Textile ETP made the most of Techtextil-Texprocess 2026 with five guided innovation hub tours across both shows, a landmark presentation of the first SmartX strategy document on the future of EU technical textiles in defence, aerospace and protection, and a week of exchanges that bring industry reality and European funding opportunity into closer conversation.

On 14 April 2026, our Secretary General Lutz Walter participated in Pulp & Beyond, where he gave a keynote speech about the biobased fibre innovation opportunities in the EU textile market, highlighting that fossil-based fibres still account for 69% of global fibre production, and why a phase-out will be a long but necessary process.

To provide our members with first-hand insights into cutting-edge research, technologies, and sustainable innovations, we launched ‘Textile ETP on Tour’, an exclusive members-only initiative designed to showcase pioneering developments in textile science and technology. For the fourth edition on 23-24 March 2026, we visited the Lombardy region, in Italy, a premier European hub for technical textiles, blending 150 years of industrial tradition with advanced research in materials and sustainability.

On 13 March 2026, Textile ETP Sustainability Programmes Manager Tilla Kross took the stage at the VERDEinMED final event in Thessaloniki, Greece, highlighting the ongoing work within the ECOSYSTEX, and outlining the core objectives of the PESCO-UP project.

Save the date for the fourth ECOSYSTEX Conference will take place as a physical event on 22-24 September in Antwerp, Belgium, in partnership with the University of Antwerp. This event will bring together experts, innovators, and industry leaders to explore circular textiles beyond recycling.

Registrations for the 20th Textile ETP Annual Conference 2026, taking place on 26-28 May in Amsterdam and hosted by the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, are now open! This year, the conference will focus on the digital transformation of the European textile and apparel industry, a pivotal topic shaping the future of the sector.

On 10 February, our Secretary General Lutz Walter participated in the Data Spaces Symposium 2026 in Madrid, contributing to the discussion on how regulatory requirements and technical complexity can be turned from barriers into enablers for the textile industry, supporting the creation of trusted and scalable data spaces for supply chain transparency, sustainability reporting, product traceability and compliance with emerging EU legislation.

On 9 February 2026, Textile ETP Secretary General Lutz Walter spoke at the EU Advanced Fermentation Conference on biotechnology for textiles, focusing on fermentation-driven materials and processes. The discussion highlighted how biobased textile innovations, from novel biopolymer-based fibres to bacterial or enzymatic processes for textile colouration or finishing, could transform textile production.

The Horizon Europe Work Programmes 2026-7 and 2026 CBE JU calls have been published! This means that at Textile ETP, we have launched our 2026 TEPPIES brokerage activities for our members!

Whether you are interested in sustainability or are tech-savvy, our Innovation Hubs offer textile companies, research organisations, brands and retailers the chance to learn, network and collaborate on the hot topics of circular and biobased textiles, and smart and technical textiles.

On 25 November, Swiss Textiles hosted Innovation Day 2025 at Technopark Zurich, bringing together over 260 participants from across the Swiss textile ecosystem. Lutz Walter, presented an overview of the current landscape and opportunities for EU funding in textile research and innovation, highlighting several ongoing initiatives by Textile ETP aimed at advancing the European textile sector.

Today marks the launch of the Textile EPR Masterclass, a six-month, expert-led programme developed with OHANA Public Affairs and Refashion, providing practical guidance on textile end-of-life management, including collection, sorting, repair, reuse, recycling, and circular business strategies.