Intertextile Apparel running as planned has been another significant step for the industry which has received enthusiastic support from both domestic and overseas participants. Feedback from this edition and the absence of trade fairs earlier in the year has stressed the value and irreplaceability of in-person business interactions, with fairgoers keen to meet with potential buyers and suppliers face-to-face. Particularly in the textile market, where products should be seen and felt up close, visitors appreciated the chance to comprehensively source for their needs in-person. Meanwhile, exhibitors experienced a strong demand for their products from quality buyers, making up for lost business earlier in the year.
Following the conclusion of the fair, Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd acknowledged: “It’s apparent that the industry has greatly appreciated the return of Intertextile Apparel following the Shenzhen edition in July, as it's still recognised as an ideal platform to reconnect with business partners and to allow participants to see and feel products in-person. And with the launch of new digital solutions including the Hybrid Showcase and Connect PLUS, our online exhibitors and buyers valued the chance to be able to connect with those who were not present at the fairground.”
Ms Wen continued: “We are proud that as a trusted, reputable platform, the fair has always served as a tool for suppliers to introduce their latest collections. And this was amplified this edition as exhibitors used the fair to showcase their products in direct response to the pandemic, such as antibacterial and other functional fabrics. The business nature of the industry has also adjusted to the pandemic, with exhibitors noticing an increase in e-commerce buyers, who often request high-quality products with fast delivery services, reflecting the popularity and demand for e-commerce business.”
“Looking ahead, with the successful conclusion of the show last week, we are excited to further support the industry’s revival with the Spring Edition in March 2021, which will again combine digital solutions with the physical trade fair to create a comprehensive trade platform, accessible to all,” Ms Wen concluded.
Debut Hybrid Showcase increased sourcing efficiency
The debut Hybrid Showcase was well-received by buyers and exhibitors alike. Virtual exhibitors benefitted from fairgoers being able to touch and feel their products displayed onsite, whilst buyers enjoyed the advantages of a wide-ranging and efficient sourcing experience. Combined with the brand-new online business matching tool – Connect PLUS, which features video calling and instant messaging functions – Intertextile’s digital solutions successfully allowed businesses to stay connected, despite the global travel restrictions. Over 500 virtual and onsite meetings were arranged during the fair through Connect PLUS and the VIP business matching programme, which connected VIP buyers with suppliers via pre-scheduled Zoom meetings.
Market insights were shared at the fringe programme
The fringe programme invited industry leaders to share best practices and market insights with the audience through a range of seminars and forums. The Wool Industry and e-Commerce Forum: Upgrading Supply Mode for e-Commerce welcomed speakers from key players in the field such as The Woolmark Company and Tmall. Meanwhile, the new ‘Fabric to Fashion’ Buyer Forum explored how businesses can develop their supply chains of the future to improve productivity, increase product quality and reduce costs. What’s more, market changes triggered by the pandemic were also discussed during the Analysis of Current Textile Industry Environment and Emerging Covid-19 Success Story Sharing Forum, to help steer the industry forward and realise the potential of post-pandemic opportunities.
Exhibitors’ feedback
“For this edition, our main goal is to promote our brand influence in China as well as to launch our newly developed products to our existing customers. The momentum of visitors has been really strong and we are happy with the number of buyers at our booth. We are also interested in Intertextile’s digital platforms as this is our brand’s future direction – to discover more digital solutions.”
Mr Hunter Liu, Senior BD Manager, Dormeuil, France
“The fair opening as scheduled means a lot for the industry as it’s a crucial platform for textile businesses. Despite the pandemic, many renowned denim suppliers for example are gathered at the fair. Face-to-face interaction is the bread and butter for any business and to be able to be here at the fair, reconnecting with the industry is extremely valuable and important to us.”
Dr Bei Hu, Vice President, Business Management, Greater China, BASF, Germany
“Through this fair, we are able to learn about the market demands from the past year during the pandemic. Over 100 visitors have come to our booth and this has met our expectations. With less international visitors we have appreciated that the domestic customers who visited our booth are of very high quality, which is helpful to us. We will further deepen our collaborations with domestic brands, including some up-and-coming designer brands in China.”
Mr Tony Ji, Assistant President, KEE (Zhejiang) Garment Accessories Limited, China
“Intertextile has always been an excellent gateway to reach our target clients. As for international customers, though many cannot travel, we are presenting our products virtually and hope to engage in successful conversations in the future. This year, we used Connect PLUS and the other digital services which have given us some extra leads and enquires. We will continue to explore this tool and use it to connect with international businesses.”
