International textile fair gets to a good start at its second season

The second season of the International Textile Fair (ITF) started on 26 April morning with an inauguration ceremony by H. E. ButtiSaeed Al Ghandi, Second Vice-Chairman of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). His Excellency made special note of the variety of exhibitors at the fair and expressed appreciation for the organizers and the scale of the event. ITF opened to an overwhelming number of visitors with profiles ranging from apparel brands, local and international buyers, and textile traders to fashion designers, design studios and institutions.

The event, which is organized by Nihalani Events Management, is taking place on 26th and 27th April 2015 and is an integral asset to the regional fabric and fashion industry. This season, the two-day fair is hosting close to 150 exhibitors from 20 countries and has already received confirmations from eager exhibitors who have booked stalls for Season Three that will be held on 11th and 12th of October 2015.

The fair has seen a marked increase in European exhibitors since its first season where it hosted 15 Italian companies, to the current season where close to 40 of the best Italian textile manufacturers have participated in the fair. Mr. Mirko from Tessiles.r.l. is a first time exhibitor but says he’s extremely pleased by the response he’s received at the fair and has confirmed his return for the next season.

The International Textile Fair is the region’s premiere event focusing on textiles and clothing. This unique event attracts some of the world’s largest manufacturers of fabrics and leading print design studios, offerings buyers, distributors and designers the opportunity to view a large range of textiles from the most prestigious global mills. The fair expect to see over 10,000 visitors with a concentration on buyers and traders based in the Middle East. Designers find the fair particularly beneficial as they have the opportunity to source small quantities of unique fabric directly from the source.

The Fashion Talks taking place at the fair this season have received an enthusiastic response from both buyers and designers, eager to get additional insight on international trends. Experts from the celebratedinternational agencies Pantone, Peclers Paris, Promostyl, and Nelly Rodi along withlocal institutions likeKhawarizmi International College and the Islamic Fashion and Design Council are here at the fair to talk to the regional audience about color and trend forecasts for 2016. Celebrated designer Aiisha Ramadan spent the morning at the fair, browsing fabrics, speaking with manufacturers and attending the talks. Having attended international fairs for textile, she was pleased at the presence of a regional platform and said, “I am very happy with the number of exhibitors at the International Textile Fair. As a designer it gives me a lot of choice in fabrics that are not necessarily available in the local market.”

ITFhas also created a dedicated Modest Fashion Area in collaboration with the Islamic Fashion and Design Council to showcase the designs of some of the renowned modest fashion designers in the region. Regional designers Stephanie Jaye, Hafsa Lodi, Meher & Riddhima, and Abaya Addict among otherswill give visitors a sneak peek at the beautiful collections they have lined up for the next season.

A show such as International Textile Fair is much needed in the regionas Dubai continues to see robust growth in the textile industry.Today U.A.E.is the world’s fourth largest trading centre of fashion and apparel, raking in an estimated $17.5 billion annuallywith the presence of about 150 apparel manufacturing companies that account for about 5.5% of the world’s annual textile and clothing sales. By 2016, the countryis set to become the world’s leading high-end textile and garment re-export centre with a current annual cumulative growth rate of 4%.

Dubai Customs and Texmas, the Textile Merchants Group that represents 800 Dubai wholesale textile traders, show strong support to the fair.The show has been instrumental in injecting additional zeal to the regional textile sector, allowing international players to build new ties and establish business alliances with local and regional players.