Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

In today’s rapidly evolving textile and business landscape, staying ahead of competitors often requires access to the latest trends, innovative technologies, and strategic insights. In that regard, from 2 – 4 September 2025, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition will once again serve as one of the industry’s premier trade platforms. This year, the fair will feature upgraded zones and expanded display areas designed to create a more seamless, more immersive sourcing and networking experience. Fairgoers can look forward to a dynamic fringe programme, including expert-led forums, seminars, and other insightful events, which should prove essential listening for industry players shaping the future of fashion.

A key highlight of the fair is the Functional Lab, which responds to the growing demand for athletic-inspired apparel. Located in Hall 4.1, this area showcases a comprehensive selection of innovative activewear fabrics, including smart textiles, outdoor materials, and sports textiles. Within the zone, leading exhibitors such as Burlington, Kbtex Warp Knitting Technology, and Unifi Textiles (Suzhou) will present their latest offerings. To further highlight the potential of functional fabrics, Functional Lab’s display area The CUBE will feature an array of advanced fabrics and accessories that merge innovation with functionality, suitable for sportswear, athleisure, and protective apparel.

Meanwhile, esteemed European exhibitors to showcase in Premium Wool Zone include Abraham Moon & Sons, Scop Clarenson, Thomas Mason, and Yunsa. They will showcase their latest collections, catering to the needs of modern designers and discerning consumers. Located within the zone, the former Functional Suiting Display Area will return as Bespoke Performance, further emphasising the synergy of style, functionality, and luxury. This area is set to highlight high-end textiles for suiting, shirting, and bespoke fabrics that blend performance with sophistication, offering an extensive collection of fabric samples and garments consisting of wool, worsted, woollen, cashmere, tweed, and silk.

In addition, the Innovation & Digital Solutions Zone (previously known as Digital Solutions Zone) will spotlight advanced digital solutions, textile technologies, and materials. This specialised area will be enhanced with a series of Technology & Solutions fringe events, offering insights into how digital innovations are transforming design, manufacturing, and customer experience. Notably, The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) will present their Green Machine, a groundbreaking recycling system for mixed materials, demonstrating eco-conscious advancements in textile sustainability. Additionally, Shima Seiki will showcase their latest digital fabric simulation software, while AiDLab will feature their AI-based fashion design and textile inspection technology.

To enhance the fair experience, Intertextile Apparel’s fringe programme provides industry peers with unique insights and a competitive edge within the fast-evolving fashion landscape. This edition’s curated lineup of expert-led seminars, discussions, and exclusive events aims to address the latest trends, sustainability initiatives, technological innovations, and market intelligence.
 

Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

Industries around the world are transforming to meet modern demands – with technology advancing, markets changing, and sustainability as vital as ever – and the technical textiles and nonwovens sector is no exception. At this year’s Cinte Techtextil China, fringe events will be organised into four key segments to help industry players adapt: Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, and Industry Insight. With an impactful lineup of events, speakers, and product showcases, the organisers expect the array to draw significant interest at the show, taking place 3 – 5 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

Key themes highlight insights and business exchange in modern economic climate

Sustainability
Sustainability Forum: taking place in the Econogy Talks seminar area, the forum will address the dual challenges of environmental protection and technological innovation, and outline how manufacturers need to adapt production methods to suit transformation requirements for the sector. Speakers will use insights and practical case studies to show how the integration of technology and design, and innovative business models, can drive the sector towards a greener future.

Artificial Intelligence
AI Panel Discussion: focusing on the challenges and opportunities associated with using AI for automated textile material inspection, the panel will offer insights into AI’s enhanced accuracy, reduced labour costs, and real-time inspection capability in high-speed manufacturing environments. Participants include Prof Calvin Wong, CEO & Centre Director of Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab) and Cheng Yik Hung Professor in Fashion of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Mr Eric Sham, Senior Consultant at AiDLab; and Ms Dorothy Yeung, Assistant Manager of Business Development at AiDLab (moderator).

Industry Insight
China International Nonwovens Conference (CINC): held for 12 consecutive years, the influential conference is organised by the China National Industries Textile Association (CNITA), and has become an important platform for attendees to understand the global nonwovens market, relating to policies, technological developments, and applications. Featuring a range of high-profile speakers, each session focuses on various companies’ nonwoven or related product advancements and development status, with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation. This year’s conference theme is ‘Breaking the Deadlock and Reconstruction.’

Innovation
Innovation Product Awards and Presentation: the event provides a valuable opportunity for innovators to promote their products to key industry players and potential collaborators, encouraging technological innovation, green development, and high-end applications, and accelerating the adoption of new technology. Outstanding products will be awarded the ‘2025 Innovation Product Award.’

This is set to boost the show’s design and entrepreneurial exchange, with the corresponding awards ceremony giving added visibility to some of the industry’s most promising talents.

Cinte Techtextil China will be held from 3 – 5 September 2025.
 

Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

For the first time in over a decade—pandemic aside—the personal luxury market is experiencing a slowdown in growth, according to the 11th edition of the True-Luxury Global Consumer Insights report by BCG and Altagamma. The report explores the key drivers behind recent shifts in the sector and offers insights into the trends that will shape its future.

This year’s report delivers insights from 7,000+ luxury consumers based on quantitative surveys, focus groups and in-depth interviews. To analyse consumer spending and behaviour with optimal focus and accuracy, the report also leverages Altrata’s Wealth-X database of more than 150,000 high net worth individual (HNWI) profiles, plus interviews with industry CEOs, executives, client advisors, experts, and partners.

This year’s True-Luxury Global Consumer Insights dives deep into the history of luxury, looking back to its roots in the 1800s when it was the domain of the truly affluent. Over time, the market expanded into ready-to-wear, beauty lines, global flagships, social media, and more, helping it to scale brilliantly—until now. This democratisation brought massive growth, with aspirational consumers eventually accounting for over 70 per cent of market volume. But in a race for scale, some of the soul of luxury was lost, as much of the industry traded exclusivity for reach, exchanging stability for volatility.

As a consequence, the segment that previously fuelled growth is now revealing its fragility: aspirational consumers have declined by 13 percentage points in market share since 2013 as affordability concerns continue to predominate. In the past year alone, around 35 per cent of these consumers either reduced or paused their luxury spending, diverting it to savings and investment, wellness, and second-hand purchases in particular. Around 50 per cent of these customers now feel financially vulnerable.

Today, brands with a client base comprised of more than 50 per cent aspirational consumers are seeing the steepest declines, underperforming sharply over the past 12 months. By contrast, brands that have stayed loyal to core top-tier clients are not just weathering the storm—they’re thriving.
 

Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

OEKO-TEX is an official member of the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network (UNFLN), a global platform fostering collaboration, innovation, and transparency across the fashion and lifestyle industries in support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

As the official representative of the OEKO-TEX Association within the network, TESTEX is proud to support this multilateral effort. TESTEX will actively contribute its technical and scientific expertise, particularly in the areas of sustainable supply chain certification, environmental performance evaluation, and transparency mechanisms—while also supporting cross-sector collaboration on frameworks for traceability and responsible sourcing.

This role reinforces TESTEX’s long-standing engagement with public-private partnerships and international standard-setting processes and complements its advisory contributions to regional policy developments such as the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles and the upcoming Green Claims Directive.

OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 ensures that certified products are tested for harmful substances, supporting consumer health and safety.

Through its role in the UNFLN and other international alliances, OEKO-TEX collaborates with NGOs, academia, and industry actors to harmonise sustainability standards and methodologies.

By joining the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network, OEKO-TEX and TESTEX position themselves within a UN-recognised ecosystem for knowledge exchange, policy engagement, and global visibility. Members of the network are featured through curated showcases, reports, and speaking opportunities at both the UN Headquarters in New York and through global online channels.

This membership provides a unique opportunity to scale the visibility of certified best practices, contribute scientific input to UN sustainability dialogues, and foster alignment across international initiatives that are shaping the future of textiles, leather, and lifestyle goods.
 

Source: www.fibre2fashion.com

From 2 to 4 September, Yarn Expo Autumn 2025 will open at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), encouraging international engagement between upstream and downstream textile players. At the previous edition, around 540 global exhibitors forged meaningful connections onsite, with the participation of nearly 22,000 buyers from 81 countries and regions. Taking place alongside Intertextile Apparel, the show will continue to serve as a key yarn and fibre trade platform with a range of products and solutions on show, particularly innovations that meet eco-friendly and functional needs. Inspiring discussions are expected to once again drive momentum at the fringe programme’s forums and trend display areas.

Due to increased population, prevailing sportswear demand, and socioeconomic advancements, the yarn, fibre and thread market is expected to reach USD 138.8 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 6.4%, with sustainable production highly prioritised. As an international yarn and fibre sourcing hub, Yarn Expo Autumn is well-attuned to the global eco-friendly and functionality movements, gathering key industry players from Asia and beyond for effective business exchange. The previous edition in 2024 featured the India Pavilion, the Pakistan Zone, the International Zone, and six key product zones catering to buyers’ sourcing priorities, including regenerated, cotton, synthetic, specialty, and elastic products.

China remained the leading exporter and importer of textile yarns around the world in 2024, with India, Italy and Türkiye near the top of both lists. These countries all ranked high among the visiting countries at last year’s Yarn Expo Autumn, which reflected prevailing market trends and catered to varied demand. The upcoming edition will further support industry momentum, and is poised to harmonise with this year’s coinciding Cinte Techtextil China – Asia’s only dedicated show for the full spectrum of technical textiles and nonwovens, to be held from 3 to 5 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

Yarn Expo Autumn will be held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition, CHIC, and PH Value. The four fairs will bring the fibre and yarn, apparel fabrics and accessories, fashion, and knitted garments industries together under one roof, with the resultant synergy allowing exhibitors and buyers to maximise their business opportunities.