From the Sector

Chomarat Group’s composite reinforcements will be featured at the KraussMaffei stand during the next K Messe in Düsseldorf. Chomarat has created a glass reinforcement adapted to the mass production of automotive parts, helping to lighten leaf springs by 60% compared to metal.

Automotive: Producing 60% lighter leaf springs for car's underbody
The new leaf springs made of composites are 60% lighter than their pendants made of steel thanks to KraussMaffei process and the involvement of a network of partners, including Chomarat with G-PLY™ glass reinforcement. Their strength can be deliberately increased in sections where it is required and the corrosion resistance offers further added value.

“We created the fabrics, when Engenuity developed the component, Huntsman supplied the matrix system made of epoxy resin, Johns Manville supplied the glass fibers, Schmidt & Heinzmann manufactured the preforms, Alpex designed the RTM mold and Hufschmied (Bobingen, Germany) took charge of post-mold processing of the component by milling. KraussMaffei has taken over the project management for Hengrui and coordinates the project with the partners.” Francisco De Oliveira at Chomarat explains.

Heimtextil will launch the new 2020/2021 trend season with the general theme “WHERE I BELONG”. For the official Heimtextil Trend Preview, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam director Anne Marie Commandeur  introduced the new design themes. The presentation in the run-up to Heimtextil (7-10 January 2020) took place at the Textile Museum’s Textile Lab in Tilburg, the Netherlands on 11 September 2019 and was streamed worldwide.

This season, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam is responsible for the Trend Book content and Trend Space implementation at the upcoming international trade fair for home and contract textiles. Alongside Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, London-based studio FranklinTill and Danish agency SPOTT trends & business contributed to the 20/21 global forecast for perspective-related interior design. Together with the Heimtextil management team, these Trend Council participants gave insights into future styles during a workshop.

At the annual international Trend Council workshop, identity was an ever-present topic: part of a broader discussion on gender and cultural diversity, on tolerance and curiosity. Today, the self-identification process seems more complex than ever. Identities are now formed through experiences that take place simultaneously, on different levels. Locally, nationally, globally, both online and offline. Identity therefore can consist of many different layers. In fact, individuals can all have multilayered identities.

Heimtextil Trends 20/21 Overview:

MAXIMUM GLAM

Pleasure seekers revel in layering theatrical influences and glamorous showtime aesthetics, forging a fantastic marriage between the crafted and digitally rendered. Textiles show a ‘more is more’ attitude through a mash-up of glam, gradients and spectrums, fake fur, pile and fringe, jacquard weaves and fantastic prints. The flashy, kitsch colour range becomes brutally glam thanks to electric sheen, synthetic shimmer, digital glitch and artful blur. A riot of clashes and rebellion.

PURE SPIRITUAL

Idealists seek perfection and purity, restoring equilibrium by connecting with the uber-natural. They embrace technology for good while shifting between realism and mysticism in pursuit of a personal haven. To address a renewed bond with nature, organic matter, raw materials and pure textiles are selected which show nature’s traces, organic structures and irregularities. Shades are created from the earth and cultured by man. An elemental and pure range reflects the source of their existence.

ACTIVE URBAN

Urban dwellers confront the challenges of the fast paced, shape-shifting, man-made environment by searching for utilitarian, adaptable solutions. They value tech performance while making smart use of  available and renewable resources. Functionality is prioritised, while looking cool and working well remains key. Interior/sportswear hybrid textiles show smooth surfaces and a fun mash-up of graphic textures. The palette shows uniform blue, asphalt grey and caterpillar yellow.

HERITAGE LUX

Preservers of historic legacies treasure sensuousness alongside the uncanny, enlightenment together with darkness, for a whole new immersive experience. This new narrative translates to a love for luxury and splendour, decoration and embellishment. Finding beauty in history and nature through ornamental patterning and alluring surface enhancement. Reflecting on ancient history results in a palette featuring enigmatic blood red, sapphire and a lustrous mother-of-pearl.

MULTI-LOCAL

Hyper-locals go global, celebrating inclusivity over appropriation, honouring traditional craftsmanship and adjusting the world’s gaze to embrace exchange, creative integrity and diverse identities. Indigenous style meets global influences. This is a celebration of crafted and decorative pattern, from tribal and folkloric to geometric and abstract. Textile colours become part of a wider cultural narrative, linked to local community, cultural heritage and private identity.

