TORONTO — January 25, 2017 — The apparel and textile industry is alive and well — and thriving — in Canada. That’s the message of organizers of Canada’s largest apparel and textile sourcing show, Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada (ATSC), which successfully debuted in Toronto in August 2016 with more than 200 booths of merchandise and in excess of 1,800 attendees.
With Canadian imports of clothing, textile and footwear reaching an all-time high in 2016 of CAD$2.1 billion, ATSC has announced that it has secured a 50 percent increase in exhibit space at Toronto’s International Centre for this year’s show, which runs August 21-23, 2017. According to show organizers, the decision to expand was driven by positive exhibitor and visitor feedback, strong attendance and a renewed commitment from international manufacturers and industry partners such as the Canadian Apparel Federation, TESTEX, WRAP, Brands for Canada and Fashion Business Inc.
Produced by JP Communications, Inc., North America’s leading publisher of business to business trade platforms TopTenWholesale.com and Manufacturer.com, the apparel, textile and fashion event is the first of its kind in Canada. It is also the first Canadian trade show to be launched by an online b2b trade platform, which “fueled the massive and engaged databases of TopTenWholesale.com and Manufacturer.com to help deliver a hugely successful event,” said Jason Prescott, CEO of JP Communications.
ATSC was introduced to provide Canadian businesses with the convenience of connecting with international suppliers on their home turf, Prescott explained. “Now, Canadian companies have the luxury of staying local and avoiding expensive and unnecessary international travel,” he said. “The event connects Canada to the world of global trade, all in Toronto.”
A comprehensive trade show and conference, ATSC 2017 will bring to Canada hundreds of apparel and textile manufacturers from around the world, including China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and many more. Through an impressive platform of seminars and sessions, attendees can make global industry connections, and gain the insights needed to navigate the international sourcing process.
New for 2017 will be a leading edge trends showcase featuring the latest and greatest in apparel and textiles and a high-profile roster of international speakers. A fashion show and design contest will also be held, featuring items available to be sourced at the event as well as fashions from local designers and students from many of the Toronto-based fashion schools partnering with the event for the second-consecutive year.
“The Canadian market presents sizable investment opportunities for producers worldwide,” Prescott said, citing reports that show the country’s annual population growth holding steady at about one percent or more than 339,000 people and Ontario’s population alone projected to grow by 30.1 percent, or almost 4.2 million for a total of more than 17.9 million, over the next 26 years.
ATSC is supported by many international governmental associations headed by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel (CCCT) and the Bangladesh High Commission, led by Dewan Mahmud, First Secretary (Commercial) at Bangladesh High Commission.
According to Jiang Hui, Chairman of CCCT, the success of the premier edition of ATSC has given his organization “strong confidence” to bring an increased number of high-quality Chinese producers to the show in 2017. “The growth of the Canadian market and its unique business opportunities are attractive to Chinese manufacturers,” he said.
Exhibitor Trish Concannon, Executive Director of Fashion Business Inc., said, “ATSC in Toronto had impressive traffic, the seminars were all informative and well attended, and connections with great people were made. We look forward to returning again in 2017.”
For attendees such as Pamela Bokser, Sourcing Director for Giant Tiger Limited, with more than 200 stores in Canada, ATSC was a great example of Canadians supporting Canadian-based shows. “With an event like this, now I’m finally given the option to stay in Canada over traveling to other sourcing events abroad – I loved this show,” she said.
Posted January 25, 2017
Source: Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada
