Messe Frankfurt has launched “Texpertise Econogy Insights”, a new report that identifies five core issues driving the sustainable transformation of the global textile and clothing industry. Released on 15 April 2025, the publication draws from the company’s Texpertise Econogy sustainability programme and input from international industry experts.

The textile and fashion sector faces enormous environmental challenges, including the generation of waste equivalent to 370,000 fully-loaded Airbus aircraft and a global recycling rate of just one per cent. The industry is also dominated by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, making sustainability integration complex but increasingly urgent.

Texpertise Econogy Insights examines the industry’s progress and obstacles across five main themes: the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), transparency and traceability in supply chains, the sustainability profiles of various fibre types, the role of environmentally responsible process standards, and innovation in textile recycling.

Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles and Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt, emphasised the importance of collaboration: “Transformation requires cooperation. The international textile events by Messe Frankfurt serve as key hubs for change in this process. With the Texpertise Econogy programme, we are connecting green pioneers with companies and creating hotspots for knowledge and networking.”

The findings are based on the Texpertise Econogy Check, a voluntary sustainability evaluation now offered at 24 of Messe Frankfurt’s textile events worldwide. Between January 2024 and January 2025, 820 companies participated in the check across 17 events in Germany, France, the USA and China. The check assesses participants across areas such as sustainable supply chains, material usage, and innovation strategies.

Messe Frankfurt has championed sustainability since 2008, introducing curation tools, dedicated innovation spaces, and educational fringe programmes at its international fairs. In 2023, the company consolidated all its sustainability initiatives under the Texpertise Econogy brand, now a prominent feature at 24 of its 60 global textile events.

With a portfolio spanning the entire textile value chain across 13 countries, Messe Frankfurt hosts over 60 trade fairs and connects a global network of more than 500,000 industry stakeholders. Texpertise serves as a central platform for knowledge sharing and visibility into sustainable innovations in the textile sector.

“Texpertise Econogy Insights” is available both in print and as an accessible e-paper. Download the e-paper version here.

www.texpertise-network.com