Arsutoria Studio
Arsutoria Studio

The trade fair sector is looking beyond the horizon: there is a new purchasing process in the fashion industry

On 8 September 2026, a press conference organised by Fashion Link Milano took place at the ADI Design Museum in Milan, bringing together MICAM Milano, MIPEL, Simac Tanning Tech, Milano Fashion&Jewels and TheOneMilano, alongside professionals from the supply chain, to analyse how purchasing processes are changing and, consequently, the role of trade fairs. Leading the discussion was Orietta Pelizzari, Global Trend Researcher, creative concept developer and moderator, alongside Chiara Allegra Moretti, an independent buyer, and Federico Galli, a storyteller.

 

One of the key topics of the meeting was the role and profile of the buyer, THE BUYER JOURNEY, in the fashion sector. Nowadays, buyers arrive at a trade fair having already carried out a significant part of their work: continuous research, comparisons, shortlisting and drawing up an initial list of contacts and products. The visit is no longer merely a moment of discovery, but one of the stages in the entire decision-making and purchasing process, which has become more extensive, beginning before the event and continuing through ongoing relationships with companies, brands, suppliers and partners. As Giovanna Ceolini, President of Micam, also stated: “Nowadays, one must bear in mind that to attend a trade fair, one needs to be prepared and organised, know what one is looking for, where and how to find it, and leave room whilst there to seek out new business opportunities”.

Preparation, after all, is not a theoretical aspiration but a response to a practical constraint: the time spent at the fair has been reduced, often to just one and a half days, and the risk is that the visit will be limited to visiting suppliers already on one’s list. Matchmaking tools serve to broaden the scope and bring together supply and demand that would otherwise never meet, but they only work if companies genuinely feed them with data, new product launches, samples, colour palettes and the reasoning behind each proposal.

In this scenario, doing business is not just about brands, buyers and trade fair organisers. It also encompasses those who decide on the processes and technologies to be used: those who select the materials, the production methods and the quality standards embodied in a product. It is the link that connects the commercial sphere with the industrial one, and which explains why the buyer’s physical presence in Italy retains a specific value: private labels, adaptations and products tailor-made for a specific retail outlet arise from direct contact with the manufacturer, not from a catalogue.

This evolution involves a trade fair system which, through the Fashion Link Milano events, brings together a total of 1,848 brands.

A system that largely represents mid-range products, lacking the marketing clout of major brands, and which therefore requires a point of contact — first the buyer, then the consumer — capable of recognising the value of what they are purchasing. The buyer, therefore, is no longer merely a selector, but a true curator.

 

THE GEOPOLITICS OF AESTHETIC OPINION AND TASTE

Orietta Pelizzari opened the discussion with the concept of the ‘geopolitics of opinion’: taste is no longer determined by a single generation or a single player, but arises from the interaction between consumers from four different generations, as well as buyers, brands and communities. According to NIQ/World Data Lab (2025), Generation X is now responsible for 15,200 billion dollars of global spending, 40 per cent more than Generation Z. Consumers are increasingly defined by their values and generations influence one another, thus going beyond the simple concept of chronological age. For brands and retailers, this means moving beyond rigid segmentation and developing strategies capable of reaching multiple generations simultaneously.

However, there is more to this figure than just spending power. The driving forces behind purchasing for this generation are twofold: memory and value – people buy what they have experienced and what they recognise as being of high quality. This dynamic is also passed on to subsequent generations, who embrace the same codes out of a sense of belonging rather than direct memory. Furthermore, the dynamics vary from market to market: in the United States, Gen X accounts for spending of around 97 billion dollars; in South Korea, it blends with the next generation to form a hybrid profile; whilst in China, it is growing for its own specific reasons.

For the fashion industry, this means a shift in how the market is interpreted: competition is moving away from conquering a market towards the ability tobecome a relevant voice in the conversation that shapes its tastes.

The insights presented by Pelizzari form part of the research journey already underway with Curator Buyer, revealing abuyer who is increasingly akin to a curator and an entrepreneur. This professional is therefore called upon to interpret trends, consumers, markets, profit margins and the identity of the retail outlet, and to transform a growing volume of information into targeted choices.

