The eleventh edition of Texworld USA showcased a record 323 exhibitors from 14 countries, making this the largest edition to date with a 13 percent increase over July 2010. The bar was also raised in terms of verified attendance; 3,496 attendees registered specifically for Texworld USA. Another 1,182 verified attendees from the co-located International Apparel Sourcing Show and Home Textiles Sourcing Expo shows visited Texworld USA for a total of 4,638 verified attendees.
July 2011 marked the second time that Texworld USA was co-located with the International Apparel Sourcing Show and the Home Textiles Sourcing Expo.
“This season, I was concentrating on good hand feel, knits and woven cottons that can be made into robes and pajamas for the high-end market at reasonable prices and low minimums,” said Janie Leong, creative director, Oscar de la Renta Lingerie. “Thanks to the co-location with the Home Textiles Sourcing Expo, I found new vendors from Egypt who offer beautiful cotton terry velour, cotton terry and robe weight woven fabrics with good prices and workable minimums for my needs.”
The co-location with the International Apparel Sourcing Show had the most inherent synergy; enabling buyers, designers, merchandisers and sourcing professionals to make contacts and reinforce relationships across the entire value chain from yarns and fibers in Texworld USA to CAD and private label development services in the International Apparel Sourcing Show. The longtime secondary textiles customer group served by Texworld USA continued to find a home at Home Textiles Sourcing Expo. Cross pollination with the apparel-focused shows was also spurred by the co-location, particularly in the intersecting bed and sleep/loungewear categories.
“The continued co-location of these three shows in July is gaining traction with sourcing professionals and we expect the importance of the individual events and the week as a whole to grow, drawing more buyers and resources to New York City,” said David Audrain, president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt North America.
Roughly 86 percent of attendees indicated in the post-show survey that they found the products they were looking for on the show floor. Exhibitors also invested wisely by reinforcing their presence in the New York market as 41 percent of attendees indicated that their fabric budget would increase for 2012. Recent patterns of delayed buying seem to be dissipating with buyers avidly requesting Fall 2012 developments.
Some exhibitors hopped across the river from New Jersey and others made the trip from as far as China and Africa to meet with attendees at Texworld USA. Twenty-three U.S. exhibitors highlighted Texworld USA as a destination for North American resources. California knitters Fessler USA, Laguna Fabrics, Texollini and Mansfield featured popular Lenzing fiber blends. Knit designers and product developers were pleased to see Buhler Quality Yarns and Tuscarora Yarns from the South Eastern United States.
Fabrics designed in Italy, made in China, by Miroglio Textile resonated with press as well as attendees and the updated fashion offerings from Spain’s Textil Santanderina were quickly adopted by buyers.
Lenzing Innovation continued to partner with Messe Frankfurt for the eleventh edition of Texworld USA. The Lenzing Innovation pavilion is an expansion of their successful fabrics trade fair, Innovation Asia (formerly TENCEL New York Inc.) and once again showcased Lenzing customers and their products. The number of Lenzing mills participating in the show reached a new height, with 34 exhibiting companies on-site, eager to work with customers on new developments. Lenzing showcased their new fiber TENCEL® C during the fair. According to Lenzing, this new TENCEL® fiber unites botanic and oceanic properties and revolutionizes the textile world. Studies prove the fiber‘s beneficial effect on skin.
“We found the show to be organized, focused, and inspiring,” said Catherine Longbotham, Dillard’s, creative designer-intimate apparel. “Meeting with some of our key suppliers as well as finding some potential mills made the trip worthwhile. Starting out at the Lenzing booth really gave us a clear focus on what was available at the show, and as a result we saw several resources we may have overlooked otherwise.”
For a fifth season, a listing of eco-exhibitors; suppliers of sustainable textiles was made available to attendees in order to assist in their search for sustainable materials. Consistent with Messe Frankfurt flagship shows such as Texworld in Paris, four levels of current certification were acknowledged with colored leaves in both the show directory and on exhibitor booth signage. Green leaves were used to recognize the use of eco-friendly material, blue for eco-friendly processes such as optimized dyeing and finishing processes and bronze for adherence to social standards such as Fairtrade. Silver leaves were reserved for exhibitors with products and processes adhering to all of these standards. Each and every exhibitor claiming eco-friendly fabrics was required to submit current certificates in order to be distinguished with a leaf.
