#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2021-01-28

More than 70 of the most outstanding new products in the sporting goods industry receive the seal of quality

Image credit: Munich Trade Fair Centre / Munich Trade Fair Centre

The results of the ISPO Award 2021 are in: As of now a total of 76 sports products bear the prestigious seal of quality for innovation and functionality in the sporting goods industry. A jury of international experts selected a total of 76 “Products of the Year,” “Gold Winners” and “Winners” from 250 submissions in the four segments of Snowsports, Outdoor, Running & Fitness and Urban Life. Six products were also awarded special recognition for their particularly sustainable concepts and ideas.

The highest award, “Product of the Year,” will first be announced during the official award ceremonies via live stream as part of ISPO Munich Online, from February 1 to 5, 2021. The Gold Winners, Products of the Year and Winners with the special Sustainability Achievement will be presented during the event in their own digital award showroom.

250 product submissions in four segments

76 prizes and special awards for sustainability

Award ceremony and digital showroom at ISPO Munich Online 2021

“Even in these particularly challenging times, product development didn’t come to a halt. We have got to know many innovative concepts all over again. One thing that has again been made clear is that awareness for sustainability topics within the industry has increased across the board. That’s why more and more manufacturers are committed to an advanced circular economy” said Jacqueline Eskandar, Senior Product Manager of ISPO Awards & Innovation at Messe München, summing up the most important findings from this year’s edition of the ISPO Award.

?Due to the prevailing coronavirus pandemic, the two-day jury meeting was held in a hybrid format for the first time – partly on site, partly by video call. A jury of 25 experts, consisting of representatives from retail, designers, product specialists and media representatives, selected winners from the 250 submissions in segment-specific teams. In addition to innovative nature, above all the assessment criteria included functionality, quality and choice of materials. Exceptional performance in terms of sustainability across all segments was honored accordingly with special prizes.

Grand stage for the awardees at ISPO Munich Online 2021

For maximum international visibility, the ISPO Award ceremony will take place as part of ISPO Munich Online 2021:

Tuesday, February 2, 3:30 p.m.: Snowsports

Wednesday, February 3, 3:00 p.m.: Running & Fitness, Urban Life

Thursday, February 4, 3:30 p.m.: Outdoors

All of the winning products can be experienced throughout the entire duration of ISPO Munich Online 2021 and all year round at ispo.com.

What the end consumers think: Premiere for the ISPO Public Choice Award

As part of the ISPO Award 2021, end consumers will also be involved for the first time and an additional public choice award will be presented: More than 70,000 members of the ISPO Open Innovation Community have been called upon to select their personal favorites from all of the Gold Winners. The product with the most votes will win and be honored with the first ISPO Public Choice Award, also at ISPO Munich Online 2021 on Friday, February 5.?Anybody can take part and cast their vote after registering in the community for free*. More information on the ISPO Award is available online.

*ISPO Open Innovation is an all-year platform on which enthusiastic athletes can actively contribute to the development of upcoming products with their know-how and their creativity via exclusive tests and surveys.

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

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.

Solving the Feedstock Gap: Unlocking Post-consumer Feedstocks for Textile-to-Textile Recycling in Europe

Fashion for Good launches Project FAE (Feedstock Activation Europe) to develop the sorting and pre-processing infrastructure needed to channel non-rewearable post-consumer textiles into textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling at scale. The project is a practical response to one of the most pressing problems in textile circularity: making post-consumer waste a viable, commercially competitive raw material for recyclers.

Kornit Digital expands digital production into footwear and technical textiles with Presto MAX PLUS

Kornit Digital (NASDAQ: KRNT) (“Kornit” or the “Company”), a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production, today unveiled the Kornit Presto MAX PLUS, a new roll-to-roll system expanding digital manufacturing into footwear, automotive interiors, military camouflage, high-performance sportswear, and high-end furnishings. Debuting at Texprocess 2026 in Frankfurt, Presto MAX PLUS enables entirely new applications for on-demand textile production.

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.