the international trade fair fashion, fabrics, trims & acessoires Monday-Thursday 16-19 September 2013 Paris Le Bourget, France Final report Mickaël Cotte tel.: +33 (0)1 55 26 61 29 mobile: +33 (0)6 77 63 47 55 mickael.cotte@france.messefrankfurt.com www.texworld.messefrankfurt.com
33rd Texworld saw plenty of activity and unveils new campaign for the next four shows As a pioneer in the field, Texworld increases awareness of ethical issues and sustainable development The exhibition: a platform for young designers 14,420 visitors from 104 countries and 845 exhibitors from 27 countries gathered from 16 to 19 September for the 33rd Texworld show. The overall number of visitors remained stable compared with the show in September 2012. A healthy rise in numbers, in double digits was registered from the Iberian Peninsula, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and the United States. The services offered Texworld and the quality of products from exhibitors go a long way to ensure the loyalty of buyers. The influence of the Trends Forum and installations by designers provide inspiration for style agencies, studios from throughout the sector and international schools as well as professionals. The appeal is having an impact and the charms of the show leave an impression on visitors. Christophe Guillarmé, a designer at the label of the same name, attests 16-19 September 2013 2
to this: I have been faithfully returning to Texworld for years. Where my collection for evening wear with its sense of couture is concerned, I work with numerous suppliers from the show, in particular for silk and embroidery. You find some very fine silks at Texworld for mid-range and high-end categories. As a whole, you sense an increase in more upmarket products and the Trends Forum offers a wealth of variety, with very clear strategies. As Gareth Kingsley, a buyer for Dewhirst, emphasises: The new structure with the segments has proven to be very successful. As we buy different ranges for a variety 16-19 September 2013 3
of international companies, Texworld is an excellent platform with its very diversified programme. What is more, exhibitors are very responsive and now make quality a priority. The efforts of the organisers to boost creativity within the exhibition, to select the best products and to ensure that different ranges are there alongside each other, are bearing fruit. The show is flourishing and is valued because it delivers solutions and services that are relevant for international buyers, major retail chains and designer labels who have been attending for the last 17 years. Japan is posting growth again thanks to signs of recovery in its economy. France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Turkey are stable. Germany and Scandinavia have registered a drop. Brazil, after a sharp double-digit rise in 2012, is faltering: a consequence of the tricky economic situation. As far as buying is concerned, the recovery in the United States and Japan appears to be giving the market confidence, judging by the activity at the stands, as confirmed by the exhibitors. We have worked hard these four days and have forged very promising new ties with British and French designers. We also have plenty of new and interesting contacts to respond to as soon as we return home explains Anand Goenka from Aspara Silk, who has attended the show 16-19 September 2013 4
for eight years. It appears that buyers are less timid and are more willing to place firm orders; yes, the large purchase volumes of prints certainly mark a break with the more functional buying of the past few seasons. It seems that buyers preferred to place orders immediately in order to put the crisis behind them, he replied. At Fur-Textiles Nederland, Adrian Goss, head of sales, who is very satisfied with this show, adds: This has been an excellent show for us. Imitation fur fabrics are very much in demand for ecological reasons and because they are easy to care for. We supply the best quality available on the market in this sector, in particular with our line in modified acrylic, where the fabric is produced in Japan and is down to our cutting-edge R&D in the United Kingdom. The organizers unveiled a new campaign for the next four shows at the press conference revealing a focus on a visual identity that revisits fabrics, the very heart of the profession at Texworld. (Re)discover below the first visual for the campaign next February (2014): subtle, with a powerful message! It will be further developed in 2015, continuing in a very imaginative vein. 16-19 September 2013 5
free entry online www.texworld.messefrankfurt.com Monday to Thursday 17 20 February 2014 Paris Le Bourget, France PARIS MY TEXWORLD Texworld remains an exhibition that is user-friendly and open; the atmosphere is appealing and full of creativity. This is why we have retained the My Texworld slogan so that everyone, weavers, buyers or designers, can continue to make it their own, explained Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France. As a pioneer in the field, Texworld increases awareness of ethical issues and sustainable development In a ground-breaking move, the exhibition introduced the subjects of sustainable development and ethical issues, appealing to visitors and manufacturers. A wealth of initiatives help to promote Sustainability Day, which is held on the 2nd day of the September show including the organisation of the Sustainable Sourcing Itinerary, that lists the exhibitors supplying eco-friendly and ethical services and lectures moderated by international experts. 16-19 September 2013 6
This time around, the programme was particularly stimulating with: - Fair Wear Foundation, promoted its Wellmade programme, WRAP and the French association for organic linen and hemp, informed visitors about their activities on the Sustainable Cloud. - A total of eight lectures were held five of them on Sustainability Day by the above-mentioned organisations, Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) and Textile Exchange. Some talks were purely informative like Is it really recycled by Textile Exchange, others were more 16-19 September 2013 7
