Textile & Garment Trade Fair: Texworld and Apparel Sourcing combined under new name come July 2024

Texworld Evolution Paris and Apparel Sourcing which took place February 5 - 7 2024 received close to 8,000 international visitors to meet the 1,200 exhibitors, mainly weavers, mills and clothing companies from 25 countries.

Organisers said this season the offer was broader, more diversified and more accessible; and despite increasing demands facing the global fashion and textiles industry, visitor numbers remained stable. 

Organisers at Messe Frankfurt France also announced that the two complimentary fairs will be combined into one entity, to be named jointly as 'Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris" to reflect evolving developments in fashion sourcing and the expansion of brand universes. A growing number of buyers now want to be able to select materials, while also sourcing finished products directly to complement collections or expand their range, they said.

The new name is accompanied by a new dual baseline - Weaving the future; sourcing/business/solutions - to underline these developments and reinforce the fairs' service-led positioning.  This new signature will be adopted at the next edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, encompassing Avantex and Leatherworld, slated for July 1 to 3 2024.

This February, Texworld and Apparel Sourcing were set up across the two levels of Hall 7 (7.2 and 7.3) at Parc Expo in Porte de Versaille in the south of Paris.  The bright and airy atmosphere of the exhibition venue gave Texworld a fresh look to showcase the international event.  

The top 5 group of visitors from Europe were buyers from international companies in Europe, representing France (20% of the total, up sharply on 2023), the UK (8.3%), Italy (7.9%), Turkey (7.2%) and Spain (6.8%). 

The alignment of textiles on show in Texworld and complimented with garment makers in the Apparel Sourcing Paris was a key benefit for many designers and buyers visiting the fairs.

A designer for the George Rech brand, Agathe Coudert who travels to Paris every year with her team to design the collections that will be on show in Spain in 2025 in the Corte Ingles corners said she was at Texworld to select fabrics from France or eastern Europe, and then supplemented with finished products at Apparel Sourcing, be they knitwear, which requires special know-how, silk blouses and double-sided cashmere coats.

For exhibitors, the show was also an opportunity to showcase their newest products to their customers. Chinese performance fabrics manufacturer, Oracle Textile Technology, was able to highlight the new colour and appearance ranges of its nylon spandex or seamless fabrics used for down jackets and outdoor clothing collections. The same goes for Pakistani weaver Liberty Mills, which presented its new cotton ranges to its British, French and Canadian retail customers. 

Womenswear manufacturer BP Impex from India whose main markets from in Europe, said  the show was an opportunity to meet the French, English, Dutch and Spanish brands and distributors.  Buyers would come to their stand with drawings and design ideas, and worked with the company on their collections expecting delivery to be made in 120 days, said a company manager, who reported that they made some twenty new contacts during the three-day show. 

“Despite the slowdown in the clothing market, Europe remains a major market for textile and finished goods manufacturers," explains Frédéric Bougeard, President of Messe Frankfurt France. 

“For some players, it is becoming a strategic market to offset the uncertainties weighing on the Russian and American markets" he continued. Our mission is to fulfill our role as a market place, to adapt to these changes and to make the international offer more and more accessible." 

The February's event also highlighted near sourcing from countries in proximity to major European markets.

From Ukraine, for example were nine companies that joined under the banner of the Ukrainian Association of Textile and Leather Industry Companies (Ukrlegprom).

Also participating were companies from Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands who, organisers said, were able to take advantage of the show's visibility to include their expertise in the sourcing plans of French and European buyers.

"We want to build on these initiatives and we'll be putting forward proposals at our next shows, but also, why not, in different formats" continues Frédéric Bougeard. 

In addition to the diversity of exhibitors and new products, this edition focused in particular on sustainable products with the Texpertise Econogy initiative, which is presently promoted among the 50 textile fairs of the Messe Frankfurt group in 12 countries worldwide.

This new format will serve as a beacon in the sourcing industry for exhibitors displaying sustainability and will play a decisive role in the upcoming editions of Texworld and Apparel Sourcing.

The next show, under the new name Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will take place from July 1 to 3 2024 in the same Hall 7 (7.2 and 7.3) of the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.  It will be held three weeks prior to the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which are due to open on 26 July.

The show, which will remain the same size as that of this February, will offer a selective range of products, and will reflect the convergence between textiles and finished products. 

Photos by Lucia Carpio

Paris textile and fashion events to welcome world trade visitors in February 2023

This February,  the international creative fashion industry from all corners of the globe will descend upon Paris for the French capital's major international textile trade fairs.

