In March 2023, our eco-sustainability team headed to Munich for the ''performance days exhibition fair'' ( a sustainable sourcing fair for ''functional'' fabrics & accessories) and our team's first journey in connecting with as many eco-friendly product manufacturers on a global scale under one roof.
The performance days exhibition fair was vast, with around 300 exhibitors and over 2,500 visitors in attendance over the two days.
Day One.
Our team arrived in Munich at 09:40 am on 15th March 2023 with barely any known words of the German language between them and headed onwards towards the convention with more of a misguided hope of arrival than anything else that day.
The Train Journey.
Once onboard the train, our team were optimistic that all was going well and soon they would be at the exhibition, talking and connecting with companies from across the globe. ''haha'' ''Little did they know that after missing their stop and a connection with the underground'' they were heading onwards towards a longer journey that day. ''after some time and figuring out that ''time'' + ''distance'' and ''arrival'' = ''train journey going on forever'' didn't add up, They decided to get off at the next stop and ask someone local for directions, ''they were miles away and needed to head back a way to connect with the underground, once on the underground, and a few stops later they were at the right place and just a short walk from the ''Fair'' itself.
Performance days exhibition fair
Before arriving at performance days, our eco team had researched the companies they wished to connect with first. So, around noon that day, after a sandwich and drink in reception, they started our journey visiting each stall in order according to our listings. For the first 3 hours, they walked, talked, listened, looked, touched, evaluated, gathered, informed, observed, and connected with possible, and had barely ''touched'' our ''list'' averaging around 6-8 stalls per hour. Then at 3 pm, they decided to take a short break from work to go to our hotel across the road from the Fair, book in, refresh, and 30 mins later, they were back and ready to go. Overall the day was ''a good day'' for connecting with many companies offering eco-friendly options and solutions for our products now and into the future. The day ''ended'' on a high with a mass gathering of exhibitors and visitors in the centre of the exhibition with free Sandwiches, drinks and refreshments for everyone.
Day Two
The day started at 9 Am, and at full throttle, our eco team continued hitting our list and connecting with everyone possible, making their way around the exhibition where they walked, talked and laughed our legs off, fascinated and sometimes overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the event itself, there is no way on this earth that it's possible to connect with everyone at this event and have enough time to understand, absorb, connect, relate, and comprehend everything that these companies are offering and how to utilise these practices and products into your companies eco-ethics, in their opinion this event needs to be at least two days longer than it currently is.
Summary
The ''performance days exhibition fair' ''in our opinion'' is worth a visit for companies ''if, like us'' are looking to be as ''sustainable and eco-friendly'' as possible with your products, garment choices and codes of practice. It brings together a ''myriad'' of global companies under one roof so you can connect with them directly for all your eco-garment needs. There is such a vast wealth of knowledge, people, products and information available that it's an educational journey itself and a venue we will be connecting with again.
Our team spent two days wandering around the exhibitor booths, attending presentations and connecting with industry experts and like-minded individuals.
One of the highlights of their trip was attending a keynote speech given by a leading expert on sustainable fashion. They spoke about the urgent need for the industry to move towards a circular economy, where products are designed and produced with the end-of-life in mind, and waste is no more. Our team were inspired by their words and motivated to do their part in driving change in the industry towards sustainability.
Our team left Munich feeling empowered and excited to incorporate the information and connections they had made into our work back home. They know they have a lot to do and now know that they are now progressing towards a more sustainable future.
Moving Forward
Now equipped with a wealth of knowledge, and connections from the Performance Days Fair, our eco-sustainability team are even more dedicated to incorporating eco-friendly materials and improving our sourcing practices to reduce our environmental impact further.
Above all, they recognise the importance of being mindful of our choices and are committed to shaping a greener future for our planet.
Thank you
We wish to say ''thank you'' to the organisers of the ''performance days exhibition fair' and all the companies that engage, exhibit and attend the event, as without you, our eco-journey would not be possible.
We understand that our 'environmental impact', not just within the
clothing 'industry' is 'contributing' to climate change, So we are trying to
do as much as possible to reduce our 'Co2 footprint' on our planet where
all our future products are made circular from 'cradle to grave'.
P.s. Do you have any eco-materials, fibres, yarns or products you'd like to share with us? Please leave a comment below. We would like to hear from you!
Corium Clothing Ltd.
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