Numbers alone, however, do not tell the full story. What truly set this edition apart was the way the cluster operated: not merely as a shared stand, but as a genuine platform for collaboration. Members highlighted how easy it was to participate under the Tèxtils.CAT umbrella, the hands-on support from the cluster team throughout the fair, and above all the quality of connections forged. Connections with international visitors, yes, but also among the Catalan companies themselves. Tèxtils.CAT’s role at Techtextil goes well beyond visibility. It is about creating the conditions for its members to innovate, connect and grow together.

An active agenda of networking, reimagined

Tèxtils.CAT deployed its most ambitious networking programme to date. The cluster organised several happy hours at the booth, open to members, international collaborators and the wider community, designed as a relaxed setting to build personal connections beyond the transactional pace of a trade fair. These were complemented by networking dinners that brought together the Catalan delegation each evening, reinforcing the sense of shared purpose that defines the cluster. On April 23, the booth became a piece of Catalonia in Frankfurt: Tèxtils.CAT celebrated Sant Jordi, the traditional Catalan day of roses and books, decorating the space and offering visitors roses crafted from textile waste alongside traditional food. A small gesture that carried a big meaning, bringing Catalan culture and circular creativity to the heart of the world’s leading technical textiles fair.

The programme also included personalised tours to and from the booths of European partner clusters. French companies visited the Tèxtils.CAT booth as part of a cross-tour, and reciprocal visits took place with German, Italian and Czech counterparts. The cluster hosted a dedicated tour from the Textile ETP’s SmartX network, focused on high-performance textiles, and facilitated pitching sessions to connect visitors directly with the Catalan exhibitors. Each of these activities responded to the same philosophy: look outward, think innovatively and build bridges that drive the industry forward.

Strengthening international alliances

Techtextil also served as the stage for Tèxtils.CAT to deepen and expand its network of strategic alliances. The cluster held formal bilateral meetings with C2TM (Morocco) and the Canadian Textile Industry Association (CTIA), exploring concrete avenues of cooperation to help members access new markets and partners.

Alongside these, Tèxtils.CAT strengthened ties with its European counterparts, many of them fellow members of the EU-TEXTILE2050 Meta Cluster, of which Tèxtils.CAT is a founding member. Through formal and informal exchanges with clusters from France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and the Czech Republic, the cluster continues to consolidate its position as a reference hub in the European advanced textiles landscape.

Bridging industry and academia

Modernising the advanced textiles industry means investing in the people who will lead it tomorrow. With that conviction, Tèxtils.CAT hosted a delegation from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Terrassa campus, bringing together some fifteen bachelor’s and master’s students in textile engineering and five professors. The students engaged directly with companies at the booth, discovering first-hand the innovative products and advanced materials being developed by cluster members. This initiative repeats the highly fruitful experience of two editions ago. It reflects Tèxtils.CAT’s commitment to closing the gap between academia and the companies that are shaping the sector’s future.

Shaping the European roadmap for technical textiles

Tèxtils.CAT participated in the Textile ETP strategy and roadmap session for technical textiles, which addressed priority areas including defence, personal protective equipment (PPE) and aerospace. Being present in these discussions ensures that Catalonia’s voice is heard where the future direction of the European technical textiles sector is being defined.

A seat at the table: the Advisory Board milestone

This edition also marked a personal first. Ariadna Detrell, Cluster Manager of Tèxtils.CAT, attended the official wrap-up breakfast of the Techtextil Advisory Board for the first time since her appointment earlier this year. The Advisory Board is the body of renowned international experts that advises Messe Frankfurt on the strategic direction of the exhibition. Detrell is the first representative of a Spanish entity on this committee. The Board expressed strong satisfaction with the 2026 edition and its participation figures, underscoring the fair’s continued relevance as the global meeting point for the industry.

The cluster’s growing visibility was further underlined by the visits of senior Messe Frankfurt leadership to the Tèxtils.CAT booth. Both Sabine Scharrer, Director of Techtextil, and Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt, took time to meet with the Catalan delegation. A gesture of recognition that speaks to the standing Tèxtils.CAT has earned within the global Techtextil ecosystem.

TEXY: a new face for a forward-looking cluster

And then there was TEXY. The cluster’s brand-new mascot made its debut at Techtextil 2026, but she is far more than a friendly face. Crafted from textile waste and made of recycled polyester, TEXY was manufactured by our member Arpe and with the collaboration of Casa AVIDI, a project dedicated to supporting elderly women experiencing homelessness. She is circular economy, social consciousness and innovation in one small plush character. Every one of the 24 exhibiting members displayed a TEXY at their booth, turning her into a recognisable symbol across the exhibition halls. Visitors were invited to tour the member stands and collect their own, sparking curiosity, conversation and a playful sense of community. Even the trade fair’s own director posed with one. Behind the fun lies a deliberate message: Tèxtils.CAT believes that innovation thrives when the industry dares to think differently and look ahead with purpose.

Looking ahead

Techtextil 2026 has confirmed what Tèxtils.CAT has been building year after year: a model of cluster-driven internationalisation that combines market access, collaborative innovation and a bold approach to advancing the sector. From the networking happy hours to the European strategy sessions, from the student visit to the Advisory Board breakfast, every initiative shares the same conviction. The technical textiles industry will thrive by looking ahead, moving forward together and thinking out of the box. Tèxtils.CAT is ready for what comes next.

