From its debut of 123 exhibitors in 1995, to more than 4,400 at this year’s Autumn Edition: Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics has grown exponentially in the last quarter of a century. The fair’s 25th anniversary celebrations represented a trading platform that has become highly regarded as the best place to find business in China, as well as an ideal platform to meet global partners. With 89,662 visitors from over 120 countries & regions and a wide range of markets (a 15% increase from 2018, which featured 78,131 from 103 countries and regions) there is always potential to be found at Intertextile.
　　 　　
　　“China remains a huge part of many exhibitors’ global market strategy, of course in part because of the large domestic purchasing power, but also because much of global fashion has business in China’s advanced manufacturing industry,” commented Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “The key to business in China is interaction, face-to-face, especially with textiles that should be seen and felt up close. 25 years of experience have made this a trusted platform, for both exhibitors and trade buyers in China, to trade textiles. This is how Intertextile welcomes loyal exhibitors back each year, while also including plenty of new options at each edition.”
　　
　　4,422 exhibitors from 33 countries & regions (2018: 4,480 exhibitors from 33 countries & regions) exhibited at the show, including some who have participated for 10 to 20 years in a row and were recognised at a gala dinner on 25 September. High quality trade buyers praised the comprehensive nature of Intertextile’s product range, as the fair was recognised as a one-stop shop for apparel products across the board. Product zones, such as Functional Lab and Beyond Denim, also offered an easier way to quickly match exhibitors with their target buyers.
　　
　　“Thanks to the fair’s positive reputation within the industry, exhibitors use Intertextile as a platform to reveal their latest collections, meaning that visitors can be the first to see and feel innovation,” continued Ms Wen. “This in turn attracts more visitors from all over the world — at this edition, we welcomed trade buyers from even more countries & regions. So no matter what problems one market or economy may endure at the time, Intertextile’s diverse network of suppliers and buyers ensures that business can always be found at the fair.”
　　
　　This year, fringe programme highlights included: Asia’s first ever FASHIONSUSTAIN conference; a round-table meeting focused on international trade and sustainability; the Intertextile Consumer & Lifestyle Trend, themed FutureCast 2021: New Consumer Rules; the Smart Factory Forum, a panel discussion focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications and trends; and an industry crossover with Messe Frankfurt’s new fair Licensing China which included a licensing seminar and display area.
　　
　　Exhibitor observations
　　
　　“We’ve been exhibiting here for 15 years now. We’ve had many buyers come to our booth this edition. The pleasing aspect about this fair is some of them will become our partners afterwards, based on our previous experience here. This is the best platform to access the Chinese market, but it’s also a very international fair. Many companies exhibit here, so it brings the global industry together.”
　　
　　Mr Kiichiro Kobayashi, Manager, Fibres & Textiles Marketing Dept, Asahi Kasei Corporation, Japan

       Functional Lab
　　
　　“This exhibition has been in business for 25 years and has attracted many domestic and overseas brands and buyers. We have participated in this fair for many years, and the result has been remarkable each year. Through this platform, we can integrate with market trends and brands, promote the company image, and ultimately boost international and domestic sales.”
　　
　　Mr Hon Chen, Manager of Spun Yarn & Fabric & Apparel SBU, Far Eastern New Century Corporation, Taiwan
　　
　　Korea Pavilion
　　
　　“The Korean exhibitors at Intertextile have already achieved remarkable business results just from the first two days of the fair, thanks to their high quality products. This fair is considered as a final sourcing platform where actual orders for the next season are placed. Intertextile has provided an opportunity to us to introduce Korean textiles to an international market effectively.”
　　
　　Mr Young Sang Yoon, Vice President of Korea Fashion Textile Association, Korea
　　
　　All About Sustainability
　　
　　“It’s important for Testex to exhibit in Intertextile Shanghai as this is the leading fair in China and maybe in the world. We are an official representative for OEKO-TEX and have had a pavilion for five years. Our members are very happy with the exhibition results so far. They have even seen an increase in enquiries. We had very good opportunities to talk with trading companies and brands from all over Europe and the US.”
　　
　　Mr Marc Sidler, Group CMO, Testex AG, Swiss Textile Testing Institute, Switzerland
　　
　　SalonEurope
　　
　　“Intertextile is here specifically to target the very important Chinese market. China is the dominant force now in apparel manufacturing, for both the high-end and mid-range markets. The halls are very busy, there are lots of people here. The exhibitors are happy and the brands seem to be pleased. We’ve had a really good show so far.”
　　
　　Mr Paul Alger, International Business Director, UK Fashion & Textile Association, United Kingdom
　　
　　Premium Wool Zone
　　
　　“China is definitely a very important market for Dormeuil, and we want it to become one of our top markets in the next few years. Therefore, this fair is one of our most important to attend. We’ve been exhibiting here for the last 10 years, we just received an award from Intertextile, so this fair is very important for our company.”
　　
　　Ms Aline Galimberti, Product Manager, Dormeuil, France
　　
　　Verve for Design
　　
　　“Business has been really good so far, we had a great first day in particular. I’m really happy with our sales throughout the fair. We had mostly buyers from China, mostly manufacturers, and Australia — we’re here for the Chinese market, so it was a nice surprise to see some existing Australian customers too. This is our fourth time at Intertextile.”
　　
　　Mr Joe Moreline, Sales, Camilla Frances, UK
　　
　　Buyer impressions
　　
　　“I attend Intertextile almost every year. There are a lot of exhibitors this year, which meet my purchasing needs. I have found some high-quality suppliers, including some manufacturers that provide environmentally friendly fabrics. This is one of the most professional exhibitions in this industry. Exhibitors and product resources are more abundant, which brings high purchasing efficiency.”
　　
　　Mr Yang Chen, General Manager, Hengsheng Garment, China
　　
　　“Being here gives us a wider idea of the products available in the market, the latest technologies, as well as sustainable options. The buyers in our group were very impressed with the fair’s size and range. The round-table was also a very important facet of the fair, as it allowed different associations, especially in Asia, to discuss how everyone is adapting to the market. This fair is the best a garment manufacturer can attend.”
　　
　　Ms Rosette Carrillo, Associate Director, Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines, Philippines
　　
　　“We are here to find fabrics for men, women, kids and home business. There’s a lot here to offer, so we are here to find as much as we can. This is not our first time being here — we keep returning because the offering here is huge, the pricing matches our needs and the customer service is pretty good.”
　　
　　Mr Alan Aschenbrenner, Head of Far East, Debenhams, United Kingdom
　　
　　The fair was held concurrently with Yarn Expo Autumn, CHIC and PH Value from 25 — 27 September, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The Spring Edition will take place from 11 — 13 March 2020 and the next Autumn Edition will take place in September 2020.
　　
　　Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics — Autumn Edition 2019 was co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre. 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