Following significant uptake in sustainability seminars from exhibitors, and with digital solutions events growing alongside Intertextile Apparel’s new Digital Solutions Zone, the fast-approaching fair is set to stage one of its largest fringe programmes ever – including nearly 40 seminars and product presentations, four panel discussions, and eight domestic forums covering trends, fashion, innovation, and more.

With five presentation venues featuring diverse industry topics, visitors will be well-equipped to navigate three days of Autumn / Winter 2025-26 sourcing. The fair’s 30th anniversary edition will take place from 27-29 August 2024 across nine halls of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), and feature nearly 4000 exhibitors from 26 countries and regions.

Noting the organisers’ responsibility to facilitate business connections, Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, commented: “As Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is the largest sourcing event on the calendar, the fringe programme is an important tool for buyers to make informed decisions. By increasing exposure for much-needed innovations, forecasting trends, providing market insights, and more, our seminars help visitors navigate the evolving textile landscape and find applicable exhibitors at the fairground.”

 “With the industry constantly changing, it is important for the fair to also adapt. As such, we are very excited to bring Messe Frankfurt’s global Texpertise Econogy concept to Shanghai, and grow Intertextile Apparel’s long-standing commitment to sustainability. We have also boosted the digital solutions content at this edition, including several topics focused on AI – which, as we are starting to discover, may hold the answers to many of the industry’s ongoing challenges,” Ms Shea continued.

For the first time, demand for fringe programme speaking slots has necessitated the creation of five venues: Apparel Threads (Hall 5.1), Econogy Talks (Hall 5.1), Industry Insight (Hall 4.1), Talking Point (Hall 7.1), and Textile Dialogue (Hall 5.1). The fair’s fringe events are incorporated under four key themes:

Econogy Talks

Held at the fringe venue bearing the same name, Econogy Talks will feature 13 seminars and two sustainability panels, namely HKRITA’s Threads of Innovation: Pathway to Next-Gen Materials; and Adapting to the Coming Green Revolution, featuring European and Asian industry players discussing how businesses can acclimatise to the EU’s Green Deal. Topics of other key events under this banner include European and American market regulatory trends; testing requirements and compliance for international trade; promoting sustainable development in the fashion industry by implementing ESG strategies; and supply chain traceability in the global textile industry.

The fair’s other Texpertise Econogy components include Econogy Hub (Hall 5.1), the new zone for sustainable products and services; Econogy Tours, two guided walkthroughs of exhibitors who have passed the Econogy Check; and Econogy Finder, the online tool to discover the fair’s eco-focused suppliers.

Technology & Solutions

Taking place at venues Industry Insight and Talking Point, this theme explores topics important for industry players to advance in the IoT age. Front and centre will be the fair’s Textile Industry Digital Application Forum, featuring a presentation covering how innovation and technology are driving industry transformation, and several focusing on various aspects of AI, from intelligent design to its role along the length and breadth of the industry.

In addition, Technology & Solutions will feature seminars from industry heavyweights such as Avery Dennison, Coloro, Nilit, Sateri, Shima Seiki, Symmpix, and Unifi. Topics include how technology can improve transparency across supply chains; digital tools for colour research and analysis; and how digital product creation can reduce sampling time and cost. These events dovetail with the fair’s new Digital Solutions Zone in Hall 5.1, which will give fairgoers exposure to opportunities presented by the global digital revolution.

Design & Trends

Featuring the Human Intelligence theme and its four key trends – UTILITY, CALM, PLURALISM, and PROJECTION – the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum will showcase various on vogue fabrics. Several Trend Forum Tours and the Intertextile Trends Autumn / Winter 2025-26 seminar by I.S. Planning will allow fairgoers to further delve into the theme.

Taking place in Textile Dialogue, seminars by Hyosung, Pantone, PeclersParis, WGSN, and more will shed extra light on the colour, fabric, and consumer trends set to define the coming season. Meanwhile, various Fabrics China Trend Forum sessions will take place across all three days of the fair.

Market Information & Business Strategies

One of the headline events is the Textile Investment Opportunities in the ASEAN Region panel discussion, supported by the ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries (AFTEX), featuring a seating of executives from nearly a dozen Asian textile associations. The discussions will be centred around textile industry investment opportunities in the wider region, with participating speakers gathering from Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Another key seminar includes Mr Paul Alger MBE, Director of International Business at UKFT, discussing international markets, and the effects that changes to governmental industrial policies have had for UK textiles. Finally, the Trends on IP, Retail with Licensing event is set to help fashion brands learn more about IP collaboration opportunities in the current climate.

View the full fringe programme here.

Apparel flagship to feature global exhibitors from across textile spectrum

Of the 26 exhibiting countries and regions, nine have assembled pavilions, namely Hong Kong, India, Italy (Milano Unica), Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, eight companies have formed group pavilions, including ECOCERT, Hyosung, Korea Textile Center, Lenzing, LYCRA, OEKO-TEX, PRUTEX, and Sorona.

Visitors to the fair, including high-profile brands, designers, manufacturers and wholesalers, will have much to cover, with the fair’s nine halls encompassing 240,000 sqm. Key product categories range from functional fabrics and sportswear, to accessories, suiting and shirting, and more, utilising a full spectrum of organic and synthetic raw materials.

Drawn to the fair’s diverse offerings, international buyer delegations include:

India: Denim Manufacturers Association (DMA)

Malaysia: Malaysian Garment Marketers Association (MGMA)

Malaysia: Malaysian Knitting Manufacturers Association (MKMA)

Malaysia: Malaysian Textile Manufacturers Association (MTMA)

Myanmar: Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA)

Singapore: Singapore Fashion Council (SFC)

Thailand: Thailand Textile Institute (THTI)

Vietnam: The Association of Garments, Textiles, Embroidery and Knitting (AGTEK)

Vietnam: Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association (VITAS)

To make sourcing more convenient, buyers can find and connect with exhibitors across the fairground through a series of digital tools, including Connect PLUS. The platform allows users to filter search for matching exhibitors; includes AI recommendations; arranging of online or in-person meetings through its messenger function; and links scheduling notifications to WeChat, Facebook, or SMS. Buyers who pre-register for the show will automatically get a Connect PLUS account.

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 Autumn, CHIC and PH Value at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), with the venue playing host to the entire apparel textile value chain.

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition will be held from 27-29 August 2024.

www.intertextileapparel.com