Members participating at the Tèxtils.CAT booth (12.1 D39):

• DEFIBER, S.A.
• DÚCTEL, S.A.
• EURECAT
• FINSA-JOB GROUP
• HILATURAS ARNAU, S.L.
• LEITAT
• POLISILK, S.A.
• PONT, AURELL Y ARMENGOL, S.A.
• A. HILADOS EGARFIL
• STOCKFIL, S.L.
• TORNÉ GRUP
• VELUTEX, S.A.

Members exhibiting at their own booth:

• ANTEX (1 B35)
• P. ALUART, S.L. (9.0 A06)
• CIMA, S.A.U. (12.1 D86)
• INCABO, S.A. (11.1 E48)
• MANUFACTURES INDUSTRIALS DE TORTELLÀ, S.A. (MITSA) (11.0 A35)
• MARINA TEXTIL, S.L. (9.0 D12)
• ROSICH Y PUIGDENGOLAS, S.A. (11.0 C71)
• TANATEX CHEMICALS (9.0 E50)
• TECHNITIGER, S.L. (9.0 D30)
• TEXFILTRA, S.L. (12.1 B62)
• TEXTIL OLIUS, S.A. (12.1 E81)
• VTS TECHNICAL TEXTILES – Velluts Group (9.0 G04)

La entrada Tèxtils.CAT closes its most ambitious Techtextil ever: record delegation, new international alliances and a clear message that the future of the advanced textile materials is built together se publicó primero en Tèxtils.CAT.

The event highlighted the leadership of the Catalan textile ecosystem in ecodesign and sustainability.

During the workshop, the cluster members Arpe, Technitiger, and Velutex presented their success stories as expert speakers, showcasing real cases of innovation and sustainable practices in the sector.

In addition, the LIFE-CIRTECHTEX project, led by the cluster member Marina Textil, was presented, emphasizing Catalan initiatives in circular economy and sustainable technologies.

La entrada The Catalan Textile ecosystem leads in ecodesing se publicó primero en Tèxtils.CAT.

The cluster is working closely with the company in its circular economy and sustainability projects.

La entrada Visit to Velutex Flock se publicó primero en Tèxtils.CAT.

Internationalization is key area of the cluster revised strategy addressing two major objectives: increasing the competitiveness of its members with facilitated access to third country markets and increasing visibility of its members at international level thanks to the cluster participation in key events, both in Europe and internationally.

Techtextil is the major trade fair for advanced textile materials and this edition counted with 102 participating nations, around 38,000 visitors and 1700 exhibitors. Hence, the joint participation promoted SMEs internationalization and increased the positioning of the Catalan advanced textile materials’ sector.

In addition to cluster members participating in the joint booth, this year 10 cluster members have also participated with their own booth: MITSA, Grobelastic, E. CIMA, Marina Textil, C.P. Aluart, Tanatex Chemicals, Tecstar Fiber, Incabo, Rosich y Puigdengolas and ANTEX.

During the four days in the trade fair, AEI Tèxtils organized and facilitated a series of activities to promote the networking of its members, offering space for meetings within its booth for cluster members without it, and organized informal networking and cocktails to facilitate interaction among the members and with other partners of the cluster.

The cluster hosted tours from the  Textile ETP on High performance fibers and from ECOSYSTEX community of practice, both targeting European stakeholders in innovation community, where AEI Tèxtils presented its activities and the Regiogreentex project as well as some of its members within the booth. AEI Tèxtils also organized a tour for the textile engineering students from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia to present the Catalan ecosystem of advanced textile materials and the ADDTEX hub for sustainability and upskilling in Catalan textile industry.

In addition, AEI Tèxtils also promoted the positioning of the Catalan advanced textile materials sector with a presentation in the Techtextil Forum of the different initiatives the cluster and its members are conducting in relation to sustainability and circular economy, highlighting the synergies of the Catalan textile industry and their good practices.

Lastly, the cluster is organizing the webinar “Panorama Techtextil 24” on May 21^st to summarize major trends and innovations that were featured during this edition of the trade fair, as an exclusive service for its members.

These activities complement preparatory actions the cluster has taken over the past month such as the pre-Techtextil event in Terrassa on April 10^th to engage and foster networking among cluster members with international stakeholders from Portugal, Italy and France in the frame of ADMANTEX2i final event. In this Pre-Techtextil, AEI Tèxtils facilitated a speed dating session among the participants to have brief introduction among each other and to seed potential collaborations.

AEI Tèxtils is supporting internationalization of its members through different projects, deploying added value services such as joint missions with custom agendas. Its current calendar includes missions to Australia in November 2024 and to Arabia Saudi in February 2025.

Projects are tools for the cluster to support strategically its members with services and pilot actions such as organization of business missions, facilitating networking and matchmaking services for its members with international partners.

The different projects aim to support SMEs in identifying and exploiting growth opportunities worldwide through activities such as partnering missions, matchmaking events, cross-partnership webinars, circular economy business models, digitalization driver and cross-cultural approach, and lessons in building industrial resilience.

The booth at Techtextil was an opportunity for the cluster to showcase some of these strategic projects, such as ADDTEX, Regiogreentex, Admantex2i, xBUILD- EU and ZeroF.

Clusters, like AEI Tèxtils, are great connectors and facilitators for the industrial ecosystem to promote, facilitate, and support the innovation process of its members, fostering the green transition and digital transformation, as a key contribution to the increase the competitiveness of the advanced textile materials sector and its members.

La entrada AEI TÈXTILS at Techtextil se publicó primero en Tèxtils.CAT.

La entrada AEI Tèxtils visits its member Velutex se publicó primero en Tèxtils.CAT.