October 7, 2026 Nordic Fabric Fair expands into outdoor and sports
Nordic Fabric Fair has long been one of Scandinavia’s leading textile trade shows for the fashion industry. December 8-9, 2026, the fair is expanding to include outdoor, sports and fitness. Helena Waker and Martin Kössler explain the plans.
Stockholm Fashion District has been home to Nordic Fabric Fair for several years. Helena Waker, CEO, describes the move into performance materials and a broader textile fair as a natural – and much-requested – development.
Helena Waker says:
“The boundaries between fashion and function are becoming increasingly fluid. Materials developed for sports and outdoor are also relevant to fashion, while issues such as innovation, quality and sustainability affect every segment. By broadening the fair, we can create more opportunities for suppliers, designers and Nordic brands to meet early in the season.”
The partner behind Nordic Fabric Fair – Fashion & Function is Swedish company Huginbiz, which has represented international trade shows such as Performance Days and ISPO in the Nordic market for many years.
Waker continues:
“Huginbiz is a natural partner for us. They understand the performance segment and have strong relationships with both Nordic brands and international suppliers. They bring extensive experience and a network that complements ours within fashion and textiles. Together, we can build a stronger meeting place than either of us could create alone.”
Bringing the entire team
Martin Kössler, CEO of Huginbiz, says there is strong interest in the Nordic market:
“There is a genuine demand for a broader trade show in the Nordics among the nearly 300 outdoor, sports and fitness companies we are in contact with. In our preliminary research, we repeatedly heard that companies would bring entire teams to Stockholm, rather than just individual representatives, as is often the case with international trade shows. There is also strong interest among manufacturers. Nordic brands have an excellent international reputation and are highly attractive potential partners.”
Do you see yourselves as a competitor to Performance Days in Munich?
Martin Kössler says:
“No, rather as a good complement. Of all the trade shows we have worked with over the past 20-plus years, Performance Days is the one most appreciated by Nordic visitors. Unfortunately, budget constraints and time pressure mean that many companies can only send individual representatives there.”
Sustainability is one of the focus areas. Why is that important?
Kössler says:
“Organizing an industry trade show comes with a responsibility to help bring the industry together and provide direction. Today, many companies feel as though they are navigating a jungle without a map or compass, faced with new regulations, standards and expectations from customers and other stakeholders.”
Helena, what do you hope visitors take away from the new Nordic Fabric Fair?
“That they leave with new contacts and ideas for materials, and the feeling that they’ve discovered something unexpected. Nordic Fabric Fair should be a place where doing business is easy and conversations lead somewhere – between suppliers and customers from fashion, sports, outdoor and others in the textile industry.”
Find out more about the Nordic Fabric Fair.
