Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles,China International Trade Fair for Home Textiles and Accessories 2006 will open from 28 – 30 August 2006 at Shanghai New International Expo. Centre
 
Favourable market conditions and a strong economy push up demand for home textiles in China 

Special emphasis put on design at this year's show

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, Asia’s biggest and most important event for the home textile sector, will take place from

28 – 30 August 2006 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The show brings hundreds of suppliers of home textiles from around the world into contact with specialist trade buyers from across China.

Growing home textiles consumption and production in China

With its booming economy, China is fast becoming a consumer nation. In the first ten months of 2005, retail sales increased by 13 percent from the same period in 2004. Consumption of home textiles followed a similar curve with an increase of 20 percent in 2005 year-on-year. This surge is the direct result of continued growth of disposable incomes and the recent housing reforms that encourage home purchase and residential property construction. 

Demand has grown in the commercial sector as well. Preparations for the Olympic Games in 2008 and the World Expo in 2010 have reached their final phase and developers are now looking for interior fabrics and home furnishings for the new facilities.

Although China's production of home textiles has increased - up 23 percent in 2004 from the previous year – the nation is still not able to cover all its needs, which has led to a growth in home textile imports. Between January and August 2005, imports of home textiles reached a value of US$23 million, a 34 percent increase from the same period in 2004.

Special focus on design

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles offers the unique opportunity to enter or expand sales in China's booming home textile market. 

"The show is seen by professionals from around the world as an ideal platform not only to generate sales but also to create and build company reputation and brand identity in the minds of Chinese buyers," says Annie Ma, Group Manager, Trade Fairs for Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong. "This year special emphasis will be put on design with the design competition as well as the Designer's Studio both presenting the current and future trends in home textiles".

In 2005, the show welcomed a record number of visitors; 26,136 trade buyers from 94 countries and region, a 35 percent increase from 2004. Close to 4,000 buyers came from overseas (38 percent more than in 2004) with visitors from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the USA and Europe. The 22,198 Chinese visitors came from every province and region in the country, showing the fair ‘s importance on a national as well as international level.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is organised by Messe Frankfurt, The Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA).