Where high-tech and textiles meet: at Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main from 9 to 12 May, visitors can see, for example, an airbag for building workers, luminescent and heated garments, smart knee bandages, and textile-reinforced concrete with built-in sensors. At the world’s leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, 1,477 exhibitors from 55 countries (2015: 1.389 exhibitors from 52 countries) will present the complete spectrum of potential areas of application for textile materials and technologies at the biggest ever edition of Techtextil.

“We will open the biggest Techtextil ever, this year. The high number of exhibitors reflects the outstanding dynamism amongst the producers of technical textiles, who enjoy continuing growth. The multifaceted range of applications to be seen at Techtextil, from products for the automotive industry to those applied in architecture, medicine, clothing and sports stands for the innovative power of the textile industry”, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management at Messe Frankfurt GmbH.

A high level of internationality with all market leaders represented
With 423 exhibitors from Germany and 1,054 international exhibitors, the level of internationality at Techtextil has climbed to 71 percent. Represented for the first time are the Lebanon, Mexico and Vietnam. 14 countries and regions – Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Portugal, South Korea, Switzerland, Chinese Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the USA – are represented by pavilions. The biggest increases in exhibitor numbers come from Europe, especially Spain, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey, and China and India.
 
The companies registered as exhibitors include all international market leaders, as well as numerous companies taking part for the first time or returning after a period of absence. Moreover, several German start-ups and young companies will be presenting their new textile developments at a special area in Hall 6.1, which Messe Frankfurt has for the seventh time organised in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie – BMWi).

The biggest groups of exhibitors are made up of companies with products for industrial applications (762), the automobile and aerospace industries (673), architecture and building (559) and occupational safety (488). The fastest rates of growth have been registered by the industry segment (+73) followed by sport (+57), mobility (+55) and apparel (+49).

Fibres for space and astronaut Reinhold Ewald
The guest of honour at this year’s Techtextil is Dr. Reinhold Ewald, ESA astronaut and professor for astronautics and space stations at the University of Stuttgart. During the opening press conference, Reinhold Ewald offered insights into his experiences in space and discuss the significance of high-performance materials for space travel: “High-tech materials based on fibres are essential in space travel when it comes to reducing the weight of space capsules. Every additional gram increases costs. Furthermore, textiles also save lives. Just think about astronaut suits. At the same time, materials that have been developed for space travel often find their way into daily life”.

In cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt – DLR), Techtextil is holding the first ‘Living in Space’ exhibition where everything revolves around the use of technical textiles and their processing for use in space. The idea behind it: Technical textiles can be found in almost every part of daily life. Without them and the technologies needed to process them, living in space would not be possible.

Techtextil Symposium: cooperation with the Dornbirn Manmade Fibres Conference
At the 19th Techtextil Symposium, international experts will present their latest research results, products and technologies from the fields of technical textiles, nonwovens and functional apparel fabrics in seven lecture blocks on all days of the fair. For the first time, Techtextil Symposium is cooperating with the Dornbirn Manmade Fibre Conference, which will present a special lecture block on sustainability and resource management. The Techtextil Symposium will be held in Saal Europa, Hall 4.0.

Innovative Apparel Show: Smart fashion on the catwalk
Launched successfully at Techtextil and Texprocess 2015, the Innovative Apparel Show will be even more international this year with the participation of universities for fashion and design from Germany, France, Italy and Portugal. The young designers show creations revolving around the subjects of textile effects, creative engineering and smart fashion. Twice a day, a fashion show in the foyer of Halls 5.1/6.1 will bring the pieces to life in a professional setting. Visitors are invited to vote for their favourite creations.

Techtextil Innovation Award honouring textile innovations
For the 14th time running Techtextil will honour new developments and innovations in the fields of technical textiles, nonwovens and functional apparel textiles with the Techtextil Innovation Award. The presentation of the Innovation Award to the eight winners will be made by Parliamentary Secretary of State in the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi), Dirk Wiese, on the first day of the fair. The ceremony will be hosted by German television science presenter Ingolf Baur. Additionally, the award-winning developments will be on show throughout the fair at a special exhibition in Hall 6.1.

Students develop new ideas for building with textiles
Also for the 14th time running, Techtextil and the international TensiNet network will honour the work of students and young professionals within the framework of the ‘Textile Structures for New Building’ competition, which promotes innovative and practical concepts for building with textiles or textile-reinforce materials. On the first day of the fair, the eight winners will be presented with their awards. Their projects will be on show throughout the fair in a special exhibition in Hall 4.1.

Held concurrently with Techtextil, Texprocess (also from 9 to 12 May 2017) is the leading international trade fair for the garment and textile-processing industry and presents the latest machines, plant, processes and services for making up textile and flexible materials. With 312 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions, this will also be the biggest ever edition of the fair. The focus of Texprocess is on digital textile printing and, for the first time, will include a digital textile micro-factory.