50th international trade fair for sustainable textiles in Frankfurt am Main

INNATEX celebrates 25th anniversary

A quarter-century of sustainable fashion in Hofheim-Wallau close to Frankfurt: from 29 to 31 July 2022 the international trade fair for sustainable textiles will be celebrating 25 years of existence. After a period of restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic, organizers MUVEO GmbH are keener than ever to catch up on what had previously been lost.

Projects for the fiftieth edition of the ordering platform at the Messecenter Rhein-Main include the return of Design Discoveries and a Community Area with short talks, for which the GOTS, Fairtrade, IVN and Femnet organisations are already registered. Also planned are a reinterpreted fashion show and an elaborate design for the outdoor area with a festival atmosphere.

“At INNATEX, the focus continues to be on orders, but this year we also want to celebrate and have a good time,” says Project Manager Alexander Hitzel. “The fact that the trade fair has been going for 25 years is evidence not only of the cost-effectiveness and integrity of the fair itself but also of the creativity and fortitude of the community. We’d like to thank all the participants, because they have all contributed to the success of Green Fashion”

The International Association of the Natural Textile Industry (IVN) has been a stalwart of the fair since its early years and remains the patron of INNATEX to this day. Hitzel recalls: “When it first took place 25 years ago, sustainable fashion was often not taken seriously. The range was very limited and concentrated on classic collections in natural textiles.”

Today, the sector is characterised by a degree of diversity in which both pioneers and new entrants have a place. This summer, the same diversity will be represented once again at INNATEX, which sees itself as an independent, inclusive and united platform. More than 200 exhibitors have already registered for the fair in a very short space of time, according to Hitzel, including not only womenswear and menswear labels but also brands of shoes, underwear, bags and accessories.