Protective performance as a system

Modern protective textiles are expected to deliver IR signature management, heat and chemical protection, mechanical durability and wash resistance at the same time. Even hook-and-loop systems, sewing threads and elastic bands must withstand extreme mechanical stress while supporting IR remission properties.

If manufacturers optimise individual parameters in isolation, this often comes at the expense of weight, moisture vapour resistance or wearing comfort, factors that directly influence the endurance and operational effectiveness of deployed personnel. Effective protective systems therefore rely on the precisely coordinated interaction of many specialised components.

“In the defence sector in particular, what matters is whether innovations function reliably in practice, are consistently available and can be processed at scalable production volumes. Techtextil provides the ideal platform for this. It brings together the partners who transform material expertise into deployable solutions,” says Sabine Scharrer, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing, Messe Frankfurt.

PFAS phase out and finishing choices

Technical textiles cannot be viewed purely through individual performance indicators. “Technical textiles cannot be reduced to isolated performance indicators. In protective clothing, the decisive factor is the interaction between material, the human body and the operational scenario,” says Dr Simon Annaheim, Empa. “Simulations can help pre-select materials more effectively and shorten development cycles. However, practical validation remains indispensable.”

The phase-out of PFAS increases complexity further. Water, oil and dirt repellent finishes remain relevant for many protective applications. Oil repellency in particular, as required in many procurement specifications, is difficult to replace with equivalent performance depending on the operational profile.

At Techtextil 2026, technical buyers, development managers, material experts and system suppliers discussed these requirements directly with specialists in material development, testing and industrial processing. The new Textile Chemicals & Dyes segment strengthened the link between chemical precursors, textile applications and downstream processing.

A guide for defence oriented sourcing

The defence market is facing growing pressure to geographically consolidate the sourcing of security critical products, while high energy prices, bureaucracy and global price disparities challenge manufacturing in regions such as Europe. In Frankfurt, defence system integrators, garment manufacturers and technical buyers met partners to specify, source and scale protective solutions for serial production.

Established suppliers used the leading trade fairs strategically to identify suitable development, production and supply partners. For companies expanding their portfolios towards defence applications, Techtextil served as a guide in a market that demands in depth standards knowledge, procurement expertise and proven references.