The Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada Show (ATSC), which recently had a 150% rise in preshow registration, celebrated a significant increase in event attendance.
Between August 21 and 23, ATSC Canada 2023 hosted its 8th edition, welcoming more than 2,000 attendees, including sourcing experts, domestic and foreign government representatives, buyers, company owners, CEOs, and designers.
Since before the 2019 pandemic, more than 120 factories from China have returned to Canada, marking their first significant presence here in four years. This group travelled to Toronto for the occasion under the direction of the Beijing-based China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles (CCCT). The most well-known Chinese organisation, “Brand China,” participated in the event with a sizable pavilion and supported the ATSC 2023 Fashion Show.
Ats CEO Jason Prescott said, “ATSC 2023 completely caught us off guard. All three days of the show, the halls were merely jam-packed. This episode served as our official homecoming to Toronto. The presence of our exhibitors from China and other places at the show had a significant impact. The value ATS brings to the industry is immeasurable, and our education remains at the top of its class.
Deleveraging and nearshoring are becoming industry priorities, despite the fact that China continues to be the primary production destination for the majority of importers due to political unpredictability and growing costs. The sourcing experts present placed a lot of emphasis on this diversification. Famous Canadian firms like Canada Knitwear, Canada Sportswear, Canadian Tyre, Gertex, Giant Tiger, Hudson Bay, Jammers, Joe Fresh, Kotn, Loblaws, Unisync, and Walmart Canada, as well as firms with international operations like Dillard’s and Li & Fung, were almost all looking to diversify their product lines and find new supplier opportunities in developing nations.
This year, the following nations and regions had featured exhibits on the show floor: Bangladesh, Canada, China, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Latin America, Pakistan, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
The gathering featured more than 15 seminars, panel discussions, a fashion display, and keynote speeches from prominent figures in the Canadian industry.
For the eighth consecutive year, the Canadian Apparel Federation and its executive director Bob Kirke collaborated with ATSC to promote the exhibition and bring in more Canadians.
