Munique – Unique Textiles Insights https://www.munique.blog/en/ Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:59:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.5 EMELIE SANDRE DESIGN – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/emelie-sandre-design-sustainable-innovations/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:08 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83745 EMELIE SANDRE DESIGN – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

Modularity is hardly a new concept. It has transformed architecture, furniture and industrial design for decades. Applying it to soft textiles, however, opens an entirely different conversation.

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What If the Most Sustainable Product Is the One That Never Stops Being Reinvented?

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

13. July 2026

The fashion and textile industry has spent years trying to answer one question. How do we make products last longer? The answers have largely focused on stronger fibres, better construction and more responsible materials. But what if durability isn’t only about how long a product survives? What if it’s about how many different lives it can live?

Visitors to the Sustainable Innovation space at Munich Fabric Start will discover a project that challenges exactly that through The Modular Costumes by Emilie Sandré Design.

Designing for Imagination

For many of us, dressing up began long before we owned a costume. A scarf became a cape. A belt became a sword. A pair of oversized shoes transformed us into someone entirely different. Designer Emilie Sandré remembers that feeling well.

As a child, she found endless joy in combining scarves, jewellery and accessories from her grandmother’s wardrobe to invent characters of her own. Yet today’s children’s costumes often arrive with the story already written: pirate, princess or knight, leaving little room for imagination. The Modular Costumes were created to change that.

Rather than designing finished costumes, Emilie has developed a system of interchangeable modules and connectors that children assemble themselves. There are no prescribed characters, no fixed narratives and no rules beyond curiosity. Every new combination becomes another opportunity for storytelling.

“I don’t design finished products, I design systems of possibilities where the user becomes the creator.”

Modularity Beyond Function

Modularity is hardly a new concept. It has transformed architecture, furniture and industrial design for decades. Applying it to soft textiles, however, opens an entirely different conversation.

Each component of The Modular Costumes is laser cut in Paris using luxury deadstock fabrics and sample books that would otherwise be difficult to recycle. Yet the project’s greatest contribution isn’t simply material reuse.

It is the idea that products designed for continual reinvention naturally resist becoming obsolete. A costume is no longer a single object with a limited purpose. It becomes an evolving creative system that grows with its user through endless possibilities for assembly.

Innovation, after all, is not always about producing something new. Sometimes it is about allowing one product to become many.

Designing for Play

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of The Modular Costumes is that it places play at the centre of sustainable design.

In a world increasingly shaped by digital experiences, Emilie invites children to engage with materials through touch, experimentation and imagination. The act of getting dressed becomes an act of making, encouraging curiosity rather than consumption. Workshops held in schools, cafés and exhibition spaces extend this philosophy beyond the product itself, creating shared experiences that celebrate creativity and exploration.

Visitors exploring the Sustainable Innovation space at Munich Fabric Start between 14-16 July 2026, will encounter far more than an innovative children’s product. They will discover a different way of thinking about design itself. Because perhaps the greatest form of durability isn’t measured in years. It is measured in possibility.

It is good remember that the products we treasure most are often those that continue to surprise us, which in turn invites us to create, reinvent and imagine them anew long after they first entered our lives.

WEBSITEIG: emelie.sandre.designLINKEDIN

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]]> Smart Textile Design – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/smart-textile-design-sustainable-innovations/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:00:25 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83774 Smart Textile Design – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

We have always been driven by creativity and curiosity. Our practice evolves through prototypes, never finished, always asking more questions of materials, processes and possibilities.

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What If Fashion’s Next Material Revolution Has Already Been Made?

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

12. July 2026

Fashion has become remarkably good at talking about new materials.

Every season introduces another fibre, another coating, another breakthrough promising to solve fashion’s environmental crisis. We celebrate innovation as though the answer must always begin with something new.

Yet among the innovators exhibiting at Sustainable Innovations space during Munich Fabric Start, taking place from 14-16 July 2026, Sara + Sarah Smart Textile Design invite us to ask a different question.

What if the next material revolution isn’t about inventing something new at all?

What if it begins by looking differently at what already exists?

“We have always been driven by creativity and curiosity. Our practice evolves through prototypes, never finished, always asking more questions of materials, processes and possibilities.”

Blurring the Boundaries Between Weaving, Print, Illumination and Technology

At Sustain by MUNIQUE, visitors will encounter Archiving Patterned Light, a decade-long exploration into the relationship between weave, print, light and material innovation. Rather than treating textiles as passive surfaces, Sara + Sarah reveal them as dynamic systems capable of transforming space, perception and atmosphere.

Their work moves seamlessly between handcrafted experimentation and industrial manufacture, creating textiles that respond to light in ways that challenge our expectations of what fabric can become. Cloth evolves into architecture. Surface becomes experience. Material becomes storytelling.

That spirit of exploration lies at the heart of their practice.

As Sara + Sarah explain: “We have always been driven by creativity and curiosity. Our practice evolves through prototypes, never finished, always asking more questions of materials, processes and possibilities.” It is a philosophy that runs through every piece of work they create, where experimentation is not simply part of the process but the process itself.

It is visually striking. But beauty is only part of the story.

Alongside Archiving Patterned Light, the duo will also present FLOCC, a collaborative material innovation that transforms post-industrial textile waste into natural electrostatic flock fibres for print and surface design.

At first glance, the concept appears simple. Textile waste becomes a new material. Except it isn’t. Because FLOCC demonstrates something the fashion industry still struggles to embrace. Circularity is not recycling. Circularity is redesigning value.

Looking Beyond Waste

Too often, waste is treated as the inevitable consequence of production. Something to manage. Something to minimise. Something to process through increasingly sophisticated recycling technologies.

FLOCC turns that assumption on its head.

Cotton, silk and cellulose waste streams become the raw material for richly textured surfaces that allow colour and pattern to be both seen and felt. Materials once considered the end of a product’s life become the beginning of an entirely new design language.

That distinction matters.

Fashion’s future will not be shaped solely by breakthrough fibres. It will be shaped by our willingness to redesign supply chains, manufacturing systems and commercial models so that existing materials are recognised for the value they already hold.

Innovation, after all, is rarely about creating something from nothing. It is about changing how we see.

Where Heritage Meets the Future

Equally compelling is the way these projects bridge heritage craftsmanship with advanced manufacturing.

Through years of collaboration with MYB Textiles and an ecosystem of manufacturers, recyclers and material specialists, ideas born through experimentation have evolved into scalable production. The result is proof that heritage manufacturing and contemporary innovation are not competing narratives. They are complementary strengths.

Perhaps that is the biggest lesson Sara + Sarah bring to Munich this season. The textile industry often speaks about collaboration as though it were an added benefit of innovation. In reality, collaboration is the innovation.

FLOCC exists because designers, manufacturers, researchers and technical specialists chose to work across disciplines rather than within them. Knowledge travelled. Expertise overlapped. Curiosity became infrastructure.

We look forward to visitors exploring Sara + Sarah Smart Textile Design because they are not offering fascinating projects, they offer a shift in perspective.

Therefore, perhaps the most valuable resource in fashion isn’t the next miracle material waiting to be invented. Perhaps it is the extraordinary potential already sitting within the materials we have yet to recognise.

WEBSITEIG: smarttextiledesignLINKEDIN

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]]> STUDIO ALICE GIELEN – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/studio-alice-gielen-sustainable-innovations/ Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:00:16 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83804 STUDIO ALICE GIELEN – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

It is an idea that feels increasingly relevant as artificial intelligence and computational design become part of fashion's creative landscape. Perhaps the future is not about humans versus machines. Perhaps it is about learning how to create together.

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What If Designers Could Decide Colour Before the Yarn Even Exists?

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

11. July 2026

Both the fashion and textile industry often celebrates creativity. Yet many of the industry’s creative decisions are made long before a designer ever begins designing. Colour being one of them. The thing is, by the time a designer selects yarn, someone else has already determined the available colours, sequences and combinations. Choice exists, but only within boundaries.

Moving Creativity Upstream

Studio Alice Gielen, the Sliver Fiber Printer reimagines one of textile production’s earliest stages. Instead of colouring yarn after it has been spun, the system applies dye directly onto loose fibre, known as sliver, before spinning takes place. This allows designers to programme colour sequences, gradients, mathematical patterns or even Morse code into the material itself before the yarn has been created. Better still, those sequences can be adjusted live, turning colour development into an active dialogue between designer, machine and material. The technology is impressive.The shift in creative ownership is even more significant.

Rethinking the Relationship Between Humans and Machines

Many of us know that it is automation is often framed as something that replaces human creativity. Studio Alice Gielen proposes something altogether different.

Rather than viewing machines as tools that simply execute instructions, the Sliver Fiber Printer creates space for collaboration. Programmed logic, material behaviour and human intuition influence one another throughout the making process, allowing unexpected outcomes to become part of the design itself.

As Alice explains: “I aim to contribute to a growing discourse that views machines not merely as tools of production but as partners in the creative process, capable of influencing both the method and the art of making.”

It is an idea that feels increasingly relevant as artificial intelligence and computational design become part of fashion’s creative landscape. Perhaps the future is not about humans versus machines. Perhaps it is about learning how to create together.

“I aim to contribute to a growing discourse that views machines not merely as tools of production but as partners in the creative process, capable of influencing both the method and the art of making.”

 

A Different Way to Build Textile Systems

The Sliver Fiber Printer does more than expand creative possibilities.

By moving colour decisions to an earlier stage in the production process, it gives independent designers, craftspeople and small studios greater control over experimentation while supporting small-batch production through a closed-loop, zero-water-waste dyeing process. Rather than relying on industrial forecasting to determine available yarns, designers become authors of their own material language.

This philosophy is brought to life through KI MONO, a knitted garment inspired by Japanese kasuri and ikat traditions, where algorithmic colour sequences become wearable expressions of both cultural heritage and computational design. It demonstrates that innovation can honour tradition while simultaneously expanding its possibilities.

Visitors exploring the Sustainable Innovation space at Munich Fabric Start between 14-16 July 2026,  will discover a project that asks a deceptively simple question will encounter more than a new textile machine.

They will encounter a new way of thinking about authorship. Because perhaps the future of textile innovation isn’t simply about making better materials. Perhaps it is about giving designers back the freedom to shape them from the very beginning.

