The 23rd edition of SPINEXPO^TM ended its three day run from March 11th-13th, 2014 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Centre on a good note. This edition welcomed 10,858 visitors, a stable number compared with the previous Spring/Summer session (10,560), and hosted 192 exhibitors, a 10% increase compared with Spring/Summer 2013, mostly reflected by the growing number of knitwear manufacturers exhibiting at the show.

Visitors from mainland China reached a total of 9,243, representing 73% of the global visitors, with a constant increase in the quality of visitors coming with precise goals and prepared visits to the exhibiting companies. Attendance from Japan remains stable,as well as Korea and Hong Kong. Europe showed an increase (302 visitors versus 256 the previous session) reflecting the efforts of the organization’s new team and direct promotion to European brands. South and Central America also showed an increase in visitors, as well as Australia which is becoming an interesting market for high-end products.

Since our launch in 2002, SPINEXPO^TM has based its strategy on targeting high quality,the uniqueness of products, strong service and the close relationship between suppliers and buyers. After ten years the result is the widening divide between better textile exhibitors and mass-market spinners and knitters. Visitors do not come to SPINEXPO^TM looking for bargains, but rather to meet with top level suppliers under one sole business platform with whom they have built partnerships for a win/win situation.

SPINEXPO^TM “Knitwear Pavilion” is targeting the same result, with knitwear manufacturers who are selected for their diversity, the level of their collections and the service they can bring to their clients.This part of the show is slowly growing with 22 exhibitors this session who are also partners of the exhibition and participate in the manufacture of garments on display in the trend area. They have close relationships with the most representative spinners at the show with whom they develop collaborations in order to offer the visiting companies service and reliability as well as fashion and development assistance. SPINEXPO^TM will highlight this part of the exhibition even more starting next session, with a more specific area to host the Pavilion.

The Hand Knitting spinners were also made more visible with a new stand concept more adapted to their products and a fascia identifying their specialty. We continue to have more and more hand knitting spinners exhibiting with each edition and will be dedicating a special display at the SPINEXPO^TM Autumn/Winter session early September 2014.

The mood of the show was extremely upbeat and dynamic. Most of the large Groups exhibiting reported business up 10 to 15% compared with last year. China shows a slight decrease, finding its normal position as a leading country supplying the textile field. The fact that SPINEXPO? focuses on higher quality exhibiting companies fits the way the markets are structuring themselves. Europe and US brands are still concerned with price, but they are looking for creativity, service and reliability and are ready to pay more to make sure they will have stable quality, good deliveries and follow-up sales service.On the exhibitors’ side, profits are taking over on volume; a number of companies target clients who want better quality, personalized products, and additional services. They no longer hesitate to turn down orders if profit cannot be made. We are witnessing a more mature way of working with closer partnerships between suppliers and buyers. Today reliability is the key word for the visiting companies placing orders.

The trend area, created under the guidance of Sophie Steller Studio, displayed products and innovative ideas under the concept of “Breaking The Boundaries”. Sophie Steller worked with the understanding that what has fundamentally changed in the past few years is that design and trends are no longer focused only about creating something visually appealing: it is essential that the trends reflect a much deeper understanding of what exhibitors and visitors are experiencing in their product development process.SPINEXPO^TM trend area is also meant to bring new ideas, show emerging and growing trends based on market and fashion information.

For this purpose, the main trend area, still dedicated to showcasing the exhibitors’products in a trendy way, also hosted the new software developments from machine manufacturers Santoni and Shima Seiki, as well as R & D work from the Intelligent Textile Department of Nottingham Trent University, showing fashion at the cutting edge of technology.

Other trend areas focused on specific sectors which SPINEXPO^TM believes are becoming increasingly important in the world of textiles. ‘The Flow’: jersey @ SPINEXPO, a brand new concept, is a reaction to the ever-emerging importance of circular knitted fabrics.This exhibit acknowledged the intimate connection between spinning and knitting, and discovers variations in jersey and circular knitted fabrics. The display showed styling by Alexandre Miel, and was completed by the work of Cassandra Verity Green, a graduate of Central Saint Martins, UK, who worked at Santoni to create unique pieces. The display also showed the work of the Gold finalist of the Huafu Cup.

What’s in @ SPINEXPO presented the work of 43 second year students from Nottingham Trent University who worked collaboratively combining their disciplines in knit, weave,print and embroidery, to add up to the area dedicated to highlighting the spinners’ own creativity. Classified by fibres, each display sampled yarns from the spinners used by the students to express their creativity.

Another trend display area was dedicated to “Breaking the Boundaries of Cashmere”,exploring a variety of innovative techniques in neon colours and extrafine yarns suited for summer, going from a fresh look at resort wear with a play on swimwear-developed by Sophie Steller; hand painted garments and scarves from Shenzhen Meilian Clothing and Hong Kong Timing; Neon Legends by Steven Oo drawing inspiration from ancient Burmese folklore; Neon Boy by Alexandre Miel inspired by the revival zazou jazz movement and the singer Stromae from Europe; and Paula Cheng with drape driven silhouettes in ultra fine yarns. This Boutique came to life thanks to a number of knitwear manufacturers: Sailetto China, Jaba Garmindo from Indonesia and Jiangsu Yangfan Fashion. It involved many spinners: Biella Yarn by Suedwolle, Xinao Textile, Zhejiang Springair Textile Group, Yarns & Colors. Xuerun (Beijing) Cashmere, Jiangsu Lugang Science & Technology, Ningxia Zhongying Cashmere, Zhejiang Zhongding Cashmere,Novetex Textile, UPW, Cariaggi and Ningbo Consinee.