by+Flora+Zhao

Across Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics wide range of product categories， many of the industrys biggest names are returning to the 2017 Spring Edition following strong results at last years two fairs and reports of continued strong demand in China. The distinctive product zones that have been well-appreciated by exhibitors for generating more business return again， with the International Hall （hall 5.2） featuring All About Sustainability， Functional Lab， Premium Wool Zone and Verve for Design， while Accessories Vision and Beyond Denim are in halls 8.1 and 6.2， respectively.

The Premium Wool Zone perhaps best encapsulates the benefits of exhibiting at the fair for high-end overseas suppliers. Many exhibitors at the preceding edition last October reported growth remained strong in China and that orders were still being placed at the fair， including Harrisons of Edinburgh who return this March. Mr. James Dunsford of Harrisons commented at the fair： “The feedback here for our products has been very positive for us. We are targeting sales of small amounts to high-end， premium customers， and we managed to capture some at the fair， so its been good.”

Many exhibitors in the Premium Wool Zone last year emphasized the differences in consumer preferences around wool products in China， making the fair vital to understand the markets needs. Some of the wool and cashmere fabrics exhibitors from Peru and the UK already confirmed to partake in the fair include Aris Industrial， Beijing Vitality Textiles， Harrisons of Edinburgh， Huddersfield Fine Worsteds， Loa Hai Shing， Merino Brothers and Scabal.

Beyond Denims stature as effective platform for Asian denim market grows

While the Premium Wool Zone has been a mainstay of the fair for a number of years now， Beyond Denim is a relative newcomer， reflecting this products growing importance in the industry. This editions Beyond Denim is expected to contain around 100 exhibitors from China and abroad， with products including denim yarn， as well as stretch， embroidered， jacquard and knit denim fabrics on offer. Again， some of the industrys leading producers will feature here such as Orta Anadolu from Turkey， Chinas Advance Denim， Changzhou Henglun Textile， Jiangsu Zhongheng Dyeing& Finishing， Knit Denim Hengliang Textile and Prosperity Textile， while from Pakistan Diamond Denim by Sapphire， Diamond Fabrics and Indigo Textile are amongst those exhibiting.

Orta Anadolu in particular achieved strong success at last years Spring Edition. Mr. ？mer Murat S？zeri commented at the time： “We joined Intertextile Shanghai as we believe this is the biggest and most effective textile fair in China and Asia. We were one of the busiest booths last edition， and this time its the same thing， so weve achieved what we were hoping for. Being part of Beyond Denim is effective for us too.” He continued： “We have many opportunities in China with the local brands； overseas brands selling in China have a lot of potential， its unlimited really.”

All About Sustainabilitys effectiveness has also attracted leading brands to return to the zone this time around. Hohenstein Institute， Intertek， TESTEX and SGS are among those returning to the Educational Zone of All About Sustainability， which will also feature an ecoBoutique display area showcasing eco-friendly garments and a Forum Space for presentations on the latest products， services and market information.

Around 300 domestic and overseas functional fabrics suppliers to feature

Like denim， the popularity of functional fabrics continues to rise， especially with Chinese consumers. The fairs Functional Lab reflects this trend， and will feature two pavilions hosted by the Gyeongbuk Natural Color Industry Institute and Dyetec （Korea Dyeing & Finishing Technology Institute） from Korea. Functional Lab is the home of overseas suppliers of activewear fabrics and production technology， while Chinese exhibitors are in hall 7.1. In total around 300 suppliers in the functional fabrics category will feature at the fair.

Adding to this product diversity are four concurrent textile fairs taking place in the same venue： Yarn Expo Spring （hall 5.1）， Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition （hall 4.2）， CHIC（halls 1， 2， 3 & 4.1） and PH Value （hall 3）.

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics –Spring Edition 2017 is co-organized by Messe Frankfurt （HK） Ltd.； the Sub-Council of Textile Industry， CCPIT； and the China Textile Information Center.