WEBSITELINKEDIN
ALL EXHIBITORS AT A GLANCE

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]]> Leather from the Sea – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/leather-from-the-sea-sustainable-innovations/ Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:00:35 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83714 Leather from the Sea – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

"Through hands-on experimentation, I explore the potential of new surfaces and alternative forms of leather, aiming to reconnect human life with the natural world as an interconnected fabric."

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What If the Future of Leather Doesn’t Come from Land?

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

10. July 2026

For decades, the search for alternatives to leather has focused on one question. What can replace it?

There has been mycelium, pineapple leaves, cactus and even apple waste. Each new material promises to reduce fashion’s environmental footprint while replicating the qualities of traditional leather. Now entering the space is designer and researcher Indrė Mikuckė who invites us to consider an entirely different possibility.

Designing with Nature, Not Against It

Through her research project, Leather from the Sea, Indrė explores how algae, natural ingredients and algae-derived binders can be transformed into flexible biomaterials through a process of mixing, casting and controlled drying.The resulting surfaces are not designed to perfectly imitate leather.

Instead, they celebrate the subtle irregularities, textures and tonal variations that emerge naturally during the making process. Every sample reflects the unpredictable beauty of the materials themselves, creating surfaces that feel both familiar and entirely new.

Rather than forcing nature to conform to industrial expectations, the project asks what happens when design works alongside natural processes. It is a subtle shift. But an important one.

“Through hands-on experimentation, I explore the potential of new surfaces and alternative forms of leather, aiming to reconnect human life with the natural world as an interconnected fabric.”

Looking Beyond Material Substitution

The thing is, fashion often approaches material innovation as a process of substitution. Replace one fibre. Replace one coating. Replace one material with another. However, leather from the Sea challenges that way of thinking.

Instead of simply searching for a direct replacement, Indrė is exploring an entirely different relationship between designers, materials and the natural world. Marine resources become more than ingredients. They become collaborators in developing future biomaterials that minimise environmental impact while opening new creative possibilities for fashion, accessories and interiors.

As she explains:

“Through hands-on experimentation, I explore the potential of new surfaces and alternative forms of leather, aiming to reconnect human life with the natural world as an interconnected fabric.”

It is a philosophy that places material experimentation at the centre of ecological thinking, demonstrating that innovation is as much about changing our relationship with nature as it is about changing materials.

Materials Still in Conversation

One of the most compelling aspects of Leather from the Sea is that it doesn’t claim to have all the answers. The materials remain under development, with ongoing research exploring durability, future applications and performance across fashion, accessories, interiors and experimental design.

There is an honesty in that.

Innovation is often presented as a finished product, neatly packaged and ready for market. Research rarely works that way. It is iterative, experimental and constantly evolving. Perhaps that is precisely why projects like Leather from the Sea matter.

Visitors exploring the Sustainable Innovation space at Munich Fabric Start this July won’t simply discover another leather alternative. They will encounter a designer asking bigger questions about how materials are imagined, developed and valued. Because the future of fashion may not depend solely on finding new resources.

It may depend on learning how to work more thoughtfully with the ones nature has already placed around us. Be sure to visit the Sustainable Innovation space at Munich Fabric Start, taking place from 14-16 July 2026.

WEBSITE

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]]> Maison du Flock – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/maison-du-flock-sustainable-innovations/ Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:00:39 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83686 Maison du Flock – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

Working with everything from delicate tulle and lace to leather, sequins and other unconventional materials, the studio has transformed flock into a contemporary design language capable of meeting the demands of luxury fashion and Haute Couture.

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Why Fashion’s Next Innovation Might Be a Craft We’ve Forgotten

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

9. July 2026

There has been the argument that fashion is always fascinated by the new.New fibres. New finishes. New technologies promising to transform the industry. However, it seems that some of the most exciting innovations don’t begin with invention at all, they begin by rediscovering a craft that has quietly existed for decades and asking what it could become.

Between 14-16 July 2026, visitors to the Sustainable Innovation space at Munich Fabric Start will have the opportunity to discover exactly that through the work of Maison du Flock.

Founded in 2022, the Netherlands-based atelier specialises in experimental and limited-edition flock printing for luxury brands and Haute Couture. At a time when fashion is searching for new ways to combine craftsmanship with innovation, Maison du Flock is demonstrating that an established textile technique can still surprise us.

“Working with everything from delicate tulle and lace to leather, sequins and other unconventional materials, the studio has transformed flock into a contemporary design language capable of meeting the demands of luxury fashion and Haute Couture. Every project challenges assumptions about where the technique can be applied and how texture can elevate both craftsmanship and storytelling.”

Reimagining Flock for Luxury

For many, flock is familiar but rarely celebrated. The electrostatic process creates a distinctive velvet-like surface by applying fine fibres onto fabric, adding richness, depth and tactility. Historically, it has often been associated with decorative applications.

Maison du Flock sees something entirely different.

Working with everything from delicate tulle and lace to leather, sequins and other unconventional materials, the studio has transformed flock into a contemporary design language capable of meeting the demands of luxury fashion and Haute Couture. Every project challenges assumptions about where the technique can be applied and how texture can elevate both craftsmanship and storytelling.

As founders Eugène and Annika explain:

“It brings out the best in both of us.”

That simple statement captures the spirit of a practice driven by technical curiosity and a shared ambition to continually push the boundaries of what flock can achieve.

Innovation Through Craft

There is a tendency within fashion to treat innovation and craftsmanship as though they belong in separate conversations. Maison du Flock quietly proves otherwise.

The studio works with luxury fashion houses across the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain, while also collaborating with fibre innovators, textile start-ups and industry partners to explore entirely new applications for flock. Here, craftsmanship is not static. It is constantly evolving through research, experimentation and collaboration.

Innovation, after all, is rarely about creating something from nothing. It is about changing how we see.

Looking Towards a More Circular Future

That mindset extends beyond aesthetics.

Through the FLOCC project, Maison du Flock is exploring how natural flock fibres can be created from post-industrial textile waste. By transforming existing waste streams into premium surface materials, the project demonstrates that luxury and sustainability can strengthen one another rather than compete.

It also reflects a broader shift taking place across the textile industry. The future will not simply be defined by breakthrough materials. It will be shaped by the creative partnerships that challenge established processes, rethink existing resources and expand the possibilities of traditional craftsmanship.

Visitors exploring the Sustainable Innovation space at Munich Fabric Start this July will discover more than an exceptional printing atelier. They will discover a company redefining how heritage techniques can contribute to the future of fashion. Because sometimes the most exciting innovation isn’t the newest technology. Sometimes it is seeing an overlooked craft with entirely new eyes.

WEBSITEIG: maison_du_flockLINKEDIN

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]]> MUNICH FABRIC START – January 26 closing report https://www.munique.blog/en/__trashed/ Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:00:57 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83614 MUNICH FABRIC START – January 26 closing report

A solid trade show. An optimistic mindset. That sums up the outcome of MUNICH FABRIC START. After three days, the Munich textile fair came to an end yesterday, Thursday, with the integrated show-in-shows BLUEZONE, KEYHOUSE and THE SOURCE. MUNICH FABRIC START concluded with a stable visitor frequency compared to the previous event.

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MUNICH FABRIC START 
Solid Trade Show. Optimistic Mindset. 

CLOSING REPORT
MUNICH FABRIC START | BLUEZONE | KEYHOUSE | THE SOURCE

30. January 2026

A solid trade show. An optimistic mindset. That sums up the outcome of MUNICH FABRIC START. After three days, the Munich textile fair came to an end yesterday, Thursday, with the integrated show-in-shows BLUEZONE, KEYHOUSE and THE SOURCE. MUNICH FABRIC START concluded with a stable visitor frequency compared to the previous event. Around 1,000 collections from international fabric and accessory manufacturers showcased their colour and material trends for Spring.Summer 27 at the MOC Munich. High-quality fabrics and accessories met international denim expertise and forward-looking innovations along the entire textile value chain.

“Conclusion? Solid! We are very satisfied with this result. There is no denying that we are operating under difficult economic conditions. In times like these, it is even more important to be a reliable platform for exhibitors and visitors that brings together the key players in the market. We have succeeded in doing this. The main theme, PLEASURE, focuses on an optimistic mindset. This was also clearly reflected at the trade show.”

Florian Klinder, Managing Director MUNICH FABRIC START Exhibitions GmbH

Trends Spring.Summer 27: Set Opposites

‘It’s a time of radical change. A lot of people are in a mood of pessimism. They want to stay at the status quo. Cowardness is our problem. ‘Polite Fashion’ is a result.‘ trend forecaster David Shah from View Publications provokes the audience in front of packed stands on the STAGE. This makes it all the more important to take countermeasures. ‘We are operating in a difficult environment, in difficult times. In the fashion industry, this is currently unleashing an incredible amount of creative energy. It’s about creating a positive counterbalance,’ said MFS trend experts Volker Orthmann and Katharina Majorek from o/m Collective as they began their trend presentation ’PLEASURE – Colours, Fabrics, Styling (Wo)mens Key Trends for Spring.Summer 27.’ After a long period in which fashion trends were dominated by pragmatism and neutrality, the focus is now on the future. With the overarching theme of ‘PLEASURE’, MUNICH FABRIC START presented this trend development in a modern way and brought it to life for visitors. With themes such as Cinematic Colours, Every Day Pop, Cultural Power and Sunny Nonchalance, Karin Schmitz from Peclers Paris also focused on optimism, fun and confidence.

