Following a surge in technological innovation across the manufacturing space, the textile and fashion industry has been forced into taking action in order to benefit from a host of new trends and business models that could assist them financially.
At the 19th International Exhibition on Textile Industry (ShanghaiTex 2019) exhibitors and visitors alike are expected to show a keen interest in Industry 4.0 technology and will want to know how it can specifically benefit them.
The personalisation trend, which has somewhat been bubbling under the surface for decades, has been given a new lease of life courtesy of Industry 4.0 innovation. In order to live up to consumer expectation and increasing demand, the pressure is now on manufacturers to implement new investment strategies so they don’t lose out to competitors.
According to a report published by GlobalTextile.com, innovative technology, intelligent manufacturing, transboundary cooperation and green development are identified as four major trends that will shape the future of the textile industry.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most high-profile technologies associated with Industry 4.0. The technology has already attracted world-renowned brands like Burberry, Nike and Adidas. Analysts say AI will help businesses enhance productivity and reduce labour intensity, but there are also green benefits to consider. It is suggested that AI has the potential to combine technology with fashion, lifestyle and environmental protection if it is fully utilised.
ShanghaiTex, which can be followed across a range of social media platforms, will take place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from 25-28 November, where 1,200 exhibitors will showcase a range of textile machinery, cross-border technologies and applications to help enterprises expand their businesses by incorporating AI, organisers say.
In order to optimise the textile and fashion supply chain, four thematic zones will be featured at ShanghaiTex this year. These are: Textech Galaxy; Go Digital; Material and Cross-Border Innovation; and Go Green.
Highlights include a series of innovative technologies, covering Industry 4.0 and AI manufacturing, in Textech Galaxy and Go Digital. The fair is committed to helping designers and manufacturers to break away from traditional production methods, organisers say, with the aim of meeting future demand and tapping into new markets.
Co-located Events
Organisers also hope that visitors will find a number of the co-located events highly appealing. ‘Textiles: Different Stages of a Woman’s Life’, ‘The Digital Printing Arena’ and the second ‘Wearable Technology & Textile Design Competition (WTTDC)’ will take place during the fair to provide a platform for exchanging views on the latest market trends.
To fully unlock the potential of AI in manufacturing, ShanghaiTex 2019 will also join hand with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to organise the second Artificial Intelligence on Fashion and Textile Conference (AIFT 2019), organisers state. The event is the first academic conference of its kind to study the latest AI developments and applications in the textile and fashion industry. Organisers bill AIFT 2019 as an international cross-industry event not to be missed. The annual academic exchange platform gathers researchers, engineers and professionals who share their expertise.
Elsewhere, the nine thematic zones with business matching services to enrich the visitor experience, include: a Spinning, Man-made Fibre & Techtextile Machinery Zone; Weaving Machinery Zone; Knitting & Hosiery Machinery Zone; Printing, Dyeing & Finishing Machinery Zone; Digital Printing Machinery Zone; Spare Parts And Accessories For Textile Machinery Zone; Dyestuff & Textile Chemicals Zone; Sustainable, Eco-friendly Technology and Recyclable Materials; and the Textech Galaxy/Textech Start-up Planet.
A complimentary business matching service is also provided to facilitate direct contact between the buyers and suppliers, in order to improve the effectiveness of exhibiting and visiting. ShanghaiTex 2019 is now open for booth reservation and visitor registration. Organisers say successfully pre-registered visitors will be entitled to enjoy one free show catalogue and discounted air tickets and priority access into the fair and co-located events.