The Taipei International Textile & Apparel Show (TITAS), organized by the Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF) and held on Sept. 21-23 this year at the Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC), featured some of the world's most innovative textiles.



This year's event—TITAS is held annually—was divided into two major theme areas, a Function Plaza and a Fashion Plaza. This differentiation helped to highlight the textiles on display in terms of use, added-value properties, price considerations, and special downstream applications.

The main exhibit categories were apparel textiles, technical and engineering textiles, home and furniture textiles, garments, garment accessories and trimmings, fashion accessories, and fashion-related products and services.

The organizer also showcased its Taiwan Functional Textiles (TFT) certification service at the exhibit, the first time that this has been done at an international textile show. The TTF registered the TFT certification with the Intellectual Property Office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in November 2001.

Statistics released by the TTF show that Taiwan exported US$11.8 billion worth of textiles last year, making it the world's sixth-largest exporter. In the first half of this year the island's textile exports amounted to US$6.31 billion, up 8.6% over the same period of 2003.

Ability to Innovate

Exhibitors at this year's TITAS included 280 domestic firms occupying 550 booths, many of which showcased innovative products with stylish design as well as advanced technological design. Some of the exhibitors showed off their ability to develop innovative upstream, midstream, and/or downstream products.

Items on exhibit in the Function Plaza ranged from apparel products to items for household use, industrial materials, and specially developed protective clothing. One dedicated section of the Plaza was an exhibit devoted to international operations, such as textile developments from mainland China.

The Fashion Plaza had four different sections: ready-to-wear clothing, fashion accessories, style, and fashion design. There was also a special "Designer Gallery" where local designers showcased their new autumn fashion designs.

Many observers expect a dramatic change in the global textile industry when a liberalization of regional production quotas is effected at the beginning of next year. That will give manufacturers greater freedom to produce textiles in and export them from different regions without reference to the current quota restrictions.

In response to this coming change, Taiwan's textile companies are seeking their niches in the global marketplace by pursuing higher-added-value products such as medical- and sanitary-use products, products that offer greater environmental protection, and products for specialized uses such as biomedical research and advanced textile engineering. Many such items were on display in the Function Plaza.

New Look, New Feel

Among the special features of this year's exhibition was the creation of an open, attractive exhibition space that allowed visitors to walk freely through the exhibit area.

The TFT has gone to great lengths over the past few years to promote greater interaction between textile manufacturers and fashion companies. As a result of this effort, this year's show offered an excellent opportunity to introduce Taiwan's latest textile innovations, and to promote the next generation of service and technology.

"Coolplus" and "Greenplus" Defined



One of the most eyecatching high-tech fiber exhibits was that of Chung Shing Textile Co., one of the island's largest textile manufacturers, which now engages in chemical-fiber manufacturing, yarn spinning, weaving, dyeing and printing, and garment manufacturing.

Founded in 1949, the company has constantly invested in R&D and has introduced a string of innovations. The most recent of these is "Coolplus" materials, basically a new type of fiber featuring water diffusion and wicking properties. The fibers have excellent texture yield, with several micro-slits within a single fiber; as a result, fabric made from Coolplus fiber doesn't stick to the skin and gives a feeling of coolness to wearers.

Another recent Chung Shing innovation is "Greenplus" material, which has properties similar to those of traditional polyester and durability similar to that of better-known materials. It is environmentally friendly and is made by a process that does not use heavy metals or anything else that might do harm to the natural environment. Even during the high-temperature dyeing process, no heavy metals are leached out.

Even as it developed new textile products, the company expanded into overseas market—by building a Shanghai factory, for example, in 1991. This facility established Chung Shing's foothold in the Chinese market, and led to the penetration of other overseas areas such as Vietnam.

Iron-On Accessories

Pomp Accessories Co., founded in 1981, also highlighted innovative products at the recent show. The company has always concentrated on the development and production of all kinds of "iron-on" accessories, and has accumulated more than two decades of experience in providing a wide range of shapes and colors for customers to choose from. Its main line is iron-on studs, which have been adopted by prominent brands throughout the world because of their good quality.



The company has introduced numerous innovative products to the market over the past several years, among which is the Le Printemps series of iron-on studs, PS Mesh, and Idea Creator. A special advanced technology allows the surface of the iron-on studs to change hues when viewed from different angles of light. PS Mesh is made mainly of polyestrene, a material that meets environmental concerns and does not cause air pollution when burned.

This year Pomp Accessories introduced a bright and easy-to-use rhinestone trimming series which is backed with iron-on glue that adheres tightly to fabric. Buyers can chose the shape and color of the rhinestones they want to combine with metallic fabric of different colors.

Next year, in response to the constant change and development that is taking place in the textile industry, TITAS will feature upstream and midstream products such as new filament thread, yarn, and fabrics. From 2006 onwards, the show will be held twice a year, with a separate trade show designed especially for fashion brands.

TTF secretary general Hsu Wen-long says that the federation will continue to focus its effors on research and development, and on the quality of production by the island's upstream and midstream textile firms. This will help provide a platform from which global brands and retailers can purchase the latest textile products, and will establish TITAS as the top showplace for high-quality textile products in Asia. Strong R&D efforts will strengthen the domestic textile industry's position as the best sourcing partner in the international textile and garment markets, as well as the best partner for the development of markets in China, Asia, and around the world.

The theme of TITAS 2005, to be held from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, will be "Function and Fashion Textiles." Prominent garment brands from Europe, the U.S., and some Asian nations will be invited to send buyers to the show and to forge trading links with domestic manufacturers.