and collaboration, we’re helping the industry better understand how natural fibers can support both consumer expectations and sustainability goals.”

During July, Cotton Incorporated will highlight a series of educational resources and engagement opportunities designed to help the textile industry navigate evolving conversations around microplastics, fiber selection and sustainability.

Activities include a new educational video series, expanded resources and findings on CottonWorks™ – Cotton Incorporated’s online resource hub for textile professionals, along with new consumer insights, webinar learning sessions and targeted digital communications.  Programming will also extend to key industry tradeshows (Kingpins New York featuring an interactive “Plastic in the Sea” photobooth, Interfilière in Los Angeles).

Cotton Incorporated will continue consumer education initiatives throughout the month that encourage greater awareness of cotton’s natural fiber benefits, along with the “Plant not Plastic” message. Activities include video content across major streaming and social media platforms, digital content, influencer collaborations, media relations and educational programming including the launch The Science of Style: Clothes and the Environment, a new curriculum developed in partnership with Young Minds Inspired for students in grades 9–12.

Additionally, the Blue Jeans Go Green™ denim recycling program will support awareness efforts through an extension of its “Monumental Impact” campaign, highlighting the scale of denim recycling and circularity efforts while encouraging participation in the program.

While July provides a timely platform to elevate these discussions, Cotton Incorporated’s work in this area extends throughout the year. Through ongoing research, consumer insights and industry outreach, the organization continues to provide resources that help brands, retailers and manufacturers navigate evolving conversations around sustainability, fiber choice, circularity and end-of-life textile considerations.

1 Source: CCI & Cotton Incorporated Global Sustainability Survey, 2026 (U.S., n=1,022); CCI & Cotton Incorporated Global Sustainability Survey, 2017 (U.S., n=1,029)

2 Source: CCI & Cotton Incorporated Global Sustainability Survey, 2026 (U.S., n=1,022)

3 Source: Sourcing Journal & Cotton Incorporated’s Industry Microplastics Survey, 2026 n=228

Posted: June 30, 2026

Source: Cotton Incorporated

Orbital Composites Wins U.S. Space Force Contract To Advance Extreme Environment Materials Manufacturing

Orbital S – Multi-Robot Additive Manufacturing Platform for Advanced Composite Rocket Nozzles

CAMPBELL, Calif. — June 25, 2026 — Orbital Composites, Inc. (“Orbital”), a Campbell, CA-based advanced manufacturing company, today announced a $1.9 million Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract award from SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force. The contract funds continued development of Orbital’s robotic additive manufacturing (AM) platform for extreme environment materials — components engineered to survive conditions that destroy conventional parts: temperatures exceeding 3,000°C, high-velocity combustion gases, and repeated thermal shock cycles.

The award reflects growing recognition across defense, space, and energy sectors that the United States faces a structural shortfall in its ability to manufacture the advanced materials that underpin next-generation systems. Extreme environment materials — used in rocket nozzles, heat shields, hypersonic vehicle structures, jet engine hot sections, and nuclear reactors — have historically been constrained by prohibitive cost, 12- to 18-month production cycle times, and limited domestic capacity. Orbital combines robotics, advanced materials, and physical AI to streamline manufacturing of extreme environment materials.

“This work addresses a critical barrier to the rapid scaling of manufacturing for high-temperature rocket nozzles to serve the U.S. warfighter. Our initial goal is to eliminate the supply constraints on solid rocket motors that have long limited what the warfighter can field — and this award is a concrete step toward that objective. This is also about restoring U.S. manufacturing dominance in materials that are foundational to our national security and economic competitiveness. We are grateful to our SpaceWERX, AFWERX, and AFRL partners for their leadership in making that possible.”

— Amolak Badesha, Chief Executive Officer, Orbital Composites.

3D Printed Rocket Nozzle from Orbital Composites

Extreme environment materials sit at the intersection of some of the most urgent national security and strategic industrial priorities. Solid rocket motors, hypersonic vehicles, low-cost missile defense interceptors, nuclear microreactors, and space vehicles all depend on components that can be produced faster, cheaper, and in greater volume than current methods allow. Orbital’s technology is designed to serve these markets from a single scalable manufacturing platform.

