Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics 2026 Attracts 96,000 Visitors

Spring Edition 2026 concluded with strong participation despite trade and travel challenges. The event recorded over 96,000 visitors from 119 countries and regions and featured more than 3,000 exhibitors from 11 to 13 March at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The fair highlighted developments in sustainable materials, digitalisation, and apparel textile trends for SS 2027.

Alongside exhibitor showcases, the event included multiple fringe activities and product display zones, offering platforms for new materials and process developments to reach industry stakeholders. The Functional Lab, expanded by 30%, along with The CUBE display area, recorded high visitor engagement during the exhibition.

At the close of the event, Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, said: “The market landscape is presenting several challenges, yet the industry continues to put its faith in Intertextile Apparel – this is indicated by our excellent exhibitor return rate and steady visitor flow, with international participation remaining strong. It is clear China is helping to pave the way for the fashion industry’s functional, digital, and sustainable evolution, which makes this flagship fair – one of the biggest in the world for apparel textiles – crucial for global exchange across traditional and emerging markets.”

International exhibitor participation exceeded 60% return rate, with additional new participants contributing to a slight overall increase in exhibitor numbers[1]. The exhibition featured eight international zones, seven country and region pavilions, and three group pavilions. More than 100 VIP buyers and 200 buyers from 10 international delegations attended, supported by organised tours and business matching sessions.

The fringe programme hosted 50 events attended by over 4,500 participants, covering themes such as sustainability, performance, innovation, and fashion. Product display areas, including the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum, Econogy Hub Display Area, the newly introduced Pet Boutique, and The CUBE, showcased nearly 1,500 samples, facilitating comparison of materials and supplier identification.

Lenzing participated through a dedicated pavilion and fringe programme presence. “Chinese consumers’ awareness of TENCEL™ has exceeded 60%, with 92% of those willing to purchase derived products,” said Ms Maggie Li, Marketing Head, Textile China at Lenzing. “We want to convey these positive downstream signals to our B2B clients at the fair, while launching our new TENCEL™ Lyocell HV100 fibre has attracted numerous visitors making enquiries.” Mr Fred Wang, the company’s BD Manager for Functional Wear, said: “Pet-related spending has compounded at some 15% for five straight years, opening unprecedented opportunities for pet textile fabrics. We aim to leverage Intertextile Apparel’s strong influence to attract more pet industry players through the Pet Boutique, while in the related Pet Forum I was honoured to discuss the applications of our natural fibres in the sector.”

Domestic exhibitors also highlighted market conditions. Mr Yanchi Shao, General Manager of Yagang Lace, said: “Against the backdrop of a complex economic situation intertwined with trade frictions, we are facing challenges with our client base and securing orders – which further underscores the importance of attending large-scale, industry-benchmarking fairs like Intertextile Apparel. I remain confident in China’s sustainable development prospects; as the world’s largest textile producer, it is the preferred destination of international buyers, and in recent years has made significant progress in R&D and innovation.”

Exhibitors reported engagement with international buyers and business opportunities across segments. Mr Rainer Roten, CEO, TESTEX AG, Switzerland, stated:
“The industry is accelerating its evolution towards digitilisation, traceability, and the circular economy, and our core value lies in providing in-depth support that aligns perfectly – from testing services to ensure export compliance, to dissemination of trend information – empowering our clients to stay ahead. This fair brings together buyers from around the world, particularly from our core Asian market, enabling us to connect with many potential and existing partners in one location. Despite our global recognition, we still regard this as a vital platform for client engagement.”

Mr Selçuk Türkoğlu, Sales Specialist, Marsala Textile, Türkiye, added:
“We’ll keep coming back to Intertextile Apparel because Asia has huge potential as a new, untapped market for us. It’s now a trend leader, with buyers currently seeking a lot of stripes and checks. At this fair, some massive companies previously unknown to us have made orders and enquiries. Just 10 minutes ago, we had a lead for 200,000 metres of fabric. There’s now very little that can match Turkish fabric performance-wise, and the new Türkiye Pavilion is brilliant – with everyone together, there’s a much higher chance of buyers exploring our stand.”

