Intertextile and Chic, China’s leading textile and apparel shows, will jointly hold their Shanghai edition at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre on March 11-13, hosting approximately 5,000 exhibitors in total.

Intertextile, dedicated to textile and apparel producers, will showcase some 3,000 manufacturers and solution providers, exhibiting over an area of 190,000 square metres. As usual, exhibitors will be split among a number of sections: the International Hall, hosting producers from outside China; the Accessories Vision section, dedicated to components like buttons, zips, etc.; Beyond Denim, for jeans and denim products; the Premium Wool Zone; the Economy Hub (formerly All About Sustainability); and the Digital Printing Zone, for printed patterns. Plus the new Digital Solutions Zone, dedicated to innovative solutions for the apparel industry.

Chic, the trade show dedicated to apparel and fashion brands, will host 1,250 exhibitors across an area of 117,200 square metres. After entering through the Chic Young Blood section, showcasing emerging designers and brands, visitors will be able to browse the Chic Women’s, Chic Men’s, Chic Kidz, Denim World, Outdoor & Sport, Digital Fashion, and Chic Accessories Bags & Shoes sections.

Two companion events will be staged in Shanghai alongside Intertextile and Chic. Yarn Expo will present some 560 fibre and yarn producers from Asia as well as Germany, the UK, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The PH Value trade show, dedicated to knitwear, will be staged in conjunction with Chic, in hall 3.

The forthcoming edition of Intertextile and Chic will take place at a delicate juncture, as a new trade war between China with the USA is looming. The USA has raised customs duties on imports from China to 20%, and Beijing intends to retaliate by increasing import duties for US products entering the country. It’s a trade conflict that comes at a time when Chinese manufacturers are still facing the consequences of the local property market crisis, which has prompted Chinese consumers to greatly reduce their spending and prioritise savings.