Interview

MUNICH FABRIC START

30/08 – 01/09/2022

THE SOURCE

30/08 – 01/09/2022

"BENEFIT CAMPUS 22" Collection

SAAT & EVLOX FOR BLUEZONE CAMPUS 2022

H 6 | B 0 5 & H 7 Charity Store

31. August 2022

With a special thanks to BLUEZONE, SAATMUNICH has collaborated with Evlox and the Influencers @robindenim and @koenkuik with a “BENEFIT CAMPUS 22”- Collection, so you can wear your support for Ukraine in the streets and help fund relief on the ground.

The Collection will be represented at the fair that will take place on August 30^th-31^st.

The collaboration leverages the respective strengths of both the companies to demonstrate the iconic theme of BLUEZONE “CAMPUS 22”. Modern fabric technology from Evlox aligned with the unique concept creations of SAATMUNICH unveils the modern version of CAMPUS RETRO CLASSIC’s.

SAATMUNICH, an experienced full-service design studio from Munich, specialized in creating individual concepts in fashion and corporate wear since 2015 lines up with Evlox, the oldest denim mill in the world that have been manufacturing denim fabrics since 1846, compelling value for both the companies in signalizing the innovation from fabrics to the designs and their continuous investment in new developments.

The BLUEZONE CAMPUS uniforms are designed as a limited edition, with a purpose to support the charity project „FAIR FOR UKRAINE“. The BLUEZONE staff will proudly wear the uniforms and represent the project on the two-day show. Furthermore, there will be installations and competitions that will highlight the outfits.

SAATMUNICH Designs

SAATMUNICH is an experienced full-service design studio from Munich, specialized in creating individual concepts in fashion and corporate wear since 2015. Led by the creative masterminds and power-couple Thorsten Bulander and Sajna Weber, the studio’s aspiration is to utilize resources carefully and show an appreciative attitude towards the customer and individual. Working with some respectable companies – including leading International hotels & fairs – SAATMUNICH shows to be a trustworthy partner, who is carefully tuning in to their clients, building and shaping perfectly fitting concepts.
After successfully partnering with BLUEZONE since 2016 developing the BLUEZONE outfits with different themes and collaborations biannual, the studio has been redesignated to develop the uniforms for the upcoming show with the new collaborator EVLOX.

The theme being the programmer, the designer duo has drawn their inspiration from the golden decade of hip-hop culture and the sports legends such as Dennis Rodman and Michel ‘Air’ Jordan creating the uniforms which they call the ‘Modern Retro CAMPUS Uniforms’ Reinterpreting the past – ‘WU WEAR at its best!’ Says the denim head Thorsten Bulander.

Amidst today’s technologically-driven design culture, there has been a return to the comfort of familiar imagery and typography. New Retro shows how designs from the past can be updated to suit the needs of today, and this is exactly what SAATMUNICH did for BLUEZONE. The BLUEZONE uniforms feature an airy silhouette combined with the best typography presented by high definition embroidery and application. The oversized unisex uniforms are custom designed for the BLUEZONE staff, where great functional attributes derived from fabrics, and a style fitting perfectly to the ‘CAMPUS’ theme of the upcoming show.

Sajna Weber and Thorsten Bulander, the creative minds behind SAAT:

“We chose the fabric “Evlox – Lewis Smoothic” to design these uniforms. The Smoothic Technology by Evlox is a patented manufacturing process that results in a range of smart denim fabrics with a unique velvety feel and ultra-softness offering comfort that is transformed into maximum well-being. These fabrics earn high elasticity and low shrinkage without losing the original and authentic premium denim look. And what’s more, Evlox, continuing with their goal towards a more sustainable production have minimized the use of water and energy on these fabrics.”

