Page 38 - TEXtalks. November-December 2022

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Interview

ISPO integrated service-portfolio creates valuable We create and develop throughout the sports
connections and moments among business market. ISPO connects and facilitates valuable
professionals and among consumers. 365 days a contacts between brands, business professionals,
year. Worldwide. Challenges of today cannot be retailers and consumers worldwide.
dealt with yesterday’s solutions hence ISPO
encourages new perspectives in the market and the ISPO is more than a trade fair – it is a platform that Dr Hassan Saeed (Editor TEXtalks) with Lena Haushofer
sports industry. The future of the sports industry was plans ahead and seeks early solutions to current
shaped in the heart of ISPO and it is unleashing the challenges such as supply chain delays, energy TEXtalks: When global brands struggle to become categories will be added: Accelerated Eco and
world-changing power that lies in sports and crisis, sustainability etc. Our world is facing massive climate neutral. ISPO has set even bigger goals Performing Finishes. The Products are reviewed by
outdoors and placing it in the spotlight of society. upheavals for which brands, companies, and beyond climate, beyond ISPO Munich, beyond the two international juries of experts. The best entries are
Team TEXtalks metwith the Exhibition Director of organisations need to prepare. ISPO helps brands to ISPO group, and the sports and outdoors industry. chosen and will benefit from extensive sales and
ISPO, Lena Haushofer who strongly believes that find orientation and to chart a path in a certain way. How is ISPO going to achieve that? promotional services.
driving forward partnerships, initiatives, and Lena Haushofer: We see it as our responsibility as a
innovations beyond the trade fair, and discussing We focus on innovation, as the sports industry sports industry to ensure greater sustainability. For TEXtalks: What is The Future Lab, and how does it
current pressing issues is vital. thrives on innovation. The sports market is constantly some years now, ISPO has seen itself not only as a accelerate the development potential of the sports
evolving, eagerly embracing innovative ideas and trade fair, but also as an international network of industry?
TEXtalks: Can you explain how and why the idea of passing them on to the active. Recreational athletes platforms. We offer exchange opportunities to clearly Lena Haushofer: Future Lab is the new heart of ISPO
ISPO came into existence? and sports professionals form the test laboratory, the analyse where the sports industry stands in terms of Munich. It will serve not only as a venue for
Lena Haushofer: ISPO celebrated its premiere in touchstone and the consumer base for ever-new sustainability so that we can jointly define and plan discussions about new products and transformation,
March 1970 with just over 800 exhibitors and more products. intermediate steps. I believe that in this way we offer but also enable visitors and exhibitors to look beyond
than 10,000 trade visitors. In 2022, ISPO Munich relevant sports brands an important framework for the horizon of their own industry in the Retail, Digitize
alone hosted over 1700 exhibitors and more than TEXtalks: How is ISPO driving and promoting the future sustainable brand development. and Sustainability Hub. This year the hall also served
40,000 trade visitors. And with ISPO Beijing and evolution of sports? as a stage for a large number of athletes who
ISPO Shanghai, there are two trade fairs, especially Lena Haushofer: We are service providers, TEXtalks: How does ISPO’s network-oriented attended ISPO Munich. The presentation of the newly
for the Asian market. accelerators, door openers, partners, a network, management consulting help sports brands solve conceived ISPO Cup was held in the Future Lab on
thought leaders, experts, and trainers. Supporting their challenges and realize plans for their own the evening of the first exhibition day. At the ISPO
The basic idea of ISPO is to bring together the sports and promoting the sport in all its facets is an benefit? Cup Night the award was presented to Patagonia for
industry. And that means more than organizing trade essential part of our DNA. We understand our clients Lena Haushofer: It was clear to see that ISPO Munich exceptional social engagement.
fairs. Accelerating sports is our journey into a new and their customers – speak their language, and has, in the meantime, become far more than just a
era since 2017. We are liberating our business understand their world because it is ours. When we product show for the sporting goods industry: It is the TEXtalks: With the efforts ISPO is making for sports,
model from the constraints of being only a bring our clients forward with the power of our platform for driving forward partnerships, initiatives, it can be said that the future of sports is in the safe
tradeshow, without turning our backs on this network, we strengthen sport at the same time. We and innovations beyond the trade fair, and discussing hands. What are your expectations for the changes
veritable melting pot either – because they are more are the world’s leading platform for sports business current pressing issues. and trends in the near future?
relevant than ever but need to be looked at from a and give the sport the important voice that running shoe brand ON, for example, started as the transmission and make canting almost impossible Lena Haushofer: We are dealing with a lot of
broader angle. We sell valuable connections which corresponds to its position in many of our societies. winner of an ISPO brandnew award in a segment when snowboarding. on the second day of the trade TEXtalks: ISPO Textrends is a unique platform to challenges in the sport market, such as disrupted
accelerate the global evolution of sports. Globally, all where there is truly no shortage of products. Today, fair, Doubledeck already informed us that the learn about innovative fabrics, fibers, and supply chains, changing order cycles, rapidly rising
year round, across target groups. TEXtalks: ISPO has been doing great work by the brand is one of the hottest running shoes among company had sold all of its boards. accessories for functional textiles. This year, how energy prices, climate change and increased
promoting sustainable products and innovation. Can consumers. This year, we honoured 58 products in many products compete for Textrends Awards 2022? digitalization. No single person or brand alone can
TEXtalks: ISPO is known as the global ecosystem of you please highlight a few examples that have the final session of the ISPO Awards 2022. One of the With the ISPO Award and the ISPO Brandnew Award, Lena Haushofer: This year 350 products were judged bring “safety”. We are all challenged to work on the
sports. Can you highlight a few ingredients for become a symbol of success through the ISPO awards went to the snowboard brand Doubledeck. we help innovative and sustainable products and by the international jury of textile experts - with 317 future of our sector. That’s why it is so important to
ISPO’s huge success? platform? The company presented a completely new brands gain more visibility. This year's Brandnew awarded within Textrends. We got 10 categories, in have a common platform where we can discuss
Lena Haushofer: One of the recipes for our success Lena Haushofer: There are a lot of exceptional snowboard technology at ISPO Munich 22. The Award was won e.g. by Ida Sports, an Australian which innovative fabrics, fibers, trims, and together about challenges and more sustainable
is definitely the providing of “valuable Connections”. products that have caught our attention. The Swiss Bow-Construction is supposed to improve power company that manufactures sports shoes. accessories can be entered. At the jury meeting two ways to invest in promising solutions.

November/December 2022