Fast Track: 2024 ISPO Award Winners - Striking A Balance Between Design, Funtional Performance And Sustainability In Advanced Outdoor Apparel

Successive ISPO (International Trade Fair for Sports Equipment and Fashion) events continue to showcase forward-looking fabric innovations in sports and outdoor performance apparel and equipment. The most recent event, ISPO Munich 2024, which took place in Munich, Germany, during December 3-5, 2024, was no exception. ISPO has three special showcases which help to signpost new developments, namely: the ISPO Award; ISPO Brandnew; and ISPO Textrends. Some of the most intriguing 2024 ISPO Award winning products incorporated: performance fabrics which exploit the properties of graphene aerogels; performance fabrics composed partly of polyester derived from waste carbon emissions; and materials derived from recycled airbags. One dominant theme was the growing emphasis on bio-based or recycled content. This report highlights 13 of the most notable developments among more than 100 new products which received a 2024 ISPO Award, including those which are of the greatest relevance to performance apparel markets. The 13 developments and associated companies include: the Future Now jacket by Active Apparel Group, Allied Feather + Down and Templa, which is 99% degradable in anaerobic environments; the Heat Stream Down Jacket 3.0 by Anta; the 3-in-1 jacket by Bosideng; the AeroGraph Puffer Jacket by Graphene-X; the Arctic Patrol Down Parka by Helly Hansen; Women’s Seeker Lined 4" shorts by Kathmandu; Diversion Merino Trail Pants and the Diversion Merino Wind Jacket by Mons Royale; the Elevate Hood Jacket by Peak Performance which is 97% monomaterial; Go X compression massage pants by Reboots; the Flow knee protector for cyclists by SERYT; the Second Cut fleece jacket by Smartwool; and a jacket made using recycled airbag fabric by Tanboer.