You can find more Information here

Albstadt-based circular knitting machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. (MCT) is exhibiting at this year’s leading textile and garment technology trade fair ITMA with the slogan “Stay a winner. With Mayer & Cie.” The focus of the company’s presentation will be on sport. Sportswear, active leisurewear and sports shoes are increasingly made of circular knitted fabrics and the long-established German firm has the right machines to cater for this trend. Mayer & Cie. is also going for the improved customer experiences that consistent digitization makes possible.

For years global demand for circular knitted goods has increased continuously. An important growth driver is the sportswear and sports fashion sector, including sports shoes. According to Euromonitor the market segment grew by about seven per cent per year between 2013 and 2017. By 2017 Euromonitor estimated its total market value to be around USD 78 billion. Lightweight synthetic fibres, new patterns and attractive functionalities are the key requirements in this area.

Mayer & Cie. can already fulfil many requirements with a portfolio of machines considered to be the largest in the industry. Lightweight mesh structures, often requested for running shirts, are a speciality of the IG 3.2 QCe interlock machine, for example. Jacquard machines from the OVJA family, in contrast, are suitable for the manufacture of shoe uppers. Compared with the conventional methods flat knitting and warp knitting, circular knitting scores points for productivity and significantly shorter set-up times.

Series production of the Spinit 3.0 E spinning and knitting machine has been under way since the end of 2018. It combines two previously separate processes – spinning and knitting – in one machine. That saves time, space and energy compared with conventional manufacturing processes. Mayer & Cie. has already won several awards for this approach, the latest being the Innovation Prize for the Climate and the Environment (IKU) that the Federal Environment Ministry and the Confederation of German Industry (BDI) award every other year. The company is presenting at ITMA its further developments of this machine.

Along with machine development Mayer & Cie. has set itself another target for ITMA and thereafter: to improve the customer experience, a task of which Sebastian Mayer is in charge. His responsibilities at Mayer & Cie. are for corporate development and digitization. Digitization of the company’s extensive customer and machinery know-how is currently under way. Customers will be able to see and test the initial results at ITMA. Available for testing will be the new Web shop, linked with an analogue model of the high-bay warehouse in Albstadt-Tailfingen, and machine maintenance by means of HoloLens.

The international home textiles industry has enjoyed a promising start at Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main, which finished Friday, 11 January. The challenging economic situation and uncertainty in the retail sector were countered by a positive and confident mood at the world’s leading trade fair.

3025 exhibitors from 65 countries* took the international trade fair for home and contract textiles to a 15-year high: ‘Exhibitors and visitors accepted the new trade fair concept with great enthusiasm and confirmed the trade fair’s position as the world’s most important meeting place for the industry. The quality of the decision-makers impressed the exhibitors, as did the number of new business contacts from 156 countries, especially international ones – thus enabling Heimtextil to set a new benchmark’, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. ‘Around 67,500 visitors* ensured that there was a busy atmosphere in the halls, despite a slight decline due to various reasons, such as difficult travel conditions on account of the storms in the alpine region and airport strikes in Germany’. [*For comparison, 2018: 2,975 exhibitors from 64 countries; 68,584 visitors from 135 countries, FKM-tested)]

3025 exhibitors from 65 countries* took the international trade fair for home and contract textiles to a 15-year high: ‘Exhibitors and visitors accepted the new trade fair concept with great enthusiasm and confirmed the trade fair’s position as the world’s most important meeting place for the industry. The quality of the decision-makers impressed the exhibitors, as did the number of new business contacts from 156 countries, especially international ones – thus enabling Heimtextil to set a new benchmark’, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. ‘Around 67,500 visitors* ensured that there was a busy atmosphere in the halls, despite a slight decline due to various reasons, such as difficult travel conditions on account of the storms in the alpine region and airport strikes in Germany’.

One topic that occupied both exhibitors and visitors was the current and future economic situation. A further challenge is the increasingly evident changes that are happening in trade. Increasing revenues and revenue shares in online retailing stand in the way of the efforts made by the stationary retail trade to maintain their inner-city businesses. ‘The small business specialist trade, but also department stores and multibrand stores, and thus the heart of our visitor target groups, are under pressure from the constantly increasing levels of e-commerce. With Heimtextil and our consumer goods fairs in general, we offer these retailers in particular clear perspectives and diverse inspiration in an ambiguous world’, continues Braun.