Slated for February 7, 8 and 9 is Première Vision Paris, a key show for industry professionals to find inspiration and build their collections for the Spring-Summer 24 season, covering a broad spectrum of products, ranging from ready-to-wear to accessories (including fashion jewellery, leather goods and footwear and haberdashery) as well as textile designs and new technical developments.

Texworld Paris - July 2022 show

Separately is the February 2023 edition of Texworld Evolution Paris, which will be held at the Parc des Expositions de Paris-Le-Bourget from February 6 to 8; with 750 companies expected to exhibit, reaching70% of the pre-pandemic pariticipation level of February 2019, say Texworld organisers at the Messe Frankfurt Group.

As for Première Vision Paris to be held at Paris Nord Villepinte, it is presenting itself as a unique opportunity for the trade to network and exchange ideas.  This new edition promises to offer a wealth of new products as well as wide ranging services for a comprehensive programme.

Première Vision Paris - July 2022 show

Since the pandemic, Première Vision Paris's bi-annual shows had been held in a hybrid format, combining physical-attendance shows with online digital events. Now after consulting the industry’s professionals through a series of surveys, Première Vision will once again be giving greater prominence to the in-person event. 

Première Vision Paris - July 2022 show

While the forum product selections will be available online as of the opening of Première Vision Paris physical show, visitors attending in person will have privileged access to a summary of the major seasonal trends from the day after the show closes.   Content from Spring-Summer 24 trend events (seminars, 3D Forum, Live Sourcing), such as replays of certain talks held during the fair, will be available also online a few weeks after the show, rather than simultaneously. 

Première Vision Paris - July 2022 show

From February 7 to 9 2023, international trade visitors to Première Vision Paris, including buyers, designers, production heads, fashion and accessory brand managers, products developers, will have the opportunity to discover new creative works and the latest developments from 1,200 exhibitors representing 44 countries.  Exhibitors featured are spinners, weavers, tanners, textile designers, accessory and component makers, and fashion manufacturers who had been chosen by a Selection Committee of professionals and experts. 

Some 1,080 exhibitions (up 11% over February 2022) are from Europe (led by Italy, France, the UK, Spain, Portugal, Germany, and the rest will be from from the Mediterranean basin (Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, etc.),  and Asia (Japan, Korea, India, China, etc.). 

Première Vision Paris - July 2022 show

Organisers say this new edition will see Première Vision ramping-up its commitments to respond to the sector’s current and up-and-coming needs, and support its environmental and social transition. 

This includes an enhanced framework of exhibiting sectors to inform industry players and provide them with concrete solutions in terms of sustainable sourcing and production.

The various dedicated sectors and activities at the fair will include:-

• The Smart Creation area dedicated to sustainable innovations. 

• The new Smart Tech zone within Smart Creation: technological innovations and digital solutions to produce more sustainably. 

• The Eco-innovation Forum

• The Eco Information Desk (Hall 4)

• The Eco-Innovation Trend Tasting seminars 

• A series of talks in the Talks Area dedicated to the issues around eco-responsible fashion

• Online informational content (Smart Keys, Smart Creation podcast) in the sustainability section of the Première Vision website. 

Première Vision Paris - July 2022 show
Images of Première Vision Paris from their July 2022 edition in Paris Nord Villepinte.

Première Vision Paris will also offer an expanded array of tools to better serve visitors and guide brands and buyers in their materials sourcing for Spring-Summer 24, with: 

• A new mobile app

• A new QR code system on exhibitors’ stands, which can be scanned to learn more about their business and find them on the Première Vision Marketplace

• A new deadstock itinerary

• The Fashion Information Desk (Hall 6 Plaza)

• The Emerging Brands Desk (Hall 6 Plaza)

• Guided tours of the forums

• A new Season Report exclusively for visitors to the show, available to download after the show. 

Texworld Paris - July 2022 show

Meanwhile Texworld Paris is bringing together 450 exhibiting fabric manufacturers from 14 

countries, including nearly 250 Chinese companies; more than 50 Indian embroiderers and weavers - Long kept away by the Covid crisis, the Chinese and Indian participation in this edition is comparable to that registered in the 2019 edition.  Other participants are from Turkey (110 companies), Korea (50)  and Taiwan (15).

Texworld Paris - July 2022 show

In the Apparel Sourcing Paris section are some 200 exhibitors from China, Hong Kong and Mongolia, alongside India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka.

In the Denim Village will be 25 international exhibitors, from China, India, Turkey,  

Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Texworld Paris - July 2022 show
Images of Texworld Paris courtesy of Messe Frankfurt France.

