Asahi Kasei’s premium stretch fiber brand, ROICA™, continues to take a responsible approach to innovation, advanced functionality, and trusted quality for the evolving sports apparel industry. At ISPO Munich 2025, ROICA™ will once again be featured as a valued element of the Asahi Kasei booth, presenting the latest developments in responsible stretch fiber technology. This year, ROICA™ introduces a carefully selected range of samples from seven European textile partners – Brugnoli, Cifra, Iluna Group, Inplet Pletiva, Penn Solutions, Sitip, and Tessitura Colombo Antonio – each demonstrating the possibilities of ROICA™ in sports and activewear.
In addition, ROICA™ will highlight two special initiatives:
• The adoption of ROICA™ V550 in the official EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai uniforms by CRAFTEVO® -V&A Japan, showing a new approach to compostable, circular event apparel.
• The collaboration of NILIT and ROICA™ aims to develop an innovative fabric concept with reduced en-vironmental impact, combining SENSIL® By-Nature Nylon 6.6 and ROICA™ made using a mass balance approach with renewable feedstock.
ROICA™ will be at Asahi Kasei Booth, HALL B1, Booth 308 in ISPO Brandnew Area.
Partner Exhibits at ISPO Munich 2025
■ Brugnoli
Brugnoli, the Italian specialist in circular knitted fab-rics, presents its YogaTime collection – fabrics de-signed for yoga, activewear and post-workout with a focus on comfort, elegance and technical perfor-mance. The collection features TENCEL™ Modal with Micro Technology and ROICA™ V550 by Asahi Kasei, a degradable stretch yarn with Cradle to Cra-dle certification. These materials are selected with care for their soft touch, breathability, and shape retention. All fabrics are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified and produced in Italy respecting ZDHC commitment, reflecting Brugnoli’s ongoing efforts toward responsibil-ity and quality.
■ Cifra
Cifra, recognized as the “warp knit centre of excellence,” showcases its WKS (Warp Knit Seamless) technology, which is designed to reduce waste and im-prove material efficiency, thus realizing a
well-balanced blend of design and functionality. At ISPO, Cifra presents athleisure garments developed in collaboration with Wolford, using ECONYL® and ROICA™ V550. These pieces are in-tended for both light sports and leisure, offering comfort and a refined look. Cifra’s approach combines tech-nical innovation with consideration for the environment.
■ Iluna Group
Iluna Group, established in Italy in 1970, is known for technical and responsible lace. The latest collection includes stretch laces made with ROICA™ EF recycled stretch fiber, GRS-certified Lurex™ nets, and recycled polyamides such as Qnova™ and Renycle™. Iluna’s Green Label range is GRS certified, and the company manages the entire production chain with attention to traceability and responsibility. Iluna’s lace solutions are designed to balance aesthetics, comfort, and environmental care, suitable for lingerie, beachwear, and sports-wear.
■ Inplet Pletiva
Inplet Pletiva, based in Slovenia, offers elastic and rigid knitted fabrics, with a focus on Powernet, Tricot, and Tulle. Many of these now feature ROICA™ V550 for stretch and environmental consideration. At ISPO, Inplet Pletiva pre-sents a range of samples combining polyamide, polyester, recycled fibers, cot-ton, bamboo, and ROICA™, with properties such as multi-directional stretch, breathability, and chlorine resistance. The company is OEKO-TEX and GRS certified, and continues to make efforts toward responsible production and quality.
■ Penn Solutions
Penn Solutions, combining the expertise of Penn Italia and Penn Textile Solutions, presents a wide range of customizable fabrics in tricot and lace bases. These textiles can be personalized with exclusive designs, either placed or all-over, and developed with breathable areas and 3D effects that enhance aerodynamics, as well as more opaque zones to provide greater coverage and privacy where needed. The same concept is applied to cycling bib straps, where Penn Solutions introduces an innovative approach: a single continuous band that divides into two straps at both ends, enhancing seam efficiency and offering different zones and compression levels for improved comfort and performance.The company is OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, HIGG, ZDHC, and GRS certified, and works with care toward environment and social responsibility.
■ Sitip
Sitip develops technical fabrics using ROICA™ fibers, aiming for elasticity, comfort, and versatility. At ISPO, Sitip presents materials such as Blizzard Thermal Comfort, Native-Blizzard K2, Breeze, and Force PLX Light, all designed for high-performance sportswear. No-tably, Sitip’s fabrics are used in the official uniforms of the SCOTT Racing Team. The team recently achieved a remarkable result at the 26th edition of La Prevostura MTB in Italy, with double victory in the men’s category and a victory in the women’s race. This accomplish-ment highlights the practical value and reliability of Sitip’s textile so-lutions in demanding competitive environments. Sitip’s eco-design strategy is reflected in compliance with UNI EN ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 14064-1, bluesign, Oeko-Tex®, GRS, SA8000 and ZDHC Roadmap to Zero, with ongoing efforts to offer responsible textile solutions.
■ Tessitura Colombo Antonio
Tessitura Colombo Antonio, established in 1960 near Milan, is a family-owned company celebrated for its enduring tradition and passion for fine textiles. With a specialization in lace and textiles, the company seam-lessly merges artisanal craftsmanship. Equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and a strong commitment to sustainability, Tessitura Colombo continues to set benchmarks in quality and style. At ISPO, they present a variety of stretch jacquard fabrics with geometric patterns, mesh effects, and nature-inspired motifs. Using polyamide, viscose and ROICA™ fibers, these jacquards are designed for both visual appeal and functional performance. The company’s expertise in design and production is combined with ongoing attention to quality and responsibility in textile manufacturing.
Special Exhibits and Collaborations
CRAFTEVO®-V&A Japan – EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai Uniform Project
– ROICA™ highlights its involvement in the official uniforms for EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, developed by CRAFTEVO® -V&A Japan (Hall A3/Booth 331). Their CRAFTEVO® ReTE fabric used for pants incorporates ROICA™ V550, a stretch fiber designed with consideration for degradability. After the Expo, all uniforms will be collected and composted, with the degradability of ROICA™ V550 contributing to this responsible end-of-life process. This initiative reflects ongoing efforts by both V&A and ROICA™ to support circular solutions and responsible practices in the textile industry.
– Innovation with Environmental Care: SENSIL® ByNature × Mass Balanced ROICA™
NILIT and ROICA™ have partnered to introduce an innovative fabric concept with reduced environmental impact, combining SENSIL® ByNature Nylon 6.6 and ROICA™ premium stretch fiber, made using a mass balance approach* with renewable feedstock. This collaboration utilizes renewable resources and third-party certifications to reduce environmental impact while maintaining comfort and performance.
ROICA™ continues its efforts to support responsible innovation and collaboration in the sportswear industry. Through partnerships with leading European textile manufacturers and new initiatives with V&A Japan and NILIT, ROICA™ demonstrates how careful material choices and thoughtful design can contribute to a more responsible future for apparel.
On the opening day of ISPO (November 30th), ROICA™ will be featured in a presentation at the Brandnew area speaking slot. The presentation will focus on the adoption of ROICA™ V550 in the official uniforms for EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, developed by CRAFTEVO® -V&A Japan. During the presentation, a special video by V&A will be shown to explain the project in detail. We warmly invite all visitors to join us at the Brandnew area and learn more about this example of responsible innovation and circularity.
