Performance Days, the renowned functional fabrics fair, will open its doors on 5-6 March 2025, at Messe München’s Halls C4 and C5. The event will showcase cutting-edge materials and technologies for Spring/Summer 2027 across performance wear, bodywear, and accessories. This year, the fair introduces an exciting addition - the first-ever Wool Forum, highlighting the resurgence of wool as a versatile, sustainable material alongside the established Trend, Footwear, and Bodywear Forums.

Recognising excellence

At the heart of Performance Days is its recognition of material innovation. A panel of industry experts, led by Marco Weichert, CEO of Performance Days, has awarded four fabrics that set new benchmarks in sustainability and performance:

-Eco Performance Award: Hemp Fortex’s KJ8186, a groundbreaking hemp-based lyocell fabric made from hemp fibre waste, offering a biodegradable and environmentally friendly alternative.

-Performance Award: Takisada-Nagoya Co.’s Combat Wool (2-V831700-3), a blend of Cordura nylon and wool, delivering unmatched durability, moisture management, and weather resistance.

-Eco Award Footwear: Step Zero AG’s Step-0-Sole, a plastic-free, biodegradable footwear material that eliminates microplastic pollution while meeting the performance standards of traditional synthetic soles.

-Bodywear Award: Liongtex Innovation Enterprises’ A6B84, featuring Outlast Matrix Infusion Coating. This innovative technology uses micro-encapsulated wax to regulate body temperature in next-to-skin applications without altering the fabric’s original properties.

Innovation in focus

The event will emphasize this season’s Focus Topic, ‘Certifications – Which Ones Matter?’, diving into the importance of credible certifications for sustainability. Insights compiled by CSR specialist Anna Schuster, along with the top 28 fabrics across 13 categories, will be featured in the Trend Forum. Wool has emerged as a standout material, demonstrating its adaptability across applications from windbreakers to shirts, complemented by innovations in recycled polyamide, hemp-lyocell blends, and multi-component yarns.

Among the highlights are unique materials such as a ‘Hulk fabric’ with colour-shifting properties under tension and a luxuriously soft modal-cashmere knit. These innovations underscore the growing trend toward combining functionality with aesthetic appeal.

Sustainability

Sustainability remains central to Performance Days, reflecting broader industry efforts to minimise environmental impact. Innovations like MWool and textile-to-textile recycling have gained momentum, showcasing eco-friendly solutions without compromising performance or design.

The fair will also feature live demonstrations of cutting-edge textile technologies, including award-winning fabrics and solutions for next-generation apparel, footwear, and bodywear. The awards ceremony will take place on 5 March 2025, during the morning Expert Talks, providing valuable insights from industry leaders.

Experience the future of functional fabrics at Performance Days 2025:

- Trade Fair: March 5-6, 2025, in Halls C4 and C5, Messe München

- Day 0 Conference: March 4, 2025

www.performancedays.com