With the first hybrid edition of Techtextil India slated to take place from November 25-27, Messe Frankfurt India will aim at reuniting technical textile players to explore new opportunities and grow together as a unified segment. The exhibition for technical textiles will host businesses across med-tech, agri-tech, geo-tech, sports-tech, home-tech and more.

Antimicrobial finishes are emerging as a strong avenue for textile chemical manufacturers. Increasing attention towards health, safety and hygiene has brought a serious limelight on antimicrobial finishes, the organisers of the event said in a media release.

“Year-on-year the application of textile chemicals has continued to evolve and expand into different textile sectors. The recent development in antimicrobials have played a key part in augmenting the durability of textiles and providing stronger protection against contaminants. The future of textile chemical segment looks promising and through the platform of Techtextil India, Messe Frankfurt India will aid industry players to explore new business opportunities and further expand their potential,” said Raj Manek, executive director & board member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd.

From pre-treatment of textiles to the finishing, chemicals are vital for fabricating textile materials for a vast variety of uses. Home furnishing and apparel textiles have been key contributors to demand for textile chemicals in India over the years. However, since the past few quarters there has been a dynamic shift in demand for textile chemicals due to the pandemic.

“The demand for apparel and home furnishing industry have been hard hit as consumers are buying less of these items. On the contrary there has been a vertical rise in the demand for oil and water repellents and anti-viral coatings for producing PPE kits, face masks and for various medical textiles,” said Dr Sanket Valia, senior general manager business development, Sarex Chemicals Ltd.

Going forward, the treatment of antimicrobial finishes on other textile products including industrial, home textile and apparels will be instrumental in reducing the risk of infection and cross-contamination as we go about our daily lives. Apart from providing protection against contaminants, textiles treated with antimicrobial ingredients are also known to increase the shelf life of products by preventing bacterial colonization, thus further augmenting their significance.