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#Sustainability

Award for sustainability: Michael Spitzbarth from Bleed is Designer of the Year 2022

Together with the VDMD – Network of German Fashion and Textile Designers – Messe Frankfurt will award the Designer of the Year for sustainable collections at Neonyt Lab. On Saturday, 25 June 2022, at 3 p.m., the Sustainability Award will be presented to Michael Spitzbarth, Founder & CEO of Bleed, at Union Halle in Frankfurt's East end district.

Since 2018, the award has been presented by the VDMD to designers who have dedicated their designs and collections to the increasingly important topic of sustainability, use sustainable materials and produce responsibly. This means that the companies must be managed in a holistically sustainable manner, this also includes their supply chains, for example. Previous award-winning designers are Sophia Schneider-Esleben, Anke Frese-Brammer and Laura Krettek. This year's award winner, Michael Spitzbarth, founded his outdoor and streetwear label Bleed in 2008 – his aspiration: to inspire a sustainable lifestyle that is fun and easy to integrate into daily life. After his studies in textile design, he worked for several years as a freelancer for different clothing companies. During this time he gained deep insights into the conventional textile industry and decided to change something. “Nature had bled enough and it had to stop,” says Michael Spitzbarth, Founder & CEO of Bleed. “And just like that, not only the name but also the brand were born.”

Michael Spitzbarth, Founder & CEO, Bleed © 2022 Messe Frankfurt
Michael Spitzbarth, Founder & CEO, Bleed © 2022 Messe Frankfurt


Save the Date: Award ceremony during the Neonyt Lab.

The award ceremony will take place on Saturday, 25 June 2022, at the Union Halle in Frankfurt am Main on the Fashionsustain stage during Neonyt Lab. The award will be presented jointly by Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies of Messe Frankfurt, and René Lang, President of VDMD. “We are delighted that the Sustainability Award presented by VDMD is again going to such an outstanding designer this year,” says Olaf Schmidt. “Bleed has been exhibiting at the Neonyt Trade Show for a number of years, and we have a long-standing friendship. Michael Spitzbarth and his team operate in a climate-neutral way, produce 'toxic free' fashion collections and have managed to win people for the green wave for more than a decade without appointing any fingers.” Lisi Maier, appointed member of the German Federal Government's Council for Sustainable Development and Director of the Federal Foundation for Gender Equality, will give a laudatory speech at the award ceremony.

Lisi Maier and Michael Spitzbarth will both be available for interviews afterwards. Interested media representatives should register at http://neonyt.com/accreditation and contact the VDMD in advance at info@vdmd.de




Frankfurt Fashion Week – shows sustainable Fashion, Design & Art

In the week from 20 to 26 June 2022, the city of Frankfurt am Main will be dominated by sustainable fashion, design & art. Numerous events will take place throughout the city under the umbrella brand Frankfurt Fashion Week. Exhibitions, fashion shows, talks, presentations and open studios invite all interested citizens to explore and experience fashion and all topics related to sustainable design. Frankfurt Fashion Week thus also offers a marketing platform for the regional fashion and design scene as well as the cultural and creative industries. Parallel to Frankfurt Fashion Week, Messe Frankfurt is organising the Neonyt Lab from 24 to 26 June 2022 in the Union Halle, which is aimed at consumers and fashion professionals interested in sustainability. In addition, from 21 to 24 June 2022, Messe Frankfurt will be bringing together the globally oriented B2B events Techtextil, Texprocess and Heimtextil Summer Special, which will highlight themes of particular relevance to the international fashion and living sector. Frankfurt Fashion Week is a multi-layered, easily accessible and cross-generational offer of the city of Frankfurt am Main.

The Neonyt Lab will take place from 24 to 26 June 2022 at Union Halle in Frankfurt am Main.

Visitor ticket:

• neonyt.com/ticket




More News from Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.

