Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles 2005, China International Trade Fair for Home Textiles and Accessories closed  on 25 August, 2005 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

A record number of visitors: over 26,000 buyers from 94 countries and regions; a 35% increase from 2004

Fair at its biggest yet with 604 exhibitors taking up 69,000sqm of floor space

Designer¡¯s Studio highlights original home textile design for the first time at Intertextile Shanghai

Other design and innovation highlights: China International Home Textiles Design Competition, China Home Textile Development Symposium 
 
"This is one of the most important trade fairs for the home textiles industry in China," said Mr. Wettengel of Bamberger Kaliko of Germany last week at Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles 2005. The buyers would seem to agree. Over 26,000 visitors attended the show; a record number, confirming the show¡¯s position as the leading home textiles event in China¡¯s trade fair calendar.

The show, which ran for the second time independently from the apparel textile fair, closed last week with a record number of visitors. In total, 26,136 trade buyers from 94 countries and regions came to the show, a 35% increase from 2004. Close to 4,000 buyers came from overseas (38% more than in 2004) with visitors from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the USA and Europe. The 22,198 Chinese visitors came from every province and region in the country, showing the fair ¡®s importance on a national as well as international level.

The mood of the fair was very upbeat, stands were busy, and feedback from the exhibitors very positive. ¡°China is a huge and growing market, offering considerable opportunities for home textile suppliers,¡± said Mr Makoto Saijo, Manager of Mitsui Bussan Textile from Japan. ¡° Our participation at the fair is a great way to promote our company. We are very happy with our participation. Our stand was constantly busy and we even received orders on the spot.¡±

The bulk of the 604 exhibitors were from China, but there were 16 exhibiting nations represented overall. Total floor space covered reached nearly 70,000sqm, a 50% increase over last year's fair, and the biggest in Intertextile¡¯s history.

Chinese exhibitors came from the key home textile producing regions, including Guangdong, Haining, Hangzhou, Jiangsu, Shandong, Shanghai and Zhejiang. There was also a good range of fabrics and finished products from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkey, the UK and the USA, as well as a national pavilion from Pakistan.

The products at the show covered the entire home textile range including curtains, upholstery, fibres and yarns, bed, bath, table linen. Two new halls were added for 2005 housing a range of Chinese brand-name bed linens, beddings, curtains and related products, which attracted a lot of high-level buyers.

Visitors were impressed with the choice and quality of products on show. ¡°As an upholstery and bedding product buyer, I have not only found the products I am looking for but also the quality,¡± said Ms. Heather Antonelli from Four Hands an American company. ¡°The range of products displayed is impressive and I have made some very useful contacts.¡±

¡°This show is really a ¡®must do¡¯ fair for anyone in the home textile business who wants to enter the Chinese market,¡± said Ms. Jennifer Wei from the British manufacturer Morton Young and Borland. ¡°Our company has an history of more than 100 years in home textiles, and we are now more then ready to penetrate the Chinese market. The results we are getting from our participation here turned out to be beyond our expectations.¡±

¡°Our first participation at Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles was extremely promising,¡± explained Ms. Magdalena Zdro Jewska from Tessitura Pertile, the renowned Italian home textile supplier. ¡°We didn¡¯t really know what to expect and we were pleasantly surprised to discover that many buyers present were looking for high quality products such as the ones we produce. The show allowed us to make this an important discovery. A priceless breakthrough!¡±

Mainland Chinese exhibitors were also pleased with the opportunities the show offers. ¡°For us the fair is an excellent means to face our competition,¡± said Ms. Huang Li from Shenzhen Fuanna Bedding. ¡°Our participation allows us to meet our customers face-to-face, which increases our chance and better promotes our products. We have met a good number of buyers.¡±

China International Home Textiles Design Competition

The competition ran parallel with the show for the third time, it helps to encourage innovation and originality in home textile designs. This year¡¯s competition presented important industry prizes including the ¡®Most Outstanding Brand Name Design Award¡¯.

A selection of award-winning creations along the theme of ¡®harmony¡¯ was on display, chosen from over 2,900 entries. Prizes were given on the basis of design originality, commercial value and visual appeal. The professional and modern looking display attracted hundreds of international and local visitors eager to discover the latest trends in home textiles.

Designer¡¯s Studio

For the first time in 2005, the organisers of the show created a special zone dedicated to home textile designs. The Designer¡¯s Studio featured companies from China, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK. The zone was crowded and the atmosphere was energetic and busy throughout the three days.

Mr. Howard Asher, from Asher Designs, a British design house was extremely happy with the Designer¡¯s Studio. ¡°My regular clients are from Europe or America and I realise now that China has a huge potential market. It seems that the interest the visitors showed towards my designs reflects a real need for originality in China. A great opportunity for a designer like me!¡±

China Home Textile Development Symposium

Along with the range of home textile products on stands, visitors could also participate in the China Home Textile Development Symposium held on the first day of the fair. International home textiles experts including Mr. Fulvio Alvisi, President of the Italian Textile Designer Association, Ms. Karen Fisher, President of Designer Previews, Mr. Joseph Lembo, an internationally recognised designer and Mr. Suo Lai-jun, Deputy General of Copyright Protection Centre of China, gave a series of presentations related to the industry, including such ¡®hot topics¡¯ as intellectual property protection. With more than 200 attendees, the symposium was judged a real success.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is organised by Messe Frankfurt, The Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA). The next fair will be held at Shanghai New International Expo Centre 28 ¨C 30 August 2006.

Statements from the exhibitors

¡°What a great show! It is the first time that our company is participating in Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles and we can give you positive feedback: busy stands, good quality visitors and great organisation.¡±
Mr. Richard Fontain, Blanke Textildruck, Germany

¡°I am really impressed with the quality of the show. This is our first participation and we have met our goals, no question. We have made a lot of new contacts and we are confident that they will become regular customers.¡±
Mr Ammar Abdul Matern Al-Bdewi, Tatra Manufactory For Rugs & Upholstery Textile, Saudi Arabia

¡°It seems that three days is a little bit too short to meet all the visitors to the show! The fair was simply excellent and we are very happy with the results.¡±
Mr Sergio Carlucci, Halo Asia, Hong Kong

¡°Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is a great show. It attracts the right people and the quality of the visitors has been very high. As first time participant at this show, we are realised the importance is our presence in China.¡±
Mr Anil Rateria, Rateria Exports, India

Statements from the visitors

¡°This is the first time we have visited this show and from now on it will be one of our regular purchasing events. The quality and diversity of products is outstanding. We especially liked the Designer¡¯s Studio.¡±
Mr Bancherd Changpoo, Grendtex Industry, Thailand

¡°A friend who visited the show last year recommended me to come as well. Wow! What a show! I am here to source trimmings and I found a lot of appropriate contacts. It has been a very successful sourcing trip!¡±
Monica, La Bella Design, USA