 

A MORE WELL-INFORMED BUYER, A RETAIL SECTOR WITH A STRONGER IDENTITY

Product research is now a continuous process, in which trade fairs, showrooms and direct relationships coexist with digital platforms, social media and sales data. The greater availability of information makes the buyer’s ability to filter, interpret and verify even more important.

This gives rise to a dual professional profile: qualitative skills – that is, knowing how to recognise a good product and a good image – and quantitative skills – that is, analysing budgets, profit margins, sales performance and market trends. This is a combination that Italian training programmes have been slow to recognise: standard reference texts have long been of Anglo-Saxon origin, based on a retail model very different from the Italian one, which consists mainly of independent multi-brand boutiques.

Consequently, the criteria used to judge whether a brand is worth buying are also changing. What counts is credibility and consistency between aesthetics, price point, positioning and the actual quality of the product. Other factors that matter have nothing to do with style: the reliability of the commercial structure and adherence to delivery schedules — a problem that affects even highly successful brands, precisely because they have grown so quickly — the ability to manage swaps, restocking and product exchanges, and attention to distribution, which is particularly crucial for high-end retail.

This process of research by consumers and buyers is, and must be, facilitated by brands’ commercial communication, as Federico Galli noted in one of his talks: “For brands and companies, there is an ever-increasing need to communicate not so much the product itself, but the processes, the people, and everything that goes on behind the scenes in the creation of products and which defines the brand’s identity.”

The obstacle here is not technical but cultural. Many businesses hesitate to tell their story, caught between a sense of modesty that mistakes discretion for style and the belief that their expertise needs no explanation. This is a missed opportunity, because the true influencers in the sector are the artisans and the companies: they do not need to invent anything; they simply need to show what they do every day. On the other hand, there is a consumer who has not stopped spending but has become more discerning and better informed, and who seeks concrete factors to guide their purchasing decisions. Attributing the difficulties solely to fast fashion or foreign competition means postponing a proper examination of the supply chain’s internal problems.

The retail outlet is also taking on a more active role. Private labels, ranges tailored to specific audiences and products developed for particular locations are transforming retail into an identity-building project. The question is no longer simply which product to buy, but which product is right for that shop, that customer and that market. Claudia Sequi, President of Assopellettieri, added: “In the evolving relationship between buyers and retailers, as well as within the trade fair offering, we are seeing collections being adapted to cover as many product categories as possible, structured coherently to provide buyers with insights that help them build their own product range.”

In this process, the physical aspect of the trade fair retains its distinctive value: seeing and assessing the product, engaging directly with business owners and suppliers, and building relationships remain elements that are difficult to replace. Digital technology therefore does not take the place of the trade fair, but rather extends the experience both before and after the event.

THE INDUSTRIAL BUYER

Those involved in the technology that enables and streamlines the production chain have also highlighted a different type of buyer. Alongside the product buyer operates an industrial buyer, with their own evaluation criteria. They do not merely seek a solution to a production need: they assess the machine’s reliability and flexibility, sustainability and energy consumption, and, increasingly, its software capabilities – that is, the system’s ability to communicate with other machines and with different departments within the company. These are choices that affect the company’s competitiveness well beyond the current season and which, upstream, determine the quality of what will reach the shop counter.

 

FIVE PERSPECTIVES, A SINGLE BUYER JOURNEY

A comparison of the events revealed different yet complementary perspectives. MICAM Milano highlighted the footwear sector’s perspective and that of an increasingly well-informed buyer, supported by matchmaking tools and trend intelligence. Milano Fashion&Jewels focused on scouting and the creation of cross-category ranges spanning fashion, accessories and jewellery. MIPEL examined the relationship between leather goods, the product, distribution and the retail outlet. TheOneMilano highlighted the role of sourcing, production capacity and private labels. Simac Tanning Tech focused on the industrial dimension of decision-making, where technologies, processes and partners influence a company’s future competitiveness. Different paths that converge on a single need: to make the meeting between supply and demand more specialised and effective.

Theadvantage of consolidation, after all, does not concern buyers alone.

For buyers, it allows them to optimise their time and find, in a single event, the full range of categories they need to build their own offering; for exhibitors, it opens up opportunities for cross-selling and access to a wider audience of buyers than a single sector-specific event can guarantee. This is the logic of networking between events that are closely linked both commercially and culturally.

