Fiber Alchemy at Dornbirn GFC 2025 – Transforming Textile Waste into Structural Innovation

A Stage for Fiber Innovation

At this year’s Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress (GFC 2025), TexBoard™ CEO Dieter Eichinger presented “Fiber Alchemy by Chance – Transforming Textile Waste into Structural Innovation.”

The talk addressed one of the biggest challenges of our time: 50+ million tons of textile waste generated each year worldwide — and how TexBoard™ is pioneering a path from soft origins to hard results.

Alongside the presentation, Dieter also hosted two sessions on Carbon Stewardship, engaging industry experts and researchers on how biomass, recycling, and carbon capture can work together for a more sustainable future.

The Challenge – From Waste Doom to New Potential

“Recycling alone cannot close the loop — we need true reinvention.”

Every year, mountains of textiles end up in landfills or incineration. Recycling, while important, often leaks value and cannot fully solve the problem.

The Reinvention – TexBoard™

TexBoard™ panels take a different path:

• Fiber-thin yet solid

• Binder-light construction (resin reduced)

• Visible upcycling – turning textile diversity into unique surfaces

This is not recycling. It is reinvention — creating a new category of structural materials.

Performance & Potential

Early testing shows that TexBoard™:

• Achieves exceptional strength-to-weight, beyond plywood.

• Is thermoformable and easy to fabricate with existing tools.

• Offers natural water resistance and stability in humidity .

This unlocks possibilities across furniture, interiors, and design applications.

Circular Impact

TexBoard™ contributes to:

• Circular Economy: upcycling textiles into durable boards.

• Environmental Protection: diverting waste from landfill, preserving forests.

• Safer Materials: free from harmful chemicals, no microplastic release .

At the Heart of GFC 2025

A heartfelt thanks to the GFC organization team — Mathias Gluth, Sonja Spöcker, Friedrich Weninger and from CIRFS Frédéric van Houte — for creating such a professional and inspiring congress.

Special appreciation also goes to Robert van de Kerkhof (President of GFC) and Arnault Closson (President of CIRFS) for their leadership and support.

Explore the Full Presentation

We’ve shared a selection of slides above as a teaser.

👉 [Download the full Fiber Alchemy presentation here] (PDF link).