California Apparel News

Eco fabrics, product development and design software, along with a diverse group of offshore manufacturers, will greet buyers during the Sept. 25–27 run of Material World New York at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The New York edition of Material World, now in its third run, has been a work in progress. The show filled a void left when the International Fashion Fabric Exhibition, known as IFFE, departed New York in 2005. It also fills a fall time slot to complement the annual Material World show held each spring in Miami, catering largely to Latin America and Caribbean basin resources.

Organizers think the New York show is timely to answer demand for growing interest in organic and other emerging eco-fabrics such as bamboo and hemp. The show also has been a strong supplier of tech and activewear fabrics, which have been gradually crossing over to the main market.

“This show should be more relevant. Pre-registration is the highest it’s ever been,” said Tim von Gal, president of Atlanta-based Urban Expositions, which is co-producing the show with the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA).

The green movement has grown dramatically over the past couple of years as concerns about sustainability and the environment grow. Organic cotton, bamboo, soy and Ingeo (a branded corn-based fiber) fabrics will be on display at Material World and will be part of discussion during the educational element of the show, said von Gal.

“It’s not just the fabrics they’re interested in but the whole sustainability process—how the mills are run and operated. It’s a very diverse community.”

Von Gal pointed to additional areas of interest such as the cast of PLM (product lifestyle management) providers scheduled to exhibit. PLM software is being sought after by most medium to large apparel brands to streamline its pre-production processes. PLM serves as a central task-management database, which allows designers, production workers and suppliers to coordinate everything from fabric procurement to costing.

Among the PLM providers on hand at Material World will be New Generation Computing Inc., Yunique Solutions, Lawson, Computer Generated Solutions and RLM Apparel Software. Notably absent from this show will be Gerber Technology and Lectra, which chose to allocate their resources for other projects. Gerber is hosting its annual users conference this month in the Chicago area.

Lectra is gearing up for the CISMA show in China Sept. 26–29. Von Gal also pointed to emerging design software from vendors including Los Angeles–based Tukatech Inc., which offers CAD and 3-D motion software for virtual-fitting sessions. Optitex USA, Zweave and Corel/C-Design will also show design products, which further the development of CAD and new 3-D systems. Optitex is launching a new version of its 3-D design software on Bravo’s new TV program “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style.”

Another growing area of interest is the homefurnishings sector as manufacturers and trend forecasters recognize the crossover potential between apparel and home. Iconix Brand Group Inc. recently stepped into the home market with the acquisition of Pillowtex. The New York–based company primarily owns and licenses apparel brands such as Mossimo, Bongo, Candie’s and Joe Boxer. A new home-trend area will be on display at Material World, featuring 800 square feet of trend exhibits. The main trend pavilion this year is being coordinated by Style- Sight and Pantone, which will provide attendees with snapshots of key colors and patterns for upcoming seasons. A number of trend seminars are also planned by the group.

As part of its sourcing offerings, the show for the first time has set up a matchmaking service, providing buyers with information on exhibiting factories and trade groups as well as linking parties together at the show.

“There will be representatives from every needle capability you can think of. From knitters, wovens, full-package providers, domestic and from key offshore sources like Latin America, Asia and Africa,” noted von Gal.

“We have had extensive conversations with sourcing personnel and factory reps. Attendees want to come in as best prepared as possible. Conversely, so do the factories, so a melding of both sides should make this a great event.”

Von Gal sees further growth opportunities for the show.

“It moves with the industry nicely,” he said. “It started just as a fabric show and has evolved into a global supply-chain show. That’s where the sweet spot is right now.”