From 11 to 13 February 2026, Fieramilano Rho hosted LINEAPELLE – Europe's leading trade fair for leather, accessories and components. For years, the event has been setting standards for trends, innovations and developments in the global leather and materials market.
The Testing and Research Institute Pirmasens e.V. was also represented at the fair. The new head of the institute, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günter Schell, used the fair as an opportunity to gain a personal insight into the current state of the leather industry. He was accompanied by Dr Ines Anderie, head of the PFI's chemical department. Her areas of responsibility include chemical and microbiological analysis, legal requirements and sustainability issues in the leather and footwear industry.
‘LINEAPELLE impressively demonstrated how innovative, diverse and globally networked the leather industry is today. The trade fair was excellently organised and provided us with a comprehensive overview of current developments and trends. This visit was extremely inspiring for the PFI.’
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günter Schell - Institute Director
The focus of the trade fair visit was primarily on international leather manufacturers, but also on producers of soles and accessories. The variety and quality of the materials on display left a lasting impression.
‘We were impressed by the quality of the leather and materials on display. It was particularly exciting to see how many manufacturers are already consciously acting towards sustainability. The exchange at the trade fair was extremely valuable for our work in the field of analytics and sustainability – we are taking away many new ideas.’
Dr. Ines Anderie – Head of Chemical Analysis
A wide range of impressions and exciting encounters
In addition, there was a very welcome meeting with Dr Martin Kleban, the new Managing Director of the Association of the German Leather Industry (VDL), and Edoardo De Paola, the Deputy Secretary General of Cotance. The exchange provided valuable insights into current developments at European level.
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