“Extreme environment materials are the bottleneck in some of the most critical systems the U.S. fields, and today’s manufacturing methods are too slow, too costly, and too capacity-constrained to meet what the moment demands. We are building toward a future where that constraint no longer exists — where AI-driven factories take in a design file and produce a mission-ready part, at operationally relevant cycle times and cost.”

— Cole Nielsen-Cole, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Orbital Composites.

Orbital is working with defense prime contractors, U.S. government program offices, and commercial space and energy providers to scale qualification and production. The company is investing in manufacturing capacity, program qualification, and the physical AI systems that underpin its autonomous production vision.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of War, or the U.S. government.

Posted: June 29, 2026

Source: Orbital Composites

ECS Composites Drives Next-Generation Carbon Fiber Innovation For Modern Military Demands

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — June 29, 2026 — ECS Composites (“ECS” or “the Company”), a Becklin Holdings company and industry leader in the design and manufacturing of high-performance, custom protective enclosures, today announced groundbreaking advancements in its carbon fiber composite solutions. These innovations expand the company’s capabilities in protecting mission-critical equipment operating in some of the world’s harshest and most demanding environments.

At the center of this work is the company’s unmatched expertise in composite materials and protective system designs that led to the development of significantly lighter carbon fiber. This enhanced material, while more agile, maintains the impact resistance and structural integrity required for military and field-based applications.

“As military systems become more mobile and technologically advanced, we’re continuing to evolve our composite technologies to meet those changing operational demands,” said Sterling Becklin, Chairman of the Board of Becklin Holdings and President of ECS Composites. “Compared to traditional fiberglass designs, these advanced materials can reduce thickness and overall weight by as much as half without compromising protection, durability, or long-term performance.”

A lightweight, integral design is especially important in military environments where equipment must be transported, deployed, and operated under unpredictable and often extreme conditions. Protective enclosures must withstand shock, vibration, environmental exposure, and repeated handling while ensuring the systems inside remain fully operational throughout the mission lifecycle.

“In addition to material innovation, we’re continuing to refine our manufacturing offerings through proprietary molding techniques and in-house tooling expertise that provide precise control over quality, consistency, and product performance,” continued Becklin. “This vertically-integrated approach enables us to deliver highly engineered solutions that meet the rigorous standards required in modern defense applications.”

As defense systems become more mobile, integrated, and operationally challenging, ECS remains focused on advancing composite technologies that help protect mission-critical equipment in real-world environments.

Posted: June 29, 2026

Source: ECS Composites/Becklin Holdings

BELLA+CANVAS Completes Acquisition By Sanmar, Continues As Independent Brand Led By Megan Spire

LOS ANGELES — June 29, 2026 — BELLA+CANVAS today announced the completion of its transition to new ownership by SanMar Corporation, marking an important milestone in the brand’s next chapter. BELLA+CANVAS will continue as an independent brand headquartered in Los Angeles under the leadership of Executive Vice President Megan Spire, whose nearly 15-year tenure with the brand reflects the continuity, expertise, and deep knowledge guiding BELLA+CANVAS forward.

The acquisition strengthens BELLA+CANVAS’s position in the marketplace and provides additional resources to accelerate the innovation, product development, quality, and customer experience while preserving the identity and creative vision that have defined the brand for nearly three decades.

With new ownership in place, BELLA+CANVAS remains firmly rooted in the creative vision, product philosophy, and customer-first approach that have made it one of the most recognized and preferred names in the print wear and decorated apparel industry.

The path to purchase remains straightforward. Products will continue to be available directly at bellacanvas.com, through BELLA+CANVAS’s network of long-standing local and regional distributor partners listed below, and through SanMar who will serve as the exclusive national wholesale distributor of BELLA+CANVAS products moving forward. Customers may continue to purchase through other national wholesale distributors while inventory remains available.

Local & regional distributor partners include Atlantic Coast Cotton, Carolina Made, McCreary’s Tees, Mission Imprintables, One Stop, SLC Activewear, and Staton.

As a family-owned company with a long-term perspective, SanMar recognizes the unique strengths of BELLA+CANVAS and the opportunity to invest in its future. The acquisition provides the support and scale to help fuel continued growth while preserving the creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and distinctive point of view that have always set BELLA+CANVAS apart.

