Intertextile Goes Premium
May 07, 2012 ｜ by
Still a successful trade event, Intertextile Beijing Apparel Fabrics, 28th – 30th March 2012, ushered in a refreshing spring show with a complete range of innovative products targeted towards mass to luxury market industry buyers. Through the years the show garnered a sizeable number of exhibitors from 16 countries and regions, a 22% increase from 2011, now it focuses on improving the quality and the image of the show.
This spring, SalonEurope debuts Milano Unica pavilion with 95 top end suppliers from Italy in a glamorous and highly selected environment. The concept of SalonEurope takes on a brand new exclusive image with its “By invitation only” control access.
Wendy Wen, Director for Trade Fairs for Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd., spoke optimistically: “As market demand for clothing continues to grow in China, it seems likely that the mid to premium textile market will further develop as Chinese buyers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in purchasing quality products over quantity.”
Equally as popular are the country and region pavilions from major Asian manufacturing bases, including the Korea pavilion that features a variety of light weight cottons, modal, nylon, rayon, Tencel, and wool. At the Japan zone, exhibitors are known to provide flexible minimum orders and present innovative composite fabrics of mixed yarns, plus some special branded materials such as J-fiber and Eco-Wash. The majority of the exhibitors in Taiwan pavilion feature high quality accessories, embroidery, jacquard, knit, lace, polyester, spandex, wool blended and woven fabrics suitable for all markets, while the Pakistan pavilion focuses on cotton and denim fabrics.
Aside from the global market product view are more than 900 domestic suppliers from mainland China who present various kinds of fabrics that can be widely used for suitings, ladieswear, casualwear, fuctional wear/sportswear, shirtings and denim.
At the same time, an entire area dedicated to Accessories groups leading international and Chinese suppliers showcasing their line of buttons, labels, lace & embroidery, hooks/loops/clips, zippers and much more. Along with the products are several inspirational trend forums forecasting the Spring/Summer 2013 moods, colors and textures plus a full day of design, trend and market seminars.
“As the barometer of textile market, the 18th edition of Intertextile Beijing provides the international textile industry a platform to obtain the most up-to-date information, an opportunity for businesses to reposition themselves and find new partners,” said Sun Ruizhe, Vice President of CNTAC. Xu Yingxin, Vice President of CCPIT TEX said: “This textile industry’s environment is getting more complex and as the world’s most influential textile exhibition, Intertextile Beijing will inject a new vitality in promoting the world’s textile industry.”
Milano Unica Pavilion Debuts in China
Milano Unica, the Italian exhibition of top-end textiles and accessories, is held in Milan at Fieramilanocity twice a year, in February for the S/S collections and in September for the F/W collections, featuring the best Italian and European textile and accessory products for women’s wear and men’s wear in a glamorous environment.
In recent years several Italian entrepreneurs paved the way to China, a new, and scarsely known, market. They laid the foundations at a time when China didn’t seem prepared to absorb Italy’s quality products.
Textile producers like Barberis Canonico, Cerruti, Loro Piana, Reda, Zegna and a handful of others have met with increasing success in recent years, as the Chinese market grew both quantitatively and qualitatively, showing its great potential for the genuine values of creativity, innovation and quality of Italian fabrics in a short time.
Today, from various perspectives, China is an extremely important market for many Italian businesses, along with Hong Kong, it ranks second in terms of sales of Italian fabrics. The Chinese market still has huge growth potential, but it is a “different” market, a complex, extremely demanding and committing market, that requires in-depth and focused knowledge.
During the first ten months of 2011, there was a 27.2% increase in value (for a total of about 158 million euros) and +21.8% in volume of the Italian export. Particularly important are the exports to China of wollen fabrics, worsted (47.4%) and carded (16.6%). The important role of the Chinese market in the present and future of Italian textile companies must be underlined: it is growing significantly and weighs considerably in the textile export.
“For years, many exhibitors relied on the expert advisory services of ICE (Italian Trade Commission), a government body whose functions include the international promotion of Italian businesses. They have been pioneers for years and for this we must thank Dr. Laspina and Dr. Forte for the contribution given in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively”, said Silvio Albini, President of Milano Unica.
The Italian recent history, but above all the need that, in collaboration with ICE, a specialized organization could provide a defined character and image to the group of Italian participants in Intertextile, is the reason why Milano Unica has decided to shift its center of gravity eastward and why many exhibitors rely on its expertise.
Besides, the Past Presidents of Milano Unica Paolo Zegna and Pierluigi Loro Piana, provided a remarkable contribution, above all in the initial and more complex stages: by combining the strong points they have been able to attract many smaller companies with excellent products, companies that could never have entered this complex market alone. Milano Unica, in fact, is a trade show organized by entrepreneurs as a service for its businesses.
Now, this international know how and the quality, research and innovation of the Italian textile and accessories producers has reached China. The new “Milano Unica Pavilion” located within a dedicated area, Salon Europe in Hall 2 of Intertextile.
“I’m very proud of this result,” said Silvio Albini, “that ensues from a synergic work between companies and a strategic view of the years to come. We must open up to new opportunities and be able to face the new demand. Milano Unica China proves that our mills are all ready for the new challenge. Export is very important for the Italian textile industry because the Italian quality, beauty, and research of textiles/accessories and services is Unique and very much appreciated all over the world. China, together with Hong Kong, is one of Italy’s most important markets for textiles, second only to Germany”.
We thank Sistema Moda Italia and the renewed Italian Trade Commission for their support and for the operative structures in situ”. Above all, we acknowledge the involvement of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and the attention devoted to our industry.”
