The UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) has announced a dramatic increase in funding for UK exporters to take part in key international trade shows. In the financial year 2013/4 and 2014/5, UKFT has received a commitment from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) to almost double the amount of money available.
Grants for European shows will increase from £1000 to £1500 per show and exhibitors at key US shows will see grants almost double to £2000. For shows in Europe and the US, UK SME companies will have a lifetime allocation of 6 grant supported shows. In addition, for shows in emerging markets, such as China, Hong Kong and Russia, companies will be eligible for a further 6 grants and for these markets the grants will range from £2500 to £3000.
Paul Alger, Director of International Business Development at UKFT says this is great news for exporters: “We have been lobbying Government for many years to maintain the Tradeshow Access Programme but this is the first time we have seen an increase in the money being allocated to the scheme. And what an increase! It is wonderful news that the Government has listened to our case and allocated additional funding to this vital scheme”.
Not only have the grants been increased, the list of shows for which grants will be available has also expanded. Grants will be available to cover most key EU and US shows including Paris Fashion Week, still the most important international showcase for over 300 UK designers, Curve Lingerie New York, and many others. Now, UKFT is offering grants for CPM Moscow in August and beyond as well as The Hub, a new menswear event for the Asian market in Hong Kong, and CHIC in Beijing in March 2014.
Alger says: “There has never been a better time for UK fashion and textiles to look at new shows and markets. In particular, the grants we can now offer companies for shows in Russia, China and Hong Kong are the most generous we have had for almost 20 years.”
