Textile ETP at Swiss Innovation Day 2025
On 25 November, Swiss Textiles hosted Innovation Day 2025 at Technopark Zurich, bringing together over 260 participants from across the Swiss textile ecosystem, including textile producers, machinery manufacturers, brands and retailers, start-ups, digital tech developers, universities, research and testing institutes, NGOs, and public authorities.
Our Secretary General, 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.
The event demonstrated the incredible diversity and creativity within the industry. Participants experienced a wide range of innovations, from a snake-like textile robot designed for delicate applications to a device that creates a digital twin of one’s wardrobe, offering practical applications in line with the upcoming EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirements. Innovation Day seamlessly combined presentations on cutting-edge research with interactive workshops, allowing participants to engage hands-on with the technologies on display. Entrepreneurs and established companies shared insights with start-up founders and creating a rich environment for knowledge exchange.
Topics discussed spanned both widely covered areas and niche innovations. Highlights included circularity pilot projects, biobased fibre innovations, sustainable process chemistry, AI and robotics applications, as well as more specialized subjects such as tailored fibre placement, super-absorbent yarns, and cross-cutting themes like the potential of neurodivergent employees in innovation teams and the role of universities of applied sciences as incubators and accelerators for textile start-ups.
