Interview with Luisa Mesones, Managing Director of Feria Expotextil Perú
Feria Expotextil Perú is preparing to mark a major milestone. From November 3 to 6, 2022, the exhibition will celebrate 15 years as the leading international fair for suppliers to the textile and apparel industry. Recognized as one of the most successful platforms in recent years, the event has become a key meeting point for professionals, innovators, and businesses driving the future of the sector.
Please let us know more details about Expotextil Peru Exhibition, history and its success story.
Since we were born 15 years ago, the objective of the fair has been to strengthen the Supplier of the Textile Chain – Apparel, Leather and Footwear, from the promotion and dissemination of our exhibitors’ products to the growth, productivity and competitiveness of the sector through of the use of technologies, access to state-of-the-art machinery and equipment, innovation, process automation, development of new products and use of new materials, as well as an approach to the latest trends in both textile business management and national and international fashion.
The fair became the main business and learning meeting point for many national and international suppliers, buyers, distributors and visitors, and we have been growing every year. We can say that, today, Expotextil is already recognized as the largest business platform for suppliers to the textile and clothing industry.
However, we have decided to rethink some of our objectives and become the reference Fair in the Region of Suppliers and Manufacturers of the Textile Industry and Sustainable and Circular Apparel for the world.
Let us know more about your other exhibitions and conferences in the textile and fashion sector.
New parallel events are:
- Expotextile catwalks
- Textile Industry Week
- Textile Dialogues
- Circularity Forum
- Vanguard Designer Contest
- Technological Innovation Contest
The Expotextil Catwalks have become the perfect showcase where recognized commercial brands, textile manufacturing companies, international Peruvian designers and young talents present the latest trends in fashion, textile products, color, lifestyle and accessories in spectacular parades.
The Textile Industry Week, Conferences, talks and discussion dialogues aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the sector, learning about new technologies, systematizing processes, digitally transforming and becoming agile, among others.
Why are textile exhibitions important in Peru? And what is your main mission and objectives to organize this event?
As I mentioned, Expotextil has established itself as the main fair for suppliers of the textile and clothing sector in Peru and one of the main ones in the region. Its importance lies in the fact that attendees can participate in the largest exhibition of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment in Latin America, which especially helps small Peruvian companies to access the best technology, without having to leave the country, as well as generating business opportunities for suppliers in this industry.
Participating companies will have contact with thousands of qualified potential customers with a purchase decision during the four days of the fair.
It will be the perfect opportunity for them to develop business relationships with other companies, buyers, sales representatives and strategic allies both nationally and internationally. In addition, they will be able to strengthen their image and generate loyalty with their clients by coming into direct and face-to-face contact with them.
Could you explain more about the situation of the exhibition industry in the pandemic period in general? Do you have any online or hybrid exhibitions besides Expotextil 2022?
We made Expotextil Digital 2020 and 2021 in a Virtual Platform called Megafip, it is a different alternative embodied in a modern virtual platform so that all companies can show and sell their products and services, as well as interact through communication channels such as WhatsApp, Emailing, Skype, Zoom and social networks with Manufacturers, Distributors, Buyers, Exporters and Importers.
This digital alternative is developed within the framework of MEGAFIP 2021, allowing the most serious Fair Organizers in the country to present themselves together and on the same platform.
I consider that face-to-face fairs are still essential for demonstrations due to the type of products we offer. Digital fairs can be used I think more for mass consumption products.
Could you share with our readers some statistics and numbers from the latest edition of Expotextil Peru?
Summary of fair 2019 Face-to-face
2019 EDITION SUMMARY EXHIBITION
- Days held: October 24, 25, 26 and 27, 2019
- Square Meters of Exhibition: 12,000 m2
- Number of exhibiting companies: 233
- Nationals: 115
- Foreigners: 118
- Participating countries: 18
- Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Spain, United States, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey
- Number of Visitors: 26,860
- Lima: 24,202
- Provinces: 1,822
- Foreigners: 836
- Visiting countries: 23
Germany, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Korea, Ecuador, Spain, United States, Honduras, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Portugal, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela
TEXTILE INDUSTRY WEEK
- Number of Lectures Given: 16 Techniques, 9 Lectures and 5 Management
- making a total of 30
- Number of Trained Assistants: 4,522
- Number of Discussion Tables: 2
- Number of Attendees Discussion Tables: 280
- Number of Speakers, Panelists and Moderators: 44
EXPOTEXTILE WALKWAYS
- Number of Fashion Shows Held: 7
- Fashion Show: 9 Companies
- Special Collection: 8 Companies
- Top Fashion Designers: 5 Designers
- Design Contest Winners : 3 Designers
- Sponsoring Brand: 1 Company (15 contestants)
- Total Participants in Catwalk: 26 Companies
- Consecrated Designers: 5 Designers
- Runway Outfits: 280 Outfits
AVANT-GARDE DESIGNER COMPETITION
- Contests: 2
- Total Contest Participants: 21 Participants
- Students: 13
- Master: 8
- Number of attendees at Catwalks: 4,820
- Outfits in Contest: 60 Outfits
- Projected sales: US$ 107,686,984.00
Summary of Digital Fair 2021
EXPOTEXTIL PERU DIGITAL 2021
- Visitors: 5,822
- National Visitors: 3,340
- National and international exhibitors: 85
- Participating countries: 16
- Visiting countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, United States, France, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Uruguay.
Textile Industry Week:
- Dictated Conferences:
- 13 Master Conferences, 13 Technical Conferences, making a total of 26 presentations.
- Trained Attendees: 3,564 participants.
- Speakers, Panelists and Moderators: 38 national and international speakers.
- Discussion Dialog: 02
- Discussion Dialogue Attendees: 200
