#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2020-01-16

ISPO Award jury honors sporting goods highlights of 2020

In lively discussions and sometimes really close decisions an international jury of experts chose the winners of the ISPO Award 2020. Image credit: Messe München/Matthias Robl

The winners of the ISPO Awards 2020, the gold standard of the sporting goods industry, have been selected. A jury of highly respected experts picked the highlights from a group of more than 430 submissions. Nearly 100 products will receive the honor of Product of the Year, Gold Winner or Winner this year.

The winners who competed in the four segments Snowsports, Outdoor, Fitness & Team Sports and Running impressed the jury with their innovation, function and design and beat out the competition in the process. The issue of sustainability was considered as a supplemental topic. Visitors attending ISPO Munich from January 26–29, 2020, will be able to experience many of the award-winning products in Hall B1 and attend the official award ceremony.

Winners of the ISPO Awards named

Jury selected winners from more than 430 submissions in four segments

Additional awards for special achievements in sustainability

ISPO Award presentation and exhibition during ISPO Munich

The nominated products were closely evaluated during a three-day meeting of the 42 jurors who came from 13 countries. The jury consisted of retailers, designers, athletes, media and product specialists as well as selected consumers from the ISPO community. Beforehand, some of the jurors also took part in three experience days that gave them the opportunity to try out the winter sports, outdoor and fitness products. A separate jury of experts evaluated the sustainability aspects of the products. “We had some very lively discussions and some really close decisions,” said Franziska Zindl, who oversees the ISPO Award. “All of the submitted products demonstrated the extent to which the industry has adapted to social changes and consumer needs. We also clearly saw the entire industry’s growing commitment to sustainability issues.” A report on the jury meeting is available online.

ISPO Award presentation and exhibition during ISPO Munich

The first day of ISPO Munich 2020 will be devoted to the ISPO Award 2020. For the first time in the award’s history, the products of the year will be officially presented on the first day of the trade fair. The awards in the Outdoor and Sustainability segments will be presented at 10:00 on Sunday morning, January 26, on the Academy Stage (West entrance). The winners of the Snowsports, Fitness & Team Sports and Running segments will receive their awards starting at 15:00.

The award-winning products of official ISPO Munich exhibitors will be showcased throughout the trade fair in Hall B1.

The ISPO Award: gold standard for the sporting goods industry

The ISPO Award is presented each year by a different jury made up of international and highly respected experts. This year’s jurors evaluated more than 430 submissions in four segments. The ISPO Award is considered to be the gold standard for the industry and a guide that retailers, consumers and media representatives can use to work their way through the product-packed sporting goods market. The award-winning products can be viewed all year round at ispo.com.

“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.

YDC 2026 names winners in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2026 (YDC) has named its winners at the conclusion of CENTRESTAGE in Hong Kong. Ten emerging local designers presented collections inspired by personal experiences and emotions, translating their ideas through distinctive tailoring, materials and craftsmanship.

Texhibition Istanbul to bring together more than 500 exhibitors for 10th edition

The 10th edition of Texhibition Istanbul Fabric and Textile Accessories Fair will take place from 9 to 11 September 2026 at Istanbul Expo Center. More than 500 exhibiting companies across five halls and 42,850 square metres will present new-season collections, materials and technologies, bringing together Türkiye’s textile production strength with an increasingly international sourcing community.

IFCO Istanbul strengthens international reach with 12,550 trade visitors

The tenth edition of Istanbul Fashion Connection (IFCO), held from 19 to 21 August 2026, attracted 12,550 trade visitors from 117 countries to the Istanbul Expo Center. More than 200 exhibitors presented collections, manufacturing expertise and sourcing solutions across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, denim, eveningwear, lingerie, hosiery, accessories and homewear.

ITMA Asia 2026: How Barmag is reshaping the future of man-made fiber production

The textile industry is entering a groundbreaking era. Manufacturers face rising energy prices, growing sustainability demands, increasing labor shortages, and an unprecedented need for flexibility. For a globally active textile industry, where competitiveness is closely linked to production efficiency and cost leadership, this means that technology is no longer merely a means of improving operational processes – it is increasingly becoming a strategic differentiator.

Archroma wins ICIS Innovation Award for sulfur dye breakthrough

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, has won a coveted 2026 ICIS Innovation Award for Best Product Innovation from a Large Company for FiberColors®. These high-performance sulfur dyes are synthesized from pre-consumer wool waste, reducing industry reliance on petroleum-based inputs while contributing to the circular economy by upcycling unwanted wool that farmers would otherwise pay to dispose of.

Indorama Ventures supports KH Editions in building on its RECO experience Taking Thai circular fashion to New York Fashion Week

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, is supporting KH Editions, a Thai fashion brand that has grown through the RECO program, by providing fabrics woven with deja™ recycled polyester yarn. The fabrics have been used to create two fashion looks and accessories from the brand’s ten-look Spring/Summer 2027 collection, which will be presented in New York City, United States, on 15 September 2026 during New York Fashion Week.