From the Sector

In sync with the fair’s 30th anniversary, the sourcing platform will host around 12 fringe events for fairgoers to stay ahead of the curve, under the following segments: Design Inspiration, Business O2O, Textiles & Technologies, and Industry Empowerment. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has joined forces with Danish trend agency SPOTT trends & business to present the design theme for 2025 – ‘Healing Home’ – together with eight trend directions set to captivate the home textiles market. Set to be a hotspot for in vogue sourcing and industry exchange, the show will take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from 14 – 16 August 2024.

To help home textile industry players set the tone and direction for the upcoming business season, the fair will present Trends 2025 along with leading trend agency SPOTT trends & business, to illustrate the ‘Healing Home– Spaces for Thriving Living’ theme that marks the path ahead for the evolving sector. This concept conveys the idea of a home that promotes a remedial, prosperous lifestyle, improving peoples’ general health and well-being, with several key factors contributing to the overarching theme:

• Eight key directions: Age-Old Crafts, Nature-Tech Synergies, Regenerative Possibilities, Wellbeing Spaces, Colourful Gatherings, Bio-Engineered Innovations, Transitional Practices, and Circular Systems.
• Five key colours: deep burgundy, warm terracotta, light creamy shade, saturated nostalgic green, and vaporous blue.

The founder of SPOTT trends & business, Ms Anja Bisgaard Gaede, will be onsite to share insights related to these new design trends. Fairgoers are invited to join her interactive trend tour, and physically experience the concepts steering the industry's future.

With the intention of sparking further design inspiration for industry players, an expert panel discussion of Chinese interior architects and designers, InterDesign Forum, will be held on the afternoon of Day 1. Focusing on design trend topics related to sustainability, Mr Shen Lei, Founder and Design Director of Interior Architects Design and the Chinese representative of the Intertextile International Lifestyle Trend Committee, will lead the discussion. Adding an international perspective, Ms Anja Bisgaard Gaede will join them for the accompanying round table talk.

In addition to serving as a gateway for efficient sourcing, the show will inspire fairgoers through its fringe programme, with various formats and topics unpacking current talking points.

Highlighted sessions include:    

• Round table discussion: Bridging Borders: A Designer x Producer Talk on Sustainability – a dialogue between designers and manufacturers, exploring how to collaboratively overcome sustainability challenges and reconcile the demands of both sides, from both Eastern and Western perspectives.
• Econogy Talks: selected exhibitors, including 3M, Advansa and many more, as well as a representative from Indorama will showcase their innovative green products, giving attendees in-person insights into some of the market’s latest sustainable developments in the Sustainable Fibre Forum. Additionally, a Messe Frankfurt representative will explain the Texpertise Econogy concept, the combination of economy and ecology that represents the sustainability activities in the company’s Texpertise Network. The discussion will show how crucial sustainability is for the economic success of a business today, and indicate how fairgoers can benefit from such an approach.

Beyond the subject of a greener textile industry, other topics will be explored at various events. With more to be announced in the coming weeks, the following seminars hosted by international experts will provide the latest trends and market updates:

• Bridging Worlds: Design Strategies for Success in Middle Eastern Markets: Ms Esra Lemmens (Day 1)
• How Psychology Impacts the Way We Design Spaces: Ms Pallavi Dean (Day 1)

Moreover, the 10th Home Textiles and Furniture Industry Ecological Integration Forum will bring together home textile and furniture brands to explore cross-industry collaboration and provide one-stop home solutions. The 30th China Home Textiles Design Festival & Designer Recommended Brand Awards will showcase the latest trends and achievements in home design, allowing participating brands to gain recognition from designers. Meanwhile, the 7th China International Fibre Art Exhibition will invite influential artists from home and abroad to present diverse contemporary fibre artworks; and the China Intangible Cultural Heritage of Textile Exhibition will showcase some remarkable displays.  

ACI announces the launch of its conference, Bio-Based Textiles in Clothing: Europe 2025.

Following in the footsteps of the successful Biobased Coatings Europe series with latest edition bringing together over 160 senior level attendees in Valencia in June 2024, this inaugural conference will explore the latest advancements in sustainable clothing made from renewable resources.

Taking place on the 15th & 16th January 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, just after the EU's pivotal Textile EPR Directive comes into force, this event will provide a deep dive into the world of bio-based textiles, examining how plants, microbes, and other novel organic feedstock are being revolutionised into sustainable, stylish garments.

