The textile and apparel industry’s pioneering virtual trade show, Innovate Textile & Apparel, organized by World Textile Information Network (WTiN), went live on Oct 15-30. 

Based on technology and materials, the show had over 160 exhibitors from 26 countries, including industry associations such as  the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT), The Swiss Textile Machinery Association, The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), etc.

The virtual show featured manufacturers of textile technology as diverse as manmade fiber production through to garment assembly and finishing, alongside material producers for apparel, sportswear, personal protective equipment (PPE) through to smart fabrics.

Attendees were allowed to explore two virtual halls with separate but with interlinking themes: technology and materials. The Technology Hall showcased technological innovations, textile machinery and software, whereas the Materials Hall displayed innovations in fibers, yarns, fabrics and apparel.

The Italian Trade Agency and ACIMIT also attended the virtual show. The Italian presence was organized through a digital pavilion, where 21 Italian machinery manufacturers involved in the production of machines for technical textiles showcased their innovative solutions.

They exhibited a wide range of advanced technologies, products and services from printing and dyeing machines to woven and non-woven solutions systems, also Radio frequency dryers, twisting and covering machines and much more.

Virtual booths equipped with interactive functions   

At the virtual show, exhibitors' virtual booths contained contents from videos of machines operating to fabric technical specifications, and booth visitors could make appointments or use a chat option to communicate with exhibitors.

Mark Jarvis, Managing Director, WTiN, commented, “The cancellation of live exhibitions this year presents an opportunity to test the effectiveness of a virtual trade show. Visitors need to engage with the exhibitors, and exhibitors need to generate new sales opportunities. The efforts of our exhibitors to provide great content on their booth and to promote Innovate Textile & Apparel have been vital.”

As well as a conference and a multitude of seminars, the event also hosted daily roundtable discussions with key industry figures across wide ranging topics from biodegradable materials, PPE, and sustainable finishing to reshoring, localized manufacturing and the digitalization of the textile & apparel value chain.