London Textile Fair says UK-EU trade seems unaffected by Brexit

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jan 18, 2017

The London Textile Fair ended on 12 January another edition at the Business Design Centre in Islington, attracting 5,300 visitors and buyers from leading brands.

Showcasing more than 430 European textile mills, print studios and vintage garments exhibitors, the trade show was mostly attended by UK visitors but also attracted various international buyers from Italy, Belgium, Denmark, France, Portugal and Spain.

Show organisers said Brexit “doesn’t seem to have affected in any way the commercial relationships between the UK and the rest of Europe”, and that exhibitor and visitor numbers remain “in line” with forecasts.

The January edition welcomed leading exhibitors from the UK and internationally, with Italy having the largest share followed by Turkey and the UK. Italy had an important presence within the Textiles and Accessories sector, while the UK led the Print Studios and Vintage Garments Hall.

This season saw 20 new exhibitors join the Textile Hall, which was expanded to accommodate them in a new room on the balcony level. This meant an increased selection of womenswear, menswear and childrenswear fabrics and accessories, as well as a good number of technical textiles manufacturers.

The Accessories Hall has grown significantly over the last 4 editions, showcasing a diverse range of products from the best European manufacturers. Collections included buttons, labels, zips, tape, linings, trimmings and a lot more from Italy, Spain, UK, Portugal, Turkey and Denmark.

The next edition of the London Textile Fair is planned to run from 19-20 July 2017.