“We are convinced that this strategic alliance will give the industry an enhanced portfolio of efficient platforms for the premium business throughout the world”, comments Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board for Messe Frankfurt GmbH. “The co-operation starting off at Intertextile Apparel Fabrics in Beijing will enrich the most international trade forum for apparel fabrics and accessories by presenting Italy’s most prestigious weavers as well as well-known luxury fabric and accessories producers.”
95 Italian exhibitors featured their S/S 2013 collections in a glamorous and service oriented Pavilion, in the style of Milano Unica in Milan as far as architecture and services are concerned.
Enterprises Highlights
Lenzing: presents a new micro fiber - MicroModal® Edelweiss
Edelweiss is its latest innovation and in micro fibers it is especially fine and luxurious. Edelweiss-technology is based on oxygen-based chemistry which is more eco-friendly than the conventional one, meeting the highest environmental standards; it is even CO2-neutral. This eco-friendly fiber, made from wood pulp, boasts of a 95% chemical recovery rate. Its softness and naturalness of Modal attracted many international leading apparel brands and fashion designers to use it in their collections. Modal production in the past ten years had to triple to catch up with the demand, from 30,000 tons to more than 100,000 tons in 2012.
In addition to MicroModal®, ProModal®, Lenzing Modal® LOFT and MicroModal® AIR, this is the fifth Modal innovation Lenzing has created. Additional Modal innovations are planned for autumn 2012.
This is their first Edelweiss presentation in Asia following its successful launch in Paris in February 2012. With 75 years in cellulose fibers research and production, Lenzing invented Modal in the 1960s, and it is now the exclusive supplier of Modal fibers to the world.
Hengli Group: differentiated products win the market
Hengli mainly displayed suit-dress chiffon, memory fabrics for wind coat, and nylon-cotton fabrics for snowsuit production. Of them, CoolPass is an eternal high-performance functional polyester fiber. The ditches informed by the specific “cross (+) section” speeds up the moisture absorption and diffusion. Fabrics made from CoolPass obtain excellent comfort in wear with dry, soft and breathable.
Hengli Group is a leading enterprise of chemical fiber industry. The exhibited chiffon twist fabrics are well received in the market. Put his hands on the product, Wang Tiankai, President of CNTAC, rained his praise on its feel and drape. One responsible person of Hengli excitedly introducing that: “This kind of fabric is enjoying sales like hot cakes, and the busy workshop is making efforts in dealing with the short supply.” Mr. Wang emphasized that only the differentiated products are competitive. Meanwhile, Wang stated that the performance of these leading enterprises proves a trend that the industry resources are more and more put together to the dominating enterprises.
Zhejiang Taihua Group: interpretation of brand
Taihua brought more than 380 kinds of fabrics for the show, mainly putting the light thin product series that are scarce currently on the market, such as 10D and 15D fabrics. Wang Jinrong, Deputy General Manager of the company, said that on the basis of three-year research and development as well as the continuous improvement, the light thin series products have been widely used by both domestic and overseas A-list clothing enterprises.
Du Yuzhou, Honorary President of CNTAC, was very interested in a kind of newly developed fabric and asked about the current costs. Knowing that at present the costs are a little higher owing to small production volume, Du suggested that: “The company should try every effort to reduce the costs and cut down the losses of production process.”
“The preparatory work of fabric show needs much consistency, and it cost us around two to three months. In spite of a longer period, we believe it deserves. Because the show will help Taihua give a better display of its strength, besides, more people will know about the company,” said Wang Jinrong.
Huafu Mélange Yarns: new image of smart casual wear
Under the philosophy of “traveling through time and space, winning the future”, Huafu shows its new idea of smart casual fashion made of mélange yarns in the theme zone, and the models wearing mélange yarn fashion are in the spotlight. According to presentations, the business casual wear made of the series of mélange yarns are different from previous versions. Huafu focuses on business casual knitwear: a suit made of viscose and nylon featuring the flowing feeling and resilience or cotton to enhance its luster and softness; bottoming shirts made of linen imitation and snow heather yarns with bright colors. The new business casual wear full of personality, fashion and vigor changes the dull image of traditional business attire.
“On the one hand, we want to change the tradition that mélange yarns are only used in underwear and promote the use of mélange yarns in outerwear; on the other hand, we want to change the current patterns of business casual wear, and make mélange yarns that are environment friendly and fashionable become a new trend in business casual wear, said Chen Ling. Huafu not only makes business casual wear comfortable and close fitting, but also improves its appearance and style and prevents fabric pilling and wrinkling easily.
Huafu has launched three innovative series for the smart casual wear: special appearance heather yarn series, cellulose heather yarn series, and environment friendly heather yarn series. The appearance heather yarn series include classic products. The stripe threads of the rain heather yarn are impact and can be mixed and matched in a variety of combinations, especially good for women’s casual wear. Light pink and green colors will bring a fresh and graceful look. Neps yarn has clear sections, and will show the lively and vigorous feeling in combination of stripe patterns.
China International Trade Fair for Apparel Fabrics and Accessories, a strongly professional show, integrates the upstream and downstream industries, and fully displays new products, new technology, new technique, and new trends as well as the concept of low carbon and environmental protection, giving expression to the future development of the whole textile industry. Meanwhile, the show continues promoting the communication and cooperation between China’s textile enterprises and international advanced textile industry, driving for the improvement of China’s fabric and accessory industries as well as the growing of the enterprises.
