Functional Fabric Fair powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS®, taking place October 26-28, 2026, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, has announced its Expert Talks education lineup for the Fall 2026 edition. The fair opens October 26 with the Day 0 OIA Catalyst Conference, developed in partnership with the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), followed by two full days of exhibit hall sourcing and Expert Talks programming on October 27-28.
Designers, product developers and material decision-makers across the performance and sports apparel industries will gain actionable insight into performance innovation, regulatory shifts and circular solutions shaping the future of textiles for the Fall 2027/2028 seasons.
Expert Talks
The Expert Talks series returns with nearly 20 sessions exploring performance science, circularity, regulatory change and trend forecasting. Stewart Sheppard, Founder & Principal Consultant of S2 Consulting, will again serve as the Expert Talks host, which will feature sessions that give attendees direct access to breakthrough developments and the companies driving measurable sustainability progress.
Session Highlights
Tuesday, October 27
Performance Colors: Summer 2028 Update, Winter 2028/29 Kickoff – Nora Kühner
Phase Two of the War on Retail – What May Happen After the Mid-Term Elections – Rick Helfenbein, Consultant and Former CEO, American
Apparel & Footwear Association; Ambassador Ron Sorini, Sorini Strategic Advisors
Forum Insights – Alexa Dehmel
The DPP Playbook: Navigating Europe’s New Product Transparency Rules – James Pollack, Marten Law
More Data, More Options: What You Find When You Look at the Full Picture – Jan Beringer, Hohenstein; Shane O’Toole, Red Wolf Innovations; Tim Sherry, Hohenstein
Roadmap to Adoption: Bio-Based Materials, A Panel Discussion Led by Hyosung – Malvina Hoxha, Hyosung TNC; Ajay Chadha, REI Co-op
Think With Your Hands: Prototyping in the Age of AI – Zac West, Ideology
Stop the Stink: The New Antimicrobial “Switching Window” – Barry McGeough and Bernd Leisenfeld, QMT Quick Med Technologies; Don Reardon, Keen; Harrie Schoots, AATCC; Andy Polk, FDRA
Beyond T2T: Advancing Polyester Circularity and Microplastic Fiber Mitigation – Cheryl Smyre, Parkdale Advanced Materials; Chad Bolick, Intrinsic Advanced Materials; Jack Chang-Chien, Cyclone North America
A/W28 Trend Intelligence: Performance, Reimagined – Nichole de Carle, London Contour Experts
From Chemical Inputs to Environmental Releases: Managing Environmental Risks in Textile Manufacturing – Sumit Sarker, bluesign technologies
Wednesday, October 28
The Visionary Outlook: Design Beyond Perfection – Nora Kühner
From Fiber to Market: How Cross-Functional Collaboration Turns Sustainable Innovation Into Product – Samantha Frederick, Sustainable Apparel & Material Strategies; Erin Kinz, Nike; Lisa-Thien Hue To, LT Studio; Malvina Hoxha, Hyosung TNC
Bio-Based Reality: Can Renewable Materials Make Circular Design Easier? – Davide Ballico, DB Orama Consultancy; Neil Bell, Future of Textiles; Ruth Kelly, Weft x Warp
Tariffs Are the Easy Part: A Guide to Navigating Trade Uncertainty and Supply Chain Risk – Joshua Werthaiser, Downlite International
Garment Take-Back Laws: EPR Already in Effect and Expanding – Jan Beringer, Hohenstein; Will Troutman, Norton Rose Fulbright; Tim Sherry, Hohenstein
What Artificial Intelligence Changed for Small Brands, and What It Did Not – James Ewsuk and Hidi Fankhauser, Design Works
Transform Your Business for Success Under New Textile Circularity Laws – Keelin Christensen, Outdoor Industry Association; Kevin Ann Jordan, Circular Textile Alliance; Nellie Cohen, BALEEN; Todd Copeland, Copeland Consultancy
Can Consumer Demand Scale Next-Generation Materials? – Brittany Sierra, Sustainable Fashion Forum
