Performance days review 4-5 October, Munich, Germany

In its 15th year, the Performance Days trade show in Munich this Autumn filled more than one and half of the big halls at the Messe Munchen fairgound, and showcased over 400 fabric producing and manufacturing brands from all over the world.

The vibe is very much business oriented, structured and professional. Something else that immediately caught our attention, which might just be a tiny detail but could indicate that the much needed change in the textile sector is on our doorstep, is the fact that the wrist bands were neither plastic nor paper, but a piece of simple cotton fabric that was made from the “Rest of the Best” from Raddis Cotton’s approach to regenerative agriculture, which you learn all about at the Sustainability Lounge inside the show.

This new approach to farming and production is one of two major streams of changes in the fabric business, which Performance Days showcase under the topics of “Evolution” and “Revolution” in the Performance Forum.

Right after the Media Lounge, where you can pick up free coffee and waffles sponsored by Textil Wirtschaft, you find an overview of a selection of fabrics from brands that either follow along the path of “Evolution” by making existing products better by reducing their impact, or “Revolution” with brand new technologies that disrupt the market and offer a whole new perspective on products and systems.

“In order to support and foster such innovative ideas, Performance Days created the Innovation Forum, one of the new exhibition areas, that gives such revolutionary approaches a chance to showcase their technologies to new customers and collaborators” explains Micheal Hullin, Marketing Manager at Performance Days.

Revolutionary approaches that caught our attention included Carbon Capture Yarn, that literally reduces carbon emissions through it’s production, the NaNea circular and ocean safe polyester alternative, Fibe Patacel durable fibres from vegetable waste and a PFC free water repellant from Beyond Surface Technologies made from Candelilla Wax. Raddis Cotton, the wrist band suppliers, have a very interesting Farm Impact subscription model, in which brands that want to work with their farmers’ organic cotton invest in those communities with the planting of the cotton plants, allowing the locals to tap back into their indigenous knowledge of working with their fields in a truly healthy, sustainable, bio-diverse multi crop and ethical way that benefits the whole community of people living there.

Last but not least, the second exhibition hall contains a new footwear hub and Footwear Forum, highlighting the innovations in that sector all in one place. Right next to that, you can sit down and listen to an array of fascinating expert talks, with diverse topics ranging from “Performance Colours” to “Defining Durability” to Biobased Materials and Recycling of Garments with Stretch Fibres.

Summing up we want to point out how inspiring it was to see how many new ideas regarding eco-friendly production are coming onto the table to be tried out, and how many at least partly bio-based, bio-degradable or sustainably produced products are going to be hitting the shelves in the coming seasons.

Check out our performance day photo gallery review..click here