Textination Newsline

• Opportunity for manufacturers to star as trendsetters in the flooring industry

The redesigned DOMOTEX – with its more transparent clustering of allied products and the visually stunning  “Framing Trends” showcase – has been warmly embraced by the market and is now gearing up for its second season. DOMOTEX 2019 will run under the banner of “CREATE’N’CONNECT”, a keynote theme that puts the spotlight on innovative flooring industry developments and ideas inspired by today’s connectivity megatrend. Powered by advanced technology and digital change, being connected is a tremendously important aspect of our daily lives and interaction at home and on the job.   Connectedness is an important aspect of flooring in the sense that floors are unifying, connecting elements of room design. Floors and flooring provide the very foundation for the rooms in which we live and work. Floors inspire us, give us orientation and set the stage for human interaction.
 
“CREATE’N’CONNECT” keynote theme to be creatively staged by trend leaders
The “Framing Trends”special area in Hall 9 at DOMOTEX 2019 is a unique opportunity for manufacturers to breathe life into the “CREATE’N’CONNECT” theme and thereby demonstrate their creative genius and position themselves as trendsetters of the flooring industry. Complete with a quality supporting program of talks, lectures and discussions inspired by the keynote theme, “Framing Trends” is a vibrant networking platform and the beating heart of DOMOTEX. It is a place where creatives from all parts of the design spectrum can gather, make connections and contacts and spark new business opportunities. For manufacturers, retailers and designers, it is also a rich source of inspiration for new collections. With its out-of-the-ordinary artistic staging and groundbreaking product presentations, “Framing Trends” is an absolute magnet for fashion and lifestyle-savvy visitors, architects, interior decorators, designers and influencers.

“Framing Trends” - Apply to exhibit and start making connections  
As a major highlight of DOMOTEX, the “Framing Trends” special area is one of the main stops on the show’s special Guided Tours for architects and journalists. This premium exposure is further enhanced by the area’s strong presence in the organizer’s social media channels and on the DOMOTEX website. Furthermore, companies that give exclusive interviews at DOMOTEX are permitted to use the interviews for their own promotional purposes. As in 2018, the “Framing Trends” showcase at DOMOTEX 2019 will have a Blogger Lounge where bloggers and visitors can meet up, talk and collaborate.

The “Framing Trends” area includes the “Flooring Spaces” zone – a series of spaces where selected exhibitors and companies from the flooring industry can stage their unique, creative visions of the “CREATE’N’CONNECT” theme in the form of physical installations, interactive display circuits or workshops. Applications for participation at the “Flooring Spaces” zone are now open. Each applying organization is invited to submit a design proposal for a “Flooring Space” of any size from 20 sqm to 60 sqm. On request, the DOMOTEX organizers will arrange for designers to help applicants with their proposals. An expert jury made up of big-name designers and architects will select the participating exhibitors from among the applicants. The jury will make its decision by the fall of 2018.

Examples of creative flooring-related connections
The connectivity theme can be creatively expressed in many wonderful ways, as the following examples from the flooring and various allied industries show.
In teamwork with the studio Lotta Agaton Interiors, Austrian carpet maker Tisca Textil staged a home environment collage at DOMOTEX 2018 combining handmade woolen rugs with furniture by Vitra, Artek and Team7.

The lively graphic motifs used in the Infused Collection by Mannington Mills conjure up various aspects of five different U.S. metropolises. This LVT tile collection’s mix-and-match approach lends itself to the creation of imaginative mosaics using any combination of tiles desired.

Swedish design firm Kinnasand presents its rugs on a limited series of steel tubing “structures” created in cooperation with Berlin design studio Greiling. Draped over stylized bench, ottoman and daybed structures, the carpets take on a three-dimensional aspect.

Furniture manufacturer Walter Knoll uses the floor pillows and daybeds in its “Badawi Pillows” collection to create connections with its own sofa and carpet range. Details like the finishing on the leather headrest rolls attest to the firm’s high level of craftsmanship.

Gan, the rug and textile brand of Spanish outdoor furnishing company Gandia Blasco, includes a whole range of new products that explore the connection between rooms and their floors. For example, the “Parquet” kilim collection by Swedish designer duo Front (Sofia Lagerkvist and Anna Lindgren) reinvents the timeless aesthetic of wood parquet in soft floor coverings. Meanwhile, the “Mirage” collection by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola comprises hand-knotted rugs made from New Zealand wool that look like they are woven from three dimensional planks whose ends protrude into the surrounding space. Her “Garden Layers” collection features layers of rugs, mats, roll pillows, cushions and even textile-covered Indian beds. The individual elements can be arranged in many different ways to create infinite inviting possibilities for outdoor living.
 
“Framing Trends” showcase well received by the market
Business decision-makers who participated in the inaugural “Framing Trends” showcase were full of praise for the enhanced DOMOTEX format. Their stories are glowing reports of successful business contacts made at DOMOTEX 2018. For instance, Jutta Werner, CEO of Nomad, an interdisciplinary design firm in Hamburg, described the “Flooring Spaces” area as a “well signposted proving ground for innovation and contemporary thinking.” She said the response to her presentation there was “overwhelming.” Benny Jensen, CEO of Denmark’s Fletco Carpets, was impressed with the Guided Tours and their ability to communicate targeted information to visitors. He said the tours enabled his company to present its new, award-winning “LockTiles” product directly to a quality, pre-qualified audience. Jensen noted that “architects, designers and planners made a special point of visiting the ‘Framing Trends’ display.” Floor coverings manufacturer Classen used the “Flooring Spaces” zone at “Framing Trends” to present a vision of a living space from the future. The flooring creation at the heart of Classen’s “Flooring Space” was developed specially for DOMOTEX at the company’s own design center, while the creative design and production of the space as a whole was undertaken on Classen’s behalf by a designer. The presentation raised Classen’s profile as an innovator. Marketing Director Heinz-Dieter Gras says the visitors showed a “great deal of interest” and described the presentation as “spectacular” and “masterfully done”.

Thomas Trenkamp, CEO of Carpet Concept, was very pleased with the “massive response” to his company’s “Framing Trends” presentation generated in the press and among industry peers and trade visitors. The kaleidoscope project which Carpet Concept realized in partnership with Schmidhuber, Munich, was a major attraction on site, in the press and across social media channels. Creative Matters, a Canadian design firm that specializes in carpets, rugs and wall coverings, staged a series of creative workshops that proved enormously popular with attendees. President and co-founder Carol Sebert described “Framing Trends” as a “vibrant, high-energy” showcase that enabled exhibitors and visitors to “experience the latest innovations and creations in the flooring world first-hand.” Jürgen Dahlmanns, the founder and creative mind behind cutting-edge German carpet label Rug Star, believes that DOMOTEX’s managers have moved the show in an “exciting new direction” with Framing Trends. “It’s a fun thing to be involved in as an exhibitor”. Textile floor coverings specialist Balta Group, of Belgium, has been exhibiting at DOMOTEX right from the early days. Marketing Director Geert Vanden Bossche said the new format has “further cemented the strong connection” his organization felt with DOMOTEX. Balta exhibits both at DOMOTEX in Hannover and at DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR in Shanghai.