EVLOX

The star ensemble is enforced by EVLOX who is taking care of the fabrics for the Campus uniforms. EVLOX is based in Spain and started as a yarn, weaving and stamping factory in 1846. In its more than 175 years of existence, the company specialized in manufacturing denim, reinventing classics and creating new solutions for the world’s most important fashion brands. Today, totally making over 15 million meters of denim, the people behind EVLOX are still sharing the same passion for denim, striving to the highest quality standards in the fabric manufacturing. Their undiminished passion and investments resulted in multiple patented products and processes, and close relationships with the giants from the fashion industry as well as ‘smaller’ – more niche – brands.

For the Campus Uniform, the design studio SAATMUNICH selected two denim fabrics which were made following the patented Smoothic manufacturing process. The Smoothic Technology, a combination of innovation resulting in a range of smart denim fabrics – with a unique velvety feel and ultra-softness offering comfort that is transformed into maximum well-being. These fabrics earn high elasticity and low shrinkage without losing the original and authentic premium denim look. With sustainability at the core of every step, EVLOX managed to minimize the use of water and energy during the production of these fabrics.

The CAMPUS RETRO CLASSIC’s are executed in both an Ecru and a Denim version and are a harmonious balance of the innovative fabric technology from EVLOX aligned with the unique concept creations of SAATMUNICH.

Help with us – Charity Project „FAIR FOR UKRAINE“

H7 Charity Shop – Bluezone Stage or SAATMUNICH (H6 B05)

With these “BENEFIT CAMPUS 22” Collection you support those affected – and show solidarity.
50% OF ALL PROCEEDS will be donated to the Charity Project – FAIR FOR UKRAINE

SAATMUNICH (booth H6 B05) and Evlox (booth H6 C06)

will be presenting this collaboration in co-operation with the Denim Influencer’s @robindenim and @koenkuik. You are all invited to toast with us at the Bluezone party.

Discover further industry-disrupting innovations at our upcoming shows:

BLUEZONE

30/08 – 31/08/2022

MUNICH FABRIC START

30/08 – 01/09/2022

THE SOURCE

30/08 – 01/09/2022

The twenties are taking shape

“The Twenties are taking shape”

Trend analyst Carl Tillessen on the start of a new macro trend and the new awareness of the clientele

30. August 2022

Trend analyst Carl Tillessen not only observes; he anticipates. As a member of the management and chief analyst of the Deutsches Modeinstitut, he knows the textile and fashion to the smallest detail. Here he reveals the upheavals and trend changes that are in store for us.

How can you foresee which trends will develop?
What role does culture play, do current events play?

As part of an association of the most important trend institutions in the world, DMI always sets the key directions for a season two and a half years in advance. To think that far ahead, it is not enough to sell people something as a trend that is already visible in Milan, Paris and New York. You have to recognise trends before they become visible. Let me explain it this way: A bad trend analyst and a good trend analyst go to a bar. They see that the guests are nibbling salty biscuits. The bad trend analyst says: ‘People are eating savoury biscuits. We need savoury biscuits.’ The good trend analyst says, ‘People will get thirsty soon. We need drinks.’

Are people consuming more again right now? If so, why? Does compensation (e.g. for the time lost during the pandemic years) play a role?

Yes and no: No, little is being consumed at the moment. Yes, compensation plays a big role. Before the pandemic, people had increasingly spent money on experiences and less on things. Then the pandemic came and many experiences were not possible or not allowed. So people spent more money on things again. Accordingly, retail sales in the last two years have been much higher than before Corona. Now people are trying to make up in one summer for everything that was cancelled in the last two summers – trips, weddings, festivals, concerts … That costs a lot of money. And this money is missing from the shopping budget.

Carl Tillessen

In view of the very contradictory developments – sustainability and minimalism on the one hand, hedonism and expression through consumption on the other – what forecast would you make for the next few years?

The pandemic has polarised our society in this respect as well. While the majority of people simply wanted their old lives back and to continue exactly where they left off, it became apparent after only a few weeks that the powerful cultural elite took the sitting-at-home-and-cleaning-out-the-closet as an opportunity to rethink their overconsumption and to make a resolution to live more frugally after the pandemic. This idea of consumerism is now in the world, and it is only a matter of time before it becomes mainstream.

