L
ooking ahead, 2007 promises to be an interesting year for US textiles. Although
technological developments seem to enter the market without any predictable cycle these days, ITMA
2007, to be held in Munich this September, will be a strong opportunity to catch the latest
innovations.
Textile World
editors are already taking a peek at what’s new and planning coverage for this “Super Bowl”
of textile technology.
If you are drawn to technical textiles, INDA’s IDEA show, set for April in Miami, will
provide a chance to warm up, see the ocean and learn about the latest nonwovens trends. Then it’s
off to Frankfurt in June for TechTextil — fans of the North American edition will appreciate the
size and scope of this show. Save time for Las Vegas in October, when the ever-popular IFAI Expo
will continue to attract new exhibitors and visitors. The 2006 colocation with ATME-I® in Atlanta
was a great chance for many members of the industry to see IFAI in action.
The apparel sector, though smaller in recent years, has some very strong innovations. Whether
it’s fiber, yarn, fabric, finishing, apparel manufacturing or the ever-elusive relationship with
retailers and brands — striving to collaborate in a lean, proactive supply chain — there will be
plenty of activities in 2007. It is a little late to mention the January Outdoor Retailer show,
which has grown in popularity. MAGIC is set for Las Vegas in February, and AAPN has announced two
networking meetings this year beyond its regular slate of activities. In mid-March, AAPN will host
a meeting in Santa Monica, Calif., to mix it up on the West Coast, and in early August, it will
support the Apparel Conference of the Americas in Antigua, Guatemala. AAPN has been working hard to
link everyone from fiber suppliers through retailers in a no-politics environment — it’s all
business.
VESTEX has organized the 16th edition of the Apparel Sourcing Show in Guatemala for
mid-April, and don’t forget Material World this May. This is the expanded edition — with the SPESA
Expo, Material World and Technology Solutions colocated in the triennial event format that brings
together the major components of the sewn products industry. One badge allows access to all three
events. Material World will also head for New York City in mid-September as it pursues the NYC
market. And Messe Frankfurt’s second edition of Texworld USA will move to the Javits Center for the
July show in NYC.
In other sectors, AFA’s FloorTek Expo is scheduled for October at the NorthWest Georgia Trade
& Convention Center in Dalton. It is always interesting to see the latest in flooring
manufacturing.
This just scratches the surface of the many textile industry events. As the US industry
continues to change, so do the events industry participants choose to support. Learning the market,
learning the technology and engaging the entire supply chain helps. As TW ‘s Economics Editor
Robert Reichard points out in this year’s economic outlook, the US industry has entered a
stabilizing trend. Having invested more than $36 billion over the past decade in plants and
equipment, some of the payoff has happened, and many believe there are significant signs of more to
come.
January/February, 2007
