The 38th Hof Nonwovens Days took place in the Freiheitshalle on November 5 and 6, 2025. The renowned specialist event is one of the most important industry meetings for nonwovens in Europe and brings together experts from industry, research and development. This year, over 350 participants from companies and institutes from 10 countries were welcomed.
With 22 top-class specialist presentations, the symposium offered a comprehensive overview of current developments and trends in the nonwovens industry. The focus was on key topics of our time such as energy efficiency, the circular economy and sustainability. The event created a forum for intensive exchange between companies, research institutions and users.
The conference was accompanied by a trade exhibition in the foyer of the Freiheitshalle, where 76 companies presented their latest products, technologies and services. The exhibition offered an ideal platform for networking, cooperation and personal dialog with customers, suppliers and partners.
The Institute of Materials Science ifm at Hof University of Applied Sciences and the Fraunhofer Application Center for Textile Fiber Ceramics (TFK) also presented their research projects. Institute Director Prof. Dr. Frank Ficker is co-organizer of the Nonwovens Days and acted as moderator during the symposium. The ifm participated with a presentation and was represented as an exhibitor.
The Hof Nonwovens Days also saw the third presentation of the textile awards by the Bavarian Textile and Clothing Industry Association (VTB). The VTB prize recognizes outstanding achievements by students and researchers at the Institute of Materials Science (IfM) at Hof University of Applied Sciences. It underlines the importance of education and research for the textile and fashion innovation industry.
The President of VTB, Dr. Christian Heinrich Sandler (Sandler Group), and the Director of ifm, Prof. Dr. Frank Ficker, presented awards to two winners in the categories of design and technology. The EUR 1,000 prize in the Design category went to Muhammed Efe Sayin for his bachelor’s thesis “Light & Surface” on the interaction of light, surfaces and materials. In the Technology category, the prize, also endowed with €1,000, went to Isabell Korn for her master’s thesis entitled “Mechanical Characterization of UD-Discontinuous Bamboo Fibre Architectures”. This thesis investigates the potential of mechanically extracted bamboo fibers for use in natural fiber-reinforced composites.
The two-day symposium is organized by Verbandservice GmbH der Bayerischen Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie together with Hof University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Materials Science, the State Vocational School Centre for Textiles and Clothing Münchberg and the Vocational Training Centre of the Bavarian Economy. The event is also supported by the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e. V. (STFI) Chemnitz.
