From the Italian Garda Exhibition, observing the global footwear procurement changes: How Hutchison Textiles anchors China's core advantages through fabric innovation

The 105th Italy Garda Shoe Exhibition (Expo Riva Schuh) has successfully concluded. This exhibition brought together more than 1,000 exhibitors and 8,000 visitors from 44 countries, with overseas visitors accounting for as much as 69.7%.. As one of the most representative B2B large-scale fashion trade shows in the global footwear and luggage sector, every data fluctuation of Riva Schuh reflects the real-time dynamic changes of global trade routes. And behind these changes,Suzhou Heji Textile Technology Co., Ltd.——This company, rooted in Shengze, a major textile hub in China, and engaged in the footwear material fabric sector for over twenty years——is becoming a microcosmic footnote of the core competitiveness of China's footwear manufacturing industry through its solid industrial strength.

1. Global Footwear Procurement Route Restructuring: China's Core Position and Diversification in Parallel

The data from this exhibition clearly outlines the trend of restructuring the global procurement landscape: the number of buyers from Poland, India, and Latin America has increased, the number of buyers from Greece and Israel has risen, and the number of online platform visitors from Spain has tripled.Vietnam, Tunisia, and South Africa are participating for the first time, and the supplier base continues to expand.The hot topics of discussion at the exhibition focused closely on changes in trade policies—the EU-Mercosur agreement effective in May 2026, as well as the EU-India and EU-Australia agreements, were all core issues.。

However, in this seemingly 'decentralized' procurement restructuring,China is still the largest exhibitor at this exhibition, according to ADNKRONOS data, Chinese exhibitors account for 34.46% of more than 1,000 exhibitors, ahead of Italy (17%), Turkey (10.61%), and India (9.39%)All brands still maintain close cooperation with Chinese manufacturing, while actively promoting diversification of procurement sources on the premise of maintaining stable quality.。

This is exactly itHutchison TextilesThe era in which it is situated. As a core member company under the Hutchison Group, Hutchison Textiles was established in 1998 and set up its own factory in Shengze in 2008.The company is located in Shengze, Wujiang, Jiangsu, a major textile town of China known as 'where tens of thousands of textiles are produced, covering the world'., have22,000 square meters of self-purchased factory building, equipped with a full-pulping and production line imported from South Korea240 unitsAdvanced water-jet loom. Annual production of various types of chemical fiber fabrics is about30 million meters, making itOne of the largest luggage fabric manufacturers in the Shengze area。

When Western buyers discuss purchasing diversification at trade shows, the capacity represented by Hutchison Textiles is not 'replaceable,' but ratherIrreplaceable quality and efficiency. The company ownsmore than 200Professional and skilled technical staff, among which professional R&D personnel account for5%, senior quality inspection management personnel reached10%. From the white body, colored body to the finished productFull-process inspection, ensure that the products leave the factory with zero defectsThis solid manufacturing foundation is precisely the fundamental support that allows China's footwear material supply chain to maintain a core position in the global procurement restructuring.

2. AI Fashion Show: The Implementation Path from Virtual to Physical, and Heji's R&D Response

The most talked-about topic of this exhibition is the AI-generated digital model fashion show displayed on three LED screens, each about 15×4 meters.. Buyers can first view the product on a virtual model, and within minutes they can walk to the booth to touch the actual item。

This is the first AI runway attempt at a B2B large-scale footwear and bag exhibition. The greater long-term value lies not in the runway format itself, but in the underlying logic conveyed by procurement-oriented exhibitions using this format——Let buyers intuitively experience the pathway from digital models to physical objects。

Hutchison TextilesThere is a profound practical resonance with this logic. The company possessesProfessional analysis, research and development team, and advanced testing laboratory center，Ensure the launch of 8 to 10 new products every month, for customers to choose. The product line coversLinear Gradient DS8131-1 Fabric、Mountain Pattern DS8013 Jacquard Fabric、Stone Carved Pattern Shoe Material Fabric DS8159、Wild Leopard Print DS8129-1 Fabric、Winter Snow Mountain DS8308 Shoe Material Fabricand other rich categories, combining bothWear-resistant and tear-resistantSuch characteristics, and can undergo post-processing such as waterproofing according to requirements。

When buyers browse virtual shoe models on the AI screens at the Gada exhibition, Hutchison Textiles' R&D team is transforming similar trend insights into tangible, mass-producible fabric products. This kind ofTrend Capture—Rapid R&D—Mass ProductionThe capability closed loop is precisely the irreplaceable competitiveness of Chinese shoe material suppliers in the AI era.

