Recap: Texprocess and Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt

From April 21 to 24, 2026, Texprocess and Techtextil once again took place in Frankfurt at the same time. Both trade fairs are among the most important international meeting points for textile processing, materials, and new technologies. Admission tickets were valid for both events, which made the visit especially interesting, because very different perspectives could be combined in one place.

That is exactly what made the visit so exciting for us. At Texprocess, many exhibitors from the fields of machines, processing, and embroidery technology were present, while Techtextil opened up another perspective with its high-tech textiles and innovation projects. Among the exhibitors there was also Reutlingen University with the accelerator Stoff im Kopf, which we are part of. Stoff im Kopf is Germany’s only textile accelerator and supports start-ups from German-speaking countries through a multi-month program.

Two trade fairs, many perspectives

What made the visit to Frankfurt so special was exactly this combination of both formats.

Texprocess sees itself as a platform for technologies in textile processing and focuses on topics such as precision, automation, digitalization, and AI. At the same time, Techtextil brings together the full range of technical textiles and material-based innovations. According to Messe Frankfurt, the two events together welcomed more than 1,700 exhibitors in 2026, including around 200 at Texprocess and more than 1,500 at Techtextil.

Between large booths and many conversations

Even though the overall mood at the trade fair felt somewhat restrained from our perspective, I was still impressed by the scale and professionalism with which many companies presented themselves.

Especially among international machine manufacturers, it became clear what dimensions this industry can have. Large booths, many people on site, and a very professional presence once again showed how international and broadly positioned the market really is.

For us, however, as is so often the case, it was not only the booths themselves that were interesting, but above all the conversations.

Exchange around machines, threads, and possibilities

At the trade fair, we were able to make many interesting contacts and strengthen existing connections.

We were especially happy that Torsten Preiss from Contors gave us the opportunity to be visible on site and place our flyers there. Small gestures like this are very valuable to us, because they show that a real network is slowly taking shape within the industry.

In addition, we had interesting conversations with companies from different areas of the embroidery and textile world, including machine manufacturers, software providers, and thread brands. These conversations are especially valuable to us because they help us better understand how different the perspectives within the industry are and where meaningful collaborations might emerge in the future.

Another particularly enjoyable part of the visit was a workshop that took place in the context of the start-up initiative by textil+mode. Under the name Tex Started, the association describes a network specifically designed to support innovative start-ups and encourage collaboration with established companies.

A chance for more in-depth conversations

A small anecdote on the side: I arrived at the fairgrounds a bit too early in the morning, walked through the entrance quite confidently, and ended up already being inside the halls about an hour before the official opening time. The unexpected advantage was that I was able to have some of my first conversations in a surprisingly calm atmosphere, without the usual busy trade fair crowds.

Innovation in the home market as well

Something completely new for us was a single-needle embroidery machine with a cap frame presented by Fortever. It was the first time we had seen a machine in the home-use segment equipped with a cap frame.

We found that especially impressive, because it shows that even in the home machine segment, more and more possibilities are emerging that used to be found mainly in the professional space.

Our conclusion

For us, Texprocess and Techtextil 2026 were a very worthwhile visit.

What especially stayed with us were:

• the combination of two trade fairs with very different focuses
• many conversations with people from the machine, software, and textile world
• new impulses from the start-up and industry environment
• and the feeling that personal encounters are incredibly valuable in this industry

Frankfurt once again showed us how diverse the textile industry is and how many exciting connections can emerge between technology, materials, processing, and digitalization.

We are taking many impressions with us and are curious to see which of these conversations will continue over the coming weeks.