On 17-20 September 2018, Avantex Paris returns to Le Bourget exhibition centre for its seventh edition, bringing together innovative fabrics, materials, components, products and services for fashion. This will take the form of conductive inks, new printing and textile embroidery techniques, wearables, software, prototyping tools, new solutions for smart retail, and much more.
Avantex Paris brings together innovative fabrics, materials, components, products and services for fashion. Photo credit Messe Frankfurt
Organised by Messe Frankfurt France (MFF), Avantex Paris will once again gather start-ups, brands, designers, garment and textile manufacturers, retailers, engineers, agencies, studios, institutes and laboratories and universities to create the fashion of tomorrow and open new markets.
Playing a pivotal role in this development is Taiwan Textile Federation, which will be represented by seven of its member companies at September’s edition, including: Glowtex Co; Handseltex Industrial Corp; Tung Ho Textile Co; Wit-Fit Enterprise Co; Universal Textile Co; Texxar Co; and Ecolot Textile Co.
Considered a rising star in the global textile market, Taiwan has witnessed significant growth in recent years – the result of 60 years of development; transporting Taiwan’s textile industry from mass production to a more innovative and value-added integrated product chain. According to Textiles Intelligence, the industry has focused on the development of functional products characterised by their comfort, ergonomic features, high fashion content and safety features. Taiwanese textile producers have also developed smart textiles that embrace such features as embedded cameras and sensors to monitor a user’s vital signs. Sustainability is also at the forefront of Taiwan’s textile industry, with producers seeking to lower environmental footprints by producing recyclable textiles and reducing water and energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Examples of these efforts will be showcased at Avantex Paris, which Taiwan Textile Federation has been involved with since the very first edition in 2015, appointing experts for the trade show’s exhibitor selection committee.
Chris Chiang, senior manager at Singtex Industrial Company, presented the latest in sustainable textiles at Outdoor Retailer
Exhibitor highlights
Glowtex Co
Glowtex specialises in functional knits – including double knit fleece for jackets and stretch jerseys for yoga or running pants. It uses materials such as pure polyester or mixed fabric, wool-like fabric, stretch Spandex, textile bleaching arrangements, recycled polyester and cotton touch products.
Handseltex Industrial Corp
Handseltex develops environmentally-friendly products with its corporate responsibility. It believes effectiveness, innovation and sustainability will create more possibilities between the company and its partners.
Environmentally-friendly products from Handseltex
Tung Ho Textile Co
Tung Ho Textile is a functional staple fibre provider, established in Tainan, Taiwan, for over 60 years. A large supplier of chief value cotton (CVC) and Tetron cotton (TC), the company has changed from delicate to functional staple fibre over the past 10 years. Based on the endless research of its business philosophy, Tung Ho Textile successfully develops functional staple yarns with better pilling grades and fewer problems in the knitting, dyeing and setting process, from various types of innovative fibres.
Innovative sportswear from Tung Ho Textile
Wit-Fit Enterprise Co
Wit-Fit Enterprise provides high-quality fashion, environmentally-friendly and functional fabrics. Its sports portfolio offers 30d – 150d fabrics for all kinds of circular knitting products for men and women. Within the fitness segment, it offers 40d – 180d fabrics for all sportswear products, and its athleisure range comprises 50d – 181d outdoor performance clothing fabrics.
Universal Textile Co
The functional textiles portfolio of Universal Textile consists of men’s fashion woven classic fabrics – including modern and urban styles with a soft hand feel; women’s fashion woven fabrics – fashionable and sophisticated fabric patterns; elastic woven fabrics; and polyester, T/R blended fabrics.
Texxar Co
Texxar focuses on the research & development of outdoor functional textiles, sports and leisure fabrics, and novelty fashion. It specialises in innovative functional products, so that a simple fabric with the richest features can meet different levels of demand from customers.
Ecolot Textile Co
Ecolot Textile produces multiple types of knitting and woven fabrics, including high-end fabrics for functional activewear, outdoorwear and urban casualwear.
Outdoorwear from Ecolot Textile
Outdoor Retailer
Taiwan’s appearance at Avantex follows its exhibit at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Show in July in Colorado, Denver, US. Outdoor Retailer is the world’s leading B2B outdoor sports show where industry brands, retailers, reps, suppliers and leaders gather.
The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) hosted the Taiwan New Products Launch event, whereby Taiwan’s latest eco-textiles and designs were showcased.
At the event, topics included environmentally-friendly fabrics and trends such as evaporative cooling, reducing carbon footprints and sustainable natural fibres. Four presenters also spoke at the event: Evertex Fabrinology; SINGTEX; Tex-Ray Industrial; and Toung Loong textile MFG.
“It is exciting to have Taiwan’s leading textile brands present their latest sustainable textiles and performance fabrics,” says Dr David Wang, director of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles’ Economic Division. “As the global hub for functional fabric production, Taiwan accounts for 50% of the global output value of all functional fabrics, making Taiwan the world’s largest functional fabric production base.”
Evertex Fabrinology, a premium fabric supplier dedicated to producing highly technical knit fabrics for outdoor enthusiasts during extreme excursions, revealed its wool-synthetic knitted fabric blends at the show. The fabric blends are designed for temperature regulation through an evaporative cooling process to help the body maintain homeostasis, creating optimal comfort by utilising effective thermo-regulation capabilities, wicking and quick dry management from its polyester fibres.
Meanwhile, Singtex Industrial Company showcased its fabric line with stretch qualities like Elastene. The fabric line has better breathability, fast dryness, durability and environmental friendliness with mechanical stretch, thermoplastic engineered polymer and side-by-side bi-component fibres, all with a variety of options and price points. Singtex has invested in innovative research and development to become a sustainable supplier of eco-friendly textiles to international clothing brands.
Tex-Ray Industrial Co Ltd also made an appearance at Outdoor Retailer. The company showcased its functional and sustainable natural fibre blended fabric collection developed with the help of advanced, proprietary technology. Tex-Ray has developed innovative products to satisfy various climates, functions, and environmental protections, actively establishing continuous production from fabric to clothing, and adjusting the operational structure of the global layout.
The fourth Taiwanese company at the show was Toung Loong Textile Mfg Co. The company presented its SpringFil fabric which provides a comfortable, non-stick and airy stretch designed for easy movement. Toung Loong has contributed to the global textile industry by developing and producing functional synthetic yarn dye, ATY, DTY and high-end sewing thread. By collaborating with international premium raw material and machine manufacturers and adopting advanced technologies, the company produces various functional yarns that satisfy the demand of innovations of the global textile industry.
Taiwan's competitive advantage in functional, environmental and smart fabrics includes strong development and integration abilities for functional artificial fibres, and an ability to provide a wide variety of differentiated and customised fabrics in small quantities. It also includes low pollution and energy consumption in the production process, innovative technologies in its semiconductor and biomedical industries, electronic components, and cross-industry integration.