Heimtextil made it easier for its visitors to access valuable inspiration and business momentum thanks to an optimised trade fair concept and the associated new hall structure. ‘The new concept brought more visitors to the stand’, was the feedback from Andreas Klenk, Managing Director of Saum & Viebahn from Kulmbach in Franconia about hall 8.0 which offered textiles editeurs and manufacturers of curtain and sun protection systems a common platform for the first time. ‘It was the right decision to merge the different segments. We had high quality discussions with respect to both export and domestic business, and are satisfied with the trade fair’.

As part of the new concept, Heimtextil expanded its unique product range across the entire exhibition site and also included the new hall 12, which has been an additional architectural highlight on the Frankfurt exhibition grounds since September.

Top international companies from the Bed & Bath Fashion segment presented their wares here. For the company Curt Bauer from Aue in Saxony, the première of the new hall was a successful one. ‘We're very enthusiastic about the new hall 12. The product range there was very well received. We are very satisfied with the quality of visitors to our stand. In addition to a good frequency of German visitors, we are particularly pleased about growth from China and Russia’, says Managing Director Michael Bauer.

Natural materials, PET and ocean plastics 
Heimtextil set a standard in terms of sustainability: after the first global climate protection agreement for the textile industry was signed by 40 leading fashion companies, organisations and associations at the World Climate Conference in Katowice last December, the focus in Frankfurt was also on environmental progress in the textile industry. Numerous exhibitors presented progressive solutions, for example in the recycling of PET bottles and ocean plastic as well as in the use of certified natural materials. ‘Sustainability was the theme for us at this year’s Heimtextil. Major media players visited us and the 'Green Tour’ guided tour stopped by. We presented many things, including our first vegan duvet and fair silk products, all 100 per cent produced in Austria’, says Denise Hartmann, Marketing Manager at Hefel Textil. The topics of water consumption in the textile industry and microplastics also increasingly came to the fore. The exhibitor directory ‘Green Directory’ alone contained around 150 progressive companies listing sustainably produced textiles. The offer was supplemented by its own lecture series as well as theme-specific tours, which provided valuable impetus and
underpinned the pioneering green position of the trade fair.

Sleep becomes new lifestyle theme
Heimtextil also focused on sleep as one of the upcoming lifestyle trends. While a balanced diet and sufficient exercise are now a natural part of a healthy lifestyle, restorative sleep is still neglected* although it is one of the most important building blocks for long-term physical and mental well-being. At Heimtextil, a number of new products and aspects came to the fore that help people become sensitised to and analyse their sleep behaviour and promote healthy sleep. Around the redesigned hall 11.0 and in the adjoining lecture area ‘Sleep! The Future Forum’, representatives from the national and international bed industry enjoyed attractive product presentations and superb speeches on the topics of sustainability, hospitality, sport and digital.

In addition to the renowned trend show, the trade fair also focused on contract business, particularly in the hotel and hospitality sector, as well as decorative and upholstery fabrics, digital printing solutions and wallpapers.

The next Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main – its 50th edition – will take place from 7 to 10 January 2020.

*According to a forsa investigation commissioned by the Techniker Krankenkasse

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has always been at the forefront of the China and Asia markets for participants to find the latest products from around the world and learn about the current market trends. This year, a series of fringe programme events together with some new show features will inspire fairgoers throughout the four-day fair.

New features for contract business

Given the growing demand for textile solutions for architecture, interior design and the hotel industry, the coming August fair will highlight leading contract upholstery suppliers with distinctive labels. In addition, the show will feature a showcase area at hall 5.1 which displays quality contract upholstery from exhibitors. The area will be decorated by interior designers, demonstrating the functionalities of different contract textile products.

To introduce the opportunities that the textile industry can capture from contract business, both domestic and international architects, hoteliers, interior designers and industry experts have been invited to share their insights about design, market, materials and project management on the Contract Business Days, on 28 & 29 August.

Naima A Khan, founder and interior designer from The Green Design in UAE, for instance, will be speaking on The Art of Sustainable Interior Design. She has worked with many international home fashion retail store developers, as well as textile and interior companies, and is experienced in using therapeutic colour schemes, sustainable materials and sunlight in different design projects. Another guest, Esra Lemmens, who is also a designer and active speaker at design events, will talk about the expanding importance of design throughout Dubai as well as her suggestions for doing business in Dubai.

Other speakers also include Martin Oliu from the international design company, Harmony World Consultant and Design (HWCD). He has participated in a broad area of design such as architectural construction & interior design and is responsible for various luxury residential and hotel design projects. Professor Thomas Charles, who has been working on industrial product design and research for user experience & consumer behaviour study, business strategy and branding designs will give a talk on ‘The Power of Innovative Design’. Trevira CS will also participate in the Contract Business Day through their Chinese representative, Jenny Zhang, who will share how the permanently flame retardant Trevira CS textiles can fit into contract business.

Digital printing and technics remain a focal point

The Digital Printing Micro Factory concept was first introduced in the 2017 edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, and received much attention and positive feedback. To cater to the growing demand for efficient, one-step textile solutions, Global Fortune Limited from Hong Kong will work jointly with Kornit Digital and Bullmer to set up a Micro Factory at this August’s fair. An advanced digital printing system – Allegro & Cut by Kornit Allegro – will be introduced. The system streamlines the entire production process by combining printing and drying together so multiple machinery is not needed. It is also eco-friendly as one single ink set suits various fabric types, and designs will be printed in shapes and sizes that are ready for cutting. Visitors can learn more about the complete production process from printing and cutting to sewing via the onsite demonstration.

In addition to forums discussing how digital printing helps flexible production, there will also be an array of forums where some top domestic industry players will share their experience in resolving  technical problems in productions and satisfying requirements in different product tests.

Forward-looking events to ignite inspiration

The trend committee formed by international trendsetter the NellyRodiTM Agency has developed three themes, namely Caring Future, Crazy Future and Emo Future for the 2019 International Lifestyle Trends. Apart from the trend area where product displays are located, visitors can get a better understanding about the future living styles from the panel discussion and trend area tour. The agency’s creative director, Vincent Grégoire, will guide tours to explain the trend concept. He will also join other industry experts in the panel discussion on consumer lifestyle trends.

Another inspiring event during the show is the Future Talk in which representatives from different industries including fashion brand Shiatzy Chen, home appliance giant Haier, gourmets and lifestyle experts will share their perspectives on the future trends.

The show will be held from 27 – 30 August in the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA).

To find out more about this fair, please visit: www.intertextilehome.com.

Attendees of the May 19-22 National Restaurant Show in Chicago learned that linen, uniform and facility services providers serving restaurants and other foodservice operations can be distinguished by earning third-party verification of their sustainability and cleanliness, as TRSA exhibited its Clean Green and Hygienically Clean Food Service certifications at the show.
More than 150 individuals viewed the exhibit, which screened a new animated video explaining the Clean Green designation. It’s now showing on TRSA’s YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-24iVCNRT0).

Depicting operations within a laundry, the video shows how contracting with a Clean Green certified provider delivers services restaurants need and gives them peace of mind from doing business with a sustainable provider. Clean Green operations comply with water and energy standards and demonstrate best management practices in supplying, laundering and maintaining textiles.

Visitors to the exhibit learned which providers serving these attendees’ home geographic areas are Clean Green certified and were encouraged to work with such a certified provider if not already doing so. Speaking with attendees also gave TRSA staff the opportunity to ask them about their experience with providers and, if currently under contract with one, its identity.

• 76 percent of those questioned indicate they currently use such a provider. Most could identify it by name
• 18 percent said they use an on-premises or home laundry for linen and uniform needs. Many of these respondents indicated they work for hotels, healthcare facilities, colleges or military bases with their own laundry equipment
• 6 percent said they use disposable products (napkins, wipers) instead of their reusable textile equivalents; most of these respondents are in quick-service restaurant operations

The TRSA display distributed copies of Sustainability: Finding the “New” Green in Your Restaurant Supply Chain, a 7-page guide to using a systematic approach to choose suppliers whose products/services are proven to be more sustainable than those of their competitors and whose own practices are more sustainable.

