PIS 2012 closed in great success 

Found new breakthrough and growth potential despite global economic downturn 

On September 7, 2012, Preview in Seoul 2012 (PIS 2012) closed in great success. The three-day textile exhibition was the largest in its scale with 261 participating companies and 9,928 visitors. Amid the persistent global economic downturn, the number of overseas visitors shrank. However, the total number of visitors rose 9.9% year-on-year with greater number of domestic attendants.  

The fact that, despite the sluggish business atmosphere, PIS 2012 attracted a greater number of participating companies and visitors illustrates stronger-than-ever expectations for the textile industry to pick up and the market to be animated once again. As such, the trade fair presented future development potential as most visitors remarked on a sharp rise in differentiated items. 

BCBG Max Azria Group Fabric R&D Assistant Manager Nancy Smith said that, although the exhibition was smaller than expected, she liked it as she found “novel” types of knit and jersey items that are not exhibited at other venues. 

Japan’s Yagi & Co. Purchase Manager Yasumasa Harada was also satisfied with much improved quality and performance of presented materials. He said he plans to have another consulting session with Ssangyoung Spinning, Hanyoung Textile Printing, etc. to negotiate prices.  

As such, quality and uniqueness of Korean products were highlighted at PIS 2012. In particular, visitors from the slow European and American markets expressed their plans to replace European and Japanese products with Korean materials, which in turn should expand their trade with Korean companies.  

Booths that displayed new special-performance products were crowded by Korean and overseas outdoor brands. Another notable company was Dong-il Corp., which presented moisture-wicking Transdry cotton fabric and Storm Cotton-applied water-repellent denim, had a daily average of 23 substantial consulting sessions. Samil Spinning attracted 30 inquiring guests daily with its high-performance polyester textiles (Porexil and Thermo Cool), fire-resistant items and existing cellulose textiles.  

Global outdoor brands in search of new colors and patterns showed favorable responses to Shinhan Ind.’s moister-wicking nylon fabric Noble and Gore Tex-alternative eVent fabric; Young Poong Filltex’s economic black textile Cold Noir and One Chang Trading’s elastic fabrics and new mélange items. 

High-performance items spiced up with fashionable designs and good prices drew attention in the markets for casual jackets and down products.  

Young Textile, which developed dyeable polypropylene fabric Ultima X, was visited by major Chinese firms and Korean apparel companies (e.g., LG Fashion, Fashion Group Hyungji, etc.). Ludia held consulting sessions with Macy’s in New York and Beijing-based firm and said the talks will likely lead to successful contracts. 

First-time participant CNC Fashion also had intensive meetings with visitors from Hong Kong. Jooheung F&C, another first-timer, introduced a patented fabric Magic Plus and attracted major Korean companies such as Youngone and Cheil Industries and GST of China. HC World also joined the fair for the first time with back-end processing products and met with numerous Chinese inquirers. The three companies said they will closely follow up on their meeting results to ensure their participation more worthwhile.  

First-time overseas participants included Le Merite, Apsara Silks and Texperts from India, E.Textint Corp. of Taiwan, Guo Xing Industrial from Hong Kong, etc. They too confirmed the Korean market’s growth potential and expressed their plans to return next year.  

While visitors were generally satisfied with product quality, many voiced the need for a larger exhibition scale and product diversity. J. Ennis Fabric, a Canadian fabric distributer, was much interested in velvet items presented by Korea Jacquard Textile Institute, Decorama and Shinwon Textile, while it noted the lack of product diversity, such as textiles for furniture and other interior decoration, accessories, subsidiary materials, etc.  

PIS 2012 fueled expectations from participating companies and visitors by preparing various programs to present future textile business models. The fair served as an opportunity to confirm growth potential of the industrial textile market. The Korea-Germany Technical Seminar on Industrial Textiles presented the state of Germany’s advanced technical textiles and development directions for the Korean industrial textile industry. At the Korea-Japan Industrial Textile Symposium, participants shared information on Japan’s industrial textile products and Korean offshore industrial textile. The trade fair also proposed development directions for new textile technology supported by related government policies at the Mutual R&D Cooperation and Information Sharing Forum and the 2012 New Textile Technology Roadmap. 

Meanwhile, on September 5, the Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI), a PIS organizer, and Japan Fashion Week Organization which organizes Japan’s representative textile exhibition Japan Creation, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on their mutual cooperation on promotion and marketing support for each party’s exhibition. Under the MOU, 16 Korean companies will participate in Japan Creation to be held on November 20-21, and more Japanese firms will likely join the next year’s PIS. 

KOFOTI Vice Chairman Dong-Su Kim said, “PIS 2012 reflected the global economic downturn as most visitors were less active in their purchases than before. But they praised creativity, quality and competitive prices of displayed materials.” He added, “As we confirmed future growth potential this year, we will prepare the next year’s PIS more thoroughly to ensure the fair leads to substantive results.”