Texworld: China’s Role in US Fashion Sourcing Is Evolving, Not Disappearing

As buyers continue to amplify their sourcing portfolios, Chinese suppliers are increasingly competing to keep their share in the US market. The direction, however, is not simply “China versus the rest,” Messe Frankfurt Inc.’s show manager Caner Ozkan told FashionUnited. “It is China plus a more diversified network of strategic sourcing partners,” he said.

Messe Frankfurt is the trade fair organizer behind Texworld, which hosted its Los Angeles and New York editions in July before landing in Paris on August 31. Ozkan said the clearest signal at the US events is that sourcing in 2027 will be less about replacing one country with another, and more about building a “broader, more resilient supplier portfolio”.

“Buyers are maintaining relationships with suppliers that can deliver scale and technical capability, while actively adding partners that offer lower minimums, shorter lead times, faster replenishment and greater supply-chain visibility. Price remains important, but it is no longer the only deciding factor. Reliability, flexibility, compliance readiness and speed are carrying much more weight,” he said.

Despite the geopolitical tension between China and the US, Chinese participation remained significant across diverse categories at Texworld, including knits, denim, wovens, functional fabrics, trims and finished apparel. “At the same time, buyers were actively comparing those capabilities with suppliers from Taiwan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Bangladesh, Peru and the United States,” Ozkan said.

China’s role in respondents’ sourcing portfolios continued to decline in 2026, according to the 2026 Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study conducted by the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and published in July. Only 12 percent of respondents sourced more than 30 percent of their apparel products from China, while most companies sourced less than 10 percent from the country. The report says China’s market share fell to 9.7 percent, down from 16.7 percent a year earlier, and dropped below Vietnam (22.2 percent) and Bangladesh (11.3 percent) for the first time in decades.

For Ozkan, US buyers don’t want to eliminate China from their sourcing matrix, but reduce concentration risk instead. “China continues to be valued for its scale, vertical integration, technical capabilities and speed, but Chinese suppliers are increasingly competing on flexibility, innovation, traceability and service, rather than price alone,” he said.

A broader portfolio

Over 10 countries were represented at Texworld Los Angeles, while more than 15 were present at Texworld New York in July. “One of the most significant new additions was the Pakistan home-textile group, which joined us as part of the West Coast debut of Home Textiles Sourcing LA. Taiwan also maintained a strong presence in functional and performance textiles and contributed a dedicated trend showcase. Uzbekistan’s representation extended across textiles, finished apparel and home products, while we also welcomed resources from countries including India, Bangladesh and Peru,” Ozkan said.

According to the show manager, buyers were comparing markets based on product specialization, production flexibility, quality, lead time and reliability.

Function over fashion?

When it comes to the product, buyers are interested in function meeting familiarity.

“We saw strong interest in performance and lifestyle fabrics, versatile natural and recycled materials, lightweight constructions and products that can move across active, casual and everyday categories,” Ozkan said. “They are looking for materials that can be applied to proven silhouettes, produced in manageable quantities and delivered at realistic price points. I would not describe that as playing it safe. Buyers are being highly selective and are sourcing newness where it provides a clear performance, sustainability, or business benefit. The strongest ideas are the ones that balance creativity with commercial viability.

Texpertise Focus AI

In the past couple of years, fashion companies have been increasingly using artificial intelligence tools across design, virtual modeling, e-commerce imagery, and supply chain forecasting. In 2026, Messe Frankfurt launched Texpertise Focus AI to enhance the visibility and accessibility of AI-related topics at its textile trade fairs.

“We are highlighting tools and technologies that support trend forecasting, virtual sampling, inventory planning, material selection and quality control,” Ozkan said. “Buyers are most interested in solutions that can reduce sample rounds, improve accuracy, shorten lead times and minimize waste. The goal of Texpertise Focus AI and the Innovation Hub is to move beyond the hype and show how technology can create measurable value across the supply chain.”

Messe Frankfurt will now bring Texpertise Focus AI to Paris at its Texworld Apparel Sourcing fair, taking place from August 31 to September 2 at the Paris Le Bourget Exhibition Centre.