#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2025-02-20

PERFORMANCE DAYS recognizes innovations in apparel, footwear and bodywear

When PERFORMANCE DAYS opens its doors on March 5-6, 2025, at halls C4 and C5 at Messe München, visitors will once again discover fabric innovations for Spring/Summer 2027 across the Performancewear, Bodywear, and Accessories segments. For the first time, a dedicated Wool Forum will be introduced alongside the existing Trend, Footwear, and Bodywear Forums. A jury of renowned industry experts carefully reviewed the submissions for the upcoming season and awarded a total of four prizes.

PERFORMANCE DAYS continues to provide plenty of highlights and innovations in the field of technical fibers and materials during its spring trade fair. At the heart of the event, the Trend Forum will showcase the award-winning fabrics for the first time, including the winners of the PERFORMANCE AWARD and the ECO PERFORMANCE AWARD. As the dedicated Footwear Area will now only appear at the fall fair, this year’s Footwear Forum will also be integrated into the Trend Forum in Hall C4. Additionally, visitors can explore the first-ever Wool Forum, located in the Wool Area, which mirrors the setup of the Bodywear Forum in the Bodywear Collective.

The jury, led by Marco Weichert, CEO of PERFORMANCE DAYS, along with Clarissa Stadelmann (Product Manager), Jury Head Alexa Dehmel, Regina Goller (Head of Innovation & Future Trends), and guest juror Laura Howe, Fabric Technologist at Mountain Equipment, expressed their enthusiasm for the outstanding submissions.

Sustainability and innovation in focus: Wool makes a grand comeback The materials were divided into 13 categories, including 3-layer membranes, baselayers, workwear, bags, waterproof 2-layer fabrics, wool, and others. A particular emphasis was placed on this season’s Focus Topic: “Certifications – Which Ones Matter?”. The top 28 fabrics from each category, along with insights from the Focus Topic compiled by CSR specialist Anna Schuster, will be presented in the Trend Forum.

Previous focus topics have significantly elevated the quality of submissions. The Fall 2024 topic, “Colorization: Chemistry is Everywhere,” spurred a rise in the use of bio-synthetic dyes. Meanwhile, the Spring 2024 theme, “The Future of Polyester: Beyond the Bottle,” showcased advancements in textile-to-textile recycling materials.

This year, developments in the categories of Membranes, Safety & Durability (including aramid fibers), and Wool particularly stood out. Wool demonstrated exceptional versatility, being used in applications ranging from windbreakers to shirts. There was also notable growth in materials such as hemp-lyocell blends, recycled polyamide, and multi-component yarns.Two standout fabrics included a “Hulk fabric” featuring color-shifting effects under tension and a luxuriously soft modal-cashmere knit.

The award-winning innovations and highlighted materials will be on display during PERFORMANCE DAYS on March 5-6, 2025, in halls C4 and C5 at Messe München.

Four AWARDS recognizing material innovations in apparel, footwear and bodywear For Spring/Summer 2027, the jury selected four fabrics for top honors:

ECO PERFORMANCE AWARD: Hemp Fortex / “KJ8186”

Hemp Fortex is launching an innovation on the market with Macel. The fabric is made from waste from hemp fiber production to ultimately produce lyocell. This is a completely new process, as it does not use bamboo or trees. The result is a natural, sustainable, biodegradable and environmentally friendly solution. Macel is a resource-saving fiber in which 70% of the raw material comes from hemp.

PERFORMANCE AWARD: Takisada-Nagoya Co., Ltd. / “Combat Wool” (2-V831700-3)

By blending CORDURA nylon with wool, this fabric is more durable than traditional wool. It features natural moisture management and a 3-layer treatment for breathability and windproofing.

ECO AWARD FOOTWEAR: Step Zero AG / Step-0-Sole

Made entirely of certified biodegradable materials, the Step-0-Sole is plastic-free, preventing the release of 175 grams of synthetic microplastics per person annually. Durable, flexible, and waterproof, it meets the performance standards of PU, TPU, and rubber.

BODYWEAR AWARD: Liongtex Innovation Enterprises Co., Ltd. / “A6B84”

Outlast® Matrix Infusion Coating (MIC) is a special process in which the textile surface is printed with a wafer-thin layer of micro-encapsulated natural wax. The print is intended to help increase the “comfort zone” in which the fabric cools or warms when necessary. Using this process in the bodywear segment is new, which is why it won over the jury. The original properties of the fabric are completely retained. This process is ideal for extensive “next-to-skin” product lines where our brand partners want to use their own fabrics.

