In this special podcast series, we speak to the winners of the WTiN Innovate Textile Awards 2025.

World Textile Information Network (WTiN) is thrilled to announce the winners of the Innovate Textile Awards 2025. In this special podcast series we speak with the winners of the awards about the challenges, possibilities and successes of innovation within the textile industry.

In this episode, we are joined by Martin Bentz, CEO at Outlast Technologies. Outlast won the Material Innovation Award for its Aersulate fabric, a high-performance insulation. Aersulate textiles combine its high-performance material aerogel with various textile carrier materials. 

In this episode, Bentz speaks about how the company is setting new standards for insulation under challenging conditions. He explains how the technology works and how the company has continued its development and success. 

Additionally, Bentz delves into why it is important for companies, which are innovating, to develop brand stories. He touches upon how this can help innovators position themselves within textile markets as trends continue to shape it. 

You can learn more about Outlast Technologies at outlast.com.

WTiN announced the winners in a virtual ceremony on 5 December 2025, which you can now watch on demand at WTiN.com.

In this special podcast series, we speak to the winners of the WTiN Innovate Textile Awards 2025.

World Textile Information Network (WTiN) is thrilled to announce the winners of the Innovate Textile Awards 2025. In this special podcast series we speak with the winners of the awards about the challenges, possibilities and successes of innovation within the textile industry. 

In this episode, we are joined by Özer Yilmaz, co-founder and technical director at Canapa Paper Technologies. Canapa won the Sustainability Award for its DTpaper Transfer Media for the digital textile printing industry. 

The Sustainability Award recognises groundbreaking advancements in chemistry, materials and production processes that significantly reduce the environmental impact of the textile and apparel industry. In this episode, Yilmaz speaks through the evolution of Canapa’s product and technology.

He delves into the importance of sustainable manufacturing and explains how the company endeavours to bridge the gap between performance and sustainability, while creating durable, high-performance, scalable solutions for digital textile printing. 

You can learn more about Canapa at canapa.com.tr. 

WTiN announced the winners in a virtual ceremony on 5 December 2025, which you can now watch on demand atWTiN.com. 

In this special podcast series, we speak to the winners of the WTiN Innovate Textile Awards 2025.

World Textile Information Network (WTiN) is thrilled to announce the winners of the Innovate Textile Awards 2025. In this special podcast series we speak with the winners of the awards about the challenges, possibilities and successes of innovation within the textile industry.

In this episode, we are joined by Anna Talvi, senior research fellow at Robotics Living Lab (RoLL). RoLL won the Manufacturing & Supply Chain Award for its novel research facility designed to support innovation for onshore fashion production. 

The award celebrates pioneering advancements in machinery, software and processing techniques that transform the textile & apparel industry. In this episode Talvi speaks through RoLL’s inception and how it develops robotic solutions for the fashion industry. 

The lab opened early in 2025 after it was awarded GBP£3.8m by the Arts and Humanities research Council (AHRC). RoLL explores more sustainable approaches for fashion manufacturing. It sees fashion researchers, designers and manufacturers working together with robots to create high-value, low-volume fashion. Talvi delves into how it is advancing robotics and how robots can be used effectively in fashion and textile supply chains. 

You can learn more about RoLL at @robotics_living_lab.

WTiN announced the winners in a virtual ceremony on 5 December 2025, which you can now watch on demand atWTiN.com.

WTiN Textile Innovation Podcast speaks to Dr. Gediminas Mikutis, co-founder & chief technology officer at Haelixa.

Haelixa is a Swiss technology company, spun off from ETH Zürich, that provides DNA-based traceability for industries including textiles. The traceable technology enables brands to verify material origins and claims to enhance supply chain transparency. 

Already Haelixa is used by brands including Hugo Boss. In this episode Mikutis outlines the numerous benefits of supply chain traceability within the textile industry. He touches upon compliance and upcoming regulations as an industry push towards building greater transparency. 

Haelixa uses natural DNA from native mountain herbs to mark and trace fibres like organic cotton and cashmere. Mikutis explains how Haelixa is able to imprint textiles with its DNA technology to trace fibres’ origins at every stage of the supply chain.

Throughout the episode Mikutis uses and references real world case studies to illustrate why Haelixa’s work is not only important, but essential, to the textile industry moving forward. 

If you would like to learn more, please visit haelixa.com.

In this special podcast series, we speak to the winners of the WTiN Innovate Textile Awards 2025.

World Textile Information Network (WTiN) is thrilled to announce the winners of the Innovate Textile Awards 2025. In this special podcast series we speak with the winners of the awards about the challenges, possibilities and successes of innovation within the textile industry. 

In the second episode, we are joined by Alexander Grüner, global business development manager, emtec Electronic. Emtec Electronic won the Changemakers award for Tactile Sensation Analyser and cloud-based Virtual Haptic Library.

The emtec TSA Tactile Sensation Analyser evaluates parameters such as surface softness, surface smoothness, stretch and recovery, thermo-haptic properties, friction, and crumple or drape behaviour. This level of detailed analysis allows textile manufacturers to maintain the highest standards of quality and comfort in their products.

One of the standout features of the updated TSA device is its integration with the cloud-based Virtual Haptic Library. Developed in collaboration with Black Swan Textiles, this innovative online database digitises and categorises TSA sample data, making it accessible to authorized personnel worldwide in real-time.

Grüner speaks about the company’s development and journey. He details how it started out in the pulp and paper industry but how interest from manufacturers including the likes of Lenzing opened doors for emtec in the textile space. 

You can learn more about emtec Electronic at  emtec-electronic.de. 

