From the Sector

• Plastik aus Baumwolle
• Outdoor aus Baumwolle
• fluoreszierende Baumwolle
• Baumwolle im 3D-Design

Erstmals in ihrer langen Geschichte findet die Internationale Baumwolltagung am 17. und 18. März in Form einer Hybridausgabe mit virtuellem Fokus statt. Aber auch virtuell bleiben die Themen relevant für die textile Beschaffungskette.

Baumwolle kann Kunststoff, sie kann Outdoor, fluoreszieren und 3D-Design
Eine hochspannende Session beschäftigt sich mit alternativer Verwendung der erneuerbaren Naturfaser in innovativen Produkten mit hohem Nutzwert. Die Session findet am Donnerstag, 18. März 2021 um 12.30 Uhr (GMT+1) im Technical Track statt.

Der Einsatz von Baumwolle geht weit über Haushaltstextilien und Bekleidung hinaus. In der Session ‚Innovative Textile and Technical Products‘ wird anhand von vier Beispielen deutlich, dass die Nutzung des biologisch abbaubaren Rohstoffs Baumwolle beeindruckend gewachsen ist. Vielmehr ist Baumwolle wegen ihrer intelligenten Eigenschaften auch in technischen Produkten oder auch in Smart-Textilien zu finden.

Fallbeispiel 1: Fluoreszierende, supermagnetische und wasserabweisende Baumwolle*
Fallbeispiel 2: Baumwolle statt Plastik*
Fallbeispiel 3: Innovative Wattierungen und Gewebe für Einrichtung und Outdoor*
Fallbeispiel 4: 3D-Gewebe aus Baumwolle/Leinen zur Behandlung von Hautkrankheiten*

Michael Jänecke, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing bei der Messe Frankfurt, leitet mit seiner umfassenden Markterfahrung die Session. Schon seit vielen Jahren ist er unter anderem für die Organisation der alle zwei Jahre stattfindenden internationalen Leitmessen Techtextil und Texprocess verantwortlich.

Zur Anmeldung.

*Zusätzliche Informationen finden Sie im Anhang.

Video Material Stories focus on the highlight products of the PERFORMANCE FORUM which were rewarded with a 100% Jury Like and include detailed explanations by the exhibitors. You can watch the videos here, check out the details, ask any question to the exhibitors and request samples!

• Lightweight, Downproof & Insulation Trends of the Season

The selected insulations are all produced ecologically responsibly, at the same time they are lightweight, breathable and insulate well. The lightweight and downproof fabrics of winter 22/23 are ultra-light, breathable and heat-insulating. It is astonishing that lightweights can now be processed from Econyl and other recycled fibres without losing any of their lightness. Almost all fibres – from nylon, Econyl, polyamide to polyester – are over 90 per cent recycled, and often dyed with vegetable variants or dyed in a dope dyed process.

• Softshells & Outer Midlayers of the Season

Warming, windproof and water-repellent jackets worn outdoors as an outer layer during sports or leisure activities typify the Softshell/Outer Midlayer category. Polyamide and polyester fibres remain dominant in winter 22/23. But anyone on the lookout for natural fibres will find various blends of organic cotton, Tencel or wool.

• Midlayers of the Season

Midlayers are primarily intended to provide warmth when layering garments. The focus is on newer constructions to generate heat, yet at the same time, manufacturers are attempting to reduce or completely avoid the use of micro-plastics in the development process.

• Looking to the future – Frankfurt Fashion Week is positioning itself with a consistently sustainable agenda and propelling the transformation of a modern, resource-efficient fashion industry.

The Conscious Fashion Campaign (CFC), working in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP), will be the presenting partner and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be a prerequisite for all exhibitors by 2023. And the Frankfurt Fashion SDG Summit by CFC is set to become the leading international conference for sustainability in the fashion world. The future of fashion has begun – and its key players will be coming together in Frankfurt am Main from 5-9 July 2021.
 
Frankfurt am Main, 2 December 2020. Joining forces to improve the fashion industry: Frankfurt Fashion Week is positioning itself as the host of the future of fashion and actively driving forward the transformation towards a future-oriented, more sustainable fashion and textile industry. All decision-makers looking to instigate this change will be coming together in Frankfurt am Main from 5-9 July 2021. The initiators of Frankfurt Fashion Week – Messe Frankfurt and the Premium Group – have achieved a real coup: Conscious Fashion Campaign, working in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships, will be the presenting partner. Messe Frankfurt will build on its collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships and establish Frankfurt Fashion week as the platform on which to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and help guide the fashion industry into the 'Decade of Action'.
 
