The Textile Institute has announced the full programme for the 93rd Textile Institute World Conference (TIWC 2025), which will take place from 7-10 October at the Porto Palácio Hotel and Spa in Porto, Portugal. More than 100 presentations will be delivered in parallel sessions, highlighting research collaborations from across the globe.

A central theme of the conference will be circularity, with multiple studies exploring advanced fibre-to-fibre recycling. Researchers from Manchester will present findings showing that almost half of end-of-life garments currently sent to waste could be redirected into recycling streams. From Chemnitz, new knitting technology will be unveiled that enables higher proportions of recycled content in cotton fabrics while retaining softness and durability. Case studies from Bangladesh and Pakistan will showcase how closed-loop systems are already being implemented in supply chains for major global brands.

Digitalisation will also be in the spotlight, with work presented on blockchain, product passports and RFID systems for tracking garments throughout their lifecycle. Advances in digital textile printing and open-source knitting software will further demonstrate how designers can localise production and strengthen sustainability.

Equally important will be the human dimension of sustainable practices. Presentations from Sri Lanka will reveal how apparel manufacturers are managing risks to workers from climate change, while the Sustainable Fibre Alliance will outline efforts to engage Mongolian cashmere producers in rangeland protection. UK educators will share new teaching methods to equip future designers with the tools to embrace circular business models and ethical consumerism.

“These examples will remind delegates that technology and recycling alone cannot deliver sustainability without parallel shifts in culture, education and policy,” said Textile Institute CEO Stephanie Dick. “What will emerge from this conference is an unmistakable sense of convergence and solid progress.”

www.textileinstitute.org