15th Intex Sri Lanka Post Show Report

Intex Sri Lanka 2024 – Record-breaking attendance of domestic & international buyers representing 20+ countries/regions

Intex Sri Lanka 2024 commenced on a high note, attracting a stellar gathering of industry leaders, global dignitaries, and trade representatives. The grand opening ceremony was a testament to the show’s stature in Sri Lanka as a premier international sourcing platform for the textile and apparel industry.

The grand opening ceremony of Intex & InMac Showcase was graced by the presence of Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Economic Counsellors as well as senior officials and representatives from trade offices and government agencies from 14 countries. The show was inaugurated by Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, Deputy High Commissioner of India in Colombo (Chief Guest); Dr. Kingsley Bernard, Chairman & Chief Executive, Sri Lanka Export Development Board (Guest of Honour) and Mr. Yohan Lawrence, Secretary General, Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka (Special Guest) in presence of representatives from KOTRA, JETRO, TEXPROCIL and senior officials and members from industry associations and business chambers.

Over 175 exhibitors from 12 countries including Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, China, Thailand, Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and USA showcased the latest natural and MMF fibres & yarns, textiles & fabrics, trims & accessories, dyes & chemicals and software solutions. This year also witnessed the successful launch of the InMac – International Garment Machinery and Technology showcase alongside Intex Sri Lanka where over 30 brands from 15+ countries showcased solutions ranging from Fashion 3D software, bonding machines and pad-printing technology to new technology knitting, textile machinery to AI-based sewing and embroidery machines as well as machine spare parts and accessories. More than 85% of the exhibitors generated good leads and business enquiries and some also received onsite orders from the buyers that visited them during the show.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Yohan Lawrence, Secretary General, Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said, “Intex has always been a really good show for the industry which brings together international suppliers of yarns and fabrics and this year, they have introduced InMac to showcase new technology and machinery as well. The show is extremely popular amongst the larger as well as smaller companies as the show enables all to meet and find new suppliers closer to the markets. We are very happy to be present here and support the show”.

Over 6000 trade visitors from 20 countries visited the show over 3 days. More than 200 overseas buyers including two hosted buyers’ delegations from Russian Fashion Industry Association (RAFI) and South India Garment Manufacturers Association (SIGMA) attended the show to fulfil their sourcing requirements. Other international buyers from Mexico, India, Japan, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles, Thailand, UAE, UK and USA connected with participating exhibitors through one-on-one meetings organised at Intex Sri Lanka.

Ms. Natalia Bnatova, Development Director, Russian Association of Fashion Industry (RAFI), was delighted to be present at Intex. She said that, we came to Intex with a delegation of Russian buyers to explore the markets and opportunities in the region. It’s our first time in Sri Lanka at Intex and our buyers are really finding interesting suppliers and value partners for their wholesale and brand businesses in Russia and CIS countries. We are very enthusiastic about our future and we look forward to working with Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Indian companies in the future.

The renowned Interactive Business Forum (IBF) Seminar Series hosted two panel discussions on ‘Prospects & Challenges for Sri Lanka in the Global Readymade Garment Arena’ and ‘the Growing Trend in Synthetic Knit Fabric Business in Sri Lanka’ as well as two industry presentations were made by representatives of The Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) and The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL). This knowledge platform saw global business leaders, entrepreneurs and academics connect and collaborate with each other.

Speaking at the Forum, Mr. Asanka Wimalratna, CEO, Knit Apparel, Brandix Apparel Solution, Sri Lanka, said that it’s a fantastic event and forum bringing the industry and community together, because it was a great opportunity for engagement and dialogue as well as to showcase all the capabilities that are available in the industry as well as across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka which is a great eye opener for the Sri Lankan industry. I congratulate the organising committee for holding this insightful forum in Sri Lank and I hope we will see more of these events in future.

This year, one of the major highlight at Intex Sri Lanka was the India – Sri Lanka Textile Forum that was jointly organised by The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) along with the Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka (JAAF) on 8th August 2024 at BMICH followed by a networking dinner. The forum brought together industry leaders and stakeholders from both nations to foster collaboration, explore new opportunities, and strengthen the textile and apparel trade between India and Sri Lanka. More importantly, the forum endeavoured to identify Sri Lankan and Indian industry requirements through focused discussions to bridge the gaps, streamline procurement processes and build stronger partnerships which would lead to the creation of a robust ecosystem benefitting both Indian and Sri Lankan stakeholders. The Indian delegation was led by Mr. Rajesh Satam, Joint Director of The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) while the Sri Lankan delegation was led by Mr. Yohan Lawrence, Secretary General for the Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka (JAAF).

Overall, Intex has proved to be the most relevant international textile sourcing platform in Sri Lanka as well as the premier annual industry event for the textiles and apparel industry of Sri Lanka.