Three days, 49 companies, over 10,000 fabrics, and nearly 100 intended cooperations—this was the result of the 4th China Textile City Seoul Fabric & Accessory Exhibition. Amid the accelerating restructuring of East Asia's fashion supply chain, Keqiao fabric makers used tangible products and efficiency to carve a niche at the Seoul PIS International Fabric Show. These numbers are not just about orders; they reveal a deeper shift in China-Korea textile cooperation from price-driven to value-driven dynamics.
Event Background
From August 19 to 21, the fourth edition of the exhibition, co-hosted by Zhejiang China Textile City Group and the Korea Federation of Textile Industries, was held in Seoul. 49 Keqiao companies showcased products covering knit, woven, recycled eco-friendly, functional, and original printed fabrics, focusing on natural cotton, green recycling, sports functionality, washed finishes, cotton-nylon blends, and embroidery. Korean brands including Lotte Fashion, JAJU, GSGM, and PLAYBACK attended, with total visitors exceeding 20,000.
Before the exhibition, a Keqiao delegation visited Korean head fashion brands such as Hyundai and Donggwang International to research popular colors, pattern trends, sustainable procurement standards, and small-order fast-replenishment demands. This upfront market insight allowed exhibitors to precisely match the procurement logic of Korean women's wear, casual, fast fashion, and outdoor clothing. Offline exhibitions are irreplaceable because fabric hand-feel, drape, and finishing processes cannot be fully conveyed online; physical touch builds trust quickly.
Industry Impact
Sustainable fabrics became the highlight of the event. As ESG concepts deepen in the Korean market, local brands are increasingly demanding GRS- and RCS-certified materials. Many Keqiao companies brought certified recycled series, attracting significant buyer attention. This means environmental certification has shifted from a bonus to a threshold. For Keqiao suppliers, those who complete recycled fiber supply chain certification first will gain a competitive edge in Korea.
Sports functional, digital printed, and embroidered fabrics also appeared alongside green options, complementing each other. Korean fast fashion and outdoor brands require short procurement cycles and quick reorders, raising the bar for Keqiao's small-order fast-replenishment capabilities. On-site feedback showed that Shaoxing Fanda Textile's T/R melange fabrics and Shaoxing Yeshuai Textile's washed cotton-nylon fabrics received sample and quotation requests, indicating that style alignment with Korean aesthetics is crucial.
Another signal from the exhibition is that Korean brands are actively seeking cooperation with Chinese source factories. Korea Fashion Designers Association President Lee Sang-bong remarked that Keqiao's new fabrics greatly guide their product development. This means Keqiao fabrics have built a reputation in Korea's fashion industry, with cooperation evolving from simple transactions to joint development. For exhibitors, the three-day event was not just about securing orders but also completing overseas market research, gathering trend insights and customer pain points to feed back into R&D.