KRAFTWERK STAGE
ENTREPRENEUR
track
DURST next
TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL 2026
panels > panel content
friday JUNE 26, 2026
16:25 - 17:10
The Textile Reset
How Como Is Driving the Next Phase of Textile Innovation
The textile industry is being reshaped — as production shifts globally, consumer behaviour evolves, and demand moves from volume to individuality. Europe’s competitive edge is no longer scale, but a sustainable future of waterless production, creativity, and proximity to the world’s most demanding brands. Durst Group's recent investment in Como and the acquisition of Aleph sends a signal.
Why Como, why now? This panel brings together leading textile companies and brands to explore how digital printing is not just improving production, but enabling entirely new business models. From faster response times to greater flexibility and luxury customization, the transformation goes beyond incremental change.
Why Como, why now? This panel brings together leading textile companies and brands to explore how digital printing is not just improving production, but enabling entirely new business models. From faster response times to greater flexibility and luxury customization, the transformation goes beyond incremental change.
ON STAGE
MODERATOR Debbie McKeegan
Alessandro Ivaldi
Alessandro Floridia
Jay Purmessur
TEXTILES
DEBBIE McKeegan
TexIntel, Founder + Journalist
Debbie McKeegan is the CEO and founder of Texintel, a leading global platform dedicated to digital textile printing, smart manufacturing, and textile innovation. With more than 30 years of experience in textile design, manufacturing, and industrial production, Debbie began her career as a creative within large-scale, vertical textile manufacturing operations, gaining extensive hands-on expertise in design, sourcing, production workflows, across global supply chains.
She is recognised internationally as a pioneering voice in digital print technology, sustainability, and on-demand production. An award-winning textile designer and respected industry commentator, she collaborates with leading brands, manufacturers, and technology innovators worldwide, championing the future of digitally enabled textile production and sustainable manufacturing.
The Textile Reset: How Como Is Driving the Next Phase of Textile Innovation
ALESSANDRO Ivaldi
Ratti S.p.A., Chief Commercial Officer
Alessandro Ivaldi is Chief Commercial Officer at Ratti S.p.A. Società Benefit (Marzotto Group), one of Italy’s leading textile companies for the international luxury and fashion markets. With extensive experience in luxury textiles, commercial leadership and business development, he oversees Ratti’s market strategy and customer relationships across global fashion and premium textile sectors. His work focuses on connecting Italian textile excellence, creativity and innovation with the evolving needs of luxury brands and international markets.
The Textile Reset: How Como Is Driving the Next Phase of Textile Innovation
ALESSANDRO Floridia
FASAC Group, Board Member
Alessandro Floridia is a Board Member of FASAC Group, a historic Italian textile company with over seventy years of heritage, specialising in printed and dyed fabrics for fashion, accessories and interior design. Rooted in the Como textile district, the Group combines manufacturing tradition, industrial expertise and continuous innovation, with a fully integrated production cycle and a strong focus on sustainability, creativity and global development.
Within FASAC Group, Alessandro Floridia focuses on business development and long-term strategic initiatives. He is also an advisor specialised in M&A and extraordinary finance transactions, supporting entrepreneurs and industrial groups in strategic and corporate development projects.
Previously, he served on the Board of aleph, contributing to the company’s international growth and industrial transformation.
The Textile Reset: How Como Is Driving the Next Phase of Textile Innovation
JAY Purmessur
CDL Knits, Operations Head
Educated in Lyon, France – one of the historic global centres of textile excellence – Jay Purmessur is a textile engineer with more than three decades of executive experience within the Mauritian textile industry. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in driving operational resilience, efficiency and innovation, transforming the geographic and logistical challenges of island-based manufacturing into competitive advantages.
Working within a demanding economic environment that relies heavily on imported raw materials and labour, Jay has developed deep expertise in lean manufacturing, energy efficiency, high-quality textile production and ultra-short lead-time management – capabilities essential to competing successfully in the global textile market.
As Operations Head at CDL Knits (CIEL Textiles), Jay specialises in agile supply chains, sustainable industrial practices and production optimisation. He has led initiatives focused on resource efficiency, operational excellence and compliance with international manufacturing standards, helping strengthen the competitiveness and long-term sustainability of regional textile production.