WTiN announced the winners in a virtual ceremony on 5 December 2025, which you can now watch on demand at WTiN.com.

In this episode of WTiN’s Textile Innovation Podcast we speak John Higginson, CEO of Eco Age.

Welcome back to WTiN’s Textile Innovation Podcast. In our first episode of 2026 we are joined by John Higginson, CEO and founder of Higginson Strategy and CEO of Eco Age. 

In today’s episode we focus on Higginson’s work with UK-based Eco Age – a consultancy and media platform focused on transforming the fashion and beauty industries towards greater sustainability. Throughout the episode we speak about the work that Eco Age does, who it works with and how it is informing consumers nation and worldwide. 

Higginson touches upon his background in politics and how legislation is powered by the consumer, plus how it will change the industry moving forward. He speaks about the power of collaboration and education for brands, manufacturers and consumers. 

Additionally, we speak about the power of events such as The Green Carpet Fashion Awards (GCFA), which unites creative visionaries and industry leaders to celebrate excellence in innovation and transformative impact on a global scale. 

There are many companies that Eco Age works with such as Textile Genesis, Sparxell and Healixa, which we also mention throughout the podcast.

If you would like to learn more, please visit eco-age.com.

In this special podcast series, we speak to the winners of the WTiN Innovate Textile Awards 2025.

World Textile Information Network (WTiN) is thrilled to announce the winners of the Innovate Textile Awards 2025. In this special podcast series we speak with the winners of the awards about the challenges, possibilities and successes of innovation within the textile industry.

In the first episode, we are joined by Melik Demirel, co-founder of Tandem Repeat. Tandem Repeat won the Product Innovation award for Sonachic – a collection of luxury basics inspired by sweater and cardigan knitting, featuring Procell™ fibre made from fermented proteins. 

Tandem Repeat has developed a patented fermentation microbial process that transforms proteins into valuable products, including textile fibres and nonwovens. This process encompasses synthetic biology, strain and fermentation engineering, and downstream processes. Demirel speaks how the company has combined circular design with functionality. 

You can learn more about Tandem Repeat at tandemrepeat.com. Read Demirel’s report on biomanufacturing protein fibres to achieve sustainable development here. 

WTiN announced the winners in a virtual ceremony on 5 December 2025, which you can now watch on demand at WTiN.com.

Join WTiN’s content team as we discuss the biggest events and trends that have shaped the global textile industry in the last year.

As we near the end of 2025, WTiN’s content team come together in this end of year podcast to discuss the trends, themes, challenges and circumstances that have shaped the global textile industry this year. 

Our head of content Madeline Thomas speaks about the economic climate of the industry, while Jessica Robe, innovation and consultancy lead; Otis Robinson, editor and channel lead digitalisation; and Joseph Link, senior editor and digital textiles lead, each steer thoughtful segments on specific sectors including materials, digital textile printing, regulations and digitalisation. 

Meanwhile Lucy-Anna Stallard, WTiN’s event coordinator, reflects on the major events we have held this year, including our successful, first-ever Circularity Week. In 2026, we will be hosting our first Digital Textile Printing Week, from 23-27 March 2026. 

This year we also launched our debut Concepts 2030 book, which WTiN members can download here. Concepts 2030 explores the innovations with the greatest potential to redefine material systems, manufacturing methods and product performance by the end of the decade.

The podcast will return in 2026, starting the year with a special series where we speak with the winners of WTiN’s Textile Innovation Awards 2025.

We wish you a Happy Holiday Season and Joyful New Year. 

In this episode of WTiN’s Textile Innovation Podcast we speak with WTiN’s head of content Madelaine Thomas and innovation & consultancy lead Jessica Robe.

We have had a busy few months at WTiN, not only have we hosted our first ever Circularity Week, which took place between 17 – 20 November, but we have also attended textile tradeshows including ITMA ASIA + CITME Singapore 2025 and Performance Days. 

Our head of content Madeline Thomas attended ITMA Asia + CITME at Singapore Expo, Singapore, while Jessica Robe, innovation & consultancy lead was present at Performance Days 2025 at Trade Fair Centre Messe Munchen, Munich, Germany. 

During this podcast we speak with both Thomas and Robe about the conversations they were a part of and what they saw at both events. ITMA Asia + CITME is Asia's leading textile and garment technology exhibition, and we discuss how the region is growing and which countries we can expect to see more from

The bi-annual Performance Days fair meanwhile focuses on functional textiles. During the discussion Robe tells of new exhibition areas at the event, such as wool and footwear. We also touch upon themes and areas of interest such as textile-to-textile recycling and digital textile printing throughout the podcast. 

If you want to learn more about each tradeshow you can read WTiN’s ITMA Asia + CITME 2025 review here and Performance Days 2025 review here. 

In this episode of WTiN’s Textile Innovation Podcast we speak with Zimri T. Hinshaw, CEO of Rheom Materials.

Rheom Materials is pioneering next-gen materials that leverage existing plastics manufacturing to create scalable, biobased alternatives to petrochemicals.

The Houston, Texas-based company uses biopolymers derived from plant-based matter for new applications across the fashion and textile industry, plus others. In this episode, Hinshaw speaks through the company’s processes and how its operations have developed since it moved to Houston from New York in 2022.

He also speaks about Rheom Materials’ commercially available products and how it is scaling its innovations. Additionally, he touches upon the company’s funding rounds and how it is using investment to scale production, while also encouraging the industry and consumers to explore biobased alternatives. Hinshaw also explains how partnerships can be formed with Rheom Materials through The Shorai Inner Circle.

For any investors, brands or those looking to connect with Rheom Materials you can do so here.

For more information, please visit rheom.com.