NEW YORK — Organizers of domestic textile shows slated for the first half of the year are already reaching the maximum number of exhibitors their shows can handle, thanks to the continued size and strength of the American market.
The Turkish Fashion Fabric Exhibition will host its 11th edition Jan. 23 to 24 at the Grand Hyatt New York. Ahmet Oksuz, a committee board member at the Istanbul Textile & Apparel Exporters’ Associations, also known as ITKIB, a group of 28,000 manufacturers that organizes the event, said that although the list of exhibitors is not final, the majority attended the summer show, which drew 36 exhibitors.
“Our show is a small boutique show, with about 1,000 visitors, but they were all with good companies and we really got good results,” said Oksuz.
Prior to the Turkish show’s summer edition in July, several long-time exhibitors opted to join the Première Vision Preview. Oksuz admitted there were initial concerns that those departures would hurt the show. “Fortunately, the results satisfied all of us,” said Oksuz, noting that many of the exhibitors are starting to see more orders come in. Oksuz also believes the location of the show is an attraction for exhibitors and buyers. “The space is more available and more comfortable.”
Turkish manufacturers are still facing a number of challenges, including rising foreign competition and Turkey’s own high labor costs. As a result, Turkish makers must strike a balance between providing quality products, affordable prices and quick service. “We are used to working with Europe, and they are really fast,” said Oksuz. “There are companies [in Europe] doing collections every month, so we have to have a quick
response. That’s our advantage.”
High labor costs have hindered the garment manufacturing business in the country, according to Oksuz. Fabric manufacturers are now focusing on shipping their goods to facilities around the world for garment production. Oksuz said most of Turkey’s garment manufacturing capability for basics is
already a victim of foreign competition. However, he also believes Turkey has carved out a niche for
itself. “Fabric sales will increase because what we are offering is really unique,” said Oksuz.
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Texworld USA will return for its second edition at the Penn Plaza Pavilion Jan. 23 to 25. The Texworld name proved a strong draw for exhibitors and buyers during the show’s first run last summer. Daniel McKinnon, vice president of North American trade shows at Messe Frankfurt, which organizes the event, said he isn’t looking to make any drastic changes, given the early success of the show’s format.
“We’re already four booths away from being sold out and we’re at a 90 percent return rate,” said McKinnon. “We can’t expand. We’re sort of in the same situation we were in the first time.” According to McKinnon, the first show had 157 exhibitors from 18 countries and more than 1,900 visitors. Messe Frankfurt’s goal is to create a show that is more inclusive than exclusive, while maintaining a high level of proficiency from its exhibitors, according to McKinnon. Growth is another goal for the future, which McKinnon admits means looking for venues larger than Penn Plaza.
As the exhibitor list for the first Texworld USA grew, Messe Frankfurt acquired additional space from the adjoining Hotel Pennsylvania. Getting people from the lower level of Penn Plaza up to the upper floors of the hotel proved difficult, an issue that McKinnon said he hoped would be addressed at the upcoming show. “We’re doing more signage; that’s our number-one focus,” said McKinnon. There will be a number of incentives to encourage attendees to head to the upper floors. McKinnon also said exhibitor booths have been upgraded with more lighting, better shelving and display elements.
McKinnon expects exhibitors to have more success this time around.
“They have been here one time and they’ve met people,” said McKinnon. “Now it’s time for them to start doing business. They’ve met tremendously high-quality, ready-to-buy buyers. Now it’s up to them.”
Texworld’s partnership with Innovation Asia will continue, and the show will maintain its own area within Texworld.
Like Texworld, Première Vision Preview is running at maximum capacity. Première Vision will convene Jan. 24 to 25 at the Metropolitan Pavilion on 18th Street.
“As long as we have been in the Metropolitan, we are very fully booked,” said Daniel Faure, president of Première Vision, which organizes the show. “I don’t think the size of the show will grow much. We try to have the best of what we can for the American market.”
Faure expects between 130 and 150 exhibitors and approximately 3,000 visitors during the event’s two-day run. The January show will be open to exhibitors who participate in Première Vision in Paris. However, Faure isn’t looking to change the nature of the show and indicated there were no immediate plans to expand it. Faure said the formula of the U.S. show had proved itself.
Textile manufacturers face fierce competition in America to provide quality product, competitive pricing and fast deliveries, said Faure. “If you’re an American customer, you have the whole world at your door, expecting to sell you goods. It’s not just a question of price or to be good on deliveries. You have to have something new and very specific. It’s the combination of those points.”
Faure noted there will be minor changes in the format of the show’s seminars, and more small seminars during the show. The goal, said Faure, is to encourage interaction between attendees and those presenting. “We have no more than 30 to 40 people at the same time,” said Faure. “We did four or five [seminars] last time and they were all booked, so I think it’s useful.”
Faure, like Oksuz, said there was less manufacturing in Europe. “Most of the creating, designing and so on is made in their own [European] country,” said Faure. “The finishing is typically one of the strong parts of Europe. But the weaving can be done in other countries.”
Among the other shows scheduled for the first half of the year are the Los Angeles International Textile Show, which will be held at the California Market Center April 16 to 18; Material World at the Miami Beach Convention Center May 8 to 10, and Direction at the Penn Plaza Pavilion Jan. 16 to 18.