Show Review

Over 11,000 buyers worldwide attend the April China Sourcing Fair

The China Sourcing Fair: Fashion Accessories (April 12-15, 2008) concluded successfully in Hong Kong this spring.

The fair is the largest specialized trade show of its kind in Asia, with all products 100% focused on fashion accessories. This April, the fair grouped hundreds of export-ready suppliers from China and Asia, giving buyers a direct sourcing channel for the newest fashion accessories in the industry.

The fair was co-located with the China Sourcing Fair: Underwear & Swimwear, another unique trade show also organized by Global Sources. The combined shows brought together over 950 booths of quality suppliers from these two sectors, attracting 11,124 buyers from all over the world in the four-day events.

International volume buyers, including H&M Hennes & Mauritz (Far East) Ltd, Li & Fung (Trading) Ltd, Quiksilver, Tesco International Sourcing, Anteprima Ltd, Coles Myer Asia Pty Ltd, Dollar General Corp, Fossil (East) Ltd, GAP International Sourcing Ltd, LeSportsac Inc, Liz Claiborne, Marks & Spencer plc, Polo Ralph Lauren and Umbro Hong Kong Ltd, visited the fairs to expand their vendor lists.

A highly-efficient sourcing platform
As a trade show dedicated solely to fashion accessories, the Fashion Accessories fair offered buyers thousands of product choices from head to toe. Major exhibits at the fair included Casual & fashion handbags, Evening bags, Fashion jewelry, Fashion belts, Hats & caps, Ties, scarves & shawls, Hair accessories, Fashion footwear, Umbrellas, Gloves & mittens, Sunglasses and Travel bags & luggage.

The positive business atmosphere prevailed throughout the show period, as buyers were satisfied with the fair's product variety giving them many new product ideas. Maja Bogucka, project manager of Tatuum from Poland was one of them.

"We have found a lot of things we really like here and we have found many suppliers producing fashion jewelry and bags. I really like the atmosphere [here] — you can talk to everybody and you don't feel the stress at all. We meet a lot of people here and we have friends here already. It's a really good place to visit," Bogucka said.

Another buyer Hemang Shah from Lit Source Manufacturing Co, Ltd agrees. "I'm here because it's a good platform to source new products. It's the powerhouse for global manufacturing for all kind of products. Thousands of products are available here so we can select good products here¡K It's good to meet so many people under one roof," said the Hong Kong buyer.

Buyers met quality suppliers
Suppliers at the fair came from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, the Philippines and Asia's other supply markets. Many of them have been producing for major international brands for years.

The April fair highlighted special country and region pavilions from India, and the Yiwu and Hunan provinces in China. Visiting buyers to the show were able to meet a group of professional suppliers from these areas manufacturing a wide variety of fashion accessories.

Meanwhile, in catching up with the growing demand for branded products, the fair grouped 13 suppliers who promoted their B2B or B2C brands under the Brand Zone. All these arrangements covered buyers' different sourcing needs.

The extensive exhibitors' profile attracted many buyers to the fairs. Among them was Diego Torre, operations manager of Cosa de Torre from Australia. "The new products coming out are actually pretty good. There are so many suppliers. You are not limited to a few," the buyer said.

Many buyers visited the fair with the main purpose of meeting new suppliers from mainland China. French buyer Felicie Akkitham, textile designer from Aubade visited the fair to source accessories, shoes and handbags. "China is important for us because it offers the best prices. It is our first time at the show but we will come back. The atmosphere is very good; it is well organized and easy to reach," she said.

Another buyer from Chile was also impressed with the fair. "I choose the China Sourcing Fair because I have a lot of options and a lot of suppliers... I think the organization is very good and everything is clear. There are a lot of people, but it's very comfortable to work here. I think this is the best thing at the fair," said Cristobal Vidaurre from CV Sport Ltda.

Buyers added value to their visit with special onsite programs
While the fair provided a channel for buyers to establish new contacts with China suppliers, it also offered several value-added onsite programs to help them source more conveniently.

To many buyers, the free Conference Program was one of their "must-attend" events at the fair. The "Buying from China" seminar, for example, reported a high attendance. Buyers were eager to learn useful information on the latest market updates in China, including finding suppliers, planning for logistics, quality control and payment to suppliers.

The unique "Ask the Experts" services expanded this April with more sessions to answer the huge demand from buyers. Buyers had a chance to meet industry experts for a free 10-minute personalized, professional advice of their import questions.

Meanwhile, the hugely-popular daily Fashion Parades continued to draw most buyers' attentions Every time it's on, buyers flocked to the stage to see some of the hottest, unique designs from selected exhibitors.

Convenient location
The fair was held at AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong's modern exhibition venue located next to the Hong Kong International Airport. Buyers found the location convenient, easy to access and with unparalleled support services.

Many pre-registered buyers redeemed free Airport Express train tickets provided by Global Sources for a 28-minute comfortable ride from downtown Hong Kong to the venue. Other buyers took the free shuttle buses, which were available from many convenient locations in Hong Kong and Kowloon, to the show.

Meanwhile, many buyers came straight to the fair from the airport as soon as they arrived in Hong Kong. They enjoyed free luggage transfer service to AsiaWorld-Expo and took the 1-minute Airport Express trains to the show venue.

The positive feedback has consolidated the show's status as an effective sourcing platform. "There has been a very good turnout across all fairs. International buyers such as Aubade, Bonds, Polo Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Quiksilver and Rigby & Piller attended our events, proving that our quality suppliers attract the best buyers. Lots of buyers also praised the friendly atmosphere, the organization and the ease of getting to AsiaWorld-Expo," general manager of Global Sources Exhibitions, Tommy Wong, said.

More great shows in 2008
In response to a growing demand for new products in a more frequent basis, the China Sourcing Fair: Fashion Accessories will be held four times in 2008. The April fair was just the first stop and there will be three more events for the rest of this year: June 9-11 in Dubai, October 30 - November 2 in Hong Kong and December 3-5 in Shanghai.

Don't miss these upcoming shows as Global Sources will continue to bring you professional and quality suppliers from China and Asia. These shows are now open for registration. Learn more about the shows and pre-register now for free admission and more buyer benefits at www.chinasourcingfair.com. See you soon!

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