Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition 2025 will feature over 3,000 exhibitors across 190,000 sqm at Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Center. As the textile industry advances towards sustainability, the use of recycled materials and bio-based fibres in functional textiles will be prominent at the upcoming event. Econogy Hub and Functional Lab will be key highlights, showcasing eco-friendly and high-performance textiles.

Following its successful debut at last year’s Autumn Edition, Econogy Hub will feature alongside Econogy Finder, enabling exhibitors who pass the independent Econogy Check to communicate their green credentials. Functional Lab’s dedicated display area, The CUBE, will debut at the Spring Edition, presenting a curated selection of on-trend functional fabrics.

As consumer demand for sustainable activewear rises, functional apparel brands are incorporating recycled plastics, organic cotton, and other eco-friendly materials, many sourced at events like Intertextile Apparel.

Returning exhibitors at Functional Lab include:

3M China Limited: Showcasing Thinsulate Insulation, a lightweight microfibre with varying levels of recycled content and properties such as stretchiness, water resistance, and flame resistance.

Henglun Textile (Vietnam) Co Ltd: Specialising in knitted denim and print knitted fabrics with sustainability certifications from BCI, GRS, and OEKO-TEX.

Jackie Liu, APAC Business Leader of 3M China Limited, stated: “Sustainable development, environmental protection, and digitalisation are top priorities for our product planning. We integrate sustainable technology into every new product, ensuring recyclability and reducing environmental harm.”

Additional exhibitors blending sustainability with functionality include:

Eastman Chemical Company: Presenting Naia Renew fibre, made from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% certified recycled waste material.

Esquel Enterprises Ltd: Aiming for net zero emissions by 2050, Esquel repurposes leftover yarn and fabrics into accessories and packaging.

Grasim Industries Limited: A leading producer of cellulosic fibres, diversified chemicals, and fashion yarns and fabrics.

Certification and traceability remain crucial for the industry’s sustainability efforts. Econogy Hub will host certifiers such as Ecocert, Hohenstein, and Testex AG. Marc Sidler, Group CMO at Testex AG, highlighted growing interest in the Made in Green certification, ensuring transparency in the supply chain.

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

www.intertextileapparel.com