#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: Focus topic shifts to the beginning of the value chain

Following the last Focus Topic in October 2025, which placed Textile-to-Textile Recycling at its core, PERFORMANCE DAYS continues to drive the conversation around circularity – this time with an expanded and more upstream perspective. The upcoming Focus Topic, “Textile to Textile: The Role of Collectors and Sorters,” presented during the spring edition on March 18–19, will spotlight one of the most essential yet often overlooked components of a functioning circular textile system: the efficient collection and sorting of post-consumer textiles.

PERFORMANCE DAYS sets benchmarks with record attendance & strong industry presence

With around 4,500 professional visitors and 515 exhibitors, PERFORMANCE DAYS closed its doors on October 30, 2025, after two highly successful days in Munich. Expanded show areas, an international audience, a top-class Expert Talks program, and an inspiring DAY 0 Conference with an innovative concept underlined one thing clearly: PERFORMANCE DAYS has become the leading business platform for the functional textile industry.

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.

ROICA: Where distinction and intention shape the future of apparel industry at Milano Unica

At Milano Unica, held at Fiera Milano (Rho) in Milan from January 20–22, nine select European partners unveil collections shaped by ROICA™—the premium stretch fiber by Asahi Kasei. ROICA™ does not stand alone on the show floor, but its presence is quietly interlaced into each creation, chosen by those who seek distinction and depth in modern textiles. Through these dedicated collaborations, ROICA™ continues to sup-port the apparel industry with advanced stretch, comfort, and environmental care, offering something unique for brands who value true craftsmanship and thoughtful innovation.

How Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris 2026 reflects shifts in global textile and apparel sourcing

From 2 to 4 February 2026, the 58th edition of the show will bring together more than 1,100 exhibitors from 33 countries at Paris–Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. As a true sourcing platform, the event stands out for its diversity, clear structure and operational efficiency, giving international buyers direct access to an offer tailored to their needs.

Cascale Forum: Colombo convenes 500+ manufacturers brands, and stakeholders to advance capacity building and collaboration across the consumer goods industry

Cascale today announced program details for Cascale Forum: Colombo, taking place March 30–April 1, 2026 in Sri Lanka. Building on the success of the 2025 Forum in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, this gathering will convene manufacturers, brands, retailers, NGOs, policymakers, and solution providers under the theme “Action by Design: Accelerating a Fairer, More Resilient Value Chain.”

Proven performance, optimised costs – the new RE 6 EL

Nowadays textile companies increasingly need to produce small production runs and respond to market changes with instantaneous pattern changes in order to operate profitably – meaning they require machines that offer maximum flexibility, reliability and cost efficiency. KARL MAYER understands the challenges of the market and is launching its new RE 6 EL. The Raschel machine offers the core strengths of the classic RSE 6 EL and essentially the same performance parameters, but has been further cost-optimised largely due to local production advantages. This makes the newcomer an efficiency champion in production, especially when it comes to frequent pattern changes.

European business associations celebrate the signature of the EU-Mercosur FTA

The 17th January marks a historic milestone with the signing of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, creating the biggest trading block in the world. European business – represented by more than 28 associations across a wide range of sectors – warmly welcomes this signature. It sends a strong and timely signal that the EU remains open and is committed to rules-based global trade. In a time of global uncertainty, this agreement is a key growth booster.