DOMOTEX 2019 will be held in Hannover, Germany, from 11 to 14 January (Friday through Monday). The show is expected to feature around 1,400 exhibitors from more than 60 nations.

Every day, GTAI experts observe and analyze the development of the most important German export industries on the world markets. Here you will find summarized information on the textile and clothing industry in Asian markets.
 
GTAI Industry Check - Vietnam
Textile and clothing industry: Vietnam needs more than sewing
The textile and clothing industry is one of the most important pillars of the Vietnamese industry and accounted for around 6 percent of total exports in 2017 with exports amounting to USD 26 billion. For 2018, the industry is aiming for growth of 7 to 8 percent and exports are expected to rise to over USD 33 billion. In order to comply with the rules of origin of the free trade agreements concluded by Vietnam, the country must achieve a higher added value. Domestic companies such as the Vinatex Group or Garco10, but also foreign companies are increasingly investing in technical innovations and expanding processes such as spinning, weaving and dyeing upstream of pure sewing. In addition, the first companies are beginning to automate their production processes.

GTAI Industry Check - Uzbekistan
Textile and clothing industry: Investments of more than USD 2 billion planned
The industry program for 2017 to 2020 lists around 130 projects with a total value of USD 2 billion. About half of the planned investments are to be
accounted for foreign commitments. The aim is to double the annual output of finished textile products during this period. With an annual production of more than 3 million tons of raw cotton, Uzbekistan is one of the world's largest producers of the white gold. A second industry programme foresees the implementation of five projects for the production of raw silk, silk wadding and silk fabrics and finished silk products between 2018 and 2021. The minimum investments required are estimated at USD 26 million.
 
GTAI Industry Check – Myanmar
Textile and clothing industry: Export strength through low wages
The lifting of sanctions by the EU and the US has noticeably revived the investment climate in the sector, especially as this was linked to the reactivation of the EU's GSP import status (Generalized System of Preferences). Most investors came from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan or South Korea, and Western brands such as GAP, H & M, Primark or Marks & Spencer were also included. Currently, about 400,000 workers are employed in almost 400 factories, mostly geared to CMP (cut-make-pack), including 171 foreign investors and 22 joint ventures. According to the Myanmar Garment Entrepreneurs Association, exports are expected to have increased by 40 percent to over USD 3 billion by 2017. For the first time the largest customer was the European Union, primarily Germany, ahead of Japan and South Korea.

GTAI Industry Check – Georgian Republic
Textile and clothing industry: Several expansion projects planned
The apparel industry produces garments for up to USD 70 million annually. The main products manufactured are international brands for export. Several new projects in the industry are in preparation. For example, the Turkish jeans manufacturer Baykanlar Textil plans to build a factory for the production of brand jeans in Ozurgeti by the end of 2018. A total of USD 15 million will be invested in the project. The Romanian company MGMtex, a subsidiary of the Swiss company Ottorose, is planning to start production of branded clothing in Kutaisi in cooperation with a local partner. The investments for the first and second project phases amount to more than USD 1.5 million. For the procurement of equipment, the company benefits from subsidies from the state program Produce in Georgia.

GTAI Industry Check - Turkmenistan
Textile and Clothing Industry: Investments of around 300 million US dollars planned
The textile and clothing industry represents 20 percent of Turkmenistan's industrial production and 30 percent of its manufacturing industry. A good USD 300 million will be invested in 2018 to 2020/21. The project list includes the construction of a large textile complex for the annual processing of up to 5,000 tons of fine-fibred cotton into semi-finished and finished products. Start March 2021; contractor: Cotam Enterprises Ltd, British Virgin Islands/Turkey) and a factory for the annual production of 6,000 tons of cotton yarn (2019/20, Hilli yol), the modernization of a textile factory (Daschogus), a cotton spinning mill (Tachtabasar) and a factory for medical wadding and cosmetic cotton (Ashgabat; 2018/2019 each). The potential of medical textiles, cotton fabrics, man-made fibers and the processing of wool and cocoons is still little used.
 
GTAI Industry Check – Azerbaijan
Textile and clothing industry: Light industry business park attracts investors
Azerbaijan launched several projects to revive the industry (output in 2017: USD 100 million). An industrial park for light industry has been under construction in Mingachevir since autumn 2016. Nine new factories are planned for cotton, acrylic and woolen yarn, clothing, hosiery and leather shoes. The project is worth up to USD 150 million. The first factory for the annual production of 20,000 tons of yarn is under construction. Under the umbrella organization for the Azerkhalcha carpet weaving mill founded in 2016, ten further smaller factories will be put into operation in 2018. Gilan Textil Park, Sumqayit, wants to expand its exports of home textiles. In the medium term, the construction of a silk spinning mill with an annual capacity of 3,000 tons of yarn is also planned.
 
GTAI Industry Check - Armenia
Textile and clothing industry: interest from abroad increases
Rising exports of clothing to Russia and western markets lead to expect further investments in the textile and clothing industry in 2018. Italian investors are planning to build a large jersey factory in Kapan (Sjunik region). The company SASSTEX in Artik (Schirak region) invests in two factories for the production of fashion (ZARA brand) and workwear. The Egyptian Wassef Group is considering the production of cotton fabrics and products therefrom. Yerevan-based hosiery and children's apparel manufacturer Alex Textile will continue its USD 28 million investment program in 2018 to expand apparel and hosiery production at several sites in Armenia.

• Clothing exports stagnate
• Shoe production becomes more important
• Investment in modern technology necessary

Bonn (GTAI) - The Indonesian textile industry faces strong regional competition. Since their demand for machinery and clothing exports peaked about five years ago, the industry's exports have stagnated. Nevertheless, the archipelago is important for international market participants at least as a second location alongside the major producing countries. In the meantime, the country has developed into an important shoe manufacturer and is further expanding its production capacities.

Indonesia is one of the top 15 clothing exporters. Over the past decades, the archipelago has continuously increased its production and thus created a growing demand for textile machinery. But the market has been stagnating for five years: exports are at around USD 7.5 billion per year, and imports of textile machinery have fallen from USD 1 billion per year to only around 800 million US dollars.

