Shanghai, 15 August 2024. This month’s event will introduce its new Econogy Hub with the goal of advancing the theme of sustainability in the textile sector and closely tying it to the demands of economic and social development. Through its All About Sustainability zone, Intertextile Apparel has been a leading advocate for a more environmentally friendly industry for over ten years. This year, the show is embracing Messe Frankfurt’s global Texpertise Econogy[1] concept, which is reflected in the new zone and additional eco-friendly offerings. In addition to its Econogy components, the exhibition will have three sustainable display areas.
The new Texpertise Econogy elements at the event include Econogy Talks, a category for all of the show’s eco-related discussions, seminars, and product presentations, and Econogy Finder, an impartial verification tool for exhibitors to communicate green credentials and improve sustainable operations.Meanwhile, Econogy Tours will direct consumers to some of the progressive exhibitors at the show. Ecological Hub, a new area for suppliers of eco-fabrics, providers of certifications, and more, will serve as a focal point for the fair’s sustainability:
- Bureau Veritas Group: the long-running French company specialises in testing, inspection and certification to ensure a range of products, including apparel and textiles, comply with international standards. At the show, visitors to their booth can discuss textile testing ranging from flammability, to toxicology, to fibre composition and identification.
- Cotecna Group: with divisions in 50 countries worldwide, the company offers various services such as accreditation for a number of textile-related sustainability standards. Relevant certifications include GOTS, Textile Exchange, China Green Product, and more.
- Eastco Industries: at the fair, the GOTS-certified woven fabric manufacturer is set to showcase organic and recycled woven fabrics including plain, Y/Dye, jacquard with stretch, and print and coating. With clients including the likes of Benetton, Diesel, and Polo, the Hong Kong-based manufacturer’s markets stretch from Asia to North America.
- TextileGenesis, a Lectra company: hailing from the Netherlands, the company provides a pioneering traceability platform custom built for the textile ecosystem. The vision behind the service is to create radical transparency from fibre-to-retail, and ensure authenticity and provenance of sustainable textiles against generics.
Group pavilions with an emphasis on the environment, such as those for ECOCERT, Hyundai, Lenovo, LYCRA, OEKO-TEX, PRUTEX, and Sonara, collectively showcase more than 130 downstream suppliers. This edition marks the debut of the PRUTEX Pavilion, where exhibitors will present a range of goods made with fibers including PRUECO®.
Featured display areas with a sustainability focus will be presented by LYCRA, Birla Cellulose, and Idole / Mitsubishi, while the fair’s ecoBoutique will showcase products from the likes of Unifi and Zhangjiagang VCARE.
Digital Solutions Zone to help visitors navigate evolving business landscape
As well as innovative solutions from Econogy Hub exhibitors such as TextileGenesis, products at the cutting-edge of the textile industry will be featured in the Digital Solutions Zone. Also making its debut at this edition, which is Intertextile Apparel’s 30th anniversary, the zone will feature exhibitors such as:
- Shima Seiki: headquartered in Japan, the machinery and technology multinational’s Hong Kong division will be presenting its industry-leading knitting machinery, design systems and software, and CAD / CAM systems. Applications for Shima Seiki knitted fabrics range from fashion and sportswear, to healthcare and home, to automotive and aeronautical.
- Symmpix: a premier digital solutions provider for brands, designers, and manufacturers. Amongst other solutions, the company will showcase its AI-powered fabric search, AI pattern generation, 3D visualisation tools, digital product creation, digital photo-shoot, virtual catwalk, and virtual showroom.
Shima Seiki and Symmpix will both present as part of the fair’s Digital Transformation Forum, which will be followed by a panel discussion. Avery Dennison’s integrated supply chain transparency solutions, Symmpix’s investigation of how artificial intelligence is transforming textile product development, and Unifi’s presentation on REPREVE® powered by Textile TakebackTM—a commercially-scaled initiative that transforms textile waste into a variety of recycled polyester filament, staple, and fill products—are among the other noteworthy events that fall under the Technology & Solutions theme of the fringe program.
To make sourcing more convenient, buyers can find and connect with exhibitors across the fairground through a series of digital tools, including Connect PLUS. The platform allows users to filter search for matching exhibitors; includes AI recommendations; arranging of online or in-person meetings through its messenger function; and links scheduling notifications to WeChat, Facebook, or SMS. Buyers who pre-register for the show will automatically get a Connect PLUS account.
