At the end of August (27-29), the National Exhibition & Convention Centre in Shanghai will host China’s premier textiles and apparel trade shows amid a backdrop of slowing consumption and economic growth.

The event features the Intertextile materials show, co-organized by the Chinese Textiles Chamber of Commerce (CCPIT-Tex), the Textile Information Centre of China, and Messe Frankfurt, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Asia. In March, Intertextile attracted nearly 3,000 exhibitors and 90,000 visitors from 116 countries, recovering from pandemic-related disruptions.

Intertextile will run alongside the Yarn Expo and Chic, a fashion and apparel show sponsored by CCPIT-Tex, the China World Trade Centre, and the China National Garment Association. Chic's March edition saw 158,000 visitors and 1,250 exhibitors showcasing 1,398 brands. Additionally, PH Value, a key knitwear market event, will also take place concurrently.

These trade shows come at a crucial time for China’s textiles and apparel market, which faces challenges from inflation affecting Western brands and declining domestic consumption. Despite this, the luxury and sportswear segments show some resilience. In response to the economic slowdown, China has recently introduced a short-term interest rate cut to stimulate growth.