Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles ¨C China International Trade Fair for Home Textiles and Accessories

23 ¨C 25 August 2005, Shanghai New International Expo Centre

Date change for Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles

China is experiencing a dramatic increase in demand for interior fabrics and home furnishings from overseas
 
 
Press Release

The date of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles 2005 has been changed to 23 ?25 August 2005, a month earlier than previously announced. The show has been brought forward to more closely align the fair with the home textiles buying season, and to take advantage of a larger space available at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

Since its launch as independent of the apparel fabrics fair in 2004, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has garnered a huge amount of interest from the interior fabrics and home furnishings industry, and the increased demand for square metres has necessitated a move to a much larger space for 2005. ¡°We expect the show to be at least 50% bigger this year,?says Katy Lam, Director of Trade Fairs for Messe Frankfurt. ¡°The overwhelming response from the industry confirms that our decision to divide Intertextile Shanghai into two independent fairs was the right one. Providing that exhibitor and visitor feedback is positive in August, it is very likely we will retain the same slot in 2006 and onwards.

China is currently experiencing a boom in the building and furnishing industry which has led to a dramatic increase in demand for home textiles from around the world. As incomes grow, urban homeowners in China are beginning to spend a larger percentage of their income on decorating their home. The consumption of home textiles, up 20% in 2004, is also driven by an increasing number of Chinese who are travelling overseas and who are bringing back a newly found taste for Western trends in lifestyle and home furnishings.

Fabrics and furnishings from overseas producers are held in high regard by millions of quality conscious Chinese consumers. Following the nation's entry into the WTO and the recent tariff reductions, they are now more affordable. In 2004, China imported over USD1 billion worth of home textiles from around the world.

As well as the development of furnishings for homes, demand will grow in the commercial sector too. China forecasts that it will spend billions of dollars on construction of new buildings, renovation and upgrading tourist facilities over the next ten years.

Based on the increase in domestic as well as international demand, China is today recognised as an important home textile trading centre. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles offers the opportunity to become involved in the booming Chinese home textile market.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is organised by Messe Frankfurt, The Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA).

For more information on the fair please visit www.intertextile.com , tel (852) 2802 7728 or e-mail textile@hongkong.messefrankfurt. c om

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Press contacts:
Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.
Ms Elisabeth Grisoni / Ms Jennifer Lam
Tel (852) 2238 9941 / 9924
Fax (852) 2519 8632
Elisabeth.grisoni@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com
Jennifer.lam@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com
www.messefrankfurt.com.hk