 

THE TRADE FAIR AS A PLATFORM FOR RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING

From this perspective, the trade fair is evolving from a meeting place into a platform for building relationships. Buyers expect to be able to prepare for their visit, focus their search, select the right contacts, organise meetings and continue the dialogue even after the event. The physical and digital dimensions complement one another: the former retains a specific value in product evaluation and relationship-building, whilst digital tools make the process more informed, selective and continuous.

 

For the footwear and handbag sectors, the first event is MICAM Milano and MIPEL from 13 to 15 September, followed by Lineapelle and Simac Tanning Tech from 15 to 17 September.

From China to Europe in 72 hours: Changli is banking on logistics

In the 13th century, the port of Quanzhou was known as Zaiton and was one of the world’s largest ports: it was from there that silks, spices and ceramics set sail for the West. Eight hundred years later, from the same stretch of Fujian’s coastline, the basic concept remains unchanged: shoes stored in a bonded warehouse, sorted by an algorithm, delivered to Europe within 72 hours.

 

This is the Changli Smart Logistics Park, the Changli Group’s third venture. The name may mean little to us in these parts, but its track record speaks volumes. Changli is, first and foremost, an ODM: over thirty years of manufacturing for international brands — GEOX, Jack Wolfskin, Skechers, Diesel, Moon Boot, Head, Roberto Cavalli, to name but a few — across six categories, from outdoor to waterproof, from sports to children’s footwear.

 

At the helm of the group is Rebecca Lin, who grew up in a family of shoemakers and took over the company with the intention of transforming it. The second venture she has developed for the company is its own brand, Rebecca Lim’s: wellness footwear inspired, as the founder explains, by her mother’s feet – a teacher for forty years and, therefore, always on her feet. Three years of research into the biomechanics of the foot between 2014 and 2016, over a thousand tests, and a launch in 2017. Insoles inspired by reflexology from traditional Chinese medicine, vegan materials, and five Asian markets conquered without any advertising.

 

So the question is: why would a company that knows how to make shoes invest in industrial units? The answer lies in the industrial geography of Jinjiang: the world’s most comprehensive footwear district, yet one lacking logistics facilities of an adequate standard. The park — 118 acres of land, approximately 200,000 square metres of covered space — is classified as provincial-level logistics infrastructure and will be Quanzhou’s first customs-bonded park, managed in partnership with SF Express.

The figures quoted: AI-powered sorting of over 4,300 SKUs per hour, 99.98 per cent accuracy, 1.2 million pairs handled annually without disputes, blockchain traceability, eighteen European warehouses across France, Germany, the UK, Spain and Italy, and DDP service. All under one roof: a bonded warehouse, fulfilment for cross-border e-commerce, international transport, last-mile delivery and reverse logistics. For local footwear manufacturers, this means lower logistics costs and faster turnover of goods. For brands working with Changli, the promise is a reduction in supply chain costs of up to 40 per cent.

 

The direction is clear: Jinjiang is moving away from selling just production capacity and is starting to sell time. For thirty years, the district’s competitive advantage was built in the factory. Now it is measured in hours.

CBAM, Scope 3 and robotics: the agenda for the Global Footwear Sustainability Summit 2026

Mountaineering manuals always state one rule: reaching the summit is optional, but the descent is not. Survival comes before victory and conquering the summit.

Open the presentation for the 14th Global Footwear Sustainability Summit and you’ll find the same hierarchy, printed in red on an otherwise blue slide: ‘Solutions for survival’. The follow-up, “Transforming sustainability into scalable business change”, remains in black. The colour choice already signals the starting point from which the debate begins.

 

The GFSS was launched in 2012 as a forum for discussion between executives from the global footwear supply chain, associations and governments, under the long-term theme of “Innovation in the global footwear sector and sustainable development”. Over the course of thirteen editions, many major brands have taken part, including Nike, adidas, New Balance, Under Armour, Brooks, Deckers, Clarks, Skechers, Vibram, Fila, H&M and Levi’s. The fourteenth edition will be held from 25 to 28 October 2026 in Jinjiang, China, organised by Changli, Ximengzi and Footwear Future.

