 Press Release
For Immediate Release 28 March 2012
APLF HOSTS GLOBAL LEATHER & FASHION INDUSTRY EVENTS Leather and leathergoods manufacturers and buyers from all over the world convene this week in Hong Kong as the Materials, Manufacturing & Technology (MM&T), Fashion Access fairs and Prime Source Forum get underway from March 28 to 30 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
These three collocated events have become must-attend fairs for anyone involved in leather and fashion, with MM&T acknowledged as the annual premier event of the global leather industry. Fashion Access, on the other hand, is widely recognised as the most important sourcing platform for fashions from-head-toe, including bags, footwear, fashion accessories, small leathergoods, leather garments, and travelware.
Established in 1984, MM&T has since evolved into the world’s most international exhibition focusing on leather. In recent years, however, the fair has expanded significantly to also cover natural and man-made materials, components, technologies and services for the various sectors of fashion, particularly bags, shoes and leather garments.
This March 2012 edition of MM&T has 1,255 exhibitors, 73 of whom are marking their first participation at the show. Fifty countries are represented, 19 with their own country pavilions. These include leather industry powerhouses Brazil, Italy, France, Turkey, United Kingdom and the USA. The biggest delegation, with 300 companies, is from China.
The focus country for this year is Turkey. Turkish leather will be highlighted in special displays within the fair and at the Turkish pavilion with 61 Turkish tanners and leather-related companies in attendance. Heading the strong Turkish delegation is Mr. Lemi Tolunay, Chairman of the Istanbul Leather and Leather Products Exporters’ Association. He says: “Attributing great importance to design and innovation, we deemed it fitting to participate in the Hong Kong MM&T Fair with the motto “Meet the Turkish Effect”. What we seek to emphasise by this maxim is the continued presence of quality and passion in Turkey’s journey to achieving unique brands in the leather market with a new zeal in design and application.”
New to MM&T this year is the “Sourcing Luxury” exhibit which represents the launch of APLF’s new program to assist buyers in identifying the best sources of luxury materials and components at the fair. Examples of luxury materials that can be found at MM&T are ostrich leather, python skins, vegetable-tanned leather, crocodile and cayman skins, furs, slinks, shagreen and other exotic skins.
Other interesting highlights of MM&T include the Manufacturing Technology Enhancement Sector which provides a venue where manufacturers and operators within the leather industry can network with technology companies that provide various services and products such as CAD-CAM systems and software applications, as well as with international inspection and certification companies.
Focus is also being given to the upholstery and automotive leather sectors, providing companies falling under these sectors with the official Upholstery and Automotive Leather Mark at their stands, making it easier for buyers to find them.
Fashion Access is considered the most important bag and leathergoods fair in Asia-Pacific, with a growing footwear and fashion accessories base. This week’s Fashion Access will have over 600 exhibitors, representing 25 countries. The fair also welcomes the participation of 142 new exhibitors, including a significantly-sized group of footwear companies from Japan, Italy and Mexico. There will be 11 group pavilions including 3 from China and one each from Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Pakistan and Taiwan.
While majority of Fashion Access exhibitors are OEMs, there is a growing roster of OBMs that are presenting their latest brand collections. These higher-end, lower-volume brand manufacturers are found at Fashion Avenue which features fashion-forward designers and producers of top-quality bags, footwear and accessories. This makes Fashion Avenue the “go-to” section for boutique and exclusive department store buyers.
With MM&T and Fashion Access regarded by all as the preeminent leather and leathergoods fairs in Asia-Pacific region, APLF strives to strengthen its reputation by constantly improving, innovating and creating programs and services that will benefit the industries involved. One such program that has proven to be very popular with exhibitors and visitors alike are the Material and Fashion Trends Spaces which are special exhibits that illustrate the colour, material and product trends for the upcoming fashion season. The trends are developed exclusively for APLF by Olivier Guillemin, chairman of the prestigious French Colour Committee.
APLF also gives recognition to quality and design excellence seen at the fairs through the Best of APLF Awards. Fashion Access also hosts two other design competitions: the Design-a-Bag Online Competition and the APLF Fashion Awards, both of which were developed to encourage creativity and innovation amongst design students and young design professionals worldwide.
There will also be a series of Dress Up! Fashion Presentations held daily. Trends and technical seminars covering a range of industry-relevant topics are likewise held throughout the three days.
Rounding off APLF’s activities is Prime Source Forum which brings together some 400 senior executives of leading apparel and footwear brands, manufacturers and suppliers to discuss issues and challenges facing their industries, particularly in their supply chains.
MM&T and Fashion Access, together with Prime Source Forum, have developed a strong synergy which continues to have a far-reaching and positive effect on the global leather and fashion industries.
For more information on APLF 2012, visit www.aplf.com and www.primesourceforum.com.
Notes to Editors About APLF Limited About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com) About UBM plc (www.ubm.com)
UBM plc is a leading global company. We inform markets and bring the world’s buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print and provide them with the information they need to do business successfully. We focus on serving professional commercial communities, from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewellery traders, from farmers to pharmacists around the world. Our 6,000 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams that serve these communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For media enquiries, please contact: APLF Limited
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