From the Sector

Sie ist Transportmittel, nützlicher Begleiter oder als Statussymbol ein Objekt der Begierde. Es gibt sie in unzähligen Ausführungen und für die verschiedensten Anlässe – sei es zum Einkaufen, für die Arbeit, den Sport, zum Reisen oder als Abendbegleiter. Kein anderer Gegenstand ist, sobald wir das Haus verlassen, stets zur Hand und trägt alles, was wir unterwegs benötigen: DIE TASCHE.

In einer vielseitigen Ausstellung taucht das Deutsche Ledermuseum in Offenbach am Main in die Kulturgeschichte der Tasche als weltweit verwendeter Gebrauchsgegenstand, Modeartikel und Luxusgut ein. Über 200 Exponate aus drei Jahrtausenden vom altägyptischen Lederbeutel, über mittelalterliche Gürteltaschen, erste Reisetaschen aus dem 19. Jahrhundert bis zu praktischen Rucksäcken, eleganten Handtaschen sowie einer Einkaufstüte aus biologisch abbaubarem Plastik erzählen ab dem 12. Oktober 2024 in der Ausstellung immer dabei: DIE TASCHE.

Mit einem Schwerpunkt auf die europäische Taschengeschichte zeichnet die Schau die Entwicklung sowie die Vielfalt von Taschen und ihrem Design in chronologischer Abfolge mit Exkursen zu den Themen: Die Designertasche als Statussymbol, Mehr als Leder – Zur Materialität von Taschen und Lederwaren aus Offenbach am Main nach. Objekte aus verschiedenen Kulturen Afrikas, Asiens, den Amerikas sowie der Polarregionen komplementieren die Präsentation.

Mit Modellen aus regionaler Fertigung wirft die Ausstellung zudem Schlaglichter auf die historische Bedeutung von Offenbach am Main als Lederstadt, die einst Weltruhm genoss. Ein Beispiel ist das 1856 als Ludwig Krumm AG Vereinigte Lederwarenfabriken gegründete und 1931 umbenannte Lederwarenunternehmen Goldpfeil, dessen Taschen den Ruf als Statussymbol genossen und in einer Reihe mit Hermès und Louis Vuitton genannt wurden. Gleiches galt für das Unternehmen Comtesse, das sich auf die Verarbeitung von Rosshaar spezialisierte und mit seinen luxuriösen Taschen Anhänger*innen bis in das japanische Kaiserhaus gewinnen konnte. So ist das Modell zu sehen, dass die damalige Kronprinzessin (heute Kaiserin) Masako 1993 zur Feier ihrer Hochzeit trug. Zeitgenössische Kreationen etwa des international erfolgreichen Designerlabels TSATSAS oder das in Kleinauflagen produzierenden Unternehmens frischBeutel zeigen moderne Wege einer Wiederbelebung der vergangenen Lederwarenbranche.

Im Rahmen der Ausstellung kooperiert das Deutsche Ledermuseum mit der Fakultät für Gestaltung der Hochschule Pforzheim, die den deutschlandweit einzigen Bachelorstudiengang ‚Accessoire Design‘ anbietet. Studierende der Klasse von Prof. Madeleine Häse kreierten im Sommersemester 2024 Taschen, die sich zwischen angewandter Kunst und funktionalem Design bewegen sowie Verbindungen zu gegenwärtigen, gesellschaftlichen Kontexten schaffen. Eine Auswahl der Entwürfe wird in den Ausstellungsparcours integriert sein.

Darüber hinaus laden interaktive Stationen Besuchende jeden Alters dazu ein, selbst kreativ zu werden und die Taschen- und Themenvielfalt der umfangreichen Präsentation spielerisch zu erkunden. Schnittmuster und Werkstoffe geben unter anderem Einblicke in die Herstellung einer Tasche.

Die Ausstellung wird von Dr. Inez Florschütz und Leonie Wiegand M.A. kuratiert.

Die Ausstellung ist bis zum 10. August 2025 im Deutschen Ledermuseum zu sehen.