 

Over 600 delegates, more than 200 brands, as many factories and OEMs/ODMs, 250 exhibitors, around 60 hours of networking, and some 30 topics. The audience comprises 40 per cent brands and sourcing departments, 22 per cent materials and technology suppliers, and 16 per cent footwear manufacturers and contract manufacturers; the remainder is divided between logistics (8 per cent), carbon management (7 per cent), consultancy (4 per cent) and circular solutions (3 per cent). What is the composition of the audience? 70 per cent are senior leaders, comprising 27 per cent C-level executives, 21 per cent supply chain directors and 20 per cent materials R&D professionals. Geographically: 45 per cent from Asia-Pacific, 40 per cent from the United States and Europe, with the remainder split between Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. Those who decide on purchases and those who produce the goods are all in the same room.

 

The topics covered were very interesting, revealing and significant. The first block focused on regulatory matters: environmental policies for Asian manufacturing (China Leather Industry Association), CBAM and due diligence for exporting to Europe with Marina Crnoja-Cosic (EURATEX), and a panel on sourcing from China, Indonesia, Vietnam and India. The second concerned emissions and circularity: Scope 3, LCA, closed-loop systems and bio-based synthetic leathers. The third section focuses on production: lean manufacturing, artificial intelligence, 3D printing and robotics, and digital traceability throughout the supply chain. In between, there are factory visits — to Anta, Changli Industrial Park, SinceTech, Koyee, Ipath, Hsrobotics and Kclka — because a factory often tells a more compelling story than a slide.

 

The concept underpinning the event has now become a mantra for the sector: sustainability is not a cost but a competitive advantage, and those who pollute less often waste less money too.

For further information: footwearfuture.com/events/gfss.

SHOES & LEATHER – IFLE HANOI has been postponed

The Hanoi International Footwear and Leather Goods Fair, which includes the International Footwear, Handbags, Luggage and Leather Goods Fair – Hanoi, originally scheduled for 15–17 October 2026 at the Hanoi Vietnam Exposition Centre (VEC) in Hanoi, Vietnam, has been postponed to 30 November–2 December 2027.

The trade fair shines a spotlight on the dynamic market of Northern Vietnam, a strategic region characterised by massive investment in new production facilities, industrial modernisation and the steady strengthening of the supply chain in recent years. Spanning over 10,000 square metres, the event is set to host more than 300 international exhibitors from over 20 countries, attracting an audience of around 10,000 buyers and industry professionals from more than 50 countries. The exhibition will shine a spotlight on the latest generation of industrial machinery, leathers, components, finished footwear and fashion accessories, capturing the attention of trade delegations and global specialists keen to forge new partnerships and consolidate their networks in this rapidly growing manufacturing hub. This strategic trade fair reaffirms the mission of the organiser, Top Repute, to maintain a strong presence in key markets and drive the global growth of the manufacturing sector. Info: www.toprepute.com.hk


Beyond Sustainable Zero: this topic will be discussed at the AICC Veneto Technical Conference on November 20

This year, the Organizing Committee of the AICC Veneto Technical Conference has chosen to focus on a crucial and highly topical issue for the future and innovation of our industry, titled: “Beyond Sustainable Zero: Management, Replacement, and Impact of Residual Solvents in Tanning Processes.”
Those wishing to present their work at the conference are invited to submit an abstract by September 15, 2026, to the email address [email protected].
The abstract must be prepared in strict accordance with the template approved by the AICC Board of Directors, which can be found at the following link: Abstract Template
“The tanning industry has already significantly reduced the impact of solvents thanks to advanced formulations and processes. For this reason, we will not discuss the usual regulatory restrictions (REACH, ZDHC, etc.), but will focus on residual use,” the association explains.
The goal is to take a practical approach and provide a forum for concrete solutions to study, reduce, or replace those solvent fractions that are still technically necessary in specific processing stages or niche applications.

AICC announces that priority will be given to submissions from:
* Chemical manufacturers: alternative formulations and polymers or bio-based systems to replace residual solvents.
* Tannery operators: process optimizations, plant modifications, and case studies on residue reduction.
* Wastewater treatment and environmental services: monitoring and new frontiers in wastewater treatment and reduction.
Submissions will be evaluated by the designated Technical Committee, and authors will be promptly notified of final acceptance for the conference.

