Building on the insights of the previous season, this edition deliberately shifts its lens to the very beginning of the value chain – the point at which it is ultimately determined whether textile waste becomes a new resource or disappears into the waste stream.

Collection & Sorting: The Starting Point of True Circularity Collectors and sorters act as the gatekeepers of circular textile systems. They provide the clean, traceable feedstock recyclers need to generate new fibers. Yet, to move from pilot projects to scalable, industry-ready solutions, Europe requires investment, smart regulation, digital infrastructure and cross-sector collaboration.

The Focus Topic will highlight opportunities, barriers and innovations driving this critical first stage of the circular value cycle:

• Opportunities: How optimized collection & sorting unlock circular value.
  

• Bottlenecks: Infrastructure gaps, contamination, logistics, and volume requirements.
  

• Regulation: EU Waste Framework Directive, EPR & eco-modulation, plus the rising relevance of Digital Product Passports (:).
  

• Technology: Automated sorting, AI, NIR and quality standards.
  

• Collaboration: How brands, municipalities, recyclers, collectors and sorting systems can scale circular models together.
  

A topic visible across the entire trade show

This topic will extend across the entire show – from the Trend Forum to keynote sessions, deep-dive presentations and expert panel discussions. A dedicated infographic will illustrate how brands, collectors, sorters, recyclers and policymakers jointly shape the foundation of a connected, circular textile economy. While Digital Product Passports help enable transparent data flow, upcoming EPR schemes will redistribute waste management costs and encourage essential investment in collection and sorting infrastructure.

PERFORMANCE DAYS as a catalyst for knowledge, solutions & partnerships

PERFORMANCE DAYS connects innovators, recyclers, brands and political stakeholders, creating a platform to transform textile waste back into textile material. Through knowledge exchange, visibility, material innovation and strategic partnerships, the event actively advances the industry toward viable circular systems.

Circularity as a shared responsibility

Circularity is no longer a vision for the future – it is a prerequisite. With technology, transparency and collaboration, PERFORMANCE DAYS demonstrates how the industry can capture material resources, keep them in circulation, and close textile loops over the long term.

Anna Schuster, Head of Sustainability at PERFORMANCE DAYS: “To scale as an industry, we need to understand what happens at the very beginning of the value chain and how we can reinforce the foundations of our sector. Our focus does not lie solely on various recycling processes. Many of the key questions arise much earlier: in understanding material flows and in building efficient systems that create the conditions for innovation in the first place. That is why, at PERFORMANCE DAYS, we showcase not only market-ready solutions but also early, forward-looking approaches.”

More information about the Focus Topic you can find here: https://www.performancedays.com/loop/trends-forum/focus-topic.html