The Denim Village will be located on the Red Thread, the new pathway 

designed by the Texworld Evolution Paris teams to connect the main attractions 

of the shows, linking the Elite area - which brings together 20 companies that 

combine production capacity, quality, and responsiveness with the major national 

pavilions, the Trend Forum and the Agora, where on-site activities will be located.

Texworld Paris and affiliated trade events will take place July 4 - 6 2022

Organisers at Messe Frankfurt Paris say international companies of their July group of textile and garment events have returned in force after more than two years of restrictive participation under hybrid formats due to the Covid pandemic.

The Texworld Evolution Paris apparel sourcing event announce that major sourcing countries including China, India and Turkey have returned featuring more than 400 international exhibitors representing some 20 countries.

The show slated to take place from 4 to 6 July2022 at the Parc des Expositions Paris-Le-Bourget, coincides with its sister trade events Avantex, Leatherworld and Texworld Paris. 

Turkey will be represented by more than 100 companies organised in pavilions at Texworld Paris, 60 of which are grouped together supported by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO). 

Meanwhile Korean fabric manufacturers will also be at the event, registering 41 companies under the pavilion of the National Union of Korean Textile Manufacturers (Kofoti).  Among the regular exhibitors are knitters People N'Nature, A Jin Corporation, and Youngwon Corporation.

China is represented by 140 companies, while from India are more than 60 companies, among them are embroiderers Tarom and Eco Royal Hantex, with exceptional hand-embroidered fabrics. 

Denim is one of key focus areas of the shows, and will be participated by companies from Turkey, China, India and Bangladesh to name a few.

In addition from textiles, many of the international communities are in the Leatherworld Paris, as well as materials with enhanced performance qualities, including China, Turkey, Japan and Pakistan.

Texworld group of shows in Paris reported a buzzing season of intense activity and record attendance

Messe Frankfurt Paris

Messe Frankfurt, organisers of the Texworld and Apparel Sourcing group of shows in Paris, held under the banner of “Fairyland for Fashion”, reported a new record high for attendance, registering 13,929 visitors at this season’s show held February 11 – 14, a 2.35% increase over the February 2018 figures.

Messe Frankfurt Paris

The group of shows held at Le Bourget, Paris twice a year encompass Apparel Sourcing Paris, Avantex Paris, Leatherworld Paris, Shawls&Scarves Paris, Texworld Paris and Texworld Denim Paris.

Europe saw an increase in visitors of almost 2% totally this session, with the highest number from French trade visitors, up 7% as in February 2018.  The second largest group was from Spain, disbanding the UK (due to impact of Brexit) to third place and Turkey to fourth place, followed by Italy at 5th position where attendance growth was stable and posted the strongest growth, up by almost 12%.

Other European countries posting healthy attendance included the Netherlands (up 11%), as well as Poland (+5%), Belarus (+14%), and Bulgaria (+10%).   Ireland and Greece also registered growth in attendance, up 7% et 8% respectively.  Organisers emphasised that Portugal also stood out with an increase of 44%, “which attests to the rise in this country’s capacity in clothing production.”

Elsewhere, from the Americas, the organisers also saw high growth in visitor numbers.  From Brazil, attendance went up 22%, followed by the USA up 20%, Colombia up 9% and Canada up 6%.
As for Asia, the overall growth in attendance was 14%, and in particular from India it went up 13%, South Korea up 6% and Japanese visitors went up 30.

“Business got going extremely quickly. Buyers were intent on determining how feasible their projects were and on getting in first when it came to exclusives,” said Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France.

Messe Frankfurt

Mr Scherpe continued: “From the very outset we were focussed on what is central to our work: trade talk and business. The atmosphere remained very vibrant throughout. Prime contractors attended the shows in the first place for work and to satisfy their curiosity. I am delighted to see the full effects of our strategy – encouraging contact with the materials, the skills and the people who offer them. It is an approach that I want to keep pursuing.”

Highlights of the fairs included shining a spotlight on environmentally friendly materials and sustainable developments, along with a series of lectures and presentations.

Dates for the next Messe Frankfurt France shows will be from 16 to 19 September 2019 at Le Bourget in Paris.

All photos from  Messe Frankfurt Paris.  

Paris textile trade fairs recorded 81% of visitors came from abroad, say organisers

The very established Messe Frankfurt France which organised the group of  complementing textile and fashion trade fairs: APPAREL SOURCING PARIS – AVANTEX PARIS – SHAWLS & SCARVES PARIS the accessories showcase – TEXWORLD PARIS – TEXWORLD DENIM PARIS -  which took place at Le Bourget, Paris, from 11 to 14 February 2018, reportedly welcomed 13,606 international visitors, acknowledging that opening the shows on a Sunday had been a success.

