WTiN Unveils Advanced Materials Week 2026 to Bridge Innovation and Commercial Textiles

WTiN has confirmed that Advanced Materials Week 2026 will be held as a high-impact virtual event from 15 to 17 September. Developed using feedback from the WTiN community and additional research, the conference is structured to link material developers with brands and retailers aiming to integrate new materials into their supply chains.

The programme will use WTiN’s proprietary Commercial-Readiness Scale to examine materials at different stages of development, including Emerging, Scaling, and Commercially Ready technologies. Sessions will address developments in advanced materials as demand continues to grow within the textile and apparel supply chain, as well as issues related to scaling, infrastructure, funding, and regulatory frameworks.

The event will bring together decision-makers, industry leaders, and innovators through presentations, panel discussions, and virtual showcases. Delegates will be able to join sessions flexibly, participate in live Q&A discussions, and access content on demand during and after the event.

Advanced Materials Week will focus on the transition from research to commercial application. The programme will categorise technologies across three defined pillars: Emerging, covering research-stage developments and high-potential prototypes; Scaling, referring to materials in or entering small-batch production and pilot programmes; and Commercially Ready, which includes established and scalable solutions available for immediate global use.

The virtual summit is intended for decision-makers, R&D and material specialists, sourcing directors, and sustainability leads from global apparel brands and retail groups. Participants will receive insights into materials expected to influence the future of fashion, sportswear, outdoorwear, and apparel, along with the infrastructure required to support their adoption.

Steve Ayres, Managing Director, WTiN, said: “The industry is at a crossroads where innovation must meet scalability. We have been using our Commercial-Readiness Scale on WTiN.com to remove the guesswork for brands for the last few years, helping them identify which materials are ready to solve their ESG challenges today and which ones they need to watch for tomorrow. Now, we bring this learning, key industry stakeholders and knowledge centres together to a virtual conference to share this intelligence and connect the industry, as without collaboration, the industry will fail to move forward in this space.”

He added: “More than just bringing you the exciting materials and developments, we want to provide infrastructure, integration, fill knowledge gaps in funding, finance, scalability and regulations.”

Planned working sessions include topics such as recent market-ready innovations for high-performance textile applications; the role of collaboration in achieving commercial readiness; building future innovation pipelines and bridging ‘the valley of death’; attracting investment for scale; scaling in the EU’s digital product passport era; industrialising academic research in global supply chains; and securing investment for early-stage development.

Delegate registration for Advanced Materials Week 2026 is now open. Companies seeking to present their innovations to a global audience of retail decision-makers can explore sponsorship options, including keynote roles, panel participation, and virtual innovation showcases. Further details on the agenda and registration are available via Advanced Materials Week