From the Sector

At JEC Asia 2017 (1-3 November), the international textile group CHOMARAT will receive a JEC Innovation Award in the Sports & Leisure category for its C-PLY™ Hexagonal with visual & structural stitching. “CHOMARAT provided NEILPRYDE and COBRA with its C-PLY™ Non-Crimp Fabric (NCF) technology to help them manufacture an innovative windfoil board, and we are very proud to be rewarded with our partners”, says Pascal JOUBERT DES OUCHES, Sports Equipment Market Director at CHOMARAT.

C-PLYTM HEXAGONAL COMBINES NEW CARBON LOOK AND PERFORMANCE

The unusual stitching of this carbon multiaxial NCF reinforcement combines visual appeal and mechanical performance. C-PLY™ Hexagonal is an innovative carbon NCF with a unique stitching yarn designed to be visible within the resin and to capture resin colour pigments. The stitching yarn also improves fracture toughness compared to standard NCF.
“We researched the right stitching yarn among multiple options before coming up with a tailor-made yarn solution. C-PLY™ Hexagonal provides a unique honeycomb carbon design that appeals to end users”, adds Philippe SANIAL, R&T Director at CHOMARAT.

A WIDE RANGE, FROM AERONAUTICS AND AUTOMOTIVE TO SPORTS & LEISURE APPLICATIONS

Originally dedicated to the design of aerospace and automotive parts, the concept is now successfully applied to the sports & leisure sector. In this innovative windfoil board construction, tows are spread to create thin plies, which are then stitched with precise ±45° angles. The C-PLY™ NCF structure respects the fibre alignment and is optimized in terms of fibre angles and ply weights, thanks to unique spreading technology. The result is a leading-edge carbon NCF reinforcement allowing structural design benefits, premium surface quality and overall parts cost savings. “Bringing a new carbon visual signature for our high-performance C-PLY™ range of NCF is a key to boost retail sales in the whole sports & consumers product industry”, concludes Pascal JOUBERT DES OUCHES.

Overseas exhibitors found the fair an effective platform to open up the Asian market
Buyers benefited from wide range of quality exhibitors

The 23rd edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is over, with both exhibitors and buyers satisfied with the business outcomes resulting from the fair’s four days. The largest home textiles trading event in Asia was held from 23 – 26 August, attracting 1,106 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions. Given the strengthening market conditions in China the fair maintained its popularity, with the number of trade buyers increasing to 38,964 from 99 countries and regions (2016: 37,779 from 98 countries and regions). The show also attracted more international buyers this edition, with a 16% increase in those coming from abroad. “Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has once again proven its leading position in Asia as a business and order platform for the industry. There was a noticeable positivity from both exhibitors and buyers this edition regarding the current and future situation of the domestic market, so we are optimistic about the industry for the next year,” Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd said.

Overseas exhibitors found the fair an effective platform to open up the Asian market

As the leading event of its kind in the region, the fair successfully attracts a number of Chinese and Asian buyers every year, ensuring suppliers can develop their business further in the region. This year, seven country and region pavilions including Belgium, India, Korea, Morocco, Pakistan, Taiwan and Turkey were formed, with exhibitors from all of satisfied they could meet their target buyers.

While being in the minority at the fair, European brands still managed to catch the attention of visitors due to strong interest in their products from Asia. The Italian upholstery supplier Enzo Degli Angiuoni Spa was satisfied with the number of Asian buyers, particularly Chinese, that they met at the fair. Mr Stefano Laurenzano, Export Area Manager expressed: “A lot of visitors that saw us here last year have come back again and are serious about cooperating with us. Here you can get a lot of new contacts and discover the Asian market. We’ve had mainly Chinese buyers, but have had more Asian buyers from South Korea, India, Malaysia and elsewhere to visit us this year. We are seeing more business here in recent years.”

Being a newcomer to the fair, Iceland Duvet ehf felt the potential in China. “We’ve had enough buyers including retailers and manufacturers visiting our booth to make our participation worthwhile. The interest from the buyers has been genuine. Being a European brand helps more than at fairs in Europe as we can stand out more here,” Mr Ragnar Ludvik Runarsson, representative said.

Indian exhibitor, Paramount Textile Mills Ltd has been joining the fair for three years. “Apart from meeting our existing customers, we’ve had enquiries from potential new customers from China as well as overseas including the US and South America,” Mr Ram. M., Director of Marketing & Finance said.