 “This February 2018 show with our initiative for a Sunday opening was a trial run for us. The gamble of opening the trade fair on a Sunday (had) paid off with an attendance of 18% of total visitors, who were able conduct their business in a calmer atmosphere,” said Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France, adding that the second day of the fairs, which fell on a Monday proved to be their busiest day of this edition.  However he confirmed that come September 2018, the shows will revert to their previous timetable to open on a Monday, 17th September running until 20th September 2018.

Mr Scherpe revealed that this February, the shows’ attendance remain international: the top five countries were respectively France, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain, and Italy.  New visitors were recorded from North America (+7%) and the African continent (+26%), led by the countries who are major suppliers for Europe such as Morocco (+25%) and Turkey (+15%), who came to Le Bourget to carry out sourcing.

The shows welcomed also visitors from emerging markets such as South Africa as well as Ethiopia, which was the country of honour this season.

“The Southern Hemisphere has proved to be very promising, since Australasia recorded a healthy increase of 55%. Nonetheless, we have noted a drop of 6% in attendance from Asian countries, obviously due to Chinese New Year, an all-important family celebration.  Anticipating that many Chinese exhibitors would be bringing their families, the shows also set up a day care centre to accommodate accompanying children.

“On the other hand, Turkey is very active with a 20% increase.  Returning to Europe, here visitor numbers from Eastern European countries have kept growing compared with February 2017, especially from Russia (+38%), Poland (+15%) and Hungary (+8%), and we see favourable results for the Ukraine, Cyprus, Finland and Bulgaria.

"These steady and sustainable visitor numbers go to demonstrate how very attractive Messe Frankfurt France’s Paris shows are and their strength as a business platform,” said Mr. Scherpe.

All Photos © Lucia Carpio 2018

Paris Textile trade fairs report record attendance

As today's retailers continue their discussion and debates over the importance of bricks and mortar retailing as opposed to the increased popularity of online trading, trade fairs catered for the textile and fashion industry that offer face-to-face interactions are proving their continued relevance for conducting business.

As organisers at Messe Frankfurt France have reported this week, European fashion brands remain very keen on attending their recently held trade exhibitions, namely TEXWORLD and TEXWORLD DENIM  PARIS, APPAREL SOURCING, AVANTEX, SHAWLS & SCARVES – The ACCESSORIES SHOW-CASE, (the shows focusing on textiles, materials, components, trimmings and manufacturing for the fashion and accessories industry), have recorded 13.9% more visitors than the show held in September 2016, to the tune of 15,473 visitors in total.

According to Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France, the record turnout at these fairs, held at Le Bourget, Paris from 18 to 21 September 2017,  was "unexpected": after two years of lacklustre performance, buyers were in need of renewal and a change in fashion codes; the outlook was proactive and buyers were drawn to new products, he said.

There was a sharp increase of 15% in attendance and the top 5 countries that sent buyers and trade visitors included France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Turkey respectively. The ranking that was identical to that of September 2016, with strong growth for all except France, which remained unchanged.  Germany came in 6th position, up by 18.7%, followed by Belgium up by 4.8%. 

“We found the September 2017 show to be extremely busy. From the very first day of the show, there was a wind of change blowing through the shows. (There was) A fresh appetite for the industries of fashion. Global ready-to-wear firms were certainly present, ready to get down to serious and enthusiastic business at the stands. Exhibitors welcomed the attendance, even from the European luxury sector. The same goes for the return by Americans (+19,38)” says Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France. 

The organisers pointed out that the joint trade fairs' artistic backdrops, the segmentation of the shows, and the scheduling of fashion shows and seminars along with the wide ranging exhibits all helped to enrich the experience of visitors and demonstrated that the show was open and appealing to all fashion brands.

On the "Small Quantities" circuit, large international luxury companies were set side-by-side with major global ready-to-wear brands, including young designs.  The quality of the materials was one of the discoveries welcomed by visitors.

China (with the largest contingent of weavers at Texworld Paris) was one of the main attractions, as confirmed by Zhang Tao, the Secretary General of CCIPT TEX. The improvement in the business models of domestic firms, as advocated by the Chinese government, aims to continue working towards genuine fashion products, to develop technical innovation and to emphasise sustainable development, said Mr Tao at a press conference.