Colour, Prints and Textures as Fashion Drivers

In terms of fashion, the new season marks a turning point towards conscious renewal. Optimism, pleasure and creativity are the prevailing themes. This is clearly reflected in the approximately 1,000 collections from international fabric and accessory manufacturers. Colour, prints and texture are the key drivers of the season. ‘We are in a phase of change. What will tomorrow bring? That is the overriding question. Colour is important here. There has been little colour on the market. That is now changing,’ says Schmitz from Peclers Paris. Annette Schrewe, Head of Design at Betty Barclay, observes ‘more courage in colour’ in the collections, complemented by neutrals with interesting surface textures. ‘The new fluid, transparent, flowing fabrics are beautiful, especially for blouses. The season is fun,‘ Schrewe continues. Eveline Rammler, Women’s Wear Purchasing at s.Oliver, describes: ’Awnings, pinstripes, floral and naive paisley prints, alienated animals – these are emerging as the dominant themes in prints for us.‘ Gamze Camuzcuoglu, Sales Manager von A.P.C. points out: ‘Bright blue and white, fluidy animal prints, blurry orientals, florals border designs, geometrical designs, irregular geometrics and pyjama stripes – these are the best in fashion trends for us.‘ ‚We are looking for new products that speak our language. We also see pastel colours and light prints for the evening. Light, transparent chiffons, structured organza, prints with picturesque flowers, bohemian – that’s new for us. Dark brown and burgundy remain. Brown was a huge hype. Now it’s all about toffee and camel combined with pink or light yellow‘, says Heike Schaible, Product Management, Vera Mont. In terms of surfaces, haptics and texture are coming to the fore. ‘The themes of the moment are materials that can be experienced haptically. Materials that appeal through tactile structures,’ emphasises Majorek from o/m Collective. Thoshikiko Kanatani from Stylem underlines: ‘The highlights of this season are special finishes, lots of textures and crease and pleat effects.’  For many visitors, MUNICH FABRIC START once again proved to be an important trend compass. ‘We were in Milan beforehand and saw a lot there. Now it’s time to finalise the colour concepts and developments for spring/summer. In Munich, we can see where things are heading in just one or two days. We get a lot of inspiration here and the trade show is great for trend research. The trend areas are extremely beautiful. Simply superb!’ said Xenia Haumer, Creative Concept Lead, Riani.

Price, Margin, Consumption

‘The magic word is margin. Issues such as hand feel, quality and finish are completely secondary for the German market at the moment. There is a lack of appreciation for high quality,’ laments Mladen Pototschnik, Sales, Albini & Thomas Mason. He points to a further increase in price sensitivity and also sees the trade show development as an indicator that ‘the German clothing industry is struggling.’ Eser Kaygusuz, Sales Head at Yünsa, takes a similar view: ‘The mood in Germany is tense. Price sensitivity is high and consumer sentiment is poor. This is evident not only in the textile sector, but also in the figures for the automotive industry. Nevertheless, the first day of the trade show was not bad at all. Many important customers such as Seidensticker, Hugo Boss and Digel were already there.‘ Despite the challenging conditions, the trade show was used constructively by exhibitors and visitors alike. ’It went better than expected. Milan was so strong that we didn’t think it would be as good again in Munich. The quality of the customers was REALLY good. Toni Dress, Brax, Bugatti, Betty Barclay and Vera Mont – to name but a few,‘ says Thomas Buschjost, owner of the Fashion & Friends agency. Many customers would ’put the issue of price aside for the time being‘ and concentrate first on ’finding beautiful new things.‘

Compliance, AI and Circularity

In addition to trends, regulatory requirements such as the Digital Product Passport, digitalisation, AI and circular models were among the key topics covered in the extensive programme of presentations. ‘It’s not all about costs and optimizing. A major topic should be, how to translate policies into sourcing and how to achieve compliance with data consistency.‘ underlines political advisor Muchaneta ten Napel from Shape Innovate. During the three days of the trade show, she discussed topics such as these with numerous renowned experts on the panels. Round tables, talks and presentations highlighted the significant pressure for change that the industry will face from 2026 onwards. ‘There is no playbook. Every brand is working differently. I don’t have the feeling the industry is well prepared yet.‘ according to Leila Abu el Hawa, Advisor and Head of Product at Elizabeth Scarlett, when it comes to the Digital Product Passport.

KEYHOUSE presented new applied technology and system solutions. The focus was on transparency, trust and the transition to a circular economy – from strengthening resilient, circular processes to market ready innovations. Highlights included a new technology for smartphone-based authentication of fakes or originals from Original-ID, as well as Trove’s take-back system for resale and recycling, which was presented for the first time. ‘This is our response to the scarcity of raw materials,’ said Janis Künkler, Managing Director of Trove Europe. Research-related projects that take a cultural, sensory and systemic approach to sustainability were once again curated in the SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS Forum. Participants included Marie Vilay with the projects ‘To Read a Pattern’ and ‘A Bindle’, Materia Futura by Alessia Pasquini and Beatriz Sandini, and ‘Threaded Protocols’ by Floor Berkhout. Another trade show innovation with the highest sustainability standards: the collaboration between Dirt and Loads Collection with the first Demeter-certified textile collection. This is the first time the Demeter standard has been applied to textiles – with the prospect of it also being used for clothing in the future. ‘This is a real milestone,’ emphasises Lea Mahlke from Dirt, a new exhibitor in the RESOURCE Area.

BLUEZONE: Imperfect – Perfect

For Spring.Summer 2027, BLUEZONE presented a multifaceted denim look combining urban austerity, functional minimalism and sensual opulence. Sustainable materials, handcrafted details and innovative surfaces highlight the value of the material as well as individuality and emotion. Denim expert Tilmann Wröbel from Denim Lifestyle Studio Monsieur-T. describes a key trend in his lecture ‘The perfect time
for denim imperfection’: ‚For the denim industry the actual trend embraces the opposite: the idea of imperfection. Not too polished, not too perfect. Isn’t imperfection exactly what denim is about?‘

Innovative material developments and resource-saving, circular production processes were also at the forefront of BLUEZONE. ‚We are introducing Evogeny – our supreme denim collection – and a special capsule we specifically developed for the German market with a focus on stretch technology and comfort. Revo-Su with a water-free approach and eco conscious innovations in general are very important for us. Re/essence is all about natural colours.‘ Marketing Manager Selen Baltaci lists the new products for Spring.Summer 27 from Calik Denim. Whether Berto, Bossa, Calik, ISKO, Orta, Sharabati, Tejidos Royo or Troficolor Denim Makers – BLUEZONE once again brought together the majority of the most important international denim manufacturers. Philipp Walendy, Managing Director of Alberto, emphasises the clear advantage of BLUEZONE over other events: ‘Everyone is here, around 95% of our suppliers. We don’t have that anywhere else. BLUEZONE no longer has the usual lifestyle feel and is now more of a working trade fair, ‘but we are here to work,’ says Walendy, speaking for many.

Room for New Solutions

Clearly structured and efficiently bundled: the new arrangement of the eight areas in the MOC strengthens exchange, creates greater visibility and promotes synergies. What has changed: sustainable sourcing with RESOURCE has been repositioned and is now located together with ADDITIONALS in Hall 1, in the immediate vicinity of THE SOURCE. At the interface of design, technology and sustainability – BLUEZONE and KEYHOUSE, including SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS, are located in the highly frequented area in Hall 2. The DESIGN STUDIOS are now even more centrally located in Hall 4. They are adjacent to the large FABRICS area, which continues to be spread across Halls 3, 4 and Atrium 3. The clear structures provide orientation and space for new solutions.

FURTHER QUOTES:

‘We are here for one day, mainly because summer is not as important to us as winter. We always
spend two days there. We were also in Milan, but here in Munich we are now focusing on
specific commissions with European weavers.‘
Thomas Beller, Head of Design Sportswear, Digel

‘We are on the road purchasing fabrics for Drykorn and talking to our suppliers about orders
and delivery dates. We discuss samples and check that everything is going smoothly. We are
travelling with a large team. By splitting up, we can attend lots of appointments and talk
to lots of suppliers.‘
Kim Laura Müller, Purchasing Outer Fabrics, Drykorn

‘We are very satisfied. We always invest heavily in new projects, such as our current cross
industry collaboration with paper manufacturer Gmund. Innovation, circularity, sustainability and
high quality – GMUND and Manteco share the same values. Last year, we collaborated with
Liberty. Our customers really appreciate this. We are busy all day long.‘
Simona Gonfiantini, Key Account Manager, Manteco

‘Yesterday was very good. We usually expect 25 to 30 customers at MUNICH FABRIC START.
On the first day alone, we had 20 appointments. Customers love our collection. We have been
coming here for many, many years. Even though things are going well, it would be nice to meet
some new customers as well.‘
Meltem Iliman, Board Member & Sales, Elyaf

Discover more industry-changing innovations at our upcoming trade shows:

BLUEZONE

14/07 – 16/07/2026

www.bluezone.show

MUNICH FABRIC START

14/07 – 16/07/2026

www.munichfabricstart.com

reVIEW

08/09 – 09/09/2026

www.viewmunich.com
]]> MUNICH FABRIC START – Between Attitude and Sensuality https://www.munique.blog/en/munich-fabric-start-between-attitude-and-sensuality/ Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:18 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83536 MUNICH FABRIC START – Between Attitude and Sensuality

The future begins where we reimagine it. The overarching theme of PLEASURE stands for fashion as an emotional space, as an expression of attitude and cultural reflection.

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MUNICH FABRIC START: Between Attitude and Sensuality

PREVIEW
MUNICH FABRIC START | BLUEZONE | KEYHOUSE | THE SOURCE

26. January 2026

The future begins where we reimagine it. After seasons of restraint, Spring.Summer 27 marks a conscious counter-trend: optimism, sensuality, and creative freedom are replacing pragmatism and neutrality. Physical presence and individuality are regaining importance – as a response to uncertainty, exhaustion, and algorithmic predictability. The overarching theme of PLEASURE stands for fashion as an emotional space, as an expression of attitude and cultural reflection. Colours, surfaces, and materials become vehicles for self-confidence and joie de vivre.

“Efficiency and pragmatism are shaping current market developments. And times are not easy for us as trade show organizers either. We are responding to this with a clearly structured trade show and a strong positioning as an important source of inspiration, an interactive business forum, and a platform for concentrated textile expertise. When it comes to fashion and trends, we are heralding a change of perspective: optimism instead of restraint. Self-confidence instead of uncertainty.“

Florian Klinder, Managing Director MUNICH FABRIC START Exhibitions GmbH

In two weeks, MUNICH FABRIC START will open its doors for an extended run. From January 27 to 29, 2026, the Munich fabric trade show will once again position itself as the central one-stop sourcing platform for the European fashion and textile industry. Around 1,000 collections from international fabric and accessory manufacturers will provide a solid preview of Spring.Summer 27 at the MOC Munich – from material and colour innovations to new design and sustainability approaches.

With the integrated show-in-shows BLUEZONE, KEYHOUSE, and THE SOURCE, the trade show brings together all relevant fashion segments: high-quality fabrics and accessories, international denim expertise, and forward-looking innovations along the entire textile value chain. Internationality, cooperation, and sustainability remain central themes.

