NORWALK, Conn. — April 22, 2025 — Functional Fabric Fair, powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS®, concluded its Spring 2025 edition in Portland, Ore., with increased attendance of 9 percent and expanded square footage exhibition floor layout by 30 percent. The three-day event at the Oregon Convention Center, from April 14-16, connected apparel executives, product developers, designers and sourcing professionals from major performance and athletic brands including Adidas, Patagonia, REI, Nike, Vuori and many more with 320 vetted sustainable-certified and reliable suppliers during a period of continued global supply chain volatility.
“In today’s economic and supply chain uncertainty, Functional Fabric Fair maintained 100 percent exhibitor participation in addition to attendee growth, emphasizing the event’s essential and valuable role in the industry,” stated Steve McCullough, event vice president. “Supply chain resilience and relationship solidification emerged as critical themes this edition, with brands leveraging their time to secure partnerships with trusted suppliers for their Spring 2026/2027 collections.”
The fair’s expanded exhibit hall featured carefully curated sustainable suppliers, addressing growing industry demand for responsible sourcing options that meet both performance and environmental standards.
“This event has become non-negotiable in my sourcing calendar,” said Cassia Lewis Cameron from Patagonia, “Boasting some of the most advanced and sustainable suppliers in our industry, the pre-vetted supplier base saves us countless hours in qualification processes — providing direct access to innovation partners we can trust, even when global logistics present challenges.”
Exhibiting company, YKK USA’s John Holiday said, “Functional Fabric Fair gives us an opportunity to have a lot of meetings and not only with other suppliers we work with, but also a lot of brand and designer meetings. We got a lot done in a short amount of time.
Between supplier meetings, attendees explored a wide range of immersive, informative and tactile sourcing and product discovery in specialized areas, including:
- AATCC Textile Test Zone featured live testing demonstrations providing insights into standardized fabric evaluations.
- Bodywear Collective, sponsored by The LYCRA Co., this new area showcased the latest fabrications for underwear, swimwear, shapewear, wellness and seamless activewear in addition to a Smoothie Bar for refreshments.
- Innovation Zone spotlighted emerging technologies and next-gen materials.
- Wool Forum debuted this year, the forum underscored wool’s performance and sustainability benefits.’Sustainability Lounge, served as a hub for sustainable material innovations and collaborations.
- Trend Forum highlighted twelve essential fabric categories curated with a sustainability lens.
- Outdoor Recreation Archive celebrated the history and evolution of outdoor apparel in partnership with Utah State University.
- Media Lounge a place to recharge and connect with influential media.
- Italian Bar, sponsored by Kingwhale, provided a space to connect and enjoy Italian delights.
These thoughtfully designed spaces fostered meaningful connections between suppliers and brands while providing attendees with crucial market intelligence and hands-on experience with innovative materials, complementing the event’s robust educational programming.
Education
The sold-out Day 0 Sustainability Workshop hosted more than 230 industry professionals, an increase from 2024, and was led by industry expert Jill Dumain of Fractal CSOs. Sponsored by Hyosung, the workshop opened the day before the exhibit hall opened and provided actionable insights on material traceability, addressing a critical business need as brands face increasing regulatory and consumer pressure regarding supply chain transparency. Attendees participated in in-depth presentations and discussions that set the tone for a sustainability-forward event.
“The Day 0 workshop sparked critical conversations that will influence how our industry approaches innovation and accountability,” McCullough noted. “It brought together the voices, discussions and ideas that will lead us into the future.”
From April 15–16, Expert Talks took place on the show floor. Sponsored by AATCC, more than 10 sessions featured thought leaders addressing the latest in textile technology, case studies and sustainability solutions.
Events & Networking
Industry professionals and students gathered to gain valuable business connections, new resources and inspiration at these events and activations:
- Design Lab Live which featured sustainable designer and Project Runway alum Kelley Dempsey, who crafted a one-of-a-kind jacket live using materials from exhibitors FLYTEC, Pontetorto and YKK.
- Book Signing with Zoë Hong offered attendees a chance to connect with the author of Fashion School in a Book.
- Sustainability Lounge Guided Tours, led by Stewart Sheppard, gave deeper insights into sustainable sourcing solutions.
- Events, including a Happy Hour sponsored by CovationBio, Coffee Igloo sponsored by Thermore, and After-Hours Networking at Spirit of 77 sponsored by Nextex and co-sponsors Brookwood and Duraflex enhanced relationship-building and networking.
“I came across this event working for athletic brand which aligns with the products we sell,” noted attendee, Shiva Nadjm of Alo Yoga. First-time attendee and designer Daisy Pellett added, “There was a lot of professionals and I got to talk to so many people, make connections, and look forward to coming year after year again!”
McCullough concluded, “As global supply chains continue to evolve in complexity, Functional Fabric Fair has solidified its position as a vital industry gathering that delivers measurable business value by bringing together the right partners, insights and innovations at a critical moment for the performance textile sector.”
Save the Date for 2025-2026 events:
New York Summer: July 21-23, 2025 (Day 0 Sustainability Workshop: July 21)
Portland Fall: November 11-13, 2025 (Day 0 Sustainability Workshop: Nov. 11)
NEW! Orlando Winter (Co-Located with the PGA Show): January 21-22, 2026
Posted April 22, 2025
Source: Functional Fabric Fair