The most important supplier of textile machinery is the PR China, which has expanded its import share to around 30 percent in recent years and displaced Japan from first place. According to Indonesian import statistics, the German delivery ratio fluctuates by 10 percent.

The Indonesian textile association API cites the lower demand for clothing, especially from the USA and Europe, as the reason for the weak export development. About half of industry exports goes to North America. The largest customers are Japan, Germany, South Korea and the United Kingdom. What the association does not say: Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Cambodia and Myanmar have all significantly increased their clothing exports in the past five years.

*) SITC 724
Source: UN Comtrade

Shorter production cycles
Indonesia's textile companies must therefore invest in order to remain competitive. Even though, according to API, more than half of the member companies are already technologically advanced, many market participants still have an outdated machinery. And especially against the background of fiercer competitive conditions, this is a decisive disadvantage. According to the association, larger fashion chains insist on ever shorter delivery times. Where the producers used to have three months, today it is only three weeks.

Regional competition is also a problem for manufacturers. The archipelago has good conditions for a labor-intensive industry such as the textile industry. Wages are low - outside the conurbations - and the labor supply is inexhaustible (also because many men work as sewers in the factories). Nevertheless, the country has not yet managed to become serious competition for the main export countries of cheap mass-produced goods.

*) SITC 724
Source: UN Comtrade

The archipelago also has locational disadvantages: it is further away from the European sales markets than other manufacturing countries and has a greater distance to China also, which, due to the high wage increases, is increasingly relocating its clothing production to its immediate neighbors. Moreover, in Indonesia, which is comparatively wealthy due to its large raw material exports, the minimum wages of India, Cambodia, Bangladesh or Myanmar cannot be undercut.

1) SITC 84; 2) Mirror statistics of partner countries
Source: UN Comtrade

Investments at previous year's level
After all, Indonesia has managed to become an important second location for international apparel companies, mitigating risks in major manufacturing countries. Most of the manufacturers are located in populous Java. For the government, further expansion of the industry is important in order to bring the large number of unskilled workers to work.

According to the latest available data from the Federal Statistical Office (BPS), the number of employees in the roughly 2,600 medium and large companies in the sector has increased from 470,000 (2008) to 550,000 (2014). In addition, there are just under 210,000 workers in small and micro companies (2015), most of whom are one- or two-person businesses.

The BKPM investment agency reports FDI of USD 184 million for the first half of 2017 for 494 projects. This corresponds almost exactly to the sum of the same period of the previous year. For the full year of 2016, USD 321 million of FDI had flowed into the sector.

Shoe manufacturers expand capacities
The domestic footwear industry is developing far more dynamically than the textile industry. Indonesia has become the third most important exporter in terms of cheap mass production in a few years, but it is far behind China and Vietnam. After all, the corresponding exports between 2011 and 2016 have steadily increased from USD 3.3 billion to USD 4.6 billion.

1) SITC 82; 2) General Statistics Office of Vietnam
Source: UN Comtrade

And the signs are still on expansion: In the first six months of 2017, the leather and footwear sector had FDI of USD 187 million, a third more than in the total year 2016. Domestic market participants are also expanding. The Indonesian manufacturer SCI is currently building a new production facility in the central Javanese Salatiga, near the port city of Semarang. It should be completed in October. In the first phase 300,000 to 500,000 pairs of shoes per year could be produced, the maximum capacity is 1 million pairs.
 

• The association's zero tolerance standard was presented at Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles between 14 and 16 March
• The association enjoyed a successful appearance together with three certification bodies from Germany, Japan and the US/China
• Chinese manufacturers showed great interest in the unique combination of animal welfare and quality control

‘We met many committed companies – primarily from China – that showed great interest in traceability and the ethically sound sourcing of feathers and down. The potential that Downpass offers as a traceability standard together with continuous quality control was clearly recognised and won companies over not only for export-oriented purposes, but also for the domestic Chinese market’, explained Dr Juliane Hedderich, who was responsible for the trade fair appearance as managing director of Downpass e.V.
‘The follow-up after the trade fair will be crucial to translate Chinese companies’ interest into actual memberships.’

The association's representatives and rotating teams from the certification bodies Wessling, QTEC and IDFL advised visitors at a large stand in the foyer of hall 4.2 (HOME) with a deliberately puristic design. These independent testing institutes and auditing organisations are companies’ direct contacts for audits and product monitoring. As is common for trade fairs, the largest crowds were seen on the afternoon of the first and second day of the event.

The markets are increasingly demanding materials that guarantee trading partners and therefore consumers the greatest possible security when it comes to ethics and sustainability, alongside high product quality. Products certified by independent testing institutes gain in importance and set sales standards.

Ms Anna Elisa Wessling, legal representative of the subsidiary Wessling Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd. and representative of the German Wessling Group at the trade fair, was happy to engage with customers directly, explaining, ‘our presence as a consulting, analysis and testing company at Intertextile Home gave us the opportunity to talk to visitors and thus allowed us to increase transparency on the Chinese market such that retailers and consumers are suitably informed of the highest requirements of product quality and of the origin of bedding filled with feathers and down.’
As a German family company, the Wessling Group has stood for continuous improvement in the quality and security of products and processes for 35 years and is set to move into new, larger premises for its subsidiary in Shanghai in the near future so that it can fulfil the increasing number of testing requests in Asia with a larger team.
‘We expect constant growth in our analysis and consulting segment feathers and down, especially as our international customers see Downpass as a clear advantage for customer acquisition domestically and abroad. As an independent testing institute, we play a substantial role in underpinning trust in the Downpass brand’, highlighted Ms Weßling.

The Japanese institution QTEC also confirmed Downpass’ high level of visitor interest and, like its colleagues, stressed the importance of an institute’s independence. The managing director of Shanghai QTEC Testing Laboratory, Hiroyuki Nakamoto, who successfully presented the company’s three Chinese sites – including Shanghai and Wuxi – at the home textiles trade fair, explained, ‘our knowledge of the Japanese market, together with our testing expertise, make us a top contact for manufacturers of bedding and clothing products filled with feathers and down to ensure the supply chain is ethically sound.’ The institute expects a steady rise in the number of testing requests for Downpass, especially at Chinese sites.