Clearly structured trade show, strong names

Clarity and structure combined with creativity and optimism are also reflected in the spatial layout of MUNICH FABRIC START. The consolidation of the trade show segments into the MOC has proven successful. The trade show ensemble with its eight areas will once again take place under one roof. BLUEZONE and KEYHOUSE with SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS will be anchored in the highly frequented area of MUNICH FABRIC START in Hall 2 for the upcoming event – directly connected to the FABRICS and ADDITIONALS areas.

The DESIGN STUDIOS in Hall 4 are now even more centrally located. And sustainable sourcing with RESOURCE is also gaining a stronger presence in Hall 1, right next to THE SOURCE.

Focused, inspiring, comprehensive: to offer buyers and designers a holistic overview, the BLUEZONE denim trends are now integrated directly into the trend worlds surrounding the main theme of PLEASURE in the foyer of the MOC. This new form of presentation reflects market developments, in which denim and classic fashion segments are increasingly merging in collections.

With names such as ALBINI GROUP, Beste spa, Bonotto, Bornemann Etiketten, BUREAUX BO, CAN Tekstil, Eurojersey, Fabric House.com, KIKI FASHION, Kivanc Tekstil, Lanificio di Tollegno, Manteco, Pontetorto, Pontoglio, Rioplele, and Thermore, MUNICH FABRIC START offers a strong portfolio of leading international fabric and accessory manufacturers. Exhibitor highlights in the BLUEZONE include Berto, Bossa, Calik, ISKO, Orta, Sharabati, Tejidos Royo, and Troficolor Denim Makers.

BLUEZONE: Denim between heritage, innovation and emotion

Denim is becoming more versatile – luxurious, functional, and authentic at the same time. The denim industry is clearly moving toward circularity: recycled fibers, resource-saving processes, lighter fabrics, and softer textures characterize the collections for Spring.Summer 27. ISKO‘s SS27 collection features lightweight, high-performance fabric developments such as City Glam, D-Lite, and Future Face 2.0. The portfolio is complemented by Moonskin Denim (in collaboration with Adriano Goldschmied), RECODE Denim, and RE&UP fibers. With its premium line ISKO™ Luxury by PG, the company reinterprets classic denim heritage and combines traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and emotional design. Circular innovations enable luxurious surfaces, depth, and authenticity without losing the characteristic indigo expression. Tejidos Royo is expanding its recycled 2LIFE and REBOOT collections with bestsellers made from 100% recycled cotton and adding the new Soft Fabrics line with particularly soft denim and piece-dyed qualities.

Origin and attitude: With the “HOMEGROWN DENIM LEGENDS” showcase, BLUEZONE puts influential denim makers and brands from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in the spotlight. Rare vintage pieces from Ruedi Karrer’s denim collection will be on display, as well as – new this season – the German denim brand Angels.

Anniversary: An integral part of the industry for decades, the iconic trade publication Sportswear International is paying an hommage to its 50th anniversary at MUNICH FABRIC START in Munich.

KEYHOUSE: Innovation between technology and human being

The KEYHOUSE innovation hub will continue to bring together pioneering material, technology, and system solutions in January 2026. The focus is on transparency in the supply chain, trust, and the path to a circular economy. The key factor here is the interaction between digital technologies and the ability of people to implement this change. Original-ID, for example, shows how product authenticity can be made visible via the unique microstructure of materials as a digital “fingerprint” – a combination of physical product protection and digital transparency.

The RETRAKT research project is investigating how the transition from linear to circular processes can be made resilient by focusing on employees as key success factors. With the help of resilience engineering, they are empowered to implement new requirements in a practical and solution-oriented manner. Brightfiber Textiles and Cradle to Cradle are returning as KEYHOUSE exhibitors. In addition to Original-ID, new exhibitors include SABF Chemicals and Trove Recommerce.

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS: cultural, sensual, systemic

The curated forum SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS showcases visionary, research-oriented projects at the intersection of design, technology, and sustainability. This season, sustainability is not considered in isolation, but rather in cultural, sensory, and systemic terms. Among the new features at the upcoming event is Marie Vilay with her projects “To Read a Pattern” and “A Bindle”– a methodical approach to conveying textile knowledge across cultural and geographical boundaries. Materia Futura, the design research project by Alessia Pasquini and Beatriz Sandini, questions the visual reduction of bio-based materials and deliberately focuses on shimmer, depth, and aesthetic movement to appeal to the senses. Threaded Protocols by Floor Berkhout is an investigation of the structural connection between weaving and computing – as a conscious counterpoint to the efficiency logic of digital systems.

 

THE STAGE: Interaction, inspiration and information

Exclusive keynotes, panel discussions, trend presentations, and Q&A sessions – MUNICH FABRIC START has once again put together a comprehensive lecture program for its visitors. Current industry topics will be discussed and analysed on THE STAGE: the new colour, fabric, and fashion trends for Spring.Summer 27 will be presented by Peclers Paris, David Shah, O/M Collective, OLIVIA DOES DESIGN, Monsieur-T, and others. Simon Angel, curator of Sustainable Innovations, will give deep dives into future-oriented, sustainable material solutions. Muchaneta ten Napel will discuss new policies, traceability, and recyclability with leading experts from the textile and fashion industry. From megatrends and AI to sustainability, the VDMD, as a program partner, will present a wide range of topics in preparation for the upcoming season. Detailed information on the lecture program will be continuously updated ONLINE and announced in a further press release shortly before the event.

Drinks, Snacks, Networking and Musik: Following the second day of the trade show, MUNICH FABRIC START is inviting to AFTER SHOW DRINKS starting at 6:30 p.m. 

Discover more industry-changing innovations at our upcoming trade shows:

BLUEZONE

27/01 – 29/01/2026

www.bluezone.show

MUNICH FABRIC START

27/01 – 29/01/2026

www.munichfabricstart.com

VIEW

02/12 – 03/12/2025

www.viewmunich.com
]]> KnitForm+ by Jeanne Mora – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/knitform-by-jeanne-mora-sustainable-innovations/ Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:00:42 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83430 KnitForm+ by Jeanne Mora – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

What matters is how the textile responds: how it regulates volume, distributes pressure, and transitions from flat to three-dimensional states. Process transparency is embedded in the methodology itself.

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KnitForm+ by Jeanne Mora

When Knitting Becomes Structure, Not Surface

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

20. January 2026

KnitForm+ is not a new yarn system or surface innovation. What makes it different is its use of knitting as a structural design method, where form, volume, and stability are generated directly through textile construction rather than imposed through frames, padding, or rigid supports.

Developed by designer Jeanne Mora, KnitForm+ positions knitting as a construction language. Stitch architecture, tension, and machine constraints become the primary drivers of form. Instead of treating these limitations as technical problems, Mora treats them as design parameters that actively shape behaviour. The result is a series of knitted structures that fold, compress, inflate, and expand through their own material logic.

Material origin is intentionally secondary to structure. KnitForm+ is not presented as a fibre innovation, but as a system for working with knitted behaviour across different material bases. What matters is how the textile responds: how it regulates volume, distributes pressure, and transitions from flat to three-dimensional states. Process transparency is embedded in the methodology itself. Each form emerges through iterative sampling, structural testing, and machine-based experimentation rather than decorative finishing.

“What matters is how the textile responds: how it regulates volume, distributes pressure, and transitions from flat to three-dimensional states. Process transparency is embedded in the methodology itself.”

Scalability is addressed through adaptability. KnitForm+ is currently a research and design framework, not a product line. Its logic can be applied across furniture, interiors, and spatial design contexts, but requires collaboration with industrial knitting environments. The work is therefore scalable in principle, but intentionally not simplified into ready-made typologies.

Performance is defined through behaviour rather than comfort claims. The knitted structures demonstrate controlled flexibility, compression, and deformation. In pieces such as the inflatable knitted seat developed with TextielLab in Tilburg, the textile regulates volume and pressure through stitch construction alone. The trade-off is clear: these systems demand precise machine control and deep material understanding, but in return they reduce the need for secondary construction layers.

Within the wider industry context, KnitForm+ challenges the separation between textile design and product engineering. It positions knitting as a tool for structural problem-solving, not surface styling. For furniture designers, textile developers, and manufacturers, it suggests a shift from textiles as coverings to textiles as frameworks.

KnitForm+ does not claim to optimise production or solve sustainability through material substitution. Its contribution is more fundamental. It proposes that textiles can be active construction systems, capable of shaping form, behaviour, and function directly.

For Jeanne Mora, success is not measured in product replication, but in establishing knitting as a structural design discipline with industrial relevance. KnitForm+ is less about what knitting looks like, and more about what knitting can do.

WEBSITEIG: jeannemora_LINKEDIN

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]]> Cartoon – WEAR YOUR OPTIMISM https://www.munique.blog/en/cartoon-wear-your-optimism/ Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:00:17 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83514 Cartoon – WEAR YOUR OPTIMISM

Embark on this fashionable journey and discover the new Cartoon collection at our store. Be inspired, mix and match to your heart's content, and wear optimism—every day, for every occasion.

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WEAR YOUR OPTIMISM

The new CARTOON collection as a fashionable journey around the world

20. January 2026

Fashion can’t change the world – but it can lift our spirits in seconds and give us strength. This is precisely the idea behind Cartoon. With its new collection, the brand invites women to wear fashion as an expression of joie de vivre, individuality, and optimism. WEAR YOUR OPTIMISM is more than just a slogan – it’s an attitude.

Inspiration from around the world

The new collection is a fashionable bucket list of special places – each destination tells its own story and translates its character into fashion. Places inspire with their colors, vibes, and lifestyle. Cartoon picks up on precisely these impressions and transforms them into wearable looks with personality.

London & Cornwall kick off the journey with urban coolness: leopard prints meet color blocking, bold tones meet modern cuts.

The journey continues to Provence and Paris, where feminine lightness takes center stage. Delicate shades blend with bold highlights, stripes meet effortless Parisian elegance.

Summery prints and fresh colors dominate on the Amalfi Coast. Inspired by lemon groves and the incomparable dolce far niente feeling, looks are created that immediately evoke a holiday mood.

The stopover in Dubai brings sandy shades, airy fabrics, and clean lines. Comfort and elegance go hand in hand here—ideal for warm days.

Cape Town rounds off the collection: urban cool meets nature. Relaxed, modern silhouettes reflect a casual lifestyle and show how versatile the Cartoon collection is.

