The 65^th Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress was held in Dornbirn, Austria, from September 16 to 18. Since its launch in 1962, the congress has linked scientific research with industrial practice, providing a platform to exchange and showcase fiber-related research findings, entrepreneurial ideas and cutting-edge technologies. This year’s congress attracted more than 400 participants from nearly 30 countries and regions, with approximately 250 companies represented. They exchanged views on innovation in the fiber industry and its future development.

With a focus on ‘Connect, Create & Catalyse’, the congress brought together universities, start-ups, brands, associations, investors and other stakeholders. It encouraged exchange across generations, national borders and disciplines, while helping ideas advance from early concepts and R&D projects to scaling up and commercial deployment.

Focusing on young talent, innovation and scientific achievements, the congress announced the winners of several awards. The winning team of the first Dornbirn GFC Thinkathon brought together students from TU Wien and HTL Dornbirn, as well as industry professionals. The team proposed an innovative concept called Extended Consumer and Producer Cooperation (ECPC), which links each garment to a digital coin that follows the product throughout its value chain. When the garment is properly recycled or disposed of, the coin's value is returned to the consumer. To address material losses caused by the limitations of existing recycling technologies, the concept introduces an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fee that is dynamically linked to the efficiency of the circular process. This mechanism aims to encourage producers to design recyclable garments and consumers to dispose of used textiles correctly, thereby helping to close the material loop.

The congress also announced the winners of the Lenzing Young Scientist Awards 2026, the Paul Schlack Prize 2026 and the Innovation Award 2026. Among the recipients of the Lenzing Young Scientist Awards 2026, Julia Nikolaus from Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) impressed the jury with her master’s thesis, “Production of Cellulose Separators Using the Ioncell™ Process for Electrochemical Applications”. Her research involved the production of porous regenerated cellulose membranes using the Ioncell™ process and CaCO₃ templating, demonstrating their potential for applications in supercapacitors and sustainable energy storage. Nicole Nygren-Sundell from Aalto University in Finland was recognized for her research on dope-dyeing of cellulosic fibres, which saves resources and improves colour fastness while producing fibres with excellent mechanical properties and good recyclability. The Paul Schlack Prize 2026 was awarded to Dr. Momo Naeimirad from Senbis B.V. Polymer Innovations / University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands for his research project “PolyBioDeg”, which investigates the relationships between the structure of melt-spun bioplastic fibres, their biodegradation behaviour and mechanical performance. The Innovation Award 2026 went to Richard S. Blackburn from the University of Leeds in the UK for his “Polyester Infinity” technology. The technology uses CO₂ to control the solubility of novel dyes in water, enabling the dyeing and decoloration of polyester textiles while supporting dye recovery and polyester fibre recycling.

In addition to the extensive networking activities and presentations of research outcomes, Dornbirn GFC held a press conference during the event to announce that it would stage a dedicated event in Keqiao, Shaoxing, China, for the first time on November 5.

Why Keqiao?

The global textile industry is at a crossroads marked by supply-chain restructuring, rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and evolving green regulations. The boundaries of industrial competition continue to expand, making connections between innovation, manufacturing, markets and global resources increasingly important. In this context, the role of industrial clusters is evolving beyond ‘production and trading centers’ toward hubs that connect innovation and facilitate industrial collaboration.

Keqiao is especially well positioned for this transformation. As one of the world’s major textile industrial clusters and specialized trading markets, it has developed a textile manufacturing industry worth over 100 billion and a market with more than 400 billion in transactions. Its industrial chain encompasses fiber materials, weaving, dyeing and finishing, fabrics and apparel, while connecting to substantial downstream markets and global trade networks. This complete industrial ecosystem, vibrant marketplace and extensive international ties make Keqiao not only an important Chinese manufacturing and trading base, but also a credible hub for pooling global textile innovation resources, industry dialogue and value-chain collaboration.

The arrival of Dornbirn GFC in China, with Keqiao as its first destination, represents an in-depth dialogue between international fiber innovation and China’s textile industry. It will also create new opportunities for Keqiao to accelerate the transition from old to new growth drivers, expand international partnerships and enhance its global influence.

From Dornbirn to Keqiao, a new chapter of connectivity is about to begin.

Source: CHINA TEXTILE LEADER Express