The Cannes-based show prides itself on offering premium fabrics for the swimwear sector. The longstanding heritage of the exhibitors was reflected in the high-quality and skilful fabric offerings for summer 2025.

A roll call of textiles manufacturers celebrating significant anniversaries at Cannes-based show MarediModa demonstrated, pleasingly, that there are still a good number of family-owned textile businesses in Europe that are thriving, despite competition from cheaper destinations. A focus on high-quality manufacture, often with vertical facilities, plus investment in R&D and personalised services, are qualities valued by buyers not only from swimwear companies but also from mainstream brands as well as the luxury names that were on display in several booths. Five of those celebrating anniversaries were Italian: Borgini Jersey and Wegal + Tricotel celebrated their 50th anniversaries, Ricamificio Braga celebrated its 110th birthday and Boselli Swim celebrated 125 years in business. 

The fifth, Como-based Tessitura Taiana Virgilio, which celebrated 90 years, is headed by Claudio Taiana, and who is also president of MarediModa. Of the fair’s European-only entry list for exhibitors, he comments, “When, 21 years ago, we decided to protect our fair with an entry specification to protect traceability, many called us utopian, but today we can say that that choice has protected both our brand and the work of the companies that come here to present their collections. Those who come to Cannes know they will find only the premium segment of our industry.”

Taiana has weaved a special story of its own, adapting business through changes in fashion and navigating the war years, and is now run by the third generation of the family. Supplying a mix of ready-to-wear, swimwear and sportswear, the company operates seven plants offering weaving, dyeing and finishing. Its Kinetech division, a growing sector for the company, specialises in high-performance sports fabrics, supplying to cycling brands such as Rapha, as well as the competition swimwear makers. “We invented a lot of jacquard machines, both for fashion and sports,” export sales manager Marco Loro Piana tells WSA. “The jacquard looms allow our designers to offer customisable patterns, both in ladies’ and men’s swimwear. In sports, we use jacquard weaving and special blends to produce aerodynamic features and compressive patterns.”

Its new offerings include Blu 2025, a special collection for the 90th anniversary featuring a range of “green yarns”, reflecting a focus on the entire value chain, from energy to finishing. “Our specialty is 3D elastic, something you can only create with woven fabrics, but it’s been increasingly blended with shiny lurex. We do the same with a dobby woven stripe with a special lurex. People want things that stand out,” says Mr Loro Piana.

Three years ago, the company began transitioning its yarns to offer recycled options, and is now in a position to offer 90% of its collections with some percentage of recycled content. Mr Loro Piana admits it wasn’t an easy process, as they work with a lot of complicated blends. “We had to adapt our dyeing methods to make the colour consistent,” he says. “But our philosophy doesn’t mean just using recycled fabric, it starts from the beginning. For instance, our production plant is covered by solar panels and use a sublimation print system that saves water.”

Lifestyle concept

This sentiment is echoed by Eurojersey, which specialises in knitted constructions for activewear, swimwear and underwear. It is known for its Sensitive brand and produces 13 million metres of fabric per year from a facility north of Milan. By operating a single plant, from weaving and dyeing to finishing, printing and bonding, the company can tightly control its processes to reduce water and energy. It began its sustainability journey in 2007, when “no one else was even talking about it”, says Michela Delle Donne, Eurojersey’s head of marketing. 

As part of this, for the last three years it has published a Footprint Report, detailing progress such as a reduction in water consumption per unit of fabric every year since 2015. It is also collaborating with yarn suppliers and plastic manufacturers to address end-of-life options. “We are able to track and measure our impact, but also to invest in new technology to save water, energy and resources in general,” explains Ms Delle Donne. The company has also invested in welfare for its 220 staff, including providing a gym where they can both relax and test the fabrics.

Eurojersey’s branded Sensitive fabrics use a patented knitting technique to create breathable and quick-drying fabrics with 3D elasticity and shape and colour retention. The swimwear range offers 50+ sun protection and is resistant to chlorine, salt water, sunscreen and heat, and has been used by brands including Burberry, Zimmerman and Tori Burch.

Its latest collections offer designs reminiscent of Caribbean carnivals, 1970s California and the Orient. They include a fabric construction previously used for athleisure fabrics, offering a more textural, ribbed 3D effect, as well as a shiny collection that can be plain or printed. A new delavé effect makes fabrics feel “vintage” and is ideal for customised garments. “Swimwear is becoming a lifestyle concept,” explains Ms Delle Donne. “It’s not just a seasonal collection. Now we have started travelling again after the pandemic, you can wear it all year.”

Shine on

This is a clear message coming out of the show – “swimwear is not just for swimming” – highlighted by textiles consultant David Shah but also promoted on the booths. A resurgence of swimming costumes instead of bikinis means consumers are purchasing more but also means swimwear often needs both performance and fashion qualities. “If it’s only worn on the beach, comfort and style is key. Swimwear for competition swimmers needs to resistant to many hours in chlorine; swimwear for volleyball players needs to resist perspiration and sun cream. In our collection, we have 70 fabrics, serving all these needs,” says Matteo Schieppati, CEO of Wegal + Tricotel.

Established in 1973, Wegal + Tricotel initially produced elastic fabrics for swimwear and lingerie, but has diversified into sportswear and workwear fabrics, knitting and dyeing in one plant near Saronno, north of Milan. Most raw materials and yarns are sourced from Europe; “We think the best way to take care of the environment is short supply chains,” says Mr Schieppati. 

