“If we are faster, better and more reliable than the competition, then Germany is definitely justified as a location.”

 

“Only the finishing gives the fabric its special character.”

— Fabian Maibom, Management

 

As the oldest textile factory in Germany, Gebrüder MEHLER has been focusing on quality since 1644. The family business is now being run by the 11th generation.

From the fiber to the finished fabric and all with a great deal of passion and dedication.

The yarn for loden / cloth is produced in the spinning mill in Forst (Brandenburg) and the fabric is woven and finished in Tirschenreuth (Bavaria).

The clothing and interior fabrics made of pure wool are individual, customer-oriented and certified according to OEKO-TEX, GOTS and IVN.

Under the motto buy things that matter, the New Heritage Festival took place for the third time on 7th & 8th December 2019 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Around 5,000 visitors admired, tried and informed themselves about the high-quality and often handmade goods of 125 small and large exhibiting manufacturers.

Exhibitors included leather goods manufacturer Croots England, beeswax cloth producer Toff & Zürpel and shoe manufacturer Zeha Berlin. “We are proud that we are able to inspire so many different exhibitors for the New Heritage year after year”, said Moritz Fuchs, initiator of the fair. “The feedback we have received from our exhibitors is very positive throughout: they appreciate the interested and affluent audience, the exchange with colleagues and the great atmosphere in the location Areal Böhler”.

“The New Heritage is a great opportunity to take our products on the road and to show people who we are and what we do. We have met many new, enthusiastic visitors and it is great how interested they are in our products and the store, Clutch Cafe.”
Ben Chamberlain, Clutch Cafe

In addition to end consumers, visitors from the B2B sector were also encountered at New Heritage. Uwe Maier of AMTRAQ Distribution confirms this and explains: “For us as a trade agency, New Heritage offers the opportunity to get direct feedback from end consumers and to test the reactions to our products. But the fair also has a wholesale function, so we have been able to make some new contacts with dealers”.

The eight workshops and lectures were particularly well attended this year. Among the highlights were the lecture Restoring Furniture by Stephan Beek (Unicum Krefeld) and the TrashTalk by Victoria Blocksdorf, organizer of Blockblock Rhein Cleanups, who provided valuable information on the topic of plastic avoidance.

Friends of high-quality manufactured articles have something to look forward to: The New Heritage Festival returns to its hometown Munich on May 9th & 10th, 2020 and for the first time will not take place on the Praterinsel but in the Zenith and Kohlebunker.

“We have grown steadily in recent years – the new location meets our space requirements and offers the chance to open the festival to even more visitor groups. We are therefore planning to integrate lifestyle brands with Heritage DNA as well as sustainable labels that place great value on the fair and ecological manufacture of their products into New Heritage and to make the range of products on offer to visitors even larger”. Sebastian Klinder, also managing director of New Heritage.

On 5th & 6th December 2020, the New Heritage will then take place again at the Areal Böhler in Düsseldorf.

Sustainability and value are at the top of the agenda for the button manufacturers. Natural materials as well as new, recyclable materials are even more in focus. The number of certifications for ecological and sustainable products and production methods has also increased even further for the manufacturers of buttons and additionals.

Union Knopf, for example, displays vegetable-colored walnut buttons as well as buttons and trim made from 100% Social Plastic, a material made from recycled plastic waste.

“Not more but better” – true to this motto Creativ Knopf extends the collection of high-quality natural materials. For a fashion-conscious customer who is increasingly looking for longer-lasting garments. Grades of shades of brown, colors such as spice stalls oriental markets and soft shades of gray support the tendency to soft, natural and haptic pleasant materials. Classical music is reinterpreted. Traditional designs are unexpectedly implemented and modernized.

The menswear continues to be influenced by retro influences. So cultivated Easyness and modern comfort from the sportswear at Creativ Knopf dominate the trends. Both the classic and casual casual looks benefit from it. Thus, freedom is created to continue the drive of menswear. Black becomes a minimalist matter of course when combined with elegant gray shades. New shades of brown become a futuristic-feeling entity through their combination of accent colors.

Rosenfelder also pays great attention to sustainability in addition to an extensive range of buttons made of natural materials. Thanks to constant research and development in the field of high-quality plastic materials, it has been possible to replace the conventional polyester resins contained in the material with new, eco-friendly bio-based binders. Furthermore, a proportion of recyclable waste is added to these materials.

Photocredits: Knopf & Knopf, Union Knopf, Creativ Knopf, Rosenfelder

We are happy to announce that Dorlet, one of the leading European additional suppliers with a strong focus on metal and leather goods, will be complementing the BLUEZONE trims portfolio in September.

Founded in Paris in 1928, the family run business has a rich industrial heritage and a unique know-how passed down from generation to generation.
Initially specialising in the manufacturing and sale of hats and millinery supplies, Dorlet changed to selling lining materials for clothing in 1946, and then changed in a roundabout way 1958 to manufacturing fabric bags and waistbands, and finally in 1967 to sewing threads.

Since the 1980’s, Dorlet has been shifting their focus to devising, designing, developing, manufacturing, creating and selling metal products for ready-to-wear, fashion, sportswear, denim, workwear, shoes and leather goods. In addition, the product range is rounded off by nylon, wood and cotton accessories.

Brass, copper, alloy, iron and stainless steel provide the raw materials for Dorlet’s creations, with the option to tailor-make and personalized products: CAD design with customer logo, colouring and production of a 3D resin prototype are the beginning stages, followed by producing a mold as soon as the shape, material and functionality of the product have been approved.

Carried out in close cooperation with the customer, Dorlet’s design process provides a great freedom in low-cost operations and tests to respond to its customers’ stylistic ideas as well as to their technical and environmental constraints.

Metal trims are certified Oko-tex Standard 100 and complied with REACH regulation.

Dorlet operates out of three continents, Europa, Africa and Asia, close to major textile and leather good production sites, thus being able to provide logistical and technical support. Real-time management, automated stock maintenance (SAP) and 3D prototyping within 48 hours carried out in France are certainly further USPs to be mentioned.

During our next edition of BLUEZONE, Dorlet will be showcasing their latest collection and novelties in Munich. Looking forward to welcome this promissing new entry to the BLUEZONE!

A new SOURCING area will be presented as part of the MUNICH FABRIC START trade show from 3 – 5 September 2019. The SOURCING area will be hosted in the newly integrated section of the fair in Hall 8 directly opposite the MOC venue. Here, the formerly designated APPAREL SOURCING area will be relaunched as SOURCING. This pooling of a both condensed and yet extensive portfolio is a decisive step for the strategic focus of the trade fair at destination Munich.

With SOURCING, MUNICH FABRIC START offers a platform dedicated to international manufacturing and sourcing solutions to meet the demand of buyers in the fashion sectors who are looking for full package, private label and bespoke sourcing solutions. The first MANUFACTURING edition will host a selection about approximately 70 international apparel manufacturers that meet our strict requirements regarding quality, production capacity, professional references, as well as their CSR strategy.

The idea underpinning this new format is to create both an inviting and effective setting for realizing unique communication as well as a working environment in a zeitgeist-inspiring, high-end environment. ”
Sebastian Klinder, Managing Director MUNICH FABRIC START

SOURCING in Hall 8 offers professional networking in a unique setting. Staged in a former industrial site for railway maintenance, this site has recently undergone extensive restoration work while maintaining the original industrial Bauhaus architecture dating from 1926. This unique venue offers the perfect setting for brands, retailers and intermediaries to meet and exchange. These are ideal prerequisites for MUNICH FABRIC START. The aim of SOURCING is to create a business platform with an enhanced atmosphere for future oriented networking.

Previous apparel sourcing editions at MUNICH FABRIC START presented manufacturers from Portugal, Germany, Lithuania, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Tunisia, and Egypt. Effectively demonstrating the focus of the exhibition, namely to present apparel manufactures neighbouring the European market, ensuring swift delivery times, flexible volumes and free market access.

The following product categories will be presented in the upcoming SOURCING edition: Accessories, Corporate, Couture, Lingerie, Leisurewear, Outdoor, Sportswear, Tailored, and Ready to Wear for Womenswear, Menswear and Kidswear.