The total turnover of the German textile and fashion industry grew by 0.2 percent in 2016 compared to 2015 touching €32 billion counting the shoe and leather goods industry. The diverging developments of the various segments are once again striking. Sales of textiles rose 2.9 per cent, increasing considerably. As Ingeborg Neumann, President of the Confederation of the German Textile and Fashion Industry, explained the strongest segments are primarily non-woven fabrics and technical textiles for application in medical and structural engineering, automotive industry, and aeronautics. German enterprises are globally leading in this regard. Furthermore, smart textiles provide new markets for a long-term future. As per Gerd Oliver Seidensticker, President German- Fashion Association points out in 2016, the German fashion industry faced many challenges both domestically and abroad. But the good thing is the exports are doing well again. Big losses in strong markets like Russia were compensated elsewhere which led to a slight increase in exports by 1.4 per cent. As for the future, its important to keep an eye on structural changes in sales at trade level. The target is to provide customers with service- and customer-oriented shopping experiences by using the opportunities of e-commerce and stationary trade. Globally, German products enjoy strong demand. Textile and fashion exports rose 1.2 per cent. Next to strong and attractive German fashion brands, technical textiles are primarily responsible for the growth. The export volume settled at a record level of €26.6 billion in 2016.