Munich Fabric Start focuses on edutainment for July issue

Munich Fabric Start is in the starting blocks for its first July edition. From July 18 to 20, the fabric fair will offer not only business and networking, but also a broad supporting programme with lectures, keynotes, panel discussions, inspirational talks and trend lectures on the Autumn/Winter 2024/25 season.

In a 42,500-square-metre space, divided into eight areas, trade visitors can expect to see 1,300 collections from around 900 international suppliers of the textile and apparel industry. With a focus on trend research, sourcing, information and intensive exchange, over 14,000 visitors from 58 countries are expected at the fair. Once again, the highlight this season is the edutainment aspect, which has been seamlessly integrated into the fair’s activities.

“Only two more weeks until international experts, creatives and visionaries from all over the world come together again in Munich. With our extensive lecture programme and intensive exchange opportunities, we are creating an inspiring space for knowledge exchanges and networking,” says Managing Director Sebastian Klinder referring to the upcoming events at MOC, Keyhouse, Bluezone and The Source. 

At Keyhouse (Hall 5) and Bluezone (Hall 7) alone, around 35 events and over 50 speakers have been scheduled over the two days.

According to the fair organisers, a new era of textiles is dawning, with groundbreaking technologies, changes in consumer behaviour, even more digitalisation, the use of innovative materials and the megatrend of sustainability, which is not losing its importance. Karin Schmitz from the Trend Forecast Institute Peclers Paris will highlight this in her trend presentation.

The Women’s Fashion Trends for AW 24/25 revolve around the anchoring of sustainability and creativity and the related question of how the industry can meet the challenges of the times. The change in values in dealing with gender identity, body ideals and responsibility for our planet is visible in all themes, according to the organisers.

Carola Seybold, head of Global Key Accounts at Pantone LLC/X Rite GmbH, will also give a keynote speech on how colours can contribute to the emotional involvement of consumers.

The textile supply chain still faces many environmental challenges: Water pollution, high emissions, waste. In the educational session named ‘Promoting the Circular Economy – in 6 Loops with Application Models in the Textile Supply Chain’, Rolf Heimann, board member & CEO of the Hessnatur Foundation will show application-related possibilities on how and where companies can start in their supply chain to promote circular products and processes.

In the ‘Supply chain screening – 7 steps to successful implementation of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act’ session, Maximiliane Tilch, the sustainability consultant at Hessnatur Foundation, will answer which legal requirements are placed on corporate due diligence and how these can be integrated into corporate practice and the supply chain.

Susanne Pass (Managing director DTB), Ralf Hellmann (Managing Partner at Dibella), Thomas Böschen (Managing Director of Texaid Beteiligungsverwaltung Deutschland GmbH) and Rolf Heimann will discuss why the processes are so difficult in the first place during a session called ‘Hurdles of the Circular Economy – Take – Make – Recreate’.

Jasmien Wynants (Sustainable Fashion & Sustainability Manager at Xandres), Marco Mantellassi (Principal Chief Executive Officer at Manteco), Carl Tillessen (Trend Analyst at the Deutsches Mode Institut and Muchaneta ten Napel) will speak at the ‘Textiles 2023: Rethinking the Thread that Binds Us’ session about the multi-faceted nature of textiles in 2023, focusing on: the rise of fabric innovation, the importance of sustainability, the many complex challenges and opportunities related to textile waste and recycling, and the latest technological advances to demonstrate actionable steps towards a more sustainable textile industry. 

 
All information and the event’s programme can be found on the fair’s website Munichfabricstart.com.