For the first time, Texworld Evolution Paris is being held in downtown Paris at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre from July 3 to 5. As the event celebrates 25 years, the venue will offer easier access to the heart of Paris — fashion’s capital.
In this post-pandemic period and return to normal, the event will be hosting exhibitors from 20 countries. This special anniversary edition of Texworld Evolution Paris will be convening all its components in one place: Texworld, Texworld Denim, Apparel Sourcing, Avantex and Leatherworld Paris.
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With this new configuration, buyers will experience more choices in a better and more accessible location. There will also be more services for customers, exhibitors, and visitors. For VIP buyers, there’s an improved T-Club (a VIP and press area that has private offices, a high-end concierge and a few “other surprises,” organizers said).
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The exhibition is also set to be the largest event since the end of the COVID-19 health crisis with over 1,300 manufacturers expected in Hall 1 of the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre. This is a 40% increase in participation compared to last February’s edition. It’s important to note that Chinese manufacturers “are almost back to their pre-crisis level, with the number of exhibitors doubling at Apparel Sourcing Paris and increasing very strongly at Texworld Paris,” organizers said, adding that manufacturers from India, Turkey, Korea, and Taiwan have confirmed their attendance at the event based on their success at the February edition.
The July event arrives at a pivotal moment in the fashion industry. While the industry was clearly impacted by the pandemic, its recovery was quick — especially with the reopening of China. On a broader scale, Asian countries are energizing the market and have emerged as key sourcing areas for all of Europe, which organizers say is having positive repercussions on its textile and garment trade shows.
“Indeed, the July session has been sold out rather quickly and we have a long waiting list for the February 2024 session,” noted organizers of Texworld Evolution Paris. “All the key players are eager to increase their market share after this tough period and they are willing to invest massively. As a reminder, China, whose ability to rebound is well known, alone accounts for nearly 33% of world exports. And the European Union remains its leading customer, ahead of the United States.”
It’s important to note that Texworld Evolution Paris is one of the major sourcing platforms worldwide for the fashion industry and is the largest apparel sourcing show in Europe. The event showcases a broad spectrum of products from entry-level market staples to high end; all from mainly overseas manufacturers. “When other trade shows on the continent, such as PV, concentrate a greater array of European companies, Texworld Evolution Paris provides an excellent export opportunity for international suppliers such as Türkiye – and especially Asian producers like India, South Korea and Southeastern Asia.
Texworld Evolution Paris also offers buyers to connect with the largest suppliers in the industry while also discovering alternate sourcing destinations such as Ethiopia, Ghana, Mongolia, Myanmar, and Uzbekistan, among others. As such, the event is positioned as a must-attend sourcing partner for the fashion industry.
Regarding the event’s new location and one-stop shop configuration, organizers said impetus for the change was based on an opportunity. “Our traditional venue is being revamped for the Paris 2024 Olympic games and, with the change of dates from September to July, we could ‘evolve’ to a slot in a more prominent venue located within the city of Paris,” they noted. “This move to Paris intramuros should continue for the following summer sessions, which will allow us to offer more services to exhibitors and buyers.”
Since Texworld Evolution Paris has been a pioneer in spotlighting and integrating sustainable practices and industry-leading innovation, this year’s edition will continue that tradition. The Messe Frankfurt Texpertise Network, which includes the trade fairs in Paris, reiterated its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, which is in collaboration with the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network and the United Nations Office for Partnerships.
With innovation, Avantex was an earlier industry leader by hosting cutting-edge solutions while also serving as an educational platform. Today, sustainability and innovation are deeply intertwined in Avantex Paris.
Celebrating 25 Years of Fashion Sourcing
When Texworld Paris was launched in the late 1990s, the event allowed emerging textile manufacturers access to the continental and international markets. In the beginning the event was a complementary offer to the Western European industry. But it has since evolved and is now the key trade event for the fashion industry.
