From the latest advancements in seamless sportswear to the powerful combination of fashion and sustainability, FIMAST 2024 kicks off in Vicenza from 6-8 November, marking its debut at the venue.

The event, organised by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), aims to foster B2B opportunities across hosiery, 3D-knitted footwear, seamless, technical, and sports apparel sectors. Designed as a premier meeting and development opportunity, FIMAST will address industry challenges and innovation, supported by associations such as CSC (Italian Hosiery and Underwear Association), ADICI (Hosiery and Underwear District Association), and Assosport, which represents Italy’s sports equipment manufacturers, along with major Italian and international brands like Dainese, Salvatore Ferragamo, Byborre, and ID.EIGHT.

“FIMAST’s goal is to spark synergies and ideas, driven by innovation,” says Matteo Pollini, exhibition manager at IEG. “We are bringing together top national players, innovators in machinery and yarns, and facilitating networking with Veneto’s sport system clusters. The event will also benefit from concurrent A&T Nordest, further enriching industry knowledge and connections. With this vision, FIMAST evolves to embrace new horizons and is set to become a growing systemic project.”

The FIMAST Arena

The heart of the event will be the FIMAST Arena, hosting a series of talks (full schedule available at fimast.eu). Events begin on Wednesday, 6 November, at 12:00 p.m. with a discussion by CSC and ADICI on “The Castel Goffredo Hosiery District: Towards 100 Years of Excellence and Innovation.”

At 2:30 p.m., Matteo Ward, co-founder of WRÅD and Fashion Revolution Italy, will moderate “The Shoe That Heals and Protects,” featuring Francesca Coldebella, product manager for footwear and gloves at Dainese and TCX, and Umberto Bortoletto, sneakers product development manager for Salvatore Ferragamo.

At 4:00 p.m., Banca IFIS Strategic Marketing & Research head Carmelo Carbotti will present data on the “Sport System: The Role of the Northeast in Value Creation.”

On Thursday, November 7, Venicepromex (12:00 p.m.), the Veneto Chamber of Commerce’s internationalization agency, and Assosport (3:00 p.m.) will cover “Footwear and Tubular Knitting: Innovations and Challenges for the Sports Sector” and “The Future of Sportswear, from Seamless Technology to New Materials” (4:00 p.m.).

On the closing the day, Matteo Ward will moderate “New Forms, Functions, and Technologies for the Future” at 5:00 p.m., featuring Giuliana Borzillo, brand manager and co-founder of ID.EIGHT, and BYBORRE chief creative officer Borre Akkersdijk. Ward will conclude the program on Friday, November 8, with a keynote speech, “S.O.S.tainability in Fashion” at 3:00 p.m.

FIMAST exhibitors

FIMAST has always brought together two key Italian textile districts: Brescia, focusing on textile machinery, components, and accessories, and Mantua, specialising in yarn production and hosiery. Notable Italian and international participants include FAITPLAST from Brescia, an industry leader in advanced thermoplastic films for textile welding, reinforcement, and decorative applications in apparel, footwear, and industrial sectors; Yarn Solutions, known for quality yarns in sports, fashion, and accessories; Turin-based Rosso Industrie, founded in 1937 and globally recognised for hosiery linking machines; and Germany’s Merz Maschinenfabrik, specialising in high-performance circular machines for medical compression hosiery, anti-embolism socks, knee supports, ankle braces, and sheer women’s hosiery.

Aiming to connect these districts with Veneto’s sports system, footwear, and textile machinery leaders, FIMAST introduces another innovation: its synergy with A&T Nordest, running concurrently at the Vicenza venue. This event will showcase advanced manufacturing technologies, from artificial intelligence to smart manufacturing, testing, and intralogistics.

www.fimast.eu