Best of APLF Awards 2016 – Winners of APLF Leather & Materials+

The winners of the Best of APLF Awards (BOAA) March 2016 were announced during BOAA Cocktail Party in the evening of 31 March 2016 during APLF fairs.

There were a total of 11 winners with 4 Fashion Access exhibits and 7 APLF – MM&T exhibits. Read on to find out about the well-deserved award winners for leather, materials and component.

Company: Hong Kong Info International Trade Co., Limited
Country: Hong Kong
Winning category: Best Natural Material
Description: For giving cork a new, more contemporary fashion look with lacy cutouts, or mixed with fabric to create an almost textile effect

2016 APLF: Leather & Materials+

The Complete Supply Chain of Leather, Performance Fabrics and Components all under One Roof!

APLF has been serving the Global Leather & Fashion Industries for 33 years and has now widened its scope to cover the whole manufacturing supply chain to include athletic, leisure and sports fashion – from raw to performance materials and fabrics, components for the manufacture of athletic and casual footwear, sports fashion clothing & accessories.

As APLF – MM&T diversifies its product categories to better serve the global leather and fashion industry, the annual trade show will become APLF – Leather and Materials+. The objective of this change is to ensure that buyers’ needs are met when sourcing for different materials.

APLF – Leather

APLF has established itself as the world’s leading trade fair for the leather industry, an annual meeting place for the global leather industry where prices of leather, trends and innovation are discussed. With exhibitors from more than 50 countries and buyers from more than 80, APLF – Leather, with its 33 year track record and being located in Asia’s business hub of Hong Kong is ideally placed as a sourcing destination for leather and components for leather goods, footwear, garment and upholstery manufacturers, all under one roof.

The Rise of Athleisure Fashion

Asian youth are becoming more sporty and fashion conscious and represent a huge target group for sporty casual, or athleisure sportswear. According to a Morgan Stanley’s report on “Global Athletic Wear: Very Bullish Five-Year Outlook” published in October 2015, Sports apparel and footwear sales have jumped 42% to $270 billion over the past seven years and the report estimates that until 2020 there will be a 30% growth in this market, with Asia becoming the biggest contributor to sales growth of sportwear's and, by extension, the performance fabrics and innovative technology required to manufacture these products.

Sports fashion and athletic footwear purchases are now outstripping luxury purchases in China and represent an ongoing opportunity due to the country's fitness boom and high-low fashion trends.

APLF – Materials+
APLF – Materials+ encompass this growing sector so important for athleisure product manufacturers, designers and product developers at APLF in Hong Kong.

The Plus sign is chosen for its dynamic and innovative significance because it represents the positive energy that is linked to the athleisure trend. The sector will cover synthetic and functional materials and components for sportswear as well as components for the fashion industry.

With China next door and thriving ASEAN manufacturing countries just a short flight away, APLF – Leather & Materials+ is a trade event where trends are set and discussed, innovation launched and where product developers can meet all their suppliers.