A large, bilingual English-Chinese sales team from IDFL China, based in Hangzhou was available at the trade fair in Shanghai to answer all questions relating to audits and testing procedures with its varied specialist expertise. Together with its cooperation partner, the Chinese national down and feather laboratory CIQ Xiaoshan, IDFL has capacities for a broad range of different tests and audits.
IDFL’s Global Audit Manager Bryan Mortensen highlighted that Downpass had become a standard and therefore a seal that is recognised worldwide and in China in particular. The joint appearance with other certification bodies provided the opportunity to answer the questions of Chinese companies along the supply chain, from wholesalers to clothing and home textile brands and trading partners.
‘We are seeing strong demand for the current version of the standard, Downpass 2017, and its seal. IDFL carried out numerous audits across the globe in 2017 and we receive new requests every day. Overall we anticipate a successful future for Downpass in the down and feather industry’, explained Mortensen. IDFL – which will celebrate 40 years in the industry in 2018 – has been carrying out audits in the field of down and feathers for more than 10 years and is currently undergoing certification in accordance with ISO/EN 17065 and 19011.

In their first summary of the event, the extended Downpass trade fair team took stock of a successful trade fair premiere. ‘We aim to promote the sustainable use of natural resources across the globe and to increase transparency in the supply chain’, explained Dr Juliane Hedderich. ‘Animal welfare and guaranteed product quality are our hallmarks. We did a great job in Shanghai of jointly informing others about these and finding new collaborators.’

About the zero tolerance standard DOWNPASS 2017
Products filled with feathers and down that are certified in accordance with Downpass 2017 exclude products sourced from live plucking and production based on force feeding. The animals’ rearing is monitored and monitoring may be extended to the parent animal farms.
To this end, farms, commodities traders and producers are subject to audits and monitoring.
Pre-made products are bought by mystery shoppers at the point of sale and subsequently undergo quality control in independent testing laboratories.
As of January 2018, 503 million animals had been audited in accordance with DOWNPASS 2017.
Labelled products are available in North America, Europe and Asia.

• Chinese companies are planning several major projects
• Germany is supplying more textile and clothing machinery

Several Egyptian and Chinese companies have announced some heavy manufacturing investments in textiles and clothing. The government is committed to creating new production priorities for textiles and wants to increase added value. Labor-intensive industries benefit from the low value of the Egyptian pound for their exports. For textile and clothing machinery, Germany achieved a delivery share of around 20 percent in 2016. In the Egyptian textile and clothing industry, the signs point to expansion and modernization. Local media reported on a series of investment plans by Chinese and Egyptian companies. According to the newspaper Al Gomhouria, a Chinese producer is planning the world's largest textile factory for USD 6 billion in the economic zone on the Suez Canal. The Chinese companies TIDA and Shoon Dong Roy want to build a clothing factory for USD 800 million. Sino-Egypt Minkai plans to build a textile industry complex for around USD 750 million. The local paper and stationery manufacturer Mintra plans to start the production of sports shoes with an initial investment of USD 50 million. Manufacturing in the 10th of Ramadan City is scheduled to begin in mid-2018, serving both the domestic and overseas markets. Egypt is still importing about 85 percent of the shoes sold in the country.
Oriental Weavers plans to purchase new production lines, machinery and equipment in 2018. For this purpose, EUR 6 million are to be invested. According to the newspaper Al Shorouk, the expansion will be financed by a bank loan.

State relies on new textile cities and more value added
The Egyptian state also wants to strengthen textile and clothing production. The Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation, the Supreme Council for Textile Industries and an unnamed Chinese partner want to set up a free zone for textile production in Minya. The ministry plans to provide part of the funding through international institutions and create specialized training programs for workers. According to media reports, the project value should be at USD 324 million.

In early 2017 the Egyptian Ministry of Industry announced that it would set up new textile production centers at a total of ten locations. In particular, spinning mills and weaving mills are in the spotlight. This perspective is shared by the Ministry of the Public Sector. It is aimed primarily at increasing value adding and therefore carried out a study in 2017.

Import demand for textile and clothing machinery is expected to increase
Egyptian textile and clothing companies often produce with a lot of manual work and partly outdated machines. On the one hand, the government is keen to ensure that as many jobs as possible are created for the approximately 800,000 young people who enter the market each year. On the other hand, a more automated and modern production of textiles and clothing would enable more complex products. These could be sold at a higher profit, but may also require less human labor.

An Indian company has secured a contract to modernize cotton processing. In compliance with a framework agreement with the Cotton and Textile Industries Holding, Bajaj Clothing automates cotton ginning systems. A total of eleven companies in different parts of the country will be equipped with the new machinery until August 2018. In late December 2017, Egypt Today announced that the government wants to modernize the spinning and weaving mills in Northern Egypt. The investment volume will amount to a total of one billion Euro over a period of five years.

The newly announced projects are expected to increase the demand of import machinery in the near future. Like other types of equipment, the vast majority of textile and clothing machinery will be imported into Egypt. Deliveries from Germany were able to improve both in absolute terms and relatively in 2016, despite an overall shrinking of the volume of imports. The German supply share jumped from 15.8 to 20.4 percent compared to 2015.

Source: UN Comtrade

The consequences of the release of the Egyptian pound in November 2016 will mainly benefit labor-intensive industries and those that are processing mainly local raw materials. After October 2016, the value of the EURO soared from just under 9 to 21 Egyptian pounds and has stabilized at this level. According to various figures the textile and clothing companies in the country employs between 1.0 and 1.2 million workers. It is reported that state-owned enterprises are strongly represented in the textile sector, while the private sector plays a greater role in the clothing sector.

The advantage is dampened by the import requirements for cotton. In Egypt, especially soft and high-quality long-staple cotton is grown and exported. By contrast, domestic textile and clothing companies mainly use short-staple cotton from abroad as a raw material. Their import as become more expensive due to the currency developments. Nevertheless the competitiveness of Egypt's textile and clothing exporters has improved as a result of the new foreign exchange situation. Their exports should have developed better in 2017 than at the peak of the currency liquidity crisis in the previous year. At that time, exports fell by12.6 percent to around USD 1.7 billion.

Source: UN Comtrade

Increasing labor costs at Asian production sites, long transport routes and sometimes dissatisfaction with the product quality make some customers look for new sources of supply for textile and clothing products. According to a report by the news portal Middle East Eye, Egypt lies at least with USD 100 as a monthly salary for workers roughly equivalent on a level with India or Bangladesh and about half of Chinese salaries. In addition, the country at the Suez Canal is capable of fast deliveries to Europe and the United States. Regional competitors include Turkey and Tunisia. Egyptian manufacturers are not always recognizable as such, as they often manufacture for major international brands. Middle East Eye names Calvin Klein, Decathlon, Tommy Hilfiger and Zara as examples. In November 2017, Dice Sport and Casual Wear agreed to supply Levi Strauss & Co. with children's clothing.

Since 2017, Egypt became part of the Better Work Program of the International Labor Organization. The program includes 30 apparel factories in which the working conditions should be improved. Such confirmations could then give Egyptian products competitive advantages in export. However, to stand up to the tough international price warfare and at the same time to meet by the customers expected production standards will be a challenge.

