Shanghai fair highlights textile innovation, sourcing opportunities and future-focused industry solutions
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2026 concluded on 27 August, bringing together more than 3,500 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions across 240,000 sqm at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The three-day event welcomed more than 100,000 visitors, providing a platform for sourcing, product discovery and industry exchange.
The fair showcased textile solutions across creativity, functionality, sustainability and digitalisation, reflecting the industry’s evolving sourcing requirements.
According to Messe Frankfurt, the exhibition was organised around four key themes: Fashion Forward, Performance Textiles, Sustainability and Textile Future.
Four themes shape sourcing and product development
The four pillars helped organise exhibitor showcases and supported buyer discussions across different areas of textile development.
Under Fashion Forward, exhibitors presented seasonal collections, material concepts and design-led solutions for upcoming product development.
Joshua Lane, Regional Director – Asia, Holland & Sherry, said the exhibition also provided an opportunity to gather direct market feedback. The company brought updated collection books to the fair and used customer feedback to inform future seasonal development.
The Performance Textiles pillar received additional attention through the upgraded Functional Lab. Its enhanced display area, The CUBE, featured fabric samples, product presentations and testing demonstrations, including technical displays from IDFL Laboratory and Institute and Sunshinetex International Holdings covering airshift and waterproof testing, down proof testing and down inspection applications.
Functional fabrics highlight performance applications
Suppliers across the exhibition presented functional fabrics addressing areas including thermal regulation, sustainability and comfort, moisture management, and protection.
Prutex Nylon, in partnership with INVISTA, showcased high-performance materials, functional yarns, sustainable solutions and fabric applications. Its offerings included PRUECO® OCEAN, which uses discarded fishing nets to produce nylon 6,6.
Molly Kremidas, Global Sales & Marketing Director of Prutex Nylon, said buyers showed interest in sustainable functional alternatives and combining performance properties such as cooling and moisture movement with recycled-material solutions.
Sustainability takes centre stage
The Sustainability pillar was led by the Econogy Hub, while sustainable materials and production technologies were also presented throughout the exhibition.
Exhibitors showcased bio-based and recycled materials, lower-impact production processes, traceability solutions and alternatives to virgin petroleum-based materials.
Rahul Bhajekar, Managing Director of Global Standards, said the organisation was preparing to launch the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS), which will extend its scope to responsibly produced fibres including lyocell, animal fibres, silk, wool and recycled synthetics.
The Econogy Hub and seminar area also provided a platform for companies and industry stakeholders to exchange information on responsible textile production.
Digitalisation and AI featured in Textile Future
The Textile Future theme was represented through the Innovation & Digital Solutions Zone, which featured AI-supported workflows, digital product development tools and production management technologies.
Coats Digital showcased AI-enabled capabilities for local factories in China. Himanshu Mehrotra, Managing Director of Coats Digital, said the exhibition provided an opportunity to present these capabilities to buyers and industry participants, with visitors requesting follow-up presentations.
The nearby Pet Boutique area also demonstrated lifestyle-oriented applications of textile innovation.
International participation expands sourcing opportunities
International exhibitors, country pavilions and regional zones contributed to the fair’s sourcing landscape. New exhibiting countries and regions included Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden and Thailand.
Gervais Nagnontcha Coulibaly, Head of Communication, Media and Digital, Investment Promotion Centre of Côte d’Ivoire (CEPICI), said the Côte d’Ivoire delegation attended to promote the country’s cotton and textile sector and seek investors to support development across the cotton value chain.
Trade buyers also highlighted the exhibition’s role in discovering suppliers, materials, technologies and market developments.
Alisa Teeprinyakul, Managing Director of Somprasongstudio 1989, Thailand, noted the breadth of the exhibition’s industrial chain, from raw materials to textile technologies.
Pik Ki Tsoi, Fabric Development Lead, Celio Sourcing Ltd, France, said the exhibition provided access to knit, sportswear and outerwear fabrics, while also offering suppliers with certifications required for the French market.
Sherri Kiernikowski, Director, Wanderluxe Sleepwear, Australia, said her objectives included finding new suppliers, discovering innovations and design ideas, and maintaining relationships with existing partners. She also identified new trimmings and print patterns for potential future products.
Fringe programme covers industry trends and technologies
The exhibition’s fringe programme addressed trends, sustainability, functional innovation, digital transformation and supply chain development.
The Trend Forum, curated by Kai Chow, Curator of Intertextile Directions Trend Forum and Creative Director of MUSEATIVE, focused on emotions and lifestyles for this edition, with a collaboration with Notes Shanghai.
Unifi Textiles (Suzhou) also participated in the concurrent seminar programme, sharing its corporate philosophy and technical expertise related to recycled polyester.
Luka Yuan, Deputy President – Sales & Marketing Dept, Unifi Textiles (Suzhou), said the fair’s fringe events provided a platform for supply-chain dialogue, knowledge exchange and connections between potential partners.
Next editions
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2026 was held from 25–27 August 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).
The fair is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT, and the China Textile Information Center.
The next related events include:
- Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies: 24–26 February 2027, Ho Chi Minh City
- Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition: 10–12 March 2027, Shanghai