International Textile Fair to open in Daegu

By Shim Jae-yun

A global fair for the textile industry will take place at EXCO in Daegu from today for a three-day run.

The International Textile Fair 2013 will attract some 20,000 participants including foreign businesses from 20 countries.

The event, also called Preview in Daegu (PID), the 12th of its kind, is being hosted by the Daegu Gyeongbuk Textile Industries.

It will be the largest ever in size with the participation of 337 companies with 638 booths, compared to 322 firms and 600 booths last year.

Of particular note, the number of foreign companies coming to the fair rose to 90, from 66 last year.

Boosted by the recovery in textile markets and economic stimulus measures in China, an increasing number of foreign firms from Japan, Taiwan, Australia, India and Thailand have been applying for participation.

The brisk participation from the foreign businesses has also been prompted by the Chinese government designation of PID as Asia’s influential overseas exhibition, helping induce companies in Beijing and Shanghai to attend.

An organizing committee official said the fair will provide participants with opportunities to engage in brisk trade deals on recently developed materials and resources.

The PID secretariat, in cooperation with the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency, has also invited major buyers from Los Angeles and New York to maximize the effect of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

More than 240 domestic companies including Hyosung, Kolon, Huvis, Youngone and Shinheung Co. will feature their products at the fair alongside major foreign participants Hermes, Chanel, DNKY and Guess. The official said sourcing managers of trendy brands and buying managers and designers of sports and outdoor brands were invited.

“The fair will display state-of-the-art, diversified and differentiated new sources and materials with high functionality, environment-friendliness and recyclability,” said the official.

Textile industry associations and trade promotion agencies of the participating countries plan to send delegations along with relevant companies’ representatives to the event.