TRSA’s exhibit also kicked off a survey of restaurant management to determine their perceptions of table linen service as a plus for facility hygiene and service to diners. Results will help TRSA communicate to the restaurant industry the value of using Hygienically Clean Food Service certified providers in the hope that doing so becomes an industry standard.

Such certified laundries commit to cleanliness through third-party, quantified biological testing and inspection. This process eliminates subjectivity by focusing on outcomes and results that verify linens and uniforms cleaned in these facilities meet appropriate hygienically clean standards and best management practices for servicing full- and limited-service restaurants, hotels, hospitals, educational institutions and other locations where food is handled and served.

ABOUT CLEAN GREEN
Clean Green certification recognizes linen, uniform and facility services companies that demonstrate responsible leadership in sustainability and conservation by acknowledging commitment to improving water and energy efficiency and adoption of best management practices for reusing, reclaiming and recycling resources. Certified operations meet quality standards for effectiveness in conserving resources and minimizing environmental impact. Customers that use Clean Green certified companies to supply, launder and maintain linens, uniforms, mats and other reusable textiles can be assured that their provider maximizes sustainable practices.

ABOUT HYGIENICALLY CLEAN
Hygienically Clean certification demonstrates linen, uniform and facility services companies’ commitment to cleanliness through independent, third-party laundry plant inspection and quantified microbial testing. Inspection and re-inspection verify that items are maintained, washed, dried, ironed, packed, transported and delivered using best management practices to meet key disinfection criteria. Between scheduled and supplemental inspections, ongoing microbial testing quantifies cleanliness and indicates laundry process adjustments.

• CHIC Shanghai, March 14-16, 2018
• CHIC March 2018 closes successfully with rise in attendance
• CHIC´s new design: Discovering the young consumer world
• Successful business in all fair segments
• Service point CHIC as international platform for the international fashion trade
• New autumn date for CHIC: September 27-29, 2018

The spring edition of CHIC, taking place from March 14-16, 2018, finished successfully with yet another increase in visitor figures. 1,210 exhibitors from 21 countries and regions presented themselves on 117,200 m² at the National Exhibition & Convention Center in Shanghai. 112,666 visitors of all business channels were registered at the fair, among them leading department stores, shopping malls, multibrand stores, agents, distributors.

Chen Dapeng, President of CHIC and Executive Vice President of China National Garment Association: "The consumers in China develop rapidly, `consumer upgrade´ is the keyword, the Chinese market is consumer oriented, in demand is an individual young style. The offer has to adapt to the needs of this target group, the industry has to become even more innovative and face the technological challenges."

CHIC Shanghai shows that the Chinese market follows the current trends which is also mirrored by its fresh young design and a full visual concept that was developed in cooperation with WGSN. Addressees are the young trendsetting consumers, China´s driving force for the strong growth in retail sales, which increased by 10.2% in 2017 to about 5.7 trillion US$. According to a study by BCG this target group accounts for 65% of consumption increase in China with a predicted growth rate of 11% per year until 2021. The total domestic consumption contributed nearly 60% to the economic expansion of the country in the last year.

Intensive contacts and ordering in all areas of CHIC

The exhibitors of the designer area IMPULSES, one of the core segments at CHIC and occupying the entire North Hall, among them Hua Mu Shen, Shan Zi, Mood for Mode, were very satisfied. In addition to numerous concrete cooperation agreements high value orders were placed as well.

The international exhibitors in the FASHION JOURNEY area came from Brazil, Denmark, Germany, France, China Hong Kong, India, Italy - with 40 exhibitors again the biggest European participation - , Japan, Korea, Peru, Poland, Sweden, Spain, China Taiwan, UK. They expressed their satisfaction with their participations and recognize the potential of the Chinese market. The trade fair objective are contacts, numerous promising cooperation talks took place that need intensive follow-up after the fair. Nevertheless there were also orders placed at the fair. The Polish Investment and Trade Agency participated for the first time in CHIC with its national export program “go-to-brand”. Polish jewellery and kidswear designer brands participated in the program and exhibited at CHIC.

Showing at the leather and fur area HERITAGE the International Fur Federation (IFF) presented itself for the first time with international producers such as the auction houses NAFA and SAGA. Turkey was again represented under the roof of IDMIB / ITKIB by ten companies. For the national participants, grouped in pavilions of the respective Chinese provinces, CHIC is an essential business platform, here they regularly meet their buyers and this time once again registered orders of high sums.

