It’s that time of the year again when Shanghai becomes a point of intersection between East and West for the global apparel fabrics and accessories industry. When the industry’s leading players display their autumn / winter collections and latest innovations. When the apparel world’s order-writers all come together. And when a holistic snapshot of the industry can be taken to determine what will lie in store for 2018.

“Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is first and foremost a business-focused sales platform,” Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd explains. “Nowhere else can over 4,500 quality suppliers from across the entire apparel sector be in immediate reach of buyers. And at no other event can these suppliers gain exposure to so many trade buyers from the international market. It is this unrivalled combination that creates the right conditions for business to flourish.”

Autumn Edition 2017 at a glance

4,538 exhibitors from 32 countries & regions

70,000+ trade buyers from 100+ countries & regions (expected)

Country & region pavilions

France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Milano Unica (Italy), Pakistan, Taiwan and Thailand

Chinese exhibitors

grouped by product end-use in eight halls

Group Pavilions

Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Button & Garment Accessories Industry Chamber, DuPont, ECOCERT, Hyosung, INVISTA, Lenzing, OEKO-TEX and more

Product zones

Accessories Vision, All About Sustainability, Beyond Denim, Functional Lab, Premium Wool Zone and Verve for Design

Fringe programme

eight international and domestic trend forums, seven panel discussions, 30+ seminars, Digital Printing Forum and more

Concurrent fairs

Yarn Expo Autumn, fashion garment fair CHIC and knitting fair PH Value

Where the worlds of fashion and innovation converge

While an unmatched event in terms of sourcing from the entire apparel fabrics and accessories product spectrum, Intertextile Shanghai is also highly valued by buyers for its quality of products as well. Those looking for up-to-the-minute fashions are well served with the likes of the France and Japan Pavilions, while the SalonEurope area presents the best of Europe. Cutting-edge original pattern designs can be found in Verve for Design, stylish accessories are on offer in Accessories Vision, while many new Chinese fashion brands are beginning to emerge at the fair.

The fair is also a focal point for fabric innovations. While the Functional Lab is the centrepiece of the fair’s innovative offerings, there is plenty more to be discovered, especially from around the Asian region. Korea and Taiwan, in particular, are breeding grounds for textile innovation, and their pavilions will draw crowds of buyers from the first to the last minute of the fair. The Group Pavilions are a showcase of the industry’s best innovators, combined with the wide range of solutions offered by their partner mills within the pavilions. There are also many innovative products and solutions for environmental protection on offer at the fair this year, naturally in the All About Sustainability zone, but also in Accessories Vision and Beyond Denim, as well as throughout the domestic exhibitor halls.

Business matching programme draws biggest fashion brands to the fair

As a global sourcing hub, the fair attracts buyers big and small, domestic and international. It is also a major source of inspiration for leading fashion brands which will participate in the fair’s business matching programme. This includes labels such as American Eagle Outfitters, Bestseller, C&A, Calvin Klein, E.Land, Eral, GVSSJEE, Joeone, L.L.Bean, Lily, Ports, PurCotton, Quiksilver, s.Oliver, Skechers, Trands and many more.