Asahi Kasei will host nine textile manufacturers at its Roica stand at Performance Days in Munich on October 13-14, in one of the broadest single-fibre showcases of stretch fabric engineering at this season's fair.

Seven European mills — Borgini Jersey, Brugnoli, Cifra, Penn Solutions, Reda, Sitip and Tiba Tricot — will be joined by Japanese warp knitting specialists Imai Kigyojo and Kawada Knitting Group at Hall A4, stand P10.

Rather than a single collection, the partners will present applications ranging from highly breathable and three-dimensional sportswear structures to seamless garments, fine Merino wool fabrics and lightweight Japanese tricot — giving sourcing teams a wide spread of stretch options across categories and price points.

Which material links the nine exhibitors?

A recurring fibre across several developments is Roica V550, Asahi Kasei's stretch fibre designed to partially degrade under specified conditions. For buyers screening suppliers against end-of-life and recyclability criteria, V550's presence in multiple booths signals where the Japanese chemical group is positioning its elastane alternative.

The nine-company presentation forms part of Asahi Kasei's new "Stretch Your Future" positioning for Roica, a fibre first introduced in 1971.

What will each partner show?

The exhibitor lineup covers distinct construction technologies:

• Borgini Jersey: knitted fabrics incorporating V550, including breathable meshes intended to accelerate drying and manage body climate, plus three-dimensional structures designed to reduce fabric cling during exercise.
• Brugnoli: Explosive Amni V550, combining Amni Soul Eco polyamide with Roica V550 within its Explosive Technology platform, engineered for elasticity and body support while retaining freedom of movement.
• Cifra: Warp Knit Seamless (WKS) technology, enabling garments and components with detailed motifs and reduced material waste; the process underpins continuing work with Austrian bodywear specialist Wolford.
• Penn Solutions: warp-knitted and tricot fabrics with three-dimensional effects, breathable openings, engineered surfaces and grip structures, targeting cycling and sportswear, intimate apparel and technical garments.
• Reda: lightweight jerseys and woven fabrics combining Roica with 17.5-micron Merino and ZQ wool, spanning T-shirts, leggings, shirts and tailored garments — the most notable departure from conventional synthetic performance fabrics. Machine-washable constructions are included.
• Sitip: lightweight warp knits and brushed thermal fabrics for active and sportswear, using both V550 and Roica EF, the latter incorporating pre-consumer waste yarn in its raw material feedstock.
• Tiba Tricot: circular and three-dimensional warp knitted constructions for sportswear and technical applications.

The Japanese contingent comes from Nanto City in Toyama prefecture, an established centre for tricot and warp knitting. Imai Kigyojo will present lightweight open structures and bonded fabrics for breathability and moisture management, while Kawada Knitting Group will show lightweight tricot fabrics for sportswear, swimwear, innerwear and uniforms.

Why does wool-plus-stretch matter for sourcing?

Reda's inclusion points to a widening use case for Roica beyond activewear synthetics. The Italian wool specialist uses the stretch fibre to add elasticity, recovery and freedom of movement while retaining wool's softness and breathability — relevant for brands blending performance claims with natural-fibre content in lifestyle and tailored lines.

For supply-chain managers, the Munich stand effectively consolidates nine vetted Roica partners under one roof, shortening the sampling legwork for stretch developments across seamless, wool, tricot and seamless-waste-reduced constructions before the October 13-14 event closes.