Von Zirkularität über politische Regularien und Personal bis hin zu Inflation: Die nachhaltige Modebranche beschäftigen aktuell außergewöhnlich viele Themen. Das wurde deutlich auf der INNATEX, die vom 20. bis 22. Juli 2024 in Hofheim-Wallau bei Frankfurt am Main stattfand. Über 200 Labels präsentierten auf der internationalen Fachmesse für nachhaltige Mode ihre Kollektionen und tauschten sich aus.

Lena Böringschulte, Head of Sustainability bei Peek & Cloppenburg Düsseldorf, hebt hervor, dass Nachhaltigkeit eine kollektive Verantwortung darstellt, die durch Kooperation und Einbindung der Kund:innen dazu beitragen kann, die Modebranche nachhaltiger zu gestalten. „Beim Thema Nachhaltigkeit geht es nicht darum, wer die größten Fortschritte und Erfolge als Erster erzielt, sondern darum, die gesamte Branche nachhaltiger zu gestalten. Durch den Austausch von Erfahrungen und das Lernen voneinander können wir zusammen voranschreiten. Indem wir unsere Kund:innen aktiv in den Nachhaltigkeitsprozess einbinden, schaffen wir eine Modewelt, die Verantwortung und Stil vereint.“

Böringschulte saß auf dem Handelsverband-Fachpanel zusammen mit Jochen Ruths (Inhaber Bekleidungshaus Peter Ruths, Präsident Handelsverband Hessen, Vizepräsident Handelsverband Deutschland) Roman Degenhardt (Inhaber Der Schuhladen, Geschäftsführer Zehenspiel Barfußschuhe, Mitgründer der Initiative #schuhandelhatzukunft), Eva Bovet (Inhaberin Betten Raab) sowie Cheryll Mühlen (Chefredakteurin Textilmitteilungen, J'N'C und Green Knowledge) als Moderatorin. Neben dem oben genannten Aspekt der Zusammenarbeit diskutierten die Talk-Gäste Themen wie Personalschulung, Beratung und Information sowie die Relevanz von Veränderungen.

Spätestens seit Corona wissen Green-Fashion-Macher:innen aus erster Hand, was eine Verknappung von Rohstoffen bedeutet. Katrin Rieber (tentation), Pia Egelkraut (avonté), Jonathan Radetz (Halt.Clothing) und andere Labels, die Materialien retten beziehungsweise upcyceln, waren sich einig, dass das Modenarrativ flexibler werden muss. Derartige Geschäftsmodelle können und sollen von Konzept wegen nicht voraussagen, wie eine Kollektion in einem Jahr genau aussehen wird. Stattdessen gelte es, diese Haltung zu hinterfragen und eine Neugier sowie Freude am Einzelstück oder limitierten Editionen zu entfachen.

Das Portfolio an Labels lässt einige Schwerpunkte für Frühjahr/Sommer 2025 erkennen. Dazu gehören leichte Textilien wie Leinen und Musselin aus Bio-Baumwolle. Viele Konzepte setzen auf Prints, Verläufe, konkrete Motive oder Digitaldruck. Alles in allem werden die Looks eleganter, ohne konservativ zu wirken. Klassische Schnitte, Hemden, Sets, Multifunktionalität und Kleider mit fließenden Silhouetten machen die hohe Qualität noch deutlicher.

Von 18. bis 19. August 2024 folgt für diese Saison noch der INNATEX Showroom in Bern mit rund 50 Labels. Die 55. INNATEX findet dann vom 18. bis 20. Januar 2025 statt.

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg Apparel) announced the production opening of its state thermal insulation factory located in Long Thanh District, Vietnam. This facility specializes in the production of comfortemp®, Freudenberg’s renowned high-performance thermal insulation material, designed to elevate fashion and sportswear apparel.

This additional new factory extends Freudenberg Apparel's thermal insulation production across key Asian markets, including the Chinese mainland and South Korea. It also significantly strengthens Freudenberg Apparel’s global production capabilities and supply network. This expansion will bolster the company's competitive edge in Asia and reaffirms its ongoing dedication to innovation and evolution within the apparel industry.

