Global Research Themes to Take Centre Stage at TIWC 2025
More than 100 presentations will be delivered across parallel sessions, showcasing collaborative research efforts from around the world.
The Textile Institute has announced the full programme for the 93rd Textile Institute World Conference (TIWC 2025), which will be held from 7–10 October at the Porto Palácio Hotel and Spa in Porto, Portugal. More than 100 presentations will be delivered across parallel sessions, showcasing collaborative research efforts from around the world.
This year’s conference will place strong emphasis on advancing fibre-to-fibre recycling technologies as part of the global drive towards a circular textiles economy. Themes of circularity, digital integration, cleaner chemistry, and human-centred reform will run throughout the programme, reflecting the growing convergence of solutions being developed on different continents.
Circularity at the core
Circularity will be a central theme, with UK researchers from Manchester demonstrating how nearly half of end-of-life garments currently destined for waste could be directed into advanced recycling streams. From Germany, researchers in Chemnitz will present new knitting technologies enabling higher recycled cotton content while maintaining quality. Case studies from Bangladesh and Pakistan will highlight closed-loop initiatives already being adopted by local enterprises, feeding recycled yarns into the supply chains of major global brands.
Together, these studies will underscore the shift in perception of textile waste—from a costly burden to a valuable raw material—and highlight the need for supporting infrastructure and policy frameworks to ensure commercial viability.
Digitalisation as a sustainability driver
The conference will also spotlight how digital tools are becoming integral to sustainable transformation. Research will be presented on blockchain, digital product passports, and RFID systems that enhance traceability and compliance with evolving regulatory standards. Advances in digital textile printing and open-source knitting software will also be discussed, offering designers the opportunity to localise production and expand creative freedom.
Speakers emphasise that digitalisation should no longer be seen as an optional add-on but as a primary enabler of sustainability.
Human-centred sustainability
Beyond technology, TIWC 2025 will highlight the human dimension of sustainability. Presentations from Sri Lanka will address the health and safety risks faced by SMEs in the apparel sector due to climate change, while introducing a new resilience assessment tool. The Sustainable Fibre Alliance will showcase its work in Mongolia, where herders, traders, and processors are collectively tackling rangeland degradation and safeguarding livelihoods.
In addition, UK educators will share strategies to prepare the next generation of fashion professionals for circular models and ethical consumerism. Meanwhile, consumer research will expose the gap between brand guidelines for garment care and the practices of everyday wearers, underlining the need for clearer communication.
A Global Convergence
“These examples will remind delegates that technology and recycling alone cannot deliver sustainability without parallel shifts in culture, education and policy,” said Stephanie Dick, CEO of The Textile Institute. “The global nature of the challenges facing textiles is already widely acknowledged, from climate change and waste to unsafe labour practices and overconsumption. What will emerge from this conference, however, is an unmistakable sense of convergence and solid progress.”
