The 2024 Fespa Global Print Expo in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in late March will see the inaugural outing of the new Sportswear Pro focus area, bringing a number of vendors from across the textile printing spectrum under one roof.
Running under the theme ‘opportunities created’, Sportswear Pro will makes its delayed debut after its 2019 launch ran into the Covid-related cancellation of the 2020 show. The new event will include a range of exhibitors in a dedicated area covering digital roll-printing, direct-to-garment, direct-to-film and other transfer technologies and screen printing technologies.
Head of Fespa Global Print Expo Michael Ryan commented, ‘The sportswear industry and apparel decoration is a fast-growing industry. It’s a sector that was always growing with the Fespa audience. We have a full line-up of companies who are printing with sublimation, screen printing inks, transfers, DtF is almost everywhere.’
The Sportswear Pro event will be in Hall 11 and between that and Hall 12 there will be at least 85 exhibitors specific to this sector. Confirmed exhibitors include previous Fespa participants such as Brother and Agfa, and newcomers Ricoma, Tajima, SPG Prints, DGI, MHM Direct, Tajima Digital and ColorJet India.
Backed by a one-day conference on 21 March, Sportswear Pro will aim to showcase the production technology and business possibilities around the production of short-run and personalised sports and related attire.
It is also complemented by Personalise Make Wear, an applications-focused area that will run throughout the four days of the show and demonstrate the complete design-to-production process for personalised sportswear and related items. These will cover roll fabric printing, direct to garment, direct to shape and transfer technologies. It will be hosted by Fespa textile ambassador and Texintel CEO Debbie McKeegan and will include lunchtime ‘fireside chats’ on the catwalk stage.
