The largest international fair of leather, shoe material and leather goods located in Asia is gradually changing its face and reacts more to the practical needs of buyers, producers or even to the needs of European companies, which have their collections made in China.

Five years ago, the medium level shoe producers almost disappeared from the exhibition and shoes were represented only by top quality and top fashion products on Italian and Spanish national stands. Luckily, the fair became a place, where companies arrange production of their next season collections and they meet the Asian producers during the fair, who very often come to Hong Kong also only as visitors. On the fair itself, they choose together the right leather materials inspired by the exhibited leather products of high fashion level. Exactly these professional meetings probably caused growing inflow of quality component producers for the production of both fashion bags and shoes.

The APLF Awards - The Best Footwear Collection

This year fulfilled this tendency with high number of buckles, fasteners and other decorations producers and increasing number of shoe component producers both for leisure shoes and for special or safety footwear. You could see the return of sole producers mainly for ladies and men leisure shoes, but neither the soles for safety shoes were missing.  This fact most likely could attract even more shoe producers.

Current trend of Western shoe professionals is definitely directed towards having some production facilities in Asia too. Very often you can come across even well-known high quality material producer, who will offer you some of his materials produced directly in China and you can choose get some kinds of materials for “Chinese“ prices.

Buyers sourcing at the fair

The fair respects this trend and tries to attract even larger number of shoe exhibitors for the next year edition by offering a special rate only for the shoe producers. If the APLF succeeds to provide a platform, where the whole shoe and leather professional world from finished products producers to material and component producers can meet, they will really become the most important fair of this sector to visit.

Written by Michal Spacek
Shoe production expert

(28/04/2008)