The Materials Show Preps for Major Debut in Europe in May
The Materials Show said it will host its first European event, held in London May 1 -2, 2019.
Hisham Muhareb, founder of American Events and the showrunner for The Materials Show, will lead the initiative.
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“We have New Balance, Puma, Adidas, Decathalon in Paris, and a ton of brands in the UK that I previously didn’t know about,” said Muhareb. “We’re excited to gather footwear companies from throughout Europe under one roof, offering unprecedented brand access to our European attendees.”
The event will provide an opportunity for brands to meet with hardware, textiles and components manufacturers. The popular NE and NW trade shows, which took place in Portland and Boston earlier this year, are frequently used to provide inspiration for future product lines, with global companies like Nike and Under Armour sending product development teams to tour the exhibits.
Through this European edition, Muhareb is aiming to share these kinds of innovations and insights with a new audience of international brands in the footwear, outdoor and performance apparel industries. The February and March shows in the U.S. saw a consistent trend for sustainable technologies and multipurpose textiles, which are expected to be seen at in London as well.
A particular industry to watch might be the leather industry, which is popular in England, and how it coincides with new sustainability initiatives. This isn’t the first time The Materials Show has looked at this issue.
“Last August we had a seminar about leather and brought in some British speakers,” said Muhareb. “We had World Sports Activewear and their ethics lawyer talking about making it a more sustainable material; leather is still much more long-lasting and durable than many other fabrics.”
The EU Materials Show also coincides with the 100-year anniversary of SATRA, a footwear research and testing non-profit and one of the event’s sponsors. The event will include an anniversary celebration, in addition to two days of exhibiting, and is set to take place at The Truman Brewery Exhibition Facility.
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