"By localizing the production of our thermal insulation materials in Vietnam, we are not only reducing lead times for our customers but also streamlining the supply chain, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value for customers," stated John McNabb, Chief Technology Officer at Freudenberg Performance Materials. The Vietnamese facility is equipped to produce sustainable thermal insulations, providing customers with options that align with their sustainable garment production initiatives and goals.

Everyday clothing may soon be able to capture and record body movements, according to new research published by the Universities of Bath and Bristol.

Harmless low voltages are passed through conductive threads which are stitched into garment seams to create electrical circuits. Their resistance changes with the movement of the wearer's body.
This work opens up new possibilities to make digital clothing which senses and captures movements much more accurately than is possible using current phones and smart watches.

The paper describing the new clothing concept, presented this week at the Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) conference in Copenhagen, lays the foundations for e-textile designers and clothing manufacturers to create cutting-edge garments that could enhance exercise, physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

Paper co-author Dr Adwait Sharma from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Bath said: "Our research focuses on integrating technology into everyday clothing to track the effectiveness of physiotherapy exercises done at home. Doing these exercises correctly to recover from injuries is crucial, but it's difficult to know if you're doing them properly alone.
“SeamSleeve helps address this challenge by enabling physiotherapists to monitor your progress remotely. This technology could be particularly beneficial for conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, where monitoring movement is essential.”

According to Dr Sharma, current fitness trackers often don’t provide enough detail for physiotherapy. SeamSleeve is unique in that it covers the entire arm, allowing it to capture important movement data.

“We’ve successfully developed a working system based on machine learning to track 12 different arm exercises using SeamSleeve,” said Dr Sharma. “This paves the way for exciting future remote physiotherapy and exercise monitoring applications."

Professor Mike Fraser from the University of Bristol’s School of Computer Science added: "We're excited by the opportunity for clothing manufacturers to implement our designs in sleeves and other garment seams.
“We've shown that common overlocked seams in standard garment constructions can do a good job of sensing movement. The design avoids the need for a separate power source by pairing the seam with a charging coil, drawing the energy wirelessly from a mobile phone placed in the pocket.

“This means advanced motion sensing garments could be made without altering existing manufacturing processes.

"We have also shown that smartphone apps using advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques can use this movement data to match body movement to specific postures or gestures such as physiotherapeutic exercises."

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games are just around the corner and a global sports frenzy is underway. However, intense summer workouts often lead to sportswear absorbing excessive sweat, becoming clingy and cumbersome, causing discomfort and potentially impacting performance. A research team from the School of Fashion and Textiles at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed the iActive™ sportswear range which features a root-like liquid transport system and a skin-like active perspiration dissipater and utilises nature-inspired, anti-heat textile fabrics to expedite sweat removal, effectively reducing the weight and stickiness of activewear caused by sweat accumulation during exercise.

The human body has millions of sweat glands that are vital for regulating body temperature by dissipating sweat for evaporation to cool the skin’s surface. With unabating greenhouse gas emissions, the number of very hot days annually is expected to increase significantly. This will lead to elevated energy consumption and increased sweating during physical activity and outdoor labour. Even when wearing highly breathable clothes with good sweat-wicking properties, individuals may still experience discomfort due to excessive sweat accumulation.

A research team led by Dr SHOU Dahua, Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies and Associate Professor of the School of Fashion and Textiles at PolyU, has invented the iActive™, intelligent, electrically activated sportswear with a nature-inspired active perspiration function.

Its nature-inspired technologies, including low-voltage-driven artificial “sweat glands” created by skin-like anti-heat textile fabrics and a root-like branching liquid transport system that aligns with the body’s sweat map, can actively and programmably remove sweat to a perspiration dissipater at the lower region of the sportswear. The all-textile sweat dissipater is compact and operates at a safe output voltage of approximately 5-9V, and its battery is easy to detach from the clothing, making it convenient for users to repeatedly wash the clothing by hand or in a washing machine to maintain hygiene. When the human body’s sweat rate is low, iActive™ can still be used independently without the battery.