Also with three years’ participation, Mr Samir Tazi, General Manager of PIF Textile Emotions from Morocco affirmed the show’s effectiveness in meeting important buyers and decision makers. “It’s easier for us to meet them here compared with some smaller European fairs. Thanks to Intertextile Shanghai, we have also met the major players in China.” Talking about this year’s result, he continued: “We were very busy. We met with more people than any other fairs. There are a lot of new buyers and also returning buyers checking out our new products.”

Participating in the Korea Pavilion, Sangwon Textile Co Ltd found the fair helpful in attracting distributors and wholesalers from Southeast Asia. Mr Jeon Hyeon Tae, Sales Manager said: “We have found about five potential and quality distributors from Taiwan, India, Philippines and Singapore on the first day. We also got to meet a number of wholesalers who prefer to buy from us directly at the fair.” He added that Intertextile Shanghai is also an ideal platform to launch new products for their existing clients.

As the largest pavilion this year, the Turkey Pavilion was in the limelight of the show, with both new and veteran exhibitors finding it useful to exhibit in Intertextile Shanghai. Bezmez Ev Tekstil did not intend to receive any orders in their first show, but was surprised to obtain three in just one day. These concrete results reassured their likelihood of coming back next year. “We definitely see the potential for Turkish products here in China as Chinese companies prefer quality products nowadays,” Mr Ayhan Bezmez, representative, further commented. Mr Fahri Goksin, Vice President of Gokhan Tekstil agreed with Mr Bezmez that Chinese buyers are in favour of new things like imported goods and Western brands. His company has been in the Shanghai fair for six years and continued to get satisfactory results. “We’re looking for retailers, wholesalers and online buyers. We’ve had all of these visiting our booth already.”

Domestic exhibitors satisfied with the number of potential customers and orders received

Recently, there is strong signs suggesting that the home textiles market in China is recovering with both imports and exports rising gradually. The positive outcome that Chinese exhibitors achieved at the August’s fair have resonated with the market condition. It is no surprise to see a number of domestic booths packed with visitors throughout the days. SohoCUT is a case in point. To them, Intertextile Shanghai is the place for actual business. “Compared with other fairs we’ve been to, this is the exhibition where a huge number of international buyers gather. We met buyers from China, Mexico, Russia, the US, India and Southeast Asia. We even got large orders for the first two days.” Mr Wheatley Weng, Managing Director said.

The fabrics of Wujiang Linwang Weaving Mill is also sought after at the fair. Being a company that do both exports and domestic trade, they are happy to connect with local and overseas customers during the show. “We’ve collected around 100 leads on the first day, of which 70% are domestic and the remaining being international. The overseas visitors are from Italy, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Chile and Korea that our products precisely meet their requirement. We see high chances of cooperation after the fair.” Mr Kenny, Sales Manager said.

Given the prevailing smart home concept in China, Somfy China Co Ltd which specialised in advanced sun-protection system has become one of the highlights at the fair. Ms Nancy Nan, Chief Executive Officer mentioned: “The visitor flow has been really high that our booth is swarmed by buyers. Amongst those visitors, there is no lack of medium to high-end customers who placed orders immediately.”

Editors assembled to promote high-end products

To cater to the ascending standards of Chinese customers, Intertextile Shanghai once again brought editors together in hall 5.1 to maximise their exposure to their target buyers. As foreign brands with subsidiaries in China, JAB and Prestigious see the growing interest in their premium products in China. “We pay attention to the changing buying habits of Chinese consumers and, as such, have started promoting a series of products under a unified lifestyle trend. It’s obvious that we are gaining more awareness from buyers at the fair,” Mr William Lin, Vice President of JAB ANSTOETZ Interior (Shanghai) Co Ltd said. He also appreciated the specific display area for imported fabrics and the organisers’ attempt to attract more designers, which helped them meet more potential customers. Apart from getting onsite orders, Prestigious Textiles (Shanghai) Ltd also considers the show a promotion platform. “There is great demand for our products in China. Though we achieved similar sales compared with last year, through this fair our brand has been well introduced to the market,” Mr Lewis Liu, Sales Director expressed.

Originating from China, Euroart Co Ltd was another editor that successfully showcased their latest collection at the fair. “It is a good time to join the most influential home textiles exhibition in Asia as we have just launched new products in May. We are satisfied as some of our existing clients plus new visitors came to our booth,” Ms Guo Jianhua, Director Assistant said.

Industry players benefit from the expanded Digital Printing Zone

The demand for digital printing solutions has been growing in recent years, especially as the industry has put more emphasis on green production. As such, the Digital Printing Zone expanded in size this edition, incorporating a Seminar Area and more exhibitors.