“Frankfurt will play host to the whole world. We are seeing a very positive response indeed,” confirmed Peter Feldmann, Senior Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main, at today’s digital press conference, before going on to say: “The fact that the initiators are able to rethink the concept of a Fashion Week in such a way is extremely impressive and proves that the fashion industry is correctly interpreting the signs of the present and future. The time has come for value creation and values to be reconciled. Consistent alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals is an important step in this direction.”
 
“Frankfurt Fashion Week aims to play a crucial role in finding solutions for macrosocial challenges and supporting the goals of international politics such as the European Green Deal. The fashion and textile industries are also expected to be climate-neutral by 2050. If we want to achieve this, we all need to pull together. Frankfurt Fashion Week is inviting all initiators and supporters of sustainable concepts and congresses or shows dedicated to sustainability to meet in Frankfurt, partake in discussions and make tangible decisions for the greater good. We will connect the most relevant players and pave the way for a future-proof fashion and textile industry,” says Detlef Braun, CEO of Messe Frankfurt.
 
“Given its global reach, the fashion industry is uniquely positioned to collaborate and engage on the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular on climate action and responsible production and consumption,” said Annemarie Hou, Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships. “Frankfurt Fashion Week and the Summit will serve as an important platform for education and engagement of the fashion and textile industry in the Decade of Action,” emphasised Ms Hou.
 
The aim of Frankfurt Fashion Week is for all exhibitors, participants and partners to align with the Sustainable Development Goals by 2023. The SDGs will also be incorporated into all formats of Frankfurt Fashion Week. This will help to make the UN’s sustainability goals visible and tangible for the Fashion Week audience, therefore bringing its claim, goals and specific proposals for implementation to an international opinion-forming fashion and lifestyle community. During a one-day Frankfurt Fashion SDG Summit presented by Conscious Fashion Campaign, topics like gender equality, clean water, climate protection, social justice and their significance for a forward-looking fashion industry will be examined in greater depth. Another point on the sustainability agenda: Frankfurt Fashion Week is launching a Sustainability Award for outstanding, innovative, sustainable design, alongside other categories with a global appeal for the fashion and textile industry.
 
"We are committed to setting the wheels of transformation in motion. Not only does the overall mindset have to fundamentally change; the entire industry also needs to have the courage to be transparent and honest. It’s important to see values and value creation as opportunities rather than contentious. We are doing what we do best: connecting the relevant players at all levels. With its ecosystem, Frankfurt Fashion Week will become the enabler. We are creating a platform that will orchestrate industry-wide change. With this as our inspiration, we are also developing our tradeshow formats from a ‘marketplace of products’ to a ‘marketplace of purpose and ideas’,” explains Anita Tillmann, Managing Partner of the Premium Group.
 
A new start in Frankfurt: In summer 2021 the entire fashion industry will be coming to the metropolis on the Main river to inform themselves, be inspired, discuss, negotiate and celebrate. “There’s a huge need to finally meet in person again, to exchange ideas and be inspired. At the same time, digital tools and formats have become an integral part of the fashion industry,” says Markus Frank, Head of the City of Frankfurt’s Department of Economic Affairs and therefore also responsible for its creative industry. “To implement such a future-oriented, all-encompassing overall concept, Frankfurt’s business and creative scenes offer an almost unique concentration of different expertise with its internationally networked agencies, universities and museums. The city’s multifaceted, high-end club, bar and restaurant scene, diverse hotel industry and internationally renowned retail landscape will become the stage for this. This network will be a key factor in the successful implementation of Frankfurt Fashion Week and the way in which it will expand into the public space as a cultural and social happening.”
 
A number of major publishing houses are also showing their commitment to the new Fashion Week in Frankfurt with conferences, events and awards: Textilwirtschaft, the leading professional fashion journal by the Deutscher Fachverlag publishing house, is moving its traditional meeting of the industry’s top decision-makers – the TW Forum, the presentation of the renowned Forum Award, as well as its subsequent conference – from Heidelberg to Frankfurt’s Palmengarten botanical gardens, and will therefore be kicking off Frankfurt Fashion Week on Sunday evening and Monday morning. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung will be hosting its traditional fashion party for the first time in Frankfurt and publishing a special edition of its FAZ Magazin on Frankfurt Fashion Week. And the ZEIT publishing group is holding its ‘UNLOCK Style by ZEITmagazin’ conference, which was established in 2014, and the ZEITmagazin Fashion Week party in Frankfurt for the first time and will dedicate the whole new issue of ZEITmagazin Frankfurt to Frankfurt Fashion Week. Condé Nast will also be involved in next summer’s Frankfurt Fashion Week with an exclusive event by GQ. And the Burda publishing house will also be represented with various event formats from its lifestyle and fashion brands.There will also be talks with SHINE  Conventions, the organiser of GLOW, about what a mutual collaboration could look like.
 