What are the challenges and opportunities ahead for the industry?

So far, fashion companies have been able to answer the demand for more sustainability with a more sustainable quality of their products. They replaced cotton with organic cotton, for example, and customers simply bought the same thing in green. But now customers are additionally questioning the quantities. It is less and less about what they want to buy and more about how much they want to buy. Adapting to this new situation is currently the big challenge and opportunity for the industry.

Do your trend analyses differ for the different price segments?

Yes, also. But due to people’s hybrid consumption, this is becoming less and less important. Luxury fashion is increasingly being bought by people who can’t actually afford it, and cheap fashion is also being bought by people who don’t actually need it. In this respect, buying decisions are determined much less by how much someone earns than by what style world they want to live in.

What long-term changes do you see in the next few years?

We are actually just at the end of a macro trend and the beginning of a new one. It’s about more than just a fashion variant. It’s about a new style, a new music direction, a new attitude to life. The twenties are taking shape. But more on that elsewhere.

Get informed & inspired at the MUNICH FABRIC START at DMI:

TREND LECTURE: Should we slow down or speed up?
Wednesday, 31 August 2022 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm
in room K1 in front of Hall 1, MOC

TREND BRIEFING:
Ask our analysts in a personal conversation specifically about impulses, colours and materials that are relevant for your products,
your target group and your brand essence.

Tuesday, 30 August from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm
Wednesday, 31 August from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm

Discover further industry-disrupting innovations at our upcoming shows:

BLUEZONE

30/08 – 31/08/2022

MUNICH FABRIC START

30/08 – 01/09/2022

THE SOURCE

30/08 – 01/09/2022

Back with furore

BACK WITH A FURORE
The organisers of MUNICH FABRIC START on the joy of coming together again,
the challenges of the present and for the future.

29. August 2022

1. The industry is finally coming together again after two years.
From 30 August to 1 September 2022, the MUNICH FABRIC START will be
held without restrictions – What are you particularly looking forward to?

Sebastian Klinder: The answer is quite clear: to finally gather the entire industry in one place again – and with a big impact. With almost 900 exhibitors and 1,500 collections on a total exhibition area of around 45,000 square metres, MUNICH FABRIC START now comprises eight areas: Fabrics and Additionals with international material innovations for all apparel segments, Resource and Sustainable Innovations for innovative developments, Design Studios with fabric designs and novelties for prints on an enlarged area, the KEYHOUSE innovation hub, the BLUEZONE and the new sourcing area THE SOURCE for international, vertical integration.

Frank Junker: To expand as a trade fair in such challenging times is anything but a matter of course. However, we dared to do so and are happy to say: it was important and right. That is why we are all the more pleased to launch THE SOURCE this year. The One Stop Solution for holistic fashion sourcing is being launched for the first time – and was already fully booked far in advance. 65 selected international manufacturing companies will present their offerings from cut-make-trim (CMT) to high-end production there. A cluster of the most important sourcing countries such as Portugal, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Bosnia and Vietnam creates a business-relevant mix for risk diversification, the right product mix and for every genre.

Sebastian Klinder, Managing Director MUNICH FABRIC START; left

Frank Junker, Creative Director MUNICH FABRIC START; right

2. The motto of the upcoming edition is FURORE. What can exhibitors and visitors imagine by this?

Frank Junker: The origin of the word FURORE lies in the Italian language: ‘Far furore’, which means to arouse enthusiasm. We get excited about new worlds, like the metaverse, a new sense of community or innovative biomaterials. But FURORE also stands for a bit of frenzy and anger about all the things that are going on in the world right now. Outside as well as inside our common industry, which we don’t want to close ourselves off to, but want to and will face up to.

