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TMG Textiles debuted at ISPO within the framework of the strategy to reduce exposure to fashion and find new markets, taking advantage of its skills as a fabric and knit manufacturer. “Reducing exposure to fashion does not mean getting out of fashion, where we want to continue to grow, but rather entering new, more technical market segments, such as sports”, explained Hélder Rosendo, Business Manager at TMG Textiles.
On TMG for one year, Rosendo spent his first three months at the company identifying new markets to address and doing new and different things with the products made for 85 years. Sports was the first segment targeted in this creative diversification effort to find new customers. “We started by selecting fashion items with potential for the sport. Then, we developed them and arrived at the first capsule collection. And nothing better than the island of Portugal at ISPO to present it”, says the TMG Business Manager.
Sport is just the first step in this path of diversification into increasingly technical areas of textiles, including workwear and workwear (a sector where they also plan to evolve into the segments of personal protection and defense clothing), as well as the automobile section.
“In partnership with TMG Automotive, we are looking to find opportunities inside the car for our fabrics and knits. The strategy is simple and consists of growing and gaining more dimension in demanding and technical market niches”, explains Hélder Rosendo.
Having knits and fabrics on offer is an asset, a distinctive feature that TMG is taking advantage of in this onslaught in the sportswear segment. A segment where its eyes are not set on high competition but on ordinary people who practice sports and will benefit from the heritage of competencies that the company has in fashion, with access to comfortable, functional equipment with properties.
TMG brought some innovations to ISPO. Biological matrix fibers, regenerative cell derivatives, tencel and lyocel (materials with green connotation); polyamides with elastanes that provide elasticity (which is essential in sports); technical multi-structures, with laminated fabric with mesh, and mesh with membranes are some examples.
“By the number and type of contacts as well as sample requests, it is clear to us that it was worth coming”, concludes Hélder Rosendo.