China in-store, which was established under the name C-Star as an official satellite of EuroShop in Shanghai in 2015, will be held in Hall N1 of the Shanghai New International Expo Center from 3 to 5 September 2024. In consumer-friendly and tech-savvy China innovative store design plays a prominent role, which is why the trade fair specifically focuses on instore design and high-end solutions for brands. On display will be solutions for store design, fittings, but also retail technologies that help to selectively shape stores as spaces for interacting with shoppers as well as stage their brand messages.

After the success of last year’s event attracting over 100 exhibitors and almost 14,000 trade visitors, China in-store 2024 will offer over 200 providers of retail design and retail-relevant solutions the opportunity to showcase their latest instore design, retail technology and retail solutions while inviting industry professionals to explore, learn and network. The exhibited products and solutions for shopfitting and the retail industry will include store design, materials as well as surfaces and furnishings for shops – ranging from displays fixtures and mannequins to visual merchandising services and omnichannel technologies.

Since personalisation in retail is increasing in importance, the Designer Village will present design companies with trail-blazing stand designs and visual merchandising solutions. The special area will inspire visitors with innovative store concepts that improve both the brand image and customer journey. At the Retail Technology Village the latest advances in AI, VR and data analytics will be presented. These technologies enable an omnichannel experience for shoppers and convert physical stores into third places. On the Retail Stage and the Design Stage experts, retailers and brands will present the latest retail trends, shopfitting strategies and innovations that drive the retail market. A themed exhibition is dedicated to changing trends in retail area design.  

Once again proving a highlight of China in-store will be the presentation of the ERDA China (EuroShop RetailDesign Award China) on 4 September 2024; this award recognises store designs and extraordinary store concepts from the Chinese market. This year the categories were extended. 

With four months until the show opens doors, key exhibitors have already confirmed participation for the Cinte Techtextil China 2024. In conjunction with a positive global outlook, key players are eager to congregate again at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from 19 – 21 September, to showcase innovations and connect with buyers from various sectors.
 
The fair will closely align with Messe Frankfurt’s ‘Texpertise Econogy’ – the umbrella for the group’s sustainability activities at its more than 50 textile trade shows worldwide. New energy elements, such as battery and hydrogen, will appear at the Innovation Showcase Area, on top of other interactive fringe events which centre around sustainability.

With environmental protection as one of the top sourcing categories at the previous edition, products with medical, home, protection, and building applications rounded out the top five. By product group, in-demand sourcing categories included nonwovens; technology and accessories; woven fabrics, laid webs, knitted fabrics, braidings; composites; as well as coated textiles and bondtec. The show saw 15,542 visits from 52 countries and regions last year.

Catering to various key players in 2023, the well-known Groz-Beckert East Asia brought their latest innovative needling tools for the nonwovens sector. Speaking at the show, Mr Kabilen Sornum, Vice President Asia Pacific of Marketing & E-Commerce, commented: “While we are focusing on the China market, we have also seen buyers from the Middle East, Europe, Korea, and North Asia. Cinte Techtextil China is a more international fair – we can see that everyone is here, and the quality and innovation of buyers has improved greatly in the past three to four years. E-mobility and sustainability are two very clear trends.”
 
The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

Source Fashion, which takes place at Olympia London from 14th - 16th July 2024, continues to grow its presence of international exhibitors from new sourcing regions, including representation from southeast Asia and Africa.

The first Malaysian manufacturer to be represented at the trade fair is Kualesa Apparel. Kualesa started as a small seed of an idea, with a big ambition and an even bigger purpose. The brand has evolved from a simple set of values to a producer of great-looking and comfortable bamboo apparel that’s challenging fast fashion. Kualesa offer flexible MOQ’s ranging from 250 pieces to high production capacity of 50,000 pieces a month.

Fairs and More Inc from the Philippines returns to the show for a third time, bringing a pavilion of Filipino manufacturers and makers.

The show also welcomes its first ever Nigerian manufacturer, Beyond Clothing. Beyond Clothing is a garment factory, that specialises in crafting premium custom clothing, branded uniforms, corporate uniforms, and sublimated t-shirts. The range also includes promotional apparel, workwear, and PPE personal protective apparel for hospitals.

Returning to Source Fashion, Texpro Corp (a branch of Kassab Group) from Tunisia has grown rapidly to become a fully integrated apparel manufacturer certified with GOTS, BSCI, BCI, and OCS covering the complete production cycle focusing on sustainability through the process from fabrics to manufacturing, washing and dying. The company specialises in denim and flat garment manufacturing and the product portfolio includes casual dresses, shirts, jackets, pants and coats for men, women and kids. Texpro Corp are increasingly partnering with customers to ensure high consistent quality on the products and invest in innovation to help improve the environmental impact by consistently delivering responsibly produced products.

