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Top 3 Fresh Takes from the Largest Textile Fair in the UK 2023

16-01-2023   


The London Textile Fair took place in the Business Design Center on Jan 10 and 11th. It has attracted over 500 textile exhibitors and thousands of visitors across England, Wales, Ireland, Portugal, Turkey, and China.

Image by Kai Cui

The London Textile Fair’s entrance featured a special exhibition by BDA London showcasing the forecasted textile trend in the fashion industry for Spring/Summer 2024. A special seminar on color, fabric, and texture trend was also offered by Gwyneth Holland, the senior lecturer on fashion and trend from the University of Westminster. Gwyneth shared her perspective on the future—protopia, a state that each day is a bit better than the day before. Textile agents and fashion trend forecasters were also at the fair to shared their observations with the latest market demand.

Image by Kai Cui

Here are the top 3 takeaways from the London Textile Fair 2023…

  1. Sustainability becomes the biggest market shift in this year’s show. The global pandemic and frequent extreme weathers has made more of us aware of the climate crisis and rethink about the way we live within the nature’s eco-system. According to Jack Moulson, the Sales Manager at the Urban Fabrics Agency, “Sustainability and transparency with the supply chain, from raw material to end product, is becoming more and more of a demand.” Exhibitors are witnessing an increased interests on natural and sustainable fabrics, especially certified organic and recycled textiles.
  2. Building a connected community is the winning strategy for brands to attract and retain younger customers. As Gen-Z entering the main stage, they reject the harmful norms and create their own path to innovation and self-expression. Grassroots brands focusing on sustainability, transparency, and ethical values enjoyed tremendous growth as consumers looking for connections with the people who made their garments.
  3. Incorporating technology into brand’s experience that fosters well-being is the source of growth. With tech giants like Meta doubling down on metaverse, more brands are exploring revenue streams from NFTs and digital wearables. With hardwares innovations supporting more advanced Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, brands that can offer a virtual experience that builds connections and foster personal well-being will be the magnate.

By Kai Cui, founder of carbontag.co, the first carbon emission calculator for consumer fashion products. I write about fashion technology and sustainability. Find me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/cui-kai/




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