Mr Steven Stewart, Vice President – Apparel Asia, The LYCRA Company, USA
“Intertextile is one the largest and most international textile platforms globally. The visitor flow on day one has exceeded our expectations, considering the current pandemic. This has indicated that the domestic textile and apparel industry is slowly returning back to normal, and that fairgoers really value the opportunity to participate in this large scale industry event. Face-to-face interaction with clients is one of the most important and effective ways to generate sales so we are thrilled that Intertextile was able to open successfully as planned.”
Ms Helen Wang, Marketing Manager – China, Shanghai Branch, DuPont China Holdings Co Ltd, China
“We have been participating in Intertextile Apparel for over 15 years now, as almost everyone involved in the textile industry visits this show or participates as exhibitors. The fair is the most ideal among many others in the industry, in terms of the quality and quantity of visitors, as well as results. Yesterday we had 250 to 300 people visit our booth.”
Mr Eric Ni, Senior Manager, China Supply Chain Marketing, Cotton Council International, USA
“We are a Swiss company and opened a branch in Shanghai last year. Many industry peers are interested in getting to know more about our business, but because of the pandemic, we haven’t had the opportunity to meet them, so the chance to join this fair means a lot to us. This show enables industry peers to network and provides an encouraging message to the industry.”
Ms Celine Huang, Chief Executive Officer, HeiQ Materials AG, Switzerland
“This is the first time this year that we have been able to meet with our customers face-to-face. This really gives us a lot of confidence and we have also had lots of positive feedback. We think the e-commerce market will do great in China, and we’ve seen these changes at the fair.”
Mr Jerry Du, Technical Marketing Specialist, Hyosung International Trade (Jiaxing) Co Ltd, China
“Due to the pandemic, visitors are more concerned about personal protection and hygiene, that’s why our anti-bacterial products are very popular among customers. And compared to previous editions, we’ve had even more customers at our booth. As one of the few physical fairs that has opened for the industry this year, Intertextile will help boost confidence among industry players.”
Mr Ethan Yuan, Technical Sales (Textiles), Microban International Ltd, USA
Visitors’ comments
“At the moment, we urgently need to source one kind of functional fabric so I sorted through the exhibitors I wanted to meet on the fair website in advance. I’m very thrilled to have found the breathable fabrics I needed today at the Toray booth in the Hybrid Showcase area. The new online + offline exhibition format conforms to the current trend of digital development and reduces communication barriers between companies and customers.”
Ms Elaine Miao, Asia Pacific Purchasing Manager, Sportboleh Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia
“I have been working in the apparel industry for nearly 30 years, and have been visiting Intertextile Apparel, both the Spring Edition and the Autumn Edition, on a yearly basis. This platform enables me to meet and communicate with our suppliers. This edition, I came to look for new things, such as sustainable products and unique designs. I think this fair is a great platform as everyone here is professional and our clients always attend this fair too.”
Mr Sun Xu, Sourcing Manager, Richland Liaoning International Co Ltd, China
“Every year I attend this fair because our suppliers are here. I can meet several suppliers and review their samples at the same time which is very convenient. This year I’m also looking for new potential suppliers for women's apparel and I’ve met about 10 suitable suppliers which I'm satisfied with. I think it is very helpful to be able to touch and feel the fabrics physically at this fair, compared to online, where you can only watch videos."
Mr B.S Kim, Managing Director, HTI America Corp, USA
“This is our 10th year participating in the fair. We come here every year to see new products in the market and because the product category is comprehensive. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have been unable to visit our suppliers, so it is useful to be able to meet all of them at the same time here, under one roof.”
Ms Wu Ze Feng, Fujian Hancai Garments Co Ltd, China
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2020 was held concurrently with Yarn Expo Autumn, CHIC and PH Value from 23 – 25 September at the National Exhibition and Convention Center. The fair is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre.
The next edition of the fair, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition, will again take place alongside Yarn Expo Spring, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition, CHIC and PH Value, from 10 – 12 March 2021, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center.
For more details on this fair, please visit: www.intertextileapparel.com. Information from the international textiles sector and Messe Frankfurt’s textile fairs worldwide can be found at: www.texpertise-network.com.
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Notes to editors:
Download pictures from the fair
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Information from the international textiles sector and Messe Frankfurt’s textiles fairs worldwide can be found at: www.texpertise-network.com.
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With about 2,600 employees at 29 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €736 million. Thanks to its far-reaching ties with the relevant sectors and to its international sales network, the Group looks after the business interests of its customers effectively. A comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
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