Visitors will also discover International Trade Center (ITC), who is returning with a pavilion that includes a debut area for Ghanian producers. With manufacturing in Ethiopia, Shints Co Ltd. is a global producer of high-performance outdoor clothing and camping equipment.

A strong contingency from Europe includes over 25 UK exhibitors, representation from France, Italy and Spain, and a selection of Portuguese exhibitors including Ttantos Textiles, FLM Textil, SMSenra and Lagofra.

Nearly 30 countries, including Peru, Cambodia, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Italy, and Greece will be represented. Large pavilions from China, India and Turkey have also been confirmed, as well as Tanzania, Madagascar and Nepal.

The Trevira CS brand is celebrating its debut at Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW), which takes place in London from May 21-23 2024. The brand is particularly targeting interior architects, interior designers, and contract furnishers to present its innovations on sustainability. Trevira CS stands for flame retardant fabrics that have been tested for fire safety. They also offer numerous sustainable properties.

The London borough of Clerkenwell is home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else in the world, making it one of the most important design hubs in the world. To celebrate this rich and diverse community, Clerkenwell Design Week has created a unique opportunity to showcase the world's leading interior design brands. With more than 600 events in over 160 showrooms, more than 11 curated exhibitions, stunning installations, talks and a supporting program, CDW has established itself as the UK's leading design festival. The Trevira CS stand is part of the "German Collection - home to German Contemporary Design", which brings together a leading selection of renowned German brands.
 
The product range of flame-retardant Trevira® filament yarns now also includes 30 spun-dyed, UV-stable yarns, which are particularly suitable for outdoor use in fabrics in the hospitality sector and on cruise ships due to their high light fastness and UV resistance. They also score points for their sustainable properties, as the fabrics made from them can be produced in a more environmentally friendly way than textiles made from conventional yarns.

Trevira CS fabrics are also available in recycled versions. They consist of fiber and filament yarns that are obtained in various recycling processes. Fabrics made from these yarns can obtain the Trevira CS eco trademark. The prerequisite for this is a recycled content of at least 50%.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris opens its doors from 1 to 3 July at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. More than a thousand exhibitors from the world's major sourcing countries will be offering inspirational sources for building collections for 2025-2026. This season's show will focus on suppliers of innovative products and solutions for high-performance and sustainable fashion.

Yarn in the spotlight
Taking us further upstream in the industry and for the first time at the Parisian trade shows, a pavilion featuring yarn producers will be found at the exhibition. Co-organised with Yarn Expo, a Shanghai show in the Messe Frankfurt galaxy, this dedicated pavilion will feature companies from China, India, Pakistan and Taiwan.

A Leather trends area at Leatherworld, partnerships at Avantex
As in previous summers, this season’s show will bring together all the different aspects of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris. Leatherworld, the platform dedicated to leather sourcing, is announcing the return of a South African pavilion. This area will also host a Leather Trends area created and run by Italian publisher Edizioni AF, a specialist in the leather industry. Particular attention will be paid to the design processes and choice of materials used by Italian accessories and footwear manufacturers.

A number of new features are also expected in the Avantex innovations area: Partnerships with the IFA Paris fashion design school, the TCBL association and the TUV Rheinland certification body, which will showcase  solutions in sustainable fashion and textiles, and provide an opportunity to discuss these issues at expert round tables.

Furthermore, the fair will be showcasing Texpertise Econogy, the sustainable economy approach developed by the international Messe Frankfurt group to guide visitors in their sourcing choices. Following its launch in February, the upcoming event will continue to promote sustainability with a number of features and provide a platform for green pioneers.

At the upcoming SaigonTex, taking place from April 10th to 13th in Ho Chi Minh City, the KARL MAYER GROUP will present its innovations.

DThe KARL MAYER exhibition for warp preparation is entirely dedicated to sustainability. With BLUEDYE, an innovative machine is introduced, which ensures more sustainability and lower costs in the process of indigo dyeing. Thanks to innovative technological solutions, the amounts of water and chemicals used are significantly reduced. Additionally, less yarn waste is generated. Another innovation for more sustainability is CASCADE, a steam and condensation system that requires significantly less steam in the drying process of sizing and indigo dyeing plants by using a solution for energy recycling that is protected against imitation.

