Texprocess 2011: lecture programme

The programme for the Texprocess Forum at Texprocess,

leading international trade fair for the processing of textile and other flexible materials, to be held in Frankfurt am Main from 24 to 27 May 2011, has now been finalised. High-profile speakers from industry, institutes and associations will give talks on the three main topics: sourcing, sustainability and social standards. The programme has been primarily drawn up by 'Dialog Textil-Bekleidung', ('Textile-Apparel Conference' - an industrial association for the apparel and textile industry). GermanFashion Modeverband Deutschland, Euratex (European Apparel and Textile Confederation) and IAF (International Apparel Federation) have all been involved, too. The Texprocess Forum takes place throughout the duration of the trade fair from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. in the Sourcing Area.

In the sessions on sourcing, the Forum will deal, on the one hand, with countries new to the sourcing scene such as Africa, South-East Europe and Latin America and also look at how clothing companies can optimise their sourcing strategies. Walter Wilhelm from Walter Wilhelm Associates and Barbara Zeins from Gerson & Gerson will analyse the advantages and challenges of sourcing from countries in the Western world compared to Asia. Carsten Schmelting from Tom Tailor will talk about planning, regulating and controlling the supply network. And Esther Lutz from TradeCard will give an insight into new approaches in supply chain collaboration. These sessions will also deal with the implications of customs and excise law in international sourcing.

Sustainability is a central theme in the textile value-creation chain. In one of a variety of talks, Detlef Fischer, from Bluesign Technologies AG, will put the cat among the pigeons in the Texprocess Forum by questioning whether sustainability is anything more than a buzzword in the textile process. Dr. Ahmad Ansari from SGS will highlight important aspects of sustainability in the textile sector and Steven A. Jesseph from WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) will talk about about establishing a sustainable value-creation chain. Other lectures in these sessions will cover, for example, carbon-footprint reduction and the monitoring of sustainability.

The question of social responsibility, too, is set to dominate textile processing and clothing manufacture even more in the future. The Texprocess Forum offers a range of talks on this issue. Professor Nick-Lin Hi from the University of Mannheim, for example, will talk about corporate responsibility in the textile industry and the management of social standards in a competetive market place. How reliable are the results of social audits and how can one guarantee their reliability? These are the questions that Frank Dorssers from the STR Testing & Inspection Institute will look into. To complete the programme, there will also be some individual talks on new technologies and logistics. The Texprocess Forum lectures are in German and English and are free of charge to visitors at the trade fair.

Texprocess from 24 to 27 May is the new leading international trade fair for the processing of textile and other flexible materials. Here, the international market leaders for all stages of textile processing and clothing manufacture will present their new products and high-tech solutions. The conceptual partner of Texprocess is VDMA Garment and Leather Technology (VDMA Bekleidungs-und Ledertechnik). Texprocess is aimed principally at the clothing industry, but also at other areas where textiles are processed such as the automobile, air and space-travel industries, upholstery materials and leather processing, filter manufacture, the packaging industry and industrial safety. Hence, Texprocess is being held in parallel to Techtextil, the international trade fair for technical textiles and non-wovens, from 24 to 26 May 2011. Visitors at Texprocess also include wholesalers and retailers, tradespeople, service providers, scientists and people involved in training and education.

Information about Texprocess can be found at: www.texprocess.com