Sustainability and innovation were the top topics. It was clear to see there that within the sporting goods industry, the outdoor sector in particular is a pioneer when it comes to sustainability. And it’s not just about the innovative processing of environmentally friendly materials, but about the entire value chain, from the design to production and packaging.

“Durability is the most important factor in sustainability,” as Rainer Gerstner, Senior Vice President Marketing at Schöffel, stressed at ISPO Munich, saying that it was up to the brands to make it clear to consumers that sustainability also costs more. Antje von Dewitz, CEO Vaude, added: “At the moment, sustainability is an add-on in the purchasing decision for most people.” She said, however, that this attitude was beginning to change especially in younger target groups.

The ISPO Munich Conference kicked off on the first day of the trade fair with a panel on the future of winter sports in the face of climate change and energy shortage. All the participants agreed: Winter sports only have a future if they change and develop more sustainable approaches.

The focus was on sustainable business practices in the award of the newly designed ISPO Cup, which was presented on the evening of the first day of the trade fair to Patagonia for outstanding social commitment. The company has already stood for decades for the fight against the climate and environmental crisis.

Exhibitors from more than 50 countries

Alongside the product innovations of the more than 1,700 exhibitors, ISPO Munich offered extensive insights at its November premiere into the entire ecosystem of the sports industry. Just under 90% of the exhibitors came from abroad, and a total of more than 50 countries were represented. The five countries with the most exhibitors were Germany, Italy, France, China and Taiwan. Around 20% of them were at ISPO Munich for the first time. The 40,000 trade visitors came from a total of 117 countries, and 73% of them were international guests. The top five participating countries were Germany, Italy, France, Great Britain and Austria.

“This year’s ISPO Munich also clearly showed, however, that the market is changing. We will take account of that as we further develop the trade fair. The sporting goods market will continue to be very relevant, but at the same time the focus will increasingly be on topics such as sports fashion, tourism, digitalization, health and fitness, nutrition or esports. We will therefore promote innovative formats that also give us access to new target groups and segments,” said Tobias Gröber, Head of ISPO Group, who also announced ISPO’s partnership with the streetwear and fashion blog Highsnobiety under the brand name “520M”.

ISPO Conference in the Future Lab as a meeting place

The newly created Future Lab, with innovation, sustainability and retail transformation as key topics, was a major attraction at ISPO Munich. The conference program additionally focused on social topics: Martin Frick, Director of the UN World Food Program, discussed “How the sports industry can lobby for the good of people and nature”. The Sustainability Hub was a designated area in the Future Lab, devoted exclusively to the topic of sustainability. It was also where the ISPO Award 2022 was presented on the second day of the trade fair. A total of around 100 award-winning products and services were showcased at the trade fair.

In the Future Lab, more than 70 startups that took part in the ISPO Brand New Award also presented their innovations and new approaches for the industry. Ida Sports, an Australian company that makes sports footwear specifically for women, pitched successfully against all the other competitors.

Prominent sports personalities at ISPO Munich

Many active and former athletes also visited ISPO Munich. On the first day of the trade fair, Olympic tennis gold medalist Alexander Zverev and his brother Mischa presented the latest training technologies in professional sports with the aid of virtual reality. Surfing champion Björn Dunkerbeck, multiple kickboxing world champion Dardan Morina, Japanese alpinist Kazuja Hiraide, the mountaineers Kristin Harila and Vibeke Sefland, Portuguese ultramarathon runner João Andrade, professional cyclist and ski mountaineer Anton Palzer.

• Next year, ISPO Munich will take place again at Messe München from November 28 to 30, 2023.