Born Outside: beyond the sneaker

Founded between Italy and Dubai by two young outsiders to the industry, Born Outside has forged its identity in the world of trainers. With Capitolo III and the SS27 collection presented at Pitti Uomo, it is looking beyond this realm for the first time, unveiling its first loafer, ‘Linea’. A contemporary loafer with clean lines, built on a low-profile rubber sole that keeps the silhouette close to the ground and light. The loafer’s characteristic toe box is reinterpreted through a seamless 3D construction that preserves its classic character whilst eliminating any superfluous elements. At the back, an elasticated construction provides a fluid and relaxed fit that is impossible to find in a conventional loafer.

ANPIC 2026: the heart of the global supply chain beats in León

The countdown to the most eagerly awaited event in the Latin American supply sector is well and truly underway, with the 67th edition of ANPIC – the region’s largest and most significant international trade fair for the supply chains of various strategic sectors, including leather goods and footwear, leather products, machinery and equipment, components and accessories, chemicals, and textiles and clothing. During the three-day event, the spotlight will be on the latest fashion trends for the Autumn-Winter 2027/28 season.

The October 2026 edition builds on the success of last year’s event, which attracted over 8,000 buyers to an exhibition area comprising 855 stands and featuring no fewer than 292 market-leading brands.

The event attracts professionals from all over the world. Among the countries topping the visitor rankings are the United States, Guatemala, Italy, Colombia and China. The event’s global reach is also reflected in its strong international exhibition component, which last year saw the participation of major foreign delegations and associations, including ASSINTECAL, CICB, EXPODETALLES and GRECALZA.

ANPIC’s success lies in its ability to identify the market’s genuine needs. During the last edition, the exhibition area saw a high level of interest from buyers in five key segments: new-generation synthetics, industrial processing machinery, fine leathers, designer accessories and components, and high-performance technological adhesives. These solutions will once again take centre stage and form the basis for the development of the collections for the AW 27/28 season.

In addition to the focus on the creativity of Mexico’s up-and-coming designers, this year’s edition will also feature a packed programme of side events, such as fashion shows and a series of conferences and technical seminars led by international experts, aimed at exploring new macro-economic trends, global style trends and the key factors influencing the supply sector in both the domestic and international markets.

Muno to showcase responsible, high-performance leather solutions at ACLE 2026

As market expectations continue to evolve and brands increasingly prioritize responsible sourcing, leather manufacturers are challenged to deliver premium quality while reducing environmental impact. At Muno, innovation starts with a deep understanding of materials, processes, and real production challenges. Through advanced wet-end technologies and close collaboration with customers, the company is helping shape the future of leather manufacturing.
At Hall E2, Booth E2-C05, Muno will showcase three key technology platforms:
• Densodrin® waterproof system, which combines high performance with eco-friendliness.
• TANICOR®.LB, an upgraded low-bisphenol range developed that complies with upcoming regulations.
• Syntura®, Muno’s next generation of retanning system, combining premium performance, sustainability and regulatory compliance.

Fair visitors are invited to meet the Muno team to discuss technical challenges, sustainability priorities and new opportunities for high-performance and more responsible leather manufacturing.

ILM 2026: the international leather goods sector makes a fresh start in Offenbach

The leather goods sector, like many others, is facing significant challenges such as rising costs, geopolitical instability and changes in consumer habits. In such a complex landscape, it is essential to reinvent oneself and focus on innovation, rather than succumbing to crisis rhetoric. And it is precisely this attitude that is guiding the final stages of preparation for the start of the Offenbach trade fair, which appears set to establish itself once again as the international meeting place for brands, retailers and industry decision-makers from all over the world.

‘We cannot change the economic circumstances. But we can decide how to deal with them,’ emphasised Arnd Hinrich Kappe, Managing Director of Messe Offenbach. ‘This is precisely why our sector needs spaces where people can meet, exchange ideas and shape the future together. This is exactly what the ILM represents.’

