Bangladesh’s garment sector must embrace cutting-edge innovations and technologies to maintain its global competitiveness, industry leaders have warned.
With demand surging for technical textiles in fields such as healthcare, automotive, and construction, the latest advances in textile production and processing are opening significant new commercial opportunities.
Participation in leading international trade fairs such as Techtextil offers Bangladeshi manufacturers a vital platform to explore these developments and stay abreast of global trends, according to Messe Frankfurt, the organiser of the world’s premier textile events.
The announcement was made at a press conference held on Thursday at a Dhaka hotel, where Messe Frankfurt revealed that Bangladesh has been chosen as the official Focus Country for Techtextil and Texprocess 2026.
The twin exhibitions will take place from 21-24 April 2026 at the Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre in Germany.
The events are widely regarded as essential drivers of innovation and value addition across the textile and apparel supply chain.
“Value addition has become indispensable for the sustained growth of Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry,” said Rumana Afroze, Head of Operations at Messe Frankfurt SP Bangladesh. “Technical textiles are experiencing strong demand in diverse sectors including healthcare, automotive, construction, and sportswear. These materials, along with nonwovens, are now being applied not only in traditional areas such as agriculture and construction but also in emerging fields like medical textiles and performance apparel.”
A dedicated Bangladesh pavilion, organised jointly by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), showcased five local companies specialising in technical and value-added textiles at the most recent fairs.
Following successful participations in 2022 and 2024, an expanded national pavilion is planned for 2026.
Md Arifur Rahman, Country Manager (Sales) for Veit GmbH, underlined the practical benefits for Bangladeshi manufacturers.
“Every year we exhibit at Texprocess to present our latest technology and innovative processing equipment,” he said. “Our priority is machinery that delivers higher efficiency with lower energy consumption, enabling manufacturers to reduce both energy usage and production costs substantially.”
The German-based Veit GmbH, a global leader in ironing, fusing, pressing, and finishing equipment, has maintained a long-standing partnership with Bangladesh’s textile and garment sector.
Arifur Rahman added that the 2026 edition will feature even more advanced solutions designed to optimise production processes.
More than 100 trade visitors from Bangladesh attend the fairs annually, connecting with exhibitors and buyers from across the globe. The most recent events featured 14 national pavilions at Techtextil – including those from Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland – and two pavilions at Texprocess representing China and Taiwan. These provided Bangladeshi delegates with direct access to state-of-the-art textile technologies, machinery, and innovations.
The exhibitions continue to facilitate valuable networking, knowledge transfer, and partnerships, supporting Bangladeshi manufacturers in modernising operations, enhancing product quality, and strengthening their position in international markets.