As an Italian company, MS Printing Solutions Srl experienced the potential of the sector in China. “The fair has been busy, and we’ve had steady flow of buyers coming through. The potential in digital printing here is just beginning. The Chinese government is pushing companies to reduce their pollution, so it has a big advantage in this regard over traditional textile printing,” Mr Walter Oggioni, Regional Sales Manager stated, adding that the company has been growing very fast globally, especially in China, Turkey, India and Pakistan.

This potential holds for domestic machine manufacturers as well. Specialising in the production of digital printing machines, Guangzhou Xu Cheng Electronic Technology Co Ltd was at the fair to meet fabrics suppliers. Mr Jesse Luo, Overseas Manager explained: “Compared with exhibitions for textile machinery, Intertextile Shanghai attracts more fabrics suppliers, which are our target clients. It helps even more as we are located in this special zone. We’ve been talking to a lot customers, including overseas buyers who are also interested in our machines.”

A series of seminars also provided opportunities for the industry to share their insights on this emerging sector. As a speaker, Foshan Sanshui Yingjie Precision Machinery believed the session was mutually beneficial for them and the audience. “Attendees are from the whole sector including manufacturers and end users, so we can discuss different perspectives. It will facilitate our improvement,” Mr Peng Jichang, General Manager said. Mr Scott Bai, representative of Huntsman Textile Effects (China) Co Ltd also benefited from visiting the zone and the seminar. “Together with seminar, the Digital Printing Zone can professionally present the current situation for the industry. When suppliers and users come together, we can discover the way to enhance this technology.”

Buyers benefited from wide range of quality exhibitors

Intertextile Shanghai is the largest trading platform in Asia with the whole spectrum of home textiles and accessories on offer. Hence, visitors, be they Chinese or overseas, can access a wide range of quality suppliers that meet their sourcing needs. Australian buyer, Mr Glenn Whitchurch from Trabeth Textiles, was impressed with his sourcing journey. “The polyester quality of domestic exhibitors has been unbelievable. What’s more, we’ve found the Chinese suppliers to be very flexible in meeting our needs, they’re clearly keen to accommodate overseas buyers.” Mr Whitchurch also commented favourably on the product range at Intertextile Shanghai compared to European fairs.

One ongoing trend at the fair over recent years is the increasing quality of domestic suppliers, which attracts buyers to come back and source. Mezanin V SRL from Moldova is a long-term supporter of the show, and place orders every year. Its Vice Director, Mr Mihail Tornea remarked: “It is an important event for us to meet new suppliers from China. We are selective with the suppliers we work with, but the Chinese companies here meet our requirements. As a sourcing event, Intertextile Shanghai is the best place to be.”

The fair’s VIP buyer programme also assists buyers in meeting worldwide exhibitors at ease. Mr Bibo Lan is the co-founder of Loft Curtains in the US and he is excited to meet lots of potential suppliers here. “The arrangement for VIPs is satisfying and it helps a lot to have my target exhibitor information in advance. The largest benefit of our visit is that we met Libeco from Belgium, while we also confirmed to work with a blackout supplier at the fair,” he said.

Chinese buyers agreed that Intertextile Shanghai is the most effective sourcing platform in Asia. “Overseas suppliers like Turkey exhibitors are our main interest. So far, we have connected with four to five exhibitors in hall 4 and will place orders with them soon. In terms of exhibitor number and the product range, I feel that the fair has improved a lot. It is my favourite show with a lot of overseas products to discover,” Mr Huang Shenghua, General Manager of Ziranfeng Home Textile Co Ltd said.

Concurrent events inspired the industry

Apart from facilitating business between exhibitors and visitors, the fair also incorporated various design elements via a series of concurrent events. These included display area like Trend Area, International Fiber Art Exhibition and Home Furnishing Crossover Exhibition where participants could find innovative designs and ideas.

This was also the first time the Andrew Martin International Interior Design Summit and the fair took place concurrently. Experts from the interior design, architecture and art sectors were invited to share and discuss their views on the transformation of design in the new information era. Mr Kot Ge, founder of a domestic interior design studio, LSDCASA was delighted to join, and shared: “This show always attracts many top interior designers and it’s my pleasure to meet them here. Interior design and home textiles are closely related and new concepts can bring along improvement.”

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition was organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA). The next Autumn Edition will take place in August 2018, while the Spring Edition runs from 14 – 16 March 2018.
To find out more about this fair, please visit: www.intertextilehome.com.
For more information about Messe Frankfurt textile fairs worldwide, please visit: http://texpertise-network.messefrankfurt.com.