“The brand, the team, and the creative vision that built BELLA+CANVAS remain exactly where they belong, at the center of everything we do,” said Megan Spire, Executive Vice President of BELLA+CANVAS. “For our customers and partners, the message is simple: the people, products, and brand they trust remain firmly in place. We’re excited about what lies ahead and focused on continuing to deliver the premium quality, product innovation, and design leadership that have defined BELLA+CANVAS from the beginning.

Supporting Spire is a talented organization of industry veterans whose decades of experience and passion across sales, marketing, creative, and design continue to drive the brand forward.

“Creativity and great design have always been part of our DNA here at BELLA+CANVAS,” said Michelle Yu, Vice President of Creative & Design at BELLA+CANVAS. “Our approach to product design, trend-forward thinking, attention to detail, and premium quality remains unchanged. We will continue to create products that inspire our customers while building on the artistic foundation that has made BELLA+CANVAS an influential and trusted leader in the industry.”

Looking ahead, BELLA+CANVAS plans to introduce over 20 new styles for 2027, expanding its product portfolio with the elevated design, exceptional fit and premium quality that continue to inspire creativity and shape culture. To locate an authorized BELLA+CANVAS distributor, visit: https://www.bellacanvas.com/distributor-locator.

Posted: June 29, 2026

Source: BELLA+CANVAS

AFFOA Names The Lycra Company, Gentex Corporation, Ecotune, And Macrocycle Technologies As Awardees In Its Product Accelerator For Functional Fabrics Program

BEDFORD, Mass.  — June 25, 2026 — AFFOA (Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, Inc.) announced today that The Lycra Company, Gentex Corporation, Ecotune and MacroCycle Technologies have been selected as awardees in the third round of its Product Accelerator for Functional Fabrics (PAFF 3.0) program. The goal of the PAFF 3.0 program is to address critical technical and manufacturing challenges by providing no-cost access to AFFOA’s engineering experts, prototyping and testing facilities, manufacturing scale-up capabilities and domestic supply chain network to improve manufacturability and accelerate time to market.

“The caliber of proposals we received for this round of PAFF was remarkable, and selecting just four awardees was no easy task,” said AFFOA CEO Sasha Stolyarov, Ph.D. “What stood out about The Lycra Company, Gentex Corporation, Ecotune, and MacroCycle was their shared commitment to solving real manufacturing challenges — faster development cycles, improving production efficiency and quality, and scaling more sustainable, high-performance materials. Bridging that gap between innovation and real-world manufacturing is at the heart of what AFFOA does, and we are excited to bring our technical expertise to bear on each of these projects.”

The Lycra Company, a global leader in fiber innovation, will partner with AFFOA to integrate virtual garment prototyping into its product development process. In the realms of activewear, athleisure, and performance apparel, physical fit trials traditionally drive validation and are often accompanied by two to three months of lead time. Through PAFF 3.0, The Lycra Company will leverage AFFOA’s digital engineering expertise to evaluate and validate three-dimensional garment simulation software for close-to-body applications such as leggings and sports bras. This initiative will supplement live wear trials and accelerate product development and reduce time to market by enabling more rapid, accurate virtual fit and performance assessments. “This partnership with AFFOA connects what we engineer at the fiber level with what consumers experience at the garment level,” said Molly Fulin, Product Category Director – Knits, The LYCRA Company. “By exploring how advanced digital prototyping can reflect the stretch and recovery of materials, we have the opportunity to enhance how we develop, validate, and bring high-performance solutions to market.”

Gentex Corporation, a longtime leader in protective helmet manufacturing for the U.S. Department of War, will receive AFFOA’s assistance in maturing an automation solution for sewing operations. Currently, Gentex produces thousands of helmets per month across its US facilities.  Each helmet requires products sewn individually by an operator — a process that is both repetitive and time consuming.  Through PAFF 3.0, AFFOA will help advance prototype solutions through larger scale implementations for application across all Gentex sewing cells, driving efficiency, consistency, and worker safety. “The PAFF program is more than a path to automation for Gentex, it is an opportunity to improve safety, efficiency, and consistency across our manufacturing operations. By advancing this technology with AFFOA, we can better support our workforce while maintaining the uncompromising quality and reliability that the U.S. warfighter expects from every Gentex helmet.” Mike Turek, Chief Operating Officer, Gentex Corporation.

