The inaugural edition of Apparel Textile Sourcing Miami marked its opening on 21 May with an Opening Ceremony at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center. The commencement ceremony featured 20 students from Liberty City's Meyga Learning Center, who welcomed the 17 delegates from the participating countries to the trade show with a flag ceremony.

Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez gave opening remarks along with along with Miami-Dade Commissioners’ Audrey Edmonson and Jose “Pepe” Diaz, who presented a congratulatory certificate to Jason Prescott, CEO of the Apparel Textile Sourcing Show, and Moishe Mana, CEO of Mana Wynwood, on behalf of the Miami-Dade Mayor’s office and the board of County Commissioners.

Throughout the three days, the show presented a wide range of international suppliers from around the globe who showcased textiles, trims and accessories, manufacturing and private label development services, and finished apparel. Almost 2,000 attendees walked through the door of the three-day trade show. Apparel Textile Sourcing Miami featured 139 exhibitors representing 17 countries, including: China, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, the U.S. and the City of Miami.

Exhibitor highlights

China and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel (CCCT) were heavily represented on the show floor with a large showing of high-quality textile, apparel and trims suppliers.

Representatives from WRAP, the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production, and Intertek, a leading total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, discussed hot button topics including The Role Social Compliance Plays in Globally Competitive Markets – a Global Sourcing Imperative. Delegates from WRAP also led seminars on Design Meets Sustainability and How Responsible Sourcing Applies to You.

The USAID East Africa Trade and Investment Hub was an exciting partner to join ATS-M. The one-stop shop in the East African region for businesses and national governments seeking to take advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The Hub supports Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda to increase their exports to the US through AGOA.

Positive feedback

The inaugural edition of Apparel Textile Sourcing Miami showed a tremendous response from visitors, making the show an overall success, organisers report. Recorded verified attendees represented a total of 41 countries, including: USA, Brazil, Russia, Israel, Puerto Rico, China, Argentina, UK, Cuba, Mexico, Australia, and others.

“This shows us that there was a true need to create a comprehensive sourcing platform in the Miami marketplace,” said Mr Prescott. “I am confident that the show will grow both in terms of exhibitor numbers an industry attendance next year and in the years to come.”

“We also recognize that our responsibilities extend beyond just providing a space for the industry to do business. We believe in building a true industry event, one that also includes access to education and value-add resources, as well as opportunities for this vibrant community of professionals to connect and exchange ideas and information. The first show really hit on all these touchpoints.”

Educational programme

Over 20 exciting seminars took place throughout the three days of the ATS-M, addressing a comprehensive range of topics including sustainability, global sourcing, supply chain, social compliance, Influencer marketing, and branding strategies. Sessions were presented by industry experts, top educators, respected designers, influential bloggers and economists.

Some of the guest speakers and trend experts included Charlene Parson, Director of Fashion Department at Miami International University; Pamela Fuertes, Vice President International Economic Development for Miami Dade Beacons Council; Ben Meade, Managing Director for Hohenstein Institute; Danielle Garno, a shareholder in the Miami Litigation Practice of international law firm Greenberg Traurig; Moishe Mana, CEO, Mana Group; and Jeff Streader, a leader in the consumer sector with over 30 years’ experience in multi-channel retail, including American Apparel, Australian-based Billabong, and VF Corporation.

Runway show

Hundreds of attendees and influencers crowded the stage for the runway show. The three-part show featured designs by fashion students from the Miami International University of Art & Design, and the Miami Fashion Institute at Miami Dade College. The second showcase presented looks from ten of Miami’s top talent including Julian Chang, Perry Ellis, Eberjey, Krelwear, Bianca Coletti, Viviana G by Petit Pois, BloqUV, Peace Love World, Mayda Cisneros, and Ema Savahl. And the third group showcased looks from five Chinese exhibiting manufacturers.

Exhibitors were very happy with the turnout as attendees flooded the show floor seeking to expand their business at the Miami’s Apparel Textile Sourcing show, organisers say. “This was my first time in the United States. Previously, I had been in shows in Japan and Korea,” said Tiny Cuttle, from Ivory Ding. “It has been a positive and useful experience for us in order to get different customers from other countries. This has been a good way to expand our business.”

www.appareltextilesourcing.com