NACE 13.9 – Manufacture of Other Textiles | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 13.9 covers the manufacture of other textiles, including technical textiles, nonwovens, carpets and floor coverings, ropes and nets, wadding and felt, and made-up household textiles. This diverse group covers a broad area of public textile procurement.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 13.9 cover?

NACE 13.9 (Manufacture of other textiles) classifies businesses that produce a wide range of finished textile products beyond apparel and basic fabrics — from hospital textiles to technical high-performance fibres.

Group 13.9 within Section C (Manufacturing) and Division 13 (Manufacture of textiles) is structured into several classes:

Public tenders: scope of NACE 13.9

Other textiles cover a substantial part of public textile procurement — from household textiles for hospitals and care facilities to technical textiles for infrastructure and civil protection.

Typical contract types

• Household textiles for public institutions: Bed linen, towels, curtains and table linen for publicly owned hospitals, care homes and authorities
• Carpets and floor coverings: Tenders for office buildings, schools, town halls and other public estate
• Geotextiles for civil engineering: Nonwovens for road construction, landfill construction, bank protection and drainage systems
• Protective textiles and PPE: Cut-protection inserts, stab-protection materials, ballistic protection layers for police and military
• Medical nonwovens: Disposable textiles for hospitals (surgical drapes, gowns, masks)
• Safety nets and ropes: Fall-protection on public construction sites, climbing equipment for emergency services

Thresholds and procedure types

Different thresholds apply depending on product category and procurement volume. Medical disposable textiles are often procured through framework agreements that exceed the EU threshold for supply contracts (EUR 221,000) and are published EU-wide on TED.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 13.9

The breadth of NACE 13.9 products is mirrored in a diverse CPV spectrum — from household textiles to technical high-performance materials.

Current tenders with these CPV codes are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

For whom is NACE 13.9 relevant under procurement law?

Public contracting authorities

Municipal hospitals and university clinics are the highest-volume buyers of medical nonwovens, household and operating-theatre textiles. Road-construction and civil-engineering offices at federal, state and municipal level procure geotextiles as part of construction projects. School authorities and estate managers tender carpets and household textiles. Police and security authorities require technical protective textiles, and the THW and civil protection require tarpaulins, blankets and nets.

Companies and bidders

Manufacturers of other textiles interested in public contracts should consider:

• Product certifications: CE marking for PPE under EU Regulation 2016/425; test reports to EN standards for the respective applications
• Environmental evidence: For household textiles, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 or the Blue Angel are increasingly required
• Medical-device status: Medical disposable textiles may classify as medical devices (EU MDR 2017/745) and require CE marking
• Capacity evidence: Framework agreements for hospitals require reliable supply volumes; supply shortages can result in contractual penalties
• Sustainability criteria: EU Commission GPP criteria for household textiles are increasingly adopted by public contracting authorities

NACE 13.9 in context: Section C and Division 13

As a collective group, NACE 13.9 covers the diverse finished textile products beyond apparel and basic materials — a group with broad reach across different public procurement areas.

• NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section
• NACE 13 – Manufacture of textiles: Parent division
• NACE 13.3 – Finishing of textiles: Upstream finishing stage
• NACE 14.1 – Manufacture of wearing apparel: Parallel group for apparel textiles
• NACE 32 – Other manufacturing: Related group for further technical products

Frequently asked questions about NACE 13.9 and public tenders

What are technical textiles and why are they important in the public sector?
Technical textiles are textile products used primarily for their functional properties (strength, filtration, protection) rather than aesthetic qualities. In the public sector they include geotextiles for civil engineering, filter nonwovens for sewage treatment plants, ballistic protection layers for the police and medical disposable textiles for hospitals.

Which criteria apply to the procurement of hospital linen?
Hospital linen is subject to strict hygiene requirements (RKI guidelines, EN 14065). Tenders frequently require evidence of disinfecting washing procedures, germ-reduction guarantees, low-allergen materials and return logistics. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is a frequent suitability criterion.

How are geotextiles tendered in road-construction projects?
Geotextiles are often part of larger civil-engineering tenders and appear as technical items in the bill of quantities. Requirements follow DIN EN 13249 ff. (geotextiles for various applications). On larger projects they can also be awarded as standalone supply lots.

What role do single-use textiles play in public procurement after the COVID-19 pandemic?
The pandemic massively increased demand for medical single-use textiles (surgical gowns, masks, drapes) and highlighted the strategic importance of domestic textile production. Many public contracting authorities have since built up emergency reserves and concluded framework agreements with EU-based manufacturers to ensure supply security.

Last updated: January 2026
All information provided without warranty. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.