Young brands in the CHIC YOUNG BLOOD area like Monkey King (after the monkey king in the classic Chinese novel The Journey to the West) with manga style shirts or JPE, a trendy street style brand with a traditional Chinese dragon being its mascot, made more than 300 contacts with concrete cooperation intentions at CHIC.

Companies in the segment URBAN VIEW, the menswear area, e.g. RUYI group with more than 30 international fashion brands such as Aquascutum or Sandro; GSON, a menswear line of SEMIR group or ManCode, a new exhibitor at CHIC, reported hundreds of cooperation inquiries and direct deals at the fair.

A sensation in the accessories segment SECRET STARS was created amongst others by the German brand LEONARDO. Large groups of visitors interested in the jewellery collection gathered at the booth. The fair participation beat the company´s expectations by far.

The young generation is the engine for fashion consumption in China, a fact also recognized by the management of the SEMIR group that presented product novelties and its service offer with its kidswear brand BALABALA in the KID´S PARADISE at CHIC. New technologies were shown on more than 500 m² by the HODO group and its "unstaffed shops", "smart fitting rooms", "magic dressing mirrors". Further innovations were "cloud shelves" and "big screen data".

Service platform CHIC

The intensively expanded visitor management, online and offline, was a central aspect of the fair. Online via WeChat and the official CHIC APP more than 200,000 visitor request for specific product groups were made, exhibitors uploaded more than 700,000 pieces of product information. Active exchange was initiated by the Buyer´s Talk on the second fair day, dealing with the development of the buying systems of department stores and shopping malls, trend information was given at CHIC Buyer´s Theme Salon also taking place on day 2. The VIP Buyer´s Meeting brought international brands and interested agents and distributors together - a service that the organizer will expand in the future. “We visit CHIC Shanghai every time, for us it´s a very important platform for trend information and also to find European brands that we can introduce to the Chinese market”, says Wen Liu, CEO Jesery from Wuhan, representative of Canadian designer brand JAC. The management of Mallstyle Investment (Shanghai), with e.g. Italian luxury brands in its portfolio, directly got in touch with German and Italian brands at CHIC after the meeting.

The event schedule of CHIC offers a broad seminar and workshop programme with its CHIC TALK, from trend information to retail solutions to buyer meetings, the show programme CHIC SHOWS staged fashion presentations, of which especially the IMPULSES and OVERSEAS´ JOINT FASHION SHOWS attracted the visitors´ attention. CHIC Shanghai is designed as a global platform for the fashion industry and fashion trade and integrates all resources that are relevant to a successful development of the fashion business in China.

CHIC Shanghai changes autumn date to September

CHIC Shanghai changes together with Intertextile Shanghai, PH Value and Yarn Expo the date for its autumn edition to September. The next fair will be held from September 27-29, 2018 at the National Exhibition & Convention Center in Shanghai.

Intertextile Shanghai concluded its 2017 Autumn Edition on 13 October as the strong business results and praise from the worldwide participants once again affirmed its reputation as the world’s most effective apparel fabrics and accessories trade event in terms of boosting sales and product sourcing. Knowing the fair covered an all-encompassing range of products that cater to all sourcing needs, 77,883 buyers travelled from 102 countries and regions (2016: 73,927, 90 countries and regions) to Shanghai to source. This year, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Taiwan, the UK and the US were the top 10 visitor countries and regions after Mainland China.

Meanwhile, a total of 4,538 exhibitors from 32 countries and regions (2016: 4,553, 29 countries and regions) also enjoyed the surge of business potential brought by this large number of high-quality trade buyers. The strong line-up of exhibitors, including 10 country and region pavilions – France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Milano Unica (Italy), Pakistan, Taiwan and Thailand – as well as 10 Group Pavilions organised by foremost industry leaders like DuPont, Hyosung, INVISTA and Lenzing, presented a full-spectrum of innovative and fashion offerings in 11 halls across 276,000 sqm (gross) exhibition area, an increase of nearly 6% compared to 2016.

