Chinese brands looked to impress at textile show

Chinese companies were eager to show what they had to offer at a textile trade show in Canada this week.

The eighth Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada (ATSC) exhibition was held at Canada's Toronto Congress Center from Monday to Wednesday. It connected Canadian and Chinese markets to the global supply chain of manufacturers of apparel, textile and fashion.

The exhibition — sponsored by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles (CCCIET) and the Jiangsu Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and co-organized by the Canadian Apparel Federation — was the first large-scale resumption of in-person exchanges after the pandemic.

"This year, Chinese companies have shown high enthusiasm for participating in the exhibition and their expectations for the Canadian market," said Zhang Xinmin, vice-president of CCCIET.

According to Zhang, after years of development, the exhibition has become the first choice for Chinese textile and apparel enterprises to enter the Canadian market.

"It is the most professional and influential international textile and apparel procurement exhibition in Canada," said Zhang. "I hope that this event will promote the recovery and development of China-Canada textile and garment trade."

The show attracted exhibitors from more than 20 countries, including China, Canada, the United States, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Vietnam, Korea, and Indonesia, with more than 250 booths. Over 3,000 attendees were expected during the event.

As the largest country pavilion, there were more than 120 Chinese exhibitors from more than 10 provinces and cities, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Fujian, Shanghai, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Liaoning, and a total of more than 130 booths. The range of exhibits covered clothing, home textiles, luggage and other categories.

Among the distinctive features of the exhibition was a series of forums and lectures. Industry experts from around the world explored the most current topics impacting the industry today, such as green sustainable development, supply chain security, digital marketing, trade policy and e-commerce.

The "China Brand Promotion Fashion Show" and "International Fashion Show" were launched on the second day of the exhibition.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce once again leveraged the exhibition to set up a brands-promotion project. Some major Chinese brands were curated within the "China Brand" pavilion focused on bringing China-chic design, zero-carbon materials and fabrics that reflect their latest R&D. They also brought updated designs and fashions to the professional buyers attending ATSC.

The brands such as Aparso, Rusy & Cindy, Sino-Italy Apparel, WeiQiao Pioneering, Mengdi, Detex Garments, Orient New Horizon, Dahua and Huasheng attracted international buyers by their high-quality textile and clothing brand image.

Mo Jing, an exhibitor representative from Jiangsu, told the media that their products aimed to match the North American market.

"We consider the characteristics of Canada's severe cold in winter to design and bring corresponding products," she said.

According to Zhang Tong, general manager of the North American business department of Zhejiang Textile Import and Export Group, the overall foreign trade market was weak during the pandemic, but as a supplier of specific-customer clothing fabrics, the company's client base remained generally stable.

"We hope to further expand overseas customers and enhance the overseas influence of Chinese brands through this exhibition," he said.

Canada's apparel import sector underwent a series of fluctuations in the first half of 2023, marked by a marginal overall decline of 0.52 percent, according to official data.

Despite a drop in Canada's apparel imports, several countries managed to maintain positive momentum in their exports to the country.

Among them, India, Vietnam and China emerged as the standout performers, defying the challenging landscape. The respective apparel exports of those countries amounted to $ 221.62 million (up 1.49 percent); $ 740.96 million (up 1.18 percent); and $ 1.50 billion (up 0.27 percent).