Change in mood in textiles, Messe Frankfurt VP says
Messe Frankfurt’s vice-president for textile industry events, Olaf Schmidt, has said he has observed a change in textile companies’ attitude in the first months of 2026.
Speaking at Intertextile Shanghai in March, Mr Schmidt insisted there were “different dynamics in different markets”, and he pointed out that Messe Frankfurt customer runs more than 60 textile exhibitions in 13 countries.
He said that in Europe, for example, the market is “not so strong” at the moment. One of the consequences of this, he added, is that many investments in textile machinery are on hold.
At the same time, though, he said many customers had decided to become more proactive in finding new opportunities in new markets. “This is different compared to the mood some months ago,” the Messe Frankfurt vice-president said. “Frustration has led to a determination to do something to create new business.”
