Anna Schuster has been appointed Head of Sustainability at PERFORMANCE DAYS, the Munich-based functional fabrics and sourcing trade event, according to a notice carried by Fibre2Fashion.

The hire places a single named owner over the fair's sustainability programming, supplier vetting and compliance communications with mills, brand buyers and sourcing offices that attend the twice-yearly show.

What sits under the new role?

Schuster takes the lead on the show's sustainability agenda, which increasingly overlaps with sourcing decisions on recycled content, bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® compliance, and PFAS substitution across the performance textiles tier. PERFORMANCE DAYS has, in recent editions, hosted the "Expert Talks" and "Bodywear" sourcing formats that draw component suppliers from Taiwan, mainland China, Portugal, Italy and Turkey alongside European weavers and finishers.

The appointment signals that organisers expect sustainability to sit alongside price, MOQ and lead time as a procurement filter rather than a marketing layer.

Who is Anna Schuster?

Schuster has worked on textile sustainability projects connecting brands, fabric mills and certification bodies in the European performance segment. Fibre2Fashion's notice identifies her by the sustainability title at PERFORMANCE DAYS; further detail on prior roles, employers and start date was not published in the note available to Softgoods Report.

Why does it matter to sourcing teams?

Functional and outdoor apparel buyers face mounting pressure on three supply-chain fronts:

• Chemical compliance — REACH and ZDHC input lists now reach deep into the dyehouse tier, not just the brand's nominated mill.
• Recycled and bio-based content — targets tied to the EU's ESPR and emerging digital product passport requirements demand traceability to the fibre and yarn stage.
• PFAS replacement — major outdoor brands have set deadline lines for fluorine-free durable water repellent (DWR) finishes, pushing the burden onto chemistry suppliers and finishers.

A dedicated sustainability lead at the sourcing fair gives buyers a single point of contact to align those asks with the mills exhibiting on the floor.

What is PERFORMANCE DAYS?

PERFORMANCE DAYS runs as a functional fabrics and components sourcing platform, with editions in Munich and seasonal partner events in other sourcing hubs. Its exhibitor base spans knitting and weaving mills, fibre producers, laminate makers, trim suppliers and finishers serving sportswear, outdoor, workwear and athleisure buyers.

What changes for exhibitors?

Schuster's appointment puts a named contact in front of sustainability questionnaires, certification audits and the show's sourcing awards criteria. Mills that previously treated sustainability submissions as a marketing exercise should expect closer review against recognised standards rather than self-declared claims.

For component and accessory suppliers — membrane laminators, elastic trim makers, zip and cord producers — the same compliance pressure applies, since outdoor brands increasingly require sub-tier documentation on chemistry and recycled content at the trim stage.

What sourcing decision does the news force?

Sourcing offices attending the next PERFORMANCE DAYS edition should treat the appointment as a signal to route their sustainability queries, ESPR readiness questions and PFAS substitution timelines through the fair's new lead rather than relying on informal floor conversations with sales reps. Brand-side sustainability teams preparing for the spring/summer 2027 development cycle will want to confirm which certifications and chemistries the show's curators will vet against, and align internal sourcing briefs accordingly before booking meetings on the floor.