Ecotune, a material innovation startup, will leverage AFFOA’s expertise to accelerate the commercialization of its fully bio-based, plastic-free textile coatings designed to replace high-carbon footprint materials like polyurethane and PVC. Backed by five years of NSF- and EPA-supported research, Ecotune has created a USDA-certified, 100% bio-based coating technology that meets or exceeds key performance metrics — including tensile strength, flex resistance, and abrasion resistance — while achieving projected price parity with conventional coatings. Through PAFF 3.0, Ecotune will draw on AFFOA’s knowledge in manufacturing scale-up, process development and the textile supply chain to assess the technology’s drop-in compatibility with existing textile manufacturing infrastructure and conduct roll-to-roll pilot scale trials. The project is expected to validate a scalable pathway to commercialization and enable broader adoption of an innovative bio-based coating technology. “Scaling up is vital to bringing innovation to the market and Ecotune having access to the resources of AFFOA will get us there faster and more economically.” said Ella Csuka, Founder of Ecotune.

MacroCycle Technologies, a hard tech startup developing a breakthrough textile-to-textile recycling platform, will collaborate with AFFOA to accelerate the commercial readiness of its SolvoGenesis™ platform, which converts post-consumer polyester waste into virgin-quality recycled polyester resin using over 80% less energy than conventional PET production. With global polyester fiber production exceeding 70 million tons annually and less than one percent currently recycled, MacroCycle’s breakthrough chemistry purifies and upgrades polyester without degrading performance. Through PAFF 3.0, AFFOA will apply its expertise in textile manufacturing, testing and evaluation, and domestic supply chain development to produce commercial-grade fabric swatches from recycled PET, validate textile-level performance, and connect MacroCycle with domestic supply chain partners, ultimately accelerating market adoption of textile-to-textile recycling technologies and strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities. “We’re excited to partner with AFFOA and leverage their deep expertise in knitting and weaving to take our MacroTEX resin + yarns to the next level by crafting fabrics for our customers – a critical step in our scaling journey to bring energy- and cost-efficient T2T textiles to major domestic and global markets.” Jan-Georg Rosenboom, Ph.D., MacroCycle Co-founder & CTO.

PAFF 3.0 advances AFFOA’s mission of accelerating technology maturation and strengthening domestic supply chain resilience by helping companies overcome barriers to commercialization through access to world-class technical expertise and manufacturing resources. Collectively, these awardees reflect the breadth and ambition of what is possible when industry expertise meets AFFOA’s hands-on support — and the critical role advanced textiles will play in the future of U.S manufacturing.

Posted: June 29, 2026

Source: Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA)

Milliken Advances Fabric Whitening Performance With Millibrite® Technology

SPARTANBURG, S.C.  — June 25, 2026 — Milliken & Company, a global leader in materials science, is delivering next-generation fabric whitening performance with Millibrite® technology, designed to meet the demands of modern laundry care formulations.

Milliken is delivering next-generation fabric whitening performance with Millibrite® technology, designed to meet the demands of modern laundry care formulations.

As consumer habits, lighting environments, and sustainability expectations evolve, traditional whitening systems have struggled to keep pace. Many conventional optical brighteners rely on ultraviolet (UV) light, which is increasingly limited in modern indoor environments dominated by LED lighting.

Millibrite addresses this challenge through proprietary polymer-based chemistry that deposits controlled amounts of blue-violet color onto fabric surfaces. This process helps neutralize yellowing that naturally develops over time, delivering a cleaner, brighter appearance across wash cycles without the drawbacks associated with harsher chemistries.

“Whiteness remains one of the most important signals of cleanliness, but the way consumers experience it has changed,” said Dirk Vanhee, Sales and Marketing Director for Milliken’s polymer solutions business in Europe. “Millibrite is designed to deliver consistent, visible results across real-world conditions, from LED-lit homes to natural daylight.”

