Munich Fabric Start Consolidates Four Trade Shows Under One Roof

The Autumn/Winter 26/27 season will run under the guiding concept “Right Here Right Now”. According to organisers, the theme responds to a period in which familiar certainties are being questioned and trust in established structures is under pressure. It calls on the industry to address the present moment directly, to engage with the current zeitgeist, and to reflect the search for orientation, credibility, and identity in the face of uncertainty. The concept also underlines the role of fashion and textiles in translating societal shifts into design and material choices.

International collaboration will be a strong element of the programme. The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) will launch its Textile & Apparel Roadshow at the show, beginning with a presentation titled “Sourcing in Africa”. Ten companies from Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Morocco, and Senegal will take part, accompanied by three institutions: AMITH, AMDIE from Morocco, and the Chamber of Apparel and Home Textile from Egypt. The programme will provide direct opportunities for dialogue between African producers and sourcing decision-makers from Europe and beyond.

The Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI), a Dutch government initiative, will bring three companies from its “Egypt Textiles in Transition” project. Also taking part will be the Manifattura Italia initiative, which aims to link fashion brands with Italian apparel manufacturers. The initiative promotes “top-tier craftsmanship Made in Italy” and local production along the value chain, giving visiting brands access to a curated network of Italian suppliers covering multiple garment categories.

In addition, sustainability and innovation will be addressed through dedicated joint projects. The Sigmaringen Fashion School, in cooperation with Mountek, Gunold, and Reiner Knochel, will run an interactive upcycling project where visitors can design and make their own patches using fabric scraps and vintage denim, finished on-site with high-tech embroidery machines. The activity will be located in a dedicated space where visitors can follow the full creative process from design to production.

A pilot project in the Resource Area will mark the first collaboration between Munich Fabric Start and The Fabric Connector. The aim is to provide visitors with advice and information to support more sustainable sourcing choices, using an impact measurement tool to assess different sourcing options. The project includes an impact measurement tool designed to assess environmental and social factors, allowing sourcing professionals to compare potential suppliers in a structured way.

Joint initiatives will also explore sustainability solutions and resource efficiency, complementing the new product developments that will be presented elsewhere in the show. Biotexfuture will present three research projects: BioCushion, which focuses on recyclable spacer fabrics; bioPEtex, which develops bio-based polyethylene for the apparel industry; and CircWool, which is testing solvent-based recycling technology for wool waste. Industry partners involved in these projects include adidas AG, Falke KGaA, Ortovox Sportartikel GmbH, and zwissTEX Germany.

Bluezone will also present a heritage-focused denim collaboration celebrating influential designers and brands from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

The Resource Area will also reflect partnerships launched earlier in the programme, including initiatives from The Fabric Connector.

Multiple companies will showcase new material developments across various categories. Händel + Diller will present Smartcel, an antibacterial, breathable material with UV protection, and Seacell, a biodegradable fibre containing seaweed known for exceptional softness and skin-friendly properties. Carvema Têxtil’s Bloomati collection will reinterpret essential comfort through smart textures and refined classics including jersey, fleece, rib, and piqué. Elissa Stampa will feature bold floral prints and vibrant colour worlds, whilst 6Dias will present fabrics made from innovative, sustainable fibres derived from orange, mint, and pineapple, demonstrating alternative material sourcing.

In the Additionals section, Studio 9’s “Quarter” collection will combine tactile appeal, technology, and design in trims, introducing digital product passports featuring NFC and QR code technology. This innovation offers greater transparency along the supply chain.

Bluezone will operate under the “Nexus” theme, emphasising connection, exchange, and inspiration.

Future Fashion Assembly will collaborate with Baytech Sustainable Technologies on an innovation project that will present four to six market-ready innovators through curated product showcases, live workshops, buyer roundtables, and targeted networking sessions. Tejidos Royo will show its first fabric made from 100% pre-consumer recycled cotton, dyed using DRY Indigo. Calik Denim will present versatile concepts ranging from hyper-stretch to workwear heritage. Isko will introduce Recode Denim – an advanced circular technology that transforms old textiles into premium fabrics.

Keyhouse will feature developments under the “Techknowledge” theme, with Biostone BD OM launching a biodegradable, compostable yet highly abrasion-resistant alternative for denim and other textiles. Brightfiber Textiles will transform post-consumer textile waste in Amsterdam into new yarns, fabrics, and products using minimal water and chemicals. Felde Fibres will develop high-quality bast fibres from hemp, flax, and European nettle for soft, even yarns. NIL Textile will enable 100% recyclable textiles through molecular recycling, allowing new production with no loss in quality.

Research-driven innovations on display will include ongoing Biotexfuture initiatives first introduced in the collaborative projects area.

Technology companies will include Emtec Electronic with its Tactile Sensation Analyzer, Coloro with digital colour tools, Kornit Digital offering on-demand printing solutions, Livinguard Technologies with surface-charge technology for odour control, hygiene, and sustainable dyeing, and WKS providing repair, finishing, and quality services. Simon Angel will curate the Sustainable Innovations forum, presenting MYC_couture by Atelier Dasha Tsapenko, Wetlands Matters by Marc Wijkmans, Suntex by Pauline van Dongen integrating organic photovoltaics into textiles, and Plantfur by Iris Veentjer transforming cattail seeds into fur-like surfaces.

New exhibitors will join across all sections: Fabrics welcoming Cotton Flower, Desta Garment PLC, Invest for Jobs, KAD Manufacturing Ltd, L'Atelier Green, MAA Garment and Textiles, PITEX, Sokolata, Sweet Girl Apparel, Uni-Jay Limited, and Winneby Weavers x Noh Nee Productions, with Additionals adding CHIC Textile & Metal Foreign Trade Co. Ltd, Erol Etiket, FEC*Serilabel di Facchinetti, Hanrui Textile, and Landmark Fabrics, whilst Bluezone gains Sas Texexport, Arvind, and Can Kumascilik. The Source expands its line-up with SZZX Fashion Zhejiang Springair, Reliance Tex & Tech Ltd, Xtend Your Brand, Zhejiang Sigma Garment, Fabrisa by SK Exports, Goutex, Hangzhou Best Shunhe, Dyon, OTS, Kara Moda Tekstil, Nurteks, Tunisian Textiles – A Green Transition, and A Circular Collection by FTTH, further strengthening international participation and diversification.