(Media high-resolution photos are available at www.fffportland19.com/presskit)

PORTLAND, Ore. (Oct. 25, 2019) – The inaugural Functional Fabric Fair Portland powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS®  hosted more than 1,100 apparel industry professionals from 12 countries to source the latest outdoor and active textile trends for winter 2021/22 from more than 140 hand-selected suppliers in the sold-out exhibit hall of the Oregon Convention Center, Oct. 22-23, 2019. 

The event also offered complimentary educational workshops, a new university partnership program, an industry networking happy hour, sponsored by drirelease, and two special displays featuring iconic performance garments of the past and performance textile innovations of the future.

Functional Fabric Fair Portland powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS® is produced in partnership by Reed Exhibitions and Design & Development GmbH Textile Consult (Germany), and in collaboration with Concept III Textiles. 

“Portland is the preeminent city for the outdoor sports and active wear industry in the United States,” said Marco Weichert, General Manager of Design & Development GmbH Textile Consult. “There has been a need for a show of this caliber at the right place and right time.  With the addition of the Portland Fair, Functional Fabric Fairs powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS® have become the main sourcing events for functional fabrics in the U.S.”

“We are very pleased with the supplier feedback and the widespread positive response by attendees to the focus on performance textile innovations at the launch of Functional Fabric Fair Portland powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS®,” adds Steve McCullough, US Functional Fabric Fairs Event Manager. “Since our initial 2018 U.S. Fair, the level of collaboration among influential apparel suppliers, manufacturers and designers at our events has exceeded our expectations.  Through our partnership with PERFORMANCE DAYS® and collaboration with industry influencers such as Concept III, Hohenstein Institute and many others, we are dedicated to consistently raising the event standard to build important business relationships that move the apparel textile industry forward.”

Attending industry professionals represented market leaders, up-and-coming designers, apparel manufacturing veterans and mass merchandisers such as adidas, Athleta, Brooks Running,  Canada Goose, Columbia, Cotton Inc., FILA, Filson, GAP Inc., Good American, Harley-Davidson, L.L. Bean, Lululemon, Macy’s, Microsoft, New Balance, Nike, Perry Ellis, Procter & Gamble, Reebok, Smartwool, The North Face, Under Armour, Woolrich and more.

More than 140 textile manufacturers, suppliers and service providers presented their latest developments in outdoor and active functional fabrics, membranes plus treatments, laminates, paddings, finishes, and accessories.  Top participating companies included:  3M, Brrr, Burlington, Concept III, drirelease, Invista/Cordura Brands, Lenzing Fibers, Outlast, Polartec, Polygiene, Singtex, The Lycra Company, Thermore, X-Rite/Pantone, YKK and many more.

drirelease General Manager Ashwin Jaju said “The show was well organized and everything was orderly. Even though this was the first time that Functional Fabric Fair was here in Portland, it didn’t feel like the first time. We go to about ten to fifteen shows a year and I can’t recall a time when everything was set up perfectly for us exhibitors except at here in Functional Fabric Fair.”

Winter 2021/22 textile and accessory innovations and trends were introduced at the PERFORMANCE FORUM, a platform unique to PERFORMANCE DAYS® / Functional Fabric Fair.  More than 330 fabrics in eleven categories, as selected by an jury of industry experts, were featured on six backlit presentation walls for easy one-stop sourcing of the newest fabrics and accessories.

With a nod to the past, a highly curated selection of iconic sports performance apparel pieces, spanning nearly a century, were presented in the Fair’s Archive Exhibit.  Produced in partnership with Concept III, the exhibit was a popular stop among attendees who were able to see in person historic garments distinguished by ingenuity in performance apparel innovation for that era. 

Interspersed throughout sourcing appointments each day, attendees took advantage of a comprehensive “Expert Talks” series of complimentary educational programming.  Industry experts and faculty presenters from Utah State University, Portland Fashion Institute and the University of Oregon covered a wide range of industry subjects including color trends, performance technology, fabric sourcing and sustainability initiatives.

The Fair also welcomed regional university students and faculty members through a new university partnership program, designed to connect future designers of the industry with innovative textile organizations and designers.  Professors presented several education workshops, each university had a kiosk in the exhibit hall and select students interacted with designers, materials suppliers, and sports/outdoor industry leaders. 

“Our experience has been super positive,” said Chase Anderson of the Utah State University School of Applied Sciences, Technology and Education.  “We loved being here at the show and being connected to designers and materials innovators. That’s the part of the show that I love the best, it’s so focused on innovation and those people who are focused on innovation. From the material development to the designers using those materials, that’s where it’s a good fit for our programs because were so focused on training the next generation of product designers and developers.”

Sustainability continued to be a priority message weaved throughout educational programming and underscored by event organizers with an emphasis on green meeting practices, minimizing industry waste and boosting efficiencies.  All exhibits were constructed of recycled and reusable materials and each supplier was carefully vetted to meet social and environmental certifications, such as Bluesign, to ensure responsibly manufactured products.  In addition, event organizers announced a Portland Fair partnership with Trees for the Future, which will result in 10 trees being planted for every verified attendee.  The Oregon Convention Center, a LEED Platinum Certified facility, is recognized as the most sustainable meeting center in America.

Functional Fabric Fair events, the only sourcing events in the United States dedicated to functional textiles, are produced by Reed Exhibitions in partnership with PERFORMANCE DAYS® – the prominent international functional fabrics fair, staged twice yearly in Munich and produced by Design & Development GmbH Textile Consult (Germany).

2020 Event Dates:

Functional Fabric Fair New York powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS® – July 20-21, 2020, Javits Center (NYC)
Functional Fabric Fair Portland powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS® – Nov. 18-19, 2020, Oregon Convention Center
PERFORMANCE DAYS® – April 22-23, 2020, Munich Fairgrounds
PERFORMANCE DAYS® – October 28-29, 2020, Munich Fairgrounds

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Media Contacts:

Sherry Major
Reed Exhibitions / Functional Fabric Fair
[email protected]
(716) 662-3855

Chadaé Bowler
Reed Exhibitions / Functional Fabric Fair
[email protected]
(203) 840-5845