Bangkok, Thailand - Backed by two decades of successful trade stories, the Bangkok International Fashion Fair and Bangkok International Leather Fair 2006 (BIFF&BIL 2006) will return again this year to the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Center (BITEC) from September 27 – October 1, 2006.   Apart from other numerous activities, BIFF&BIL 2006 will be the launch pad for Thai Tex Trend’s latest trend forecast for the Autumn/Winter 2007 – 2008 season together with Thai Cluster’s Spring/Summer 2007 collection, demonstrating the ability of Thai own equipment manufacturer (OEM) to become original design manufacturer (ODM) in order to elevate the Thai fashion Industry as a whole to world-class standards.

Thai Tex Trend (T3) Forum consists of 12 leading textile manufacturers, each producing different textiles such as high fashion knitted fabrics, wrinkle-free fabrics, and much more.   With assistance from the Department of Export Promotion (DEP) in bringing in a textile specialist from Italy, T3 participants are able to keep pace with the evolving world fashion trends and produce materials in line with global demand.

The Autumn/Winter 2007 - 2008 T3 Collection, styled by Mitor Textile Consultancy, the Italian textile specialist, will reflect the BIFF&BIL 2006 theme of ‘A Brave New World of Fabulous Fashion’. Ms. Vipaporn Rojanavongse, Export Manager of Santavee Intergroup Co., Ltd., one of the T3 manufacturers, explained, “By taking into consideration the Italian textile specialist’s conceptual trends and styles, Santavee has been able to manufacture yarn and piece-dye woven

fabrics to meet fashion trends. Our collections to be presented at BIFF&BIL 2006 will
accentuate the height of fashion casuals by applying finishing techniques that give fabrics
a lively and textured surface. Among 30 collections that will be displayed at the
T3 Forum, the highlights will be the thread composition of cotton-polyester, cotton
slub and seersucker which have had a fresh finishing surface, enabling the textiles to
have either a stylish crinkle look, a used look or a linen look.”

The textiles developed from the T3 project are made up into wearable garments by
manufacturers from Thai Cluster, the end-of-stream textile to garment project. Both T3
and Thai Cluster projects are supervised and guided by Mitor Textile Consultancy in the
whole process from conceptualization, visualization to materialization and marketing
management.

Mr. Adisorn Charoenyongyoo, Assistant Research Manager of Thanulux Plc., Ltd.
revealed: “This year at BIFF&BIL 2006 in Bangkok, Thanulux, as the sub cluster leader
of men’s fashion manufacturers, will showcase the latest menswear collections with a
uniquely Italian style designed by a team of professional designers. For the Thai Cluster
project, our consumer target groups are middle to high-end customers, mainly in Europe,
the United States and Italy”.

Thanulux is not only participating in the Thai Cluster project, but the company is also one
of the T3 textile manufacturers. In fact, the company’s innovative ‘CottaZilk’ has made
Thanulux a pioneer in the textile market as the fabric combines folklore knowledge with
modern textile technology, conceiving a hybrid fabric made of high quality cotton fiber
and Thai silk.

“As the world today is a highly competitive market place with emerging competitors such
as China and Vietnam, innovation has become a vital factor for manufacturers to survive
and succeed. Therefore, we hope that our latest product, CottaZilk will ultimately be
regarded as one of the most comfortable and quality fabric available by our customers
worldwide. In my opinion, the cooperation between both upstream and downstream
manufacturers will strengthen the Thai fashion and textile industry as a whole, and
I believe that the T3 and Thai Cluster projects will definitely uplift the state of OEM’s into
ODM’s in the near future. I hope that Thanulux and other Thai textile manufacturers will
become world-class original brand manufacturers (OBM) eventually,” commented
Mr. Adisorn.

“Differentiation and cost-effectiveness of products combined with innovative weaving and finishing technology along with sinceresupport from the govern- ment such as the initiation of the T3 and Thai Cluster projects will help local manufacturers gain world market share,” Ms. Vipaporn added. Apart from Thai Tex Trend and Thai Cluster projects at BIFF&BIL 2006, visitors will be able to enjoy many other interesting and unique showcases and success stories, such as the Young Designers Room, Lanna Fashion, OTOP and Thai Brands exhibitions.

Excite your fashion senses in ‘A Brave New World of Fabulous Fashion’ at the Bangkok
International Fashion Fair and Bangkok International Leather Fair 2006 (BIFF&BIL 2006),
from September 27 – October 1, 2006. For further details and registration of the BIFF&BIL 2006, please visit http://www.thaitradefair.com or email: biff@depthai.go.th or bil@depthai.go.th.

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For further information please contact:
Pishnu Plaikaew
Tel: + 66 (0) 2253 6809 ext. 114
Fax: + 66 (0) 2253 6805
E-mail: biff_bil06press@ttis.co.th