APTEXPO 2024 to launch in Singapore

The Asia-Pacific region stands as the cornerstone of global textile and garment manufacturing.

To help businesses in the industry navigate a rapidly evolving landscape and seek new opportunities, the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT TEX) signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in Shenzhen last week to launch the inaugural Asia-Pacific Textile and Apparel Supply Chain Expo & Summit (APTEXPO 2024) in the city-state this November.

A buyer is talking with exhibitors at a booth during the Intertextile trade fair at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center on June 5.

Themed “Re-engineering towards a Resilient, Adaptive, and Sustainable Supply Chain,” the event is sponsored by the ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries (AFTEX) and the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), and co-organized by MP Singapore Pte Ltd. and CCPIT TEX. The Singapore Fashion Council (SFC) will support the event as the host in Singapore.

Over 3,000 buyers and 200 exhibitors from about 30 countries and regions are expected to attend the event, scheduled for Nov. 13-15 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center.

Visitors are seen at a professional textile and apparel trade fair at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center on June 5.

Showcasing the latest trends and technologies in the textile industry, the expo will also feature summits where business leaders share insights. The event will help industry insiders network with peers, streamline their supply chains, and find potential partners.

Visitors are seen at the booth of YKK, a leading manufacturer of zippers and fasteners. Photos courtesy of the organizer

CCPIT TEX President Xu Yingxin commended the cooperation with STB as a milestone at the signing ceremony June 5. “Singapore, a world finance and trade center and sea transportation hub, is the gateway for businesses to enter the Asia-Pacific region,” Xu said, adding that the inaugural expo will also help businesses from China and Southeast Asia access the global market.

CCPIT TEX President Xu Yingxin gives a speech before the signing of an agreement between CCPIT TEX and Singapore Tourism Board on June 5.

Poh Chi Chuan, head of the exhibition and convention division of STB, said that the November expo holds significance for Singapore as well.

“Together, we will drive regional integration of supply chains in the textile and apparel industry,” he said. “Hopefully, this will be the first in a series of future cooperative projects between China and Singapore in the exhibition and convention sector.”

The agreement was signed at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, where the Greater Bay Area International Textile and Apparel Expo was held between June 5 and 7.

Poh Chi Chuan (L), head of the exhibition and convention division of the Singapore Tourism Board, signs a memorandum of cooperation with Liang Pengcheng, deputy chair of CCPIT TEX, in Shenzhen on June 5.

The expo consisted of three professional textile trade shows: Intertextile that featured fabrics and accessories, Yarnexpo focusing on fibers and yarns, as well as a knitting fabric fair. Altogether the three shows present a stage for over 1,000 textile companies on an exhibition area of 60,000 square meters.

Several forums were also held on the sidelines of the event, discussing subjects such as cross-border e-commerce, the interpretation of RCEP rules, supply chain management, and environmentally friendly practices within the industry.