Covers all textiles of new-concept functionality and eco-friendly textiles

‘Preview In Seoul 2011 (PIS),’ Korea’s premier textile exhibition, began at COEX, 1st floor, B hall on Wednesday, August 31.

The PIS, which has been organized by the Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI; Chairman, Ro, Hee-chan), since 2000 and is now in its 12th year, is to be held for three days until September 2.

This year’s event highlights all of the latest textiles applying global sensibilities and trends based on functional and eco-friendly textiles with participation of a total of 252 companies and 416 booths.

In particular, new concept textiles integrating functional, eco-friendly textiles and cultural codes will be introduced.

Above all, this year’s PIS enhanced its reputation as an international exhibition thanks to the participation of the representative domestic textile companies amongst the other firms representing the global textile market, along with the highly increased presence from abroad, including France, Austria, China, Japan, India and ASEAN countries.

KOFOTI Vice Chairman Kim Dong-soo commented, “This year’s PIS put every effort into promoting business opportunities for both the buyers and exhibitors and is expecting the greatest outcomes of all times based on our efforts.”

A Venue to contest new textiles…Global Trends at a glance

This year’s PIS is exhibiting new concept functional textiles beyond the limitations of sportswear and casual wear.

ST Onechang, YoungPoong Filltex, Kwanglim Textile Co., Duckwoo Corporation, Paka Textile, Shinhan and Kyung Young Tex are presenting fabrics of high sensibility fused with functionality and eco-friendly trends including water repellent and breathable fabrics besides lightweight thin fabrics, heating and cooling temperatures control fabrics and UV-block functional ones.

G.B. Textile and Shinwon Textile is also presenting a special item – fabrics targeting the growing outdoors camping market including fabrics for hunting, tents, and automobile seats.

In addition, a variety of innovative functional-eco textiles as essential item of advanced fashion business is being showcased.

Seojin Textile Co., Ltd is displaying blend fabrics with Organic Exchange Certification, G.H.I. is presenting lightweight memory fabrics made from corn extracts and Unique Design Corp will display items that have overcome the limitations of milk protein fiber. Amogreentech is featuring pure silver metallic yarn and KPM Tech will also exhibit “EVER-EX’, anti-bacterial functional textiles.

Meanwhile, diverse fashion items reflecting the latest trends are being highlighted.

Seojin textile Co., Ltd, Jain Textile, Shinheung, Young Textile, Y. M. K Textile and Changbae Trading is presenting the so-called “memory fabrics,” a luxury sportswear textile, used in down jumpers, windbreakers and golf wear as well as fashion items for the outer wear such as jackets, coats and trenchcoats.

Sunrise Company, Watech, K.M.F, Shin won Textile, Shinil Industry, Patex, Woochang Textile, Hyupsung T.R.D., Kyungwon will display a wide range of knit, print, embroidery and lace collections at this year’s PIS.

Special items will add to the diversity of the PIS exhibition: Mesh fabric collections by Ilsong Tex, Wig Korea’s chameleon-like textiles that change color according to the light, R&D Textile and EG Korea’s acetate fabric with silk touch.

Sima Corp. Seyang Textile and T.R.F. will present wool-blended textiles focusing on luxuriousness and differentiation and members of the Spinners and Weavers Association of Korea will unveil a new product jointly developed with Cotton Incorporated of USA.

Meanwhile, Lenzing AG, Austria in co-operation with korean textile manufacturers is exhibiting Tencel and Modal-items at PIS.

Traditional Korean textile producers showing their wares at PIS and exploring possibilities of globalization include bamboo textiles of J.K. Tex and KAYJUNE COMPANY, silk blend of DAE JIN, Hanji fabrics of SSANGYOUNG SPINNING and Jirisan Hanji, the natural indigo (which in Korean is called jjok) dyeing products by Senoco, natural printing and dyeing items of Ryul San Art.

