With Canada’s apparel market forecast to be worth almost 39 billion Canadian (29.66 billion U.S.) dollars by 2020 — a 20 percent increase from 2016 — representatives from more than 20 countries will convene in Toronto next month at the Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada (ATSC) 2019 show to present international trade opportunities to the booming Canadian apparel sector.

“In spite of global trade uncertainties, the Canadian apparel and textiles industry is thriving, with an increasing number of Canadian businesses looking for alternative sources of supply to keep up the pace of growth,” said Jason Prescott, CEO of JP Communications, show producer and publisher of North America’s leading of B2B sourcing platform for finding wholesale companies and manufacturers, TopTenWholesale.com & Manufacturer.com.

To this end, ATSC has announced that it will introduce a number of new country pavilions at this year’s event to meet the needs of its expected 5,000 attendees. New offerings include Ghana, Peru and Turkey Pavilions, as well as a first-of-its-kind TESTEX Certified Factory Pavilion.

ATSC — which returns for the fourth year on August 19-21 in Toronto and August 23 in Montreal — is the industry’s go-to event, experiencing year-over-year growth and featuring hundreds of factories from around the globe, world-class conference sessions and unmatched networking opportunities under one roof.

“The show has become one of North America’s most significant sourcing trade fairs, delivering extensive international offerings and key education to meet the evolving needs of the industry,” Prescott said. “Nowhere else in Canada will you find to this scale of global ambassadors, trade commissioners, export councils and private sector executives coming together with thousands of apparel and textile industry representatives, from C-Level executives to SMEs and start-ups.”

Africa the next frontier for sourcing ready-made garments

With apparel and textile buyers of all sizes increasingly seeking flexible manufacturing options, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority will feature some of its region’s top, adaptable textile and ready-made garment producers in the new Ghana Pavilion.

“The desire for more flexible sourcing options has been among the top requests of our attendee base since the show launched in 2016, and we are pleased to deliver a new supply chain solution at this year’s event that addresses this need,” said Chase Vance, ATSC Director. “Whether buyers are looking for a dozen units or thousands to tens-of-thousands of units at a time, Ghanaian suppliers are willing to accommodate North American buyers, both large and small.”

An overview of the resources and benefits provided to Canadian businesses partnering with Ghana-based suppliers and factories will be presented on the opening day of the show as part of a panel discussion featuring Ghanaian government and private officials.

Peru brings lifestyle fashion, fibre content suited for Canadian climate

In another show first, the Peru Pavilion will offer attendees an opportunity to experience unique Peruvian textiles and apparel first-hand. Recognized as a top producer and exporter of some of the world’s best cotton, alpaca and many other fall/winter fashion products ideal for cold climate, Peru will bring to Toronto leading manufacturers of some of the world’s best knit sweaters for both fashion and function.

“Peruvian producers have the ability to adapt to the requirements of customers worldwide because we have modern standards of quality and high technology, giving priority to sustainability and responsible use of resources according to international standards like WRAP, GOT and others,” said Patricia Beltran, ATS Organizer for Peruvian exhibitors. “Our producers meet and exceed the needs and trends of the international market in terms of price, service, quality, flexibility and on-time delivery.”

In addition to visiting the Peru Pavilion, ATSC attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the benefits of sourcing from Peru in a Latin American panel discussion held during the trade show.

Turkey to unveil latest offerings from textile mills and full-package factories

Turkey has become an international hub for textile mills and full-package factories, and some of the country’s top producers will visit Canada for the first time, ready to do business with Canadians.

The delegation of Turkish exhibitors includes Abiteks and sister company Gaia-Sourcing.com, supplier to brands such as O’neill, Espirit, Laurel, Bogner Jeans, S.Oliver and many others. The Tureks Group, which specializes in knit, woven, leather, denim and seamless products, will also be on-site to unveil their latest capabilities to the buyers in attendance.

Show attendees will hear from the Turkish delegation during the opening ceremony, including Commercial Consul of Turkey in Toronto Mehmet Ekizoglu and Istanbul Textile and Apparel Export Union General Secretariat (ITKIB) officials Mehmet Ali Demiray, Selcuk Mehmet Kaya, and Timur Bozdemir.

TESTEX Certified Factory Pavilion sets industry standard for Canadian buyers

ATSC has announced that Swiss textile testing and certification organization TESTEX will be returning to the show with a 10-booth pavilion – its largest presence to date — as part of the first TESTEX Certified Factory Pavilion. An anchor partner to ATSC since 2016, TESTEX will expand to feature a variety of textile mills and apparel factories for both knit and woven products for men, women and children.

“Issues related to sustainability and compliance are at the forefront of sourcing and purchasing decisions for many enterprise-level buyers across North America,” Vance explained. “As a result, TESTEX has taken an industry lead, and through its pavilion, will present examples of manufacturers that have simplified the process to meet the most stringent compliant regulations in the global apparel and textile industry.”

Marc Sidler, TESTEX Chief Marketing Officer, will provide insight into these new standards — including requirements for the Canadian market — as well as trends in product testing, in an opening keynote speech on Day 2 of the show.

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