Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Spring Edition Opens with Global Exhibitors and Industry Forums

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition will take place from 11 to 13 March at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The event will host more than 3,000 exhibitors from 25 countries and regions across seven halls. Alongside the exhibition, a programme of seminars, forums, and display areas will address key themes including fashion innovation, performance textiles, sustainability, and future textile technologies.

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition will be held from 11 to 13 March 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The event is set to bring together more than 3,000 exhibitors representing 25 countries and regions across seven halls. In addition to the exhibition, the fair will feature a range of fringe events including the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum, seminars, panel discussions, and themed display areas.

The programme reflects four central themes presented throughout the exhibition: fashion forward, performance textiles, sustainability, and textile future. These themes will be represented across various pavilions, zones, and discussion sessions throughout the event.

Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, outlined some of what to expect at the upcoming fair:
“There are many responsibilities to consider when organising a show of this scale, yet our main priority remains to effectively facilitate business between exhibitors and buyers. As such, we have curated a variety of provisions that relate to segments with high potential – such as the non-traditional offering of our new Pet Boutique display area, or the expanded, seminar-integrated Econogy Hub and Functional Lab. Within our four themes, there is a place for exhibitors from across the global supply chain, and we are excited for visitors to discover what’s on show this spring.”

New participating countries include Austria, Denmark, Indonesia, Lithuania, and Norway. International exhibitors will be mainly located in the International Hall (Hall 5.1), which will include seven country or region pavilions and six specialised zones: Econogy Hub, Essential Suits & Shirts, Functional Lab, Premium Wool Zone, SalonEurope, and Verve for Design. Additional international exhibitors will also be present in Accessories Vision (Hall 1.2) and Beyond Denim (Hall 7.2).

Fashion forward

Fashion-related exhibitors will present a range of products and design concepts reflecting global trends. The Japan Pavilion, featuring 28 exhibitors, will highlight original prints, heritage-inspired textures, and genderless fabrics through its ‘Temporal Space’ Trend Corner. The France Zone will display womenswear fabrics designed for commercial markets, while the Italy Pavilion will present luxury menswear textiles and related materials.

Fringe events in this category include the Intertextile Trends Spring / Summer 2027 Seminar and the Trend Forum Introduction Tour. Both will be conducted by Ms Sachiko Inoue, lead curator of the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum for this season, centred on the PARADOX theme. Additional seminars will feature speakers from Pantone Color Institute, PeclersParis, and WGSN.

Performance textiles

Sportswear remains an important segment within the Chinese fashion market. At the exhibition, Asian pavilions are expected to attract buyers seeking functional textiles. The Korea Pavilion will feature companies such as Dongbang International, TNF Global, and Ts Textile, presenting fabrics for sports, golf, and outdoor applications with antibacterial, durable, and stretch properties.

The Korea Textile Center (KTC) Pavilion will also showcase textiles from North Gyeongsang Province. Functional Lab, another key zone at the exhibition, will expand by more than 30% compared to previous editions. The zone will include THE CUBE, which will feature product presentations and demonstrations from companies including Baur Vliesstoffe, Regen-Tech Fashion, and Sunshinetex.

Technical discussions in this category will include Unifi Textiles presenting on circular polyester performance materials and DP Acetate discussing dope-dyed acetate yarn.

Sustainability

Sustainability initiatives will be highlighted through the Econogy Hub, which will feature eco-friendly textiles as well as certification and traceability solutions. Exhibitors in this zone include the Ecocert Pavilion along with companies such as PEELSPHERE and TextileGenesis.

Other sustainability-related exhibits include the Lenzing Pavilion, which will present applications of cellulose fibres, the India Pavilion featuring natural fabrics and artisanal craftsmanship, and the Hong Kong Pavilion displaying eco-fibres and recycled materials produced through ISO-certified supply chains.

The Econogy Talks programme will address sustainability topics through events such as the Econogy Forum moderated by Redress, which will examine how waste materials are being used as resources within the fashion sector. The Econogy Tour will guide participants through selected eco-focused exhibitors. The Econogy Finder platform will also help visitors locate independently verified sustainable suppliers during the event.

Textile future

Technological innovation will also feature prominently at the exhibition. The Taiwan Pavilion will showcase companies including Hi-Tec Industrial, Hua Mao Nano Tech, and Orientex Precision Industrial, presenting developments in smart textiles, nano technologies, and advanced production systems.

The Spring Edition will also introduce the Türkiye Pavilion, which will present fabrics combining traditional design elements with modern textile innovation.

Within the fringe programme, the 2026 International Textile Industry Digital Application Trend Forum will examine digital transformation within the textile sector, including its relationship to sustainability and smart materials.

The exhibition will also introduce a new Pet Boutique display area focused on pet apparel and accessories. The pet fashion market in China is expanding at a rate of more than 20% annually. Exhibitors in this area include Lenzing, Idole, SilkİPEK Tekstil, and G.K Infinite. A related Pet Forum will explore trends and developments in pet apparel.

Beyond the International Hall, Chinese exhibitors will occupy Halls 1.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, and 8.1, presenting accessories, suiting and shirting fabrics, sportswear materials, ladieswear textiles, casualwear fabrics, denim, and related products. These halls will also host trend forums and themed display areas such as the Sustainable Fashion Trend Forum in Hall 6.1, the Techno & Functions Trend Forum in Hall 6.2, the Digital Fashion Innovation Space in Hall 7.1, the Denim Trend Forum in Hall 7.2, and the Fashion Focus Trend Forum in Hall 8.1.

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

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition will run from 11 to 13 March 2026.

Other upcoming related exhibitions include Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics / Yarn Expo Shenzhen from 9 to 11 June 2026 in Shenzhen (Futian), and Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition / Yarn Expo Autumn from 25 to 27 August 2026 in Shanghai.