#Retail & Brands

2022-11-10

Bjørn Gulden to become CEO of adidas AG

The Supervisory Board of adidas AG resolved upon the succession for adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted. Effective January 1, 2023, Bjørn Gulden is appointed as member of the Executive Board and CEO of adidas AG. Kasper Rorsted and the Supervisory Board mutually agreed that he will step down as CEO and leave the company upon expiry of November 11, 2022. Harm Ohlmeyer, Chief Financial Officer of adidas AG, will lead the company in the interim until December 31, 2022. The Supervisory Board had announced a CEO transition on August 22, 2022.

Bjørn Gulden is 57 years old, Norwegian and has been CEO of Puma SE since 2013. Bjørn Gulden looks back at a tenure at adidas as, amongst others, Senior Vice President of Apparel and Accessories from 1992 to 1999. Additionally, he was CEO of Danish jewelry brand Pandora, Managing Director of Europe’s largest footwear retailer Deichmann, President of Rack Room Shoes, and held various management positions at outdoor apparel company Helly Hansen. He also holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Salling Group, Denmark’s largest food retailer.

Bjørn Gulden was a professional football and handball player. He played football for 1. FC Nürnberg in the German 2. Bundesliga, and for Bryne and Strømsgodset in the Norwegian Premier League and handball for Haslum in Norway’s first league.

“We are very pleased to welcome Bjørn Gulden back at adidas. Bjørn Gulden brings almost 30 years of experience in the sporting goods and footwear industry. As a result, he knows the industry extremely well and draws on a rich network in sport and retail. Bjørn Gulden already served adidas successfully for seven years in the 1990s. As CEO of Puma, he re-invigorated the brand and led the company to record results. The Supervisory Board of adidas AG is convinced that Bjørn Gulden will head adidas into a new era of strength and is looking very much forward to a successful cooperation,” said Thomas Rabe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of adidas AG.

In addition, on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, Thomas Rabe thanked outgoing CEO Kasper Rorsted: “We would like to thank Kasper Rorsted for his major achievements at adidas. He strategically repositioned the company and fast-forwarded its digital transformation. In North America, the world’s largest sporting goods market, adidas has doubled its sales. In addition, adidas has strengthened its leadership position in sustainability and increased diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the company. Following the successful divestiture of TaylorMade, CCM Hockey and Reebok the company is now able to focus its efforts on its core brand adidas. We wish Kasper Rorsted all the best for his future endeavors.”

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Circ launches first denim collection with H&M featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology

Circ today announced that the first men's denim collection featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology is now available at H&M, marking the commercial delivery of this unique pilot project first announced in October 2025. Featuring two styles available across the UK, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, South Europe, Turkey, North America, Mexico, Canada, and the Middle East, the launch brings TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology into H&M's standard men's denim assortment for the first time.

Recover™ secures multi-year recycled cotton agreement with H&M

Recover™ has signed a multi-year agreement with H&M to support the integration of its recycled cotton fiber, RCotton, for use in H&M’s products. Since early 2024, H&M and Recover™ have collaborated on product development, which now enables scaled commercial introduction of Recover™ mechanically recycled cotton into H&M’s collections.

GORE-TEX® KIDSWEAR launches innovative membership scheme for kids’ jackets

With its revolutionary new membership model, GORE-TEX® Kidswear now offers families a simple, flexible and sustainable way of kitting out their children in top-quality jackets. It is aimed at the parents of children aged between five and ten and kicks off with a choice of functional winter jackets.

Brazil sets new cotton export record and consolidates global leadership

Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tonnes of the fiber, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.

The LYCRA Company expands its co-creation vision through an immersive Lifestyle District at Intertextile Shanghai.

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in fiber and technology solutions for the apparel industry, is reimagining the trade show experience at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn Edition, which opened today in China. Building on the success of last year's ALL IN concept, the company has expanded its co-creation vision into a 356-square-meter Lifestyle District featuring partners Jingzili New Material, JYT Textile, Lianxingfa Knitting, and Trend Textile. The district is part of a larger 895-square-meter pavilion showcasing a total of 19 co-exhibitors. Together, they demonstrate how innovations in fiber, fabric, and garments can be combined to create compelling solutions for both work and play.

Plastic-free stretch technologies drive new direction for denim innovation

As the denim industry looks for ways to reduce its reliance on synthetic fibres, plastic-free stretch technologies are gaining momentum. Developments based on mechanical fabric construction and natural rubber are demonstrating that comfort and stretch can be achieved without conventional elastane, supporting both recyclability and circular product design.