The global textile and apparel industry is standing at a technological precipice, with the market for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the sector projected to riseto $21 billion by 2033. This ten-fold increase from 2023 figures marks a decisive pivot from experimental technology to a core operational necessity. In response, the world’s leading organizer of textile trade fairs, Messe Frankfurt has launched a new strategic initiative titled ‘Texpertise Focus AI.’
The initiative to be launched at the Heimtextil fair in Frankfurt in January 2026. It aims to institutionalize AI across the entire textile value chain, signaling a formal industry-wide transition toward data-driven manufacturing and design.
The intelligence core of the global value chain
The initiative reflects a maturing market where AI is no longer a niche digital tool but a fundamental driver of efficiency. Current data indicates, approximately 13.5 per cent of European industrial firms have already integrated AI into their workflows as of 2024.
The transformation is particularly acute in production, where researchers at the German Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) estimate, upto 70 per cent of standardized production tasks could eventually be automated. By placing AI at the center of its international fair calendar, Messe Frankfurt is positioning itself as the primary orientation point for a sector grappling with a deepening skills shortage and the need for higher production resilience.
Designing the future through’Woven Intelligence’
The ‘Texpertise Focus AI’ program aims to spotlight the intersection of high-end design and computational technology. A cornerstone of the January 2026 launch will be the Architonic Live Talk featuring a London-based architectural futurist, Tim Fu.
Under the theme ‘Woven Intelligence: Designing Spaces in the Era of AI,’ the program will explore how generative AI enables meaningful collaboration between physical craft and digital architecture.
This synergy is further explored in Patricia Urquiola’s immersive installation, ‘Among All,’ which uses AI to simulate material properties and accelerate creative workflows, demonstrating that digital tools can enhance rather than replace human intuition.
Driving the ‘twin transformation’ of sustainability
The strategic shift is inextricably linked to the industry’s environmental imperatives- a concept known as the ‘twin transformation’ (the convergence of digitalization and sustainability).
Currently, the global industry produces 116 million tons of fibers annually, yet only 1 per cent of post-consumer waste is recycled. AI is emerging as the key to closing this circularity gap. By leveraging image-recognition systems for waste sorting and AI-based forecasting to prevent overproduction, manufacturers can significantly reduce the resource intensity of their supply chains. These advancements will be a focal point at Texprocess in April 2026, where the emphasis will move to hardware-software integration and life-cycle analytics.
Reshaping the workforce and production ;andscapes
As AI automates routine tasks, the textile workforce is undergoing a structural realignment. The industry is seeing the emergence of new job profiles centered on data analytics and digital process control. This evolution is vital for addressing labor shortages while simultaneously increasing output quality. Messe Frankfurt’s global rollout of this initiative will tailor its content to local market characteristics, ensuring that from fiber production to the point of sale, the ‘responsible use’ of AI becomes the standard.
By 2026, the ‘Texpertise Focus AI’ umbrella will serve as a permanent searchable directory and live demonstration platform, effectively acting as a bridge between current textile traditions and a highly automated, sustainable future.
