APLF held its 2022 edition at the Dubai World Trade Center in the United Arab Emirates, after three years without being held. The supplier and producer fair took place for the last time in 2019, in Hong Kong.
The demand for the face-to-face format for sales and marketing was an important argument among the actors in this industrial sector, surveyed by the organizers of the exhibition.
In this sense, APLF DUBAI took place from Wednesday to Friday, bringing together APLF Leather, Materials+ and Fashion Access events in one place.
463 exhibitors took part in the fair, who were arranged in the 20 thousand square meters of the fairgrounds and represented 35 regions and countries. The exhibition area was also segmented into 20 national pavilions, with the participation of France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Brazil, the United States, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Georgia, Uzbekistan, India, Turkey, Pakistan and Japan.
In addition, groups of buyers from Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Turkey, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Europe were registered, thanks to the collaboration between APLF and various footwear, leather and retail associations, according to the organization at the beginning of the event.
China was not represented by exhibitors or visitors, due to the current quarantines and travel limitations.
The fair coincided with the Expo 2020 Dubai mega-event and the exhibition activity was complemented by conferences and workshops of interest to the fashion and leather and manufactures sectors.
The Brazilian experience
For the 31 participating Brazilian tanneries, the general opinion was that the resumption of this fair in face-to-face format was very important, since it opened another international point of business, beyond the Hong Kong-China axis, which made it possible to meet new importers from Egypt, United Arab Emirates, India, Iran, Turkey and Europe, especially Italy.
The next edition of APLF was scheduled for March 2023.
