Battle order changing in $12bn Gulf clothing market

"The face of the international clothing industry is changing in the new economic climate" said Jim Meltz, Show Manager for Motexha, the Middle East's largest garments, textiles, leather and fashion accessories trade show, which runs at Dubai International Exhibition Centre from 7-9 April 2009. "It will be the suppliers who can break into a tougher market with quality at the right price that will succeed," he added.

Motexha organiser IIR Middle East is reporting a record level of pre-registration for the event by buyers from brands well-known in the region's malls.

"In the current climate there is a strong emphasis on value for money among major regional fashion outlets which intend using Motexha as a major buying opportunity on their doorstep rather than mount costly untargeted buying trips to Asia and Europe,"

Meltz said.

"However, for some exporting countries in the textile and clothing industry it must feel like they are a punching bag lately," he added. "The industries of both China and Turkey are being battered by the global economic turmoil. In China, for example, the world's largest producer of textiles, government authorities say only a third of small businesses in the sector remained in profit last year.

"However, the world's fashion and textile giants - both old and new - can't afford to ignore a regional market already still worth in excess of $12bn,"

he added.

China and Turkey have both been pillars of the Motexha show but could this year be outgunned in terms of total exhibition space by countries such as Italy, Thailand, Indonesia and India, according to IIR Middle East. Thailand is planning its biggest ever pavilion at Motexha and Italy will be mounting its biggest participation with two separate pavilions. Indonesia is upping its presence and Hong Kong will have its biggest pavilion in four years. New countries this year include Vietnam and Greece.

The list of participating countries so far confirmed for Motexha 2009 are: the United Arab Emirates, China, Canada, Portugal, Ecuador, Qatar, Turkey, Hong Kong, Italy, USA, Germany, Brazil, Greece, Philippines, Australia, India, Poland, Thailand, Russia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Africa, Belgium, Malaysia, Croatia and South Korea.

A new addition for 2009 at Motexha is the Lingerie & Swimwear Zone which aims to introduce major brands to the Middle East market, a leading importer from Europe.