In 2018, Cotton Incorporated participated once
again with the China International Fabric Design Competition.
In addition to the traditional award categories,
the company established the "Best Cotton Fabric Technique Quality
Award" and "Best Cotton Fabric Technology Innovation Award”, and
collected high-quality cotton innovation products from China textile and
garment enterprises.
Cotton Incorporated believes the new categories further
inspire and promote the development of cotton technologies, and enhance market
competitiveness of innovative cotton products.
On July 27, the Competition’s Judging Meeting was
held in Da Lang, Longhua District, Shenzhen. The addition of a cotton-specific
category in the competition is intended to encourage new developments and
innovative cotton constructions within the Chinese textile industry, and to
keep the versatility of cotton top of mind among the region’s leading textile
businesses.
Fashion trend data and cotton textile technology
information figure prominently in the competition. The winning submissions were those that best
combine fashion and function, without sacrificing the soft feel and comfort
that cotton is known for.
Innovation is a key facet of the competition, but
the quality, affordability to produce, and marketability of the fabrics are
also considerations. Because of this, additional judging criteria includes:
meeting specific cotton percentages in the finished fabrics; the processing and
finishing technologies used; the color and pattern choices; and of course,
overall style and comfort.
To encourage participation across the region and
elevate awareness of cotton’s versatility in textiles, there are no
restrictions on the geographic origin of the raw cotton used to create the
fabrics.
China International Fabric Design Competition has
attracted more than 1,000 innovative textile enterprises both in China and
abroad since it started in 1999, and nearly 10,000 varieties participate in the
appraisal every year. The interest and participation over the past 20 years has
helped the competition become the most authoritative and influential
professional product development event in China's textile industry.
The competition closely follows industry trends,
constantly optimizing the rules and awards of the competition system, and
endeavoring to provide an authoritative and efficient evaluation platform for
the textile and apparel enterprises.
According to the organizer, there are nearly 500
textile manufacturing enterprises and traders from China and abroad,
representing such fiber and fiber-related categories as: cotton; wool; linen;
silk; polyester; knitting and filament weaving, that collectively represent
more than 4,000 pieces of fabric showcasing: yarn-dyeing; jacquard; dyeing;
printing; lace; embroidery; composite; functional fabric; and so on. Product categories include: men's wear;
women's wear; children's wear; casual wear; sportswear; jeans; shirts; and
underwear.
Among them, more than 150 enterprises applied for cotton
awards, and nearly 700 pieces of fabric were submitted. With the upgrading of
the textile industry and the progress of science and technology, the textile
industry has improved significantly in the use of innovative materials, fabric
performance, feel appearance, finishing process and more.
Cotton fabric submissions in 2018 have three main
features compared with those from last year, the first is blending. Blending
cotton fiber with other natural fibers such as linen, wool and silk, giving
full play to the advantages of each fiber, and realizing the complementary
advantages to the overall fabric design.
The second is innovation. Fabric submissions
include one or more energy-saving, ecological, or environmental treatment
technology at pretreatment, weaving, or finishing phases of the production. The
inclusion of sustainable textile processing technologies coincides with the
sustainability direction of Cotton Incorporated, and also demonstrates this
trend in product development.
The third is function. More and more fabrics have
waterproof, anti-bacterial and other performance benefits, which are in demand
by consumers, according to consumer research conducted by Cotton Incorporated.
The judges involved in the Judging Meeting include:
Li Binhong, director of National Textile Product Development Center, Vice
Chairman of the CPPCC in Longhua District of Shenzhen; Chen Bao Jian, the Chief
Engineer of National Textile Product Development Center; Liu Zhaoxiang,
Director of Industry Cooperation Department, China Textile Information Center,
Shen Zheng, Director of the Exhibition Division of the Textile Industry Branch
of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade; and Xu Weiling of
the Frankfurt Exhibition (Hong Kong) Limited.
Additional judging included professionals from
Xiamen Feng Fei Apparel, Cotton Incorporated, Fang Ying Design Studio,
Koradior, YISHION, Jiangnan University, Beijing white-collar, Anta, Lining,
Yonghui Fashion, 361 DU, WPY, BeautyBerry, Shanghai Top, Polar, EACHWAY, Qing
Hui, and the former President of International Commission for Color in Fashion
and Textiles also attended the Judging Meeting.
According to the organizer, the awards’ winners were announced in August
in Fabrics China’s official WeChat and trade publications. The award-winning
fabrics will display at China International Trade Fair for Apparel Fabrics and
Accessories this September.