• Industrial parks should enable a quantum leap
• Progress in infrastructure, Deficits in foreign exchange provision

The Ethiopian textile, clothing and leather industry scores not only with comparatively low wages and high-performing personnel, but also with modern industrial parks. In the meantime the technology has to be fully imported and the supply of materials needs to be greatly expanded. There is a great progress in logistics, but unfortunately not in foreign exchange procurement. German suppliers of relevant equipment should definitely consider Ethiopia in their acquisition.

So far, only Mauritius has made a name for itself as a producer of high-quality clothing south of the Sahara. Attempts to locate textile and clothing companies in Namibia and Lesotho in a larger style have not been very successful. Meanwhile Kenya and Ghana have far too expensive production conditions. "Clothing companies are nomadic,” says a consultant, who is specializing in the trade, "they go where it's cheapest for them."

Meanwhile, Ethiopia offers several advantages: Wages and additional costs are far below the Chinese ones. A worker in the Ethiopian factories earns an average of USD 909 a year, according to a survey by the US Center for Global Development, compared to USD 835 in Bangladesh, USD 1,776 in Tanzania, and USD 2,118 in Kenya. Another advantage is appreciated by employees: Ethiopia has a long tradition of textile and clothing production as well as in leather processing and thus at least an expandable base of skilled workers.

The supply of native cotton and leather meanwhile is considered strongly expandable. In times of drought, such as in 2016 and partly in 2017, the supply of cotton is insufficient. However, the government is cooperative and increasingly open to the needs of producers. Thus, the infrastructure has been currently sustainably improved, in particular the transport routes to the seaport Djibouti, from where Europe is much faster to reach than from the Far East. In addition, the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa has a capable aviation hub with a dozen direct flights to the EU, including Frankfurt and Vienna. There is also a modern air freight center.

Modern industrial parks as a game changer

Just as important as the delivery routes are the "modern" production conditions in the emerging industrial centers all over the country, Made by China: pothole-free roads, guaranteed electricity and water supply, proper waste and wastewater disposal, workers' settlements in the vicinity. From the Ethiopian point of view, a great many jobs are created, families are fed and foreign exchange is earned.

According to its government, Ethiopia is in a transformation process away from an agrarian economy and towards an industrialized state. By 2025, the country should reach a "middle-income status" and become the largest industrial production hub in Africa. To achieve this, Ethiopia is investing heavily in roads, railways and power generation, in health and education, in urban and rural development, and in the creation of industrial clusters.

Ambitious export specifications

In July 2016 the Hawassa Industrial Park was officially opened, dedicated to the export of textiles and clothing, and is the largest industrial park in sub-Saharan Africa. As early as 2018, the park is expected to employ 60,000 workers and generate USD 1 billion in exports of clothing and textiles - a steep target given in a view of the current export figures. As early as 2030, Ethiopia wants to reach a total of USD 30 billion by exporting textiles and clothing - but it's still a long way off. At present, 15 in-ternational companies are already investing in Hawassa, including the US PVH Corporation (formerly Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation, prominent brands: Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfinger) and Epic Group (Hong Kong), a supplier of, among others, Walmart , JC Penny, Levi Strauss, VF Corporation, Tesco, Sansbury's, Marks & Spencer and C & A. Epic wanted to go to Kenya first, but then decided for Ethiopia at the last minute, which, according to Epic boss Ranjan Mahtani, is "still unpolished," but has the most potential.

The challenges are considered to be high: "Our seam-stresses have never got a job before and have never seen a sewing machine," Mahtani says training therefore is a top priority. At the same time, however, his company also relies on state-of-the-art automatic machines, for example for attaching bags. The production halls are also all around computerized with RFID technology. The current efficiency Mahtani estimates at 25 to 30 percent. After experience with other production sites, results of 75 to 80 percent are possible after about ten years.

Wide range of new industrial parks under construction

In July 2017, another industrial park was opened in Kombolcha City. A whole range of other parks are in various stages of realization and all are focused on the apparel, textile, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing sectors. According to the Ethiopian Government, there is no shortage of interested investors from the PR of China, India, Turkey, the US, Hong Kong and South Korea. Ethiopia benefits from the African Growth and Opportunity Act of the United States, which, for example, reduces its import duties by 16.8 per cent on cotton pants and 30 per cent on synthetic shirts. In addition, Ethiopia has a duty-free access to the EU market under the Everything-but-Arms initiative.

Source: Comtrade, as of 18 October 2017

Note: The import figures mentioned above are based on Ethiopian data, which for various reasons are not considered particularly reliable. Equally not reliable are often the relevant export data of the partner countries, because all sea transports go via Djibouti and deliveries statistically are recorded often as exports to Djibouti.
Source: UN Comtrade, as of 18 October 2017

German exports expandable

German exporters of technology for the textile, clothing and leather industries are not yet well positioned in Ethiopia. According to the preliminary figures of the Federal Statistical Office (SITCM 724), in 2016 only EUR 1.06 mio of relevant technology went to Ethiopia, compared to EUR 1.05 mio in the previous year and EUR 5.02 mio in 2015.

• Morocco, Ethiopia and South Africa: Network comprises the most important textile regions in Africa
• Emerging continent: positive forecasts in the textile sector

First Ethiopia, then South Africa and shortly Morocco: Messe Frankfurt is expanding its portfolio of textile trade fairs on the African continent. With its forthcoming cooperation with the two trade fairs Maroc in Mode and Maroc Sourcing, the global market leader for textile trade fairs is expanding its presence in North West Africa. ‘In future, our network will extend across important textile regions in Africa and encompass the leading trade fairs on the emerging continent’, explains Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt. ‘With our commitment to Ethiopia, South Africa and, in future, Morocco, we have created excellent conditions to support the positive developments in Africa's textile industry’. Demographic change, increasing urbanisation and shifts in economic forces - these global developments are promoting the growth of the African economy and having a significant impact on the textile industry.

According to the UN Economic Report on Africa 2017, Africa has the fastest growing population. The current population of around 1.2 billion people will more than double by 2050. The number of working people on the African continent is also increasing rapidly. The largest working population (1.1 billion) in the world is predicted to be in Africa by 2034. These demographic changes are causing personal and business consumption to increase sharply, and this will primarily benefit regional economic markets. 