Based on the optimised wettability pattern and gradient, the research team utilises a skin-like textile fabric to transport sweat one-way quickly and dissipate it from the inside to the outside. This feature reduces the stickiness and weight of clothing, improves breathability and ensures the garments remain dry and comfortable to wear. Experimental findings indicate that iActive™ creates a breathable and dry skin microclimate by dissipating sweat at a rate that is three times faster than the maximum human sweating rate. This innovation can also prevent discomfort from coldness and moisture after a workout. In comparison to traditional fabrics, the textile materials in iActive™ are 60% lighter and 50% less clingy when soaked, providing the wearer with all-round comfort and enabling sports enthusiasts and athletes to perform at their best.

Furthermore, a mobile app further aids personalised sweat management by wirelessly adjusting the sweat level of iActive™. This innovation is versatile and can be seamlessly integrated into a variety of textile materials to facilitate sustainable mass production. Beyond sportswear, iActive™ is also well-suited to protective clothing and workwear for individuals engaged in prolonged, high-intensity physical labour and outdoor occupations, including healthcare professionals, construction workers, firefighters, law enforcement officers and others, thereby significantly enhancing their work performance.

Dr Shou Dahua stated, “The extreme weather and high temperatures resulting from global warming have elevated the importance of heatstroke prevention and cooling measures on a global scale. Drawing on the vivid phenomena of thermal insulation and directed liquid flow in nature, we aim to foster innovation and sustainable advancement in garment manufacturing by inventing intelligent clothing and materials to address global challenges. We seek to harness the power of technology to infuse fresh perspectives into the traditional clothing industry, thereby enhancing its competitiveness.”

His research team has also developed a premium fabric named Omni-Cool-Dry™, drawing inspiration from volcano dwelling beetles. This fabric not only provides ultra-fast sweat dissipation and ensures all-day comfort with its dry and breathable features under dynamic thermal conditions, but also reflects solar radiation and emits body heat into the cold universe, enabling passive cooling. The team is working hard to leverage the benefits of both inventions to further enhance the sweat-dissipating and cooling capability of iActive™ sportswear.

Dr Shou Dahua, a core member of the PolyU Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and the Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion, has recently been bestowed with the 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award by The Fiber Society for his outstanding contributions to the fields of personal thermal and moisture management, intelligent wearables and soft robotics. The accolade is presented annually to an individual researcher worldwide. He has also received international innovation awards, including consecutive TechConnect Global Innovation Awards in 2021 and 2022. Moreover, his research papers have been published in various internationally renowned academic journals including Science Advances, PNAS, Advanced Functional Materials, and Advanced Energy Materials. Dr Shou will be chairing The Fiber Society Spring 2025 Conference at PolyU.

The summer edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris welcomed nearly 1,200 exhibitors from 26 countries. This season event was characterised by a number of new features and the dynamics remained satisfactory. Next event: February 10, 2025, in a partially renovated Paris-Le-Bourget exhibition centre for a session rich in initiatives.

The latest edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, offered in its full version with the Avantex and Leatherworld sectors, ended on July 3 with attendance levels down on the July 2023 session. Over and above a possible "Olympic Games effect" and its consequences on transport and accommodation costs in the capital, the current economic situation is prompting the show's organizers to explore all alternatives to adapt the offer to market demand. However, these results do not seem to have had any impact on the flow of business between visitors and exhibitors, who reported a fairly positive overall climate.

The dynamic on the booths remained steady and the exchanges satisfactory, as shown by several manufacturers particularly well established on the European market. Indian shirt manufacturer Sheraton Apparel, for example, made around thirty solid contacts over 3 days, and reported several serious approaches to African distributors. The same goes for SMIT, a Turkish company specialising in Made in Turkey sourcing, which was able to see its main European customers and open up new contacts with Canadian and Brazilian buyers.

An expanded offering
At the Near Sourcing Hub, the phygital sourcing space connected by QR Code to the B2B digital platform of Messe Frankfurt France partner FourSource, inquiries to exhibiting companies remained much the same as in 2023. The visitor profile, on the other hand, focused on buyers from networks of small multi-specialist boutiques looking for an original mid-to-top-range offering. It was in response to this market demand for differentiation that the show organizers decided to extend Apparel Sourcing's range to include new categories in the fashion accessories sector, such as jewelry and bags.

