At the heart of the world-leading Techtextil fair, you find the Techtextil Forum – the platform for ideas. The most successful innovators and top experts share their knowledge here. In captivating lectures and passionate panel discussions, everyone eager to improve can learn from the best..
New insights for your application
Our renowned Programme Committee selects the best presentations for you. Leading international experts share their latest findings at the Techtextil Forum. The range of topics extends from new functionalities and sustainable solutions to intelligent textiles and AI in production.
Benefit from the latest specialist knowledge and new ideas. Exchange ideas with international experts and discuss the key issues in your industry.
The 2026 programme will be available here shortly.
Our Programme Committee
Eng. António Braz Costa, General Manager
Technological Centre for the Textile and Clothing Industry of Portugal (CITEVE), Portugal
Johannes Diebel, General Manager
Research Council of Textiles (FKT), Germany
Isabelle Ferreira, Deputy Scientific Director – Innovation
The French Institute of Textiles and Clothing, France
Dr. Heike Illing-Günther, Managing Director
Saxon Textile Research Institute e.V., Germany
Dr. Jan Laperre, General Manager
Centexbel, Belgium
Prof. Dr. René Rossi, Head of Laboratory for Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), Switzerland
Dr.-Ing. Thomas Stegmaier, Chief Sustainable Officer, Competence Center Textile Chemistry, Environment & Energy
German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF), Germany
Prof. Dr. Henry Yi Li, Chair of Textile Science and Engineering & Chairman
Textile Bioengineering and Informatics Society, The University of Manchester, Department of Materials, School of Natural Sciences, Great Britain
Which are the crucial topics in 2026?
If your talk touches on one or more of the following subjects, you stand a better chance of being chosen to present your findings and innovations to a wider trade audience:
- Beyond Function – The Next Generation of Technical Textiles Advanced functionalities through hybrid materials, multimaterial solutions, adaptive textiles, textile systems with added value
- Engineered for Impact – Designed for lasting change High-performance textiles with circularity in mind, regenerative materials, upcycling processes, circular business models
- Textile Intelligence – Smart, Connected, Responsive Integration of sensors, actuators, data analytics, communication – from wearables to infrastructure and Industry 4.0
- Manufacturing Intelligence – Digitalization, Automation, and AI Digital process chains, robotics in manufacturing, virtual development
- Resilient Textiles – Solutions for an unstable World Technical textiles addressing climate change, disaster relief, energy management, resource security
- Pushing Boundaries – Interdisciplinary and disruptive Innovations Breakthroughs beyond traditional application fields, cross-sector ideas from aerospace, bioengineering, soft robotics