Each year, the company chooses a different focus for investment: new dyeing machines, reducing water use by 40%; Industry 4.0, to optimise production and processes; this year it is investing in a new heating systems and next year the cooling systems will get an overhaul. “One of the benefits of being a small company with 50 years’ experience is flexibility. We like to work closely with customers to produce unique products and can produce small quantities for trials,” explains Mr Schieppati. For the first time in years, shine is back, he adds. “For 20 years, customers told us that shiny will come back, but it never did. They always wanted matte. Now,  we are seeing a tendency for shiny.” 

Lurex and lustre

Shine was also on show at Billon, a 100 year-old French company based near Lyon, which specialises in jacquard knits for athleisure and swimwear. “We use a lot of lurex, it’s very popular at the moment,” says Xavier Minsac, commercial director. And although the company is receiving increasing requests for recycled fabrics, he admits it can sometimes be harder to dye.

Milan-based Eusebio revels in novel yarns, creating two collections every year, with 60% of the business from ready-to-wear and 40% from beachwear and activewear. As part of its sustainability strategy, it invests in cotton from the Ivory Coast, supporting farmers and their communities, including funding a primary school. It offers a wide range of fabrics, including knitted constructions for in and out of the water; terry, foils and printed.

For summer 2025, alongside recycled polyester and polyamide, it is offering a collection made with biodegradable nylon, an innovative yarn that has a softener inside, making it degrade (under certain conditions) in two to three years. “We are presenting performance collections, as well as the lurex, glitter and shiny,” says Eleonora Cimmino from Eusebio’s design department.

The exuberant trend was highlighted by Mr. Shah, a style reflected by lustre, sheens, iridescence, wet look and high-tech cutting and shaping. But he also picked out four other trends: Conscious – craft-based looks favouring inclusive social practices and “kind” ingredients; Transformed – youthful, happy and exciting; At Ease – comfortable, plain, plant-based fibres; and Magical – made with botanic dyes and natural pigments and fibres. "Just like the entire textile supply chain, the beachwear, underwear and athleisure sectors have adopted an ethical, circular and responsible approach,” he says. “The technology available today enables tremendous progress on the sustainability front as well as on fabric construction.”

Cannes-do attitude

MarediModa rounded off with a catwalk show from student designers, finalists of the Link competition, using fabrics from exhibitors. The competition has provided a springboard for young designers into brands over the years, according to the organisers, and offers companies access to fresh talent. The winners were named as Monika Luczak from Poland (underwear), Iulia Anton from Romania (athleisure) and Laurine Achoui from France (beachwear).

While anecdotally a quieter show than the past two years, many confirmed MarediModa’s place as an important date for swimwear, athleisure and underwear, with booths busy and buyers placing orders, and a multitude of accessories stands, perhaps indicating that we will see sequins, chains and decoration on swimsuits next year. 

The MarediModa Creative Excellence Awards were presented to Colombian group Leonisa and US brand Sauvage. “We have selected two brands that produce very different styles but that are appreciated in every corner of the planet,” says Mr Taiana. “Two brands that believe, like us, in product ethics and supply chain traceability.”

LYCRA ROUNDS CORNER ON RECYCLABILITY 

Longtime sponsors of MarediModa, The Lycra Company used the event for the European launch of two fibres: Lycra Adaptiv Xtra and Lycra Adaptiv Black. Both build on the Adaptiv platform launched in 2021, which allows brands to make garments that offer a better fit. 

The modified polymer gives more stretch, giving a “second skin” feeling and, in theory, reduces online garment returns as they fit a wider range. Adaptiv Xtra Life adds resistance to chlorine, heat, perspiration and sun creams, all of which break down spandex. Xtra Life resists up to 10 times more hours in the swimming pool. 

Adaptiv Black fibre, primarily designed for activewear, enhances black and dark fabrics. “We have spun some black pigment into Lycra Black, it keeps dark colours looking as though they’re new for longer, so it helps prolong the useful life of the garment,” explains Alistair Williamson, vice-president of Europe and South Asia at Lycra. 

Adding durability is one of Lycra’s key sustainability pillars, alongside a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and end-¬of¬-life solutions. 

Recycling spandex has been one of the key sticking points, and something the company has been working on for years. “Products do break down eventually,” says Mr Williamson. “Spandex is seen as part of the problem, we want to change that.” Blends with higher than 10% spandex cannot be recycled mechanically, as they clog up the shredding machines. Chemical recycling has proved problematic because of the nuances in Lycra’s raw materials. 

In October, it announced “exciting results” from a project breaking down a fabric made from 70% polyester and 30% Lycra; both were recovered and spun again. “The fabric performed exactly the same. We were excited because we thought it was not possible,” says Mr Williamson. However, he stresses that there is still a long way to go. Lycra is working recyclers around the world to try to find technological solutions for various blends. “There’s a lot that still needs to be done. What we want to convey is that Lycra shouldn’t be the problem.” 

In the company’s most recent sustainability report, it outlines an ambitious target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2050. Among ways it will achieve this will be to swap to renewable resources at its manufacturing plants – for instance, its Maydown plant in Northern Ireland, which supplies to many of Europe’s swimwear manufacturers, is transitioning to solar and wind energy, and working with its downstream suppliers to do the same.

Buyers analysed upcoming fashion themes through MarediModa’s trend zones.
Credit: MarediModa

Share this story: