There will be much innovation from manufacturers of knitted, woven and laminated fabrics on-show at Techtextil. James Bakewell provides a guide of the companies to look for in the busy halls of the exhibition.

While many machinery builders will wait to present their most important developments at ITMA (which will take place in Hannover, Germany, on 16–22 September 2027), Techtextil, and its sister show, Texprocess, will provide them with a vital opportunity to showcase their technologies to manufacturers of technical textiles. Editor James Bakewell picks-out some highlights.

The Chief Commercial Officer and President of AGY, Patrick Hunter, talked to John McCurry about how the company’s multimillion-dollar expansion of its facility in South Carolina will enable it to serve the  booming market for artificial intelligence, the importance of manufacturing in the USA, the company’s latest products for the composites market and the importance of finding  skilled engineers.

Strong, light in weight and able to dampen vibrations, hemp fibres have for centuries been used for the manufacture of ropes and paper. Now, as a diverse range of industries look to reduce the environmental impact of their products, hemp could play a significant role in the manufacture of technical textiles and nonwovens and, in the USA, IND Hemp is working to exploit this potential. John McCurry reports. 

As legislators in Europe look to balance their ambitions for an environmentally sustainable textiles industry with the very real need for it to remain competitive on the global stage, they are beginning to contemplate their own version of the USA’s protectionist Berry Amendment, writes Adrian Wilson.