Models show off latest designs of accessories from exhibitors and rising designers at the Global Sources Fashion Parades at AsiaWorld-Expo. The Spring Global Sources Fashion show will run from this Friday to April 30. Photos provided to China Daily

Cutting edge developments in sportswear fabrics and technology wear, plus much more, on display at expo for fashion buyers

One of the best-established biannual fashion purchasing shows in town, Spring Global Sources Fashion, can't wait to give buyers a line-up of advanced technology and trendy fashion.

"Many fashion buyers, exporters and other industry participants have seen the show as a key industry event for their sourcing plan," said Livia Yip, president of Global Sources Fashion Group. "Global Sources Fashion show features OEM (original equipment manufacturers), ODM (original design manufacturers), OBM (original brand manufacturers) suppliers plus emerging designers and fashion technology practitioners. Covering a wide variety of in-demand fashion items, it allows international buyers to easily discover trendy items for the upcoming sourcing season."

The Spring Global Sources Fashion show will run from this Friday to April 30 at AsiaWorld-Expo, showcasing apparel, fashion jewelry, underwear, swimwear, bags, luggage carriers, scarves, footwear and eco-friendly fabrics from many markets including the Chinese mainland, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Top buyers such as Adidas, Avery Dennison, AYE AYE, Colette, eBay, Fossil, GAP, Marubeni, Mothercare, Potpourri, Ralph Lauren, S Oliver, Scarf Home, Sears, Target Australia, Tiffany, United Colors of Benetton Vivarte, and many more are expected to attend the show.

Variety of apparel products

Growing healthy-lifestyle awareness has strongly boosted sportswear wholesale turnover. Features such as quick-drying fabric, sweat repelling, UV-protection, as well as those which eliminate odor-causing germs and stretch in all directions would greatly draw consumers towards athleisure garments, Global Sources observed.

With an eye on leading industry trends, 450 booths will feature sports fashion and active lifestyle products at the show for trend-catching buyers, while about 320 booths will exhibit bags and luggage and more than 150 booths display footwear.

All these sectors contribute to the largest collections show in Hong Kong, a global hub for purchasing clothing in Asia. If you want to wrap up your customers' look with blanket scarves, cashmere scarves, silk scarves, oversized scarves and any other scarves, come and drop by the Asia's largest scarves pavilion during the exhibition.

A highlight of the show will definitely be the Fashion Parades. Models will show off the hottest designs from exhibitors and rising designers, as well as Analyst's Choice and Amazon best-selling products live on the catwalk.

Another emerging trend in the fashion industry will be the use of technology in apparel. Apart from fitness-tracking features present in most models, many intelligent clothing and wearables act as a coach, helping wearers improve their performance in a specific sport. These accessories pair up with a smartphone app to analyze data and give recommendations.

In the bags segment, smart luggage and anti-theft backpacks are strong categories. Most releases incorporate real-time GPS tracking and two-way anti-loss features, support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and can be smartphone-controlled via a paired app. Concealed zippers, power banks, fingerprint scanners and specialized compartments are popular inclusions. Smart luggage displays show weight automatically as well.

To track the latest fusion of fashion and innovation, the Fashion Tech Zone will fulfill your curiosity. Smart, eco-friendly and innovative designs will be exhibited at the zone. You can also find product demos where selected exhibitors present their newest products.

Trend Forums is a dedicated area showcasing color trends for Spring/Summer 2019 by Pantone. Plus, apparel and accessories trend forecasts for Fall/Winter 2018/19 curated by Fashion Snoops. For those interested to learn the latest industry trends, conference programs where industry experts cover fashion trends, new technology applications in the fashion industry along with sourcing tips can't be missed.

If you are looking for an undiscovered fashion designer, simply go to the Young Designers Corner.

This showcases concepts by talented designers from fashion schools, including Hong Kong Design Institute, Hong Kong Polytechnic University's Institute of Textiles & Clothing, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong, and SCAD. The Rising Designers Corner will be a dedicated area for fashion startups, and upcoming designers to introduce their creations.

There will also be some dedicated national and regional pavilions highlighting quality fashion products from countries and regions including Vietnam, Jiangsu province and Xiamen city of China. The New Sourcing Markets Pavilion will display unique products from emerging markets including Vietnam, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Laos and Cambodia.

New Trends

Besides the sport-clothing related trend, unprecedented use of new materials is also approaching. Graphene, the thinnest and strongest known material, has emerged as a popular choice for functional and smart apparel and accessories.

Apart from the mentioned properties, graphene is extremely light, flexible and transparent. It also conducts electricity and heat better than almost any other material.

Eco-friendly materials such as bamboo and recycled plastic are being adopted more widely as brands and companies show ecological consciousness and social responsibility.

Some major brands are employing circular strategies such as asking consumers to return old clothes so fibers in these garments can be recycled and used to make another ones. Manufacturers also find ways to minimize consumption of water and electricity, considering that the fashion industry is among the largest contributors to environmental degradation.

On the ethical side, brands are employing cruelty-free measures. Many are banning the use of certain kinds of animal skin. Some, including H&M and The North Face, are using exclusively responsibly sourced down.