#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2018-11-12

Inaugural adidas x Woolmark Performance Challenge winner announced

Alicia Ferreira de Sousa from L’École de la Maille de Paris was announced the winner of the inaugural adidas x Woolmark Performance Challenge, presented at a special event during Outdoor Retailer, Denver, Colorado. The Woolmark Performance Challenge is a new annual competition for tertiary students aimed at pushing the limits of product innovation and is set to kick-start the career of Alicia.

The award was judged by a highly esteemed panel of judges, including Amanda Parkes - Chief Innovation Officer, Fashion Tech Lab; Christopher Bevans - Creative Director & Owner, Dyne; Jamie Lisanti - Special Projects Editor, Sports Illustrated; Julie Davies - General Manager, Processing Innovation & Education Extension, The Woolmark Company; Kristin Hostetter - Editor in Chief, SNEWS; Louis de Vos - Talent Acquisition Manager, adidas; and Tillmann Studrucker - Senior Design Director, adidas.

Alicia was praised by the judges for her entry.

“As an aerobic gymnast, Alicia brought her knowledge of the body’s movement and combined it with science to highlight the functionality and benefits of Australian Merino wool’s properties. She found a way to bring this together with a unique and technical innovation, that is applicable to many sports,” explained Jamie Lisanti, Sports Illustrated.

Fellow judge Tillmann Studrucker commented: “It is incredible how many great innovations we saw from students in this open collaboration between adidas and The Woolmark Company. It was not easy to nominate the final winner. In the end, we went for the person who shared the number one principle of our founder Adi Dassler - ‘only the best for the athlete’ - helping them to perform better in their sport using the benefits of wool. I want to thank everyone involved in making this competition a success and for giving these students a platform to show their talent.”

Alicia Ferreira de Sousa from L’École de la Maille de Paris was announced the winner of the inaugural adidas x Woolmark Performance Challenge. (c) 2018 Woolmark

“Winning the Woolmark Performance Challenge marks the beginning of an aspiration coming true: a sportswear specialization to engage my own wellbeing and confidence in sports performance,” said Alicia. “My main goal was to make a textile that connects and communicates with the body; and Merino wool supports the wearer’s needs in any situation or environment to enhance performance.”

Alicia will now receive a cash prize of €10,000 (approx. $11,300 USD), a three-month internship with adidas, the opportunity to sell the winning idea along with ongoing industry and training support from The Woolmark Company.

More than 500 students from 58 universities across Europe and North America registered to take part in the adidas x Woolmark Performance Challenge. The 10 finalists were:

Alicia Ferreira de Sousa - L’École de la Maille de Paris - France
Christel Thue Høgsted - University of Oregon - USA
Inga Grether - Albstadt-Sigmaringen University - Germany
Jeni Allison - Heriot Watt University - UK
Lihong Lao - Cornell University, Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design - USA
Marlies Reukers - Amsterdam Fashion Institute, HvA - Netherlands
Martin Stricker - ECAL (École Cantonale d'art de Lausanne) - Switzerland
Olivia Echols - University of Oregon - USA
Phoebe Edwards - Nottingham Trent University - UK; and
Youngmi Kim - Institut Français de la Mode - France.

Tunicotex Group boosts OTDP to 85%, cuts planning time by 25% & expands production capacity by 40%

Coats Digital is delighted to announce that following the implementation of FastReactPlan, leading Tunisian premium knitwear manufacturer, Tunicotex Group, has significantly improved its on-time delivery performance from 75% to 85%, reduced planning time by 25%, minimised delays and penalty costs, and unlocked 40% additional capacity to take on more customer orders and support sustained business growth.

The Technology Hub for global denim trends: ITM 2026

The ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, to be held at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in Istanbul from June 9–13, 2026, brings together groundbreaking technologies in denim production. From smart production systems to eco-friendly raw materials, from digital washing solutions to laser effect technologies, innovations that will shape the future of denim will be showcased for the first time at ITM 2026.

YKK receives ISPO Textrends Awards for circular innovations

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) is pleased to announce that the ISPO Textrends judges have selected YKK's 3D Composite Puller as the Best Product in the Accessories category. They also selected YKK’s NATULON Plus® Fiber Sourced™ zipper with Recycled PET Open Parts as a Top 5 item in the same category. The competition, held twice a year in conjunction with the ISPO trade show, recognizes the most innovative performance textiles, components, and apparel.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris unveils redesigned show layout for 2026

From February 2 to 4, 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will once again bring together all the key players in textiles and clothing at the Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Center. For 3 days, visitors will discover, compare and select among 1,300 suppliers who will shape the collections of tomorrow, from ready-to-wear to luxury.

January 2026 marks Asahi Kasei’s restart of Bemberg production in restored sections of the Nobeoka facility

Beginning January 2026, production at the Asahi Kasei Nobeoka facility – Bemberg’s only production site – will gradually resume, marking a new chapter following the partial shutdown caused by the April 2022 incident. This progress is the result of significant investments and continuous work toreinforce safety measures, restore full operational capacity, and establish long- term stability.

Stefan Moll becomes new CEO of the machinery manufacturer

Starting January 1, 2026, Stefan Moll will take over the management of Mahlo GmbH + Co. KG, the world’s leading provider of measurement and control technology for web-shaped materials. With this move, Mahlo is focusing on the long-term safeguarding of its market position and technological leadership. The current CEO, Rainer Mestermann, will leave the company after 14 years as part of a planned succession arrangement.

Barmag's new texturing machine impresses the market

Since its premiere at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025, the eFK EvoSmart texturing machine has achieved impressive market success. The innovative technology is winning over yarn manufacturers worldwide who are committed to energy-efficient and economical production processes. A total of 84 machines has already been sold – including in China, Turkey, and Indonesia – a clear sign of the industry's confidence in this forward-looking solution.

Durak Tekstil enters 2026 with positive momentum, strengthens its global market focus

Durak Tekstil, maintaining its profitability and turnover levels in 2025 compared to the previous year, prioritizes growth through its export-oriented sales strategy. Increasing both its capacity and utilization rate, the company anticipates further gains in 2026 through expansion in global markets.