Frankfurt am Main, 30 October 2025 — Submissions are open for speakers who want to help shape the future of the textile industry. Proposals for the Techtextil Forum and the Texprocess Forum are due 15 December 2025. An international Programme Committee will review contributions for relevance and quality and will curate a balanced programme across key topics. The two forums will run during Techtextil and Texprocess 2026, taking place 21–24 April 2026 in Frankfurt.
The forums connect research and industry and focus on practical solutions. They provide a space for dialogue where production, application, and research meet. Themes such as automation with AI and the circular economy are central, reflecting how textiles are designed, made, and used today. As Sabine Scharrer, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing at Messe Frankfurt, notes: “Those who participate not only help shape the programme but also actively contribute to the professional exchange within the industry. The forums are among the content highlights of Techtextil and Texprocess, once again demonstrating how much textile expertise, innovative strength, and commitment drive this industry.”
Sharing knowledge here is visible and impactful. Speakers gain access to decision-makers and contribute directly to the topics that matter next.
What to submit and when
- Deadline: 15 December 2025
- Format: Short presentations in English, supported by visualisations
- Cost: Participation is free of charge
- Selection timeline: Speakers announced early February 2026
- Programme: Selected talks will appear in the four-day forum schedule during the fairs
Submission links
- Techtextil Forum 2026: submit at https://solutions.techtextil.com/
- Texprocess Forum 2026: submit at https://solutions.texprocess.com/
Focus areas and categories
Techtextil Forum 2026
- Beyond Function – The next generation of technical textiles
- Engineered for Impact – Designed for lasting change
- Textile Intelligence – Smart, connected, responsive
- Manufacturing Intelligence – Digitalization, automation, and AI
- Resilient Textiles – Solutions for an unstable world
- Pushing Boundaries – Interdisciplinary and disruptive innovations
Texprocess Forum 2026
- Sustainable solutions
- CAD/CAM
- Digitalisierung und KI
- Legal requirements
- Design Tools
These themes reflect the growing complexity of textile development, where research, application, and production are closely linked. The forums aim to spark insights that extend beyond the event days and support global networking and knowledge transfer.
Programme Committees
Techtextil Forum 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
Texprocess Forum Programme Committee
- Karl Borgschulze, Managing Director — Consulting Services International Ltd. (CSI), Nachhaltigkeitsspezialist, Deutschland / China
- Peter Buttiens, CEO — ESMA, Belgien
- Matthijs Crietee, Secretary General — International Apparel Federation (IAF), Niederlande
- Dr.-Ing. Thomas Fischer, Head of Center of Management Research — German Institutes for Textile and Fibre Research Denkendorf (DITF), Germany
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Gries, Chair of Textile Engineering — RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Textile Technology, Germany
- Veronika März, Consultant Marketing and Trade Fairs — VDMA Textile Care, Fabrics and Leather Technologies, Germany
- Susanne Pass — Dialog Textil-Bekleidung e.V., Germany
- Walter Wählt, Senior Director Advanced Creations – Apparel Pattern & Digital Creation — adidas AG, Germany
- Vivian Wang, CEO — Kingpins Show, Niederlande
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kerstin Zöll, Confectioning technology; Head of Sewing and Manufacturing Lab — Hochschule Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Department of Textile- and Clothing Technology, Germany
Why present
- Reach an international audience from research, development, and manufacturing
- Exchange know-how on materials, processes, sustainability, and digitalisation
- Engage with peers who are addressing automation, AI, and circular models
- Contribute to a programme that influences practice across the sector
Event details at a glance
- Fairs: Techtextil and Texprocess 2026
- Dates: 21–24 April 2026
- Location: Frankfurt am Main
- Forums: Free to attend; curated by international Programme Committees
For more details, visit the Techtextil Forum and Texprocess Forum pages and submit your proposal by 15 December 2025.
