Conference Overview

April 27 (Saturday)

April 28 (Sunday)

April 29 (Monday)

“How to Source from China” Seminar Series (Module 1)
Identifying Suppliers in China: How to Spot a Good Factory and Avoid a Bad Apple
Mike Bellamy, Chairman of Advisory Board, China Sourcing Information Center; China Operations Director, PassageMaker Sourcing Solutions

Finding the right supplier is the single most important step in determining your project’s success or failure. Sourcing veteran Mike Bellamy will explain the pitfalls to avoid when searching for a good supplier for your particular needs. Highlights include:

1. So many factories. How do I find the right one for me?
2. Pros & cons: going factory direct vs. using intermediaries
3. Affordable tools to confirm whether a supplier is legit

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Toward Trade Liberalization: Taiwan’s Textile Industry and its Way to Prosperity
Justin Huang, Secretary General, Taiwan Textile Federation

Taiwan’s textile export value was US$11.82 billion in 2012, a 7.1% decline from the previous year. However, its export volume was only about 1.9% less than 2011. It is obvious that Taiwan’s textile industry maintained almost the same export performance as in 2011, as raw material prices declined greatly in 2012, but this also meant that textile values could not rise. Several factors had major impact on the global economy last year, including Europe debts, high unemployment in the US and EU, high prices for cotton in China, and rising labor costs in China. Most leading retailers in the world did not see significant business growth, which forced them to decrease or slow down their supply from Asia.

Taiwan is recognized as a leader in developing innovations such as functional textiles and environmentally friendly textiles, and supplies a number of high-end sportswear and outer wear brands in the US, Europe and Japan. Mr. Justin Huang, Secretary General, Taiwan Textile Federation, will give a presentation about how Taiwan has coped with adverse economic circumstances by focusing efforts on textile innovation in recent years.

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“How to Source from China” Seminar Series (Module 2)
How to Negotiate and Position Yourself Before Placing Purchase Orders
Brendan Elias, Founder, China Import Formula

There is a lot to consider when doing business internationally, and it's important to prepare yourself for success - not failure. Planning ahead will save you from common pitfalls entrepreneurs can fall into when they do business in a market they are not wholly familiar with. This session covers some of the most important areas to consider before investing in a product and building your importing business. The seminar will cover:

1. A cross-cultural understanding of international buyers and Chinese suppliers
2. Cost drivers and cost breakdown analysis
3. The dos and don'ts of quality control, logistics and payment methods
4. How to protect intellectual property
5. Proven negotiation techniques

"Visionary Intelligence" Seminar Series (Module 1)
Fashion Snoops Presents: Global Trends Confirmation for Accessories for Autumn/Winter 2013/14 and Early Trend Directions for Spring/Summer14
Michael Leow, Asia/Pacific Sales & Marketing Head, Fashion Snoops

Fashion Snoops, one of the world’s leading online fashion trend forecasting services, provides an overview of the four key themes for Autumn/Winter 2013/14.

We will look at the impact of Scottish Highlands, Boy Meets World, Retro Mod and Street Sport trends on design and product development of fashion accessories. We will then look at some of the themes that we are exploring for the Spring/Summer 2014 season, and analyze the impact of Geo Minimalism, Midnight Boheme, Retro Art School, 90’s Rebellion, and Eastern Bazaar on fashion accessory design and development.

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“How to Source from China” Seminar Series (Module 3)
Advanced Tips for Managing Chinese Suppliers in the Long Run
Zach Hegde, CEO, Ming-Global

Managing Chinese suppliers is not easy: there are cultural differences, language issue and communication problems. China has a different social system, business culture and practices. Yet managing your Chinese suppliers correctly is key to long-term cooperation at competitive prices. It also distinguishes companies that are highly successful at China sourcing from those that aren’t.

During this seminar we will explore in depth the following topics:

1. How to build up a supplier measurement/evaluation system
2. How to deal with price increase requests from suppliers
3. What to do when things go wrong and how to take corrective action
4. How to develop relationships with suppliers and have continuous improvement
5. How to manage ongoing processes and develop collaboration

If you’re seeking ways to take your China importing business to the next level, this is the must-attend session for you.

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"Visionary Intelligence" Seminar Series (Module 2)
PANTONE®VIEW Colour Planner Summer 2014 – Portal
Maryann Wong, Director of Sales & Marketing - Fashion & Home, Pantone

Portal speaks to a point of joining, a way of referencing the past to inform the future, forming a path that moves us forward into another world. For Spring/Summer 2014, as we enter into the color portal and pass through, our interest in strong color continues, becoming more grown-up, mellow and sophisticated in its level of thinking. Become a part of another view, another dimension, the perspective of a landscape turned on its head.

To look at color as a total language, join us for our PANTONE trend seminar at the upcoming China Sourcing Fair.

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