Textile ETP on Tour visits Enschede, where heritage meets innovation and digitalisation
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 fifth edition on 28 May 2026, we visited Enschede, in the Netherlands, a town which was one of the largest textile producing cities in Europe until the late 1960s.
Our programme offered a rich journey through the region's thriving circular textile ecosystem. The morning took us to Regionaal Textielsorteercentrum Twente (RTT), a unique facility where a sorting centre and a weaving mill coexist under one roof. Through Stichting TexPlus (a collaboration between Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Frankenhuis Textielrecycling, SaXcell, RTT, and Enschede Textielstad), partners are sorting around 3 million kilograms of textiles per year, with the ambition to scale up textile-to-textile recycling and keep materials in the region.
Inside the facility, we explored the data tools powering this work. MangoStone supports sorting facilities with intuitive tablet-based systems that capture structured data in real time, making traceability and EPR reporting practical and scalable. ValueSort.AI goes further with an AI-powered value estimator trained on millions of images, automatically assigning each garment to its most valuable circular pathway based on material composition and market demand. TEXroad, in turn, is building the shared data infrastructure the whole value chain needs to coordinate effectively. We also heard from Enschede Textielstad about how they turn recycled yarns into fabrics with real-world applications using advanced weaving machines capable of handling diverse fibre combinations, including linen, wool, and even experimental seaweed yarns.
The afternoon brought us to Saxion University of Applied Sciences, where Textile ETP members were divided into three parallel tours on their textile research:
An innovation tour showcased functional textiles for healthcare and wellbeing through live demonstrations and prototypes.
A laboratory tour explored the university's Sustainable & Functional Textiles research facilities.
A workshop on circularity and transparency offered practical experience with fibre measurement techniques and Digital Product Passports (DPP) for textiles.
The afternoon culminated in a milestone moment: the inaugural lecture of Jens Oelerich, newly appointed Professor in Sustainable & Functional Textiles at Saxion. Introduced by Dean Arjan Zeman and joined by Dirk Vantyghem, Director General of EURATEX, and Head of the Executive Board Inge Grimm, Professor Oelerich explored the pivotal role that Universities of Applied Sciences can play in driving the transition of the textile industry towards a more sustainable future.
A special thank you to Saxion University of Applied Science for supporting us in making this event a reality!
Photos of the event are available here.
More Textile ETP on Tour events will follow, and we look forward to seeing you at the next one. If you are not yet a member, we invite you to join Textile ETP and become part of the European community shaping the future of the textile industry.
