Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, explained that the drop in this year’s visitor number was likely due to Typhoon Linfa which struck the city on the first day of the fair and disrupted many participants’ travel plans. “Despite the lower visitor figure due to the adverse weather, we feel that overall the fair can be considered a success due to the quality of buyers that attended. We saw a large number of buyers from leading local brands visit the fair, as well as those from renowned European and American garment labels that have buying offices in nearby Hong Kong. This shows that quality buyers regard this fair as the leading event on the Southern China apparel fabrics and accessories industry calendar.”

Exhibitors impressed by high visitor quality

Following the final edition of Interstoff Asia Essential in Hong Kong last year, Intertextile Pavilion Shenzhen is now seen by many in the industry as the ideal replacement, with a number of Hong Kong buying offices attending such as Crocodile, Diesel, G2000, Initial, Miss Sixty, Mothercare, Pepe Jeans London, Replay, s.Oliver and Zara. Big-name Chinese brands also see the fair as the region’s leading event to source quality apparel fabrics and accessories, with the likes of BBLLUUEE, INSUN and Urban Revivo attending.

Exhibitors were impressed by the high quality of buyers such as these that visited their booths. Mr C.L Wu from Fabrix Plus, a denim and functional fabrics manufacturer from Taiwan said: “I’m very impressed by the domestic buyers’ quality. They’re very clear about what they are looking for and make decisions quickly, so it is easier for us to do business with them.”

Mr Ryu Hong-Ku, General Manager of Korea Textile Center was also pleased to meet quality buyers. He said: “We have had a number of serious and genuine buyers visit our booth.” Mr Ryu also believes the fair is the ideal place to capture the opportunities in the south of China, explaining: “The fair is definitely an effective platform for us to present new products and to target the Southern China market. We will return to the fair next year.”

Exhibitors affirmed the abundant opportunities in Southern China market

Despite the slower economy in the country as a whole, exhibitors are still optimistic about the potential in the Southern China market. “We have been participating in this fair for four to five years, and although the economy is not as bright as before, we still have faith in this part of the country, and believe that there are still many opportunities for us to explore,” said Mr Jason Kuo, Head of Sales of Royal Maye Chie Ent. Inc, a Taiwan high-end embroidery manufacturer. Also from Taiwan, Unitex Material Corp’s Mr Joseph Chang revealed: “We’re very positive about the Southern China textile market. The ample potential that is here will continue to grow for at least 10 more years. This region contains the whole supply chain, so without a doubt, the market here will keep getting better.”

Ms Chen Xiao Yan from Uni Textil Inc, a Japanese ladieswear fabrics manufacturer, shared the same sentiment. “Being in this market for many years, I can see the demand for overseas fabrics continues to increase, and we believe this demand will keep growing for the next few years. Intertextile Shenzhen is the best platform for us to meet new clients, so we will be back for sure.”

Mr Tommy Yong from Hong Kong accessories manufacturer Zeng Cheng Industrial Co Ltd expressed his positive insight about the Southern China market. He said: “Because the European market is weaker, my company has shifted our focus to this region of China. We realise that this market is really big and contains extensive opportunities. If I can capture only 1% of the market share, then it’s already enough.”

The organiser of the Taiwan pavilion, Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF), also explained the advantages they saw in Southern China. “China’s current economic plan is focused on developing this market,” Mr Arthur Chiang said. “The market here is huge and the potential will continue to get bigger. It is going to bring numerous opportunities to our suppliers, so many of our exhibitors see this fair as a stepping stone to capture the market opportunities and expand their business here.”

Fair seen by exhibitors as ideal entry point to growing Southern China market

Many exhibitors at the fair confirmed that it was the right place to expand their business in the region. Mr Chang from Unitex Material Corp said: “Intertextile Shenzhen has been helping us to expand our business in Southern China, and it’s an important stepping stone for us to connect with new clients. This year, we met many ladieswear manufacturers and designers. The overall result is better than last year.” Korea’s Hyundai Chemical Co Ltd’s Overseas Sales Team Manager Mr Y.S. Jang agreed. “This fair is a good opportunity to approach the Chinese market as it gives you access to a good variety of buyers. We focus on the high end of the market as our fabrics have a higher quality than domestic suppliers, and there’s definitely a market here in China for these products.”