3D-Printed Fabric and Washable LED Screens Among the Innovation Awards Winners at Techtextil

By Alison A. Nieder | Thursday, May 7, 2015

New developments in technical textiles and machinery were high- lighted and honored during the recent Techtextil and Texprocess shows in Frankfurt, Germany.

Among the Techtextil Innovation Award winners with apparel-related developments was San Francisco–based wearable technology startup Switch Embassy introducing a washable LED screen, which can be used for apparel, accessories and home décor.

German sewing-machinery maker Nähmaschinenfabrik Emil Stutznäcker GmbH & Co. KG introduced a high-performance sewing machine that is capable of producing multi-layer woven and non- woven fabrics at speeds of 3,000 stitches per minute.

3DWeaver is a 3-D printer capable of producing three-dimensional woven structures developed by London-based designer and engineer Oluwaseyi Sosanya.

The Innovation Awards also recognized new developments for in- dustrial and medical applications, such as Swiss interdisciplinary research institute Empa’s embroidered electrode, which can be used to record the electrocardiogram (ECG) of patients with heart and circulatory problems.

All the winning products were on display during the May 4–7 run of Techtextil and Texprocess at the Messe Frankfurt exhibition center in Frankfurt. Organized by trade show giant Messe Frankfurt, the shows focus on technical textiles and sewn-products processes. Both shows are also held in the U.S. The next Techtextil North America will be held in Houston in June, and the next Texprocess Americas will be held in Atlanta next year.