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The owner and organiser of Munich Fabric Start is still planning to hold the next show in September and has issued the following statement.

“During this difficult and uncertain phase, the thoughts and sympathy of the entire Munich Fabric Start team are especially with people who live in countries without a functioning healthcare system or facing evacuation. We are aware of the impact on the global textile industry and see the great challenges our industry has to face.

As an organiser of trade fairs, the current situation also prevents the heart of our business: bringing together people and exchanging information in the industry. We are aware of the great importance and relevance of our trade fair for manufacturers and fashion companies.

“In this situation, the next meeting and exchange of ideas will become incredibly important. We want to set an example by offering a perspective and providing the textile industry a platform with optimal conditions as soon as possible. To achieve this, we remain flexible in our actions and are prepared to respond to any future developments. We are currently organising the next two fairs as usual and are working at full capacity to ensure that View Premium Selection in July 2020 and Munich Fabric Start in September 2020 can take place on the planned dates,” said Sebastian Klinder, Managing Director Munich Fabric Start.

The current time of isolation and social distancing affects all players in the industry which is why coming together at the fair will be immensely valuable. This is confirmed by the usual high number of registrations and positive feedback we are currently receiving. BLUEZONE is already fully booked for September 2020 and we are stunned by the great amount of trust and loyalty placed in us.

At this point, we also try to put ourselves in the position of the exhibitors and visitors to find solutions which are best for all parties involved. To this end, we are currently examining various scenarios with which we can react flexibly and, in a solution-oriented manner to any changes in government guidelines for events.

“At the moment, it is probably more a question of thinking about how to organise a trade fair with Corona – instead of after Corona. We are therefore already thinking about necessary modifications for possible Plan B scenarios. In addition to hygiene measures, this may include for example, widening aisles between the stands to create the necessary distancing, possibly regulating access to the exhibition halls, distributing the visitor flow to avoid congestion, distance markings or digital ticketing,” added Frank Junker.

The current push for digital alternatives also offers interesting approaches. We are taking a proactive approach to the opportunities which may open up here in the future. At the same time, we are convinced that a digital solution can never completely replace our core business, textile products. Therefore, our Plan B is not necessarily completely digital – in view of the fact that a digital format involves many different parameters and functions that have to interlock perfectly. Therefore, if we were to implement a digital format within only a few months, we will not be able to meet all of our requirements.

There are still several months until our trade fair dates – valuable time that can be decisive. For the moment, it means waiting for developments in the next few weeks and making decisions on this basis. At this point in time, it is still too early to make a final statement on the execution of the two trade fairs. It is expected that we will be able to make a decision at the end of April as to whether the fairs can take place. We are in close contact with other trade fair organizers and rely on the findings of experts and political decisions, without own interpretations or statements on the current social and political issues.

We look forward to hopefully seeing all industry players soon again in Munich. Stay healthy!”

www.munichfabricstart.com