The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has spurred textile fair organizers to evolve their strategies and change their plans.
The organizers of the Munich Performance Days Fair and the Functional Fabric Fair powered by Performance Days–its counterpart in the U.S–have launched Performance Days Loop, a comprehensive online platform to connect the functional fabric industry and provide a year-round digital sourcing marketplace.
Performance Days Loop features access to a comprehensive 365-day dedicated marketplace of performance fabric manufacturers, currently consisting of more than 8,000 products from nearly 200 suppliers. Organizers anticipate this to grow to more than 12,000 products in the marketplace from some 250 international suppliers in the first full season.
Performance Days Loop provides a matchmaking tool that connects sourcing professionals with a global pool of suppliers and products based on their needs and capabilities. The platform also features 3D visual technology to accentuate and simulate fabric design, look and feel.
Alongside the year-round capabilities of Performance Days Loop, Digital Fairs will also take place on the platform, simultaneous to in-person events, offering an online version of the customary programming of expert talks, panel discussions and workshops. The Performance Forum, where curated trends and innovations are discovered, also will be merged on the digital platform to spotlight exhibitor innovations across the global portfolio of Performance Days and Functional Fabric Fair events.
In addition, Nora Kühner will present Performance Colors, a color card for the outdoor industry, in conjunction with Performance Days Loop.
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Design & Development GmbH Textile Consult, founding organizers of Munich Performance Day, collaborates with Reed Exhibitions for the Functional Fabric Fair events in the United States and has extended this partnership to launch Performance Days Loop. The collaboration, it says, will result in an expanded exhibitor portfolio, enhanced reach to sourcing professionals, and expanded participation in face-to-face and online events.
“We are…certain that the industry will greatly appreciate the synergies resulting from the bundling into a unique, year-round online platform with double the amount of reach,” Marco Weichert, head of Performance Days, said.
Registration for Performance Days Loop in partnership with Functional Fabric Fair is already accessible for exhibitors. Other brands can also register now and discover all the platform has to offer while looking forward to the content for Summer coming online soon.
Since 2018, in cooperation with Reed Exhibitions, the functional textile fair has been taking place in the U.S. as Functional Fabric Fair by Performance Days. At the Javits Center in New York and the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, the sourcing fair presents the latest trends in the functional textile industry in line with the event in Munich. The event includes exhibitions, workshops, talks from industry experts and a program for professional networking and connecting producers with purchasers.
Current event dates are planned for May 19-20 in Munich, July 19-20 in New York and Oct. 27-28 in Portland.
In a separate development, the Spring editions of the three fairs–Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles and Yarn Expo Spring–that were due to take place from March 10-12, have been postponed, with a new date to be announced shortly.
Show producer Messe Frankfurt made the decision along with the co-organizers of the fairs to comply with local authority guidelines.
“In compliance with the Shanghai Municipal Center for Health Promotion’s pandemic prevention and control guidelines for exhibition activities, and after careful evaluation and discussion with relevant stakeholders, we have decided to postpone the three fairs to a later date,” Wendy Wen, senior general manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, said. “We have begun a discussion with the three fairs’ stakeholders, as well as the fairground, regarding a new date, and aim to hold the rescheduled shows within March to minimize the impact to our exhibitors and buyers and still accommodate their buying needs for the current Spring-Summer season. While the new dates will be announced shortly, we are grateful in the meantime for the understanding and patience of all those involved.”
Messe Frankfurt’s China textile fairs form a part of the company’s Texpertise Network, which consists of some 50 fairs around the world.