While the nature of textile trade fairs has evolved over recent years, exhibitors’ successful results at this year’s Intertextile Shanghai shows that it is still the industry’s most effective order-writing and business development trade show because it remains the event where the global industry gathers to make purchasing decisions. As a result, many exhibitors see the fair as their business growth engine, and reported positive outlooks for sales after the fair.

Exhibitor opinions
 Ms Erika Jimenez, Development and Purchasing Department, Luca Cuccolini, Spain (SalonEurope)
“A few years ago we decided to explore the Chinese market. Knowing that Intertextile Shanghai is the most comprehensive fair of its kind in Asia, there was no doubt that this would be the fair to expose our brand. Throughout the years we have been satisfied with the visitor flow and business opportunities, especially this year. There has been a good flow of a diverse range of buyers visiting our booth, and we’ve already met with abundant potential buyers on the first day. Our objective is still to get our brand known to local buyers, and by looking at the progress in the first two days, we are even expecting to get orders later on.”

Mr Jean Denerolle, General Manager, Dormeuil, France (Premium Wool Zone)
“There has been lots of visitors coming to our booth on the first two days. Joining Intertextile Shanghai is an effective ways for us to develop the Chinese market. We are happy that the organiser referred a VIP buyer to us. Overall, we succeeded in receiving orders and promoting our brands, so I am pleased with the result this year.”
Mr Max Deery, Global Director, Print Stories Ltd, (for Amanda Kelly Ltd), UK (Verve for Design)
“We are satisfied with the results this year. The Verve for Design zone is well organised, and it’s a busier year compared to last. After day one, we’ve already found more than 10 potential buyers, both old and new customers. We’ve participated in other fairs in Europe as well, and I would say Intertextile Shanghai is in line with these shows, and busier than we expected.”

Mr Luca Maderna, New Age srl, Italy (Verve for Design)
“It’s our 10th year exhibiting in Intertextile. Given the large scale, we can always find new contacts here, and it’s also a great opportunity for us to present our new collection to our regular customers.”
Mr Ederhard Ganns, Managing Director, Union Knopf (HK) Ltd, Germany
“Our target clients are mainly brand owners and resellers. I have successfully met with them and have some promising contacts. We have also developed some new connections with both domestic and overseas customers. Intertextile Shanghai is no doubt the world’s number one show.”

Ms Kang Nan Hee, Assistant Manager, R&D Textile Co Ltd, Korea (Korea Pavilion)
“This is our 10th year at Intertextile Shanghai. Every year, we participate in both the spring and autumn fairs and they have never let us down. Not only can we meet numerous new buyers in each edition, we can also keep pace with the ever-changing market trends in the fabric industry. Besides that, in terms of visitor flow, this fair has always been the strongest. Take this year’s fair as an example. In our estimation, we have already received enquiries from almost 300 buyers and agents on the first two days, which has exceeded our expectations. Therefore, we are expecting some 400 orders in total by end of the fair.”

Mr Taku Ito, Manager, Sojitz Vancet (Shanghai) Trading Co Ltd, Japan (Japan Pavilion)
“We exhibit at this show to find new customers and sales channels in China. We’ve been joining the show for a while now, and we continued this edition as we can always meet new customers – I mean, really ‘new’. This year, there were about 400 companies that visited our booth. It’s also interesting that we are getting more online apparel shops visiting us lately.”

Ms Susan Hon, B2B Marketing Communication Director, North Asia, INVISTA Co Ltd, Hong Kong (Functional Lab & Group Pavilion organiser)
“With the help of Intertextile Shanghai – the most well-known platform in the industry – we can promote our newly launched products more efficiently and enhance the influence of our brand. Our booths were packed with visitors over the three days, with many of them high-quality buyers. Intertextile has always been one of the most important trade fairs for us because of its strength in attracting a wide range of buyers, including an unrivalled number of market-leading brands that no other fairs can offer.”

Mr Martin Yang, Marketing Manager, Nilit Nylon Technologies (Suzhou) Co Ltd, Israel (Functional Lab)
“Our management is satisfied with the results as this is where we can boost our business and sales. On the first day, we’ve already met with nearly 20 potential buyers that are very likely to develop into new orders after the fair. The most attractive trait of Intertextile Shanghai is its ability in gathering large numbers of trade buyers. More importantly, the majority of them are quality buyers who aren’t only our target customers but also keen to place orders. This fair is seen by the industry as the major platform to source as it includes more industry leading suppliers, raw material providers, fabric mills and garment manufacturers compared to other similar fairs, and this is why we are here.”