• Debut BCI Pavilion joined by Sateri and Birla Planet Pavilions to showcase eco-friendly products
• Six special display zones cater to latest industry trends

Green products continue to be sought after more and more by consumers nowadays, and textiles are no exception. In order to promote sustainable development throughout the industry, a number of yarn and fibre manufacturers have endeavoured to introduce green products into the early stages of textile production, and Yarn Expo, as the leading yarn and fibre business platform in Asia, serves as an ideal stage for these suppliers to gain exposure to buyers looking for such products.

Debut BCI Pavilion joined by Sateri and Birla Planet Pavilions to showcase eco-friendly products

Amongst a record number of exhibitors at this October’s Yarn Expo Autumn, the debut BCI Pavilion as well as the Sateri Pavilion and Birla Planet Pavilion that include eco-friendly products are certainly amongst the highlights this year. Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a global organisation with more than 1,000 members including spinners, weavers and garment manufacturers throughout the entire cotton sector. It aims to promote sustainable cotton production, benefiting workers, customers and the environment as a whole. They will form the BCI Pavilion in Yarn Expo for the first time, with five spinners showcasing their cotton yarn manufactured with eco-friendly cotton.

Sateri is a well-known brand in China which specialises in viscose rayon. This natural and high-quality fibre is made from trees grown on renewable plantations. They are the largest producer of viscose fibre in China with three mills and an annual capacity of 550,000 tons, and also have Oeko-Tex certification. This October, nine other domestic exhibitors will form the Sateri Pavilion to demonstrate their comfortable textiles and skin-friendly hygiene products made from viscose fibre.

With over 50 years of experience in manufacturing cellulosic fibres, Birla Group strives to provide greener, purer and safer products to its customers. The Group has operated in China for three years now, and values Yarn Expo’s effectiveness in helping them to promote their brand and attract a wide range of buyers. “We managed to get connected with a number of downstream buyers at the fair. We have introduced our company and products to them that there is great chance for future cooperation.” said Mr Peter Dong, Senior Manager of Aditya Birla Group.   Coming back this year, the Birla Planet Pavilion will feature three of their highlighted fibres – Birla Viscose, Birla Modal and Birla Spunshades at the fair.

Six special display zones cater to latest industry trends

The textile industry in China is undergoing a structural change with keen competition, so domestic suppliers have to develop innovative and quality products to satisfy the ever-changing markets. To match the specific needs of various buyers, Yarn Expo has established six distinct display zones gathering the leading domestic companies, namely Colourful Chemical Zone, Natural Cotton Yarn Zone, Fancy Yarn Zone, Quality Wool Zone, Green Linen Zone and e-Commerce Zone.

Not only are a number of chemical fibre products with innovative, eco-friendly and health & comfort properties on offer from exhibitors, but visitors can also gain insights into product trends in these areas from the 2017/18 China Fibre Trend Area and Innovative Textile Material Forum, both of which feature in the Colourful Chemical Zone. The Natural Cotton Yarn Zone is another highlight of the three-day show, where exhibitors will showcase their natural cotton yarn and a range of functional products. Around 50 suppliers will also showcase their latest collections in the expanded Fancy Yarn Zone.
In response to the strong demand for fibre and yarn products in China and the Asian region, the coming autumn edition of Yarn Expo will double its exhibition space, and will accommodate around 500 global yarn suppliers from 13 countries and regions. Together with Yarn Expo Autumn 2017, three other textile trade fairs are held concurrently from 11 – 13 October in the same venue: Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition, PH Value and the China International Fashion Fair (CHIC).

Yarn Expo Autumn is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; The Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; China Cotton Textile Association; China Wool Textile Association; China Chemical Fiber Association; China Bast & Leaf Fibres Textiles Association; and China Textile Information Centre.

Based in Porto, Portugal, Rodrigo Siza will focus on nurturing new regional collaborations to benefit the needs of Lectra’s customers, and faciliate their success in the Industry 4.0 era. Rodrigo will rely on Lectra’s highly experienced teams located in the region.
“Rodrigo has very effectively established long-term partnerships with our fashion and apparel, automotive and furniture customers in Portugal. He has helped our customers to emerge stronger from the world crisis which heavily impacted them. After 10 successful years as head of Lectra Portgual, Rodrigo is now also in charge of meeting the expectations of our Spanish customers,” stated Daniel Harari, Lectra Chairman and CEO.

