High-performance wool fabrics showcased
Woolmark and its partners successfully raised awareness of the performance benefits of wool to the textile trade at the recent Performance Days trade show in Munich, Germany. The show is an important destination for the trade to source high performance functional fabrics for its sportswear, workwear, sportive fashion, and athleisure collections.
Held during two days in March, Performance Days featured suppliers showcasing their latest innovations in high-performance functional fabrics. The trade show attracts designers, sourcing and material managers, and product development executives from global brands and retailers looking to source new fabrics.
This year’s event had an increased number of attendees and once again proved that it is the place to be for manufacturers and decision makers in the sports and functional fabrics industries. Woolmark has exhibited at the trade show for more than 10 years. The company is a global partner of the show and has a good relationship with its organisers.
Woolmark’s Germany-based Product & Education Extension Manager Stefan Franke says it’s important for the Australian wool industry that its fibre is highlighted to brands in the textile trade at the time when they are considering fibre and fabric choices for their upcoming collections and product ranges.
“Performance Days in Munich is a key trade show attended by important players in the sports apparel industry so it’s vital that wool is well represented,” Stefan said.
“The trade show provided a great opportunity for Woolmark to engage with and help inspire the supply chain to include Australian wool in their upcoming collections. Our presence at the show enabled in-depth discussions and connections with the supply chain and proved to be a valuable way for Woolmark to increase awareness of the natural and performance benefits of Merino wool.
“Merino wool is the ideal performance fibre due to attributes such as softness next to the skin, breathability, thermoregulation, elasticity and odour resistance. Furthermore, in contrast to synthetic fibres, wool is a natural, renewable and biodegradable fibre.”
Woolmark’s promotion of wool
The Woolmark booth at the show was very busy with many visitors seeking information about wool for potential use in their collections.
The Woolmark booth at the Performance Days trade show.
A popular feature of the booth was Woolmark’s The Wool Lab sourcing guide to the world’s best commercially available wool fabrics and yarns. On display were two editions of the sourcing guide devoted to sports and outdoor apparel, together containing a total of more than 250 fabric swatches – see the image at the top and www.woolmark.com/thewoollab.
Another highlight of the Woolmark booth was a display of selected performance and workwear developments and samples including the Merino wool-rich uniforms of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team.
The focus topic at this year’s Performances Days trade show in Munich was ‘Certifications: Which Ones Matter’, which is a topic that provided Woolmark with the opportunity to highlight its Woolmark Certification Program.
Wool industry collaboration at the show
The Woolmark booth was located at the trade show in a special Wool Area, which was an initiative instigated by Woolmark to bring together its partners in one area of the trade show and thereby provide more visibility for wool. The Wool Area was expanded at the March show to contain a newly created Wool Forum dedicated to showcasing and sourcing wool fabrics.
The Wool Forum at the Performance Days trade show.
A highlight new yarn development unveiled for the first time at the show was a new wool-alginate blend yarn launched by Woolmark licensee Südwolle Group. Alginate fibre is a natural fibre derived from seaweed. The yarn has particularly high moisture absorption and was developed in collaboration with Woolmark and Portugal-based textile manufacturer IMPETUS.
“The organisers of the trade show reported that the feedback from exhibitors in the Wool Area has been consistently positive, with other companies also expressing their interest in being part of the Wool Area in the future,” Stefan said.
“Visitor feedback has also been excellent. The Wool Forum was one of the highlights for many, and Performance Day’s decision to expand the wool theme has been very well received. It highlights the ongoing innovation and relevance of wool in the textile industry.”
This article appeared in the Winter 2025 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine that was published in June 2025. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
