For buyers that prioritize having the widest range of sourcing options in one place, their best bet is March’s Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics. Boasting pavilions from Japan, Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan, individual exhibitors from Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, not to mention 2,800-plus Chinese exhibitors, the fair is the largest gathering of Asian suppliers under one roof for the spring/summer sourcing season. To ensure convenience for buyers, international exhibitors are grouped by country or region, while Chinese exhibitors are located in product halls including fabrics for casual wear, functional wear/sportswear, women’s wear, lingerie & swimwear, shirting and suiting, as well as for accessories and denim.
In total, around 3,300 exhibitors will showcase apparel fabrics and accessories at the fair, with the SalonEurope zone hosting premium suppliers from Europe, including pavilions and zones from France, Germany, Italy and Turkey, while the International Hall also houses other overseas exhibitors from the likes of Argentina, Australia, Peru, the U.S. and elsewhere.
Organized by the Japan Fashion Week Organization (JFW), the Japan Pavilion will house 22 exhibitors, and will also feature a Japan Trend Corner. After the immense popularity of this pavilion with buyers in previous editions, the organizers are in a good position to comment on the trends in the local market. “The now mature Chinese market tends to seek out very different types of products and purchase in smaller batches, which is a world away from the mass-production focus of the past,” JFW commented.
Included in this edition’s Japan Pavilion are three companies from the Nishiwaki region, which is famous for its ‘Banshu-Ori’ yarn-dyed fabrics. This tradition dates back to 1792, and will be showcased by Bon Co., Ltd., Ueyama Orimono Corp. and Kuwamura Co., Ltd. at the fair. Bon will exhibit a range of new products using this traditional technique, including organic cotton fabrics, paper yarn fabrics and indigo items. Ueyama Orimono, which boasts Japan’s largest dyeing factory in Nishiwaki, designs its own fabrics in Tokyo, and will present cotton, cotton/linen and medium- and lightweight yarn-dyed fabrics. Kuwamura will display fabrics based on 100% yarn-dyed cotton, as well as cotton and cotton blends.
The Taiwan Pavilion, with over 40 participating companies, is a guaranteed source of innovation at the fair, with a number of exhibitors also offering eco-friendly options.
The Korea and Pakistan Pavilions round out the Asian offerings. Nearly 60 Korean exhibitors will showcase predominantly fancy man-made knits, acetate wovens, tricots, jacquards, faux leather and printed fabrics, as well as lace and embroidery, for women’s wear, while other members will feature fabrics for sportswear and outdoor wear.
In the Beyond Denim hall, Pakistani exhibitors will feature a wide range of denim products.