From September 24-26, the heads of 32 textile research institutes from Europe, North Africa and the USA met in Heidelberg, Germany, to discuss current trends in the field of research and future prospects for the textile industry. The international event was hosted by the Hohenstein Institutes.

The focus at this year's meeting, organised by European group for the development of textile research GEDRT (Groupe Européen d´échange d´expériences Sur la Direction de la Recherche Textile), was on innovative strategies for the textile industry, how to involve industrial partners and the international exchange of experience, as demonstrated by the USA.

In addition, the various institutes gave presentations about some of their research, services and training, and reported on the situation in the textile industry in their own country. A visit to the Hohenstein Institutes in Bönnigheim and tours round one of Germany's research centres rounded off the programme of events.

Members of the TEXTRANET (European Network of Textile Research Organisations) also met September 27 in Heidelberg to exchange information about forthcoming research projects at EU level.