#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2021-01-07

HKTDC Hong Kong Fashion Week to be held together with other related fairs in digital-physical format

With many pandemic-related travel restrictions remaining in place, exhibitors and buyers may have difficulty joining the Hong Kong Fashion Week scheduled for 20-23 April 2021.

To assist exhibitors and buyers in overcoming the business challenges brought by the pandemic, and after consultation with industry representatives and key stakeholders, the HKTDC has decided to consolidate seven of its trade fairs scheduled for April 2021 - Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, Hong Kong Baby Products Fair, Hong Kong Houseware Fair, Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair, Hong Kong Fashion Week, Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, and Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair (co-organised with CIEC Exhibition Company (HK) Limited), into a sourcing event entitled “HKTDC International Sourcing Show”. This will be held in digital and physical formats:

Digital fair date: 17-31 March 2021 (with continued exposure on hktdc.com Sourcing platform till the physical fair ends in July 2021)

Physical fair date and venue: 26-29 July 2021 ? Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

With this arrangement, industry players will be able to use the HKTDC’s dedicated online exhibition platform to attract early interest with business matching and virtual meetings in March, and to follow on with more business opportunities from the physical fair in July when the pandemic will hopefully subside.

We believe the online-offline model of International Sourcing Show will create synergy, and assist exhibitors and buyers to make early arrangements to cope with the post-pandemic “new normal”.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to exhibitors, group pavilions, industry associations and buyers from around the world for their tremendous support for HKTDC events. We will continue to make every effort to help companies capture business opportunities through multiple channels and platforms.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

Messe Frankfurt commits further to East Africa: three textiles trade fairs during Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week from 2027

Messe Frankfurt and its Texpertise Network continue their steady, successful trajectory in the region. As Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) opened today, Member of the Executive Board Detlef Braun announced that Messe Frankfurt is licencing its three leading international trade fair brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess to Nairobi, Kenya for the first time in 2027. From now on, they will take place annually as part of the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) Nairobi.

ATCO Hygienics, Uzbekistan, orders baby diaper production line from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from ATCO Hygienics to supply a new baby diaper production line for its plant in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The order is included in ANDRITZ’s order intake for the first quarter of 2026. Commissioning of the production line is scheduled for the end of 2026.

Nico Pedretti appointed as Managing Director Graf Group

As of June 1, 2026, Nico Pedretti has assumed the role of Managing Director Graf Group. With more than 20 years of international industrial experience and extensive expertise in Operations, Supply Chain Management, Finance and Controlling, he brings a broad range of leadership and business experience to support Graf’s continued success.