Trade show Sourcing at Magic was held in the US, February 15 to 18, 2016. More than 40 countries from around the world set up booths. There was a strong African presence. African manufacturers are trying to take advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) a free trade agreement with the United States that allows certain garments from some African countries to be imported duty-free into the US.

Silver Apparel from New Delhi was looking for new geographic territories for its clothing. The company concentrates on brightly colored embroidered tops with a resort feel. Only for You Designs from Mumbai displayed digitally printed tunics and tops. The company’s representative felt the show was slower than in the past but it was the only show on the West Coast where buyers and overseas manufacturers could get together under one roof.

Overall, the busiest section of the trade show was the Made in USA corner. Another popular section was the Wearable Technology hub. There was a lot of interest in that. DuPont highlighted its various wearable technology fabrics. The North Carolina State College of Textiles, which has a course on wearable technology, was there too. Blue Dragon also displayed a 3-D printer.

Overall, the largest representation at the show was by Chinese manufacturers.

www.magiconline.com/sourcing-at-magic