Munich Fabric Start: A Digital Innovation Talk for Producers

26 February 2026

Munich Fabric Start: A Digital Innovation Talk for Producers

Last month, Lívia Pinent, consortium member and representative of AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute), took the stage at Munich Fabric Start, the international fabric trade show connecting textile innovation with fashion industry leaders worldwide. Invited by Muchaneta ten Napel, Founder at Shape Innovate, she participated in an Educational Focus Session that posed a provocative question: “Why do buyers love innovation, but never reorder it?”

The session cut to the heart of a persistent industry paradox. Innovations that generate buzz, win awards, and dominate trade show conversations often fail to secure orders. If an innovative material only works in a pilot, Pinent argued, it isn’t a solution—it’s a prototype.

Drawing on her work within the Green DigiFashTech Manager consortium, Pinent examined the gap between innovation narratives and actual industry use. Her analysis revealed why so many “successful” technology developments in fashion never make it, despite generating significant PR momentum. She identified critical barriers that prevent innovations from achieving commercial viability:

  • Innovation must solve real problems — Without clear value in terms of efficiency, durability, or long-term cost-effectiveness for the brands, material innovations remain decorative rather than functional. Buyers won’t reorder risk; they reorder what fits their operational targets.

  • PR success doesn’t equal commercial success — A compelling story and media coverage don’t automatically translate into orders. In uncertain economical times, brands need to prioritize solutions that align with business realities over those that make headlines.

  • True innovation often operates invisibly — The most impactful innovations live in process improvements, communication systems, and waste reduction. These unglamorous advances deliver lasting value but rarely generate excitement on social media.

Pinent’s participation at Munich Fabric Start reflects the consortium broader commitment to fostering critical dialogue about how the fashion industry can move beyond innovation hype toward solutions that create genuine, sustainable value. The session contributed to ongoing efforts to bridge the gap between what the industry celebrates and what it actually needs—a conversation that may be less glamorous than the latest tech demo, but far more essential for fashion’s future.