Texworld USA Breaks Exhibitor Record, Posts Strong Attendance in July 2011

Co-located Textile Events Build Momentum

Diverse Resources and Sustainability Emerge as Key Themes

The eleventh edition of Texworld USA showcased a record 323 exhibitors from 14 countries, making this the largest edition to date with a 13% 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.

Triple show co-location
July 2011 marked the second time that Texworld USA was co-located with the International Apparel Sourcing Show and the Home Textiles Sourcing Expo.

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.

David Audrain, President and CEO of Messe Frankfurt North America commented, “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.”

Buyers and Sellers Successfully Coming Together
Texworld USA attendees chose wisely by making time to attend the show. An impressive 86% 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% 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.

Resources Near and Far
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
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.

Lenzing organized a well attended seminar program that included a dynamic panel discussion on fiber innovation. The dialogue was focused on innovation in raw materials and featured returning panel moderator Karla Magruder of Fabrikology. Independent Textile Consultant, Franz Martin Haemmerle asked the tough questions about supply and demand for these sought after fibers with his seminar, entitled “The Cellulosic Gap”. Anne Gillespie, Director of Industry Integrity at Textile Exchange and Jamila Payne, President of the National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers inspired by sharing best practices in their respective sessions.

Eco Grows
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.

Sensual Seasons
The July 2011 edition of Texworld USA featured trends, seminars and curated trend forums by Stylesight. Trends emerging during the transition to Fall 2012/2013 favored tactile and sensory fabrics. Attendee interest and exhibitor offerings gravitated towards two of Stylesight’s four Mega Trends; Wild Craft and Sensing Matter. Wild craft celebrated the spectrums of green and brown, inspired by the textures of flora and fauna. Skin and stone were starting points for the modern neutral palette of the Sensing Matter trend. Texworld USA has long been a destination for knits and both of these trends featured knit fabrics in all their glory.