3. AI from Trend Prediction to Production Implementation: Hutchison's 'Diagnosis-to-Production' Practice

Exhibition analysis points out that the footwear industry’s process, from capturing consumer demand to producing suitable shoe models, has evolved into a multi-level AI pipeline.The core turning point lies inIntegration of the production process——AI diagnostic results no longer remain at the level of screen recommendations, but are directly transformed into physical products。

Hutchison TextilesOccupying a key position in this trend. The company and4 to 5Dyeing and finishing factories with strength and experience in the industry have established close strategic partnerships.From yarn to grey fabric, from dyeing to finishing, and then to product inspection, Heji has built a completeVertically integrated supply chain. This capability means that when the brand completes shoe design and fit diagnostics through AI, Hutchison can respond quickly and transform the design concept into compliance withWear-resistant, tear-resistant, waterproofFabric finished products with equivalent performance indicators。

CompanyThe newly introduced production equipment and R&D team for integrated molded shoe uppers and integrated molded bag materials, greatly increased the diversity of shoe materials and bag fabrics, and streamlined the production process. This technological layout is highly aligned with the industry trend of 'diagnosis as production' showcased at the exhibition—Efficiency of converting data into physical objects, is becoming a core competitive dimension of the footwear material supply chain.

4. China's Core Position and Role Transformation: Hutchison's Globalization Strategy

The exhibition clearly stated: 'China is still the core hub of the footwear manufacturing industry and occupies a central position in the procurement process. However, Western buyers are also promoting procurement diversification, making it a core strategy that runs parallel while maintaining dependence on China's production capacity.'

Hutchison TextilesThe global layout precisely confirms the proactive role of Chinese suppliers in this changing situation. The company has established an integrated operation center in Suzhou and is expanding its presence nationwide.9 Offices and Sales Stores, forming a professional marketing network covering multiple provinces and cities nationwide, including Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Hebei. At the same time, the company's products haveSold extensively to Southeast Asia and other overseas markets。

At the level of brand cooperation, Hutchison Textiles isThe only designated fabric supplier for Xtep, and withSamsonite, Ambassador, Hongxing Erke, Guirenniao, Anta, 361°After establishing long-term cooperative relationships with well-known international and domestic brandsThis client matrix itself is a miniature picture of globalization — it includes sports brands deeply rooted in the Chinese market as well as luggage giants with a global presence.

As a brand product manager at the exhibition site said: 'Our purpose for attending the conference also includes looking for suppliers outside of China, so as to diversify our product lines while maintaining high standards in design, fabrics, and detail quality.'The other side of this passage is:Maintaining a high standard in design, fabric, and detail quality is precisely the irreplaceable value of Chinese suppliers.Heji Textile Co.22,000 square meters of solid production capacity、R&D speed of 8 to 10 products per month、Full-process quality control from blank to finished product, it is precisely the solid bearer of this value.

5. Conclusion

The global footwear procurement changes revealed at the 105th Italian Garda Shoe Fair are not primarily about 'China being replaced,' but ratherThe leap of Chinese roles from 'low-cost manufacturing' to 'high-quality innovation'。Suzhou Heji Textile Technology Co., Ltd., this shoe material and fabric company, rooted in Shengze for more than twenty years, has become part of China's shoe material supply chain in this period of change through solid manufacturing skills, continuous R&D investment, and a global market layoutIrreplaceable backbone。

As global buyers discuss procurement diversification at the Gadah exhibition, Hutchison Textiles is working piece by piece with bothWear-resistant, tear-resistant, waterproofInnovative fabrics with comparable performance, answering the ultimate question of the industry —In the era of supply chain restructuring, what is the irreplaceable core competence?

The answer might be hidden there22,000 square meters of textile factoryinside, hidden8 to 10 new products each monthin, hidden inFull-process inspection from raw product to finished productonline。

Suzhou Heji Textile Technology Co., Ltd.
Address: No. 588, Shengnan Highway, Shuangshu Village, Shengze Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province
Customer service hotline: 400-6680-333
Official website:www.heji-group.com