#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2018-08-30

Growth course continues at MUNICH FABRIC START

MUNICH FABRIC START remains on course for growth. The 45th event held from 4 to 6 September 2018 posts another record number of exhibitors with currently 1,050 suppliers in the segments Fabrics, Additionals, Denim & Sportswear. This ongoing growth has prompted another extension to exhibition space specifically in the BLUEZONE Area at the Zenith premises.

BRAVE NEW WORLD as the overriding theme for the over 1,800 collections for Autumn.Winter 19/20 promises an intense and sizzling trend show. An interplay of contrasts dominates here - from High Fashion vs No Fashion, through Futurist vs Realist, to Optimist vs Activist. A demonstration of diversification with a simultaneous individualisation of the apparent contrasts in this fashion offensive. With its complexity this offensive offers an extraordinary whole, sends out progressive impulses and re-defines trends. This progressive fashion statement is given additional dynamism by a spectacular programme of side events that points to the textile and fashion industry of the future where tomorrow is already happening today and where technology and development are the primordial competencies.

As always, MUNICH FABRIC START offers an exclusive programme curated by experts specifically for these areas so as to generate impulses, provide solutions and offer opportunities for international networking.

"As a trade fair organiser part of our mission is to create an operational platform for high-quality presentation of suppliers. Furthermore, we are highly committed to our role as initiators and motivators. We are called upon to set processes in motion, make available expert know-how, and, in the final analysis, offer tools and approaches for processes of relevance to the future", said Sebastian Klinder, Managing Director MUNICH FABRIC START

In addition to Fabrics, Additionals, Denim, Design Studios and New Development selected companies showcase their products and services related to Manufacturing Sourcing in the exclusive SOURCING Showrooms in Atrium 3, above Hall 3. On the first and second day of the trade fair industry partners from Central and Eastern Europe will provide information on innovations and manufacturing processes.

"Sourcing is an extremely important theme that moves the industry. As a trade fair we view it our clear mission to give a platform to the growing demand for sourcing options in the location of Munich. We aim to drive forward and continuously expand this conceptual approach", added Wolfgang Klinder, Managing Director MUNICH FABRIC START

ReSOURCE care of MUNICH FABRIC START is a new enlarged sourcing area being launched as a successor to the organicselection. As a response to the changed developments in the textile industry ReSOURCE highlights the next dimension of sustainability for future-oriented manufacturing processes as well as transparency in sourcing and production/supply chains.

As MUNICH FABRIC START's centre of innovation and expertise KEYHOUSE stages the latest generation of future fabrics, latest technologies, bionomics and macro trends - for instance the NEXT TEX Innovations Showcase featuring vendors and innovators of Circular Systems, Advanced Manufacturing, Biotech Materials & Textile Interfaces in its proven interactive format.

Promising to be a one-of-a-kind experience is the 'Wardrobe of the Future', the first walk-in wardrobe with smart products for consumers that fuse fashion and technology in a retail-ready symbiosis. This is an exciting project by FashNerd in cooperation with MUNICH FABRIC START.

Frank Junker, Creative Director MUNICH FABRIC START, said: "'Our aim is to provide new impulses time and again, to inspire and keep the industry in motion. Sustainability is a holistic concept that you cannot manage single-handedly. This is why we all have to pull in the same direction."

This appeal is also echoed at the SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS Forum at the KEYHOUSE. Here projects are introduced that inspire and motivate material professionals to think and act sustainably. Unconventional materials are created here for aspiring design that is gentle on the environment.

The 4th presentation of the HighTex Award for outstanding and pioneering product and process solutions shows how strong and tangible MUNICH FABRIC START's commitment to smart textiles really is. Companies are recognised here for their strategic overall conception in terms of sustainability and technology. Product details and contact information for articles and producers come care of the HighTex Award presentation forum at KEYHOUSE.

The current BLUEZONE is the biggest with the best line-up ever since its inception. Well over 120 leading international denim & sportswear brands will be exhibiting their latest season-spanning fabric innovations - in many cases already translated into trendsetting finished products with novel finishes and washes.

Due to high demand the outdoor spaces around BLUEZONE will be used as additional exhibition space thereby enhancing the already very intense business atmosphere even further. In addition to the again fully booked exhibition halls the BLUEZONE FESTIVAL held for the first time will provide both denim insiders and denim lovers with unique brands and products at the heart of the BLUEZONE, the Blue Yard. In a street festival setting the exhibits will revolve around new technologies, new heritage, vintage showrooms, communication, networking and how to handle the latest process solutions.

The agenda also features high-calibre panel discussions, workshops and lectures on current denim themes and novelties at the Denim Club in Hall 7.

“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.

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.

Messe Frankfurt commits further to East Africa: three textiles trade fairs during Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week from 2027

Messe Frankfurt and its Texpertise Network continue their steady, successful trajectory in the region. As Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) opened today, Member of the Executive Board Detlef Braun announced that Messe Frankfurt is licencing its three leading international trade fair brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess to Nairobi, Kenya for the first time in 2027. From now on, they will take place annually as part of the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) Nairobi.

The future of textiles, the power of trade, and the summit of technology come together at ITM 2026

ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, one of the most prestigious organizations in the textile technologies sector, opens its doors to visitors between June 9-13. Expected to break records in terms of both exhibitor and visitor numbers, as well as the technological vision it presents, ITM 2026 will transform into a global trade hub with machine sales, and new business collaborations.

ATCO Hygienics, Uzbekistan, orders baby diaper production line from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from ATCO Hygienics to supply a new baby diaper production line for its plant in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The order is included in ANDRITZ’s order intake for the first quarter of 2026. Commissioning of the production line is scheduled for the end of 2026.

Nico Pedretti appointed as Managing Director Graf Group

As of June 1, 2026, Nico Pedretti has assumed the role of Managing Director Graf Group. With more than 20 years of international industrial experience and extensive expertise in Operations, Supply Chain Management, Finance and Controlling, he brings a broad range of leadership and business experience to support Graf’s continued success.