Sebastian Klinder: For this season, we expect over 20,000 trade visitors at MUNICH FABRIC START, including designers, product managers and buyers from the textile, fashion, denim, sports and outdoor industries. They all come to Munich to find out about colour and material trends, innovations and current market developments. The trend worlds for Autumn.Winter 23/24 reflect this in a controversy – from almost invisible to maximally striking.

3. Time for an outlook: How will MUNICH FABRIC START
develop and position itself in the future?

Frank Junker: MUNICH FABRIC START is a family business. We are firmly convinced that a trade show can only be successful if everyone pulls together, because only then a trade show does acquire an identity, a soul. That is exactly what our visitors appreciate about us – and that is what we want to maintain. At
the same time, it is time to think bigger, as we have already done this season.

Sebastian Klinder: At MUNICH FABRIC START from 30 August to 1 September 2022, we can already show that we have the courage to exploit our potential
and go beyond borders – and we will continue to do so: with growth, a broader portfolio and the internationalisation of our visitors. We are currently stronger than ever – and we want to build on this.

Discover further industry-disrupting innovations at our upcoming shows:

BLUEZONE

30/08 – 31/08/2022

MUNICH FABRIC START

30/08 – 01/09/2022

THE SOURCE

30/08 – 01/09/2022

Vifrex Studio - Experts in Fabrics Design and Production from Barcelona

Vifrex Studio - Experts in Fabrics Design and Production
from Barcelona
An interview with Luigi Maria Cialdini, VIFREX STUDIO

23. August 2022

This season we are profiling some of the exhibitors showcasing at MUNICH FABRIC START 2022. We are excited to present you VIFREX STUDIO.

With years of professional experience in the textile sector and the main Spanish retail group, Joan Vilalta founded VIFREX STUDIO in 2017. Located in Barcelona and Istanbul, the company covered all the needs from design, commercial area, planning and quality control, expanding to the vertical production of garments.

Known for the design, production and sale of fabrics, we decided to take a moment with Luigi Maria Cialdini of VIFREX STUDIO to discuss the company’s drive, challenges and newest developments.

You are specialists in textile design; what services does VIFREX Studio offer?

We are a team of fabrics designers and textile engineering. We provide our customers with a personal fabric designer that can help and assist in all the developments, proposing trends and mood boards for their needs.

What would you say your strengths are?

Quick development process starting from trends, colours, and base qualities proposals.

When it comes to sustainability, can you elaborate on your green strategies so far?

All our items meet the highest sustainable standards. We possess all the certifications like OCS, GRS, BCI, and CARE FOR WATER. More than 90% of our last year’s productions were sustainable.

You have a garment production base in Turkey; what do you do differently?

We assist our customers in the entire development process. We can produce for any size Brand, from the big retail chains to the slow fashion brands.

SLCP audited your fabric, and you are JOIN LIFE certified; how important do you think certification is in the Textile industry?

More than 90% of our last year’s productions were sustainable, and Join Life. We believe that the textile industry needs to be committed to the highest social value to improve the earth’s condition.

How important is it to be unique yet still have a recognizable factor in your work?

Being unique and quirky is the key to this business s success. We continually experiment with new colours, bases, and constructions to look attractive. The creative part is where we invest most of our time and effort. We are surrounded by a team of experienced designers always aiming for the newest and best product construction/combinations. Our motto is: YOU ARE THE REASON WE CREATE FABRICS.

Did you face challenges during the pandemic? And how did you deal with them?

We had a lot of time to think and reshape our business model. We concluded that being unique and attractive is the key.

Luigi Maria Cialdini – VIFREX STUDIO

Is it hard to stay innovative?

Not at all; innovation and creation have always been our goals since we started in 2016. Without breaking boundaries, our day-to-day job will be useless.

How do you walk the line between being unique and having commercial appeal?

This could be the tricky part of our business model, but our team of engineers is constantly building new bases and constructions to be commercial and attractive.

What’s next for VIFREX Studio? What direction do you see your company taking in the coming years?