Frankfurt Fashion Week is also delighted to have the Fashion Council Germany (FCG) on board.  The FCG is theinstitution when it comes to German fashion design. It promotes designers, is committed to gaining more political relevance and strengthens the international visibility and awareness of German fashion. At Frankfurt Fashion Week, the FCG will contribute selected formats, such as its already established Fireside Chat, and a future-oriented accelerator format to support German designers.
 
“What really impresses me about Fashion Week is the whole networking aspect: the creative industries will meet the financial world and sustainability is the common denominator. The Green Finance Cluster is another project that we could link with Frankfurt Fashion Week in the future. This will provide new inspiration in the fashion industry, which will certainly extend way beyond its own horizon of Frankfurt and Hesse. After a very difficult year for the trade fair industry, the concept is an encouraging breath of fresh air,” sums up Tarek Al-Wazir, Hesse’s Minister of Economics, Energy, Transport and Regional Development and Deputy Minister-President of the state of Hessen.

• Lakmé Fashion Week 2020
• Bemberg™ fibers empower “Tattva”
• Hemang Agrawal's new craft-tech collection

Smart tech fibers, contemporary style and heritage. Past, present and future are intertwined in the new ‘Tattva’ collection by famous Indian designer Hemang Agrawal who has teamed up with Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei, the Japanese yarn manufacturer leading in both high-performative innovation and sustainability. The collection comprises textiles entirely conceived and created by the designer. A new chapter for Bemberg™ glamorous uniqueness for high-end fashion, first Japanese reality that participated at Lakmé Fashion Week 2020, the biggest fashion event in India.

Made from the smart-tech transformation of cotton linters pre-consumer materials and converted through a traceable and transparent closed loop process, Bemberg™ fibers add responsible values to the collection, matching perfectly the vision and the ethic of Hemang Agrawal, a designer with more than one eye on sustainability, innovation and deep knowledge and respect for traditional Indian crafts and culture.

Tattva debuted at the Lakmé Fashion Week 2020 and comprises 40 exquisite pieces for men and women, all inspired by the 12 Tattva – the natural elements bringing harmony in the universe, according to the Indian scriptures and tradition. Motifs representing these elements, including quirky versions of moon-phases, tigers, human mind & DaVinci’s Vitruvian man were woven into the glittering fabrics. The collection was crafted harnessing the skills of Indian handlooms artisans in the designer’s hometown Benares (Varanasi).

Tattva featured Bemberg™ brocades as the predominant textile, along with plain Bemberg™ fabrics and a few blends. The result is a magnificent touch, fabrics are distinctively smooth like silk, second skin-like, shining, and bright. On top of that, Bemberg™ yarns add a new dimension in terms of sustainability and comfort by boosting antistatic and breathable performances, amazing precious touch while being also biodegradable and compostable.

“We are so happy that we participated in LFW and collaborated with Hemang Agrawal.” Says Mr. Hideto Tanimoto, General Manager, Bemberg™ Sales and Marketing Department. “The collection has come out really wonderful and has brought out the properties of Bemberg yarn such as noble sheen, smooth and soft touch, bright colour, supple drape amazingly. I strongly believe that the collection made significant impact on the sustainable fashion scene in India. We are expecting that the collection will be successful commercially and will help the local craftsman from Varanasi.”

The collection blends crafts and technology, Indian tradition and Japanese innovation, sustainability and high-end style. Designer Hemang Agrawal says, “The dexterity which the weavers in Benares have acquired, finds few parallels in the world. Although predominantly a silk-weaving centre, many master-weavers in the city are highly skilful in handling different yarn types. Japan, on the other hand, is well-known for its advanced technologies as well as its approach towards environment and sustainability as a country. Both these facts are well-reflected in the Bemberg™ Yarn”

“During our R&D, we found that the yarn, which is available in various counts and deniers is highly adaptable. The lustre, hand-feel, strength and colour depth are very well-suited for premium textiles, which come out of our looms. For the collection ‘Tattva,’ our endeavour has been to merge the skill-set of Benares weavers with qualities of the Bemberg™ yarn, to create textiles and apparel, which transcend the boundaries of what is termed as traditional Benarasi."