The AWARDS ceremony will take place on March 5, 2025, during the Expert Talks in the morning.

PERFORMANCE DAYS Autumn Fair 2025: full house in Munich

On October, 29–30, 2025, PERFORMANCE DAYS opens its doors in Munich – fully booked, with bustling halls, top-tier exhibitors, and a diverse supporting program, the leading trade fair for functional fabrics and sustainable textile innovations once again confirms its relevance for the industry. Visitors can look forward to a varied program with high-profile exhibitors, new areas, inspiring Trend Forums, the current Focus Topic, and an expanded Footwear Area. Another highlight: the Innovation Hub by FFE, a curated area in cooperation with the Future Fabrics Expo.

PERFORMANCE DAYS spring edition sets strong impulses

Once again, PERFORMANCE DAYS has proven to be the most important gathering for the functional textile industry. The Spring 2025 edition, held from March 5–6 at Messe München, attracted numerous industry experts and trade visitors, offering a unique platform for networking, business, and knowledge exchange. With 588 booths and 3,367 visitors, the event significantly surpassed previous years’ numbers. In comparison, the previous spring edition had fewer than 500 booths and 2,999 visitors.

PERFORMANCE DAYS with a comprehensive range of topics

PERFORMANCE DAYS, taking place October 23 - 24 at Messe München in halls A1 and A2, is once again setting new standards in the world of performance fabrics for the sports and fashion industries. In addition to the new trends and innovations for the Winter 2026 season, the trade fair increasingly presents exciting special areas that provide an expanded range of information. Visitors can look forward to exclusive zones that highlight current trends and developments in the textile industry – from wool to bodywear, to sustainable concepts and exciting test areas.

Nike unites innovation, design and product teams to accelerate athlete-centered innovation

Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse are joining forces under a new, athlete-focused creation structure aimed at accelerating innovation and driving growth across NIKE, Inc. The new setup unites the Innovation, Design and Product teams from all three brands into a single “creation engine” that will enable greater sharing of insights, technology and manufacturing methods throughout the innovation process. This integration is part of Nike’s new Sport Offense strategy and is designed to enhance the creation of products that help athletes perform at their best.

Pioneering open-source framework shows how early innovation drives a just and net-zero fashion future

The non-profit H&M Foundation, in collaboration with Accenture, has unveiled From Signals to Systems Change, an insight report calling on the fashion industry to rethink its role in transformation. At its core is the Reimagined System Map, a pioneering open-source framework that visualises how early-stage innovation could drive a just and net-zero textile future.

KARL MAYER puts textiles centre stage

For KARL MAYER, textiles are much more than just materials – they express function, emotion and progress. And they are at the heart of its customers' activities. KARL MAYER is now focusing more than ever on its customers' needs and plans and therefore on the textiles made on its machines: WARP KNITS. At the upcoming ITMA ASIA + CITME, the company will demonstrate how textile solutions are providing new impetus in the categories of Fashion & Clothing and Technical Textiles.

DORNIER celebrates its anniversary at ITMA Asia + CITME

To mark its 75th anniversary, machine and plant manufacturer Lindauer DORNIER will be presenting the latest developments in its rapier and air-jet weaving machines at ITMA Asia + CITME in Singapore (Hall 2, Stand B401) from 28 to 31 October 2025. The focus will be on energy-efficient weaving technologies, new IoT solutions for networked textile production and systems for the series production of modern fibre composite components.

BCI warns against ‘dangerous dilution’ of EU corporate directives

The approval of the European Commission’s Omnibus I proposal by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, accepting controversial changes to key sustainability directives is of great concern. These changes, namely to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), threaten to significantly dilute business reporting and due diligence obligations.

Groz-Beckert showcases textile innovation at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025 in Singapore

From October 28 to 31, 2025, the global textile industry will gather at ITMA Asia + CITME at the Singapore Expo, where Groz-Beckert will present its latest highlights and innovations across its six product areas – Knitting, Weaving, Nonwovens, Tufting, Sewing, and Spinning – at Hall 5, Booth B301.