texfash: As someone who has seen how the market has been developing over so many years, what distinct trends do you notice in the global fabrics market? How does it balance out between wovens and knits? What is the reason for that (i.e. which one dominates and why)?
Wendy Wen: When you compare market sizes, the market for woven fabrics is several times larger than for knitted fabrics. However, due to the emergence of trends in recent years favouring athleisure and functional apparel, the growth in demand for knitted fabrics is currently outpacing that of woven fabrics, due to their elasticity, versatility, comfort and other functions.
It goes without saying that woven fabrics remain essential, especially in certain segments such as formalwear, and of course home textiles. From what we can see, the changing inclination towards knitted fabrics is just a matter of the market balancing out and adapting.
With the upcoming Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics featuring over 3,000 exhibitors catering to numerous end-uses, both fabric types can be found in abundance across the show floor. Whether showcasing wovens or knits, we are optimistic most of our exhibitors will be upbeat with their business from 11–13 March in Shanghai.
Who calls the shots today in terms of the final selection of fabrics? Do brands decide what fabric material they want, or is the demand driven by retailers?
Wendy Wen: In the current landscape, brands, retailers and consumer demand all play a part in fabric selections and fashion styles. Brands often lead in fabric selection, driven by their design vision and innovation goals. They decide on materials that align with their brand identity, target market, and seasonal trends, with many increasingly prioritising sustainability. However, as with sustainability, fabric selections are widely influenced by consumers’ evolving preferences and expectations. That is where retailers come in, providing key feedback on which fabrics perform well in various markets and affecting future offerings.
Speaking to Messe Frankfurt’s experience as trade fair organisers, Intertextile Apparel does see its fair share of visiting retailers and e-tailers, although there is a stronger presence of brands, designers, manufacturers, and agents. We have also seen brands and buyers looking to take more control of their entire supply chains, from fibre to garment, which solidifies the importance of the concurrently held Yarn Expo.
When it comes to sourcing, most attention seems to be on readymade garments rather than fabric sourcing. Why is it so? What is your understanding of the market dynamics from POV of a trade event that deals with both fabrics and apparel?
Wendy Wen: While there are some readymade garments on offer, especially from suppliers with integrated value chains, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is predominantly a fabrics sourcing platform. It is where buyers can get a better sense of various textiles’ look and feel. The garments are on display to draw the attention of buyers, showcase potential applications, and to inspire more relevant and on-trend sourcing ideas.
At the same time, with several concurrently held shows, the overall platform inspires synergy and can meet diverse sourcing requirements for the entire value chain. CHIC, one of China’s leading fashion and lifestyle fairs, will occupy five halls at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai this spring, with exhibitors offering a wide range of garments.
From the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics point of view, I can say there is still high demand for fabrics sourcing in China, from domestic and international buyers alike. Visitor numbers remain exceptional, with last year’s Spring and Autumn Editions welcoming nearly 90,000 and over 100,000 visitors respectively from 135 countries and regions.
