The source fair Source Fashion based in London has completed its February edition. This season, the fair presented itself for the first time with changed format and moved to the larger exhibition rooms of the London Olympics. This happened just two years after the first start of the source in 2023 and reflects the increased demand from the industry.
This year the event took place from February 18 to 20, a new appointment during the week, which was coordinated with the wishes of the visitors: inside. This seemed to have been well received because the organizers reported “Record -breaking visitors: interior numbers” for the first day. The audience was made up of representatives: inside of retail companies such as Next, John Lewis, Asos, Harrods, Barbour and Fortnum & Mason, who visited the venue to network with a number of “responsible manufacturers” from over 20 countries, so that The parent company Hyve Group.
Those who explored the venue seemed to be positive about the entire event. In an interview with Hyve, Nicola Kirby, Head of Sourcing, Fashion and Home at John Lewis said: “Sourcing is very important to us, and an event like this in the immediate vicinity of our headquarters in London enables us to contact new and existing delivery companies to kick. We see exciting opportunities in aspiring markets such as Egypt and Indonesia, in addition to strong tailoring skills here. In particular, we are looking for a new supplier: inside for children’s clothing and exploring opportunities to expand our sourcing network. ”
New Egyptian pavilion underlines increasing demand for African sourcing partners: inside
The new location also enabled the fair to expand its offer. The revised hall plan now also includes the new categories shoes and leather as well as an Egyptian pavilion, a premiere for the fair. Here, 20 companies from the region were presented to underline Egypt’s “growing reputation as a leading country in sustainable fashion production”.
“We are on the source fashion to find new ones: to find inside because we find that interest from the British market is growing. Egypt is an important country for the production and procurement for Great Britain, it is duty -free for Great Britain and the entire European market, and I think our prices are very competitive. Compared to the long lead and transit times from Asia, the seven to eight days lead time makes us much more attractive, ”said Omar Abdelfattah, deputy chairman of El Helal Company.
The topic of Egypt as an alternative sourcing destination was discussed at the Source Debates Stage-another innovation of the fair-by Giovanni Beatrice, founder of Forward in Fashion, and Sherin Hosni, managing director of the Apparel Export Council of Egypt. The duo spoke about a emerging shift in the sourcing preferences from Asia to African countries, which in its opinion is promoted by environmental concerns and stricter laws.
Beatrice said in the conversation: “Turkey is currently playing a very important role in the supply of the British and the EU market. However, due to inflation, increasing costs and increasing minimum wages, the industry is forced to move. The next best country, which also produces fabrics, ingredients and the like, is Egypt, and at the moment Egypt is a magnet for everyone who has to deal with production in Turkey. It is also about environmental pollution. When we look at the neighboring countries, Egypt has the lowest minimum wage and no import duties in the EU. The industry also strives to expand its nearshoring solutions. If we produce in Asia and transport the goods by ship, the environmental impacts are high, but if you do the same in Egypt, the environmental impacts are much lower. ”
Challenges due to upcoming legislation at the center of the debates
While the presence of Egyptian exhibitors: inside this season, the source fashion also wanted to highlight the strength of British manufacturers and brought companies such as National Weaving, The Natural Fibre Company and Circular Inc. “Great Britain is recognized as the center for outstanding substances and textiles. In addition, it is one of the leading countries when it comes to drawing attention to responsible production. Small clothing companies present themselves proudly at the source fashion alongside global brands. In Great Britain there is space for everyone, and for those who are looking for production near their homeland, every company in this area is a must, ”commented Suzanne Ellingham, event director of the source fashion, in a press release.
In terms of the local economy, the discussion participants showed up: Inside, however, during the event, concerned about the current developments on the market that could disturb the growth of the British production industry. In addition, there were further doubts about the slow progress of the fashion industry on the way to a more sustainable industry. This was the central theme of a debate between Safia Minney, founder and managing director of Fashion Declares, and Oliver Scutt, Senior Associate at Bates Wells, which raised the complexity of the current and new regulations, such as the British Modern Slavery Act. For example, SCUTT expressed the need for laws that take into account the earned companies and at the same time ensure that others are not punished for the actions of others.
On these topics, Ellingham said that it was “fantastic” to see that such conversations about the challenges that the industry stands in front of are addressed on the source. “We have created a platform on which the community has the feeling that we could participate in the debate. It is incredible that leading industry experts are ready to dedicate their time to those they really need – that is what the source fashion has honored in its growth. There is a real sense of community; People not only come to buy from a new source, but also to learn, and we have created a safe space for purchasing and for meaningful conversations, ”says Ellingham.
This article previously appeared on fashionunited.uk and was used with digital tools translated.
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