#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2020-07-16

ISPO Shanghai: successful restart of business

From 3 to 5 July, 17,776 visitors came to ISPO Shanghai 2020 to learn about future development and to experience new products in the segments of Outdoor, Snowsports, Sport Trends, Running, Health & Fitness, Water Sports, and Manufacturing & Suppliers. ISPO Shanghai has thus seen an increase of 14% in the number of visitors and kept the momentum for the third year in a row. With myriads of people flooding to the exhibition and omni-channel marketing, ISPO Shanghai proved itself as a starting point for the sporting goods industry to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

First physical meeting of the sports and outdoor industry since the COVID-19 pandemic
Record attendance of 17,776 visitors sets an important symbol for restart
Digital expansion of the trade show concept contributes to the positive result
Creating valuable opportunities for the industry under high pressure

ISPO Shanghai 2020 gained a total of 350 brands to exhibit, hosted more than 50 industry forums and events, and attracted 17,776 visitors. Klaus Dittrich, Chairman & CEO of Messe München commented: “We are very pleased to see ISPO Shanghai coming back stronger with an increase in the visitor number and even better experience. It also marks the restart of the outdoor and sporting goods industry in China and breaths the confidence to the whole industry globally that the sports lifestyle is returning and will be valued even more after the COVID-19 pandemic."

Due to COVID-19, many outdoor and winter sports brands either cancelled or delayed their plans at the beginning of the year and came all the way to ISPO Shanghai to complete their long-awaited launching plans. This also helped ISPO Shanghai to expand its segments of the exhibition this year. In addition, ISPO Shanghai 2020 partnered with IWF Shanghai 2020 and co-located with each other to showcase synergies in the cross-field sports industry.

Live streaming and influencer marketing helped ISPO Shanghai achieving initial goals

Crossover key opinion leader (KOLs) and sports influencers called on ISPO Shanghai 2020. They were invited to tour exhibitor booths, participate in interactive areas and recorded their journey in forms of live streaming, VLOG, etc. More than 100 KOLs were invited on-site and influenced a total of over 20 million followers. ISPO Shanghai built a live streaming platform for exhibitors to present their products and technology during the exhibition. In total 22 live streams were broadcasted and 28,918 page views recorded. Many distributors and retailers who could not participate in the exhibition were able to see what’s new at ISPO Shanghai and communicated with exhibitors by a single tap on their smart phones.

Genuine love towards sports made the gathering unmissable

ISPO Shanghai always crafted dedicated areas that allowed different sportswear and outfits to be presented in a rather intuitive way to the visitors. The Outdoor Lifestyle Village, ISPO Sports Fashion Zone, and Tracker’s Show gave both professionals and enthusiasts chances to take a closer look at products in different scenarios.

The ISPO Outdoor Lifestyle Village showed a variety of fashion outfits which can be used in different occasions, giving sports lovers more choices for outdoor activities. Brands gathered in the ISPO Sports Fashion Zone showcased their most dazzling products featuring both athleisure and sporting performance. The Tracker’s Show presented marathon outfits as well as trail running wear. In addition, it launched an online running challenge with 100,161 runners that finished the program.

The ISPO Lifestyle Stage carried people’s pursuits for sports life. With experts, KOLs, and enthusiasts on the stage, more than 30 discussions were held including brands‘ product launches, mountaineering dialogues, KOL talks, and the award ceremony.

ISPO Shanghai sets an important symbol for restart. (c) Image credit: Messe München

Communication between professionals develops new ideas

“To seek development and to find a way out.” This is the challenge that the entire industry is faced with. ISPO Shanghai shouldered the responsibility by introducing relevant topics to the ISPO Retail Forum and ISPO Trends Forum. ISPO Shanghai once again provided a communication platform for professionals to develop new ideas.

The ISPO Retail Forum shared hands-on topics such as digital retail, private domain traffic, community operations, short video marketing, and live streaming operations; ISPO Trends Forum interpreted color trends for spring/summer 2022 and focused on the sustainable development path of the sports market.

