At the Milano Unica February edition, the TexClubTec Innovation Area reaffirms its position as a focal point for textile industry professionals, highlighting how personalization is the driving force behind technological evolution. Technical textiles are indeed reinventing themselves through tailor-made solutions, responding to the needs of increasingly specific markets, from sportswear to medical, to design, and opening up unprecedented scenarios for the research and development of advanced and sustainable materials. In this context, digitalization emerges as an enabling factor, accelerating production processes, optimizing resources, and reducing costs. TexClubTec, the Confindustria Moda division dedicated to technical textiles, is positioned at the center of this transformation, fostering synergistic collaboration between companies, research centers, and institutions. The common goal is to delineate a future in which innovation and personalization are grounded in sustainability, charting a course toward an increasingly responsible and high-performance textile industry.
Reflected light: a study in texture and function
Jcr-Reflex presented a groundbreaking textured material with a unique relief effect, valued by leading apparel and footwear brands for its application in activewear, athleisure, and safety products.
Enhanced protection
Pidigi presents its new bi-layer technical shells, engineered with breathable, waterproof, and wind-resistant membranes for optimal protection in technical sportswear, walkwear, urban lifestyle wear, and safety applications. The shells are perfectly suited for cycling, running, and various outdoor endeavors.
Eco-firiendly advancement
Molina unveiled PolyPlant, a novel natural polymer sourced from sugarcane, produced using renewable feedstocks for a broad spectrum of applications, including insulation fills and fabric manufacturing.
Deeply rooted environmentalism
Oktex introduces millennial fabrics, transforming ocean plastics into sustainable textiles, Millennial fabrics, a product of the Seaqual Initiative, which salvages plasti
Zero Waste
Re:Down®’s innovative technologies transform textile waste into premium down fill. Utilizing proprietary technologies, Re:Down® converts textile waste – reprocessed to the highest quality standards – into traceable, zero-waste down fill solutions.
Crafting the future of fashion: a digital ecosystem
Style3D leverages AI- powered fabric scanning, modeling and design to create incredibly realistic 3D digital garments, eliminating the waste associated with physical prototypes.
MILANOUNICA.IT JULY 8-10, 2025 MILAN, ITALY
Membrane tessili del futuro: leggerezza, performance e sostenibilità Vagotex Windtex presenta le ultime innovazioni nel campo delle membrane e degli accoppiati tessili, settore di cui è punto di riferimento. A partire da BeLeaf, membrana termoregolatrice realizzata con nitruro di boro già vista nella precedente edizione della fiera, che gestisce i cambiamenti improvvisi di temperatura e favorisce la dispersione rapida del calore migliorando il comfort nei capi impermeabili. Un’altra novità è la membrana a nanofilamenti, evoluzione tecnologica che punta su leggerezza estrema e traspirabilità avanzata: il suo peso ridotto, pari a soli 4-5 grammi per metro quadro, la rende ideale per l’abbigliamento sportivo ad alte prestazioni. “Grazie alla sua consistenza quasi impercettibile – illustra Elisabetta Gaspari, general manager dell’azienda – e alla caratteristica di estrema traspirabilità, sono molte le firme della moda che si stanno interessando a questa membrana”. Infine, la partnership con una startup svizzera ben avviata ha portato alla industrializzazione di una innovativa membrana tessile microporosa ecosostenibile. “Dimpora® – spiega Gaspari – è una membrana rivoluzionaria realizzata con polimeri biobased e una tecnica innovativa che utilizza minerali solubili per creare i micro-pori, eliminando processi chimici impattanti, che rende i tessuti impermeabili e traspiranti senza danneggiare l’ambiente. È una soluzione pensata per il mondo outdoor e sta ottenendo un crescente interesse tra i brand di settore”. Tutte le membrane proposte da Vagotex sono PFAS-free, a conferma dell’impegno dell’azienda verso soluzioni tecniche avanzate e sostenibili.
