#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2025-07-10

IVGT: AddTex final meeting in Terrassa

From 25 to 26 June 2025, the final meeting of the ERASMUS+ project AddTex took place in Terrassa, Spain, which aimed to train workers, pupils and students in the textile industry. Over a period of three years, eleven partners from Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic and the IVGT association for Germany were involved in the project.

Final event – group photo with participants. On 26 June 2025, the final event took place in Terrassa under the motto ‘Textile Talent & Innovation’ with highlights from the AddTex and xBuild-EU projects. © 2025 IVGT

Europe's textile industry is becoming more digital and sustainable

With hackathons, virtual internships and 45 freely accessible MOOCs, AddTex set new standards in training and further education in the textile industry. The online platform www.addtex.eu provides professionals with the latest insights into green, digital and smart textiles – in a practical and free format.

AddTex.eu online platform

All the project goals were achieved. The partners developed innovative formats such as summer schools, back-to-school programmes, coaching services and masterclasses. The 45 massive open online courses (MOOCs) on the AddTex.eu platform offer explanatory videos and learning materials as downloadable PDFs, each tailored to the three main target groups: technicians, engineers and managers.

A highlight of the closing event on 26 June 2025, which was jointly organised by AddTex and the EU project xBUILD-EU under the motto ‘Textile Talent & Innovation: Driving Tomorrow's Industry’, was the interactive session ‘New Generations in the Labour Market’, including the speed dating event ‘Talent meets Industry’. The event brought together companies, students and experts for an intensive exchange and networking day in Terrassa.

The AddTex.eu platform will be continuously developed over the next five years by the IVGT Technical Textiles Department together with the project partners in order to provide up-to-date content and act as a point of contact for industry and universities. In addition to instructions for creating your own MOOCs, hackathons and webinars, new soft skills and formats such as back-to-school programmes and solution-oriented consulting have been developed and implemented by project hubs.

Final meeting in Terrassa – group photo with partners: All goals of the AddTex project have been achieved! © 2025 IVGT

A collaboration with the Chair of Textile Technology at Chemnitz University of Technology and the Texoversum Experts & Training Hub in Reutlingen is currently planned to supplement the project results. In addition to the three EU priority areas of ‘Green – Digital – Smart’, the focus is also on textile recycling and digitisation and AI topics in order to provide IVGT members with targeted information, training materials and network contacts.

The IVGT was most recently responsible for work package 5, ‘Qualification of the textile industry through ADDTEX hubs for green-digital-smart,’ as well as for the creation of an application manual and a business plan to ensure that the project content is updated for at least five years after the end of the project. The relevant documents are available for download as PDF files at //ivgt.info/addtex/(https://ivgt.info/addtex/), where you will also find links to videos on YouTube and to the project page on LinkedIn.

https://ivgt.info/addtex/

Images: IVGT/AddTex

Discussions on stage were part of the Addtex project. © 2025 IVGT

New skills for a circular textile economy

Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is developing three practical training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. The content of the first module, Recycling Technologies, has now been developed and validated together with industry representatives. The module provides participants with knowledge of regulatory requirements, material sorting and the preparation of textile waste for recycling.

The textile industry in transition

Recycling, traceability, eco-design and digitalisation are among the key future challenges facing the European textile industry. The Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity, involving 21 partners from twelve countries, is investigating the skills required to address these challenges. As the German industry partner, the Industry Association for Finishing – Yarns – Fabrics – Technical Textiles (IVGT) is bringing the industry’s perspective to the project.

IVGT joint stand brings innovation and networking to Techtextil 2026

At Techtextil 2026 and the parallel Texprocess 2026, key transformation topics such as artificial intelligence, digitalisation, sustainability, recycling and the circular economy will be reflected across the show. Against this backdrop, the IVGT, together with 16 member companies, will present its joint stand in Hall 12.1 (Stand D62) as a platform for exchange and networking.

Promoting sustainability, digitalisation and resilience

The EU project ADDTEX has reached an important milestone with the two publications White Book and E-Book. Both publications contain comprehensive guidelines, findings and policy recommendations to support the sustainable, digital and resilient transition of the textile industry. The focus is on technical textiles, whose innovations are considered key to the competitiveness and resilience of the European industry.

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.

Itema reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian textile industry at NasTex 2026

From July 18th to 21st, Itema will exhibit at NasTex at the Damascus Fairground (Hall 11 – Stand C02), marking its return to one of the Middle East’s historically significant textile markets. Itema will showcase advanced weaving technology designed to support the competitiveness and technological evolution of Syrian manufacturers and announces a new partnership with Growfast Agency as the sole agent of Itema in Syria.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.