We are about to launch Vifrex Atelier. Our garment studio design centre. We will assist our customers in the development process. Form Fabric to garments.

Come along and meet the VIFREX Studio team at Hall S1 Stand E106.

MUNICH FABRIC START will be taking place from 30st August 2022 until the 1st September 2022.

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Polopiqué - Innovating Textile Production

How Polopiqué has managed to distinguish itself through its innovation
An interview with Rosario Rodrigues

18. August 2022

With more than 80 years of experience in the textile industry, Polopiqué is considered to be a leader in the textile industry. The company has managed to distinguish itself by mastering all phases of the textile production process, from spinning, weaving and finalization, to garment and commercialization of high quality products.

MUNICH FABRIC START had the opportunity to have a one on one interview with Rosario Rodrigues on how the Polopiqué has managed to distinguish itself through its innovation.

Polopiqué is an exhibitor at MUNICH FABRIC START 2022 in the new Hall 8 – THE SOURCE.
Already booked out for weeks, THE SOURCE is the new European One Stop Solution for holistic fashion sourcing. 65 selected international manufacturing companies will present their offers from Cut-Make-Trim (CMT) to High End Production. A cluster of the most important sourcing countries such as Portugal, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Bosnia and Vietnam creates a business-relevant mix for risk diversification, independent of genre and price level. MUNICH FABRIC START has developed the new Hall 8 with around 2,500 square meters of additional space for this purpose. The recently restored Lokhalle, a listed building directly adjacent to the former MUNICH FABRIC START site, is the perfect location. With its gigantic dimensions and spectacular architecture, it is one of Europe’s largest cantilevered historic steel halls.
The result is a unique new venue for flexible sourcing services and rethought value chains.

How does Polopiqué distinguish itself in the textile industry?

Polopiqué is one of the few complete vertical textile industries worldwide, controlling production from spinning, weaving/knitting and finishing to making high-quality garments. At Polopiqué, we don’t just deliver the garment; we also provide the ideas, the solutions and the designs. We include creativity and design in everything we do.

Why has Polopiqué chosen Portugal for its production?

Polopiqué is a Portuguese family company with decades of tradition in the textile industry. In addition, Polopiqué was created and established in the most relevant geographical area in terms of textiles in Portugal. Therefore, we privilege this know-how and proximity, and we should consider the many benefits of local production in terms of sustainability, agility and quality guarantee.

How does Polopiqué optimize processes to improve the quality of manufactured products?

“Investing in Research and Development activities to constantly adopt new and innovative raw materials and production processes. It is also imperative to stay up to date regarding more agile and ecological modern technology and machinery.”

Polopiqué is a member of the Better Cotton initiative; what does that mean?

Better Cotton is the world’s leading sustainability initiative, presenting the mission to help cotton communities survive and thrive while protecting and restoring the environment. The better cotton initiative makes global cotton production better for producers, the environment, and the cotton sector’s future. It is about interacting with the whole supply chain to transform how cotton is sourced, ensure the improvement of the working conditions and a higher standard of living for farming communities, and spreading knowledge, support and resources for more sustainable practices in cotton production and other crops.

What are your thoughts on certification used in the textile industry?

We believe it is vital to convey trust and transparency to customers and consumers in their purchase acts to make informed choices. It is also relevant to involve them so that they feel an essential part in choosing brands with better practices throughout the chain of the production cycle.

Did you face challenges during the pandemic? And how did you deal with them?

Yes, of course, and at that stage, we invested in the production of personal protective equipment and products related to medicine and health, proving our ability to adapt to new situations and the flexibility of our team and production processes when developing new types of products.

What’s next for Polopique? What direction do you see your company taking in the coming years?

Continuing to surprise the market with innovations through constant R&D practices, taking advantage of new raw materials and production processes. Also reinforcing the weight and presence in new markets and business areas, namely in home textiles.

How important is it to be unique yet still have a recognizable factor in your work?

