Our trend-spotting team, LTP Fabric Sourcing Manager Laura Didžiokiené and London-based independent design consultant Anne Prahl, had a busy few days at ISPO Munich 2019. Here they share their top trends from the event.

ENGINEERED QUILTING

In a sea of quilted jackets, mid layers and pants, what really stood out was the innovation around quilting patterns, both aesthetically and technically. Various brands now offer alternative technologies to stitching, in order to create better performing products, while creating unique and brand specific design lines. In addition, the trend for alternative fillings and padding, such as recycled and biodegradable synthetics and wool as alternatives to down, continued.

Mountain Hardwear’s range of products stood out due to its use of colour and variety in quilting patterns, while Blackyak’s hybrid outer layer, the Sindhi vest, relies on down chambers that are formed by utilising a thermal process to create unique design lines. This style comes with a hidden water-resistant and windproof jacket, to provide extra protection from bad weather.

Peak Performance’s Argon technical liner jacket is made from recycled fabric with Thermore Eco Down synthetic filling and replaces stitch lines with woven vertical and horizontal channels, leading to fewer cold spots and providing more wind-resistance. Mammut’s Photics HS Thermo hooded jacket was presented as the world’s first laser fused down jacket, for which the company developed a technology to eliminate stitching or adhesives, while isolating the down fill into insulated compartments. This means that feathers can’t leak out and that the jacket is completely waterproof, resulting in a new generation of down products.

URBAN LIFESTYLE

Quilted jackets and pants were also prominent in the ever-popular ‘Urban Lifestyle’ trend and we loved Holden’s hybrid down jogger, which was described by the company’s Design Director as the their winter version of the women’s yoga pant. Voluminous, exaggerated padding was a particularly strong styling trend, resulting in a diverse range of oversized coats, jackets and accessories. A great example of this look was Raf Simon’s collaboration with Templa, who presented a luxury skiwear collection featuring oversized pieces in matt and urban fabrics.

Other key styles in the Urban Lifestyle sector included multi-functional layering pieces, perfectly illustrated by Houdini’s collection, which featured a unisex shell skirt that can be folded into a small sheet to be packed away for travel. Also interesting was the FW’s Root Anorak, with a Polartec lined collar, minimalist styling and a streetwear fit, suitable for wearing on the mountain or in the city.

Another outstanding product was Norrøna’s røldal Thermo Hood, a true hybrid combining the classic hoodie with a highly technical insulation piece. Made from recycled outer fabric and recycled PrimaLoft Gold Active fill, the style is extremely versatile as an active or lifestyle item.

BACK TO NATURE

As consumers are beginning to experience technology overload in their daily lives, their desire to spend more time outdoors and surround themselves with natural and friendly products and materials is becoming a strong trend. In parallel, designers are demanding cleaner and healthier textiles, materials and processes in order to create more considered sports and outdoor products.

As a result, we are seeing much innovation around natural textiles, such as wool, as brands are exploring new treatments and end-uses to reinvent wool as a material for the future. Südwolle Group showcased their story ‘Build a trail, without leaving a trace’, emphasising the biodegradability of the fibre as part of the eco system’s natural cycle. The company presented their collection of merino wool and blends, including hemp, lyocell, linen and silk and biodegradable polyamide Amni Soul Eco, as well as blends finished with their pioneering technology Naturetexx Plasma to enhance the fabric’s performance and durability.

Nature also provides inspiration for a surge in bio-based colouration technologies and Basque company Ternua’s ‘Nut Cycle’ collection is a great example of this. The company are collaborating with Archroma, utilising their EarthColors method of synthesising dyes to produce warm shades of natural colour. The process involves collecting walnut waste, a by-product of the gastronomic industry, which is transformed into fully traceable, biosynthetic dyestuff.

DIGITISED CREATIVITY

Although the growing move towards digitalisation of the design and manufacturing process is raising some concern about the jobs currently carried out by humans, as opposed to machines and robots, it also provides great opportunities for local, on-demand and customised manufacture, potentially reducing production waste or surplus stock.

The ISPO Textrends Microfactory showcased how the sports industry could benefit from digitalisation, bringing together elements such as 3D design and simulation, colour management, pattern design, sublimation printing and automated 3D knitting. Visitors were able to participate in the design and manufacture of ski pants and shoe uppers, highlighting the growing trend for customised design and fit, which no doubt will have a significant impact on the sports industry. We have already seen basic customised products such as Nike ID footwear but in the future, digitisation of the creative process is likely to considerably change the way that products are designed, developed and manufactured, leading to more dramatic product innovation.

SUSTAINABLE TRIMS

While designers are now able to select from a growing range of sustainable textiles, trims and components have been much harder to find. However, trim suppliers have finally woken up to the growing demand for more considered approaches to trim production and a diverse range of recycled and bio-based zips, buckles and buttons were presented at ISPO.

We loved the colourful display at Welltern Enterprise’s stand, who presented their collection of repurposed zips, created from leftover materials from previous production, as well as recycled zips using GRS certified materials from post-consumer PET bottles. Another interesting product was Duraflex’s botanic series, a collection of bio-based buckles, tension locks and d-rings.

YKK also displayed a range of products under the ‘eco-friendly’ theme; these included PET recycled, organic cotton and plant-based zips, as well as their ECO DYE, a specially developed waterless zipper dyeing technology. One thing to look out for when selecting these types of trims, is to check whether it is the entire product or just the zip tapes that are recycled or bio-based, as we discovered several products that were only ‘partially sustainable’.