Porto Alegre, Brazil, is preparing to host one of Latin America’s most influential events for the fashion, footwear, and design industries: INSPIRAMAIS, taking place on January 27–28, 2026, at the FIERGS Events Center. Now in its 33rd edition, the exhibition brings together more than 150 companies and expects over 7,000 visitors, reaffirming its role as a strategic hub for innovation, sustainability, and material development.
Organized by Assintecal in partnership with CICB, Abit, and Abimóvel, INSPIRAMAIS has become a reference point for professionals seeking new materials, technologies, and research that shape the future of fashion and related industries. As Silvana Dilly, superintendent of Assintecal, emphasizes, “INSPIRAMAIS is where fashion begins.”
A Global Business Platform: The Buyer Project
One of the event’s major highlights is the Buyer Project, supported by APEX Brasil. This edition brings 38 international buyers from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Turkey. Collectively, these companies produce more than 1.5 million pairs of footwear per month, in addition to distributing components across their local markets.
The initiative strengthens Brazil’s position as a global supplier of innovative materials and has historically generated significant business opportunities—over R$ 44 million in international sales in the most recent edition.
Local Identity and Sustainability: The Amazon Biome Project
INSPIRAMAIS also showcases the results of the Local Iconography – Amazon Biome project, developed by Assintecal in collaboration with Sebrae. Conducted in the territories of Santarém, Alter do Chão, Belterra, and Mojuí dos Campos, the initiative carried out deep territorial research focused on local identity and cultural heritage.
The project supported local enterprises in developing more than 80 new materials and solutions, all rooted in regional culture and sustainable practices. This work highlights the potential of the Amazon region as a source of creative and economic innovation, while promoting responsible development and respect for local communities.
A Program Dedicated to Innovation, Research, and AI
The Innovation Arena hosts a robust schedule of talks and presentations exploring the intersections of design, sustainability, and technology.
Key Highlights Include:
- The Turning Point Research, presented by Walter Rodrigues, creative coordinator of Assintecal’s Research and Design Center.
Inspired by Fritjof Capra’s book The Turning Point, the research proposes a shift from “Liquid Modernity” to “Gaseous Modernity,” emphasizing volatility, transformation, and ecological awareness.
The study guided the creation of over 1,000 innovative and sustainable materials, featuring organic textures, layered constructions, cellular and gelatinous aspects, amorphous silhouettes, and AI‑enhanced processes.
- Design First: The Secondary Role of Technology, with Daniel Quintana Sperb, exploring how design remains the driving force behind major technological and behavioral shifts.
Artificial Intelligence for Creatives in Fashion, led by Emmanuelle Tonani, discussing how AI can expand strategic and creative potential within the industry.
- Local Iconography – Amazon Biome, presented by Rodrigues, detailing sustainable business opportunities connected to the Amazon region.
- Essence, a preview of the research that will guide the July 2026 edition, presented by Rodrigues and Marnei Carminatti.
- Behind the Human Campaign, with Tiago Peters, showcasing the award‑winning creative process behind the campaign presented at the 32nd edition of INSPIRAMAIS.
- Fashion, Design, and Architecture as Agents of Transformation, with Flávia Vanelli and Cândido Machado, exploring interdisciplinary approaches to innovation.
This year, the Innovation Arena receives pioneering sponsorship from Kisafix, with support from Sebrae.
A Meeting Point for the Future of Materials
INSPIRAMAIS stands out not only as a trade exhibition but as a platform for research, cultural exchange, and sustainable development. Its combination of business opportunities, scientific and creative research, and international collaboration positions Brazil as a key player in the global materials industry.
Registration is free for professionals in the footwear production chain at www.inspiramais.com.br
