A year ago Expofil responded to the drastic changes in the yarns and exhibitions markets with a change of format.

Visitors very clearly benefited from the repositioning of the event: quantitatively, with the event attracting 14,231 visitors; in diversity, with 70% international visitors; and in synergy with the Première Vision weaver exhibitors, since 78% of them came to Expofil and 98% of Expofil exhibitors surveyed (September 2004 satisfaction survey) said they went to Première Vision.

For the session due to take place from 9 to 12 March 2005, Expofil is continuing its pursuit of efficiency and synergy for its exhibitors and visitors.

An open exhibition. To further improve visitor circulation, the ‘border’ and the checkpoints between Première Vision and Expofil have been eliminated.  As a result, all badge categories are now common to both exhibitions and people can now register at any entrance.

More professional. To make the buyers’ work easier, Expofil is introducing a special day just for them: the first day of the exhibition, Wednesday 9 March, will be devoted to buyers, on the same basis as at Première Vision.

Clearer segmentation. To make the product offering easier to understand, the sectors of the exhibition have been simplified to coincide with the main market segments: flat knitting yarns (Knit Projection), weaving and circular knitting yarns (Fabric Perspective), and fibres (Fibre  Future).

Out of a total of about 80 exhibitors, those representing the flat knitting market (17 exhibitors) will be affected by the difficulties in this sector due to major customers’ buying strategies turning towards sourcing finished products in far-off countries. On the other hand, the fibre offering at Expofil remains unrivalled (24 exhibitors), and the weaving and circular knitting yarns sector (36 exhibitors) still predominates. Expofil will welcome 7 new exhibitors this season: in the Fabric Perspective sector, the spinners Inwool (Italy), Hateks and Midas (Turkey), in the Knit Projection sector, Shui Foong Woollens (Hong Kong), Ulusoy and Yunteks (Turkey) as well as the Swiss company Uster which is promoting its quality label. The offering still has an international feel with the presence of 13 countries: Austria, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and USA.

The fashion information implemented by Expofil and its Fashion Director Sylvie Tastemain places the emphasis on innovation, materials and technology, a real seedbed for ideas and research for visitors and exhibitors alike. More than ever, a large part of the various forums will be devoted to models and exclusive developments produced using exhibitors’ products: finished knit products for the Spring/Summer 2006 season, wovens and knits for the Autumn/Winter 06/07 season and the Home & Technics forum, and apparel for the Future forum where the guest designer for the season will be Christian Tournafol.

For the third year in succession, Expofil is renewing its collaboration with the Japan Textile Contest. A special forum will present the developments of contest’s prize winners, of the Expofil special award and a selection of the most relevant fabrics in terms of fibres and innovation.  

In March, Expofil will inaugurate a new stand designed by the studio of the celebrated architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. This chic, modern stand design has similar dimensions to the Première Vision stand, thus emphasising the continuity between the two exhibitions,  has a look,  specific light fittings and furniture which give it its own identity. The originality of the stand lies in the outside panels which consist of black panels interspersed at irregular intervals with graphic panels changed every year. 

Paris, 11 January 2005

Press Contact: Marie-Odile Verrier

Tel. 33 (0) 1 47 56 31 62 - Fax 33 (0) 1 40 87 16 22

E-mail: mverrier@expofil.com