FIMAST, the B2B event dedicated to technological innovations within the hosiery, 3D footwear, seamless, technical and sports clothing supply chains, is set to relaunch in Vicenza, Italy in November 2024. The strategic objective of the event is to link the Made in Italy textiles industry districts of Brescia and Mantova with the excellence of the Veneto region in the sports, footwear and textile machinery.

The 2024 edition, organized by the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), will assemble the major Italian players in the sector for the first time at Fiera di Vicenza, Italy (Land of Venice) from 6-8 November. Notably, in a ground-breaking move, FIMAST will synergise with A&T Nordest, held simultaneously in the Vicenza exhibition pavilions, to showcase the most innovative manufacturing technologies, ranging from artificial intelligence to smart manufacturing, from testing to intralogistics.

Fimast represents a significant event and a longstanding tradition for our district and its companies

With the strategic decision of the new location, IEG aims to offer new opportunities to the main industry players, traditionally situated between the Italian areas of Brescia and Mantova, enabling them to engage with advanced markets and the manufacturing excellence of the Veneto region.

“From the sports system to footwear, this convergence of supply and demand is pivotal," states Matteo Pollini, Exhibition Manager of FIMAST for Italian Exhibition Group. “By co-locating the event with A&T and focusing on 4.0 – 5.0 technologies, we aim to facilitate knowledge exchange and foster innovation among companies to better compete, thereby propelling the evolution of the event, which has been in our portfolio since 2021. The synergy between FIMAST and A&T represents a comprehensive system project aimed at generating fresh business opportunities for companies and manufacturing districts in the respective territories.”

FIMAST will therefore serve as an international showcase for new textile technologies, bridging the most innovative supply chains. It will also provide opportunities for discussion and professional development for operators, featuring an Arena hosting conferences, workshops, seminars and events designed to inspire, anticipate future trends and tackle the challenges of an ever-evolving market. This will be made possible through partnerships with leading sector associations such as ADICI (Socks and Underwear District Association) and Assosport, a national association that brings together manufacturers of sporting goods.

“We are proud to have been involved in an event of FIMAST’s magnitude. Establishing connections has always been a core focus for Assosport, an increasingly strategic activity especially in today’s complex and dynamic market environment where collaboration plays a crucial role," remarks Anna Ferrino, president of Assosport.

“In Italy, thanks above all to the excellence of its districts, sports now represent a fundamental asset for the evolution of the country and the promotion of Made in Italy in the world, so much so that it has recently deserved inclusion in the Constitutional Order. We can therefore only endorse an event like FIMAST in which ideas and synergies are facilitated, aware that the driver of innovation will be the key that will allow us to design comforting and fully satisfactory future scenarios for the entire supply chain.”

“Fimast represents a significant event and a longstanding tradition for our district and its companies,” comments Alessandro Gallesi, president of Adici. “Fimast has always been an opportunity to see the latest mechanical innovations in textiles and yarns, which form the foundation of our products, whether hosiery or technical sports underwear. With the new format and location in Vicenza we will have the opportunity to broaden the horizon in terms of innovation, products and possible collaborations and operational and commercial synergies. We approach the event with renewed vigour to capitalize on all the opportunities it presents."

FIMAST: the exhibition offer

The event historically brings together two key districts of the Made in Italy textile industry: the textile machinery district in Brescia, known for textile machinery, components and accessories production, and the Mantua district, linked yarn production and hosiery factories.

This year’s FIMAST will showcase protagonists from this production districts: yarns, production machinery, technologies and finished products, including the latest developments in synthetic and natural yarns for stockings and tights, leading machinery manufacturers for hosiery and shoe factories, as well as complementary technologies for product design, finishes and accessories, up to bagging and packaging.

FIMAST is not only a hub for hosiery, but also for accessories, sports and technical clothing, attracting designers and product managers from the 3D footwear, sportswear and technical hosiery sectors. The 2021 edition, held at the Brescia exhibition centre, drew a qualified audience from across Italy, with 20% of visitors from abroad representing 28 countries.

www.fimast.eu/en