Performance Without Toxicity Exhibition

From the 26 January to 26 June 2026, The Mills Fabrica presents Performance Without Toxicity, a exhibition exploring the future of performance wear, celebrating a growing ecosystem of solutions advancing a clean, circular, and regenerative path forward. Curated by The Mills Fabrica, and with support from Lead Innovation Partner Goldwin, the exhibition features 37 pioneering companies demonstrating how high performance can be achieved without hidden costs to people or the planet.

Performance wear has always been shaped by ambition, ingenuity and the most advanced thinking of its time, designed to strengthen, protect and support the body in demanding conditions. Today, innovation is redefining performance once again, opening pathways toward a cleaner, circular, and regenerative future for people and the planet.

Materials such as polyester, nylon, elastane, and other chemically intensive finishes have defined modern performance, setting universal expectations for stretch, durability, comfort and protection. Yet their production, use and end of life carry hidden costs for human health and the environment. As performance wear becomes ever more embedded in daily life, the industry faces a pivotal moment: to rethink what performance truly requires and how technical excellence can coexist with responsibility to the planet.

Performance Without Toxicity showcases 37 pioneering solutions from around the world. Spanning speculative research projects and early-stage start-ups to commercialised innovations and global brands, the exhibition explores how reimagining materials, reducing chemical intensity and prioritising longevity can deliver performance without compromise.

Through hands-on material samples, speculative prototypes, interactive installations and garments that have moved from concept to reality, visitors explore high-performance apparel defined by purpose. In this approach, advancing human potential is intrinsically linked with safeguarding human wellbeing and the health of the planet

Exhibiting Companies

A BLUNT STORY (UNCRUDE®): Developing materials made from agricultural residues, plant oils and post-consumer recycled textiles for footwear.

Allbirds: B-Corp footwear brand championing the inherent performance qualities of natural materials.

Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp: Agro-industrial body uniting, representing and certifying the entire European flax-linen and hemp value chain.

Ambercycle: Material science company using molecular regeneration to transform end-of-life textiles into new resources for the fashion industry.

Amphico: Recyclable, PFAS-free waterproof breathable textiles and a waterless textile colouration system.

Balena:Materials science company developing bio-based, high‑performance biopolymers designed for circularity.

Beyond Surface Technologies: Swiss textile chemical supplier advancing green chemistry solutions for performance textile surface affects.

BIOTEXFUTURE:Collaborative research hub transforming petroleum-based textiles into bio-based solutions.

Biorestore: Re-tergent garment treatments that repair, restore and renew clothing to combat fast fashion waste.

Bioworks: Japanese materials company developing plant-based fibres to replace conventional plastics.

Circle Sportswear: French running brand championing natural materials to create 75% bio-based running shoes.

Colorifix: Microbe-based dyeing technology to produce and fix pigments onto fabrics.

Dimpora: Developing PFAS-free waterproof and breathable membranes for outdoor clothing.

DryFiber: High-performance fluorine-free coatings that repel water, oil and stains without PFAS or other 'forever chemicals.

Finisterre: British outdoor brand designing functional, long-lasting clothing to reduce impact on marine environments.

Future Fabrics Expo: Largest showcase for sourcing innovative, certified, sustainably and responsibly produced materials from global suppliers.

Homage to Mountain: Material innovation project developing biodegradable alpine gear, inspired by mountains and built for extreme conditions.

Hyosung TNC: Global leader in textile innovation and the world’s largest elastane producer by market share.

Korvaa Consortium (Concept Shoe): Global biomaterials consortium pioneering a concept shoe exploring sustainable alternatives to petrochemical materials.

KUORI: Creating biodegradable bio-based elastomers using agricultural bio-fillers and biopolymers to reduce microplastics.

Lenzing: Global leader in responsibly produced renewable wood-based cellulose fibres for textiles and personal-care products.

Matereal: Leveraging AI and chemistry to design safe, high-performance bio-based materials to replace plastics, starting with a biobased polyurethane alternative.

Nanoloom: Developing non-toxic, high-performance fibres from graphene to replace traditional synthetic fibres

Norrøna: Norwegian outdoor brand creating premium high-performance products for adventure, combining quality, function, design and sustainability since 1929.

OzoneBio: Developing bio-adipic acid, a key component of Nylon 66, using renewable feedstocks such as wood waste.

PLNTmatter: Transforming previously unusable plant cellulose into high-performance materials using organic chemistry and waste-free processes.

Remora: Developing non-toxic surface protections that prevent harmful biofilms, inspired by red seaweed defences.

Resortecs: Enabling large-scale post‑consumer textile recycling with heat‑dissolvable threads and smart thermal disassembly systems.

Solarcore: Materials technology company designing ultra-thin thermal insulation built around aerogel, the lightest solid material on Earth.

Supercarb: Developing plastic-free performance fibres from food and seaweed waste for apparel, home textiles and protective wear.

Synflux: Speculative fashion lab using 3D modelling, AI and algorithms to design high-performance garments with minimal waste.

Syntetica: Developing green-chemistry recycling technologies to convert mixed plastic waste into high-quality raw materials, focusing on nylon.

Tera Mira: Developing a bio-based elastane alternative made from seaweed, enabling circular, non-toxic, high-performance stretch.

United Repair Centre:A tech-driven B2B clothing repair company, offering expert repair, renew and remake services.

Vivobarefoot: Designing minimalist footwear supporting natural movement through low-impact circular materials, reconnecting people with nature and their natural 'bare-foot' potential.
Visitor Details

Exhibition Opening Hours (26 January – 26 June, 2026)

• Monday - Friday: 9am - 6pm
• Saturday & Sunday: CLOSED

About Goldwin

Goldwin is a Japanese performance innovation company integrating research, design and investment to advance the future of apparel and material systems. Through its in-house Goldwin Tech Lab, established in 2017, the organisation conducts extensive research into areas such as human physiology and environmental conditions, developing functional clothing that responds dynamically to the body and environment. In 2022, Goldwin launched Goldwin Play Earth Fund, a strategic investment platform supporting start-up companies pursuing progressive material, performance, and circularity solutions by leveraging the technical, commercial, and global network of Goldwin Inc. In early 2026, Goldwin will open a flagship store for its original Goldwin brand in London.

Learn more about Goldwin

About The Mills Fabrica

The Mills Fabrica is a global innovation ecosystem with outposts in Hong Kong and London, dedicated to accelerating sustainable and social impact start-ups within the Agrifood and Techstyle sectors through a VC fund, co-working space, strategic partnerships, industry events and an innovation gallery and concept store; Fabrica X.

Learn more about The Mills Fabrica

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