Ispo Munich opens with record numbers, wool & plant fabrics launch

Tradeshow Ispo and its Munich edition launched a 2015 edition this week. Ispo organizers have announced 2,585 exhibitors have attended the event, including 86% from abroad, up from some 2,500 exhibitors in January 2014. Major winter sports brands are participating in the three-day schedule including Icebreaker, Columbia, The North Face, Odlo, Oakley, Helly Hansen, Salomon, Rossignol. Meanwhile, some 350 Chinese firms are in attendance. The tradeshow, run by Mess München, has recorded a severe jump in the number of exhibitors in recent years. The outdoor segment has seen a hefty lift, up 40 firms on last year. Lyle & Scott, Kean Kantine and Camelblack are three news brands, taking the total outdoor number to 100 in total.Ispo’s regular departments remain in tact too with Sportstyle, Action Sports, Ski, Performance, Ispovision and Health & Fitness making a comeback – the latter only in its second year. New platforms will be opened within these general departments. ‘Wool Street’, located in the Sportstyle area, will house the Woolmark Company’s latest MerinoPerform WP collection. Lightweight wool wadding for jackets will also be on show, with wool-filled apparel products becoming increasingly important in the sports and outdoor markets – an area traditionally dominated by synthetics, feather and down products. “Research and development have always been an integral part of The Woolmark Company's operations,” said Rob Langtry, The Woolmark Company Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer. “MerinoPerform WP represents a significant development in the sports and outdoor sector, creating a fabric ideal for outer-wear apparel. The fabric super-contracts during the dyeing and finishing process which creates a highly compact fabric with enhanced water and wind resistance.” Ispo Cold Water Surfing is another sub-sector, focusing on high-tech surfing equipment. It features surfwear brands Billabong, Finisterre, Fomento Donostia, GlassyPro, Holysports, Rareform, Rip Curl, Seawag, Surflogic, Ocean, O'Neill und Xcel.  Patagonia will also showcase its anticipated eco-wetsuits within this arena, which avoid the use of environmentally toxic neoprene fabrics. Patagonia linked up with fabricator, Yulex, to derive a suitable fabric made from a Mexican plant. Linked to this idea of fabric innovation and new ideas is Ispo’s Textrends segment for performance textiles. The showcase offers manufacturers, designers and product managers an integrated textile platform, browsing through insulating materials, components and accessories for sports and outdoor apparel. Finally, the Sourcing segment is another a major part of Ispo in 2015. Sourcing presents a global array of raw materials, textiles, leather goods, as well as complete equipment and accessory lines for each sport. More than 700 manufacturers and suppliers are spread over 20,000 sqm. of exhibit space. Sportswear designers can access information on new products and place orders directly with the suitable business partners located in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia and the European Union. Ispo aims to provide practical tools for sportswear firms, brands and designers throughout the entire year. The Ispo Open Innovation platform, which was launched last year, allows attendees and experts in their field to share sports and technology ideas to help with product development. The North Face and Sportcheck have already signed themselves up to lend their expertise. "Ispo is more than a simple trade show. It's become more and more an event that lasts throughout the year," said Klaus Dittrich, CEO of Messe München.  Running for over 40 years now, Ispo Munich expects to attract some 81,000 visitors from 109 countries worldwide this week.  It collates under one roof an entire range of sporting goods, athletic footwear and fashions, as well as the latest trends from these segments.