When the FUNCTIONAL FABRIC FAIR PORTLAND—powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS® (FFF Portland) kicks off at the Oregon Convention Center on Oct. 22, it will do so with a relevancy that’s greater than ever.
As consumers raise the bar on the performance, comfort and affordability expected from their fabrics—and as they increasingly demand more responsible manufacturing—the outdoor and activewear industries are steeled to address these heightened expectations at a show dedicated toward their specific needs.
Textile solutions provider Concept III is a sponsor of this year’s FFF Portland, a decision company president Chris Parkes said was prompted by collaborative conversation with Reed Exhibitions, the show’s producer. Concept III, which works with mills to source, develop and produce innovative fabric solutions, represents such brands as Kingwhale, Dry-Tex and HeiQ.
“There’s a need for a show focused on performance textiles and the constituents to fabric innovation. The performance apparel industry depends on fiber, yarn and textile innovation, and these drive so many of the important consumer programs,” said Parkes. “We’ve exhibited at PERFORMANCE DAYS in Munich almost since its inception, and we’ve always been impressed by its management, its presence and what it accomplishes for the market advancement of performance textiles.”
While all segments of the apparel industry must juggle the various priorities associated with product development, consumer expectations and sustainable manufacturing, the outdoor market—one of the largest sectors within the apparel industry—is uniquely challenged by the fact that its users carry a deep connection with the environment in which the products are worn. Outdoor enthusiast consumers don’t want their apparel to simply brave the elements, they want to ensure their apparel isn’t damaging those elements during production.
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“The outdoor industry has a ‘soul’ and it’s been driven by a passion for outdoor activities and products to complement and support those activities,” noted Parkes. “But challenges are always present. New, innovative textiles are always a necessity, and this show will address that.”
FFF Portland, held at the Oregon Convention Center from October 22-23, will host 140 exhibitors to address end-to-end solutions for the outdoor industry. It will focus on quality, proven textiles that are designed to improve the performance apparel experience for the consumer, as well as those that are engineered to exacting compliance standards and sustainability initiatives. The show will also serve as a valuable forum for professional collaboration and networking.
“The global challenge requiring professional management of resources—and responding to that with the responsible use of materials and processes that are sensitive to environmental challenges—is a passionate focus of the industry,” said Parkes. “These disciplines will be very prevalent at the show.”
Parkes also noted that the FUNCTIONAL FABRIC FAIR New York—powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS®, held earlier this year in July, demonstrated a clear need for this level of focus on the performance industry. He explained the Portland show enables the textile community throughout the supply chain to focus on those issues and not to be distracted by other elements of the industry.
Click to learn more about Concept III and the FUNCTIONAL FABRIC FAIR PORTLAND—powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS®