#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2021-01-28

An overview of the world’s leading sports trade fair

From February 1 to 5, 2021, ISPO Munich Online will be the place to be for the sports and outdoor sector. Under the heading “Sport is stronger”, the trade fair will be a leading international platform for new products, market trends and networking. Participants will also have an opportunity to discuss key social questions for the future from a sporting perspective. ISPO Munich Online will be opened by the long jump world champion Malaika Mihambo.

Expo Area: A comprehensive overview of the market – not only for sports retailers

Conference: Focus on social megatrends – sustainability, health, digitalization and creativity

Free activities with film premieres, workout sessions and interviews with athletes

“For the first time ever, the largest trade fair in the sports business will take place in digital form,” said Dr. Jeanette Friedrich, Global Head of ISPO Group. “We’re very keen to reach the entire sports community from retailers and manufacturers to sports enthusiasts.” The event is therefore divided into three parts:

1. Market overview of innovations and new products in the Expo Area

The Expo Area will serve as a virtual exhibition area for more than 500 international exhibitors from all areas of sport. It is primarily aimed at specialist retailers who are looking for a product overview as well as inspiration for planning product ranges. All companies and their products will be presented in digital brand rooms. Visitors can connect with the contact persons from the companies directly. There will also be “digital special areas” focusing on innovative topics such as ISPO Award, ISPO Brandnew, ISPO Textrends and ISPO Digitize.

2. Conference with interdisciplinary discussion on megatrends

With more than 80 presentations and podium discussions and over 100 workshops on socially relevant topics such as digitalization and creativity, health and sustainability, the conference program is sure to inspire all sector members. The interdisciplinary line-up of speakers will bring together industry representatives and sportspeople along with participants predominantly from industries outside the sector, education and politics. The speakers include

Axel Täubert, Head of Top Creators & Gaming EMEA at Google

Carla Murphy, General Manager adidas Outdoor & adidas Golf

Dagmar Freitag, Chairwoman of the Sports Committee in the German Bundestag

Jill Dumain, CEO at Bluesign Technologies

Kilian Jornet, extreme endurance athlete and environmental activist

Malaika Mihambo, long jump world champion and German Sportswoman of the Year 2020

Stefan Ponikva, Vice President Brand Experiences at BMW

Tristan Horx, futurologist at the Zukunftsinstitut

3. Attractive activities for sport and outdoor fans around the world

For the first time ever, end consumers will have exclusive access to selected content from the conference program: During the Free to Air Sessions the daily openings (from 10:00 a.m. CET each day) will be streamed live with the subsequent keynote speeches and the interactive live pitch for the title of the ISPO Brandnew “Overall Winners” and the ISPO Award ceremonies in the various categories. With the Public Choice Award, an additional prize will be awarded by end consumers. Until Thursday, February 4, all members of the ISPO Open Innovation Community are invited to choose their favorites from all ISPO Award entries.

The Public Streams every evening will bring sport into fans’ homes. The free streaming sessions will include screenings of the European Outdoor Film Tour (E.O.F.T.) and the Freeride Film Festival, workouts with Blackroll and Technogym and talks with athletes from the European Championships Munich 2022, Peloton and other celebrities such as climbing star Adam Ondra or adventurer Eliott Schonfeld.

Getting away from screens, being active and doing good – that is what Run for Good, the ISPO sponsored run to protect the mountains, is all about. The virtual challenge for all hobby runners will take place from February 1 - 7. Instead of charging an entry fee, the ISPO team will collect donations for Kilian Jornet Foundation projects which aim to protect and preserve natural mountain landscapes.

Service

An overview of all the brands and manufacturers can be found in the exhibitor directory. The event calendar contains details of all the events in the conference program. Media accreditation is only possible online.

During the event, a digital press center will be available to journalists, bloggers and influencers. Access is possible via the start page of the Expo Area. There you will find tips for your visit to the trade fair, information regarding press events and press releases from the brands exhibiting. From 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (CET), the ISPO Press Team will also be available via chat function. Answers to the most important questions regarding participation are listed in the FAQs for visitors.

“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.

Barmag and Hitech Automation enter into partnership for an auto-doff system for texturing machines

Barmag (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. and Hitech Automation Solutions PVT LTD. of Surat, India, have agreed to an exclusive partnership to jointly market Hitech’s Doffmatic automation solution for Barmag’s proven manual eFK texturing machines. In many texturing facilities, manual doffing processes remain heavily operator-dependent – resulting in issues such as increased scrap, inconsistent quality, and limited productivity.

Uster’s new Recycling Opening Index guides spinners to the perfect blend

Uster AFIS 6 now offers the key data for better decisions when blending recycled fibers. Process control is decisive in determining the quality and economic outcome. The new R Recycling Module of AFIS 6 introduces the Recycling Opening Index (ROI), so spinners can optimize their circularity credentials. It was officially launched at ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The heart of the technical textiles and nonwovens world will beat in Istanbul

Only 1 day remains until HIGHTEX 2026 International Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Exhibition opens its doors. Bringing together manufacturers, technology developers, investors, and industry professionals from around the world, HIGHTEX 2026 is preparing to showcase the innovations shaping the future of the industry. As the countdown to this major event continues, Istanbul is once again getting ready to become the meeting point of the global technical textiles industry.

Grasim Industries announces fresh investment of ₹3094 Crore to expand Lyocell capacity

Grasim Industries Limited, the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group and a global leader in cellulosic fibres, today announced an investment of ₹3,094 crore, for Phase II Lyocell capacity of 110K TPA at Harihar, Karnataka. This expansion will consist of 2 lines of 55K TPA (150 Tons per day) each. The first line is expected to be commissioned by 2028, and the second line is expected to be commissioned by 2030.