Very important. Polopiqué is flexible and proud to find solutions to most of our customer’s requests. Furthermore, by controlling all stages of the production process, we can guarantee higher quality standards and better agility.

More about Polopiqué

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Here is an overview of all SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS of the last seasons >>

Interview about Pre-Creation, -Action and -Connection in our industry

"Pre-Action"
An interview with Simon Angel, curator of the Sustainable Innovations Forum

11. February 2022

Our contact regarding the developments that are groundbreaking for our industry? Simon Angel – Curator of the SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS, which are presented every season at MUNICH FABRIC START. SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS offers a platform for exciting young designers who create extraordinary material developments and rethink the textile world – with these insights you are always one step ahead of the market.

Hey Simon, it’s good to see you. How are you?

Actually, I am really busy with the investigation of social impacts – next to the primal impact of this pandemic, we also have the secondary impact on society as a whole and the challenges to our personal selves to deal with. Right now, the personal impact of global challenges is reaching its peak. And yes, whenever the pressure becomes too much, people (and the society) have to dissociate from it in order to ‘save’ themselves or to cope with the challenges. For now, this is resulting in the creation of new realities, ignorance or even denial. We have to ask ourselves what is going on right now. And what is even real, and what’s not? What is the real real? And behind the actual challenges of Covid-19 and climate change, there might be an even bigger challenge: reliability.

This new reality we have to face – how do you suggest we find solutions?

As I just mentioned, there are two keywords that I can really relate to: reality and reliability. I am noticing that we have to unravel these words to the point that tickles our consciousness. Our moral compasses. What are we really fighting for? What are our real problems? To be clear, problems like climate change, consumer behaviour, the oversupply of clothing, Covid-19 and fake news are all big issues. For sure, it’s good and important to clean up this mess, but the solution is not only to clean it up. We have to get to the core, which is: Why did we lose connection to what is real in the first place? We have to find inspiration in that instead of just pointing out the negative aspects.

“We have to get to the core, which is: Why did we lose connection to what is real in the first place? We have to find inspiration in that instead of just pointing out the negative aspects.”

And how do you think we can do that?

I think we have to change the prefix from ‘pre’ to ‘re’… Rethink becomes pre-think. Re-cycle becomes pre-cycle.

Give this thought some time… It’s about pre-acting instead of reacting: we have to do something new to support the next generations and enable them to follow on from us. Reacting will never be inspiring. Responding to toxic things can never be fresh, inspiring, exciting or new. We cannot achieve a better future by relying on the toxic relationships that have already existed – with economics, fashion and other people.

The prefix ‘re’ in reaction or reconnection points out to what has already been there. But: What has already been there was tainted and can no longer help us. So we don’t want to react and reconnect, we want to pre-act, pre-connect, pre-do, pre-dict and pre-create. We need something pure, something fresh in order to make a change. Let’s make new pre-lationships in order to pre-connect with our future generations.

In terms of this year’s sustainable innovations, where can we find parallels to that pre-action?

We aim to focus on the real challenges, the real choices. What do we actually want?

The common goal is to be a real person in a good society with a pure relationship to nature. Our projects show how that can be done, how we can pre-act to make a change.

Motorskins offer a solution to becoming lean and active with the pre-creation of movements and support.

Studio Panorama Fabrics pre-use the substance of light with their project Sunkolor, which incorporates the substance of natural elements – this is how we can be inspired and influenced by nature.

Another example of nature’s support for better fashion is Irene Purasachit’s project Flower Matter and the order of pre-action with nature as a collaborative partner.

With projects and innovations like these, we can respond to the real questions and real solutions and face the challenges that lie ahead in the coming years. We will present these and other SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS to you in detail here on our M/UNIQUE blog in the coming weeks.