Charting a course towards sustainable practices
Gianni Crespi Foderami is increasingly focused on sustainability and supply chain traceability, maintaining its entirely Italian production despite significant economic and manufacturing challenges. “The market,” company representatives explain, “is navigating a period of complex transformation and we’re facing two key criticalities: a thinning production chain and escalating price pressures. Despite producing premium-quality linings highly coveted by major luxury brands, the current economic climate is causing a contraction in sales volumes. To counter these headwinds, we’ve amplified our research and development efforts, focusing on advanced technical materials.” Innovation is driven by the utilization of cutting-edge fibers, including recycled nylons, biodegradable materials, GRS-certified polyester and Cordura, a high-tenacity technical yarn that, when interwoven with soft fibers, yields highly durable yet supple textiles particularly suited for children’s wear, where both resistance and comfort are paramount. Notwithstanding the headwinds of 2024, the company maintains a robust position, underpinned by its solid and well- established corporate structure.
Textile innovation and refinement: merging technology with style
Novaresin, an industry leader in textile finishing, showcases its latest advancements, headlined by their new trilaminate fabrics bonded with nylon knits, featuring 100% polyurethane Novashield membranes. These materials are meticulously engineered to deliver top-tier technical performance, including exceptional waterproofness, wind resistance, breathability and lightweight comfort, making them ideal for high-performance active sportswear such as ski apparel, mountaineering gear, and technical fashion. Equipped with a state-of-the-art laboratory capable of conducting an extensive array of fabric tests, Novaresin ensures rigorous, continuous monitoring of the lamination, resin finishing, and membrane processing stages by their team of expert technicians. This meticulous oversight guarantees adherence to the highest quality standards. At Milano Unica, Novaresin highlighted their 50- and 60-gram laminates, though their portfolio encompasses even lighter options. “Beyond the technical sector,” states Gianluca Donghi, Novaresin’s Sales Manager, “we’ve also launched a line of laminated fabrics specifically designed for the fashion industry. This exclusive technology perfectly marries cutting-edge innovation with high style.”
Recycling vanguard: from airport straps to premium yarns
Centrocot’s commitment to recycling aligns with increasing market demand. More and more companies seek innovative solutions to valorize production waste, transforming what was once considered refuse into new raw materials. At Milano Unica, Centrocot showcased samples developed through European-funded research projects at MultiLab, a recently established area dedicated entirely to research, where they support companies in developing recycling and material reuse innovations or production processes. “Here,” explains Daniela Nebuloni from the Project Area, “we are presenting examples of these programs. For instance, OLGA (hOListic Green Airport), funded by the European Horizon 2020 program, where we are a partner. It’s a large project involving over 40 stakeholders and is led by Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (Malpensa is also among the Italian airports involved). This initiative, in collaboration with SEA, aims to convert waste produced in airport areas (such as discarded packing straps) into resources through a repurposing process. We are presenting small prototypes at Milano Unica, including yarn made from 100% polyester, recycled from these straps.”
From aquaculture to textile innovation: Dyneema and recycled fibers at Cittadini Spa
Cittadini Spa has evolved from a producer of fishing and aquaculture nets to a versatile textile company with a strong focus on technical fibers. While its origins lie in the production of netting, Cittadini Spa has expanded its expertise into numerous textile sectors, specializing in Dyneema, the world’s strongest synthetic fiber, used in both netting and yarn applications. Dyneema boasts a tensile strength comparable to steel, yet it is significantly lighter and offers superior torsional capacity. Its primary applications span technical fields, safety equipment, and sports, notably those requiring high abrasion resistance, such as kitesurfing and motorcycling. In the fashion sector, Cittadini focuses on recycled fabrics and fibers, diversifying its offerings to meet specific client demands and continuously innovating its approach. Guiding its operations is a core philosophy that emphasizes the value of its people: the ‘Philosophy of the Net.’ Paola Cittadini, the company’s Sales Manager, stated: “It’s an ethical and values-driven model that guides our company. For us, every knot represents strength, and the mesh is strengthened through collaborative effort. This translates to valuing every individual, fostering synergistic work, promoting shared goals, and embracing collaboration and solidarity as tools for the collective good.”
CITTADINI SPA – www.cittadini.eu/it
PA EXPERTISE
SXP PROTECTION MAKERS
PAYEN
IMBOTEX
PAYEN
PENN ITALIA
ROPE
INNOVA FABRICS
TIBA
ANTEX
INNOVARTE
in partnership with COLOSIO and SANDONINI
HYOSUNG EUROPE
WEGAL & TRICOTEL