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ZHPositive results from Korean show
Reporting on SATRA’s attendance at Busan’s international footwear expo.
The latest edition of the Busan International Shoe Show (BISS) was held on 4-6th October 2018 at the BEXCO exhibition centre in Busan, South Korea. This event was held in conjunction with the Busan International Footwear Tech Textile & Fashion Fair 2018 (BIFOT) and Busan Fashion Week.
BISS is the only footwear exhibition held in South Korea, and it has evolved and developed since its inaugural show in 2001. Busan has been a centre for footwear in Korea since the 1930s, with footwear materials and components manufactured in the region.
The first BISS exhibition was organised to specifically assist with the revival of the local footwear industry, which is one of the top ten strategic industries in Busan. The work of government-backed organisations such as the Footwear Industrial Promotion Centre have played an important role in the development of the footwear sector. Their declared aim is to ‘strive for the sustainable development of the footwear industry by establishing a global buyers’ network, facilitating research and development on core shoe materials and components, setting footwear evaluation standardisation and certification systems, establishing a high-tech footwear hub, training the footwear industry workforce and establishing the K-Shoe Centre’.
The BISS exhibition included footwear technical seminars, trend seminars, a brand fashion show, ‘meet and greet’ sessions for connecting suppliers to customers, and entertainment events.
SATRA has now exhibited twice at BISS, and staff from the UK headquarters and China office were present, along with representatives from BST&C (SATRA’s authorised equipment suppliers for Korea). South Korea is a growing market for SATRA test equipment, and sales this year have included the supply of SATRA equipment for the new Descente global footwear research facility opened in October in Busan. Information on this new centre was published in the September 2018 issue of SATRA Bulletin, which can be read here.
Visitors to the SATRA stand included SATRA members in South Korea and overseas, as well as non-members. These represented testing laboratories, government support agencies, Korean and international brand owners, manufacturers, material and component suppliers, sourcing companies and footwear associations from around the world. Discussions were held with a number of companies which have innovative footwear and footwear products. These meetings gave the opportunity to explain how, as SATRA members, such companies could access SATRA expertise for providing independent scientific evidence in support of manufacturers’ claims.
Publishing Data
This article was originally published on page 56 of the November 2018 issue of SATRA Bulletin.
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