Mr Syed Kamran Shah, Marketing Manager, Soorty Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, Pakistan (Beyond Denim)
“Our objectives are to establish connections with Chinese brands and manufacturers, as well as to learn buyers’ expectations in this market. We are happy with the visitor numbers, and Intertextile Shanghai is where buyers really come to make purchasing decisions. Buyers came to talk to us and run tests on our fabrics afterwards, and usually within 2-3 months’ time, we will receive orders. We also like the idea of the Beyond Denim hall as it ensures the effectiveness of gathering and getting in touch with our target buyers.”

Mr Štěpán Kučera, Managing Director, Preciosa Components, China (Accessories Vision)
“This has been Preciosa’s third consecutive appearance at the autumn edition of Intertextile Shanghai, where we continue to see an increase in attendance by our target customers, namely high-end fashion brands from both the Chinese and international markets. Among the 200-plus buyers we met on the first two days of the fair were domestic fashion brands, sourcing managers of overseas brands, garment producers, as well as OEMs & ODMs, and we are more than satisfied with the results. Compared to similar fairs in which we have participated, Intertextile has a stronger focus on sourcing and manufacturing. International brands tend to send their sourcing teams, while local manufacturers and vendors also source here.”

Ms Shanshan Lu, Client Manger, Beijing Ecocert Certification Centre Co Ltd, China (All About Sustainability)
“As Intertextile Shanghai is the largest fair of its kind, we can always find our target customers here which are manufacturers from the Greater China area and the Asia Pacific region. The All About Sustainability zone has enhanced the exhibiting effectiveness as it creates a strong theme that attracts the right visitors to our booth. I think the visitor flow is stronger than last year. On day 1 alone, we received enquiries from over 10 potential customers which included old and new accounts. Moreover, by sharing our certifications in the seminar, our brand got further promoted in the fair. All in all, we are very pleased with this year’s outcome and very likely will return again next year.”
Worldwide buyers impressed with the unparalleled range of sourcing options on offer
While the exhibitors highly valued the fair’s ability in attracting quality, genuine buyers from around the world, these buyers were pleased to find all categories of apparel fabrics and accessories products from the entire industry under one roof.

Buyer opinions
Mr Johnny Lau, Head of Material Management, Quiksilver Asia Sourcing Ltd, Hong Kong
“The strongest trait of Intertextile Shanghai is its scale and aptitude in gathering the entire industry in one place. I believe no matter which sector of the industry or market you belong to – suiting, casual wear or ladieswear; high-end or fast fashion – you are ensured to find the right suppliers here. The fair houses a full-spectrum of suppliers which ease the sourcing process for purchasing departments like us. To maintain brand competitiveness, it is getting more important for us nowadays to know about suppliers and manufacturers from around the world, so we were also impressed with the fair’s internationalism and had unexpected returns from this trip.”

Mr Luis Alfonso Yepes Londono, Manager, Yetex SAS, Columbia
“Among all trade shows, Intertextile Shanghai is the most influential one for my business, even compared to the European shows. Not only can I find local suppliers, but the fair literally puts brands from around the globe under one roof. This morning I discussed with three local companies that match my interest. Their fabrics were of good quality and competitive pricing, so I will soon make a decision and place orders.”

Ms Zhou Jie, General Manager, Shenzhen New Look Fashion Co Ltd, China
“Intertextile Shanghai is a comprehensive trade fair, and what’s unique about this fair is its unparalleled ability in gathering both domestic and premium international apparel fabrics and accessories suppliers. Therefore, the sourcing options in this fair cater to all market demands. I can say Intertextile is a fair that all fashion brands can’t miss as one can definitely find all kids of materials here. We sent over 10 colleagues from the sourcing and design departments to this year’s fair and sourced around 80% of the fabrics we need for the next season’s collection from about eight exhibitors.”

The next Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is the Spring Edition, held from 14 – 16 March 2018.
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre. For more details on this fair, please visit: www.intertextileapparel.com. To find out more about all Messe Frankfurt textile fairs worldwide, please visit: www.texpertise-network.com.