“Techtextil will once again, this May, prove its credentials as a major global centre for innovation in textiles,” says Michael Jänecke, Director of Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing. “Alongside the increase in allocated floor space, we are particularly pleased by the increasing levels of international participants with some 68 percent of international exhibitors coming from over 50 countries.” Altogether, Messe Frankfurt expects more than 1,650 exhibitors at Techtextil and the parallel Texprocess.

The development of the product groups* in comparison to 2013 shows that, at Techtextil 2015, more companies will be exhibiting in the areas of “Research, Development, Planning, Consulting”, “Technology, Processes, Accessories” and “Functional Apparel Textiles”. “Nonwovens” and “Bondtec”, too, show slight gains. “The increase in the group of functional apparel textiles is particularly noteworthy. We count this, on the one hand, as a success for the new Hall 6.1 and, on the other, as a consumer trend that is beginning to emerge. More and more customers worldwide are showing an interest in, for instance, multifunctional jackets, which communicate, cool, illuminate, measure, protect and warm at the same time,” says Michael Jänecke.

In relation to the twelve application areas of Techtextil*, it is Clothtech and Sporttech that are showing particular growth this year, whilst the remaining areas hardly show any change as against 2013. The five largest application areas remain unchanged: Indutech, Mobiltech, Buildtech, Hometech and Protech.

Once again, all the market leaders are represented at Techtextil 2015. Amongst the exhibitors with the largest stands are: Asota, Groz-Beckert, Elmatex, FiberVisions, Heathcoat Fabrics, Hyosung, Kordsa Global, Mehler Texnologies, Miller Weldmaster, IBENA Textilwerke, Olbo & Mehler, Picanol, PHP Fibers, Sandler, Sattler, Sioen, S.M.R.E., Teijin Aramid, Thrace Plastics, Trützschler, the TWE Group and Wirth Fulda.

Techtextil is growing across all geographical regions. In particular, we are currently seeing increases in the number of exhibitors from Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, China and the Czech Republic. Moreover, 15 countries have registered a joint stand at the leading trade fair: Belgium, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, The Czech Republic, Turkey and the USA. A new feature at the show are the pavilions from Switzerland and Tunisia.

Adding to the many features at Techtextil is an extensive complementary programme. This includes the Techtextil Symposium, the Techtextil Innovation Award and the competition for students “Textile Structures for New Building”. The closing date for registrations at the early-bird rate for the Techtextil Symposium is 17 April 2015. The new “Innovative Apparel Show” will display a total of 40 inspiring textile and apparel designs, together with their processing technologies, on all four days of the trade fair in the foyer of Halls 5.1/6.1 as well as in Hall 6.1. Also new, and intended specially for planners, architects, designers and interior architects, is the exhibition of photographs entitled: “Textiled Spaces”. Here the trade visitors will be able to see the work of internationally acclaimed artist and photographer Deidi von Schaewen. Architonic, an independent reference work for architecture and design, will assume responsibility for curating the exhibition.

Texprocess will be taking place in parallel to Techtextil for the third time. “As the leading international trade fair for the processing of textile and flexible materials, Texprocess will be offering innovative solutions that many textile manufacturers will not yet be acquainted with,” says Michael Jänecke. “There is now an immense range of technologies available for design, separating, joining, fastening, finishing and preparing. Thanks to these two leading trade fairs, we are able to provide an optimum reflection of the entire value-creation chain, both from the point of view of the producer and the product.”