Morocco: Maroc in Mode & Maroc Sourcing

Morocco in particular offers great potential for the clothing trade: Morocco's proximity to important fashion markets such as the EU and the USA, various free trade agreements and a recent economic growth rate of four per cent (between 2010 and 2015, Nachrichten für den Außenhandel, NfA, 19 January 2017) create a secure business climate. The Maroc in Fashion and Maroc Sourcing trade fairs, which have been in existence since 2014, currently showcase around 120 exhibitors from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, China and a number of Western European countries. The extensive product portfolio inspires with its strong expertise in fashion. The trade fairs are regarded as a hotspot for fast fashion and not only present fashion, denim, lingerie and knitwear, but also sports and casualwear, workwear and accessories. Messe Frankfurt will agree on a cooperation with AMITH (Association Marocaine des Industries du Textile et de l’Habillement), the organiser of the event, for the next edition. The trade fair will take place on 26-27 October 2017 at the Exhibition Park Hassan Circuit in Marrakesh. 

South Africa: Source Africa & ATF Expo

South Africa is the continent's strongest economic power and one of the largest consumer markets. The country has the most powerful retail sector and is the best networked of all African countries. This international networking and its regional free trade agreements make South Africa an important hub for trade with other African countries as well as neighbouring Pacific countries such as the Arabian Peninsula and India.

With the recently approved takeover of the Source Africa and ATF fairs, Messe Frankfurt is driving the exchange between international and regional buyers, manufacturers and suppliers in this region. Source Africa was founded in 2014 as a trade fair for African producers of fabrics, accessories, clothing, shoes and leather items. It appeals not only to African trade buyers but also to international manufacturers of clothing and fashion. The fifth edition of the fair will take place on 20-21 June 2018 at the International Convention Center (CTICC) in Cape Town. ATF Expo will open its doors at the same venue from  21 to 23 November 2017. Ever since 1998, this trade fair has offered an internationally-oriented product range of fabrics, clothing, shoes, leather goods and accessories as well as services for a predominantly local and regional purchasing community.

Ethiopia: successful start for Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess

In eastern Africa, Ethiopia has developed into an attractive contract manufacturing country for clothing and leather goods thanks to the government's strategy of focusing on light industry. Ethiopia also benefits from free trade agreements such as AGOA that are aimed at promoting the African economy. With the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW), Messe Frankfurt has had a strong partner at its side ever since the latest edition in October 2017. Offshoots of the three trade fair brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess were integrated into the Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week for the first time. It is a sourcing platform for mainly European and US fashion companies. The seventh edition brought together around 200 international exhibitors from 25 countries in Addis Ababa's Millennium Hall. Clothing fabrics, contract manufacturing, fashion and accessories were exhibited as well as machinery for contract manufacturing, CAD/CAM systems, printers, printing inks and accessories. In addition, the trade fair also impressed visitors with a fashion show, a series of lectures, a trend section and a matchmaking platform.

Messe Frankfurt: A strong presence in global textile markets

With a portfolio of over 50 international textile trade fairs, Messe Frankfurt is the global market leader in trade fairs for the textile industry. In 2016, around 19,500 exhibitors and approx. 477,000 visitors came to the events in Europe, North America and Asia. With the name Texpertise Network, the textile event offer of Messe Frankfurt covers the entire value creation chain – from apparel fabrics and fashion to home and contract textiles, technical textiles and the processing and care of textiles. The trade fairs include the successful brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing, Ethical Fashion Show, Greenshowroom, Intertextile, Yarn Expo, Leatherworld, Emitex, Avantex, Avanprint, Heimtextil, Intertextile Home Textiles, Interior Lifestyle, Home Textiles Sourcing, Techtextil, Texprocess, Simatex, Confemaq and Texcare.

Maroc in Mode & Maroc Sourcing: www.marocsourcing.ma
Source Africa & AFT: www.sourceafrica.co.za / www.atfexpo.co.za
Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week: www.asfw-online.com

• Korean sportswear market with above-average growth
• International companies expand / Brand awareness boosts consumption

Seoul (GTAI) - While consumption in Korea (Rep.) is generally weak, some segments show relatively high growth rates. Sales of sportswear have risen steadily over the past few years and are likely to rise in the future. Great sport events and the enthusiasm of the Koreans for prestige items are driving the segment, of which international companies benefit also. The market for outdoor clothing, on the other hand, has already reached its peak.

The sportswear market in Korea (Rep.) is developing dynamically. According to estimates by the market research institute Samsung Design Net, the segment premium sportswear reached a growth of Won 4.8% to 6.6 billion in 2016, (circa EUR 5.1 billion, 1 EURO = roughly 1.284 Won, - in the yearly average of 2016). As a result of this positive development, more and more international companies are pushing on the Korean market, thereby expanding the range of goods available for local customers. So far, a large proportion of orders has been sold via large international shopping portals. In the future, the local presence will gain in importance.

International companies are pushing on the market

The American manufacturer Under Armour started direct sales in 2017 with its first own store in Korea (Rep.). In January, after Dependance in Shanghai the company opened its worldwide second largest store in the nobel part Gangnam in Seoul. So far Under Armor had operated its sales mainly through smaller stores in partnership with a Korean retailer. For this reason four additional flagship stores as well as numerous shop-in-shops are to be implemented in during the year of 2017.

But other sector companies are also attracted by the Korean market, such as Lululemon Athletica, a Canadian company specializing in apparel for yoga. Lululemon has opened its first Asian branch in Seoul in 2016. Meanwhile a second store has been opened in Seoul, a third store is to follow later in the year 2017.    

German companies are well positioned

The German company Adidas also was able to generate very good results in the past on the Korean market. Despite a sluggish economy and weak consumption, the company turnover in Korea (Rep.) rose by around 15% in 2016. According to media reports, Adidas predicts a sales upturn of around 10% for 2017.

According to Eddie Nixon, CEO of Adidas Korea in the daily newspaper "Korea Times", the growth in 2016 was reached due to a high demand among young consumers, children and streetwear. The turnover of Adidas in 2016 reached around Won 1 billion in nearly 800 shops around the country. Most of them are managed on a franchise basis. For the Korean market therefore can be said, the population is more active and fitnessoriented than in other Asian countries.

Puma, on the other side, concentrates in Korea (Rep.) in addition to football articles mainly on its female clientele, which accounts for about 55% of its sales. According to Puma CEO Rasmus Holm in the "Korea Herald", this percentage is expected to rise even further as the market for sportswear is increasingly fashion-conscious. Also the influence of the entertainment sector on the segment is becoming increasingly apparent, which is why Puma is cooperating with K-Pop stars in the marketing sector.

According to Holm, the sportswear market in Korea (Rep.) is in a good growth phase. In the short run Puma will primarily focus on optimizing its existing shops. In future, an expansion of the business will be envisaged also, although no figures or timetables have been mentioned. However, the Korean market is not easy. The environment and competition are highly competitive. In addition to numerous international sector companies, local competitors are also well positioned.

