#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2024-09-20

EOG and Messe München establish Retail Advisory Council

Retailers are calling for more brands, and brands are seeking greater retailer participation at the trade fair. This initiative aims to facilitate proactive exchanges, forge new business contacts, and collaboratively advance the industry. The European Outdoor Group (EOG) and Messe München have established the Retail Advisory Council to directly gather feedback from international retailers on their needs and requirements for the trade fair concept. The council will play a crucial role in shaping OutDoor 2025, ensuring closer retailer involvement in its development.

The overarching objective is to enhance industry support, evolve the trade fair concept, and solidify OutDoor’s position as a global platform for business, inspiration, and growth. The new OutDoor concept will be unveiled at the European Outdoor Summit, 18-19 September 2024 in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Extensive feedback from retailers indicates a strong consensus that trade shows must evolve into more inclusive, efficient, and inspiring events that are closely aligned with the practical needs of the outdoor industry. Additionally, there is a clear emphasis on the necessity of a global platform that facilitates effective exchanges at all decision-making levels within the industry. These insights stem from the Retail Advisory Council, established by the EOG and Messe München. Key international accounts such as Globetrotter, Sport 2000 International, Intersport, Sport Conrad, Frilufts, Partioaitta, Unterwegs AG, Der Aussteiger, WN Alpin, and JD Outdoors are actively involved.

THE CENTRAL DEMANDS OF THE TRADE INCLUDE:

Maintaining a central, leading trade fair as a comprehensive platform for presenting the latest trends, products, and industry expertise.
Ensuring broad participation and representation for all international market participants.
Revising the trade fair concept to enhance the efficiency of visits while simultaneously reducing costs for exhibitors.
Placing a stronger emphasis on retailers’ scheduling needs.
Developing trade fair concepts that extend beyond mere product and sales presentations.
Offering more curated spaces and personalized or segmented experiences.
Further developing networking formats within the platform.

OUTDOOR 2025 – FROM BUYING TO SELLING

The new OutDoor concept will be unveiled at the European Outdoor Summit (18-19 September 2024) in Cambridge. It will feature expanded subject areas tailored to different stakeholders, along with creative and more cost-effective participation options for increased flexibility. For example, the new Freestyle area will offer an intimate, innovation-focused environment with smaller, staggered stands along a guided discovery route, emphasizing product and brand stories. This layout provides retailers, media, and participants with an ideal, highly concentrated overview of the sector and its trends.

Personal contact remains a top priority. OutDoor is the world’s largest gathering of industry professionals, offering a focused and time-efficient opportunity for business and networking. It perfectly embodies the identity of the outdoor sector and serves as a platform for opportunity and growth.

On behalf of its members and all retailers in the outdoor and sports industry, the Retail Advisory Council is sending a strong message of support for trade fairs to all brands in the industry. Brands that register for OutDoor 2025 by 31 December 2024 will receive a 20 per cent discount on the square meter price of the 2024 event, setting a positive example.

SELECTED RETAILER VOICES FROM THE RETAIL ADVISORY COUNCIL

“We need a market overview at the trade fair. [...] The trade fair naturally has the function of providing a platform for new companies and innovations. That has been completely lost.” – Hans Conrad (Sport Conrad), on the importance of trade fairs that include the entire spectrum of industry participants and offer a complete market overview as well as a platform for innovations.

“I have always been a big supporter of trade fairs [...] but if you want to do them, everyone has to be there. If 25 or 30 per cent of their suppliers are missing, it is no good for them to attend because they cannot cover the same number.” – Lee Bagnall (JD Outdoors), on the importance of full supplier participation to make trade shows worthwhile for retailers. He emphasizes that incomplete representation reduces the value of the event.

“The show has developed into a meeting show …. I think it’s important to have the small guys there as well... You want to kick off the new season and get inspired somehow, see where the market is heading, and find unique small products and brands that you might not otherwise encounter.” – Henrik Hoffmann (Frilufts), emphasizes that trade fairs need to inspire attendees by showcasing a wide range of products and brands, including smaller companies that might otherwise be overlooked.

ISPO 2025: Dynamism, innovation, and strong impulses through close industry dialogue

Sports are becoming increasingly diverse and blending with many new areas. As a result, the sports industry is growing larger, customer demand is changing, and its fields of application are becoming more varied. New technologies, data-driven business models, sustainability, and international networking are shaping the market. In this dynamic environment, ISPO exhibitors demonstrate how change can be actively shaped.

EOG and Messe München decide to pause OutDoor 2025

“Sometimes, courageous decisions are needed”, said Christian Schneidermeier, who recently took on his new role as Director of the European Outdoor Group at the beginning of February. “But beyond being courageous, our decision not to hold OutDoor in 2025 is logical. Despite our best efforts – ranging from a new trade fair concept to thorough discussions and appeals – the number of registrations that we have received to date indicates that we will not achieve the goals set for OutDoor 2025.

Sport, health, fashion: The highlights of ISPO Munich 2024

Rethink the world of sports and shape it together: that’s what ISPO Munich 2024 (3 to 5 December 2024) is calling for with this year’s main topics Retail & Sustainability, Health & Fashion, and Tech/AI & Sports Extended. With over 2,400 exhibitors, topic-specific hubs and an extensive programme featuring prominent speakers, the upcoming event will set new standards and show how technology, sustainability and health are revolutionising the sports industry. With a total of five conferences, the accompanying conference programme offers deeper insights into various topics.

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.