With each passing year, sustainable textile practices are becoming increasingly innovative. In fact, yarns can now even be fabricated from industrial waste gas or antibacterial fibres derived from corn starch. Visitors of next year’s Yarn Expo Spring will find a comprehensive selection of related products when the fair returns to the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai from 8-10 March 2023.

Signs show the global market on the road to recovery, and industry players are eager for business-as-usual, indicated by the early signup of a number of key functional yarn and fibre exhibitors.

Speaking at the previous edition in 2021, Mr Kyle Guo, Senior Executive at Texperts India, commented on the prospects of the market: “Although our business was affected by the pandemic in the first half of last year, there was significant recovery in the second half which reflected the improving market circumstances. In my forecast, the market demand for yarn will be huge after universal vaccination, while orders from international buyers will also improve.” These words are expected to ring true, as the global yarn, fibre and thread manufacturing market is set to grow to USD 144.3 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 6.4%.*

Functional suppliers exhibit strands of sustainability

The fair will play host to exhibitors with products in multiple major yarn categories, including cashmere, cotton, fancy, linen/ramie, and wool. In addition, buyers will be able to source a host of chemical yarns and fibres, many of which are used to produce eco-friendly functional textiles.

Several key players in this field have already confirmed their participation at next year’s spring fair: 

Everest Textile, Taiwan – with all of its products and processes bluesign approved, this vertically integrated company manufactures at eco-industrial parks, and supplies brands such as Decathlon, GAP, Lululemon, Nike, POLO, Patagonia, and The North Face. At the fair, Everest will be exhibiting PA56, its polyamide-substitute yarn sourced from renewable materials; Low Carbon Polyester Yarn, produced from industrial waste gas; Air Covering Yarn; Nylon 66 Mechanical Stretch; and its Thick & Thin Yarn Series.

Nanjing Bioserica Era Antibacterial Material Technology, China – this company has a series of antibacterial products, but its flagship fibre is Bioserica, a bio-based mixture of PHBV and PLA primarily derived from corn starch. Once fused for spinning, the resulting antibacterial, antiviral fibre is softer, more eco-friendly, and more heat-resistant than pure PLA fibre.

Nantong Double Great Textile, China – Double Great specialises in the production of fine and functional yarns, spun from raw materials such as cotton, polyester, viscose, acrylic, nylon, Tencel, and more. Their products comply with the Global Recycled Standard and ISO 14000 and have been utilised by international brands such as H&M, Louis Vuitton, and Uniqlo.

Exhibitors at the fair can expect a healthy number of buyers, and the organisers will ensure they foster a business-friendly environment wherever plausible. “Yarn Expo Spring is a leading trade fair in the industry, as well as the ideal platform to exchange advanced market information to promote business co-operation and meet new customers,” said Mr Simon Huang, Vice President of Commercial at Sateri, speaking at the previous edition. “We participate every year as the fair is closely related to our operation of cellulose fibre. The visitor flow is overwhelming, and I am really busy this year.”  

Concurrent fairs and fringe programme

Once again, a series of fringe events, such as the Textile Materials Innovation Forum, will supplement the supply and demand on show at the fairground. Yarn Expo Spring will be held alongside Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition, CHIC and PH Value. The synergy created by the five concurrent fairs elevates the value the platform offers as the entire supply chain gathers for three days of networking, business matching and information sharing.

Yarn Expo Spring is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT. 

*Yarn, Fiber And Thread Manufacturing Global Market Report 2022, September 2022, ReportLinker, https://bit.ly/3UZm2Df, (Retrieved: November 2022).

www.yarn-expo-spring.com