At the “From Workshop to Shop” exhibition, organised by the Chinese government under the auspices of the CCIPT TEX, some 30 ensembles from 10 Chinese ready-to-wear brands were arranged around a space that, using virtual reality, immersed the visitor in the production sites. These brands for women’s and men’s ready-to-wear: Aiyimei, Upper , Bosideng, Hodo, Bridge Group, Dragon Silk, Heyi, Nikky, Top Garment, Sankei, Renoir and Yinchuan Binhe Ruyi, are already established in China and, are using the trade fair as a springboard to extend their presence on the world market.  A display of ever-more specialist skills from these 12 clothing manufacturers can also be seen at the show.

One of the highlights in the ELITE segment, an area dedicated to firms offering a wide range of tailored services, was the demonstration by a specialist attired in traditional Chinese brocades woven by hand using the traditional method of the Tujia ethnic group from the Chinese regions of Hunan and Hubei .

Upscaling was widely adopted at stands representing Turkish weavers, while the a wide range of cotton and embroidery from India was on offer, as well as quality prints from South Korea, the comprehensive offer, even technical products from Indonesian exhibitors all drew visitors’ interest. Creativity was the overall achievement recognised at TEXWORLD PARIS, said the organisers. 

Texworld Denim was a new addition this season, with nearly 80 exhibitors for materials and clothing production to celebrate its grand opening.  The area allowed makers of fabrics and manufacturers in one area to make contact and to network. 
Another area Business Beyond Borders, a partnership that fosters business contacts between players in the textile and clothing industry and small manufacturing firms, set up by Eurochambres, also met with resounding success, said organisers. Some 200 meetings were held in the dedicated space involving 258 companies from 42 countries.   
Three conferences and round table discussions took place at TEXWORLD PARIS: the sector for future clothing, Ex-aequo, the trends for autumn/winter 18/19, new technologies and new skills.

Dates for the next TEXWORLD, Avantex, Apparel Sourcing, Shawls and Scarves and TEXWORLD DENIM: 11, 12, 13 & 14 February 2018 Paris Le Bourget.

Photos: from Texworld / © Lucia Carpio 2017 

General upturn in global economy boosted trade fair attendances

Texworld - APPAREL SOURCING – AVANTEX – SHAWLS & SCARVES –  Texworld Denim

18 - 21 September 2017 – Paris Le Bourget, France

Organisers of the Texworld Paris group of trade fairs have credited their record levels of visitor attendance this September to a general upturn in the global economy and restored confidence in the textile and apparel industry.

Messe Frankfurt France said their events - covering Apparel Sourcing, Avantex, Shawls & Scarves, Texworld and Texworld Denim Paris - posted 15,473 visitors, representing an increase of 13.9% compared with the September 2016 show.

European visitors, including the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany saw an increase of 15%, where as signs of recovery was shown by Belgium and France, while Turkey and the Netherlands posted positive results too. Russian buyers amounted to 8% of the visitors.

Asian representatives showed excellent results with an 8.5% increase, with a significant breakthrough for Japan, and very strong presence from South Korea and India.

A surprising positive result was shown by the American markets, according to the organisers, registering an increase of 7% from that market. While Canada, Colombia and Mexico remained stable, US visitors showed a real sign of confidence with greater attendance and there has been also a marked interest from Brazil.

The African continent sent 48% more visitors than previously, in particular a sharp increase coming from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and South Africa.

A sign that attests to the Messe Frankfurt Group establishing  itself on the continent, since during the shows it announced that it has acquired ATF and Source Africa in Cape Town (South Africa).

“The shift towards high-end materials and skills in clothing production, which had been noticed over the course of past shows, has been confirmed once again. New offers like Texworld Denim, innovative and tailored services such as the business accelerator partnership Business Beyond Borders from the European Union and the internationalisation illustrated by a considerable number of national pavilions all contribute towards the positive development of the ranges offered by the trade fairs, ” says Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France.

All photos courtesy of Texworld/Messe Frankfurt.

Texworld Paris saw slight increase in visitor numbers

After four days of brisk business, Texworld Paris, encompassing its sister show Apparel Sourcing Paris, saw  another successful season for the textile fair held 9 - 12 February at the north Parisian suburb of Le Bourget.

Embroidery skills and young design talent were on show at Texworld.  
Photo courtesy of Texworld/Messe Frankfurt Paris. 

Under the title of "Presence", the fair presented fabric developments and new trends for Spring Summer 2016 from 626 exhibitors. 

A total of 13,639 visitors from 111 countries attended according to the organisers.

While France saw an increase of 13% in visitor numbers and the UK recorded a rise of 3%,   elsewhere in Europe, Italy, Portugal and Germany saw a slight fall, whilst Spain remained steady, supported by its numerous fashion brands.

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