At Techtextil 2024 in Frankfurt this April, many international exhibitors displayed natural high performance fibres, yarns and textiles for a range of applications in the dedicated ‘Nature Performance’ area. At the next Techtextil in 2026, such materials are likely to be even more heavily showcased.

The market for natural fibres alone is expected to grow to around $103 million in 2031 and new materials, finishing and processing methods are increasing the performance of sustainable textiles – whether natural, bio-based, degradable or man-made.

“Whether in the automotive or construction industry, the demand for natural materials is increasing rapidly,” says Sabine Scharrer, director of brand management for technical textiles and textile processing at Messe Frankfurt. “In April, more than 15% of exhibitors were already showing natural fibres and materials and due to the high demand and ongoing developments, we expect an even larger range of natural performance materials at the next Techtextil.”

Among Techtextil 2024 exhibitors, Canadian start-up Vegeto, presented degradable thermal insulation based on milkweed and biopolymer fibres made from corn starch and kapok, a natural fibre from the silk tree. A jacket with a nonwoven inner lining based on the new milkweed insulation attracted a lot of attention at the Vegeto stand in the Nature Performance area.

“Visitors to our stand were really amazed that a plant-based insulating material of this quality even exists,” reports Vegeto general manager Ghyslain Bouchard.

Turkey’s Anatolian Colors introduced its natural dyes that can compete with chemical dyes in terms of quality and durability.

“The Nature Performance Area was an excellent platform for us, fitting perfectly with our vision of environmentally friendly and sustainable textile production,” says company founder Sophia Merve Ince. “Participation at Techtextil has noticeably increased awareness of the new plant dyes and helped us to reach a larger international audience. Talks were held on site with representatives from various industries – from fashion to automotive. It was particularly pleasing that a leading fashion brand showed interest in a pilot project with our products for its own collection.”

The company is already planning to take part in Techtextil 2026.

Swiss start-up OceanSafe presented a polyester material that is just as durable, functional and scalable as conventional polyester, but also completely biodegradable.

“The feedback at Techtextil was amazing,” says CMO Matthias Fuchs. “We had significantly more visitors than expected and the variety of contacts we secured ranged from automotive, medical and clothing to workwear, construction and public procurement.”

The increasing use of natural fibres in the textile industry was also the central theme of the ‘Discover Natural Fibres Initiative’ (DNFI). The international alliance of over 40 associations, organisations, natural fibre manufacturers and research institutes aims to raise awareness of the importance of natural fibres and promote their wider application.

“Many companies who have not yet used natural fibres before visited our booth to find out about alternatives to man-made fibres,” says DNFI MD Sandra Bohne. “Overall, it was a very successful event at which the DNFI representatives received many questions about potential applications for natural fibres from a wide range of industries.”

Techtextil 2026 will be held from 21 to 24 April 2026.

www.techtextil.messefrankfurt.com