British Textile Week: a digital showcase of the craftsmanship, creativity and technical skills of the UK textile industry.

Normally the month of September is when top British textile companies would be showing their offering at international apparel fabric trade shows in Europe such as Premiere Vision Paris, putting the spotlight on some of the leaders in British textile industry.  But in the absence of many of such events this season, cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, the UKFT has launched British Textile Week online to provide a digital showcase of the craftsmanship, creativity and technical skills of the UK textile industry.  This digital showcase is valuable resource for those seeking British talent, flair and skills.  The British industry is known for the mills ability to blend creativity with commerciality in printed, woven, knitted and embroidered textile designs.

UK fabrics are highly sought after by the world’s most prestigious designers, tailors and fashion brands as the starting point for their collections.  Exports of  British textiles reach almost every country in the world to the tune of £3 billion.  

Meanwhile UKFT is supporting two of the country's most established fabric producers: Linton Tweeds and Liberty Fabrics who will be exhibiting at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics in China this week, from September 23-25.  This has been made possible through the Department of International Trade’s Tradeshow Access Programme.  China is an increasingly important market for British textile creations.

Linton Tweeds will be exhibiting its innovative collection of fantasy tweed fabrics.  The firm plans to develop the China market further, in collaboration with its local agent.

Liberty Fabrics will also be exhibiting their iconic printed fabric collectio.  They have an established sales office in Shanghai to develop the market further.

The UK’s textile manufacturing sector produces £5.8bn of materials, ranging from the world’s most sought-after cashmere to the finest worsted wool, luxurious tweeds and distinctive tartans. In addition to the world-renowned apparel fabrics that will be featured during British Textile Week, the UK textile industry also produces high quality fabrics and accessories for the home and contract interiors sectors,  plus a wide range of technical textiles and performance fabrics that are used in industries such as medical, defence and aerospace.

There are more than 4,200 businesses manufacturing textiles in the UK – an increase of 12% in the last five years – in a sector that employs more than 64,000 people.

UKFT is coordinating the project, with the support of The Clothworkers’ Company and the Campaign for Wool.

The UK has a strong textile heritage and also a promising future – with more than 4,800 people studying textiles at university each year on courses including textile design, textile technology and textile engineering.

All information on British Textile Week can be found on the UKFT website. 

You can also get inspiration on fabric trends and colour from leading British mills by going to the British Textile Trends for AW 21/22 page.  

Photos by Lucia Carpio: A selection of world class British fabrics on show in the UKFT booth at a recent Premiere Vision Paris trade fair.

New sustainable and functional fabric options on offer at Intertextile Apparel

Comprehensive product zones including one entitled All About Sustainability which will feature Chinese and European exhibitors are deemed to be must-see destinations at the upcoming Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Spring Edition trade fair, March 12 - 14.

The Forum Space at last year’s All About Sustainability Zone proved popular, say organisers at Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong, noting that the zone is ideal for visitors sourcing eco-friendly textile products to gain insight on new sustainable business approaches.   Photo: Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong.             

Exhibitors at the All About Sustainability zone will include Foshan Chicley Textile’s sustainable fashion fabrics – a range of organic linen and cotton, Lenzing ECOVERO, Modal and TENCEL, as well as digital printed fabrics.  While the new OEKO-TEX®100 Standard regulations have been published for 2019 according to organisers at Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong, the All About Sustainability zone also houses exhibitors who provide testing and certification services.

With the added element of the fringe programme, which will include seminars held by exhibitors, the fair offers visitors opportunities to learn more about the latest industry opinions and regulations.

Hohenstein Textile Testing and TESTEX both offer Standard 100, STeP, Eco Passport, Detox to Zero and Leather Standard by OEKO-TEX® testing amongst other services, and both of these exhibitors will also host a seminar.  Hohenstein Textile Testing will explain the amended OEKO-TEX® regulations, while TESTEX will discuss how these new regulations help to build trust with today’s consumers. Other exhibitors offering testing services include Intertex Testing Services, SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services and TUV Rheinland.

“Shanghai is a great city for a business with original prints, and Intertextile is one of our busiest fairs. It’s a good place to find new clients,” explained Ms Jane Han Zhang, Founder & Creative Director of British design studio Fairbairn & Wolf Studio.  Jane and her partners are alumni of the London-based TexSelect (formerly Texprint) which promotes and nurtures British-trained fashion and design graduates through its annual competition that has won international acclaim.

Messe Frankfurt has reported that over 3,000 exhibitors from more than 20 countries & regions will join this year’s Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics from 12 – 14 March, spanning a huge range of textile product categories, from fashion to technical innovation. 

Comprehensive product zones will reflect demand for different products such as sustainable solutions, functional fabrics, digital printing, accessories and denim.

Spanning six halls at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (Shanghai) this year, the fair will be held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, Yarn Expo Spring, PH Value and CHIC.