Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will welcome over a thousand exhibitors to Paris Expo Porte de Versailles

A new summer edition in the heart of Paris

Spread over two levels of Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (halls 7.2 and 7. 3), this summer's edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris brings Messe Frankfurt France's entire textile and apparel offering together in the heart of Paris: Texworld for fabrics and trims, Apparel Sourcing for finished apparel and fashion accessories, complemented by the Avantex sector, offering a selection of innovative solutions for a more efficient and sustainable fashion industry, and Leatherworld, the platform dedicated to the leather industry, from raw materials to finished products.

Nearly thirty nations represented

Reflecting the diversity of the global market, a total of 26 countries will be represented in Paris over the three days: all the major sourcing nations, including China, India, Türkiye, Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Rwanda, South Africa, Ethiopia and the Netherlands, will be present.

On the textile side, Texworld's offering will be structured around several major national pavilions. Turkish manufacturers, loyal to the show, will mostly be grouped under the banner of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO). Korean manufacturers, led by the National Union of Textile Manufacturers (KOFOTI), also chose to present their know-how collectively, as did Indian embroiderers and weavers grouped around Texprocil, in charge of supporting the Indian cotton textile production, a strategic raw material for this country as it generates 12% of exports.

Taiwanese Eco-Textile, Denim Village and Focus on Leather

Several individual Taiwanese manufacturers, including Wisher, GrandeTex Development, Kiss Bride and embroiderer Ming Leurn, supported by the Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF), will be showcasing ranges of sustainable fabrics bearing the Taiwan Eco-Textile label, whose properties are particularly well-suited to activewear technical garments. These companies will be featured in the Econogy Finder, Messe Frankfurt's sustainability initiative, which includes some 80 companies.

The Denim Village, covering almost 1,000 m2 in the central part of Hall 7.3, will feature some 30 international exhibitors offering a complete range of products, from raw material to finished product. In the center, the Highlight Denim area will feature a selection of products staged by Louis Gérin and Grégory Lamaud, the artistic directors of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, to make it easier for visitors to find their way around.

Leather market trends unveiled at Leatherworld

Leather specialists will also be highly visible in the central part of Hall 7.3, where around twenty exhibitors from South Africa, Pakistan, China, Taiwan and Italy will occupy the 500 m2 reserved for the Leatherworld sector. At the heart of this space, the Leather Trend - a new feature for 2024 - will bring together the Italian manufacturers present at the show. Conceived in partnership with specialized publisher Edizioni AF and the Arsutoria School design center, it will enable visitors to discover current trends in the leather markets through the presentation, on four separate podiums, of the various components involved in the manufacture of shoes and bags. This vertical, highly technical approach will be complemented by a series of twenty-minute mini-conferences, twice a day, on the diverse materials presented.

Focus on yarn with Yarn Expo

To further enhance the service and range of products on offer to buyers, a pavilion devoted entirely to yarns will be available for the first time in Paris. Organized in partnership with Yarn Expo, a trade show in Shanghai belonging to the Messe Frankfurt galaxy, this area will take visitors upstream in the yarn industry, showcasing cutting-edge companies from China, India, Pakistan and Taiwan. For instance, visitors will be able to discover the Greencell yarn range developed by AceGreen from Lyocell cellulose fibers, recycled polyester yarns from China's Suzhou Make It Fiber, and pure polyester, viscose and Spandex ranges from Xiamen MC Group.

An expanded range for Apparel Sourcing

This year, Apparel Sourcing will welcome over 500 manufacturers from a wide range of origins: Rwanda, Myanmar and Ethiopia will be represented alongside the great traditional nations such as China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, which is making a real comeback this year, with over 50 garment manufacturers represented by the AEPC (Apparel Export Promotion Council) coming to meet European buyers. “This resurgence illustrates the strategic importance of the Indian textile industry, with its outstanding technical expertise, and the key role it plays in global sourcing of finished products,” emphasizes Frédéric Bougeard, President of Messe Frankfurt France.

A Near Sourcing Hub to connect suppliers

Near sourcing will not be forgotten. Buyers will be able to discover the offerings of some 50 companies from Portugal, Türkiye, Serbia and Morocco, and more, on the Near Sourcing Hub. The samples presented in this dedicated area are linked by QR Code to the B2B digital platform of Messe Frankfurt France partner Foursource. This feature enables visitors to obtain detailed information, or to be guided through a possible business contact via the exchange platform.

An expanded offering of concept store products

New in 2024, Apparel Sourcing is expanding its offer with exclusive new categories in the fashion accessories sector: several manufacturers will be presenting jewelry and bag ranges to meet market demand. “The trend towards concentration in the fashion and apparel sector is driving retailers to expand their brand territory, explains Julien Schmoll, Marketing Director at Messe Frankfurt France. By offering concept store products, such as jewelry, bags and soon shoes (and other related products), we are participating in this new dynamic that buyers are demanding of us.” In the same spirit, a 300 m2 “Chinese Brands Gallery” will showcase some thirty manufacturers of finished products who wish to reach the European fashion market directly, by offering their own brands, or white labels, to European distributors.

A new Designer Hub at Avantex

The Avantex sector, dedicated to solutions and companies committed to more sustainable fashion, is also expanding its scope.

Bringing together over twenty suppliers of innovative solutions for the digital and ecological transformation of the fashion industries (production, sourcing, digitization, resource management, traceability, Web3, AI...) in an open space, this year it is enriched by a Designer Hub.

The Designer Hub will host initiatives such as the association of stylist Jean-Luc François, supported by Messe Frankfurt’s Texpertise Network, which trains people who are far from employment, French stylist Maeva Elfassi and English stylist and print designer Rozz Connor.

Conceived as a meeting place for designers and buyers, it will encourage creative emulation.

Finally, the ReSources space, in partnership with the TCBL association, already present in 2023, completes the Avantex line-up by offering a selection of innovative materials and technical raw materials in phygital mode: by scanning the QR Code associated with the samples on display, visitors will be redirected to the Foursource networking platform for further information.

Avantex Fashion Pitch: solutions for tomorrow's fashion

Organized each year as part of the Avantex trade show, the Avantex Fashion Pitch competition rewards the best innovative fashion and textile projects. Shortlisted candidates will present their work in a 5-minute pitch during the show, before a panel of expert judges including start-up mentor Claudia Cesiro, Tartan Centre director Élodie Lemaire-Nowinski, start-up investor and operator Irène Maffini, and fashion and luxury expert Jayne Estève-Curé. The winner will be offered a “Start-Up” booth for the next edition of Avantex, a €2,000 prize donated by Messe Frankfurt France and the Texpertise network, as well as a one-year incubation period in the IFA school's Foundry. Three categories of innovative projects are involved: services, textiles or soft materials, and fashion design. Entries must be submitted by June 7. Aware™, winner 2023 with its blockchain-based traceability solution, will be exhibiting on the Avantex Hub.