For the warp knitting sector, the group of companies presents its latest technological developments. Highlights include a digital solution from KM.ON for optimizing production management (DPM), innovations for enhancing performance in the HKS segment, and a double raschel machine that enables unique creative multi-color designs in spacer textiles with more colour and new Jacquard techniques.

"Vietnam is a growing market for textile production, which is gaining importance especially for major international sports brands," says Eddy Ho, Senior Sales Manager at KARL MAYER.
The sales professional expects a large number of visitors, especially from Vietnam, China, Taiwan, and South Korea. SaigonTex is one of the most important textile machinery exhibitions in East Asia, located in close proximity to production centres. Vietnam is, in turn, the second most important market for the KARL MAYER GROUP after China. It benefits from increasing foreign direct investments in textile production from China, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Members of TMAS – the Swedish textile machinery association – will display technologies in alignment with the theme of digitalisation at the forthcoming Techtextil and Texprocess 2024 exhibitions, taking place in Frankfurt from April 23-26th.

Automatic handling
The fully automated and digitised handling solutions for finished garments, home textiles and furniture of Eton Systems, for example, will be demonstrated at Texprocess.

Designed to increase value-added time in production by eliminating manual transportation and minimising handling, the individually addressable product carriers are fully managed and controlled by the latest ETONingenious™ software. This web based real-time data collection and information system continuously accumulates, processes and makes all production information instantly available to supervisors, quality control personnel and management.

Bespoke seams
Svegea will demonstrate its EC 300-XS colarette technology, which is used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.

The EC 300-XS collarette cutter on show in Frankfurt is equipped with the latest E-Drive II system providing the operator with a very user-friendly touchscreen, providing full control of the cutting process. An accompanying FA 350 fully automatic roll slitting machine will also be demonstrated.

Digital finishing
At Techtextil meanwhile, Baldwin Technology Co. will provide full details of how its highly digitised TexCoat G4 non-contact spray technology for textile finishing and remoistening not only reduces water, chemicals and energy consumption, but also provides the flexibility to adapt to customer requirements in terms of single and double-sided finishing applications.

TexCoat G4 can reduce water consumption and chemical usage by as much as 50% compared to traditional padding application processes.

Yarn tension
Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Eltex will display the latest Eltex EyETM system for the continuous monitoring of yarn tension on warp beams.

The Eltex EyETM eliminates problems when warping, and also in subsequent weaving or tufting processes, monitoring the yarn tension on all positions in real-time and enabling a minimum and maximum allowable tension value it be set. If any yarn’s tension falls outside these values the operator can be warned or the machine stopped.

The Eltex ACT and ACT-R units meanwhile go beyond yarn tension monitoring to actually control yarn tension. This extends the application range greatly. The plug and play system automatically compensates for any differences in yarn tension that arise, for example from irregularities in yarn packages.

Accumulated know-how
Vandewiele Sweden AB benefits from all of the synergies and accumulated know-how of Vandewiele Group, supplying weft yarn feeding and tension control units for weaving looms to the majority of weaving machine manufacturers. It also retrofits its latest technologies to working mills to enable instant benefits in terms of productivity and control.

The company will present its latest X4 yarn feeders with integrated accessory displays (TED) as a new standard, as well as launching its own e-commerce platform – iroonline.com.

The TED function enables weft tension settings to be transferred from one machine to another, enabling a fast start-up the next time the same article is woven. The position of the S-Flex Tensioner is constantly monitored by an internal sensor – even if adjustment is made during power off.

X4 feeders are also available with integrated active tension control (ATC-W) as an option. With the ATC-W active tension control, the required tension is easily set and monitored on the integrated display. Once set, the system constantly regulates itself, ensuring consistent yarn tension during the weaving process which is constantly and accurately measured by the ATC sensor unit, sending a signal to the ATC operator unit resulting in consistently stable yarn tension at the required level.

SEEK announces a new and earlier date for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2025 edition. SEEK will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of July 2024. The new platform, THE JUNCTION, connecting the neighboring UNION Showroom at Kühlaus will open its doors from the 30th of June until the 3rd of July. Berlin Fashion Week plans its shows, showrooms and events to take place from the 1st until the 4th of July. The 8th edition of the 202030 - The Berlin Fashion Summit will inform and animate on the same days as SEEK.

"The past few days we have had productive and most importantly very friendly conversations. The result: Your (the industry’s) wish is our command - for the first time Berlin Fashion Week, UNION showroom, 202030 - The Berlin Fashion Summit, THE JUNCTION and SEEK will take place at the same time. Together we want to activate: brands, stores and the city." Marie-Luise Patzelt, SEEK