Interstoff Asia reinforces status for cutting-edge fabrics

Buyers to Interstoff Asia Essential were also pleased with the opportunities presented to them. Ms Olivia Wildes, Design Manager for Kate Spade has been to the show a few times before. “I came to meet some of our existing vendors from Taiwan, and I also discovered some new China mills that will be really good for us,” she said. “It’s always good to come to one place to see if I can discover something new. I’ve found some good leads on what I'm looking for here.”

The sentiment of finding everything in one place was shared by Ms Liza Lam, Vice President of Asia Sourcing at Charming Shoppes Inc. “We joined the business matching programme here to meet with exhibitors from the Shaoxing County pavilion. It’s good that I can see them all here in a one-stop shop meeting, and it helps introduce us to some new suppliers by going direct to the manufacturers,” she commented.

While Ms Amy Mann, Senior Testing Manager for Ann Taylor Sourcing Far East Limited, appreciated the range of eco fabrics suppliers. “This fair contains very rich elements in terms of exhibitors, especially those with eco materials,” she said, adding that the seminar programme also encouraged her to visit the show frequently.

 Expanded seminar programme with increased focus on eco topics

To provide the industry with the latest information on eco issues, a much-expanded seminar programme was offered this year. This included seven seminars on certifications and standards, and one on sustainability. These were lead by representatives from the likes of GOTS, Testex AG, WRAP and WWF.

Ms Shirley Han, Representative for Greater China for Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), was pleased with the response from the audience after her seminar. “I talked to people who visited the seminar last year and were back again to learn about new developments,” she said. “I am very pleased that people are interested in sustainability issues and want to keep up-to-date on the latest information.”

Mr Johnny Shen was one such person. As President of Ever Shine Y&F Co Ltd, a supplier of eco fabrics, he came to Interstoff Asia Essential to learn about changes in the industry. “The fair is good at organising fringe events, such as trend forums and the eco seminars which assist us to forecast the future trends,” he observed.

Fashion trends are another strong focus of the fair, with the ever-popular trend forum displaying next season’s trends, as well as seminars delivering insights into the popular fabric colours