High-profile initiatives
Other innovations were also on show this summer. The yarn pavilion - a first conceived in collaboration with Yarn Expo, originally a Shanghai show run by Messe Frankfurt - showcased the expertise of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani and Taiwanese companies, while at the same time highlighting upstream products and services. At Avantex, where some twenty suppliers of solutions for more sustainable fashion were grouped together, the new Designer Hub enabled designers and buyers to discover some original initiatives, such as that of stylist Jean-Luc François' association, supported by Messe Frankfurt's Texpertise network, which trains people who are far from employment, or the 3D design studio Scotomalab.

Materra wins 2024 Avantex Fashion Pitch award
The Avantex Fashion Pitch jury has awarded the 2024 prize to Materra. This British start-up, founded in 2019, designs solutions to support the cotton cultivation adapted to climate change. At the other end of the chain, it offers brands a service designed on a Cotton-As-A-Service model that encourages them to source from the producers it supports. Materra will benefit from a €2,800 stand at Avantex Paris 2025 donated by Messe Frankfurt France, plus €2,000 from Texpertise Network, the textile sector network of the Messe Frankfurt Group, and 1 year's incubation at Foundry donated by IFA Paris, official partner of the competition.

A trendy area at Leatherworld
New for 2024, the Leatherworld sector inaugurated its Leather Trend area, developed in collaboration with publisher Edizioni AF and the Arsutoria School design centre. Designed around the expertise of Italian companies specialising in the manufacture of leather shoes and bags, this inspirational space presented the autumn-winter 25-26 trends through 4 creative axis built around the expression of simplicity, nature, dynamism (sportswear collections) and finally romanticism. Leather Trend was also an opportunity to discover the new leather tanning technology developed by Ecotan, which avoids the use of metals (Chrome) and chemicals in the leather preparation stages thanks to the use of vegetable tannins.

ISKO is taking part in the Kingpins Show in New York City. At the event taking place on 17 and 18 July at Pier 36, Basketball City, ISKO presents a selection from its diverse collections.

Attendees have the opportunity to explore a selection from ISKO’s main collection, alongside some of the company’s most innovative technologies and products. Each piece exemplifies ISKO’s commitment to blending sophisticated designs with sustainable practices.

The Main Collection is organized into five main macro groups:

• Inflexible: a range of rigid fabrics for contemporary needs, true to denim’s original heritage.
• Motion: combining comfort and an authentic look for good old rigid denim with freedom of movement.
• Extended: traditional denim aesthetic and its ultimate stretch expression. Elegance, treatments, and 4-way-stretch technologies.
• Elite: fabrics families where softness, shine, and silky feel reach their full potential.
• Momentum: unique finishes, intricate constructions, colored coatings, and special denim features.

Other highlights are:

• Casual Line: the premium experience showcasing a versatile and innovative woven fabric collection made with FSC® certified viscose and certified postconsumer recycled polyester.
• ISKO™ Luxury by PG: curated by Paolo Gnutti, this collection merges classic tastes with contemporary visions.

Finally, as ISKO’s FW 25-26 collection features RE&UP fibers, visitors can learn more about the circulartech company that recycles cotton, polyester and polycotton textile waste and transforms it into high-quality Next-Gen fibers, becoming the go-to alternative to virgin options.

Der vierte THE DORF • THE MARKET wird eine besondere Edition, denn sie steht unter dem Motto „A Day in the Park“! Am Samstag, den 27. Juli 2024 findet der vom Düsseldorfer Magazin THE DORF initiierte und kuratierte Markt zum ersten Mal unter freiem Himmel und den schattigen Bäumen des Hofgartens statt. Im Rahmen der Düsseldorfer Fashion Days 2024 erhalten knapp 25 Protagonist:innen der Düsseldorfer Design-, Food- und Kreativszene einen ganzen Tag lang auf der Jägerhofallee ihre Bühne. Neben altbekannten und neuen Teilnehmer:innen wird bei der vierten Edition ein besonderes Augenmerk auf japanische Designer:innen und Labels gelegt.