Embark on this fashionable journey and discover the new Cartoon collection at our store. Be inspired, mix and match to your heart’s content, and wear optimism – every day, for every occasion.

Discover the new collection
WEAR YOUR OPTIMISM.

The MUNICH FABRIC START team is delighted about the long-standing cooperation with CARTOON and would like to thank them once again for equipping our team with beautiful outfits!

BETTY BARCLAY
ALL EXHIBITORS AT A GLANCE

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]]> RETRAKT – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/retrakt-sustainable-innovations/ Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:00:47 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83454 RETRAKT – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

Performance, in this context, is measured by organisational resilience. RETRAKT applies resilience engineering to help employees anticipate, monitor, respond to, and learn from complex and changing requirements.

Continue reading RETRAKT – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS at Munique - Unique Textiles Insights.

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RETRAKT: From Circular Ambition to Operational Reality

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

19. January 2026

RETRAKT is not a new material, fibre, or fabric system. What makes it different is more fundamental: it is a research-based transformation framework designed to help textile and apparel companies actually implement circular economy requirements inside day-to-day operations. At a time when circularity is becoming mandatory under EU legislation, RETRAKT focuses on the gap most companies struggle with: translating regulation into workable processes across design, sourcing, production, and data management.

Developed as part of the research project “Resilient Transformation Management for the Circular Economy in the Textile Industry”, RETRAKT addresses circularity as a socio-technical challenge, not a purely technical one. Its core innovation lies in combining product compliance management, resilience engineering, and employee-centred process design to help companies shift from linear to circular value creation in a structured, realistic way.

“Performance, in this context, is measured by organisational resilience. RETRAKT applies resilience engineering to help employees anticipate, monitor, respond to, and learn from complex and changing requirements.”

Rather than making sustainability claims, RETRAKT starts with regulatory facts. New EU textile legislation, including requirements linked to the EU Textile Strategy 2030, will make circular design, transparency, and traceability legally binding. RETRAKT systematically analyses these laws and translates them into concrete tasks for companies, from material selection and design decisions to supplier communication and data documentation.

Compliance is treated as the backbone of circularity, not an afterthought. Therefore, traceability within RETRAKT is approached through process transparency rather than labels. The project develops methods to document workflows, responsibilities, and decision paths inside companies, supported by a planned Digital Cooperation Platform. This platform is intended to support collaboration across international value chains and to prepare companies for future requirements such as the Digital Product Passport.

In terms of scalability, RETRAKT is not a lab experiment but a practice-oriented research project running from 2025 to 2028, implemented directly within partner companies from the textile and apparel industry. Its scalability lies in its transferability: the procedures, tools, and methods developed are designed to be adapted by other companies and, in the longer term, potentially by other industries facing similar regulatory pressure.

Performance, in this context, is measured by organisational resilience. RETRAKT applies resilience engineering to help employees anticipate, monitor, respond to, and learn from complex and changing requirements. This human-centred approach recognises that circularity will only work if people inside companies are enabled to manage uncertainty and complexity, rather than being overwhelmed by it.

RETRAKT positions itself clearly within the wider industry shift away from voluntary sustainability towards mandatory circular compliance. It is most relevant to brands, manufacturers, and suppliers who recognise that future competitiveness will depend not just on better materials, but on better systems.

Success for RETRAKT is not a single product outcome. It is the creation of a repeatable, resilient model for circular transformation that companies can realistically use.

WEBSITE

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]]> MATERIA FUTURA – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/materia-futura-sustainable-innovations/ Sun, 18 Jan 2026 09:00:13 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83469 MATERIA FUTURA – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

Materia Futura is not proposing a new bio-material category, nor a finished commercial textile. What distinguishes the project is its design-led investigation into the emotional and aesthetic dimensions of bio-based materials, an area often sidelined in sustainability discourse.

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MATERIA FUTURA: Reclaiming Sensory Desire in Bio-Based Materials

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

18. January 2026

Materia Futura is not proposing a new bio-material category, nor a finished commercial textile. What distinguishes the project is its design-led investigation into the emotional and aesthetic dimensions of bio-based materials, an area often sidelined in sustainability discourse. Founded by Alessia Pasquini and Beatriz Sandini, Materia Futura asks a direct question: why are sustainable materials still expected to look raw, muted, or purely functional?

Developed as a design research project in early 2025, Materia Futura explores how biomaterials can engage the senses through shimmer, iridescence, surface depth, and visual movement. Rather than treating these qualities as superficial, the project positions them as critical to human connection and long-term material adoption. Its first outcomes were presented at Dutch Design Week 2025 as part of the exhibition Basic Instinct: Making–With. The first phase of the research was developed in collaboration Paulina Martina, a digital designer, who worked on the virtual reality component. Part of that initial phase focused on creating a connection between the physical materials and the virtual world. You will find more info about this aspect on the Materia Futura website.

“Sustainability should not only be responsible, but also desirable – able to shimmer, glow, and connect with our senses.”

The work combines bio-based material experimentation with traditional craft techniques, using hands-on processes to push beyond the visual language typically associated with sustainable design. Effects such as chromatic shifts, moiré patterns, and layered textures are explored not as decoration, but as inherent material expressions inspired by natural phenomena. While earlier phases of the project investigated links between physical materials and digital or immersive environments, the designers are currently reassessing how and whether these components will continue in future iterations.

Materia Futura is firmly in a research and exploratory phase. The materials developed are not yet positioned for immediate industrial scale or collection integration. Instead, the project functions as a provocation and a testing ground, relevant to designers, material developers, and brands interested in expanding how sustainability is perceived, communicated, and desired.

In the wider material landscape, Materia Futura challenges the assumption that responsible materials must be visually restrained to be credible. Its contribution lies in reframing sustainability as something that can be sensory, expressive, and culturally resonant, without denying its biological or ethical foundations.

For Pasquini and Sandini, success is not defined by a single material outcome, but by opening space for a richer, more emotionally literate future for bio-based design.

WEBSITEIG: materia_futuraa

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]]> THREADED PROTOCOLS – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/threaded-protocols-sustainable-innovations/ Sat, 17 Jan 2026 09:00:07 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83392 THREADED PROTOCOLS – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

Threaded Protocols is not a textile innovation in the commercial sense, nor a digital tool disguised as craft. What makes the work distinct is its material investigation into how computational logic originates in textile practice and what is lost when those logics are abstracted into opaque technological systems.

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THREADED PROTOCOLS:

When Weaving Becomes Computation Again

Explore these innovative projects at the Sustainable Innovations Forum in the Keyhouse in Hall 2

17. January 2026

Threaded Protocols is not a textile innovation in the commercial sense, nor a digital tool disguised as craft. What makes the work distinct is its material investigation into how computational logic originates in textile practice and what is lost when those logics are abstracted into opaque technological systems.

Developed by artist and researcher Floor Berkhout, Threaded Protocols explores the structural relationship between weaving and computing. Both rely on binary decisions, pattern execution, and logical sequencing. Historically, the loom was the first computer. Threaded Protocols returns to this origin, using textile-making to expose the physical, gestural nature of computation that contemporary digital infrastructures have largely hidden.

Berkhout’s practice operates as a critical technical practice, working through craft methodologies to understand how protocols function materially. In Threaded Protocols, each crossing of threads becomes a binary operation: in front or behind, zero or one. Meaning emerges slowly, through repetition and attention, rather than speed or optimisation. This slowness is deliberate. It draws from perma-computing principles, which question the inevitability of fast, extractive technological progress and its influence on both digital systems and the textile industry.

The project also foregrounds the gendered history of both textile labour and computation, from 19th-century weaving rooms to the women who worked as “computers” in the mid-20th century. By re-embedding computation in the hands, Threaded Protocols seeks to reclaim agency that has been stripped away through industrialisation and black-box technologies.

WEBSITEIG: floor.berkhout

Threaded Protocols is presented as process-driven research and interactive installation, not as a scalable product or material solution. Its relevance lies in how it reframes technology as something made, touched, and shaped by human choice, rather than an abstract, neutral system.

For designers, technologists, and researchers, Threaded Protocols offers a reminder that systems which appear precise and objective are always political, always designed, and always traceable back to material decisions. In a landscape dominated by efficiency, Berkhout’s work insists on another value: the right to build meaning slowly.

The detailed explorer finds a bonus: her work is also touching theme’s of emancipation, gender-equality, historic manipulation…

Any input you think is helpful to create a dedicated article about your project:
https://materialprotocols.site/presskit/
https://materialprotocols.site/research&&notes/

ALL EXHIBITORS AT A GLANCE

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]]> MARIE VILAY – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/marie-vilay-sustainable-innovations/ Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83363 MARIE VILAY – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

Marie Vilay does not present a new fabric or production technique. What distinguishes her work is a method of reading and translating textile knowledge across cultures, systems, and moments of transition.

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MARIE VILAY: Reading, Carrying, and Reframing Textile Knowledge

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

16. January 2026

Marie Vilay does not present a new fabric or production technique. What distinguishes her work is a method of reading and translating textile knowledge across cultures, systems, and moments of transition. Her practice asks a question that sits at the edge of innovation: what happens to textile traditions, patterns, and objects when they move between geographies, power structures, and production logics?

“For designers, researchers, and institutions navigating questions of decolonisation, migration, and responsibility, her work offers a different kind of innovation: one rooted in listening, translation, and care rather than optimisation.”

In To Read a Pattern, Vilay investigates how Laotian weaving patterns might persist when removed from their original cultural and social context and placed within European industrial production.

In Laos, weaving is a living, evolving practice, with patterns traditionally passed from mother to daughter. Vilay’s research highlights how colonial history and orientalist framing have shaped how these patterns are perceived in Western contexts, often flattening them into static heritage rather than living knowledge.

Using patterns gathered through field research in Laos and developing new interpretations through industrial processes, she explores whether continuity is possible without extraction or simplification. This work was produced in collaboration with TextielLab and the Textile Museum in Tilburg.

Her second project, A Bindle (in Transition), shifts from production systems to personal and collective movement. A bindle is a simple cloth used to carry essential belongings while travelling. Vilay reinterprets this form as a container for care, memory, and what is left behind. Using graduation projects abandoned by peers as material, she documents stories of departure, uncertainty, and transition, binding objects and narratives together through a universal textile gesture.

