DUBAI, U.A.E. — November 3, 2014 — The debut International Textile Fair (ITF) which opened November 3 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Hall No. 4, was excitedly welcomed by textile buyers, distributors and designers from the Gulf region, as 99 companies from around the globe showcased new trends in fashion, fabrics and clothing.
The two-day fair has attracted a wide range of Textile Mills, and a Large Print Designers. Exhibitors are mainly from Europe, India, China, Indonesia, Mongolia, Japan, Korea, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain, Pakistan, Mongolia, Taiwan and Hong Kong as well as other high-end manufacturers from around the world.
“Dubai has been a major textile hub for a long time, but so far it did not have its own textile show. Today, we have filled that vacuum and we are delighted with the response,” said show organizer Dilip Nihalani of Nihalani Brothers. “In the first few hours after the opening, we had a footfall of 3,000 visitors, an impressive number for a debut show. We expect a huge turnout over the two days of the show.”
The International Textile Fair debuts in Dubai at a time when the UAE’s annual textile exports crossed $1.6 billion, representing 7.7 per cent of the global export market. The UAE is the world’s third largest exporter of textiles, after the United States and the United Kingdom.
The highlights of the shows are the Spring/Summer 2015 Pre-collection and Autumn/Winter collection of trendy fabrics. The Fair provides a platform for buyers and designers to view the showcased latest trims and accessories, from current ranges to 2015’s pre-collections.
Swarovski, one of the high-profile exhibitors, featured its new collection of crystals and accessories at the show. Another major exhibitor was the Italian textile design company, Maritex Di Desenzani Maria Maddalena, which showcased its trendy designs.
Exhibitor Categories include: Casual – Formal – Soft in cotton, shirting, jersey, silk, outerwear, rainwear, coated fabric, printed fabrics, wool, worsteds, linens, tweed, fancies, flannel, synthetics, technical.
The International Textile Fair has attracted world’s leading print design studios, offering Summer & Spring 15’s pre-collections. It has dedicated segments for digital prints, machine embroidery, haute couture fabrics and new innovations.
The ITF is expected to give boost to the booming UAE textile industry which was valued at $13.2 billion (AED 48.5 billion) in 2011, and is growing at 9.9 per cent annually, according to industry figures.
The Gulf countries are gradually becoming the world’s leading textile manufacturing and trading centres due to a sound economic environment and fair trade practices, according to a recent international report. By 2016, the UAE will become the world’s leading high-end textile and garment re-export centre.
The International Textile Fair 2014 is supported by Dubai Customs, Emirates airline and the Textile Merchants Group (TEXMAS) which represents 800 wholesale textile traders of Dubai.
Posted November 19, 2014
Source: Dubai International Textile Fair