Intertextile Shanghai will be a mega trade fair as of 2015

By

Matthieu Guinebault

Published
Oct 20, 2014

The major Chinese textile trade fair celebrates its 20th anniversary this October 20th to 23rd. A celebration taking place at the threshold of a new transformation, with Shanghai in the meantime having become the preferred city for trade fairs in the Asian sector.

Co-organised by German Messe Frankfurt and the Textile Industry Chamber of Commerce (CCPIT Tex), the event is proudly showing off its twenty years of existence. Launched with 131 exhibitors and 7,000 visitors, the event now brings together more than 3,800 companies and attracts 70,000 buyers of a hundred different nationalities.

As of 2015, Intertextile and its neighbour dedicated to thread and fibres, Yarn Expo, will be even bigger. The two fairs will thus be leaving the Shanghai New International Expo Center to take up quarters in the China Expo Complex of Shanghai. One of the largest exhibition spaces in the country, built in the form of a four-leaf clover.

But Intertextile is not leaving anything up to chance. China's major clothing fair, Chic, is indeed scheduled to take place at the same place and time as of 2015. The event, renamed China International Fashion Fair, is thus leaving Beijing and intends to bring together 2,000 brands including 500 from abroad.

In addition, to focus its efforts, Messe Frankfurt is ending Interstoff Asia Essential in its current form. The Hong Kong-based event will be added onto Intertextile, "the gem of the Messe Frankfurt portfolio," said Vice President of the Messe Frankfurt textile trade fairs, Olaf Schmidt.

A "major event" in textiles/clothing will thus be born in Shanghai, according to the Executive. Other events will be held in its wake, such as Première Vision and Shanghai Mode Lingerie. Well aware that they have created a hub by repatriating their spring edition from Beijing to Shanghai, Intertextile's organisers are now planning on capitalising on both the wealth and the quality of the offer. 

"There will be a synergy between the trade fairs, both in the fashion aspect and in the attendance level," exclaimed Olaf Schmidt. "This is going to have an impact on Intertextile. (...) What matters is that our customers are satisfied. And, if they are, everyone wins."