Millibrite delivers visible whitening performance under a range of lighting conditions, including environments with minimal UV exposure. The technology is engineered to provide consistent brightness indoors and outdoors while helping reduce over-bluing and uneven results.

In addition to improved visual performance, Millibrite supports formulation flexibility and compatibility across detergent systems. It integrates into both liquid and powder formulations and performs effectively on a variety of fiber types, including natural and synthetic fabrics.

The technology also aligns with broader sustainability trends in home care. Millibrite enables strong performance in cold and low-temperature wash programs and helps extend garment life by reducing reliance on harsh bleaching agents.

By combining visible performance, formulation versatility, and responsible design, Millibrite offers formulators a modern approach to achieving brighter, longer-lasting results in laundry care applications.

For more information about Millibrite and other polymer solutions innovations from Milliken, visit milliken.com.

Posted: June 29, 2026

Source: Milliken & Company

Neumag BCF Technology Demonstrates The Potential For Carpet-To-Carpet Recycling

NEUMÜNSTER, Germany  — June 25, 2026 — In a joint project with Object Carpet GmbH, Denkendorf; the Institute for Textile Technology (ITA), Augsburg; and Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH (NGR), Feldkirchen, Austria, Barmag investigated the processing of recycled polyester for BCF yarn. The goal was to evaluate the fundamental suitability of 100% recycled carpet material for reuse in carpet yarn production to create a closed-loop system in carpet manufacturing. To date, commercial rPET BCF processes have been based solely on rPET from bottle pellets.

Object Carpet tests production of rPET BCF yarn on Neumag BCF line

From carpet to carpet: Flexible process control on Neumag BCF systems enables the targeted processing of recycled polymers and lays the foundation for closed-loop material cycles in carpet production.

The tests were conducted on the Neumag BCF line at the R&D center in Neumünster. Thanks to its flexible process control and targeted parameterization, the line enables the processing of even challenging materials and is therefore well-suited for development and test runs.

As part of the investigations, recycled PET from 100% polyester NEOO carpet material supplied by Object Carpet was processed without the addition of virgin polymer. The trials, conducted on a practical production scale, demonstrated that it is possible to feed the material back into the spinning process. Dr. Kirsten Prehn, who is responsible for the Neumag BCF processes, summarizes: “During the trials, we observed that, as expected, material quality — particularly viscosity and purity — significantly influences process stability and yarn quality. Using the Neumag BCF system, we were able to adapt the process control specifically and flexibly to the particular requirements of the recycled polymer and thus produce BCF yarn.”

Part of the recycled yarn was subsequently used to produce a carpet sample. The results show that a closed-loop system in the BCF sector is not merely a theoretical concept: a mono-material carpet product can deliver a genuine recycling loop in practice — without the addition of virgin polymer. Neumag BCF systems can play a key role in the evaluation and further development of recycling processes. At the same time, the trials have identified areas where approaches for stable industrial implementation and further optimizations in material design and process control are possible. The flexibility of process control on Neumag BCF systems is an essential prerequisite for this.

Posted: June 29, 2026

Source: BARMAG – A Subsidiary of the Rieter Group

ITMA 2027 Gains Strong Momentum: Emerging Innovators Find A Global Launchpad At ITMA 2027

BRUSSELS  — June 23, 2026 — In line with the theme “Co-creating the future of textiles”, ITMA continues to strengthen its support for start-ups, recognising their role in driving innovation and shaping the future of textile and garment manufacturing. Through the Start-Up Valley, emerging companies gain access to a global marketplace where they can connect with industry leaders, potential partners, investors and customers.

“Start-ups are an essential part of co-creating the future of textiles,” said Alex Zucchi, President of CEMATEX. “By bringing together innovators and industry leaders, ITMA provides the environment and opportunities needed to accelerate innovation and help promising ideas evolve into viable business ventures.”

Since its debut at ITMA 2023, the Start-Up Valley has attracted growing interest from entrepreneurial ventures worldwide. Applications for ITMA 2027 have nearly doubled compared with the previous edition, reflecting strong demand and reinforcing ITMA’s position as the world’s leading marketplace for textile and garment technologies.

