4,422 exhibitors from 33 countries and regions exhibited at the show. © Messe Frankfurt/ Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics

From its debut of 123 exhibitors in 1995, to more than 4,400 at this year’s Autumn Edition: Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics has grown exponentially in the last quarter of a century. The fair’s 25th anniversary celebrations represented a trading platform that has become highly regarded as the best place to find business in China, as well as an ideal platform to meet global partners.

With 89,662 visitors from over 120 countries and regions and a wide range of markets (a 15% increase from 2018) there is always potential to be found at Intertextile, organisers report.

“China remains a huge part of many exhibitors’ global market strategy, of course in part because of the large domestic purchasing power, but also because much of global fashion has business in China’s advanced manufacturing industry,” commented Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK).

“The key to business in China is interaction, face-to-face, especially with textiles that should be seen and felt up close. 25 years of experience have made this a trusted platform, for both exhibitors and trade buyers in China, to trade textiles. This is how Intertextile welcomes loyal exhibitors back each year, while also including plenty of new options at each edition.”

Industry recognition

4,422 exhibitors from 33 countries and regions exhibited at the show, including some who have participated for 10 to 20 years in a row and were recognised at a gala dinner on 25 September. High-quality trade buyers praised the comprehensive nature of Intertextile’s product range, as the fair was recognised as a one-stop shop for apparel products across the board. Product zones, such as Functional Lab and Beyond Denim, also offered an easier way to quickly match exhibitors with their target buyers.

“Thanks to the fair’s positive reputation within the industry, exhibitors use Intertextile as a platform to reveal their latest collections, meaning that visitors can be the first to see and feel innovation,” continued Ms Wen. “This in turn attracts more visitors from all over the world – at this edition, we welcomed trade buyers from even more countries and regions. So no matter what problems one market or economy may endure at the time, Intertextile’s diverse network of suppliers and buyers ensures that business can always be found at the fair.”

This year, fringe programme highlights included: Asia’s first ever Fashionsustain conference; a round-table meeting focused on international trade and sustainability; the Intertextile Consumer & Lifestyle Trend, themed FutureCast 2021: New Consumer Rules; the Smart Factory Forum, a panel discussion focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications and trends; and an industry crossover with Messe Frankfurt’s new fair Licensing China, which included a licensing seminar and display area.

Exhibitor feedback

“We’ve been exhibiting here for 15 years now. We’ve had many buyers come to our booth this edition. The pleasing aspect about this fair is some of them will become our partners afterwards, based on our previous experience here. This is the best platform to access the Chinese market, but it’s also a very international fair. Many companies exhibit here, so it brings the global industry together,” commented Kiichiro Kobayashi, Manager, Fibres & Textiles Marketing Dept, Asahi Kasei Corporation, Japan, which exhibited as part of the Japan Pavilion.

“The Korean exhibitors at Intertextile have already achieved remarkable business results just from the first two days of the fair, thanks to their high quality products. This fair is considered as a final sourcing platform where actual orders for the next season are placed. Intertextile has provided an opportunity to us to introduce Korean textiles to an international market effectively,” said Young Sang Yoon, Vice President of Korea Fashion Textile Association, Korea.

“Intertextile is here specifically to target the very important Chinese market. China is the dominant force now in apparel manufacturing, for both the high-end and mid-range markets. The halls are very busy, there are lots of people here. The exhibitors are happy and the brands seem to be pleased. We’ve had a really good show so far,” commented Paul Alger, International Business Director, UK Fashion & Textile Association, UK.

The fair was held concurrently with Yarn Expo Autumn, CHIC and PH Value from 25-27 September, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The Spring Edition will take place from 11-13 March 2020 and the next Autumn Edition will take place in September 2020.

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