#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.

Merino wool moves into China’s high-performance sportswear market

China’s leading sportswear brands are beginning to treat Merino wool not as a lifestyle material, but as a performance input as natural fibres move from the margins of sportswear into elite technical applications. That shift is increasingly evident in the material strategies of major domestic groups such as ANTA.

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.

“We Believe in the Value of Textiles”: Successful Opening of the KARL MAYER TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER

KARL MAYER inaugurated its new, state-of-the-art TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER (TIC) with a four-day opening week from April 21 to 24. The highlight of the week was the grand opening on Thursday, which drew a strong turnout from the international textile industry: around 220 customers, brands, and partners from across the textile value chain came to the company’s headquarters in Obertshausen for a first-hand look at the new high-tech development environment and lively exchange with industry peers.

Texhibition Istanbul signals stability and global connectivity

From 4 to 6 March 2026, Texhibition Istanbul once again brought together the international textile industry at the Istanbul Expo Center. Organized by İTKİB Fuarcılık A.Ş. in cooperation with the Istanbul Textile Exporters Association (İTHİB), the fair confirmed its role as one of the most important international sourcing platforms for fabrics and textile innovation. With 500+ exhibitors across 5 halls on 42,850 sqm, the trade fair attracted 19,325 visitors. Among them, 5.565 international visitors represented Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, North America, and other regions, underlining the show’s expanding global reach.

Val:ue Milan unveiled – a curated boutique business hub for high-end apparel textiles

Messe Frankfurt continues to expand its international textile network with the announcement of Val:ue Milan. Moving beyond the traditional trade fair model, Val:ue Milan debuts as a prestigious, boutique-style business hub exclusively dedicated to elected fabrics and accessories for apparel. Taking place from February 3 to 5, 2027, at The Mall in Porta Nuova, the event breaks away from conventional formats through a strictly curated environment designed for strategic networking. By bridging the gap between high-end international manufacturers and top-tier segment buyers, Val:ue Milan further strengthens the Group’s global portfolio with a unique, high-impact concept built around a refined and carefully selected offering.

Kornit Digital launches Konnections 365

Kornit Digital (NASDAQ: KRNT) (“Kornit” or the “Company”), a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production today announced the launch of Konnections 365 - a year-round movement designed for the people moving the apparel, print, and retail industries forward. The strategy is built on the overwhelming success of Konnections 2026 held in Hollywood, Florida, featuring more than 500 customers, partners, and collaborators who together are driving the future of apparel and textiles.

Techtextil 2026: KARL MAYER impresses as an innovative sector partner

KARL MAYER looks back with satisfaction on its participation in Techtextil 2026. From April 21 to 24, the international industry leader used the trade show in Frankfurt to meet with numerous key customers at its booth and, at the same time, establish many new contacts. Most visitors came from Germany, followed by major markets such as Poland, the United Kingdom, Turkey, France, and Portugal.

BTMA backs global growth while investing in future UK leaders

As one of a number of new initiatives launched this year, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is launching the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, has implications that extend across sourcing, competitiveness and long-term trade dynamics, believes BTMA CEO Jason Kent.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.