California Apparel News

Visitors welcomed the central heating at Manhattan’s Javits Center on one of the coldest days of the year while enjoying Exhibitor Pitches and Textile Talks on the first day of Messe Frankfurt’s Winter 2025 Texworld and Apparel Sourcing editions of Jan. 21–23.

Industry Insight Series

“We listened to our attendees’ needs, which jump-started our thought process, resulting in our debut of the Industry Insight Series, an all-day seminar incorporating behind-the-scenes information from some of the bigger voices in the industry,” said Walker Erwin, marketing manager fashion + apparel, Texworld.

State of Fashion Report for 2025

The Industry Insight Series provided an intimate setting for networking and one-on-one conversations with presenters such as Nick Blunden, president and CEO of the Business of Fashion, who presented the State of Fashion Report for 2025 highlighting what he sees as the three biggest risks to the industry: consumer confidence and the appetite to spend, geopolitical instability and economic volatility.

“It’s a very challenging time for the global fashion industry, but there are opportunities. We can’t afford to be too pessimistic about growth, but those opportunities will be for companies that do things differently,” said Blunden, who added, “The industry needs more product innovation, to take excess inventory and sustainability more seriously and to rethink the way the industry works.” For instance, the industry needs to focus more on quality and “silver spenders”—the consumers over the age of 55 who look to India, Japan and Mexico for huge opportunities.

Getting consumers to pay for sustainability

A panel of industry insiders spoke about “How to Get Consumers to Pay for Sustainability.” “I think we’ve changed a little bit, but the sustainable customer, especially for Gen Z, is about 30 percent of the population, and they’re already shopping sustainably,” said Clay Lute, global merchant over men’s denim at Calvin Klein and member of Z Suite, a group of Gen Z advisers about young consumers. “I think it’s all about what is that other 70 percent doing and how do we get them into sustainable practices. I think the key is quality instead of pushing that these are sustainable ideas, push that these products can last you a lifetime. That’s what’s interesting to the consumer; that’s what’s going to get them to pick your product over the others.”

Mexico offers opportunity

In addition to the Korea pavilion and multitude of international exhibitors on hand was the Chamber of Textile (CITEX) with a contingency of six factories from Puebla and Tlaxcala, Mexico, exhibiting for the first time. “One of the main reasons why we are here is that we want the United States to see us, Mexico, as an option to Asia, a prime supplier in textiles from yarn to finished garment, made sustainably and with fair labor,” said Pilar Gonzalez, director general of CITEX. “We can compete and succeed in the market with pricing, quality, state-of-the-art machinery and a 30-day delivery on any product,” said Francisco E. Moyano Gomez, director commercial of Acafintex.

Exhibitor Pitch

Back by popular demand was the Exhibitor Pitch, in which attendees can get up close and personal with exhibitors. “We’re focused on helping brands build resiliency in their supply chains,” said Jay Howard, sales manager at Anhui Vansza Textile Technology, who presented 2025 knitwear trends. “We continue to deliver knitwear products all around the world to anyone who wants them regardless of political strife or things that are completely out of the control of the average person. There are a lot of changes going on right now, and the knitwear and textile industries have changed a lot. They are more segmented, and trading blocks, resiliency, networking and connections are very important.”

The Exhibitor Pitches continue tomorrow and are all complimentary. The second day at Messe Frankfurt’s Texworld and Apparel Sourcing also includes the Texworld Trend Showcase Talks, Next Gen Innovation Hub and the Made to Move Zone.