Texpertise Focus AI: Messe Frankfurt puts Artificial Intelligence Centre Stage at its International Textile and Apparel Trade Fairs
Frankfurt am Main, 18 December 2025. Under the banner “Texpertise Focus AI”, Messe Frankfurt will place a strong emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) across its international textile and apparel trade fairs from 2026 onwards, setting a future-shaping signal for the industry. The initiative highlights the responsible use of AI along the entire textile value chain, from fibre production to the point of sale. The programme will launch at Heimtextil in Frankfurt in January 2026.
The textile and apparel industry is undergoing significant transformation: artificial intelligence is reshaping workflows, enabling new business models and offering solutions for sustainability, efficient value chains and the sector’s skills shortage. Commercial market analyses estimate the global market for AI in the textile industry to reach around USD 21 billion by 2033, roughly ten times the 2023 figure1. According to Eurostat, 13.5 percent of European industrial companies were already using AI in 20242, including many businesses in the textile sector. Under the communication umbrella “Texpertise Focus AI”, Messe Frankfurt will showcase exhibitor applications and content formats relating to artificial intelligence at its international textile and apparel events from 2026 onwards.
“The potential applications of artificial intelligence are growing rapidly and are fundamentally changing how we work, produce and trade. This also applies to the textile and apparel industry. As the world’s leading organiser of trade fairs for the sector, we make relevant developments visible and foster global dialogue,” says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles and Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt. “With Texpertise Focus AI, our events provide orientation for the targeted and responsible use of AI within the industry.”
Artificial Intelligence as a Key Focus
From 2026, Texpertise Focus AI will further enhance the visibility and accessibility of AI-related topics at Messe Frankfurt’s textile trade fairs. This includes curated content formats such as panel discussions, guided tours and live demonstrations featuring international industry experts. In addition, many exhibiting companies will present AI-related solutions.
The initiative will commence at Heimtextil from 13 to 16 January 2026 in Frankfurt am Main. AI will feature across numerous programme items, searchable online under “Texpertise Focus AI”. On Wednesday, 14 January at 3 p.m., internationally renowned thought leader in AI for design, Tim Fu, will join the Architonic Live Talk. Under the title “Woven intelligence: designing spaces in the era of AI”, Fu will discuss how artificial
1 AI in Textile Market Size, Share, Trends | CAGR of 24.6%
2 Usage of AI technologies increasing in EU enterprises – News articles – Eurostat
intelligence can support meaningful collaboration between architecture and interior design to create spaces that connect craft with computational technology. Messe Frankfurt will roll out the initiative across its textile trade fairs worldwide. Local characteristics and market-specific challenges will be integrated into the concept to ensure relevance.
Artificial Potential for the Value Chain, Sustainability and Workforce Development
AI is transforming the textile value chain from fibre production to the point of sale and offers potential for greater efficiency, higher quality and improved resilience. In raw-material sourcing, AI systems support cultivation, harvesting and recycling through intelligent analytics and sorting technologies. In design and development, AI tools accelerate creative processes and simulate material properties, a concept reflected, for example, in the immersive installation “among all” by Patricia Urquiola at Heimtextil 2026. Production and logistics processes can also be optimised, waste reduced and supply chains made more transparent.
Artificial intelligence is also driving the twin transformation – the convergence of digitalisation and sustainability. Around 116 million tonnes of textile fibres are produced annually worldwide, yet only one percent of post-consumer textile waste is recycled3. With AI, companies can conserve resources and reduce waste. AI-based design and forecasting models help prevent overproduction, while life-cycle analyses enable environmentally conscious sourcing. Image-recognition systems sort used textiles, laying the foundation for a true circular economy. The entire spectrum of textile processing technologies will be showcased at Texprocess from 21 to 24 April 2026 in Frankfurt am Main.
In the workplace, AI is creating new job profiles and reshaping existing ones, in areas such as data analytics, digital design and process control. It also has the potential to ease labour shortages: according to the German Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University4, up to 70 percent of standardised production tasks could be automated. AI can also support recruitment by enabling targeted identification and selection of qualified professionals.
Here you can find the full programme on AI at Heimtextil 2026:
Eventcalendar | Heimtextil Programme
More on „Texpertise Focus AI“:
Texpertise Focus AI
3 cms.extranet.textile-platform.eu/uploads/Final_Draft_SRIA_90cfe269e8.pdf
4 TTI Cover OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2024.cdr
Messe Frankfurt Texpertise
Mit einem Portfolio von mehr als 60 internationalen Textilmessen in 13 Ländern ist die Messe Frankfurt weltweit Marktführer für Fachmessen der Textilbranche. Das Messeangebot umfasst die gesamte Wertschöpfungskette der Textilindustrie: Texpertise vereint diese Veranstaltungen, aktuelle Themen und ein globales Netzwerk von mehr als 500.000 Branchenvertretende aus aller Welt. Als zentrale Kommunikationsplattform bietet Texpertise Informationen zu den weltweit bekannten Messemarken und erstklassigen Serviceleistungen der Messe Frankfurt.
Texpertise Newsroom
Information from the international textile industry and Messe Frankfurt’s global textile fairs can be found in the Texpertise Newsroom at www.texpertisenetwork.com
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Your contact:
Ivonne Seifert Tel.: +49 69 75 75-6157 ivonne.seifert@messefrankfurt.com
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Background information on Messe Frankfurt
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