As preparations progress, sector planning will move into the next phase following the close of stand space applications on 8 July 2026. Companies which submit their applications early will have greater assurance of securing exhibiting space within their relevant product sector before detailed planning gets underway.

Charles Beauduin, Chairman of ITMA Services, organiser of ITMA said: “In an era of rapid technological change, sustainability imperatives and increasing market volatility, no single organisation can shape the future alone. Industry leaders, innovators, researchers and manufacturers must come together in Hanover to collaborate, share expertise and develop solutions that will drive the next chapter of sustainable textile manufacturing. Such collective action is particularly important as geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties continue to challenge global trade and investment.”

Regular ITMA participant Woolmark sees ITMA as an important platform that aligns with its focus on innovation, sustainability and collaboration.

“ITMA brings together the full textile value chain. For Woolmark, it’s a significant industry event that connects us with technology leaders, manufacturers and innovators shaping high-performance natural fibre production, and an opportunity to showcase the possibilities of Merino wool innovation as solutions for the journey towards a nature-positive future,” said Julie Davies, General Manager, Industry Development, Woolmark.

Visitor interest is also expected to be strong, as textile and garment manufacturers look to ITMA 2027 to discover technologies, exchange ideas and identify solutions that can support their future business priorities.

“ITMA is where we can see the direction of the textile industry first-hand. We look forward to visiting ITMA 2027 in Hanover, where industry and textile research come together. In doing so, the trade fair creates the conditions for translating new ideas into practical applications more quickly. For Europe – and Germany in particular – as a textile hub, ITMA serves as a key driver for the transformation of the entire value chain,” said Johannes Diebel, Managing Director Forschungskuratorium Textil e. V..

Taking place from 16 to 22 September 2027 at Messegelände Hannover, Germany, ITMA 2027 will continue to spotlight innovation across the entire textile and garment manufacturing value chain, with a focus on advanced materials, automation and the digital future, sustainability and circularity, and human-centric manufacturing.

The last ITMA exhibition was held in Milan in 2023. It featured the participation of 1,709 exhibitors from 47 countries, and visitorship of over 111,000 from 143 countries.

With demand building across sectors, interested companies are encouraged to submit their stand applications by 8 July 2026 at: https://exh.itma.com/ITMA2027/ExhibitorCentre/Login.aspx

Posted: June 29, 2026

Source: The European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) & ITMA Services

Footwear Innovation Enabled By Warp Knitting Technology – Insights From New Balance

OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany  — June 25, 2026 — The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential.

Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy

In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.

To succeed in the footwear market, you need technology

The footwear sector is one of the most demanding areas of the textile and apparel industry. Today’s modern athletic shoes must meet a wide range of requirements simultaneously: they need to be lightweight and durable, offer optimal comfort, stabilize the foot, be breathable, and be produced sustainably.

“From a technical standpoint, a modern athletic shoe is like a mini-car packed into a tiny space,” explained Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy in his presentation. In fact, a single shoe often contains up to 30 individual components that must work together perfectly to achieve the desired performance.

At the same time, pressure on manufacturers is growing. Development cycles are expected to become shorter, production more resource-efficient, and processes less complex. This is precisely where warp knitting technology offers new perspectives. It transforms textile manufacturers into far more than mere material suppliers: they become development partners and co-creators of the product.

“All the products we develop today are designed with a specific supplier and a specific material in mind,” says Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy.

For brands like New Balance, innovative textile solutions are thus becoming a decisive competitive factor – and warp knitting technology is becoming a key technology for the next generation of shoes.

Less complexity, more speed

Traditional athletic shoes consist of a multitude of individual components: upper parts, overlays, reinforcements, and appliqués are cut to size, glued together, and assembled in several steps. This makes production time-consuming, increases the shoe’s weight, results in material waste, and lengthens development cycles.

Warp knitting technology takes a different approach: functions such as breathability or support, as well as aesthetic elements, are integrated directly into the textile structure rather than added later. This creates an integrated system instead of a collection of individual components.

“It’s not just about simplification and greater speed. By reducing complexity, we also improve the product’s performance,” emphasized Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy.

For brands like New Balance, this is a decisive advantage. At the same time, warp knitted fabrics offer technical properties that are particularly in demand in performance footwear – including high dimensional stability, controlled stretch, and an excellent strength-to-weight ratio.

