By David Gill
The Home Textiles Sourcing Expo is slated for July 24-26 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
As it has for the past two years, the expo will be co-located with two other Messe Frankfurt-produced shows: Texworld USA, the apparel fabrics show; and the International Apparel Sourcing Show. As of mid-June, this year’s expo had signed on 151 exhibitors, up from 132 last year.
The exhibitors will represent Bangladesh, Canada, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Pakistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Both Egypt and Pakistan will have pavilions at the show.
A Messe Frankfurt spokeswoman said the three shows are planning for about 6,000 attendees, up from 5,044 at last year’s shows. The co-location of the three shows has produced what Messe Frankfurt called “cross-pollination,” in which attendees at one show take a look at the other shows as well. This has been seen in particular in the bedding and sleep/loungeware product categories.
A full slate of seminars, sponsored by Messe Frankfurt and Lenzing Fibers, will be offered during the expo. On July 24, “The Southeast Asia Advantage” will spotlight new sourcing opportunities in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos and the Philippines. “Textile Innovations-Bleaching: Best Practice and the Environment” will profile changes in the bleaching process with more sustainable options.
Also on the 24th, “The Fabric of a New Economy” will detail the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s BioPreferred Program and its encouragement of the use of biobased products in textiles. “Mega Trends for the Fall/Winter 2013” will focus on color, fabric and pattern trends for that period of time. “Sourcing Hot Spots” will highlight where the key apparel and textiles sourcing locations will be down the road. “ECO: Certifications” will examine processes to certify environmentally friendly products from biobased products to organics and others.
On July 25, “Stopping Conflict Minerals” will deal with the use of minerals, including precious gems, in textile products, along with regulations requiring the disclosure of mineral use. “Fantasies and Realities Impacting Color Choices for the Home in 2013” will focus on color palettes that will entice consumers next year. “The Path to Happiness for Winter 2013/2014” will provide information on how color will play with materials, textures and superimposition for the autumn and winter seasons in 2013-2014.
“Cotton: Inspiration for Fabric Developments” will be conducted by Cotton Inc. executives Carrie Yates, manager of product development, and Kristie Rhodes, textile designer, and will offer the latest developments in cotton wovens and knits.
On July 26, “Trend: Stepping Out of the Box to Success” will describe how to use color ranges and lifestyle trends from “unexpected” places to update products to position them to sell at retail. “World Palette: The International Collection” will profile color trends throughout the world. “Get Started Right” will outline how new designers can successfully set up and run their businesses, along with the pitfalls and mistakes encountered in the process of starting up.