Ethiopia, along with a host of international manufacturers met European companies at Paris Apparel Sourcing Fair

For regular attendees of Messe Frankfurt Paris’ group of trade shows in Paris: Apparel Sourcing – held February 11 – 14 2018, they were greeted by the more familiar manufacturers from China and Hong Kong, India, Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh, where a choice of prime contractors and clothing manufacturers were familiar with the customs and practices of supplying to European fashion labels.

What’s new this February edition was the addition of a number of emerging markets, including Ethiopia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan to promote their manufacturing capabilities and products.

Michael Scherpe, Président of organiser Messe Frankfurt France, described the congregation of different nations was similar to the Winter Olympics held concurrently in Pyeongcheng, Korea, during a press conference.  

Ethiopia was the guest country of honour this season, presenting eight companies offering varying  skills and textile products for the European market, including 100% organic cotton, dyes based on coffee or wine.  A selection of their fashion was also paraded on catwalk at the trade fair.

Camillo Calami, director of bag company Village Industry, ummed up the general feeling shared among the Ethiopians: “Visitors to the trade fair were targeted exceedingly well. We met those we were hoping to see, tending towards European brands. We spoke with a great number of French and Spanish visitors as well as those from the UK, Germany and Holland. We made some very interesting contacts from various sectors:- fashion labels, consultants for sourcing and even retail chains!”

Leading the pavilion was His Excellency Dr Bekele Bulado, who introduced various development programmes for the textiles and clothing industry in their country at a press conference.  The Ethiopian entourage included  the Honourable Bogale FelekeState Minister at the Ministry of Industry  and Mr Fitsum Arega, Director General of the Ethiopian Investment Commission.  

The Ethiopian pavilion was organised in conjunction with the German agency for international cooperation GIZ (Gesellschaft fûr Internationale Zusammenarbeit).  

The Asian country of Myanmar (formerly Burma) also brought eight garment companies to the fair and had met with trade visitors from Europe as well as the US.

In addition there were eight Kyrgyzstan companies, and their participation had been supported by the American USAID programme. 

Photos © Lucia Carpio 2018