The 33rd Texworld exhibition and the 5th Apparelsourcing Paris close their doors, having celebrated a resounding success. The two exhibitions counted 840 and 198 exhibitors respectively.
The new hall 4 and reorganisation of the sectors were much appreciated by visitors, in particular by buyers like Patrick Nectoux, Purchase Consultant at Li Fung: "I thought the reorganisation of products between hall 2 and the new hall 4 was good. Products were cleverly grouped by family, which was a great improvement in finding what you were looking for."
This meeting with the world of fashion at Texworld was characterised by the energising, vibrant backdrop and the trends for the Winter 2014/15, christened "Alive": a rich source of inspiration for weavers, buyers and designers! White and bright blue balloons, suggesting flight and providing a breath of creativity, welcomed visitors right at the entrance.
They were like a breath of fresh air at the Trends Forum, where they surrounded the range of fabrics for next winter in their hundreds. Patrick Nectoux emphasises "Texworld is becoming more and more interesting, a current of creativity is coursing here, both with regard to the trends and exhibitors' products. I was particularly surprised this time by the imagination shown by the wool producers."
Demands from buyers, negotiations and a gratifying level of business A steady number of visitors compared to last September's show, almost 14,420 visitors from 104 countries attended during the four days.
The level of business for most companies, especially in the sectors of prints and cotton blends, was very satisfactory.
"We received some substantial orders from our regular customers and we've been able to establish some interesting new contacts" stated Nihal Bayraktar, Marketing Director at Kumash, a Turkish cotton manufacturer, who has been coming to Texworld for eight years.
Success too at ApparelSourcing Paris: Hana Huang, Director at Sichuan Golden Flute Fashion, who was attending the show for the first time, expressed her satisfaction: "The organisers at Texworld USA, where we exhibited last July, recommended ApparelSourcing Paris to us. The choice we made was good. We were able to take some firm orders and make a multitude of contacts during these four days."
The judicious positioning of Texworld and ApparelSourcing Paris as a meeting place where every quality is found at unbeatable prices has helped to achieve this positive outcome.
Sustainable development a core issue of concern for the textile industry
Sustainable development was a core issue in the debate on Sustainability Day and the press conference, where Erica Van Doorn from the Fair Wear Foundation and two weavers from Bangladesh participated. They drew the audience's attention to the shared responsibility of developing countries and contractors from affluent countries.
Several lectures, held by GOTS, WRAP, the Fair Wear Foundation and Textile Exchange attracted hundreds of visitors, eager to learn more about the subject, like Sergio Ginestar Ginemo, a freelance designer who works for several companies, in particular Inditex, whom we met at the WellMade meeting held by the Fair Wear Foundation. He explains "As a freelancer, I need to stay informed about issues of concern to consumers and labels."
"Buyers play a crucial role and need to involve themselves more in order to improve labour conditions in textile factories," says Erica Van Doorn during the press reception.
This season, Texworld counted some 76 weavers and ApparelSourcing 16 manufacturers who supply ethical and eco-friendly ranges.
