PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY: A. SAMPAIO'S PLAN AT ISPO DIGITAL
A. Sampaio is finalizing preparations for its presence at ISPO Munich, the main European fair for clothing and sports equipment, which this year will take place from February 1st to 5th in an entirely digital format. “To this fair, we always bring fabrics that, in addition to performance and aesthetics, are also sustainable”, explains Miguel Mendes, commercial manager at A. Sampaio & Filhos.
A regular at the Munich fair, A. Sampaio has sportswear as one of its main areas of activity, so the company sees ISPO as an important showcase for European brands in this sector. “We are always talking about sport in the broadest sense, which includes outdoor or more casual practice. It’s an area that we are continuously developing. We do not make collections, we are always creating new samples”, says Miguel Mendes.
After last year having four of its fabrics selected for the ISPO Textrends forum, three of them for the Accelarated Eco segment, the company continues to bet on sustainability as a way to dazzle new and old customers. “We realized that the sports market is very sensitive to the environmental issue. One of the issues appreciated by the Textrends jury was biodegradability. And now we have articles of recycled origin, and that at the end of their life cycle are biodegradable. All of this is valued. ”
The borders between fashion and sportswear are blurred with the affirmation of trends such as athleisure or loungewear, posing new challenges to the industry. “At this moment, it is necessary to present versatile knits, which can be used in both casual fashion and sport. And it is necessary to comply with parameters such as breathability, moisture transfer or antibacterial protection, with reinforced comfort, which is also a function in itself. Even more so in sport, where it can influence the athletes' performance”, explains the head of the company.
Held every year, ISPO Munich is the leading European fair for sportswear and sports equipment. The event usually brings together thousands of professionals in the sector in face-to-face meeting, but this year it will be organized exclusively through digital platforms. Despite believing that “physical presence and interaction has added value that is irreplaceable”, Miguel Mendes believes that A. Sampaio can benefit from participating in ISPO, mainly because it is an already common name in the Textrends forum, whose presence is selected by an international jury of the sector’s professionals.
The participation of Portuguese companies in ISPO Digital is an initiative of Selectiva Moda and ATP - Textile and Clothing Association of Portugal, which aims to promote the internationalization of Portuguese companies in the fashion area. The “From Portugal” project is co-financed by Portugal 2020, within the scope of Compete 2020 - Operational Program for Competitiveness and Internationalization.
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