Hopes of reviving the industry in Malaysia – and other Southeast Asian suppliers of home-textiles and other textile products – were visible at Frankfurt’s just-concluded four-day Heimtextil Trade Fair, the world’s largest event for home textiles and accessories. Fernex Sdn Bhd’s received many solid business enquiries from both existing and potential new buyers from around the world, including the US.
Nature World Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, which manufactures home textile products, also received numerous enquiries.The buyers showed a keen interest in its bio-active Energy-based products.
Organised by Messe Frankfurt, the Heimtextil show from January 7 to 10 boasted of 3,025 exhibitors from 65 countries. The textile exhibition saw participation from Asean exhibitors, including eight exhibitors from Indonesia, three from Malaysia, three from Thailand and eight from Vietnam. China and India had 559 and 394 exhibitors respectively, surpassing the host country Germany at 301.
According to the Malaysian trade commissioner in Frankfurt, Malaysia’s total exports of textiles, apparel and footwear amounted RM13.69 billion in the January-November 2018 period. The US is the biggest market for such products, accounting for RM 1.78 billion (13 per cent) of total exports.
