The East German textile industry sees recycling as a major future market. There are currently millions of tons of used textiles that are not being used as raw materials, said Thomas Lindner, Chairman of the Board of the Association of the North-East German Textile and Clothing Industry (vti). When developing new textiles, their recyclability must be considered from the outset. "The aim must be that something new can be made from old textiles." Many companies are working on this in collaboration with research institutes in the region.
Around 1,500 exhibitors from 52 countries are reportedly exhibiting at the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt am Main this week. It is the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. This sector is regarded as the focus of the textile industry in eastern Germany. According to the vti, technical textiles account for more than half of its turnover. The association has around 110 members, mainly in Saxony and Thuringia.