Multiple functions and designs in a single piece of fabric

New Balance sees particularly great potential in what is known as “Zonal Engineering.” On warp knitting machines, stitch density can be precisely controlled, and yarns can be placed with pinpoint accuracy using Jacquard technology. This allows different functional zones, textures, and designs to be specifically tailored within a single upper material to meet the shoe’s requirements.

The result is breathable zones exactly where ventilation is needed. Reinforcements and varying levels of elasticity provide additional support in the midfoot area and greater stability at the heel. Around the lacing area, extra-strong sections prevent the fabric from tearing, while integrated graphic elements, patterns, and logos add a stylish touch to the look.

All these features are created in a single production step directly on the machine. Additional printing, laminating, or application processes are eliminated. This saves time and resources while enhancing the product’s durability.

Faster product development, shorter time-to-market

The enormous time savings achieved with design updates are particularly relevant for international footwear brands. Design adjustments can be made digitally and transferred directly to the production machines. Here, new patterns can be implemented in a matter of seconds using the EN pattern drive – without additional tools. At the same time, the product can be validated even during production.

This speed and flexibility are decisive advantages for New Balance in the race against time.

“We only have seven days to switch from Design A to Design B. Thanks to the EN function, we can seamlessly transfer the pattern without any new pattern discs or additional tools,” explains Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy.

The new material must be evaluated within 14 days, and the shoe must be manufactured from it within 45 days. There is no room for wasting time here!

Greater Sustainability

In addition to performance and speed, warp knitting technology also excels in terms of sustainability.

“For us, warp knitting is at the top of the list of technologies we use to integrate sustainability into our products,” confirms Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy.

A key advantage lies in what is known as near-net-shape production. In this process, textile components are manufactured in a form that is nearly identical to their final shape. Compared to traditional cut-and-sew processes, there is significantly less waste, which allows for more efficient use of materials and reduces waste.

At the same time, the entire value chain is simplified. Multiple components of a shoe – such as the upper, tongue, and collar – do not need to be manufactured separately and then assembled; instead, they can be produced as a single piece of fabric. Additional processing steps are eliminated, which reduces labor and energy costs and streamlines production processes.

Durability also benefits from this approach. Constructions made from a single piece are less prone to wear and tear, while mono-material solutions made from recycled or bio-based yarns facilitate the subsequent recycling of used shoes.

Added to this is the technology’s high energy efficiency. Thanks to the high production speed of modern warp knitting machines, warp knitting ranks among the most efficient textile manufacturing methods in terms of energy consumption per kilogram of fabric produced, according to Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy.

Material savings of up to 28 percent

Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy illustrated just how significant these savings can be in practice using a recent development project as an example. By optimizing the layout of the cut pieces within the material, the yield was increased from four to five pairs of shoes per yard of fabric.

The result is remarkable: material costs fell by up to 28 percent, while at the same time there was virtually no waste.

The basis for this efficiency is high-precision manufacturing. Thanks to Jacquard technology and “zonal engineering,” upper material can be placed on the fabric with a precision of plus or minus 2 mm.

The Next Step: From 2D to 3D

Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy envisions a complete shift in the future from traditional two-dimensional design and manufacturing processes to three-dimensional, biomechanically optimized structures.

Since the human foot itself has a three-dimensional structure, shoe production must also be thought of in 3D in the future. Textile structures should be able to respond directly to movements, stresses, and pressure points by being tailored to real human biomechanical data

“Warp knitting allows you to conceptually shift from 2D patterning to 3D structural engineering. Your machine should be capable of producing textiles in 3D form,” Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy advised the audience.

For brands, this approach opens up entirely new possibilities for performance optimization, differentiation, and a competitive edge in the race for the world’s best shoe. In this field, every thousandth of a second and every gram counts: In a 100-meter dash, as little as 0.09 milliseconds can decide the winner. If a shoe is just two grams lighter, that can be the decisive factor

Conclusion

The future of the footwear industry lies in intelligent, functionally integrated, and three-dimensionally designed textile structures. Warp knitting technology is set to become one of the key technologies of the next generation.

Posted: June 29, 2026

Source: KARL MAYER 

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