"Korean Wave" as a location factor

Representatives of companies also refer to the appeal effect of Korea (Rep.) itself on other Asian countries in a consequence of the so-called "Hallyhu" - the "Korean Wave" of TV series, music and fashion. Numerous consumers in the region orientate themselves on developments in Korea (Rep.); the country is regarded as an international trendsetter in the cultural segment. Fashion and brands that are successful here often spread with a short time delay throughout Asia.

A very positive effect on the local sporting goods and clothing market, Korea (Rep.) will get through the two major sports events of global importance which will happen within ten months. In May and June 2017, the FIFA U20 World Cup will take place in six cities in the country, including a participation of the German team. Manufacturers can present their products to a global audience as well as at the Olympic
winter games, which will be held in Pyeongchang from February 9th to 25th 2018.

Boom at outdoor clothing fizzles

The KOFOTI (Korea Federation of Textile Industries) is more critical about the sector's prospects and forecasts a declining sales trend for 2017. However, this is partly due to the fact that the Korean market for outdoor clothing has shown a declining rate following a boom in the beginning of the decade. Until 2014 the sales of outdoor clothing reached double-digit growth rates partly of more than 30%.

The market was driven by a growing sense of leisure and a great passion of the Korean people for hiking. Between 2005 and 2012, the number of sector enterprises jumped from 30 brands to around 170. However the growth rates have declined gradually since 2012 and the market is estimated to have stagnated at a volume of Won 7.4 billion in 2015, some sector companies have already suffered high sales losses in a double-digit range.

For 2016, there are still no concrete figures for the overall market, but different indicators point to declining sales. So the import of footwear fell by 41.5% in 2016, imports of clothing made out of felt, fleece and PVC went down by 21.7%, anoraks and wind jackets for men declined by 5.4%. According to media reports a number of companies are already withdrawing from this segment due to market saturation. Others are orienting towards expanding areas such as fitness, running sports accessories as well as for yoga and golf wear.

• Projects planned for USD 2.3 billion by 2020
• Doubling of exports of finished products strived

Tashkent (GTAI) - The textiles and clothing industry of Uzbekistan remains one of the most important investment and cooperation sectors for foreign companies. A new expansion program for the period 2017 to 2020 provides for the implementation of 140 projects. The expected inflow of capital to the industry in a value of up to USD 2.3 billion is planned to account for about half of the foreign investment.

The textile and clothing industry should be expanded more than ever into an important export part of the central Asian republic. The specific activities for the targeted doubling of exports by 2020 versus 2016 are listed in the presidential regulation "On the program of measures for the further development of the textile, clothing and tricot industry 2017 to 2020" of December 21st 2016.

Full domestic processing of cotton fibers strived

With an annual output of 3.4 million tons of raw cotton and 1.1 million tons of cotton fibers, Uzbekistan is one of the world's six largest cotton producers. The production of 25,800 tons of cocoons is also considerable high (an average figure for 2012 to 2015). In the first half of 2016 55% of the produced cotton fibers were further locally processed. According to the program this rate should rise to 100% by 2020. It is also planned to reduce the amount of cotton yarn in textile exports in favor of more refined cotton products. Yarn now stands for 53% of the value of exported finished textile products.

The plan is to expand the production of finished textile products until 2020 by 120%, including 170% of yarn, 200% of finished tricot fabrics, 240% of finished yarn and clothing and 270% of hosiery. The share of finished goods in the textile and clothing industry is expected to increase from 47.0 to 65.5% and in export from 42.0 to 70.0%. The program also includes measures to adapt the Uzbek sector norms and standards   to the common international standard rules.

Supply and cooperation opportunities for 140 individually planned projects

Up to USD 2.3 billion shall be invested in 140 expansion and renewal projects by 2020, including complexes with a full value chain. Commercial banks or their investment companies which are providing loans for the co-financing of the projects may, depending on the project, acquire up to 100% of the capital stock of the new or modernized enterprises.

The main contact partner for the projects is the public shareholder company O'zbekyengilsanoat.  It owns 380 textile, clothing and tricot companies, as well as some silk processors, among of them many joint ventures. The company is comparable to a branch of the Ministry of Industry. It stands for a large part of the output and export of the Uzbek textile and clothing industry (estimation for 2016: about USD 1 billion).

Its tasks include the coordination and participation in investment projects. For example, all projects involving O'zbekyengilsanoat companies are subject to a technical review by the scientific and technical advice of the shareholder company. Import contracts for the needs of the projects are also subject to a review.   

Wide preferences for investors

Projects are flanked by several stimuli up to 1st January 2020. The state grants tariff preferences for the import of equipment, complements and spare parts, an exemption from the profit and wealth tax as well as from the duty to the central road fund. Export-oriented manufacturers of finished cotton-, blended-  and silk-fabrics-, finished clothing and tricots, head coverings, stockings and textile gallantry goods will be freed from the mandatory exchange of the foreign exchange in Uzbekistan Sum. Imports of raw materials, auxiliaries and materials can be promoted with customs clearance extension of up to 60 days.

The new central foreign trade company Ustextilexport has been founded to act as a service provider for the needs of all country-based industry players, including small businesses. This applies both to the exploitation of foreign markets, the supply of already established trading houses for textiles and clothing abroad with Uzbek products as well as to the participation in the procurement of technologies and materials for the domestic textile and clothing industry.

The current goals for the expansion of the textile and clothing industry are all rather too ambitious. Medium-term industry programs have already been launched in previous years. Despite some reached progress, the results have been rather sparse. The output and the effectiveness of the production remained far behind the targets. Already in 2012, 407,000 tons of cotton yarn, 350 million square meters of cotton fabrics and 273 million pieces of clothing should have been produced. The for 2012 targeted exports of USD 1.5 billion were also missed in 2016 (a good USD 1.0 billion).

The reasons for this are complex. Too little has been invested so far in the modernization of the existing enterprises. The companies complain about bottlenecks in the provisioning of working capital, in the supply of energy and, above all, in the exchange of foreign exchange for the procurement of imports (spare parts, auxiliary materials, etc.). Another obstacle is the over-regulation of import and export transactions.

Nevertheless, the industry remains a profitable business field for foreign companies. In addition, the signs are good for improving the business environment in the country. After the new President Shawkat Mirsijojew took office in December 2016, a positive mood goes through the country. First regulations for more entrepreneurial freedoms have already been adopted. A whole bunch of further measures is in sight.

