The 59th edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, which took place from 31 August to 2 September at the Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, comes to an end in a still tense market environment. Compared with previous editions, attendance at the show was impacted by an early calendar but also by an uncertain political and economic environment.

An offer that adapts to the context

Nevertheless, these three days confirmed the platform’s ability to generate business contacts and highlight new sourcing opportunities. With 1,054 exhibitors, including 146 first-time exhibitors, the offering continues to transform, reflecting a market that now favors the quality of partners, flexibility and choice in sourcing. The major production hubs - China, India, Türkiye, South Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Pakistan - still strongly represented, now stand alongside a growing number of emerging or nearby countries. Up to 35 countries were represented this year, notably Bulgaria, Armenia, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Myanmar and Ghana.

Looking for new directions

For some buyers, diversification is now as much a question of competitiveness as of securing flows. Longer transport times and disruptions to maritime routes are indeed increasing interest in these alternative production areas, particularly in West Africa.

The example of Andreas Eickelmann, from SVAN International Import-Export, illustrates these concerns. Used to sourcing his Denim collections (finished products) from Bangladesh, Vietnam and Pakistan, he has been exploring alternatives in Africa for several years in order to lower his transport costs. Ghana could be one of the options likely to interest him as part of a strategy to diversify flows.

Matching market demand

On the exhibitor side, French company Chargeurs PCC, present for the first time at Texworld, thus came to demonstrate the group’s ability to match the demand of international markets. “Our presence at Texworld was first aimed at visibility and promoting French expertise, explains Nadège Lemoine, Director of Innovation and Marketing at Chargeurs PCC. We also wanted to show our ability to support our customers internationally, thanks to our locations in Europe of course, but also in Asia and South America.”

In this particular context, the visit to the show by Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Textiles, followed the same logic. The customs advantage planned under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA, currently being ratified between India and the European Union) should stimulate demand towards EU countries: “we will have to better take into account the expectations of the European market in terms of design and develop more products specifically intended for it,” the Secretary pointed out during her visit. As a reminder, the Top 5 visitor countries this year - France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany – remains concentrated on the major markets of the Union.

Texworld and Apparel Sourcing: a new balance in the offering

Reflecting the market, the platform offered for the first time a perfect balance between Texworld’s offering of materials and fabrics and Apparel Sourcing’s offering of finished products. This development once again reflects the new practices of buyers: reduction or splitting of orders for raw materials and increased purchases of finished products. The latter make it possible to complete a collection, quickly introduce new references or develop private-label lines without internalising the entire design and production process.

Still in order to satisfy buyers wishing to complete or broaden the scope of their collections, the new Outdoor sector, located at the junction between Texworld and Apparel Sourcing, brought together around fifty exhibitors around a cross-sector offering combining technical fabrics and sportswear manufacturing. “A way of adapting to the demand of brands and taking note of the growing permeability between the world of Outdoor, with its codes of technicality and performance and that of fashion,” points out Julien Schmoll, Director of Marketing and Communications at Messe Frankfurt France. A Jewellery & Leather area bringing together a selection of companies specialising in jewellery and leather accessories, completed this offering.

“In a market that is tightening, our response is not to offer more, but to offer better and differently. Diversifying countries, bringing sources closer, integrating and highlighting new product worlds: the evolution of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris accompanies the new strategies of buyers and helps them build more agile supply chains at the best cost,” concludes Frédéric Bougeard, President of Messe Frankfurt France.

Avantex: innovation at the heart of the exchanges

The Avantex sector came to enrich the forward-looking dimension of this edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris. Bringing together around thirty exhibitors, notably French and British, Avantex Paris presented an overview of concrete and directly operational solutions. Eco-responsible materials, notably the hemp faux fur of Vosges-based company Peltex; circular and anti-waste solutions with LeLabPlus, ZERØTEC, CircKit and Plateforme Seconde Matière; or innovations dedicated to the optimisation of the value chain and traceability with Makea, Seamless Source and C.L.A. Fashion Integration Technology: these solutions were complemented by a selection of new materials and experimental processes developed by designers.

The conference programme extended this approach with keynotes, round tables and workshops exploring the major transformations of the fashion industry: new expectations at work, uses of AI and sustainable transition, development of regenerative models, performance and sustainability issues in sportswear and the future of textile expertise.

The Texpertise Focus AI x SPOTT, dedicated to applications of artificial intelligence in the textile value chain, thus made it possible to present concrete solutions ranging from textile inspection to process optimisation. The Threading Circularity forum, organised with the Circular Fashion Féderation and TCBL, for its part addressed repair ecosystems, extending product lifespans, micro-factories and the reinvention of European value chains.

Avantex Fashion Pitch: PigmentOCO and IROONY rewarded

Another highlight of these three days: the Avantex Fashion Pitch which each year highlights a selection of solutions likely to transform the fashion industry. The jury awarded the 2026 prize to PigmentOCO for its innovative supercritical CO₂ dyeing technology developed for natural fibres, notably cotton, aimed at minimising the consumption of water and chemicals. IROONY, which presented an industrial platform capable of transforming agricultural biomass into cellulose pulp, received the “Coup de coeur” prize. The winner will benefit from a stand at Avantex during the next edition in September 2027, financial support of 2,000 euros offered by Texpertise and Messe Frankfurt France, support within the Foundry incubator offered by IFA Paris, a presentation during the next Circular Textile Days, promotion in Luxiders Magazine, one year’s subscription to the VLGE platform and a targeted communication campaign with the Texpertise network (500,000 industry professionals).

2027: Texworld celebrates its 30th anniversary!

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris is already preparing a new chapter in its history: 2027 will indeed mark the 30th anniversary of Texworld, with two events at the Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre which can already be entered in the calendars. The next edition will take place from 25 to 27 January 2027 (Spring-Summer 2028 collections). The autumn session will take place from 6 to 8 September 2027, at a date more favourable to buyers’ calendars (Autumn-Winter 2028-2029 collections). During these two events, numerous specific initiatives and activities will mark the celebration of this anniversary.

This cycle will provide an opportunity to continue the move towards greater targeting and choice while offering concrete solutions to support a market undergoing major transformation.