Almost 7,000 visitors from 42 countries and regions attended the most recent edition of Interstoff Asia, which took place in Hong Kong from March 18–20.

The top ten visiting countries and regions were: Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, the US, Indonesia, Australia, South Korea, India, Japan and Thailand. Significant increases in buyers from Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam and the UAE were also recorded.

A high number of exhibitors presented eco-fabrics (32% of total exhibitors) at the fair. Among them were Ishinco and Teijin from Japan, SFT Inc and Chungnam Knit Co. Ltd from Korea, and Landegent Clothing Consultancy from the Netherlands.

Designer Barney Cheng, who participated in Designer’s Corner this year, spoke on the vital importance of an eco-themed textile trade fair in the region. “Eco friendliness is the way forward, not just for fashion but all industries who want to remain relevant and competitive in today’s economy. Consumers are becoming more aware of sustainability and in turn are becoming more conscious in their fashion purchases.”

A series of seminar programmes provided green business solutions to textile and garment manufacturers and industry buyers, focusing on strategies for dealing with the current global economic challenges.