In the new edition, we focus on the important issue of skilled workers. We highlight the opportunities in the industry and show how our STFI Akademie provides targeted support for qualification and development.

JEC World will take place from 4 to 6 March 2025 under the motto ‘Pushing the Limits’. With its groundbreaking solutions, unique manufacturing and business opportunities, the leading trade fair for lightweight construction is a networking centre for creativity, vision and action. It shows how composite materials are pushing the boundaries of projects and ambitions.

In the latest edition of the STFI Newsletter, we focus on the textile circular economy. We provide information on new applications and products made from recycled materials as well as innovations in our Center for Textile Sustainability.

The circular textile economy is on everyone's lips. However, it is only through collaboration and networking that we will make significant progress towards this goal, which is why we invite you to join us for a professional exchange with partners from industry, universities and research institutions.

On 1st and 2nd October 2024, the MC4 consortium met for the biannual project meeting at the French partner CHOMARAT in Le Cheylard (France).

On 17 and 18 June 2024, the second PESCO-UP General Assembly Meeting took place in Slovenia. Our two colleagues Dr. Anna Große and Romy Naumann were on site to share the latest results from the project with the partners and to set the milestones for the upcoming months.

The EDANA Innovation Forum took place in Munich from June 4-6, 2024. This unique new event attracted over 100 participants from 78 companies and 22 countries, making it a truly global gathering.

The aim of the research project was to develop user-friendly, knitted, single-layer, active laser protection gloves for industrial and medical use on laser systems in the spectral range of near-infrared radiation.

On 15 and 16 May 2024, the General Assembly of the EU project Bionanopolys (Open Innovation Test Bed For Developing Safe Nano-Enabled Bio-Based Materials) took place in Cornella de Llobgregat (Spain). The project partners from eleven European countries presented their research results and set the milestones for the coming months until the end of the project in December 2024.

On 14 May 2024, the STFI hosted the second Akademie Breakfast, an open industry exchange on the topics of recruiting and qualifying skilled workers. The STFI Akademie Breakfast once again brought together textile entrepreneurs, both the Employment Agency and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce as well as trainers from the STFI Akademie at a lavishly laid breakfast table. 45 participants accepted the invitation to Chemnitz.

STFI's second Akademie breakfast will take place on 14 May 2024 in Chemnitz. This event will serve as an open industry exchange on the topics of recruiting and qualifying skilled workers.

The latest edition of our STFI newsletter includes details of projects that will be showcased at our stand at Techtextil from 23-26 April 2024. It also features an interview with STFI recycling expert Johannes Leis and information about upcoming events at our research institute.

Green snowboards from silbaerg combine natural fibres with in-house recycled materials adapting extremely flexible to different riding situations. Since 2011, the company silbaerg from Chemnitz has been producing high-quality snowboards, which are manufactured by using the patented A.L.D.tech^®. The latest product line of green snowboards has now been honoured with the JEC Innovation Award 2024 in Paris.

Over the next 48 months,STFI and its 18 project partners will focus on recycling and transforming mixed polyester/cotton waste into high-quality and pure materials for the next use cycle.aligning with the EU's 2025 textile waste mandatory collection.

"All the strength we give away comes back to us experienced and transformed."
(Rainer Maria Rilke)

It's Christmas time – a moment for reflection, silence, gratitude, and joy. We want to express our appreciation for your trust and successful collaboration – wishing you, your team, and your families a peaceful Christmas and a healthy 2024!

The renowned Innovation Award for Fibre Reinforced Plastics of the AVK – Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V. was presented this year in Salzburg. The award goes to companies, institutes and their partners in each of the three categories "Products and Applications", "Processes and Methods" and "Research and Science" for outstanding innovations with fibre-reinforced plastics. Criteria such as level of innovation, degree of realisation and sustainability are evaluated. STFI was nominated in two categories and was awarded third place in each.

On 18 October 2023, the review meeting for the EU project "MC4 - Multi-level Circular Process Chain for Carbon and Glass Fibre Composites" took place at the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI). In addition to representatives of the 16 project partners from 9 European countries, the responsible project officer and a reviewer appointed by the EU Commission also took part.

On 23 August 2023, the STFI invited representatives of the textile industry to an open exchange around the topics of skilled labour qualification and sustainable innovations. The first STFI Academy Breakfast brought textile entrepreneurs, the Federal Employment Agency and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce to a richly laid breakfast table to discuss approaches to solving the shortage of skilled workers.

The shortage of skilled workers requires new approaches for companies. If the search for qualified specialists remains unsuccessful, the path often leads companies to lateral hires. If they are hired, they have to be trained or, even better, qualified in their field of work. Companies are facing various challenges in this process.

New developments in textile research, innovative research projects, as well as exciting news from textile testing and certification – stay up to date with our newsletter!