Spring’s doubling of international visitor numbers was followed by another strong rise at the recent Autumn Edition, with overseas participants at both declaring the fair back in business. Following that success, the organisers have announced that the next Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition will take place from 11-13 March 2025. Highlights at the upcoming Spring Edition include the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum for Spring / Summer 2026, the return of Econogy Hub and the Digital Solutions Zone, as well as an expansive fringe programme that will amplify the themes apparent across the fairground.

Returning to the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the upcoming show will focus on several pillars: fashionable fabrics and accessories, functional fashion, sustainability, digital transformation, as well as industry trends and design.

China’s visa-free initiative is really important for international trade, and I feel like we are back to the Intertextile Apparel of pre-covid times

Attributing the fair’s recent success to its extensive offering, Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, said: “Our two shows this year attracted nearly 8,000 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions, whose huge range of products offer so much to international buyers. But this show is more than just the world’s largest apparel textile sourcing platform – it’s one of the best platforms for discovering the latest trends and innovations, and for industry players to exchange ideas. At our upcoming Spring Edition we will continue building on the digital and sustainable themes of our fringe programme and strengthening our new Econogy Hub and Digital Solutions Zone, to give forward-thinking exhibitors the best chance of attracting relevant buyers and promoting industry evolution. Additions such as these ensure Intertextile remains the global hub for networking, green progress, and insights-based sourcing.”

After a successful debut in autumn the upcoming spring show will see the return of Econogy Hub, Intertextile’s new zone for sustainable products and services, which is an evolution of its preceding All About Sustainability zone. Meanwhile, Econogy Talks will return as a key pillar of the fringe programme, with the online tool Econogy Finder providing buyers with an externally verified avenue to discover the fair’s eco-focused suppliers. These offerings further reinforce the fair’s adaptation to Texpertise Econogy, Messe Frankfurt's global sustainability concept within its Texpertise Network with more than 50 textile events worldwide.

The fair’s Digital Solutions Zone is also set to return, with offerings ranging from design systems and software to AI-powered fabric search, AI pattern generation, and 3D visualisation tools. Other key zones will include Accessories Vision, Beyond Denim, Digital Printing Zone, Functional Lab, Premium Wool Zone, SalonEurope, and Verve for Design.

Key features and figures pointing to fair’s global importance

The Spring and Autumn Editions in 2024 both welcomed increases in overseas participation – strong indications of the fair’s and industry’s resilience post-pandemic. Participants along the value chain welcomed the change as a return to business-as-usual for the trade fair, with many signalling their intent to join the Spring Edition in 2025.

Spring Edition 2024

- 99% increase in international visitors

- 87% return rate for overseas buyers on Days 2 and 3

- 22.9% increase in international exhibitors

Autumn Edition 2024

- Over 50 fringe events, including 25 with sustainable themes

- Debut of Malaysia and Uzbekistan Pavilions

- Newly-launched Econogy Hub and Digital Solutions Zone

The rise in participation from countries enjoying China visa-free travel has been clear, with visitors from Belgium, France, Spain, and Switzerland all seeing significant increases year-to-year. In a positive move for business, China’s visa-free policy has been extended for the following 16 countries until the end of 2025: Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland.

Travelling from Switzerland and exhibiting at the 2024 Spring Edition, Ms Linda Wegelin, Chief Commercial Officer of Testex AG, commented: “China’s visa-free initiative is really important for international trade, and I feel like we are back to the Intertextile Apparel of pre-covid times. The engagement is interesting, innovative, and we see a bright future for China and for sustainability. We need sustainability along the whole supply chain. Consumers are making decisions, pushing regulations, and pushing brands and retailers to initiate change.”

Visiting the recent Autumn Edition as part of the Singapore Fashion Council delegation, Ms Monika Januavita Kopeng, Lead Fashion Designer at Love, Bonito Singapore, said: “Intertextile Apparel is a really great place to meet many exhibitors from different countries, with suppliers bringing their own expertise and fabric specialties, and to expose ourselves as a brand to opportunities from different mills. We came here with a sourcing agenda, and we’ve discovered new advanced technology and fabrics that we’ve never seen before. It has been a really great opportunity for us and we would like to join the fair next year for Spring / Summer.”

The fair is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre. It will take place alongside Yarn Expo Spring, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition, CHIC and PH Value at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition will be held from 11 – 13 March 2025.

www.intertextileapparel.com