TRADE SHOW
New Sourcing Trade Show to Bow in L.A. in March
Apparel manufacturers and retailers looking to scout factories will have a new venue when the Factory Direct trade show bows March 2–4 at The New Mart in downtown Los Angeles.
Organized by trade show and apparel industry veteran David Dea, the show will feature domestic and international factories, factors, creative agencies, third-party logistics providers, and technology resources.
“There’s such a big community here in LA that needs resources,” Dea said. “People are always asking me, ‘Where do I start?’ I want to bring all these resources to help them grow their businesses.”
Currently an instructor at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Dea’s career includes serving as senior account executiveat Sourcing at MAGIC, director of sourcingat ENK and director of global footwear sourcingat WSA. His technology background includes stints at WinFashion and Nouvolution, plus he said he has reviewed more than 75 product lifecycle management (PLM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
The small boutique show will be tailored for up-and-coming apparel, accessories and footwear brands just starting out and mid-sized brands looking to expand their supply-chain network as well as large companies interested in developing new styles or divisions.
Dea anticipates about 30 exhibitors showing in the third-floor space at The New Mart. He has been speaking with factories across the world, including some in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, India and Bangladesh.
Dea said all exhibitors will be pre-screened to ascertain each factory’s qualifications and certifications, such as ISO9001, SA8000, BSCI, AQL 2.5 and the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), the independent global compliance agency based in Arlington, Va., with offices in Hong Kong and Bangladesh and representatives in India, Thailand and Vietnam.
Factory Direct will offer pre-show consultation to attendees, who can help Dea and his team determine what they need and who they should meet with at the show.
“They can upload tech packs before the show, so we know what to look for to feed the needs of attendees,” Dea said.
There will be technology resources specializing in PLM, ERP and website development for the apparel industry, including Dea’s own creative agency, PurCraft, which builds responsive websites and develops apps that integrate with existing e-commerce, ERP and PLM systems.
Dea is also planning to provide food and appetizers throughout the day at the show and host an opening-night meet-and-greet party.
“It’s really about giving the community the opportunity to find resources and grow their businesses without feeling intimidated,” he said.
For more information, visit www.ftydirect.net.
