Greetings - Significance of continued fair events underlined

Hiroshi Komoda, Senior Director, JFW

The two shows, <JFW JAPAN CREATION (JFW-JC) 2023> and <Premium Textile Japan (PTJ) 2023 AUTUMN/WINTER>, were held concurrently over two days at the Tokyo International Forum/Hall E and ended safely on November 2. Sincere thanks go to all attendees for their cooperation and support. This year saw a total of 54 entries with 261 companies/198.9 booths, (cf. JFW-JC2022: 52 entries with 293 companies/187.9 booths) for the comprehensive JFW-JC fair and 72 entries (companies) /103 booths (cf. PTJ2022AW: 66 companies/98.5 booths) for the business-oriented PTJ fair.

Despite concerns over holding the fairs as scheduled due to the ongoing issue of COVID-19, we decided to continue organising the shows to provide a business platform, subject to full compliance with infection preventive measures. We wanted to give visitors the chance to discuss in person and physically touch the fabrics on site. This decision was also in response to strong visitor feedback in favour of holding the shows. We believe we now have a mandate to continue holding such shows on an ongoing basis.

Although the process of analysing the visitor statistics remains pending, we have the strong impression that numerous young visitors were present on this occasion. The pandemic limited any freedom to go out for more than two years and eliminated scope to touch fabric samples directly on site in the process. Physical shows, in contrast, allow buyers to touch real fabrics and explore the booths in search of upcoming trends. Accordingly, the fairs are considered an efficient vehicle, not only for negotiations for the following season, but also as a means of acquiring diverse information.

We saw a gradual increase in the number of overseas buyers present as well as more overseas exhibitors attending on this occasion, due to the partial lifting of travel restrictions, although it did not recover to pre-COVID-19 levels. We believe the potential for business matching will increase as more overseas buyers attend next year, even if it will not constitute a V-shaped recovery.

This time around, we focused strongly on the Sustainability Corner by adding elaborate touches. These efforts were rewarded with visitor feedback, such as ‘It was extremely efficient and clear.’ The whole project was categorised into three groups, namely raw materials, production processes and corporate responsibility (corporate certifications) with seven detailed groups explaining each section and corresponding fabric samples showcased accordingly. Besides this newly enhanced display, we also held two seminar sessions for this JFW Sustainability Project, both of which were acclaimed by numerous attendees. We plan to continue this program going forward.

As for upcoming shows, <Premium Textile Japan 2024 Spring/Summer> will be held at the Tokyo International Forum/Hall E on May 24-25, 2023, followed by <PTJ2024AW> and <JFW-JC2024> on Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, 2023 at the same venue. Thank you for your ongoing support and we look forward to your visit.

Sustainability Project - won favourable visitor feedback

Akira Kawashima, Executive Director, JFW/Textile Division

We are pleased to announce that both shows ended safely thanks to your support and cooperation for COVID-19 infection prevention measures. Please accept our sincere appreciation. From this edition onward, we have applied a service for booth configuration to prioritise 17 exhibitors having participated in over 20 events. At the Trend & Index Corner, we edited and displayed newly developed and top-recommended fabrics from each exhibitor, based on the JFW Textile View 2023 A/W trends, while explanatory panels were newly displayed in the enhanced Sustainability Corner to provide in-depth insights for visitors. Each panel featured a QR code to allow visitors to read and save the explanation with the individual device, which turned out to be successful.

The seminar program featuring JFW Sustainability had almost full attendance and will be held on an ongoing basis for the autumn/winter edition next year. We will strive to enhance and improve our fair programs while reflecting changing demand and interests by visitors.

Quite honestly, the situation remains severe due to numerous factors, such as the soaring costs of raw materials, chemical agents and electricity, alongside the decline in the Japanese yen. Since this trend is set to continue, efforts to enhance textile exports are top of mind. Reflecting this, we will redouble our efforts to promote Japan fabrics to the world by participating in further scheduled overseas fairs: the <Japan Observatory at MILANO UNICA 2024 Spring/Summer> to be held from the end of January 2023 and the < Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics > to be held in March 2023.

At long last, the textile industry seems to have started advancing on a recovery path from the

COVID-19 crisis, as the following comment at the venue reflects: ‘Although the number of confirmed cases is slightly increasing, concerns over COVID-19 are easing as severe symptoms are on the decrease. Some of those people I met, I would have been unable to easily see elsewhere.’ It was under these circumstances that the two concurrent shows: < JFW-JC2023 > and < PTJ 2023AW > took place. On this occasion, we hosted three new exhibitors and five returning exhibitors at < JFW-JC2023 >, while welcoming four new exhibitors and eight returning exhibitors at < PTJ2023AW > in the figure, reflecting a new motivation and positive impetus on the part of exhibitors to cultivate new customers.

Despite ongoing cost hikes in the price of raw petroleum, other raw materials and chemical agents alongside distribution this past year, which were far from easy to handle, signs of recovery were also apparent at both the < JFW-JC2023 > and < PJ2023AW > shows, just like the previous year. Similarly, the figures for the < PTJ 2023SS > event held this May showed the decline in demand due to COVID-19 peaking out, heralding a recovery which was further consolidated this time around. This is exemplified by the following feedback from an apparel company: ‘I came to source new fabrics and am pleased that I could pick up some new ones.’ Enthusiastic negotiations ensued throughout the fair. Numerous visitors also underlined the advantage of a physical show, with comments like ‘I could touch and feel the fabrics directly.’

JFW Sustainability Project

JFW Sustainability Project ＞＞＞

JFW Textile Online Salon <JTO>

jfw-textile-online.com ＞＞＞

【Domestic fairs】

Premium Textile Japan 2024 Spring/Summer

Dates	：	May 24-25, 2023 (Wed.-Thu.)
Venue	：	Tokyo International Forum Hall E-1

Guide to participation in the "Textile Business Negotiation Salon" ＞＞＞

＊Entry deadline: No later than 9 Dec. 2022 (Fri.)

JFW JAPAN CREATION 2024

Dates	：	Oct.31- Nov.1, 2023 (Tue.-Wed.)
Venue	：	Tokyo International Forum Hall E

* To be concurrently held with: Premium Textile Japan 2024 Autumn/Winter

【Overseas fairs (Japan Pavilion)】

The Japan Observatory at MILANO UNICA 2024 Spring/Summer

Dates	：	Jan.31- Feb.2, 2023 (Tue.-Thu.)
Venue	：	Rho Fieramilano

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics
Japan Pavilion 2023 Spring Edition

Dates	：	Mar.8-10, 2023 (Wed.-Fri.)
Venue	：	National Exhibition and Convention Center SHANGHAI

JFW_TEXTILE_DIV