From textile waste to material innovation: TexBoard® at the 2026 WKO annual meeting
At the 2026 WKO annual meeting, TexBoard® presented its approach to fibre-based materials and a first physical footwear prototype.
Event date: 6 October 2026
At the 2026 annual meeting of Austria’s textile, clothing, footwear and leather industry, Dr Dieter Eichinger presented how TexBoard® turns recovered textile fibres into new material structures. The talk explored a central question: what becomes possible when we consider textile waste as a resource for shaping new products?
Fibre architecture opens new applications
TexBoard® brings recovered fibres into a material structure that can be formed for different applications. The aim is to make use of the fibres’ structural potential and explore applications beyond conventional textile recycling. Each use case brings its own requirements for construction, processing and performance.
A first physical footwear prototype
The slipper presented at the meeting is an early, physical demonstrator. It shows how reclaimed textile materials can be brought into a shaped footwear construction. Its visible layers make both the material idea and the current stage of development tangible.
The prototype is a starting point for further work. Fit and the joining of its layers still need to be developed with footwear partners.
An invitation to develop further
The footwear demonstrator is one example of the applications we are exploring with TexBoard®. We welcome conversations with partners in footwear design, development and manufacturing who want to investigate the next steps with us.
Explore the physical footwear prototype