Desirable clothing now involves more than just comfort and design. Technology has brought to us functional fabrics that suit our specific requirements in apparel. The Taiwan Textile Fair held at The Oberoi recently showcased a variety of such clothing materials for the benefit of garment manufacturers and brands.
Organised by the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) and Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF), in association with the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) and Textile Exporters Association (TEA), the annual fair came to Bangalore after a successful stint at New Delhi. The stalls at the venue showcased a variety of unique products including fabrics that are UV-resistant, anti-bacterial and quick absorbing. The eco-friendly REPET recycled polyester yarn (made of recycled PET bottles) was one of the major attractions at the fair.
“The fairs were a big hit last year, seeing over 800 buyers at New Delhi and Bangalore respectively. The response has been good this time around too,” said Zahir Merchant, a representative from Wordex India Exhibition and Promotion Pvt Ltd, the organisers of the fair in South Asia.
“India is strong in garment manufacture, while Taiwan produces innovative fabrics. By establishing a partnership with Indian brands, we hope to create a strong market for quality apparel,” said Melissa Wang, deputy director, Marketing Development Department, Taiwan Textile Federation.
Speaking about the market in India, Merchant said: “The buying power of the middle class Indian has gone up in the past couple of decades. People today are willing to spend a little extra for good quality clothes. This is a welcome change for manufacturers and brands”
The functional fabric manufacturers at the fair hoped to rope in the major sports brands in the city. “We have clothing material that is thermal, cooling, stretch-resistant and sweat-resistant, suitable for sportspersons,” said W Y Tseng Cooper, assistant vice-president, San Yueh Textile Co Ltd.