Als Bewunder:innen der japanischen Kultur in Düsseldorf freuen sich die Gründer:innen Tina Husemann & David Holtkamp über die Einbindung & Teilnahme japanischer Designer:innen wie Hiroyuki Murase mit seinem Label Suzusan, sowie dem deutsch-japanischen Schmucklabel MITTSU., Schmuckdesignerin Beru Inou (Atelier DREI), Keramikkünstler Jimu Kobayashi, Künstler Takumi Ogata, dem Street Casual Brand Amesankoh und Yoshi Nama Gin.

Weitere Teilnehmende sind Atelier Hinter Indien (Schmuck), Marisa Oeker (Illustration/Papeterie), Monolar (Accessories, Conscious Artisan Luxury Store Concept), Orion Qubo (Interior), related by objects (Schmuck), Gourmie Goods (Food-Spezialitäten aus ganz Europa), FLØR (Supplements), Kiyo (Interior), rikiki (Design Concept Store), Studio Rosa (Upcycled Accessories), The Clay Company (Keramik), Two Brothers Vintage (Premium Vintage Clothing), Wax Made Design (Kerzen) und mehr.

The start to the premiere of the CHINA WAVE pavilion at Pitti Uomo 106: the first stop of the "2024 China National Garment Association Overseas Programme" was a complete success for the participating designer labels from China. The Chinese brands impressed the international fashion world with their exclusive and extraordinary collections at the Costruzioni Lorenesi in the Fortezza da Basso in Florence. The famous fashion journalist, Suzy Menkes, was also impressed by the creations.

The styles and current looks from from VALLEYOUTH, KB HONG BY K-BOXING, RAXXY, JDV, FENGGY, BLACKHEAD, KEYONE BY HATTERSHUB, TYPETAIL impressed buyers, fashionistas and media representatives alike with their design expertise, creativity and product quality. The combination of contemporary styles with traditional Chinese elements, as seen in the collections of KB HONG by BY K-BOXING, JDV and VALLEYOUTH, among others, attracted international audience from Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the USA, Mexico, Canada, Australia and many more.

Among those welcomed to the pavilion was Suzy Menkes, who emphasised the combination of tradition and modernity in collections such as those from KB HONG by BY K-BOXING and VALLEYOUTH in the CHINA WAVE pavilion. VALLEYOUTH's new collection was presented by fashion photographer Acielle from style du monde at Vogue World, while fashion blogger Augusto Ferretti commented on the brands' designs as "artistic sculptures". The appearance of the famous Chinese actor and singer AYUNGA as a testimonial for the new KB HONG by BY K-BOXING collection at Pitti Uomo attracted particular attention.

Further stops of the "2024 China National Garment Association Overseas Programme" are Who's Next in Paris and TheOne Milano in Milan in September.

The next CHINA WAVE presentation at Pitti Uomo is planned for January 2025.

A navy blue nylon dress, providing elegance and comfort to the wearer while simultaneously highlighting the entire Made in Italy production chain: this is the new project RadiciGroup is presenting at Milano Unica, from July 9th to 11th at the Innovation Forum promoted by the TexClubTec section of Sistema Moda Italia.

The dress is the result of a traceability project led by RadiciGroup, involving different players in the textile sector: from the yarn producer to the fabric manufacturer to the final consumer.

A "tracer" has been inserted into the yarn, which is detectable through a scanner and allows to map the entire garment creation process - both physically and digitally - from the origin of the fibre to the item end of life. Through a QR code printed on the label, all the "stages" defining the outfit's journey can be seen, including the production of the fabric made by another company from Bergamo, Sitip. In this way, the final consumers can learn more about the production sites of what they wear, making more conscious purchasing choices.

At the booth of another Italian textile company, Tessitura Vignetta, visitors will be able to touch several types of fabric made with the "traced" nylon produced by RadiciGroup.

This is another example of how important it is to work transparently and collaboratively in the textile supply chain. Through the traceability of textile products, the goal is to fight counterfeiting and enhance products made in Europe, in line with the principles of the Digital Product Passport under development at the European Union.