Functional Fabric Fair sees strong growth, sustainability focus
Functional Fabric Fair, powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS, concluded another successful fall edition in Portland, Oregon, November 12–13 at the Oregon Convention Center, following the sold-out Day 0 Sustainability Workshop on November 11 that welcomed 200 industry professionals for a full day conference. The fair saw significant growth, with attendance increasing by 4 percent and an expanded show floor up 10 percent in number of exhibitors compared with the previous fall edition, reflecting the industry’s strong momentum and continued commitment to sustainable, high-performance textiles.
Functional Fabric Fair Fall 2025 in Portland saw 4 per cent higher attendance and 10 per cent more exhibitors, spotlighting sustainable, high-performance textiles.
Over 350 suppliers, new showcases like T2T recycling, Cotton Forum, Innovation Hub and Trend Forum stood out.
Awards recognised leading innovators, accompanied by strong education and networking programs.
The three-day event brought together apparel executives, product developers, designers and sourcing professionals from leading performance and athletic brands including Adidas, Alo, Arc’teryx, Columbia Sportswear Company, Fabletics, New Balance, Nike, Nordstrom, Patagonia, REI, Rhone, Vuori and many more.
“Functional Fabric Fair continues to deliver meaningful value to the performance and outdoor textile community,” said Steve McCullough, Event Vice President of Functional Fabric Fair. “We keep curating exhibitors to ensure attendees walk away inspired, connected, and equipped to apply new ideas that drive innovation and sustainability across apparel and activewear categories.”
Show Floor Highlights
The fall edition featured more than 350 sustainably certified suppliers, including 35 first-time exhibitors making their Portland debut. Attendees explored next-generation fabrics, finishes, trims and accessories for the Fall/Winter 2026–2027 seasons, experiencing firsthand the advancements defining the future of performance apparel, outdoor and activewear textiles.
The exhibit hall featured several new and returning showcases aligned with the show’s sustainability theme. The 2025 edition spotlighted Textile-to-Textile (T2T) Recycling – The Role of Recyclers, emphasizing how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations are accelerating circularity. T2T recycling is emerging as a key solution to preserve material quality and create new garments from existing textiles.
Show floor activation highlights included the new Cotton Forum, powered by Cotton Incorporated, which showcased breakthroughs in cotton’s performance such as moisture management, UV protection and abrasion resistance. The Future Fabrics Expo Innovation Hub, curated in partnership with Future Fabrics Expo, featured 35 regenerative and circular materials redefining the textile landscape. The Innovation Zone presented 12 cutting-edge textile advancements approaching market readiness, while the Trend Forum served as a central feature displaying 12 essential fabric categories with sustainability at the forefront. Rounding out the highlights, the Wool Forum demonstrated wool’s natural breathability, durability and versatility in performance applications.
“Functional Fabric Fair continues to stand out as one of our flagship trade events,” said Chris Smith, Director of Sales USA of Duraflex. “Traffic was strong, the contacts were high quality, and the attendees arrived with a clear focus on finding real solutions and engaging deeply with suppliers. There was a renewed energy throughout the show, and we were proud to support that momentum as sponsors of the official After Hours Party.”
“This is the industry event, where you find the biggest innovators. That is why we show up every year, to make key quality contacts, network and the great vibe! People are choosing Functional Fabric Fair every year, so the foot traffic was very heavy,” says Elyse Batista, Naia from Eastman.
Forum Award Winners – Fall 2025
The new Functional Fabric Fair and Performance Forum Award Winners for Fall 2025 were selected by Functional Fabric Fair under the guidance of Alexa Dehmel, a performance sportswear design expert and functional materials advisor who curates the show’s Trend Forum, Wool Forum and Innovation Zones. The awards celebrated outstanding achievements in textile innovation, sustainability and performance across six key categories.
Performance Award – Toray Int. Europe GmbH
Eco Award – Xefco
Bodywear Award – Fujian Unitex Technology Co., Ltd.
Innovation Award – Rheon Labs Ltd.
Wool Award – Flytec Co., Ltd.
Cotton Award – A-Girl’s
Education and Networking
The fair’s educational program featured the Expert Talks series, sponsored by CovationBio Sorona, and the Day 0 Sustainability Workshop, sponsored by Hyosung, uniting industry leaders to discuss actionable sustainability strategies in performance textiles. Networking opportunities included the Thermore Coffee Bar, Kingwhale Italian Bar, and COOLMAX Smoothie Bar, as well as an after-hours reception hosted by Duraflex with Brookwood.
“Day 0 brings industry experts from brands, suppliers, mills, manufacturers, chemical suppliers – all in one room together discussing the latest topics which are super relevant for our industry,” notes attendee Cassia Lewis Cameron, Senior Material Developer at Patagonia.
Looking Ahead
Following the success of the Portland fall edition, Functional Fabric Fair 2026 lineup:
Winter | Orlando at the PGA Show – January 21–22, 2026
Spring | Portland – April 7–9, 2026 (Day 0: April 7)
Summer | New York City – July 7–9, 2026 (Day 0: July 7)
Fall | Portland – October 26–28, 2026 (Day 0: Oct. 26)
Registration is now open for the debut winter edition of Functional Fabric Fair at the PGA Show in Orlando, taking place at the Orange County Convention Center. Open exclusively to verified industry professionals, the fair is free to attend and will be held within the PGA Show on the same dates.
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
