From fibre to finished product: for 40 years, we have been advising companies along the entire textile value chain. As headhunter specialising in textiles, we bring deep industry insight and an extensive personal network to every search.
Well woven: Our expertise in the textile industry
We know every stage of textile manufacturing inside out from fibre production, spinning, weaving, warp knitting and knitting to nonwovens, dyeing and finishing, right through to assembly and garment manufacturing.
We are equally at home in the end markets with a wide range of textile applications. These include home textiles, contract textiles and sun protection, technical textiles, outdoor and performance textiles, apparel and PPE - to name just a few.
Over the years, the textile industry has become our core sector, in which we now have an incredibly close-knit and valuable network of contacts, and which has also opened doors to adjacent industries such as mobility, construction, and medical, or hygiene.









KRÜGER – Industry Expertise & Network for the Textile Industry
As a headhunter for mid-sized companies, our roots are in Kulmbach, Upper Franconia, a region where the textile tradition is still very much alive. Our clients range from family-owned businesses to international corporations.
As such, we help companies fill demanding positions. Our work ranges from executive search for the textile industry to targeted recruitment of specialists and skilled professionals along the entire textile value chain.
Our network, built over decades, and our industry knowledge cover every segment of the market:
- technical textiles, techtex and geotextiles
- nonwovens, fibres, yarns and composites
- workwear, corporate wear and protective wear (PPE)
- textile chemicals, textile finishing and textile machinery
We recruit production leaders as well as specialists and emerging talent in engineering, R&D, sales and commercial functions.
Finding the common thread for your company
Let’s start with a confidential conversation about your vacancy. We’ll explain how we approach the search and what you can expect at each stage. You get transparent processes and personal advice from day one.
Job offers in
Textiles
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which areas of the textile industry do you specialise in?
We cover the entire textile value chain, from fibre to finished product. That includes fibre production, spinning, weaving, warp knitting, knitting and nonwovens, through to dyeing, finishing and garment manufacturing.
Our expertise extends just as far into end markets with various applications, many of which we have served for years. These include home textiles, contract textiles and sun protection, technical textiles, outdoor and performance textiles, as well as apparel, workwear, corporate wear and PPE / protective wear. As headhunters for fashion and apparel, our focus is not on traditional retail. Instead, we have in-depth knowledge of manufacturing and of the development and marketing of products, brands and consumer goods. We also have well-established links and contacts in adjacent industries such as mobility, construction, and medical and hygiene.
The textile industry has been one of our core sectors for more than 40 years. As a result, we have a particularly good personal network here and in-depth market and industry knowledge, from production and technology through to applications, brands and adjacent markets.
Is your focus purely on executive search in textiles, or do you recruit for other roles too?
We recruit at every level of management in the textile industry. Our main focus is on managing directors and second- and third-tier leadership roles. These include technical directors, plant and production managers, heads of purchasing, sales and commercial leads, and senior managers in finance, supply chain, quality, engineering, R&D and HR.
We also search for highly qualified specialists for strategically important or hard-to-fill key roles. Typical examples are R&D, product and application development, strategic procurement, key account management, business development, sales, process engineering, quality management and supply chain management.
For us, the job title matters less than the impact a role has on long-term business success. Our clients benefit most from our industry know-how and our well-established textile network when the position is demanding.
Which regions do you cover?
We recruit across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Through our international partner network, CFR Global Executive Search, we also recruit specialist and management positions in other European and international markets.
Much of our work takes place away from the big cities and metropolitan areas, in regions shaped by family-owned SMEs, the German Mittelstand. Most textile companies are not based in Berlin, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg or Frankfurt. They are based where industrial expertise and entrepreneurship have deep roots.
That is where we work too. Examples include Upper Franconia and South Thuringia, the Black Forest and the Swabian Jura, Lake Constance, Hesse, the Rhineland and Lower Rhine, the Münsterland, the Bremen area, Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg, or Saxony. In short: we go where our clients are.
Recruiting for rural and regional locations takes more than finding someone with the right skills. Candidates need to be won over to the company, the region and perhaps a new place to call home. We have lived in different parts of Germany ourselves and still choose to be based outside the big city. So we understand these challenges first-hand. We can discuss location factors honestly with candidates, put them into perspective and address them early in the process.
Why choose a specialist in textile recruitment?
The textile industry is highly specialised, technically diverse and dominated by SMEs. Each manufacturing process, application and market demands its own specific expertise. To recruit successfully in the textile sector, you need to understand more than the job description. You need to understand the products, technologies, market structures and the way the industry works.
There is one more thing that sets us apart: we don’t just know the textile industry, we love it. We have spent more than four decades getting to know its companies, technologies and people. That passion makes a real difference when approaching candidates. They can tell straight away whether a consultant is just reading out a job specification or genuinely understands what makes a company and a role stand out.
The best executives and specialists are rarely looking for a new job. Reaching them takes a targeted direct approach, in-depth industry knowledge and personal connections. KRÜGER brings all three, with a textile network built up over decades.
Our specialisation lets us quickly identify which companies, related industries and career backgrounds are relevant to a search. This means we can widen the talent pool in a focused way. The result: placements that are a lasting fit, both professionally and personally.
How do you find the right executives and specialists?
The right people are rarely found through a single channel. That is why we combine targeted direct search, professional active sourcing and a personal network built up over more than 40 years. This includes existing contacts, referrals and well-connected industry insiders.
Every search starts with a thorough briefing: We take the time to understand the role, your company, the market and both the professional and personal requirements. We then research the textile industry and related markets, identify the right people and approach them personally, discreetly and at eye-level.
Our industry knowledge pays off: Because we know the textile value chain, the key players, technologies and market structures, we also spot candidates whose potential isn’t obvious at first glance. Our philosophy: We don’t search for profiles. We find people.
Depending on the role, we may also use targeted job advertising. For us, this complements headhunting rather than replacing it. It helps us reach candidates who are already open to a move as quickly as possible. In combination with referrals, existing contacts and tips from industry insiders, it ensures we cover the relevant talent market as comprehensively as possible.
Can you fill hard-to-find roles in niche areas of the textile industry?
Yes - niche roles that are hard to fill are where our expertise as textile headhunters is particularly valuable. Past assignments include technicians with rare technology expertise, development roles requiring very specific know-how, or application engineers in highly specialised market segments.
A standard candidate search is rarely enough for roles like these. We combine direct search, existing contacts, referrals, industry multipliers and a network built over decades. We also look at related industries, comparable technologies and unconventional career paths to widen the talent pool in a meaningful way.
With highly specialised profiles, finding the right people is only half the job. The other half is accurately assessing their expertise and getting them genuinely excited about the company, the role and the location. This is where our experience, industry understanding and close ties to the textile industry really pay off.
Your company has a vacancy to fill in this industry sector?
If you have any questions or are simply interested, please contact us.