With the Tattva collection Hemang Agrawal and Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei show a new way of making fashion: merging craft & tech, cutting-edge materials and deeply rooted traditions. A stunning collection marking the rise of craft-tech, a trend going beyond the dichotomy of ancient and new, injecting the human-based into the high-tech and a futuristic imprint into heritage. Like the 12 Tattva, a new harmony takes shape, intertwined into exquisitely stylish garments.

• New digital platform unveiled
• Due to the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and after thorough consultation of clients and partners, the JEC World team today announces that the next edition of JEC World is postponed from March 9 to 11 to June 1 to 3, 2021.

With the growing concern among our exhibitors and partners surrounding the critical situation of the Covid  19,  travel  restrictions,  quarantine,  and  lockdown  measures  announced  recently  in  many  countries, the JEC World team has decided to work on a new timeline to hold the next edition of the event in safer conditions in 2021.

Thus, JEC World exhibitors answered a survey proposing three dates to determine which one would suit  them  the  most.  It  appeared  that  a  large  majority  of  respondents  favored  holding  the  next  JEC  World session from June 1 to 3, 2021."We truly regret having to make this difficult decision. However, we are all committed, starting todayto deliver the best JEC World experience to our clients.  We look forward to welcoming the international composites community back to Paris in June 2021", says Eric Pierrejean, CEO of JEC Group. As the leading trade show of the composites industry, JEC World brings together the whole composites materials  value  chain  and  professionals  from  application  sectors,  experts  from  the  scientific  and  academic world, associations and media from more than 112 countries.

JEC  World  is  also  proud  to  introduce  its  audience  this  year,  its  new  digital  platform,  JEC  World  Augmented.

This online platform, programmed to take place alongside JEC World,istailored primarily for attendees who cannot be present physically at the show but still want to experience a tremendousdigital event immersion. "JEC  World  and  its  augmented platform  will  bring  the  international  composites  community  and  specialists   together   to   network   with   exhibitors,   hold   digital   business   meetings,   access   online   conferences, workshops, and discover the latest composites innovation,"  says Adeline Larroque, Show director and EMEA events. "Now, more than ever, the international composites sector needs to come together to discuss today's challenges and tomorrow's composites solutions," adds Larroque.

Over 300 brands have spent three months showcasing their offerings at the world’s first digital trade show. PREMIUM+SEEK Passport, in collaboration with JOOR, provided the industry with a digital addition to the physical trade shows that were unable to take place at all this summer, due to the current situation. The virtual event concluded yesterday.

Summary
“The event was a success: it reached a network of 200,000 buyers, logged over 20,000 visits, and over 80,000 products were sold. The brands that achieved especially good results were those that engaged their own buyer contacts and networks and introduced them to the platform. Things are actually the same as always, the principle remains the same. Success doesn't just happen by itself,” says Anita Tillmann, Managing Partner of the PREMIUM GROUP. “There was a strong focus on communicative value at this digital event. We feel that creating visibility for new potential brands and customers is the best thing we can do to add value for our customers in the current situation. We have worked intensively on how we position ourselves in this crisis, which services we can deliver, and how we can offer our customers and partners support of lasting relevance.”

Outlook
It is not yet possible to announce a final, definitive decision on the PREMIUM GROUP’s January events. The market analysis carried out with exhibitors, partners and retailers is currently being evaluated. The current developments in the number of infections and forecasts by the Federal Government also have an influence on this. These provide reliable data that can serve as the basis for a well-informed and representative assessment of whether and how the trade shows and conferences will be able to take place. Further information on the PREMIUM GROUP events will follow at the end of October.
    
What is certain is that, for the first time, the PREMIUM GROUP and Messe Frankfurt will be putting on their SEEK, PREMIUM, FASHIONTECH, Neonyt and FashionSustain events – along with a host of other highlights – from 6-8 July 2021 as part of Frankfurt Fashion Week 2021. New business platforms, glamorous events, innovative formats and content hubs will be unveiled to the fashion industry – not just in a new setting, but in a totally new guise.

The textile machinery industry is eagerly awaiting the start of the virtual trade show "Innovate Textile & Apparel". What and how will the more than 160 exhibitors present themselves virtually? How will the approximately 10,000 registered visitors accept the digital offer? WTIN is breaking new ground as organizer with this platform. But one thing is already certain: From 15 to 30 October 2020, they will bring the textile machinery industry a little closer together again in the Corona Pandemic. Oerlikon invites all visitors to take a look into the future of manmade fibers production and get to know the comprehensive range of products and services.