Vilay’s work is not designed for immediate commercial application. Its relevance lies elsewhere: in challenging how value, authorship, and continuity are assigned in textile culture. For designers, researchers, and institutions navigating questions of decolonisation, migration, and responsibility, her work offers a different kind of innovation: one rooted in listening, translation, and care rather than optimisation.

WEBSITEIG: marie_vilay

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]]> Interview with Simon Angel, Curator of SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS https://www.munique.blog/en/interview-with-simon-angel-curator-of-sustainable-innovations-2/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:00:32 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83335 Interview with Simon Angel, Curator of SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

Each season, the Sustainable Innovations forum brings together projects that provoke, inspire, and challenge assumptions. This year is no exception, with work ranging from bio-luxury couture to energy-generating textiles and regenerative materials grown from wetlands.

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SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS 2026:

Interview with Simon Angel, Curator of SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

Guest article by Muchaneta ten Napel

15. January 2026

Simon Angel has been curating the Sustainable Innovations Area at KEYHOUSE since 2018. For the January 2026 edition, Sustainable Innovations once again brings together projects that question, provoke, and expand the future of textiles. Register now to attend Sustainable Innovations at KEYHOUSE.

When you curate SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS, what tells you a project is genuinely worth platforming, beyond novelty or technical achievement?

Simon Angel: For me, novelty by itself is never enough, I always search behind the curtains, looking for stories, paradoxes, pain, pleasure and purpose. Technical achievement is important, but it is only a starting point. What I look for is whether a project asks an honest question about how we live, make, and value. A project becomes worth platforming when it shows responsibility towards material, culture, and consequence. That responsibility can take many forms. In Marie Vilay’s work, it appears as care for knowledge, authorship, and continuity. In Materia Futura, it emerges as a refusal to accept that sustainability must look deprived or emotionally flat. In Threaded Protocols, it shows up as a quiet but powerful re-examination of how technology itself is constructed. What connects them is not perfection, but intention. They are not trying to impress the industry. They are trying to understand it, and sometimes to gently disturb it; reframing or disrupt the ‘pattern’ of the industry. That is where I feel Sustainable Innovations has its real value.

Many of the projects you select are not market-ready products. Why is it important, in your view, for an industry-focused fair to make space for unfinished or exploratory work?

Simon Angel: Because the future does not arrive fully packaged. If we only show what is ready for market, we only ever validate what already fits existing systems. Sustainable Innovations exists precisely to create space for what does not yet fit. Exploratory work allows us to see where thinking is moving before it becomes constrained by commercial frameworks. It is therefore an invitation to explore and to inspire. Projects like Materia Futura or Threaded Protocols are not trying to sell a product. They are offering a shift in perception. They allow the industry to engage with material, technology, and responsibility at a conceptual level before those ideas harden into supply chains and price points. An industry that only looks at finished solutions risks losing its ability to imagine better ones.

Looking at this year’s exhibitors, what do you feel they have in common?

Simon Angel: What they share is a deep awareness that textiles are not neutral. Whether it is Marie Vilay questioning how textile knowledge travels across cultures or Materia Futura reclaiming sensory desire in bio-based materials, each project understands textiles as carriers of history, power, emotion, and choice. They are not interested in materials as surfaces alone. They are interested in materials as systems of meaning. And importantly, none of them treats sustainability as a technical checklist. They treat it as a cultural responsibility. Textile with layers of different understandings, functions and conscious.

Many innovations struggle at the point of scale. What responsibility, if any, do curators and platforms have in addressing that gap?

Simon Angel: We cannot solve scale for innovators, but we can change how scale is understood. Too often, scale is presented as the only measure of success. But some projects are not meant to scale in the conventional sense. Their value lies in how they influence thinking, education, or future processes. As curators, our responsibility is to provide context. To connect exploratory work with industry actors who can interpret, adapt, or carry those ideas forward responsibly. To prevent innovation from being consumed only as trend material. Scale should be a conversation, a question mark maybe, but not a demand.

Across the projects this season, what assumptions about textiles or fashion do you think the industry most needs to unlearn?

Simon Angel: That sustainability must look modest, technical, or restrained. That innovation must be fast. That materials are separate from culture. That efficiency is always progress. The projects being presented should remind us that desire is not the enemy of sustainability. The industry must unlearn the idea that responsibility is a limitation. It is, in fact, a creative force.

If the wider industry took just one lesson from this year’s SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS, what would you want it to be?

Simon Angel: That innovation is not only about what we make, but about how we choose to make meaning. Sustainable Innovations is not a showroom of answers. It is an invitation to think differently. To slow down. To notice. To question. To reconnect material with intention. If the industry leaves with a renewed sense of responsibility towards both material and imagination, then the platform is doing its job.

About the author

Founding editor-in-chief of Shape Innovate, Muchaneta has worked in the fashion industry for over 14 years. She is currently one of the leading influencers speaking and writing about the merger of fashion with technology and wearable technology.

Muchaneta ten Napel | m@shapeinnovate.com

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]]> MUNICH FABRIC START – September 25 closing report https://www.munique.blog/en/munich-fabric-start-september-25-closing-report/ Thu, 04 Sep 2025 08:00:59 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83263 MUNICH FABRIC START – September 25 closing report

At its 56th edition, MUNICH FABRIC START reinforced its clear positioning. Over two days, the Munich textile trade show brought the fashion industry together with its four show-in-show formats.

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MUNICH FABRIC START as focal point for the industry

CLOSING REPORT
MUNICH FABRIC START | BLUEZONE | KEYHOUSE | THE SOURCE

4. September 2025

Solid trade show results: At its 56th edition, MUNICH FABRIC START reinforced its clear positioning. Over two days, the Munich textile trade show brought the fashion industry together with its four show-in-show formats. The concept of presenting the international denim trade show BLUEZONE and the innovation hub KEYHOUSE together with MUNICH FABRIC START and THE SOURCE under one roof at the MOC Munich was a success.

“We draw a positive conclusion: the closer integration of our trade show formats has achieved the desired effect – MUNICH FABRIC START, with its show-in-shows, promotes networking between different market segments and is becoming a hub for the textile industry. In these times, inspiring formats such as KEYHOUSE and SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS are more important than ever. In conjunction with our comprehensive portfolio of international manufacturers from all fashion segments, the mood was positive despite the current market environment. The trade show has sent out an important signal.“

Florian Klinder, Managing Director MUNICH FABRIC START Exhibitions GmbH

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, designers, buyers, key decision-makers and leading industry experts gathered in Munich. In a market environment that remains tense, MUNICH FABRIC START presented a broad portfolio of over 600 international exhibitors with around 1,200 collections from all areas of the textile industry. Coupled with a high degree of innovation and inspiration, the trade show’s role as an important industry meeting place for the textile industry was recognised by both, visitors and exhibitors.

“The current trade show is going well, better than in January in my opinion. The market situation is tense, which makes it even more important that the mood at the show is good. Everyone we expected was there, including Alberto, Armedangels, Drykorn and Oui, for example,“ says Simon Leppich, Managing Director of Nilörn Germany.

“The trade show has gone really well so far. Many of our existing customers were there and lots of new customers were also interested in our fake furs. It’s really working in our favour that fake fur is such a big topic at the moment. We are showcasing brand new furs that are 100% bio-based. They are going down well.“ says Aylin Aksu, Sales Agent at Ecopel.

Speaking on behalf of many visitors, Adrian Runhof, Artistic & Managing Director of Talbot Runhof, sums it up: “We find everything we’re looking for and lots of new things, too. As always, MUNICH FABRIC START is well organised. The Trend Area is very inspiring. We’re looking for new textures and fabrics that fit into our range. Bottom line: very nice! Everything is tip-top.“

KEYHOUSE & SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS: Cutting Edge Technology

Bridging the gap between groundbreaking concepts and scalable, market-ready solutions – that was the focus of the KEYHOUSE innovation hub and SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS area, newly located in the highly frequented Hall 2 at the MOC. In conjunction with an impressive supporting programme featuring almost 50 events and over 40 international experts, concentrated expertise met innovative approaches and forward-looking new technologies. Circular economy, digitalisation, compliance, materials research, sustainable innovations and new approaches to sourcing through long-term partnerships and strategic collaborations were presented and discussed here over two days. “Fashion isn’t broken – it was designed that way,” says Muchaneta ten Napel, policy advisor and founder of Shape Innovate. Her Roadmap 2035 is a wake-up call for anyone who has not yet addressed circularity and a transparent supply chain. “Fashion and technology have never been the best of friends. But we must not lose focus – we need disruption to drive real improvement. It has never been easier than it is today to use technology to address pain points,” says Güneri Tuğcu of CNCT by r-pac. Nikita Raman, Senior Denim Designer at Hugo Boss, emphasised the importance of genuine collaboration: “It’s a win-win situation when suppliers and brands work together and enter into long-term partnerships.” “Growing as a brand while reducing our dependence on virgin materials and our environmental footprint – that’s when we are successful. This is the strategy we are pursuing at Tommy Hilfiger,” summarises Thijs Maartens, Vice President of Sustainability at Tommy Hilfiger. Simon Angel, curator of SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS at MUNICH FABRIC START, is thrilled that a new phase has begun: “The motto for this season is: ’We will get the right answers if we ask the right questions.’ And these are exactly the questions being asked. For the first time, I feel that designers are reaching a new level – the aspiration to do things right – and are thus also finding their way into large companies.”

BLUEZONE: „Business as unusual“ – Denim in Transition

“Business as unusual – that is the new motto.” This is how BLUEZONE curator Panos Sofianos opened the panel discussion, where key players in the denim industry discussed the future of the sector. “Those who wait will be too late. Since I started working in the industry, there have never been easy times for denim. The solution is not to react, but to anticipate what is coming and act in good time,” says Dr. Dilek Erik, Global Marketing Manager at Sharabati Denim. “I travel around the world a lot. The denim market seems to be shrinking – but it continues to grow in the USA and Asia. Competition in Europe is different. Our response to this is to invest in innovation and sustainability. At the same time, we are trying to attract more lifestyle and luxury brands instead of chains. This is how we secure our existence, especially in Europe. BLUEZONE is an important platform for this – and panels like this one are crucial,” explains Levent Bozgeyik, International Marketing Manager, Iskur Denim.

