ZiTex – Textile & Fashion NRW

ZiTex – Textil & Mode NRW (ZiTex) has existed since May 2004 as a self-supporting association of the textile and clothing industry in NRW without state funding. It emerged from the state initiative of the same name with state (share) financing, which was founded in 1996.

ZiTex sees itself as a cluster organization of the textile and clothing industry that works from an NRW context and has a unique structural core element that is unique in Germany:

The joint sponsorship of employers’ associations and trade unions. This joint sponsorship has advantages that would not be possible in a structure with only one collective bargaining partner:

The perception of ZiTex as a “neutral” representative of the entire industry (employers and employees) by the political-administrative system and the resulting potential for cooperation. The bundling of particular interests of the employers’ associations and the trade union and the associated high level of implementation capability on a broad basis. In this context, ZiTex sees itself as the cluster management for the textile and clothing industry in NRW.

NRW Minister of Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur as a guest at the 19th ZiTex industry discussion

On May 19, 2025, NRW Minister of Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur was a guest at the 19th ZiTex industry discussion at the AUNDE Group in Mönchengladbach. Topics of discussion included the continuing high energy costs, excessive bureaucracy in some areas and the existing deficits in digitalization and transport infrastructure.