#Sustainability

2019-09-26

PERFORMANCE DAYS continues to focus on sustainability

Sustainability is a duty in the textile industry and PERFORMANCE DAYS wants to be the engine (c) 2019 PERFORMANCE DAYS functional fabric fair

It seems there is a lot of talk about sustainability these days – across the industries and around the world. A large share of the exploitation of resources and environmental pollution is (still) caused by the textile industry, specifically in the areas of water consumption, use of harmful chemicals, and CO2 emissions. This is the reason why the trade fair for functional fabrics and accessories, PERFORMANCE DAYS, taking place at November 13-14 in Munich, is dedicated to the topic of sustainability and has covered it comprehensively for several years now.

Sustainable textile production requires much more than recycled fabrics – PERFORMANCE DAYS exhibits the world of possibilities

According to Marco Weichert, head of the trade fair, "Sustainability is expected. It is our duty to act sustainably in all stages of the textile production process. Sustainability is much more than simply using recycled fibres and fabrics. PERFORMANCE DAYS was early to showcase this on a broad scale. We have accompanied the sustainable developments in the industry for many seasons, but even more, we provided the impulse in various directions for sustainability research and development."

Marketing manager Lena Weimer added: "Our FOCUS TOPICs featured sustainability issues early on and provided a focus to our innovative fibre and fabric producers to pursue developments in this field. Whether recycled fibres, recyclable materials, the important topics of biodegradability, water conservation or the use of natural fibres for functional fabrics – we show all possible textile aspects of sustainability for the industry."

Major new framework program on Day 2 – The SUSTAIN&INNOVATE Conference

PERFORMANCE DAYS together with trade magazine SAZ Sports&Fashion has organized the first International Sustainability Congress, to be presented in November 2019 for the first time and featuring a brand new format for the textile industry with the title SUSTAIN&INNOVATE. The lectures and discussion panels on Day 2 of the fair focus exclusively and comprehensively on the topic of sustainability. International guest speakers will address all aspects of sustainability in lectures and discussions in the EXPERT TALK AREA of the exhibition hall on November 14th, 2019. More detailed information on this program will be available in the coming weeks.

PERFORMANCE FORUM and FOCUS TOPIC WALL exclusively feature sustainable materials

PERFORMANCE DAYS takes its responsibility for sustainability very seriously and has made the decision – as announced in July – to present only sustainable materials in the curated PERFORMANCE FORUM. Also, to give visitors an overview of all aspects of sustainability, the FOCUS TOPIC WALL is dedicated to the topic. Visit the FOCUS TOPIC WALL to see the 24 most sustainable fabrics as selected by the jury as well as explanations of all areas of sustainability. Detailed explanations are provided for the key areas listed below:

Recycled fibres
Natural fibres from renewable resources
Recycling qualities
Bio-degradables or compostables
Microplastics
Product life cycles
Water conservation
Energy savings
Reduce CO2 emissions
Reduce chemicals

The current "state of the art" is highlighted in all of these topics as they pertain to the textile industry. Further important developments are also summarized at the FOCUS TOPIC WALL.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

WHILL selects Teijin’s tough, lightweight Carbon Fiber Composite for new last-mile mobility

Teijin Limited announced today that WHILL Inc., a global leader in inclusive mobility technology, has selected Sereebo® P CFP series, a carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) material, for key structural components of the upcoming WHILL Model C Lite. Sereebo® P CFP series provides high strength, light weight, design flexibility and system cost advantages to the Model C Lite, which is a battery powered, single-seat, last-mile device. This new model combines maneuverability with light weight and one-handed folding to ensure ease of handling and operation.

Execs help steer Cascale’s consumer goods agenda in Athens

The 2026 Cascale Annual Meeting, taking place September 15–17 in Athens, Greece, will convene leaders from across the global consumer goods value chain to tackle one of the industry’s defining questions: how to accelerate meaningful, system-wide transformation. Guiding those conversations as this year’s co-chairs are Sean Cady, vice president, global sustainability, responsibility, trade, and government affairs at VF Corporation, and Dr. Delman Lee, vice chair at TAL Apparel Limited.

SAITEX reports efficiency gains and greater transparency in 2025 Impact Report

Vietnam-based denim manufacturer SAITEX has published its 2025 Impact Report, documenting progress in resource efficiency, chemical management, digital traceability and knowledge sharing across its manufacturing operations in Vietnam and the United States. Rather than focusing on sustainability ambitions, the report presents operational data, manufacturing developments and lessons learned from the past year.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues 2026 concludes with 50 international participants immersed in Brazilian cotton production

The Cotton Brazil Dialogues concludes its 2026 edition after a series of technical visits to farms, cotton gins and reference centers, as well as workshops focused on Brazilian cotton production. A total of 50 participants from 14 countries took part in the field trips. The initiative is led by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa) and the National Association of Cotton Exporters (Anea), with support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

Novel flame-retardant and recyclable fiber-reinforced composite

Airplanes and passenger trains must meet strict safety requirements, including fire safety standards. This calls for materials that are flame-retardant, lightweight, robust, and scalable. Empa researchers, in collaboration with their industry partner Elantas, have now succeeded for the first time in making such a material – a composite – fully recyclable.

ZymoChem secures $4 million in renewed federal funding to advance U.S. biomanufacturing of critical materials and their supply chains

ZymoChem, the specialty chemicals company dedicated to bringing decarbonization, sustainability, and supply chain resiliency to the chemical industry through innovative biological manufacturing, today announced the resumption and expansion of its federal research portfolio. The company has been notified that previously paused work under a $5 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program is officially back on, to be joined by continuing collaborations with three of the nation's premier national laboratories.