This proactive and optimistic approach is also evident in the new features the trade fair is introducing. The ILM Award returns in a new format, emphasising the relevance of products to the market rather than their classification within specific categories. This award will be presented by a jury of experts who will assess the nominations on the basis of innovation and potential impact on the retail sector. In addition, the Product Award will be complemented by a Retail Award, recognising retailers who have distinguished themselves through their commitment and collaboration, based on nominations from brands.

 ILM is also developing key sectors in collaboration with the Travel Goods Association (TGA), with a particular focus on luggage, outdoor gear and functional accessories. This collaboration brings new brands and fresh impetus, highlighting the growing importance of these segments within the specialist retail sector. The outdoor sector, in particular, is becoming a crucial source of sales for many retailers. Thanks to its partnership with the TGA, the ILM continues to strengthen its position as an international platform for travel, outdoor and lifestyle products, offering retailers a unique opportunity to explore an expanding market.


The missing list: the MRSL for metal accessories is born

On 23 September 1999, the Mars Climate Orbiter probe, which cost around 125 million dollars, disintegrated in the Martian atmosphere. No malfunction, no calculation error: one team of engineers was working in metric units, the other in imperial units. The numbers were correct. It was the reference list used to interpret them that was wrong.

Space probes aren’t lost in electroplating workshops. But the mechanism behind the error is identical: taking the ‘grammar’ of one process and applying it to a process that ‘speaks’ a different language. This is what has been happening for years in the metal accessories supply chain, which has been asked to reduce or eliminate substances on the basis of lists written for textiles, leather and plastics. Serious, well-constructed lists. Except they were designed for something else.

 

A LIST THAT DIDN’T EXIST

MRSL stands for Manufacturing Restricted Substance List: the list of substances subject to restrictions in manufacturing processes. The version published today within the ZDHC framework — the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals programme, which aims for zero discharge of hazardous chemicals into the environment — covers textiles, leather and plastics. Metal accessories have never been taken into account.

Ester Falletta, technical director of the Physis Consortium, uses two precise terms to describe what has happened in the vacuum left by that omission: distortions and misrepresentations. Demands were nevertheless made of suppliers, because brands could not afford to wait for a list that nobody was actually drawing up. And so a buckle, a zip or a clamp ended up being measured against a standard designed for other products.

 

WHO IS ACTUALLY QUALIFIED TO DRAW IT UP?

The real question is who is qualified to draw up such a list. Not a single manufacturer, who knows only their own ring well. Not a brand, which views the supply chain from the outside and from above.

Physis is the first consortium established to represent the entire metal accessory production chain: from metal refining to manufacturing plants, from software to supporting technological solutions, from base materials to semi-finished products, right through to surface treatments such as electroplating and  varnishing. This structure has made it possible to bring together, around a single table, technicians overseeing different stages of production, supplemented by an international network of experts.

In 2025, the project to develop the MRSL for metal accessories officially began, with the Physis Consortium acting as lead organisation, in tandem with ZDHC.

 

ELECTROPLATING, CHAPTER ONE

By the end of 2025, the working group had finalised the first list: substances subject to restriction in electroplating processes applied to metal accessories.

This list comprises three main categories: metallic, organic and inorganic substances.

The document was submitted to the MRSL Council, which established a Technical Expert Group (TEG) comprising international experts in formulation, industrial plants and processes, sustainability, and brand representatives. The TEG, chaired by Ester Falletta, is finalising its review of the document, with final validation by the MRSL Council – the body responsible for its independent technical review – scheduled for October 2026.

NOT A LIST OF PROHIBITIONS

A list of restricted substances is instinctively seen as a ‘no entry’ sign, and therefore as a cost, a complication, a problem. But the situation should be viewed quite differently: the publication of the MRSL will not be an end in itself, but a starting point.

The logic follows that of progressive reduction plans, which accompany the use of a substance right through to its phase-out. And the list will be reviewed periodically, as technology within the supply chain advances. This is based on a criterion that rarely features in sustainability documents: alongside environmental protection and health and safety, the industrial and economic sustainability of the measures being proposed is also taken into account. In other words: no reduction that a real supply chain is unable to sustain.

Not a static list of obligations, therefore, but a programme that moves in step with research and, in some respects, drives it forward.

For years, the metal fittings sector has been asked to prove its environmental credentials using someone else’s yardstick. Now it is developing its own assessment system. A major step forward.