Mr Andrea Rossi, CEO, Lanificio Luigi Colombo S.p.A, Italy, said:
“The Chinese market is continuously increasing demand for natural fibres, with high-end precious fibres gaining more favour. At the same time, consumers are no longer seeking the ostentatious, instead placing value on products that are luxurious but also sustainable, easy to wear, and comfortable. Intertextile Apparel has been our primary channel for Chinese market entry for 25 to 27 years; especially in the past two years, we have connected with many new clients here, particularly from the online sector. This fair’s value to our business development is truly irreplaceable.”

Ms Eva Zhu, Fabric Business Unit/Vice Director, Hyosung International Trade (Jiaxing), China, said:
“Intertextile Apparel is an excellent platform to acquire customers, promote our products and brand, and hold in-depth discussions. This is our first time at the Spring Edition, and judging by the first day’s results, it has truly exceeded our expectations. As well as meeting our existing European and American clients, numerous new buyers showed strong interest. The global demand for functional fabrics is rising, especially in China, driven by consumers’ growing inclination towards healthy lifestyles and sports like badminton and skiing.”

Ms Ming-yang Zhang, Marketing Department, CPL New Material Technology Co Ltd (Umahemp), Japan, said:
“This was our first time exhibiting at the fair, and both the footfall and industry-focused quality of leads far exceeded our expectations, making networking highly efficient. We chose this influential platform primarily to attract international clients. The breadth of brands, trading companies, and overseas buyers in attendance is impressive, and many expressed strong interest in our core products. Our sustainable philosophy aligns perfectly with the fair’s ethos, validating our specialisation in functional products. Overall, it was an excellent experience, and we will definitely continue to participate in future editions.”

Visitors also shared feedback on sourcing and trends. Mr Azamat Alymkulov, Executive Director, Textile Development Center, Kyrgyzstan, said:
“As a delegation composed of 15 garment pattern producers, our main objectives at Intertextile Apparel were to keep abreast of fashion trends, seek suitable suppliers, and pay close attention to the industry’s digital transformation. Upon arriving, we were deeply impressed, especially with the fair’s enormous scale. Our focused visits to exhibitors’ booths and venue exploration have yielded fruitful results, while the centralised display model enabled us to efficiently connect with suppliers, quickly assess cooperation potential, and complete industry exchange.”

Ms Marissa Falting, Formal Senior Designer, POLITIX, Australia, stated:
“This edition’s Intertextile Directions Trend Forum is amazing – it’s bigger, better, with more variety. You can not only see what’s trending but also take pictures and find the suppliers. The trend of brown and earth tones is so strong this season, which is exciting for us. I’ve also just seen an embroidered women’s suiting fabric that we can apply to menswear tuxedo jackets, and I’ll go visit the stand. This edition’s had more innovation; I’ve met five new mills, and I only add suppliers to my list if they’ve done something really special.”

Mr Yanbo Wang, Infant Wear R&D Expert, Babycare, China, said:
“At the fair, we have seen a growing number of suppliers developing staple fibre and Tencel-blended fabrics for the baby sector, achieving ultimate softness as well as eco-friendly dyeing and sustainable production. Intertextile Apparel is more than just a sourcing platform; it is an industry bellwether and inspiration hub, allowing us to compare the latest domestic and international technology. Our team is not only visiting booths but also prioritising the fringe events, especially the material-themed discussions, which help us grasp the technological direction of the entire industry from a macro perspective.”

Ms Nissa Cornish, Executive Director, Redress, Hong Kong, added:
“There’s actually so much value in waste and so much of it in the market. The panel gave really useful insights into the different perspectives of designers, NGOs and manufacturers, showing their challenges and the opportunities to work together to meet them. It's also very inspiring to see the interesting exhibitors with innovative solutions here at Intertextile Apparel, and the amount of conversation that's being had around sustainability and circularity at a big forum like this is really exciting and important for visibility.”

The event was co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre. It was held alongside Yarn Expo Spring, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition, CHIC, and PH Value at the same venue.

Upcoming editions include Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics / Yarn Expo Shenzhen from 9 – 11 June 2026 in Shenzhen (Futian), and Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition / Yarn Expo Autumn from 25 – 27 August 2026 in Shanghai.