Players in the region are witnessing a strong dynamic, notably fashion brands in Spain and fashion and automotive industrialists with heightened added-value in Portugal. With the recent announcement of a new strategy to focus on Industry 4.0, Lectra is in a strong position to support these businesses in the digitalization of their processes.
For industries faced with more demanding consumers and ever-shorter product development and manufacturing cycles, integrating all steps along the extended supply chain, from design to cutting, is now a top priority. This is particularly apparent in Spain and Portugal, two countries positioned, in their own way, at the heart of Europe’s fashion and automotive industries.
Rodrigo started his career at Tradetex, a trading company of textiles for clothing, as a textile designer. From 1991 to 1999, he was an associate of V-Sistemas Informatica, specialized in the development and distribution of technical solutions for the textile industry. In 2000, he joined Lectra Portugal as a design and merchandising manager, and then evolved into the position of international consultant in 2004. He left Lectra in 2005 to take the position of Sales Director of RPB Têxteis e Vestuario, a company that makes clothes, before returning to Lectra in 2007 to take over the management of the Portuguese subsidiary. Rodrigo has a masters in marketing from Minho University and a degree in design and communication from Porto University, both located in Portugal.

Lenzing – The Lenzing Group aims to substantially increase its share of specialty fibers as a proportion of total revenue. Following the expansion drive already underway in Lenzing and Heiligenkreuz (both in Austria), Grimsby (Great Britain) and Mobile, Alabama (USA), the Supervisory Board of Lenzing AG approved the proposal of the Management Board yesterday to build the next state-of-the-art facility to produce lyocell fibers in Thailand. For this purpose, Lenzing is establishing a subsidiary in Thailand and purchasing a commercial property in Industrial Park 304 located in Prachinburi near Bangkok. In the coming months, the required permits and licenses as well as technical planning will be finalized. A definitive decision on constructing the new production plant will be made in the first quarter of 2018. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2020.
The selection of Industrial Park 304 in Prachinburi was based on its excellent overall infrastructure, outstanding expansion opportunities and the sustainable biogenic energy supply. Similar to the plant in Mobile, the planned production facility will be constructed on the basis of the latest state-of-the-art technology and feature a capacity of up to 100,000 tons annually. This site will strengthen the worldwide lyocell network of the Lenzing Group and enable its global customers to source TENCEL® branded fibers from Europe, North America and Asia.

On June 28th, at Sala Riunioni Area Monumentale (1st floor), Filpucci is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the press conference: “Fifty years of Filpucci - History tells the future”.
An enduring vocation for pioneering values and reliable manufacturing processes, both traceable and transparent, as shown by Re.VersoTM supply chain, a circular economy model, of which it is a member and exclusive reference point in the framework of high-end/low impact yarns for knitwear with the Collection Ninetyfive, now available in stock service, for an innovation available on request, thus marking a further breakthrough. From Stella McCartney to Eileen Fisher, from Filippa K to Patagonia, the fashion system’s big labels have opted for the regenerated yarns Re.VersoTM by Filpucci, thus sharing a new business philosophy: an environment-conscious and responsible approach, with does not relinquish style, but elevates it far forward style & trends. Filpucci, true Italian excellence for 50 years, has widened its range of smart Re.Verso™ products thus encompassing:
• The yarn Baby Camel Re.VersoTM produced with Re.Verso™ baby camel and mixed with 50% extra-fine Merino Wool comes in two yarn counts (1:13000nm and 2:13000 nm twisted). A delicate, rich and super soft yarn, with indescribable touch, which preserves its natural proprieties and comes in a selection of refined shades.
• The new Divette item, coming in two yarn counts (1:15000nm, 2:26000 nm twisted), yet again sheds light on the pioneering attitude of a manufacturer aiming to offer soft and creative combed and twisted yarns, that are unmistakably innovative and come in different degrees of thinness. Sophisticated, exceptionally soft and warm yarns, made with cashmere Re.Verso™ fibres mixed with extra fine wools.

Hexcel Corporation congratulates IRKUT on the successful first flight of the MC-21-300 new generation commercial aircraft, which took off and landed at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant airfield, an affiliate of Irkut Corporation, on Sunday May 28.
The MC-21 benefits from the latest advanced carbon fiber technologies including the HexPly® carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg that Hexcel supplies for composite primary structures including the empennage. Hexcel has worked in partnership with Irkut for more than a decade and supported the technology developments initiated for the MC-21 program.