There were numerous examples of these solutions at BLUEZONE – pioneering technologies, environmentally friendly dyeing methods and functional innovation from fibre to finish were the predominant themes of the approximately 40 international denim mills that presented their latest developments for denim and sportswear. For example, Tejidos Royo showcased the first fabric made from 100% pre-consumer recycled cotton, dyed with DRY Indigo, while ISKO presented its new circular concept, RECODE DENIM.

In times of global uncertainty, it is important to strengthen one’s roots and team spirit. To this end, BLUEZONE in Munich has launched a new format. From now on, ‘HOMEGROWN DENIM LEGENDS’ will focus on influential denim personalities and brands from the DACH region. The series kicked off with Erwin O. Licher, founder of three German denim labels, as well as historical insights from Levi’s founder Loeb Strauss and Ruedi Karrer’s vintage collection. Heritage and new technology – these two opposites were also highlighted by denim icon Adriano Goldschmied in conversation with Thomas Leary, co-founder and sales manager of Baytech Sustainable Technologies, together with Sofia Strazzanti, founder and CEO of Future Fashion Assembly.

The new location of BLUEZONE in the centre of the MOC in Hall 2 was received with mixed reactions. The opportunities for new synergies and closer integration with the fashion industry were recognised and have already been exploited in many cases. “Germany is our strongest market. We develop special innovations such as Comfort Stretch for this market. We also maintain very good partnerships with German brands. That’s why I can say that our business is not only stable – it is getting stronger from season to season,” says Ibrahim Ethem Buyukpepe, Acting General Manager at Calik Denim. At the same time, some missed the unique denim vibe of the Zenith Hall. “We felt more comfortable at the old location – I miss the denim soul a little here. But at the end of the day, customers find us here too. We present our main collection with a lot of heritage as well as new authentic styles, new basics and unusual designs. We always develop our own collection for the German market. With stretch, lighter fabrics and a soft feel, we hit the mark. That’s why we’re always fully booked at BLUEZONE,” says B. Hande Yildirim, Sales Chief at Bossa. “At BLUEZONE we saw some great authentic washes. In general, there are lots of new developments. Because of the late timing, the trade show is more of a meet & greet for us. It’s a good place to work and to follow up on topics. What we do miss, however, is the atmosphere of the old BLUEZONE,” summarises Sandi Lambertz, Head of Design Denim von Mac Moden.

Ubiquitous – the trends for Autumn.Winter 26/27

With its theme “RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW”, MUNICH FABRIC START Autumn.Winter 26/27 puts the spotlight on the present. The five major fashion trends for the coming season reflect the complexity of the zeitgeist. “Conversant” combines reinterpreted dress codes and heritage aesthetics with American sportswear. “At Ease” stands for comfort, clarity and minimalist elegance. “Night Call” brings subversive club culture with futuristic glamour. “Untamed” focuses on closeness to nature, robust materials and folkloric patterns, while “Elite” showcases luxurious styles between neo-dandyism and opulent material mixes. The trends at MUNICH FABRIC START provided important input for designers, buyers and product managers for their own research and purchasing decisions. “The trend forums are always very inspiring. There is a great variety in fabrics and fancies – from sequins to shine and structure. This versatility brings refreshing diversity. The many earthy, warm tones create real anticipation for autumn. At the DESIGN STUDIOS we discovered some fantastic patterns, with a striking number of animal prints,” says Theresa Link, Team Lead Graphic Design of Bonita. Simone Pilger, Product Manager of Raabe Fashion Group, focuses on checks and furs: “This is a huge theme – and we found a good selection for this here at the show. The trend forums once again confirmed that we are focusing on the right colour and material trends: brown, red, caramel – generally warm tones in new combinations. We are less inclined towards mint.”

Thomas Nick Müller, owner of the Max Müller agency, sees a trend towards special features:  “Customers are looking for more specialities. The days when everything was grey and beige are over. Instead, new winter colours are coming in designs, tone-on-tone checks, jacquards and plain fabrics, but always with texture. The surfaces must not be too flat; mouliné yarns are important. Our customers were there, but it must also be said that if there used to be 100 back in the days, now there are perhaps 30.” Drykorn would have liked to see more highlights: “We are a German company and are delighted to have a German trade show, which we always enjoy supporting. This is where we do our bread and butter business and we found everything we needed here. We would like to see more highlights in the collections. We have grown because we are bold, not because we are cautious. We need more cherries on top,” says Fred Götz, Creative Director Menswear and Interior Design at Drykorn. There was plenty of time for networking and informal conversations at get-togethers held to celebrate Herrlicher’s anniversary and the launch of the new HOMEGROWN DENIM LEGENDS format at BLUEZONE, as well as at The Fashion Grid’s happy hour and MUNICH FABRIC START’s MUNIQUE APÉRO, which attracted around 1,300 guests.

After two days, MUNICH FABRIC START closed with visitor numbers stable compared to last year. Visitors included designers, product managers, buyers and company bosses from numerous European and international brands such as adidas, A Kind of Guise, Alberto, Alpha Tauri, Anna van Toor, Another Brand, Armedangels, Atelier Gardeur, Balenciaga, Bestsecret, Betty Barclay, Black Palms, BMW, Bogner, Brax, bugatti, C&A, Calzedonia, Camel Active, Cinque, Closed, Comma, Digel, Drykorn, Dubarry of Ireland, Escada, Fynch-Hatton, Gerry Weber, Guido Maria Kretschmer, Hanro, Herrlicher, Hessnatur, Holy Fashion Group, HSE, Hugo Boss, IB Company, JOOP!, Lagerfeld, Lanius, Lodenfrey, Luisa Cerano, MAC, Marc Aurel, Marc Cain, Marc O’Polo, Mercedes Benz, Mey, More & More, NKD, Olymp, OUI, Peek & Cloppenburg, Porsche, Riani, Roeckl, s.Oliver, Schöffel, Seidensticker, Sportalm, Sportscheck, Strellson, Summum, Talbot Runhof, Tommy Hilfiger, Toni Dress, Westwing, Windsor and Zero. Visitors came from 54 countries, mainly from Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Czechia, Poland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Scandinavia, in addition to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The trade show dates were the subject of intense discussion among both visitors and exhibitors. The organisers are considering bringing forward MUNICH FABRIC START for Autumn.Winter 27/28 from September to mid/late July 2026. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks. What is certain is that the upcoming edition for Spring.Summer 27 will run for three days from 27 to 29 January 2026.

Discover more industry-changing innovations at our upcoming trade shows:

BLUEZONE

27/01 – 29/01/2026

www.bluezone.show

MUNICH FABRIC START

27/01 – 29/01/2026

www.munichfabricstart.com

VIEW

02/12 – 03/12/2025

www.viewmunich.com
]]> Materials as Agents of Change with Simon Angel https://www.munique.blog/en/materials-as-agents-of-change-with-simon-angel/ Mon, 01 Sep 2025 08:00:40 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83239 Materials as Agents of Change with Simon Angel

Each season, the Sustainable Innovations forum brings together projects that provoke, inspire, and challenge assumptions. This year is no exception, with work ranging from bio-luxury couture to energy-generating textiles and regenerative materials grown from wetlands.

Continue reading Materials as Agents of Change with Simon Angel at Munique - Unique Textiles Insights.

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SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS 2025: Materials as Agents of Change

Interview with Simon Angel – Guest article by Muchaneta ten Napel

1. September 2025

Curator of SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS at Munich Fabric Start, Simon Angel, has become a central voice in shaping how the fashion and textile industries engage with change. His role is less about gatekeeping and more about storytelling. He is someone who is continually driven to connect experimental design, science, and industry practice into a broader vision of what the future of textiles could be. Each season, the forum brings together projects that provoke, inspire, and challenge assumptions. This year is no exception, with work ranging from bio-luxury couture to energy-generating textiles and regenerative materials grown from wetlands.

Here, Angel reflects on his curatorial approach, what unites the innovators he spotlights, and the lessons the wider industry should take forward.

What guides your selection for the Sustainable Innovations forum at Munich Fabric Start?

Simon Angel: I tend to follow what I’d call the heartbeat of our shared future. I’m drawn to ideas that question how we live, how we make, and what we value. That’s why you’ll see projects like Wetlands Matters, which asks whether a jacket can actually help re-wild landscapes, or MYC_couture, which shows us that couture can be cultivated with fungi rather than constructed with synthetics. Innovation often blooms at intersections between fashion, materials science, agriculture, and energy. What matters is that each project shines light on a new way to connect design, ecology, and purpose.

Living matters

Biotexfuture – BioCushion

Wetlands Matters

What unites the projects featured this season?

Simon Angel: Two things: poetry and purpose. We need creators who can stir emotion like Plantfur, which transforms cattail waste into fur-like panels that are both tactile and ecological and at the same time we need rigorous problem-solvers who deliver scalable results, like the BIOTEXFUTURE initiative working on bio-based polyester and recyclable spacer fabrics. When those elements come together, the projects become more than exhibits; they become signals of what the industry could look like in ten or twenty years.

Do you sense any trends taking shape across the entries this season?

Simon Angel: What I see is a search for meaningful connection between people, and between materials and purpose. Suntex, for example, doesn’t just provide shade it turns fabric into renewable infrastructure, powering spaces we live in. Living Matter reframes luxury not as excess but as responsibility. These are projects asking: why do we value what we value, and what role can textiles play in helping us live differently? That drive for connection may be the next frontier of innovation.

Heliotex

MYC_Couture

Plantfur

What can the industry learn from the Sustainable Innovations forum?

Simon Angel: The forum isn’t about providing ready-made answers. It’s about opening a dialogue. Designers bring unique perspectives on human need and material potential, while industry brings the scale and reach to make change happen. When something like Wetlands Matters or Plantfur is staged next to an industrial research programme like BIOTEXFUTURE, it shows how speculative design and applied science can reinforce one another. That’s when we move from admiration to action.

Looking ahead, how do you see sustainability and textiles evolving together?

Simon Angel: The more immersed I become, the more it boils down to responsibility shared across the system. For me the projects at Sustainable Innovations remind us that awareness can be turned into collective action. It’s time for the industry to let that enthusiasm drive renewal, not just conversation.

About the author

Founding editor-in-chief of Shape Innovate, Muchaneta has worked in the fashion industry for over 14 years. She is currently one of the leading influencers speaking and writing about the merger of fashion with technology and wearable technology.