The ISPO Award area displayed selected award-winning products in 2020, including launches that haven’t released to the market yet. In addition, ISPO Textrends showcased the latest compositions and innovative concepts of fabrics, as well as other highlights.

In addition to forecast new trends, the business matchmaking event was dedicated to build channels for brands, distributors and sports designers to communicate with each other. During the exhibition, there were more than 160 on-site matches. E-commerce platforms, marketing platforms, online and offline retailers, distributors, product managers, and designers were invited to exchange their needs for sporting products.

Olympics are just around the corner; sports industry will rebound stronger

As the Olympics in Tokyo have been postponed to the next year, 2021 undoubtedly will become a great chance for the sports industry to recover. At the same time, the pandemic also made people pay more attention to the active lifestyle brought by sports, fitness, and outdoor activities. Mrs. Hua Chuan, Chief Financial Officer of Messe München Shanghai, commented: “In 2020, the industry has suffered a lot of losses, but we have also seen the government continue to increase subsidies to companies. Sports enthusiasts have long been waiting for outdoor activities and they might consume more goods when the pandemic situation gradually stabilizes, and the industry starts to rebound. ISPO Beijing 2021 will grab this opportunity to continue serving as a professional platform, leading industry companies to prosperity in the upcoming Olympic year.”

By showcasing various brands and crossover resources, ISPO Shanghai aims to help both buyers find the right suppliers to explore potential business opportunities and to restart the industry. The next stop of “restart”, ISPO Beijing 2021, will be held at the China International Exhibition Center (new venue) from 14 to 16 January, 2021.

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Messe Frankfurt commits further to East Africa: three textiles trade fairs during Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week from 2027

Messe Frankfurt and its Texpertise Network continue their steady, successful trajectory in the region. As Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) opened today, Member of the Executive Board Detlef Braun announced that Messe Frankfurt is licencing its three leading international trade fair brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess to Nairobi, Kenya for the first time in 2027. From now on, they will take place annually as part of the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) Nairobi.

“We Believe in the Value of Textiles”: Successful Opening of the KARL MAYER TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER

KARL MAYER inaugurated its new, state-of-the-art TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER (TIC) with a four-day opening week from April 21 to 24. The highlight of the week was the grand opening on Thursday, which drew a strong turnout from the international textile industry: around 220 customers, brands, and partners from across the textile value chain came to the company’s headquarters in Obertshausen for a first-hand look at the new high-tech development environment and lively exchange with industry peers.

Texhibition Istanbul signals stability and global connectivity

From 4 to 6 March 2026, Texhibition Istanbul once again brought together the international textile industry at the Istanbul Expo Center. Organized by İTKİB Fuarcılık A.Ş. in cooperation with the Istanbul Textile Exporters Association (İTHİB), the fair confirmed its role as one of the most important international sourcing platforms for fabrics and textile innovation. With 500+ exhibitors across 5 halls on 42,850 sqm, the trade fair attracted 19,325 visitors. Among them, 5.565 international visitors represented Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, North America, and other regions, underlining the show’s expanding global reach.

Val:ue Milan unveiled – a curated boutique business hub for high-end apparel textiles

Messe Frankfurt continues to expand its international textile network with the announcement of Val:ue Milan. Moving beyond the traditional trade fair model, Val:ue Milan debuts as a prestigious, boutique-style business hub exclusively dedicated to elected fabrics and accessories for apparel. Taking place from February 3 to 5, 2027, at The Mall in Porta Nuova, the event breaks away from conventional formats through a strictly curated environment designed for strategic networking. By bridging the gap between high-end international manufacturers and top-tier segment buyers, Val:ue Milan further strengthens the Group’s global portfolio with a unique, high-impact concept built around a refined and carefully selected offering.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.

The LYCRA Company strengthens sustainability leadership, appoints Alistair Williamson as VP of Product Sustainability

The LYCRA Company has appointed longtime executive Alistair Williamson as vice president of product sustainability, reaffirming its commitment to developing sustainable solutions for apparel and personal care products. In this role, he will guide the company’s next chapter of sustainability strategy and oversee all initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across products, operations, and innovation platforms.