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Put on your swimsuit, get in the water, get out dry - sounds utopian, but it could soon become reality. The trio of founders of "Octogarn" is currently developing a real innovation: a new type of yarn that could turn the textile industry upside down.

The "Octogarn" project sounds so promising that the former students from the Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) and Aachen University of Applied Sciences are receiving funding of 1.84 million euros. The money comes from the "EXIST - Start-ups from Science" funding program of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection.

"Octogarn" is pollutant-free, sustainable, cold-insulating, breathable and friction-reducing. It works in a similar way to the lotus effect, i.e. it is water-repellent. But it has a decisive added value: it is unwettable. This means that if a textile made from it is completely submerged in water, it remains dry. "An effect that is hardly known in the textile industry," says Alexandra Plewnia from Mönchengladbach. Currently, many water-repellent textiles, especially in the technical sector, are made by finishing them with chemicals such as fluoropolymers. Green alternatives are more environmentally friendly, but often not powerful enough. "Octogarn" aims to solve both problems.

In terms of personnel, there is concentrated women's power behind "Octogarn": the idea generator is Alexandra Plewnia (29), who most recently studied Textile Products in the Master's program at HSNR. Sarah Neumann (28) from Cologne, who completed her master's degree in management and entrepreneurship at the FH Aachen on a career-integrated basis, brings business management know-how with her. From November, the team will be completed by Melanie Jakubik (29) from Duisburg, who studied the same as Plewnia and, like her, will be responsible for the technology area.

Plewnia conducted research on "Octogarn" for around two years as part of her master's studies at the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology. Her interest was piqued when she took the optional course in nanotechnology and dealt with the topic of functionality.

With her idea, she won the university's "Battle of Ideas" competition back in 2022. The 20,000 euros in prize money went directly into filing the patent. Since then, the idea has been presented at many other competitions in Germany.

The HNX team, which advises HSNR students and employees interested in founding a company and supports them, among other things, as part of the "HNExist" funding program based there, also accompanied Plewnia and her team this time. For example, it helped with the extensive application process for EXIST. "The combination of this high funding amount and the topic of sustainability is really unique at our university. This is also an investment in the future!" says Prof. Dr. Dr. Alexander Prange, HNexist project manager and HSNR vice president for research and transfer.

The start-up, which has yet to be founded, wants to produce the yarn and sell it to companies as a supplier. Whether outdoor clothing, protective gear or use in the shipping industry - thanks to the material's diverse properties, "Octogarn" can be used in a wide variety of ways - and even open up new markets.

The trio is only at the beginning, because the finished yarn does not yet exist. The 1.84 million euros will therefore help enormously to develop a prototype by the end of the funding period in February 2026.

The grant money will be used primarily for personnel expenses, but a new machine will also be purchased. For the development of Octogarn, the founding team will be allowed to share office space and machines of the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology. Plewnia: "HSNR has excellent machinery. Everything you learn, you can put into practice here."

"'Without courage, knowledge is barren' - that was already said by Baltasar Gracián y Morales. A quote that applies perfectly to this dedicated team!" said Prof. Dr. Robert Groten as head of the "Octogarn" project. "It takes a lot of patience and very good planning, but it is an absolute affair of the heart," says Sarah Neumann from Cologne.