Functional Fabric Fair winter edition to debut this month in Orlando

Functional Fabric Fair powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS will debut its first Winter Edition in Orlando, Florida, January 21–22, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in the Tangerine Ballroom. Running concurrently with the PGA Show, the new winter event marks a strategic expansion of North America’s premier trade-only sourcing platform for high-performance and sustainable textiles, bringing vetted material innovation directly to the golf, activewear and outdoor industries during the world’s largest global business gathering for golf. The PGA Show is organized by PGA Golf Exhibitions, part of RX, in partnership with the PGA of America.

The Winter Edition will feature more than 90 curated exhibitors presenting the latest high-performance functional textiles, along with Expert Talks and the Trend Forum spotlighting sustainability, innovation and material performance. Designed specifically for the golf, outdoor and activewear markets, the Orlando edition offers a focused sourcing event connecting brands directly with responsible global suppliers.

These two full days of Expert Talks will spotlight Textile-to-Textile (T2T) Recycling, a key pillar of the circular textile economy. Featuring insights from industry leaders, the program will cover technologies, materials, and systems driving T2T recycling, while addressing feedstocks, regulations, innovations and challenges.

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

10:15–10:30 am:         Welcome Remarks, Charles Ross

10:30–11:30 am:         FORUMS Insights Stage | Performance Materials, led by Alexa Dehmel

11:45 am–12:45 pm: Colors & Trends: Performance Colors Fall/Winter 2027/28, Nora Küehner

1:00–1:45 pm:              PFAS and Performance: Science, Regulation and Claims, Dr. Jan Beringer and Anna Gonzalski

2:00–2:45 pm:             Cooling Technology Innovation and Scalable Fabric Solutions for the Next Generation of Performance Apparel, Malvina Hoxha and Samantha Frederick

3:00–3:45 pm:             Natural Performance: Designing Breathable, Comfortable Fabrics Without Synthetics, Neil Beill, Jason Thompson and Lorenzo Rescali

3:45–4:00 pm:             Closing Remarks, Charles Ross

At the end of Day One, attendees are invited to continue the conversation during an evening Happy Hour on the Expert Talks Stage from 5:00–6:00 pm, sponsored by CovationBio Sorona. The relaxed, social setting is designed to encourage meaningful connections, idea sharing and relationship building among peers, industry leaders and exhibitors following a full day of education and sourcing.

Thursday, January 22, 2026

10:15–10:30 am:         Welcome Remarks, Charles Ross

10:30–11:30 am:         The Visionary Outlook: ReINVENTING REALITY, presented by Nora Küehner

11:45 am–12:45 pm: Is Your Golf Brand Ready for 2030? Sustainability Standards Every Company Must Know, Alex Helander

1:00–1:45 pm:              Heat, Sun, Rain, Swing: The Performance Demands Modern Golf Apparel Must Solve. From Tweed to Tech: How Golf Apparel Became Equipment, Davide Ballico

2:00–2:45 pm:             The Science Behind Comfort, Dr. Jan Beringer and Matt Sutton

3:00–3:15 pm:             Closing Remarks, Charles Ross

“Launching a Winter Edition in Orlando alongside the PGA Show allows us to meet the golf and performance apparel industries exactly where innovation and sourcing decisions are being made,” said Steve McCullough, Event Vice President of Functional Fabric Fair. “The Winter Edition is intentionally education-driven, with Expert Talks designed to give brands practical, forward-looking insights into materials, sustainability, regulation and performance. By combining curated sourcing with high-level education and meaningful networking, we are creating an experience that supports smarter product development and stronger industry connections.”

Functional Fabric Fair Winter is open exclusively to verified industry professionals, with free registration separate from the PGA Show. Both events will take place within the Orange County Convention Center on the same dates and within walking distance of each other, allowing attendees to seamlessly experience sourcing, education and networking across both shows.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)