THE EU MAJOR TRADE FAIRS / EXHIBITIONS

Bulgaria The most important trade fairs for household and furnishing textiles in Bulgaria are: Balkan Gate Apparel and Textile Exhibition (BGate) - http://www.textileexpobg.com - Bulgarias largest sourcing exhibition dedicated to worldwide professionals in the textile and clothing industries Annually, September, Sofia. International Exhibition for Textile, Fashion, Accessories - http://www.bcci.bg/fairs/intertex_sp/index.html one of the important trade fairs for the textile, fashion and accessories industries organised by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Annually, March, Sofia. Czech Republic The Association of Textile, Clothing and Leather Industry in the Czech Republic is ATOK (Asociace Textilniho Odevniho Kozedelneho prumyslu) and can be reached at http://www.atok.cz. Estonia For information on business practices, contact the trade association ECTA (Estonian Clothing and Textile Association), which can be reached at http://www.textile.ee Poland Polska Izba Odziezowo-Tekstylna (Polish Federation of Apparel & Textiles) represents about 160 companies. Website: http://www.textiles.pl/home_eng.php Krajowa Izba Mody, the Polish Chamber of Fashion (see: http://www.textil.com.pl) delivers services, like assistance in international contacts, access to its data bank and access to information on tendencies in the world of textiles. An important textiles trade magazines in Poland is Textil Wirtschaft Moda Forum, which is addressed to purchasing managers and traders and includes information on new trends and new collections; http://www.unit.com.pl) The Polish trade fair for home textiles and decoration is Home Dcor including household and furnishing textiles, website: http://www.domexpo.pl/en. The trade fair Furnifab (the name was created from furniture and fabrics) stands for a specialized suppliers' show for the seating and upholstery industry, website: http://www.furnifab.pl/en. Slovakia The Textile and Clothing Association of the Slovak Republic ATOP (Asociacia textilneho a odevneho priemyslu SR) can be reached at http://www.atop.sk Slovenia Trade association in Slovenia is GZS (Gospodarska Zbornica Slovenije), the Textiles, Clothing and Leather Processing Association, which is part of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce. Internet: http://www.gzs.si/eng Tekstilec is the Slovenian journal of textile and clothing technology, design and marketing; its website can be found on http://www.tekstilec.itt-drustvo.si. Latvia and the other Baltic States Lithuania and Estonia The most important trade fairs for household and furnishing textiles in Latvia and the other Baltic States Lithuania and Estonia are: Baltic Furniture - http://www.latexpo.lv/en/?ct=dalibniekiem1 Baltic furniture, interior and decoration trade fair Annually, September, Riga, Latvia. Baltic Textile and Leather - http://www.litexpo.lt/en/main/fairs?ID=20970 Baltic trade fair for the textile industry and textile retail Annually, September, Vilnius, Lithuania. Household-Interior Design & Houseware Exhibition http://www.biztradeshows.com/tradeevents/ household.html - International fair of interior design, including home textiles Annually, November, Vilnius, Lithuania. Interior - http://www.fair.ee/index.php?mess=1165 Estonian interior decoration trade fair with amongst others home decoration and furnishing textiles as subject Annually, April, Tallinn, Estonia. Intertextil Balticum - http://www.bt1.lv/bt1/intertextil - Baltic exhibition of textile, clothing, leather garments and textile production equipment Annually, April, Riga, Latvia. Russia Federation The major trade fair in Russia Federation is Heimtextil (http://www.heimtextil.ru)
Eastern Europe East - Northern Europe( Baltic) Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania East Central and South-East Europe Division[18]:Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova

Austria There are no trade fairs in the household and furnishing textiles field in Austria; buyers visit foreign trade fairs, especially German (Heimtextil) and French fairs. Cyprus There are no textiles trade fairs organised in Cyprus. Textile trade publications come from abroad, mainly Italy, Greece and the United Kingdom. As far as we know, there is no textiles trade organisation active in Cyprus. Malta There is no textiles trade association in Malta, neither is a trade fair organized. Luxembourg There is no textiles trade association nor is there a trade fair in Luxembourg. Belgium The main Belgian trade fairs are Intirio (Gent) and Decosit (Brussels). This would be a good place to make contacts. The websites of both trade fairs include directories of exhibitors. The website of the trade association provides addresses of manufactures in your own business: http://www.febeltex.be/engels/sitemap.html and click on directories. Trade fairs, as mentioned above, are also important. Leading trade fair for interior decoration and household textiles is Intirio (http://www.intirio.be), for fabrics and furnishings Decosit and for home furnishings for the contract market Decocontract (http://www.decosit.be). The Belgian trade association is Febeltex (Belgian Federation of Textile Industry) and can be reached at http://www.febeltex.be. A trade journal for household and furnishing textiles in Belgium is Texbel (http://www.texbel.be). Denmark Interesting websites for information on Denmark business practices and sales promotion are: http://www.textile.dk Branch association for suppliers to the clothing and retail trade. A member list can be found on their homepage. http://www.dtu.com Branch association for the clothing and textile retail trade. http://www.commercial-agents.dk Branch association for commercial agencies and exclusive distributorships. A member list can be found on their homepage. Interesting websites for information on sales promotion can be found in: The Scandinavian Trade Mart (http://www.bellacenter.dk) in which many suppliers has a permanent showroom. Finland Leading manufacturers in Finland can be found at the site of the trade association http://www.finatex.fi listed as members, as well as exhibitors at the Helsinki Fashion Fair. Greece Try the following websites for Greece information on business practices: The website of the Greek trade association SEPEE is http://www.greekfashion.gr The international fashion fair Finex-Intermoda, held twice a year in Athens, would be a good place to make contacts with potential trading partners. The website is http://www.expotim-int.com/finex. Hungary Try the following organisation for information on business practices: The Association of Hungarian Light Industry (AHLI), which includes the textiles sector. There is no website available, but the association can be reached by E-mail (mailto:mksz2@axelero.hu), by phone (00 36 1 2660694) or by fax (00 36 1 2661625). Sweden The trade association in Sweden is TEKO industrierna and is also the publisher of trade magazine Textilen. Internet: http://www.teko.se/international.html. Two trade fairs for interior textiles are organised at the same time at Stockholm International Fairs: Formex and Textile Exhibition. Website: http://webfair2.stofair.se/formex_eng/index.asp?menulink=2&language=EN Portugal Trade fair for home interior and decorations in Portugal is Ceranor Expo in Porto; website http://www.ceranor.exponor.pt Italy The leading trade fair in home textiles is Macef Milano (http://www.macef.biz/eng/default.html). This would be a good place to make contacts.

Ireland The Futura Fair in Dublin is an international furnishings trade fair. For more information and a list of exhibitors, we refer to http://futurafair.com/Furnishings.html. Germany Trade fairs, as mentioned above, are important for orientation and communication. The major trade fair in Germany is Heimtextil (http://www.heimtextil.de). The German Association of Interior Textiles industry: Heimtex can be reached at http://www.heimtex.de. Important magazines in Germany are: Textil Mitteilungen (http://www.tm-fashion-portal.de); Textil Wirtschaft (http://www.twnetwork.de) and Textile Network (http://www.meisenbach.de). More specialised trade magazines are for household textiles and bedding: Haustex (http://www.snfachpresse.de) and for window covering: Raumausstatter-Zeitschrift (http://www.raum.de). France A good place to make contacts is the trade fair Maison & Objet in Paris. You can view the list of exhibitors at this trade fair: http://www.maison-objet.com/en/index.htm

United Kingdom (UK) A good place to make contacts is trade fairs, such as the annual fair in London: Decorex (http://www.decorex.com). Spain The leading trade fair in Spain is Textilehogar (http://textilhogar.feriavalencia.com) an annual international fair for home textiles and decoration: this fair is a good place to make contacts. The Netherlands The trade fair in The Netherlands is Interdecor in Utrecht, once in two years (http://www.interdecor.nl). This would be a possible place to make contacts, however, this fair has a local and modest character. Another possibility for selecting potential trading partners is an orientation on the websites of branch organisations, such as VTN (Association Textile Industry in The Netherlands): http://www.textielnet.nl ; Modint (Association for Fashion and Interior): http://www.modint.nl FTGB (Federation of Textile Wholesalers): http://www.nvg.nl and NVKT (Agents and Importers of Clothing and Textiles): http://www.nvkt.nl supply opportunities.