Performance Days turns the spotlight on textile-to-textile recycling for its Fall edition. With regulatory shifts and material innovations on the rise, the event brings recyclers and industry leaders into focus.

For many years, Performance Days has positioned itself as a launchpad for forward-looking innovations in the textile industry. Highlighting more sustainable materials, technologies, and practical solutions, this year’s Focus Topic will be textile-to-textile recycling.

One of Performance Days’ most popular meeting grounds is the Trend Forum, showcasing fabrics carefully selected by a jury. For the Fall Show, the jury welcomed experts from Diesel, Woolmark, and Thru Dark. At each trade show, a Focus Topic is chosen – this time highlighting the vital role of textile recyclers.

Is the linear textile model nearing its end of life?

With increasing regulatory pressures such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR), circularity is shifting from aspiration to necessity. While mechanical recycling of PET bottles is well established, textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling remains at an earlier and more complex stage of development.

Recyclers are now playing a pivotal role in the transition to circular systems. However, many are still adapting to the scale and technical challenges involved. T2T recycling is not a standalone solution; it is part of a broader transformation that also requires reducing overproduction, encouraging reuse and repair, and rethinking design and consumption models.

“In nature, there is no waste”

Besides the Focus Topic, the newly launched Day 0 Conference will be set under the guiding principle that “in nature, there is no waste.”

Key discussions will center on how existing waste can be transformed into valuable resources, how innovation is reshaping discarded materials into new products, and which strategies can help eliminate waste at the source.

Credit: Performance Days

Accelerating the transition

According to Regina Goller, Head of Material Innovation & Future Trends, Performance Days seeks to accelerate the shift toward a resource-efficient, circular economy.

“Our trade show aims to inspire and guide industry stakeholders through best practices and real-world applications, offering clear actions for circular design, efficient production, and sustainable consumption. This focus will be even stronger at the conference in October,” she says.

To further strengthen this mission and ensure greater transparency, Performance Days has appointed Anna Schuster as Head of Sustainability. A trained designer, Anna Schuster previously worked in the sustainability department at Hugo Boss and now brings her expertise to drive forward the fair’s sustainability agenda.

Images: Performance Days