3,838 visitors attended on October 23 and 24 in Munich to explore the innovations of around 490 exhibitors at the leading trade fair for functional fabrics and sustainable textile innovations. What defines its success, and what does the future hold?
What does a trade fair need to achieve today? Who should be addressed? When is the perfect time to take place? Where is the best location? What purpose does the show have? In today’s trade fair landscape, it’s no secret that many events are struggling.
The fact is that they face numerous challenges, such as oversupply, declining visitor numbers, and an increasing demand for specific, sustainable added value for professional visitors, which affects the relevance of many fairs.
In a globalized and digitally connected world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to position oneself clearly and attract an audience that considers attending trade fairs essential. Performance Days set a new standard by focusing sharply on functional fabrics and sustainable textile innovations, providing exactly the specialized platform that the industry seeks today.
For Spring 2025, Performance Days is planning with “Day 0,” an additional event focused on better practice, which will be held on March 4, 2025, with the show on the following two days.
A glimpse into the future
One reason the industry remains loyal to Performance Days is the balanced offering of high-quality exhibitors, alongside a multitude of premium special areas. Performance Days enhances the trade fair experience by specifically addressing current industry trends and technological innovations.
This is evident in the Trend Forum and the now firmly integrated Innovation Forum featuring previously unseen, truly new projects and approaches, as well as in the Sustainability Lounge, which emphasizes exciting sustainable projects and startups. Since the introduction of the Tech Hub at the spring fair, the platform has become a popular destination for innovative technologies shaping the future of functional textiles. Combined with a dedicated Showcase Area it provides an ideal place to learn about future digital processes in the industry.
Return of Bodywear Collective
Of course, the Bodywear Collective that was first presented at October´s show, will again present the latest developments in functional underwear, focusing on comfort, design, and performance, which will increasingly continue to define the market.
Nichole de Carle, Founder of the London Contour Experts Group and initiator of this new area, can´t wait to present the highlights in March:
“Performance Days is a Global leader in activewear fabric presentation and exhibition management. I fell in love with their sustainably conscious and technically advanced fabric curation. They are market leaders in change, which makes for a perfect match for the growing Bodywear ON-SKIN category.”
Networking, workshops, and expert talks draw out the crowds
As an important sourcing platform, the fair aims to provide the necessary education that the industry is currently seeking through a wide range of lectures, discussion panels, workshops, and networking events.
Charles Ross, who celebrated a comeback and delighted attendees as the moderator on the Expert Talks stage in October, is excited to bring a program filled with timely and pressing topics to the Performance Days Expert Talks stage in March.
The specially created Ohana Workshop Area and also Reality Zone, curated from the Accelerating Circularity-Team will of course also be back with inspiring workshops.
And the next generation of industry professionals get opportunities for further education, networking expansion, and initial potential job connections at the NextGen Education Hub.
New Focus Topic in March: “Certifications – what really matters”
In the textile industry, certifications have become essential for ensuring transparency, environmental responsibility, and ethical practices. But the detail has been lost within the growing number of standards and certifications – nearly three figures when all the CSR aspects are considered. Differing documentation requirements, meanwhile, has made things too confusing for the product user to comprehend. As a leading influence in the ingredient sourcing industry, Performance Days is stepping up to the plate. The journey will not be smooth, but the sooner the conversation happens – the faster the trade will get to a better solution.
Photo: Performance Days
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