AAFA Teams With Material World
Textile and sourcing show Material World has landed the support of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), which announced the two entities have formed an alliance.
The alliance gives Material World access to AAFA’s industry members. The Washington, D.C.-based organization will promote the trade show, set to take place Oct. 7–9 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Fla.
This marks the third run for Material World, which features textile mills, converters, trim and related product suppliers, such as software and CAD systems providers, and trade delegations from Latin America. Show organizers have chosen its Florida location as a strategic point for apparel companies looking to take advantage of the trade benefits of producing in the Caribbean and South American countries.
Material World has had a rocky start. The modest debut was followed by the announcement—and then the cancellation—of a New York edition of the show. And last year, the show’s promising start on Sept. 10 was cut short by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Still, the AAFA alliance adds to Material World’s impressive roster of supporters. The show has worked closely with the American Textile Manufacturers Institute to set up the seminar series at the show. The seminars cover topics including package production and trade policies and practices for U.S. businesses producing in the Caribbean and Central American regions. The show has also drawn support from the Textile Distributors Association, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Textile and Apparel and the American Apparel Producers Network.
More information about Material World is available on the show’s Web site [www.material-world.com]. —Alison A. Nieder
