No escaping sustainability

Interstoff Asia Essential, a leading textile-sourcing platform, is returning with an exciting range of fabrics, and bringing sustainability to the forefront.

Launching next Wednesday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Interstoff Asia Essential Autumn 2012 will feature exhibitors from Hong Kong, the mainland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Britain and Taiwan. The event has been hosted in Hong Kong for 25 years.

Buyers from around the world will find innovative textiles of the finest quality at the three-day event, ranging from fashionable and functional fabrics to eco-textiles. The trade fair carries accessories such as buttons and buckles, and braids, tapes, hot-fix and woven labels.

Sustainability is the central theme of this year's event. Organiser Messe Frankfurt (HK) is partnering with Global Organic Textile Standard (Gots), an international textile-processing standard for organic fibres, to present the Eco Zone, which will feature certifiers and certified suppliers of green fabrics, and will display organic cotton fabrics, organic garment trims and fashion accessories.

"Our show offers the perfect platform for promoting the trend towards sustainability in the textile industry," says Wendy Wen, Messe Frankfurt's trade fair director. "More buyers from the mainland are coming to our show, where they will meet overseas suppliers and learn about new developments, such as the latest eco-friendly products, types of eco-certification and demand in the international market."

Among the eco-suppliers is Austria-based Lenzing AG, a manufacturer of cellulose fibres that is known for offering products for use in the textile industry. Suzhou China Dragon Textile, which has become certified with the Global Recycling Standard by Control Union, produces rigid and elastic lace fabrics, lace trims, meshes, and printing foil. Its products are used in women's underwear, wedding dresses, leggings, scarves and home textiles.