"Reconnecting innovation in the textile & apparel value chain" is the motto of WTIN's virtual trade show. And Oerlikon intends to more than live up to this motto. With more than 50 active experts from sales, customer service and technology as well as partners from its international network of representatives, the Manmade Fibers segment of the Swiss Oerlikon Group will try to be represented around the clock. "It is an interesting experiment for all of us and we would like to see it succeed," explains André Wissenberg, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs. "Our aim is to meet our existing customers again, make new contacts and see 'old friends' from the industry. We have prepared an attractive digital offer for them all. Those of you who missed our roller coaster ride in Barcelona last year can now enjoy the journey through time in peace and quiet from your home office on your digital tour of the fair. And, there are no more waiting times either," promises Wissenberg.

Factory know-how from a single source
From Melt to Yarn, Fibers and Nonwovens. From the polycondensation and the processing of PTA and MEG as well as the extrusion of, for example, recycled polyester chips all the way through to hundreds of thousands of packaged and stored or directly-delivered textured bobbins for a market within the textile industry worth billions. From the planning and construction of highly complex production plants to the engineering of large-scale plant projects and competent customer services. This business model runs like a red thread through the self-conception of the Manmade Fibers segment of the Swiss Oerlikon Group. The right partner, especially – but not exclusively – for newcomers to the textile industry. "With us they get everything they need for a successful business: Factory know-how from a single source. And that's what we would like to show our visitors at our virtual trade fair booth," says Wissenberg.

The Secoli Fashion Show, live this year on the Camera Moda digital platform, staged the projects of 19 students supported by exceptional companies such as Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei, which supplied its precious and contemporary materials for the creation of some pieces of the collections.

During Milan Fashion Week the students of Istituto Secoli presented their projects for the traditional appointment of the Secoli Fashion Show, an event that this year has took place in digital version in a particular dedicated section - Italian Education Lab - live on the streaming platform of Camera Nazionale della Moda.

The students designed three women collections and two men collections interpreting the concept of SHAPE.

Brands of excellence supported the young creatives for the creation of the collections, such as Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei, which provided the printed fabrics - produced by Tessitura Grisotto - for the creation of some pieces of the collections, that were used in particular for shirts and padded outerwear and quilted parts.
 
Bemberg™ is a fiber that comes from the smart and technologically advanced transformation of pre-consumer cotton linter materials and converted through a traceable and transparent process. Its uniqueness comes from its exceptional qualitative characteristics such as the magnificent touch - which is soft and smooth as silk, like a second skin - brilliance and radiance. Bemberg™ also has antistatic and breathable performances and the fiber is biodegradable and compostable too.

The collaboration with these companies is continuous and in the name of the close and interconnected relationship between education and the world of work. A support that is also reconfirmed for Asahi Kasei, who for years has supported the Istituto Secoli with an intense commitment in the field of education to new generations.

In addition to Istituto Secoli, Bemberg™ invests in future generations of professionals in the textile and clothing sector also through BIELLA MASTER DELLE FIBRE NOBILI and Sanchi no Gakko (in Japanese “School of Textile & Yarn Production Site”) founded three years ago and supported for two years by Asahi Kasei through its “Bemberg Lab”.

Two ISKO I-SKOOL™ 7 looks make their debut at the Graduate Fashion Foundation, part of London Fashion Week, a springboard for new talent striving to bridge the gap between education and industry.

Following an unprecedented academic year, GFF celebrates how the Class of 2020 have adapted and overcome adversity to complete their degrees across 26 fashion specialisms, from Design and Knitwear to Comms, Marketing and Business. London, 17-22 September – To bring together fashion educators and industry leaders and to support their graduates to reach their full potential once they have graduated: this has always been GFF’s main goal for the past 28 years. Now more than ever, GFF continues in its long-standing commitment to share good practice and knowledge and to inspire students to become innovators, environmental leaders, employees, and educators while promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity within an international platform – very much in keeping with ISKO I-SKOOL™ values and approach which resonate throughout the contest’s Denim Awards.

Designers Kotryna Adomaityte and Isabel Hambly from Nottingham Trent University were 2 of the 9 winners of the ISKO I-SKOOL™ 7 Awards, announced in a phygital ceremony held on July 22. The two students were invited to showcase their winning creations at GFF. Kotryna, winner of the ISKO I-SKOOL™ PERICOLO Award by Cadica Group, impressed the audience with her “Wild West Denim” look to London at the GFF Showroom.