Thierry Merlot, President – Aerospace, Europe/Middle East/Asia said: “Hexcel is very proud to be associated with this new adventure and landmark within the Russian Aviation History, and we congratulate our customer Irkut and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) on their achievement. The MC-21 aircraft employs the latest advanced composites processes and material solutions and Hexcel has made a significant contribution to the development of these technologies.”
The MC-21-300 has capacity for 163 to 211 passengers and targets the largest sector within the commercial aerospace market. The aircraft is expected to begin commercial operations in 2019.

The world is in serious need of solutions to create sustainable growth and jobs. The World Circular Economy Forum 2017 is bringing 1,500 specialists from around the world to Finland to show how this can be done. The groundbreaking event will focus on the world’s best circular economy solutions in which business and the environment go hand in hand. The host country Finland is the first in the world to have published a comprehensive road map to a circular economy.
The country’s leading future-oriented think-and-do tank Sitra is now inviting the shapers of our future well-being to celebrate Finland’s 100th year of independence at the forum. Come and experience Finland’s own inspirational story as a global leader as we put the circular economy into practice and deliver concrete benefits across all sectors of business and society. “A circular economy is about using resources more efficiently and creating more value with what we have,” says Dr Mari Pantsar, Director of Sitra’s Carbon-neutral circular economy. “It can be the win-win approach everyone is looking for. For companies, circular products and business models help cut costs, manage risks and create new revenue. For societies, moving away from the current linear ‘consume-and-throw-away’ economy offers large benefits for tackling the climate crisis, reducing waste and creating jobs.” The PC-24 is in the final stages of its certification program following the first flight of the third and final test aircraft on March 6 2017. The aircraft is scheduled for certification and entry into service in the 4th quarter 2017. Pilatus has so far secured 84 orders for the PC-24, which equates to three years of production.

 Hall 4.1 Booth F13, 9-12 May, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany Wielsbeke, Belgium – May 8, 2017 – Beaulieu Fibres International, the leading European polyolefin fibre producer, demonstrates its strengths as a “Technology Innovator” at Techtextil 2017, promising more fibre innovations to address market demand in segments such as automotive, flooring and geotextiles.
Beaulieu Fibres International’s recent Supplier Excellence for Technological Innovation Award from Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, is just one example of its commitment to developing innovative new products in close cooperation with customers to enable them to bring more environmentally-friendly, lighter and better performing products to market.
To support this, Techtextil visitors will hear first-hand of Beaulieu Fibres International’s investment in new fibre technology on an industrial scale in Belgium. The EUR 15 million investment will be commissioned in November 2017. It is part of an ongoing programme to extend fibre production to meet future challenges and customer needs.

At Hall 4.1 Booth F13, Techtextil visitors can get insights on upcoming products and explore Beaulieu Fibres International’s extensive and diversified portfolio of Mono, Round and Trilobal fibres, plus BICO-fibres. Donald De Deygere, Sales and Marketing Manager Fibres Industrial, Beaulieu Fibres International, comments: “Being the European leader for polyolefin staple fibres, it is also our commitment to stay ahead as Technology Innovator. Our innovation strategy is the cornerstone of our activities and various awards have proven this success. We are proud to announce new industrial investments in both Belgium and Italy amounting to more than EUR 80 million over 2016-2018.”

As part of Messe Frankfurt’s renowned Intertextile brand, Intertextile Pavilion at the Shenzhen International Trade Fair for Apparel Fabrics and Accessories (“Intertextile Pavilion Shenzhen”) has a distinctive focus on the South China market, benefiting from this region’s promising market conditions and providing huge opportunities for exhibitors at this year’s fair.

Given its solid industrial bases and favourable geographic locations, the South China region is at the heart of China’s garment industry, and its one of its two major cities, Shenzhen, has a reputation as the nation’s garment and fashion capital. Currently, the city houses over 2,000 garment companies, 30,000 fashion designers and more than 1,000 fashion brands. In 2016, total sales of the Shenzhen garment industry exceed 200 billion RMB (around 29 billion USD), accounting for over 60% of the market share of shopping malls in China’s first-tier cities . What’s more, with reference to Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s “China Garment Industry” research, due to the growing spending power of both male and female consumers, these two markets are projected to continue their strong growth. While the consumer market for men’s garments is undergoing a growth period with retail sales expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 11.8% between 2015 and 2020, some domestic womenswear brands have started forging into the mid-range to high-end women’s garment market segments. The research also stated that most of the enterprises which own women’s garment brands such as Ellassay, Marisfrolg, Yinger and Koradior, are located in South China.