Muchaneta ten Napel | m@shapeinnovate.com

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]]> AUTUMN.WINTER 26/27 FABRIC HIGHLIGHTS & MATERIAL NOVELTIES – PART X https://www.munique.blog/en/autumn-winter-26-27-fabric-highlights-material-novelties-part-x/ Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:53 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83083 AUTUMN.WINTER 26/27 FABRIC HIGHLIGHTS & MATERIAL NOVELTIES – PART X

For the first time in Germany, S2G XR (Style 2 Garment eXtended Reality) will present a live demo of its 3D textile configurator at booth A4.20 Not a teaser.

Continue reading AUTUMN.WINTER 26/27 FABRIC HIGHLIGHTS & MATERIAL NOVELTIES – PART X at Munique - Unique Textiles Insights.

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FABRIC HIGHLIGHTS & MATERIAL NOVELTIES FOR AUTUMN.WINTER 26/27 – PART X

Mitwill Textiles Europe

31. August 2025

At the upcoming MUNICH FABRIC START, around 500 international suppliers will present their material innovations for all apparel segments in the FABRICS Area. The complete product portfolio of fashionable woven and knitted fabrics made of wool, cotton, silk, blends and functional fibres will be presented here. For the Autumn.Winter 26/27 season, we present some new products and highlights from international producers in our FABRICS blog posts:

S2G XR brings textile into a new dimension — live from Munich Fabric Start

At the heart of Munich Fabric Start, an unprecedented textile experience awaits you. For the first time in Germany, S2G XR (Style 2 Garment eXtended Reality) will present a live demo of its 3D textile configurator at booth A4.20  Not a teaser. Not a promotional video. A real, testable demo. And a very concrete preview of what is about to become the new standard for textile sourcing in Europe

The 3D configurator: a game-changing tool at your fingertips
At the Mitwill booth, you are in control: apply your prints live onto 3D garments, instantly view the final result in 360°, and configure a full product — no technical knowledge required.

In just a few clicks, you’ll experience a faster, smoother, more visual way to source textiles, built to meet the actual challenges of today’s market. And most importantly: you’re fully autonomous. No demo assistant. No tutorial. You test, you create, you decide. It’s your collection, your vision, your rhythm.

What this changes for the industry
This innovation is not just cosmetic. It addresses very real challenges: reducing lead times, eliminating slow communication loops, minimizing the environmental impact of prototyping and gaining in accuracy.

Digital textile sourcing, as envisioned by S2G XR, becomes a competitive advantage for brands and a true collaboration space for every link in the value chain.

In a market where speed, sustainability and transparency are becoming the norm, this platform offers a new way of working — without compromising on quality.

S2G XR: a platform born in Europe, built for textile professionals
Developed as part of the Eurostars program, S2G XR is the result of a unique alliance between three complementary players: Mitwill Textiles Europe for its textile expertise and product development support, SkalUP for its digital innovation and immersive 3D showroom and JAGGS for its brand vision and strategic marketing expertise.

This collaboration reflects a bold ambition: bringing next-gen tools to European textile manufacturers, while boosting visibility and autonomy for emerging brands.

Meet Mitwill in Munich and experience it for yourself
For two days, S2G XR invites all textile professionals to come and try the platform for themselves at booth A4 20.

Meet the team and discover the future of textile. Live. Unfiltered.

MITWILL TEXTILES
ALL EXHIBITORS AT A GLANCE

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]]> Living Matter: Bio-Luxury for Future Materials https://www.munique.blog/en/living-matter-bio-luxury-for-future-materials/ Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:44 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83190 Living Matter: Bio-Luxury for Future Materials

Indigo, a colour with a lot of history, is the main focus of this project. Denim has always meant strength and durability, and its roughness is linked to work and usefulness.

Continue reading Living Matter: Bio-Luxury for Future Materials at Munique - Unique Textiles Insights.

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Living Matter: Bio-Luxury for Future Materials

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS

31. August 2025

Luxury has always been a contradiction. It’s admired for its craft and allure, yet criticised for its excess. Living Matter takes this tension and turns it into a question: what if luxury wasn’t about being rare or exclusive, but about being responsible and creative?

Indigo, a colour with a lot of history, is the main focus of this project. Denim has always meant strength and durability, and its roughness is linked to work and usefulness. In this case, indigo is used to provoke. Biomaterials like Indigo Fur, Indigo BioLeather, and Indigo Veil change the roughness of denim into something soft, light, and impossibly elegant. These materials are made to feel high-end, but they are also made to change, age, and eventually return to the earth.

The process uses marine biopolymers, plant fibres, and even charcoal waste, which are mixed with cotton and natural indigo dyes. The results are more than just surfaces; they are shaped by techniques like folding, pleating, and fur-crafting. They feel alive, with both a scientific and a craft-like touch. Every piece tells a story about what happens when old and new come together.

“By rethinking luxury as a nature-driven, craftsmanship-based concept, the project pioneers sustainable luxury.”
Shushanik Droshakiryan

What stands out is how beautiful these materials are without any shame. Sustainable design is too often shown in muted colours, as if restraint is the only way to show responsibility. Living Matter has a different point of view. Indigo here is strong and bright, with textures that are rich, sensory, and very appealing. It doesn’t agree that taking care of the planet means giving up style.

Luxury sets the tone for the wider industry, shaping what people desire and why they engage with fashion at all. Living Matter challenges this influence, urging a shift away from extraction toward stewardship redefining bio-based materials not as compromise, but as the ultimate expression of desirability.

Presented at the September 2025 edition of Munich Fabric Start’s Sustainable Innovations forum, the project will make its case in the right place thanks to the kind collaboration with OFFICINA +39 as supplier of RECYCROMTM RTD OCEAN dye as well as EU COTTON who provided the raw cotton used in this project. Pushing boundaries and spotlighting visions of fashion’s future, it has the potential to reframe bio-based materials not as substitutes or compromises, but as the new height of aspiration.

H2 | SI

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]]> BLUEZONE NEWS FOR SEPTEMBER 2025 – PART VI https://www.munique.blog/en/bluezone-news-for-september-2025-part-vi/ Sun, 31 Aug 2025 08:00:16 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=82975 BLUEZONE NEWS FOR SEPTEMBER 2025 – PART VI

At DNM Denim, the journey continues. Inspired by nature’s cycles and guided by Flow Theory, the company moves from Challenge to Focus, and now to Freedom—the phase where potential becomes power.

Continue reading BLUEZONE NEWS FOR SEPTEMBER 2025 – PART VI at Munique - Unique Textiles Insights.

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BLUEZONE NEWS

HIGHLIGHTS & NOVELTIES FROM DENIM MILLS IN MUNICH

DNM DENIM

31. August 2025

At BLUEZONE, some 50 international Denim- and sportswear suppliers will present their most recent Denim novelties and innovations. Hall 2 will become the blue hotspot again. Parallel to MUNICH FABRIC START with THE SOURCE and KEYHOUSE, the Zenith area will become the hub of the international denim community with an all-round relevant event program.

FLOW | FREEDOM

At DNM Denim, the journey continues. Inspired by nature’s cycles and guided by Flow Theory, the company moves from Challenge to Focus, and now to Freedom—the phase where potential becomes power.

The AW 26-27 Collection brings denim to a new level of comfort and style. With rich colours, unique textures, and thoughtful constructions, it empowers you to express your style freely. Every piece reflects the season’s trends while keeping individuality at the heart of design.

Respect for nature remains at the core of the process. By using solar energy and cogeneration systems, DNM Denim reduces carbon emissions, while their Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies provide transparent monitoring of environmental impact. All water is recycled, minimizing waste and conserving resources.

With strengthened production capacity, the company continues to honour the planet while offering denim that celebrates freedom, comfort, and sustainability.

The story that started with Challenge, moved through Focus, and now culminates in Freedom is not an ending—it’s a new beginning. The Flow continues.

“At DNM Denim, the journey continues. Inspired by nature’s cycles and guided by Flow Theory, the company moves from Challenge to Focus, and now to Freedom—the phase where potential becomes power.”

Join DNM DENIM at their booth in H2 | B 07 and discover their latest innovations.

DNM DENIM
ALL EXHIBITORS AT A GLANCE

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]]> BIOTEXFUTURE: How to Make Textiles from Fossils https://www.munique.blog/en/biotexfuture-how-to-make-textiles-from-fossils/ Sat, 30 Aug 2025 10:00:56 +0000 https://www.munique.blog/?p=83152 BIOTEXFUTURE: How to Make Textiles from Fossils

The program is a group of businesses and universities working together to find scalable, bio-based alternatives.

Continue reading BIOTEXFUTURE: How to Make Textiles from Fossils at Munique - Unique Textiles Insights.

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BIOTEXFUTURE: How to Make Textiles from Fossils

30. August 2025

One of fashion’s biggest contradictions is that it relies on fossil fuels. Polyester, nylon, and acrylic make up most of the world’s fibres, which means that most clothes today start out as crude oil. adidas and RWTH Aachen University are leading the German project BIOTEXFUTURE, which wants to end that dependence.

The program is a group of businesses and universities working together to find scalable, bio-based alternatives. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Part of the SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS forum at Munich Fabric start, three main projects will be featured:

  • CircWool: a process that uses a solvent to restore wool fibres without lowering their quality.
  • BioPETex: a bio-based polyester that works just as well as regular PET.
  • BioCushion: a type of spacer fabric that can be recycled and used in shoes and clothes. It is both strong and circular.

These projects are not meant to be one-time tests; they are meant to be useful in the real world. Adding them to the forum ties speculative design ideas to a long history of applied science. It reminds us that we need both creativity and infrastructure to make the switch to sustainable textiles.

BioCushion

BioPEtex

BioPEtex

BioPEtex

CircWool

BIOTEXFUTURE is holding the right vision to transform the textile value chain.”
adidas Future Team

The message is clear for fashion and textiles: greenwashing can’t hide the fact that we depend on oil. We need to change the way things are built, and bio-based fibres are a big part of that. The good news is that the technology is available, partnerships are forming, and interest is growing.

Petrochemistry has defined textiles for the last 100 years. But projects like BIOTEXFUTURE show that a new era is coming, one where performance, style, and scale are no longer tied to oil but to renewable innovation.

CircWool

CircWool

CircWool

Visit BIOTEXFUTURE H2 | SI

BIOTEXFUTURE
ALL EXHIBITORS AT A GLANCE

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