Activating Business By Offering A Variety Of Special Events

The PIS will stimulate business by offering many interesting special events. It will provide support for business matching among exhibitors and buyers while raising the understanding of buyers regarding the exhibited items by operating a total of four rounds of trade shows that will present clothes using the exhibitors’ textiles.

Meanwhile, more expert seminars have been added this year. First off, on the 1st day of the exhibition, Aug. 31st, Paka Textile, Young Textile, Kolon Fashion Material Inc., Shin heung Textile Co., Ltd and ST Onechang, Korea’s five representative global textiles enterprises will release new textiles that have been developed targeting 2012. Plus, in the afternoon of the same day, the KOREA-EU Technical Textile Symposium will be held by providing the arena to find out about the state of the latest technical textiles and smart fabrics and to forecast the future textile market.

In addition, PIS will run a seminar to promote better understanding of the eco-friendly fabrics market. Seminars by both Lenzing AG of Austria to feature its major eco-friendly textile and Dupont of America are being held at PIS along with seminars of Recent trends on textile ecolabels and guidance for their utilization in industry and New global trends of Sustainable Textiles.

PFIN Co., Ltd., a trend strategy group in Korea will provide information on the 2012 SS Men’s Collection Trend at the symposium of fashion professionalist symposium group and the Stylesight will introduce key colors, prints, details, silhouette, etc, which will lead F/W of the next year via an in-depth analysis about the culture of the young generation.

Rapid Increase in New Buyers plus Existing Business Ties

With the expansion of the number of leading firms’ taking part and various programs, this year’s PIS has attracted participation of large fashion groups, general trading firms, and global garment makers from the Americas, Europe, China, India, etc.

BCBG MAX AZRIA Group, Inc., FOREVER 21, Star Fabrics Inc., LA-based large fashion groups of America that have been already doing business with many Korean companies, will visit and are expecting to increase the purchasing volume of Korean products since last year.

Moreover, representatives of world-famous brands – Dickies, LL Bean and large New York-based garment makers & textile importers; G-Ⅲ apparel group, Swift Galey, Standard Textile Co., Inc., and SK Textile – are visiting this exhibition to source uniform apparel, home textile fabrics as well as fashionable and functional fabrics.

In addition, Fairdeal Import & Export Ltd., Kendor Textiles, SYD applied as visitors to add partners to their business ties and to search for alternatives.

In particular, KendorTextile has paid great attention to eco & functional textiles that can replace functional textiles that have been imported from Taiwan. 

Japan’s major comprehensive trading company include Itochu, Yagi, Kiyohara, Kurabo are desiring to buy Korean raw textile and subsidiary materials, which have high competitiveness in price, quality and design, and have a great interest in print fabric.

Especially this year, participation of globally famous Spanish fashion brands is notable. Prominent brands, include designer collection, like Cortefield, famous in Korea with its ‘Cortefield,’ ‘Women’s Secret’ brand, ‘Adolfo Dominguez’, ‘Armand Basi’, and ‘Pedro del Hierro’ is visiting PIS to purchase high-quality creative fabric that is suitable for high-end apparel.

Furthermore, as with last year, Vega Textile of Bulgaria Sofia, Hemtex of Sweden and many other European firms are visiting the exhibition this year. Also, Trend Limited, a company launching one of the largest apparel brands in India, ‘Westside,’ and Ghim Li in Singapore, a maker and exporter of famous brands in America, Europe and others, and ‘Aeropostale,’ showed their interest in purchasing Korean textiles through PIS.

Moreover, companies like Rising Group and Paramount Trade, locate in Bangladesh, Dhaka, are showing interest in purchasing textile machines and thread, and big players from Hong Kong include Li & Fung, Maggy London LTD, Charming Shoppes INC and others are also planning to visit PIS.

It is expected that about 9,000 buyers from home and abroad are visiting this year’s PIS exhibition including globally renowned brands from the USA, Canada, the EU, Japan, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

(Picture: Hwang-Sik Kim, the Prime Minister, has visited and celebrated ‘PIS 2011.’)

Original post by Mia Eun