The 25th edition of Colombiatex de las Américas — produced and organized by the Institute for Export and Fashion (Inexmoda), Medellín, Colombia — was held recently at Plaza Mayor in Medellín. The exhibition focuses on fashion systems and apparel production, and included a program of 22 educational seminars and presentations.
Colombia's President, Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, officially installed the exhibition and presented the Order of Merit in the category of Industrial Grand Officer to Inexmoda to honor its contributions in promoting and strengthening Colombia's fashion system, and its success in making Colombiatex and sister show Colombiamoda — held each July to present finished apparel — among the most important textile trade fairs in Latin America. Inexmoda President Carlos Eduardo Botero Hoyos accepted the award on behalf of the institute.
Botero, in turn, challenged those involved in Colombia's apparel and textile industry to look forward to the next 25 years, and recognized the European Union, Colombia's newest free trade partner, as the guest of honor at Colombiatex 2013. He also presented awards to members of Inexmoda's first Board of Directors — including Guillermo Valencia Jaramillo, Carlos Vargas González, Gonzalo Restrepo López, álvaro Lafuarie Restrepo, Alejandro Ceballos Zuluaga and Alberto Uribe Maya — as well as to former Executive Director Roque Ospina Duque, who served from 1987 to 2008.
Colombiatex 2013 generated US$152.5 million in negotiated sales, and featured 475 exhibitors in 9,900 square meters of exhibition space. The show attracted 32,429 visitors, including 1,699 international buyers from 40-plus countries, many of whom attended with support from Proexport Colombia, an agency that promotes exports, foreign investment and tourism in Colombia. Educational programs attracted 15,600 people, and 11,700 people from 22 countries accessed the programs online.