#Technical Textiles

Cinte Techtextil China maps textile future with specialised zones and forward-looking fringe events

As global demand for high-performance materials evolves, Cinte Techtextil China is set to steer the industry’s next growth phase by driving the convergence of global expertise, specialised zones, and forward-looking tech and insights. Building on its diverse scope, the upcoming edition will especially spotlight critical sub-sectors such as Medtech & Protech, Indutech and Buildtech. The offering will be augmented by the well-received Mobiltech and Textile Chemicals and Dyes Zones, alongside the high-calibre German and European Zones. Beyond the booths, the fringe programme structured around four core pillars will chart a definitive roadmap for technical textiles and nonwovens.

#Yarn & Fiber

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

#Home Textiles

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles unveils Trends 2027 alongside new lifestyle zone and product expansion

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition 2026 will spotlight forward-looking design directions and evolving consumer demand, as the global home and lifestyle market continues to adapt to sustainability priorities, emotional well-being, and diversified living spaces. Taking place from 18 – 20 August 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the fair will present its latest trend theme, ‘BREATHE UP!’, developed in collaboration with leading international trend forecaster NellyRodi™ Agency, alongside expanded product categories, and the debut of the Home Textiles Lifestyle Zone.

#Yarns

From advanced fibres to eco‑focused yarns: Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 set to welcome global industry to Shanghai

From 25 – 27 August, Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 will return to the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) to reinforce its role as a key meeting point for the global yarn and fibre industry. With over 22,000 visitors, the previous edition gathered nearly 580 leading exhibitors from 16 countries and regions, showcasing advanced developments and creative applications that support innovative, sustainable textile design. The upcoming edition will not only present an extensive range of fibre and yarn products, but will also feature a comprehensive fringe programme, including industry forums and trend display areas, providing innovative upstream enterprises with a stage to introduce next‑generation materials and sustainable concepts.

More News on Sustainability

#Recycling / Circular Economy

HKRITA signs MoU with Jeanologia and Looptworks to establish the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) yesterday officially signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two key global partners, Jeanologia and Looptworks, to establish the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem – a first-of-its-kind collaboration to accelerate the large-scale recycling of blended textiles.

#Sustainability

Textile Exchange unveils agenda for 2026 conference in Vancouver

Textile Exchange has released the agenda for its 2026 Conference, which will take place from October 12–16 in Vancouver, Canada. Under the theme “The Implementation Era,” the event will focus on translating sustainability commitments into practical action and scaling solutions across businesses, supply systems, and landscapes.

#Associations

Textile PRO Forum calls for greater harmonisation of textile EPR systems across Europe

The Textile PRO Forum has published a new analysis highlighting the need for greater harmonisation of textile Extended Producer Responsibility systems across Europe. The document, Toward harmonised Textile EPR Systems in Europe: analysis and recommendations, presents the results of work carried out by Workstream 1 of the Textile PRO Forum, led by Dr. Eng. Viola Corbellini, Strategic Development and Innovation Expert at Erion Textiles, and Eng. Luca Campadello, General Director at Erion Textiles. The workstream focused on reducing administrative burden for textile producers by identifying areas where procedures could be better aligned across countries.

#Associations

Results of the 38th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey

The global textile industry appears to be turning a corner, but this is more likely a fragile and possibly temporary improvement than the start of a durable recovery. According to the 38th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey, conducted worldwide during the second half of May 2026, business sentiment, order intake, order backlogs and capacity utilization all improved versus March — yet every indicator remains weak by historical standards, and rising costs cast doubt on how long the upturn can last.

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#Research & Development

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

#Natural Fibers

Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brings supply chain leaders together around cotton innovation

Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brought together more than 300 industry leaders from 140 companies across 10 countries, including more than 45 top global brands and sourcing organizations, underscoring strong global interest in cotton-rich product development, sourcing and supply chain collaboration.

#Knitting & Hosiery

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.

#Natural Fibers

Cashmere specialist joins AbTF Board of Trustees

The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is pleased to welcome Brian Yu, the chief executive officer of the Artwell Group, to its board of trustees. As CEO, Brian Yu developed Artwell into the world’s largest supplier of responsibly produced cashmere knitwear.

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