Figures for 52nd INNATEX remain constant
Green Fashion community increasingly ‘thinking out of the box’
Frankfurt am Main, 1 August 2023 Networking and agility are in greater demand than ever – that was the conclusion at the close of the 52nd INNATEX which took place from 29 to 31 July 2023. 244 Green Fashion labels presented their collections to 1500 visitors at the international trade fair for sustainable textiles. Audience figures thus matched the level at the previous summer edition of the fair in 2022.
“We’re pleased that our figures are remaining constant,” says Jens Frey, Managing Director of trade fair organiser MUVEO GmbH. “Undeniably, sustainable brands and the retail trade are currently living through a long period of challenges. But from our point of view, the Green Fashion sector is responding with extraordinary willpower and perseverance. Why? Out of a sense of conviction and because sustainability is the future.”
Dr Eva Stüber: “Only together can we shape the future.”
Future-related topics were also the subject of panel talks and personal discussions at various points. A key aspect was the urgent need for cooperation agreements and networks to open up new sales channels and fields of activity. Experts at the fair also recommended an honest review of business strategies that may have outlived their usefulness. As Dr Eva Stüber of Cologne’s Institute for Retail Studies (IFH Köln) points out, “The pandemic, the war of aggression, inflation, digitalisation – there are many factors prompting a change in lifestyles and demands. What is required now is creativity. Brands and retailers can exploit new potential by, for example, checking their ranges for market relevance, being sharper in their targeting, making shopping a social event, joining up with people from entirely different areas and not immediately rejecting apparently mad ideas.”
Stories, themes, context – and, of course, high quality design
Dr Stüber was one of the guest speakers on Monday at the well-attended panel discussion, ‘The future starts here: town centres as spaces for successful, sustainable concepts,’ held in collaboration with Handelsverband Hessen (Hessen Retail Association). The four Lounge Talks on Size Inclusion, Sports Fashion, Positioning, and Hemp-based Textiles, along with two guided tours, also aroused the interest of the audience. There is an increasing focus on content and stories, including old woven art from Kathmandu with a modern twist such as that by Komodo, design with a traditional regional reference such as that by Helena Harfst, and consumer participation as seen in the Doghammer brand, which collects corks that it recycles into material for its walking shoes.
“Recycling and upcycling, circularity, durability and repairs remain top themes,” affirms Nina Lorenzen. Together with co-founder Vreni Jäckle she represents the training and networking platform Fashion Changers, which for the first time moderated two of the Lounge Talks at INNATEX. “With functional fashion in particular, the demand for homogeneous materials, for example, is turning out to be tricky but doable. This was evident in our talk on Active Wear – with reference to the pioneering spirit of brands such as Bleed, Oh Oh Om and Seasick Swim,” says Lorenzen.
Collaboration and exchange create new possibilities
With 244 brands, INNATEX again delivered unrivalled variety, with many new exhibitors and fresh looks. For the first time these also included our own X52 FAMILY SHIRT, which came about as a result of a collaboration with Greenbomb. The proceeds of all sales are going to the charitable partner organisation Europe Cares. The X52 FAMILY SHIRT will shortly go on sale to consumers at greenbomb.de and innatex.de.
In summary, says Nina Lorenzen, “After our talks, experienced labels got into discussions with newcomer brands. That’s what it’s about: conversations on equal terms. It’s great that INNATEX is making that possible.”
From August 20th to 21st, 2023, the INNATEX Showroom will take place in Bern.
The 53rd INNATEX fair will be held from January 20th to January 22nd, 2024.
Print-resolution images: https://innatex.muveo.de/presse/
When using our photo material, please mark the copyright as follows:
‘Photo: INNATEX / Anna Völske’.