>> All about this season's SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS in our E-Magazine

A Sneak Peak in our E-Magazine:

2020: Major Challenges, New Opportunities

2020: Major challenges, new opportunities

Interview with the organizers of FABRIC DAYS: Sebastian Klinder and Frank Junker about flexibility, new perspectives, alternative planning and the necessary transformations in our industry

Sebastian Klinder

2020 presents our industry and the entire economy with new challenges – what exactly awaits FABRIC DAYS visitors and what are you most looking forward to?

Sebastian Klinder (Sk): With FABRIC DAYS we are organising a concentrated business trade fair from 1 – 3 September 2020 with around 300 German and European exhibitors. In about 700 collections the novelties for Autumn.Winter 21/22 will be presented across 5 categories. Something we are especially proud of: Thanks to long standing partnerships with leading German textile agencies, many of the collections by European manufacturers will be shown exclusively and only in Munich this season. Above all, there is the chance for visitors to exchange ideas with suppliers and partners, to gather inspiration and to experience fabrics and additionals in real life.

Frank Junker (Fj): We are simply very much looking forward to welcoming the textile industry again after half a year of not seeing each other in person. Our enthusiasm is also reflected in our main theme for the Autumn.Winter 21/22 season: HOPETIMISM stands for a new era in the textile and fashion industry, showing new ways and perspectives. A spirit with which we can simultaneously design future oriented products and processes that are geared to market needs in a time that is very challenging for the industry. In addition to the selected high-quality exhibitor portfolio, FABRIC DAYS will feature a Trend Forum under the seasonal title HOPETIMISM.

How does it feel to organize the textile industry’s first physical trade fair after lockdown?

Fj: In general, we are very happy that, despite considerable hurdles, detours and many challenges, we have succeeded in organising the first textile fair after the lockdown. The last months have been exciting and dynamic. Fortunately, we have been able to rely on our experience as well as a certain flexibility within our network and team to create a suitable event format in the current situation.

Sk: With the measures we have taken, we are now well positioned to offer the industry the usual professional and inspiring working atmosphere in Munich. The fact that we have the support of the textile industry for this event lets us enjoy a special level of trust.

Frank Junker

Flexibility and adaptability are particularly in demand this year. How do you keep your focus when everything is turned upside down at short notice?

Sk: As an established industry partner, it is part of our philosophy to organise a trade fair for the textile industry even under the new, very dynamic conditions. Our aim is not only to implement necessary hygiene measures on a long term basis, but also to plan with different scenarios and to position ourselves flexibly. In such extraordinary times, it is important for us to provide solutions and to believe that there is always a way forward. And even to discard plan B and flexibly implement plan C within a very short time, if the situation requires it. However, all of this can only be realised together – with all exhibitors, visitors and participants of FABRIC DAYS.

Fj: That’s right, adaptability and creative solutions are currently demanded of each and every one of us. We are all working on ways to continue our daily lives WITH Covid-19, not after Covid-19. In the end, this applies to the entire industry. We must stick together in this time. Establishing trusted partnerships, synergies and concentrating on the essentials are what matters most right now.

What lessons can the industry learn from this crisis and where does Munich Fabric Start itself see opportunities?

Sk: In these times, it becomes very clear to us what the industry expects and needs from us. Future trade fairs will be good indicators for possible changes and opportunities – the keywords are: ordering behaviour, digitalisation and circular economy. These are topics that can completely restructure the textile industry along the entire supply chain right through to the consumer. The most important learning we can do is to continue to respond flexibly to the changing market needs and to offer the industry a platform for information and inspiration.

Fj: We see opportunity in the fact that generally, the industry is now moving closer together again. What counts here is cohesion and the right industry partnerships to simultaneously define new solutions as well as new processes. That’s why it is particularly important right now to maintain a transparent and open dialogue with partners and customers. Trust, reliability and communication are now indispensable.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to our long standing partners: our loyal visitors, exhibitors and service providers! THANK YOU for your great commitment, your flexibility, your resolve to find new solutions, mutual trust, for their new visions and unique know-how. Your support motivates us to courageously and consistently continue on this path together.