That evolution includes adding Apparel Sourcing in 2011, Avantex in 2015 and Leatherworld in 2018 — thereby forming a fashion sourcing hub in Paris. The Texworld and Apparel Sourcing brands have also been expanded to North American and Africa.
In those 25 years, the textile market has more than doubled and is poised to grow significantly by 2030. “We have seen a remarkable growth of production from the Asian continent but also a surge in consumption,” event organizers said. “Nowadays, Asia is providing nearly 80% of worldwide textile and garment. China is responsible for more or less half of that and while product quality has risen greatly in the last decade, the country is now tackling every aspect of CSR.”
When asked what’s next for fashion sourcing, Frédéric Bougeard, President of Messe Frankfurt France, in the years to come, “it is most probable that suppliers from Asia will not only need an eminent export platform but also some dedicated support to develop their own brands on mature markets. Messe Frankfurt France is a trade show organizer, and our shows can be real showcases for these brands, but we aim also to become service providers with the development of temporary showrooms and more.”
While there are exciting times ahead, let’s take look back over the past 25 years of fashion sourcing:
1997
Texworld was launched with 37 exhibitors at the CNIT La Défense in Paris as an internationally open platform for international apparel fabrics and trims manufacturers. The 1st edition welcomed 970 visitors.
Oct 2002
The first Texworld organized by Messe Frankfurt France at the CNIT La Defense with a total of 604 exhibitors from the major textile manufacturing countries worldwide and 13.300 trade buyers. In the coming years the fair gains importance for the vertical (fast) fashion industry which contributes to its enormous growth and its development into a MUST for the European and international fashion community.
July 2006
Launch of Texworld USA at the Jacob Javits Exhibition and Convention Center in New York City with 157 exhibitors and Lenzing Innovation Asia as its heart piece.
Feb 2007
Texworld Paris moves from the CNIT La Défense to Paris Le Bourget Exhibition Center.
Sept 2007
Apparels enters the fair in Paris with the 1st CTAF (China Textile and Apparel Fair)
July 2010
1st edition of Apparel Sourcing USA concurrently to Texworld USA at the Javits Exhibition and Convention Center in New York City
Sept 2011
Launch of Apparel Sourcing Paris with 127 manufacturers from China, Turkey, Belgium, Portugal, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh concurrently to Texworld Paris. This segment of the textile supply chain is set to grow in the coming years.
Sept 2015
Launch of Avantex Paris dedicated to high-tech fashion fabrics, digitalization from fibre to finished product, innovative distribution, and sustainability with a participation of companies and research institutions from Germany, Austria, Belgium, China, France, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Thailand.
2017
Launch of Texworld and Apparel Sourcing Addis Ababa as part of ASFW (Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week)
2020
This year was marked by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Spring edition beginning of February was already quite affected and the September show could not take place due to worldwide travel restrictions.
2021
Despite the ongoing restrictions hybrid events were organized in February and in July under the umbrella of Texworld Evolution – le showroom at a studio location in downtown Paris. It was also the year of switching the Autumn edition from September to the beginning of July.
2023
25 Years of Texworld Paris
Celebration time! With a delay of one year due to the pandemic, the coming July edition will mark not only the 25th anniversary of Texworld Paris but also the strong comeback of the trade fairs Texworld Paris, Apparel Sourcing Paris and Avantex Paris after a period of evolution.
Editor’s Note: Texworld Paris, Apparel Sourcing Paris, Avantex Paris and Leatherworld are part of Texpertise – the textile business network supported with more than 50 textile trade fairs in 11 countries and reflecting the entire value chain: research, development, yarns, fabrics, apparel, fashion, contract manufacturing, home and household textiles, technical textiles, processing, and cleaning technologies. Based on these international textile events, Texpertise forms a global network for textile expertise. In collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships, supported by the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network, Texpertise informs and mobilizes the textile sector to implement solutions for social, economic, and environmental change. For more information, visit: www.texpertise-network.com