Shanghai’s Intertextile show to feature 3,000 exhibitors on March 6-8

Intertextile, China’s leading fabrics trade show, will be staged on March 6-8 at Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Centre, a year after China put an end to the zero-Covid policy which limited foreign visitors’ access to the country. Some 3,000 Chinese and international exhibitors will showcase their collections across Intertextile’s 190,000-square-metre exhibition area. 

Intertextile is jointly organised by Messe Frankfurt with the China Textile Information Centre and CCPIT-Tex, the textile industry’s sub-council within China’s Council for the Promotion of International Trade. It will be held in conjunction with Intertextile Shanghai Home, focused on furniture and home decoration fabrics, and the Yarn Expo show. The range of products on display will be vast, while in parallel, 1,200 exhibitors will be presenting their collections at China’s main fashion and apparel show Chic, co-organised by CCPIT-Tex and the China National Garment Association, and at knitwear show PH Value.

Intertextile is aiming to cater chiefly to domestic demand, after China’s apparel exports to the USA and Europe slowed down in 2023. “At a time when the global trade fair industry is recovering after a period of disruption, the Chinese textile and apparel markets are buoyant,” said the organisers, noting that China’s demand for apparel and footwear grew by 10.2% in 2023. They added that “apparel exports are expected to bounce back in 2024, stimulating global economic growth.” 

Intertextile’s exhibitors, among them Eastman from the USA, Erteks from Turkey, Fidlock from Germany, Grassim from India, Liberty Fabric from the UK, and Yifang Textile from Hong Kong, will be presenting as many new products as possible to Asian producers and brands. Sustainable products will be on show at the All About Sustainability section, which will feature a selection of 25 suppliers, and a pavilion dedicated to Oeko-tex-certified fabrics.

Intertextile’s other sections are Beyond Denim, focusing on the jeans market, the Accessories Zone, for suppliers of components like zips and buttons, the Functional Lab, showcasing performance fabrics for sport and outerwear, and the Premium Wool Zone, where exhibitors from the UK, France and Italy will present high-end wool and cashmere.

The SalonEurope section too will focus on European fabric expertise, presenting premium materials from France, Italy and Turkey. Finally, the Verve for Design section will host local, European and Australian companies active in textile design.

The forthcoming edition of Intertextile will be held while China is testing a visa-free entry policy, introduced in December last year and valid until November 2024, for visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. A policy that Intertextile is relying on to attract European buyers.