Cashmere World, a boutique trade show dedicated exclusively to cashmere and fine fibres, has concluded on a high note last week as exhibitors and buyers praised the 2015 edition as one of the most fruitful yet, organisers report.

The fair attracted a large number of qualified, experienced buyers who appreciate the focused, concise character of the trade show.

Taking place for the fourth time at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Cashmere World is run alongside Fashion Access – Spring Summer season. According to organisers, exhibitors were impressed by the value of the visitors who attended their booth. “I ran out of name cards in no time. The overall quality of buyers is quite high and well-focused,” commented Leo Li, Sales Manager of Yaqi Cashmere, Inner Mongolia.

Alpaca fibre

One of the trade show’s highlights was the presence for the first time in Cashmere World’s history of the International Alpaca Association (IAA), a private non-profit organisation that represents the commercial alpaca textile sector and promotes the use of alpaca at both national and international level.

Alpaca fibre is comparable with cashmere and mohair in terms of fineness, softness and versatility. The IAA booth, which exhibited two major Peruvian brands, SOL Alpaca of the Mitchel Group and Kuna of Incalpaca, attracted a lot of attention from buyers and visitors, according to Cesar Lutgens, President and Executive Director of IAA.

Yak fibre

Another rising star of the show is yak fibre, according to organisers. The fibre was featured by several brands, including Myak and Erdenet. Yak fibre is known for its warmth, lightness and softness and is increasingly used for garments, homeware as well as for technical apparels.

Nepal’s cashmere industry

While Cashmere World represented most of the countries producing fine fibres, Nepal was particularly featured thanks to the support of the International Trade Centre, a multilateral agency that facilitates the internationalization of SMEs and of the Nepal Pashmina Industries Association (NPIA).

Altogether, eight exhibitors from Nepal, including three starring the newly launched Chyangra Pashmina quality brand mark, demonstrated that despite the violent earthquake that stroke the country last spring, Nepal’s cashmere industry is bearing well.

Fringe programme

This year’s fringe programme included a well-attended and highly informative Forum that took place on the first day of the exhibition. Under the theme In Praise of Lightness, topics ranged from demand and supply to retail strategies and new technologies applied to fine fibres and were debated by experts from across the world.

The Forum kicked off with a buoyant keynote introduction by industry veteran and Fenix Group’s President and CEO, Anthony Keung, whose experience in manufacturing, trading and retailing of knitwear spans more than 40 years.

During the Forum, Olivier Guillemin, Designer and Creative Director of Intercolour, unveiled the 2016-2017 Cashmere Colour Trends, an enchanting and colourful reference of tales and legends exclusively developed for Cashmere World.

www.cashmereworldfair.com