concerned with the topic of a business model such as that by GOTS entitled, The Business Case for Sustainability. Wellmade surprised participants at its Improving working conditions in your clothing supply chain session with an entertaining, interactive presentation, where the audience, using smartphones, was able to answer directly or give suggestions on the Wellmade survey about the availability of choice for contractors in regards to social issues in the textile industry. - The Le revers de mon look (The other side to my look) exhibition, against a playful backdrop, deciphered the environmental footprint for each item in our looks. Twelve large banners provided information about their impact on the environment, about social inequality and the ensuing economic injustice. They illustrate how to minimise the damage to the planet and the world s population that is caused by the clothing industry. More than interesting! A compilation of this information will be a valuable resources guide. In terms of the market: 76 manufacturers from 16 countries registered for the Sustainable Sourcing Itinerary during this show. Few buyers admit to searching primarily for eco-friendly products; sustainable collections represent between 5 and 20% of the total production from weavers. 16-19 September 2013 8
They cost 10% to 30% more than conventional products on account of the substantial investments in more environmentally friendly infrastructure that is needed to improve social standards, to buy new machinery and obtain certifications. The amount of organic cotton bought throughout the world is worth 8.9 thousand million dollars*, while the global market in fabrics made from cellulosic fibres, the production of which is environmentally friendly, like Tencel or modal, was valued at 12.63 thousand million dollars in 2011. This figure should reach 24.17 thousand million dollars by 2018 according to the latest report from Transparency Market Research, published last July. There are growing numbers of exhibitors supplying cellulosic fibres at Texworld, which also hosts the Lenzing pavilion that has promoted cellulosic fibres there for over ten years. However, surveyed buyers admitted to wanting to buy green and ethical products at very competitive prices in order to respond to end consumers expectations, like Patrick Nectoux for instance, purchase consultant at Li&Fung: Companies would all like to develop these eco-friendly lines but price is a major factor and may serve to curb some projects, especially in the current situation. 16-19 September 2013 9
As for manufacturers, Charlie Kim, sales director at People N Nature, a South Korean weaver that offers green collections, voices his opinion: It is true that most visitors are looking for eco-friendly fabrics but the price is the determining factor in buying. Only the major high-street chains and specialist labels for sustainable development will buy them. For mid-size businesses, the extra expenditure is significant as they have to pass on the costs of investment immediately; otherwise the project is not viable. The Pakistani denim producer Rajby Industries has chosen a different strategy: We have decided to sell our eco-friendly collections at the same price as conventional products. It is a very long-term investment and the only means of stimulating buyers interest in these products. Furthermore, by 2020 we aim for all our denim fabric to be produced from cotton with the Better Cotton Initiative certification. * 2012 Organic Cotton Market Report by Textile Exchange 16-19 September 2013 10
The exhibition: a stage for young designers The first trade fair in Paris to sponsor young designers, Texworld gives them free rein with a platform that is dedicated to them called Designers&Fashion for Future. While in February the show hosts the talented prize-winners from the Parisian project Podium Jeunes Stylistes, in September it honours those from the Dinard Fashion Festival. This time, Kuyho Lee and Cécile Dallançon, the Franco-Korean duo, were the guests with their label XY XX, and were representative of the talent that is waiting to be discovered. Against a minimalist backdrop, their collection, meticulous, black, modern and androgynous, invites the experts to study the prized work, like the tracery of embroidered ribbons which form the pattern for a jacket. 16-19 September 2013 11
Interested visitors and companies looking for designers are in the habit of coming to discover the season s new talent once they have finished their buying and the long sessions of note-taking at the Trends Forum. Discussions, swapping business cards and the first signs of collaboration will be the reward for the gifted young professionals who have worked hard to get this far! Taking part at Texworld is an excellent opportunity to reach a maximum of prospective contacts. We made some leads that we need to respond to without delay. It has also allowed me to find a local manufacturer at ApparelSourcing Paris to produce my small volume runs. Given the increase in demand for prints, the exhibition also hosted the 22 Designers Show in Hall 4. This is a collective of young textile pattern designers that is based in Paris. The 22 members each presented their books. Aurélia Jourist is very satisfied: plenty of leads to develop without delay. An excellent start! she replies enthusiastically, after four days spent at the packed exhibitions. They also sold the plates for their collection mainly to Danish, British and French buyers according to Aurélia Jourist. 16-19 September 2013 12
In the flush of enthusiasm, they also spontaneously designed some patterns on the spot, drawn directly on the glass behind their stand. Bear in mind that Texworld is also the first trade fair to assign its artistic management to young designers. Grégory Lamaud and Louis Gérin, who were selected for this job, have successfully met this challenge as the Trends and the creative accents to the exhibition are greatly appreciated by visitors. 16-19 September 2013 13
The next Texworld will take place from Monday 17 tothursday 20 February 2014, at Le Bourget, Paris. For more information about Messe Frankfurt textile fairs worldwide, please visit: http://texpertise-network.com. Background information on Messe Frankfurt Messe Frankfurt is one of the world s leading trade show organisers with 536.9 million euros in sales and 1,833 active employees worldwide. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and approx. 50 international Sales Partners, giving it a presence for its customers in more than 150 countries. Events made by Messe Frankfurt take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2012, Messe Frankfurt organised 109 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany. Messe Frankfurt s exhibition grounds, featuring 578,000 square metres, are currently home to ten exhibition halls and an adjacent Congress Center. The company is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent. For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com 16-19 September 2013 14