1) In addition to the textile and clothing industry, the light industry comprises the sectors of cotton ginning and production of leather goods / shoes;
2) About two-thirds of the output is attributable to the textile and clothing sector;
3) Investments in the sectors cotton ginning, carpets and leather / leather products are less than 10% of the annually in the light industry invested capital.

Source: State Statistics Committee, Tashkent

Contacts
GAK O´zbekyengilsanoat (Staatliche Aktionärsgesellschaft O´zbekyengilsanoat)
ul. Bobura 45, 100100 Taschkent/Republik Usbekistan
Contact personIlchom Haydarov, Vorsitzender der GAK O´zbekengilsanoat; Schochruch Rachimow, manager investment department
Tel.: 00998 71/239 17 11, -253 93 54, -239 17 11, -253 93 58 (administration for investment projects), Fax: -253 93 58, -56 04 (department fir investment)
E-Mail: info@engilsanoat.uz, info@legprom.uz, Internet: http://www.engilsanoat.uz, http://www.legprom.uz

Living in Space: Techtextil presents technical textiles in the aerospace industry in cooperation with ESA and DLR

More exhibitors and a journey to Mars: visitors and exhibitors can look forward to an even bigger event and a completely new trade-fair experience at the coming Techtextil from 9 to 12 May 2017. With around four months still to go before the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens opens its doors, the booked space already exceeds the total area of the last edition in 2015. Moreover, the extensive complementary programme of events is set to be distinguished by a variety of innovations in 2017. The highlight of this year’s Techtextil will be the special ‘Living in Space’ event in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt – DLR).

“We are branching out in completely new directions with this year’s Techtextil and are, therefore, all the more delighted about the outstanding resonance of our exhibitors”, says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies, Messe Frankfurt. “Furthermore, the fact that we have gained strong new partners, ESA and DLR, from one of the main areas of application for technical textiles represents solid evidence of the application relevance of the products and technologies shown at Techtextil.”

Exhibitors include not only international market leaders but also numerous newcomers and returnees. Significant exhibitor growth comes from European countries, particularly from Ger-
many, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and Spain. However, additional growth is also expected to come from Asia.

Special ‘Living in Space’ exhibition and special area in Hall 6.1

In cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Techtextil will illustrate the wide range of applications for technical textiles with reference to the aerospace industry under the title ‘Living in Space’. To this end, the concurrent Texprocess trade fair will also be integrated into the exhibition.

“The technical-textile sector offers the textile solutions needed to move around and survive in space. This is what we will show in a professional and at the same time entertaining way on a dedicated area at the trade fair. For visitors, the area will offer inspiration and orientation”, says Michael Jänecke, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing, Messe Frankfurt.

A special area in the vicinity of exhibitors of functional apparel and technical textiles is being created in hall 6.1 and, based on the areas of application for technical textiles, will show high-tech textiles and textile-processing technology from and for the aerospace sector. The highlight of the interactive area is a virtual-reality experience. On a special area, Techtextil and Texprocess visitors can undertake a virtual journey through space to Mars and discover how technical textiles and their processing technology can make it possible to set up communities in space. Additionally, the ‘Material Gallery’ will show textile products and processing technologies from Techtextil exhibitors with links to space travel. There will also be presentations by start-ups that work at the interface of technical textiles and space travel.

In hall 6.1, exhibitors and visitors will also find the ‘Innovation made in Germany’ area of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie – BMWi), which is aimed at young, innovative companies based in Germany. Applications for a place in the BMWi area can still be made on the Techtextil website.

Change in placement for CAD/CAM and Cutting, Making, Trimming

To make the profiles of Techtextil and Texprocess even sharper, the bonding and separating technology, CMT (Cutting, Making, Trimming), CAD/CAM and printing product segments will be concentrated together at Texprocess in hall 4.0. Thus, visitors will find Techtextil exhibitors from these segments at Texprocess. These product groups will be deleted from the Techtextil nomenclature.

Complementary programme with changes to the Innovative Apparel Show

Successfully started at Techtextil and Texprocess in 2015, the Innovative Apparel Show will get in 2017 even more international with universities for fashion and design from four European countries. These universities will present their visionary product ideas using technical textiles and modern processing technologies on all four days. They are: Accademia Italiana, Florence / Italy; ESAD College of Art and Design, Matosinhos / Portugal; Esmod Paris/France, and the University of Trier / Germany. The young designers will show designs revolving around the themes of textile effects, creative engineering and smart fashion while a fashion show in the foyer of Halls 5.1 and 6.1 presents their ideas in a professional way.

Techtextil Symposium in cooperation with Dornbirn MFC 

The concept of Techtextil Symposium, one of the world’s leading events for textile research, is being expanded with the coming edition to be held in seven consecutive blocks, each of seven lectures. Thus, all lecture blocks will be expanded by one lecture. Additionally, Techtextil is working together with the Dornbirn MFC Man-made Fibres Congress for the first time. Thus, Dornbirn-MFC will organise one of the seven lecture blocks within the framework of the symposium (to be held in ‘Saal Europa’ of Hall 4.0).
Moreover, outstanding new developments and advances in the fields of technical textiles, nonwovens and functional apparel textiles will be honoured for the 14th time with the Techtextil Innovation Award, the competition for which is also open to non-exhibitors. Entries are now invited. The deadline for receipt is 20 February.

Together with the international Tensinet network, Techtextil is holding the 14th ‘Textile Structures for New Building’ competition for students and young professionals, which honours innovative and practical concepts for building with textiles or textile-reinforced materials. The closing date for receipt of entries to the competition, which is worth a total of € 8,000, is 26 February 2017. In addition to the awards ceremony, all award-winning works from the student competition and the Innovation Award will be on show in special exhibitions in hall 4.1 and hall 6.1.

Technical Textiles market continues growth
 
According to the Confederation of the German Textile and Fashion Industry (textile+mode) the textile and apparel industry with more than 130,000 employees, 1,400 companies and an annual turnover of around 32 billion euros is the second largest consumer goods industry in Germany. The growth is primarily driven by technical textiles. “German companies are the global market leaders in terms of technical textiles. For years, the turnover has been growing steadily – a proof for the innovativeness of the industry and excellent products. The digitalization of textile products and processes will furthermore trigger an innovation boost in other industries”, says Manfred Junkert, Deputy General Manager of textile+mode.

Held concurrently with Techtextil, Texprocess, Leading International Trade Fair for Processing Textile and Flexible Materials (9 to 12 May 2017), offers insights into all stages of textile processing, including finishing and digital printing. Texprocess is also characterised by an outstanding number of exhibitor registrations exceeding the results of the previous edition, too. Techtextil 2015 was attended by 28,500 trade visitors from 102 nations, as well as over 5,500 trade visitors from the parallel Texprocess.