Isabel Hambly, winner of the ISKO I-SKOOL™ Best Marketable Product, stole the show with her “Women at war” outfit which was displayed at the Catwalk Show, live-streamed from Samsung KX on September 22. That two of ISKO I-SKOOL™ 7 winners and finalists were part of this important event is proof of the significant role the contest – developed and supported by ISKO – plays in nurturing and championing talent and creativity. This edition’s main concept was world’s citizenship, with the Creative Theme “North, East, South, West – connected by one planet”. The twenty shortlisted finalists were asked to dig into their roots and to approach different cultures, defining and tracking down the geography of the world connecting them through responsibility. In addition to exploring the planet both locally and globally, they were also required to take into account the product life cycle of their outfits – featuring a 5-pocket jeans to interpret their view on the “local” concept and two Denim Show Pieces to reflect their worldwide influences and topics of interest. These were made with top ISKO™ denim fabrics, meeting the designers’ needs and providing a strong sustainable ingredient.

“We are really proud that two of our winners made it to GFF, with which we have many values in common – it marks another important step in their journey” said ISKO Senior Executive ISKO I-SKOOL™ Project Irem Orhun. “All of this goes to show how ISKO I-SKOOL™ plays a fundamental role in providing the foundation to enter the industry more aware of your skills and capabilities.”

The 26th edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles concluded on 26 August, following a successful three-day run at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). It was Messe Frankfurt’s first event to take place in Shanghai in 2020 following disruptions from the pandemic. Amid the challenges presented by the pandemic, this year’s fair provided a vital opportunity for the international home and contract textile industries to source and reconnect through virtual and in-person meetings. Offering a comprehensive range of home and commercial textile products, the fair welcomed over 600 exhibitors and attracted more than 25,000 trade buyers.

Speaking as the fair concluded, Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd commented: “Intertextile has always been dedicated to providing an ideal platform for the international home textile industry and we are delighted to continue to do so during these unprecedented, challenging times. In view of the current global travel restrictions, this year’s fair offered a series of digital tools in addition to the traditional exhibition, allowing the fair to reach as wide an audience as possible. We are glad that this new format was highly recognised by the participating exhibitors and buyers alike.”

“Whilst economic activity in China is progressively recovering and domestic consumption continues to grow, the country’s exports are taking longer to rebound,” Ms Wen added. “One of the main objectives of this year’s fair was to connect domestic and international suppliers and buyers who are eager to make personal contacts and get back to business. As evidenced by feedback from numerous exhibitors and visitors, the fair has been able to help and support the industry’s recovery, so we are delighted with the results.”

Online business matching platform connected worldwide companies
 
In view of the current international travel restrictions, this year’s fair launched a brand new online business matching platform, which connected around 200 buyers from over 50 countries and regions to 60 exhibitors. The platform introduced multiple new functions, such as live-stream product presentations and a real-time chat platform to better facilitate business exchanges between suppliers and buyers from around the world. One exhibitor participating in the platform was Suzhou Roufang Textile Technology Co Ltd. “Yesterday we had a live-stream product presentation, which attracted around 200 buyers. The online platform is useful for us as we could showcase our new products and design concepts to overseas buyers, and let them know that we are still here to serve them,” the company’s Business Manager Ms Yu Qian Ru explained.

Mr Azam Osman, Manager of the Factory Depot (Pty) Ltd from South Africa expressed his satisfaction about the online platform: “I am glad that the fair provided the online business matching service where I have seen a lot of quality furniture and decorative fabric exhibitors. I’m interested in connecting with them.” Another buyer, Ms Elena Freyuk from Ziptown Trading Inc. said: "I am pleased that the fair offered both live-stream and video recording product presentations as I was unable to watch the live presentation due to time difference. The services were very thoughtful!”

A source of inspiration for the industry
 
To ensure fairgoers can discover the latest design and industry trends and insights, this year’s fringe programme presented a series of high quality events, covering the industry’s hottest topics. Some of the highlights included the 2021 Intertextile Trend Forum, which was led by Shen Lei, the Chinese representative of the Intertextile International Lifestyle Trend Committee. The forum brought together five prominent Chinese designers including Ben Chen, Ben Wu, Meng Ye, Paul Pang and Xie Ke, who presented an in-depth interpretation of the theme of 2021 Intertextile Trends, “BOUND”. Other events included Ride the Storm – Home Textile Digital Printing Forum, Tmall Seminar on industry digitalisation, Furniture & Home Textile Direct Negotiation Event and more.