All About ColombiaTex 2023

All About ColombiaTex 2023

Medellin is the capital of fashion in Colombia, and as evidence of this, different fairs are held every year in the capital of Antioquia.

In addition to Colombiamoda, the City of Eternal Spring has the luxury of presenting, at the beginning of each January season, Colombiatex de las Américas, an event focused on the textile and clothing industry.

Find out everything about this event that is taking place from January 24 to 26 at the hands of Inexmoda, participate as a buyer and visitor, and attend the knowledge pavilions!

What Is Colombiatex?

Colombiatex or Colombiatex de las Americas is a Colombian design event that has been held in Medellin for a little over 30 years and is one of the main business platforms of the fashion system in the country.

At this fair, buyers from all over the world gather to evaluate the new trends and offer in the local market to reach agreements and associations with input companies from the Colombian industry.

This event, which attracts thousands of visitors annually, was created with the support of Inexmoda (Institute for Export and Fashion) to promote textile and clothing exports. It offers a place where people from various parts of the world can share thoughts about fashion while creating business opportunities for textile companies to grow and interact. 

Colombiatex has also helped nurture the country’s social and cultural empowerment, showing Colombia’s capability to create unique fashionable pieces. 

Colombiatex 2023

This year marks the 35th year of Colombiatex, which will take place at Plaza Mayor from January 24 to January 26, 2023. Choosing Plaza Mayor as the main venue is a great strategy, as this is Medellin’s largest convention center. 

Colombiatex 2023 revolves around circular consciousness. There will be a wide variety of events showing natural inputs that will demonstrate the relevance of the textile industry. Moreover, these events will showcase how textile contributes to environmental sustainability. 

Aside from textile shows, guests can also learn about different chemicals and machinery used for clothing in Latin America. This textile fair aims to meet the companies’ business agenda within Latin America, where they can feature their fashionable textile pieces to visitors. 

Colombiatex is also where various local and international brands can introduce what they offer and begin their distribution and customer search in Latin America. And for this year, the fair is expected to have more than 12,000 buyers from Ecuador, the United States, Peru, Venezuela, and Panama. 

On a national scale, companies and buyers from Valle del Cauca, Antioquia, Norte de Santander, Antioquia, and Risaralda are expected to join the fair. There will also be at least 500 exhibitors ready to show their best technological proposals, which are all about innovation and sustainability in textiles. 

What Will You Find in Colombiatex 2023

If you’ve been wanting to join this year’s ColombiaTex, it’s best that you know what to expect. Below are the fair’s best features and events you can enjoy. 

Sustainability Route

Sustainability and circular processes will undoubtedly be protagonists in all the pavilions this year at Colombiatex.

For this reason, an ideal sustainability route has been created to develop this main theme, where companies with outstanding practices will also be highlighted.

Then, there will be conversations around knowledge and updates on new proposals and industry challenges around environmental, social, and economic awareness. Among the most outstanding practices are:

  • Affordable and clean energy
  • Clean water and sanitation
  • Climate action
  • Reduction and responsible consumption
  • Innovation for the environment
  • Circle model

Knowledge Pavillion

The Knowledge Pavillion is an access hub where participants can learn more about the challenges and opportunities companies face in the textile industry. This will occur in Caja de Madera, Plaza Mayor, and the schedule will vary daily. 

The themes of the Knowledge Pavillion will be the following:

  • Economic Consciousness
  • Ambiental Consciousness
  • Social Consciousness

Additionally, the talks will begin at 9 am every day from January 24 to 26 and end at 5 pm. There will be various daily conferences ranging from a wide variety of topics about textiles, including ideation, monetization, project implementation, setting up the company, and more. 

This part of Colombiatex is perfect for young entrepreneurs who want to start their careers in the textile industry. Moreover, a question-and-answer portion will always take place by the end of each talk, which is perfect for audiences who want more knowledge regarding the topic. 

There will be a total of eleven speakers, including the following:

  • Camilo Orozco – director of Xpand Group
  • Sara Ospina – creative director of Smeralda
  • Daniel Cañaverales – Bohio Playa’s co-founder

Experts from the fashion system’s various sectors will also be invited to discuss this in the talks. 

Denim Day

Nothing beats denim in the textile world. This type of fabric has always been one of the most versatile pieces known to everyone. And it has created its relevant mark both in the textile and tailoring industry. 

To commemorate the importance of denim in fashion, ColombiaTex features “Denim Day” on January 25, 2023. It’s a day when visitors, exhibitors, and even sellers can showcase their best fashionable denim piece and wear it at the fair. 

Graphic Market

Graphic artists also deserve to be known and featured in this year’s ColombiaTex. This is why this year, Graphic Market is happening! The fair’s highlighted space features textile illustration proposals from more than twenty Colombian visual and graphic artists. 

This highlighted space is the perfect opportunity to look for unique finds you won’t be able to find in local markets and multinational brands. Moreover, you will interact personally with the artists who made those beautiful creations. Discover their style and how they idealize their thoughts into tangible pieces. 

Trend’s Forum

Trend’s Forum is all about collections from spring to summer 2023. Visitors can learn about what’s to come and what unique finds they can expect in the upcoming seasons. This highlighted space will take place every day from January 24 to 26 at the Green Pavilion, Plaza Mayor. 

Trend’s Forum lets you know four different design esthetics coming this spring to summer: Grow, Release, Belonging, and Raw. 

Grow

Grow focuses on the consumers’ demand for a unique color palette that will boost their confidence in what they wear. The palette features sweet energy with its earthy and leafy tones related to nature. 

The Grow palette features vibrating green shades, which talk about Glade, Watermark, and Waterfall – life’s final cycle stages. Aside from the greens, there are also citric color notes and cute pinks, as well as peaches, including the following:

  • Blossom
  • Rose Blush
  • Serandite
  • Iris

And for the pastel colors, the Grow palette features Dry Grass, Husk, Wheat, and Papyrus.

Release

The Release color palette is all about relieving stress and releasing your body’s inner tensions. Hence, the colors are all about happiness and serotonin, featuring shiny tones that awaken your emotions and spark joy. 

The main colors of the Release palette include citric colors of Spritz, Electric Shock, Cactus, and Orange Juice. While for the blue tones, they range from Hyper Lime, Aqueous, Bounce, Submerge, and Gulf. 

Belonging

Belonging is all about colors of unity and reuniting with your community. It’s all about rethinking your views in life and achieving inner peace. 

The Belong palette has a mix of neutral and fantasy colors infused with hints of Serandite, Papyrus, Exposure, Millet, and Pampas. There are also comic dyes, including Ambit, Ink, Berry Haze, Watermark, and Cyanotype. 

Raw

And then we have the Raw color palette. It’s all about feeling alive again after a period of trials and heartbreaks. Raw colors feature dry panorama pigments mixed with warm neutral colors:

  • Fauna
  • Topsoil
  • Wheat
  • Tamarind
  • Papyrus
  • Husk

Where You Can Stay When Joining ColombiaTex 2023

If you’re visiting Medellin mainly for ColombiaTex, you should stay in hotels near the fair. This reduces travel time and wasteful transportation fees. Don’t worry because we have rounded up all your options below.

Hotel La Quinta by Windham

Located on Las Palmas Avenue, Hotel La Quinta by Windham is only an 8-minute drive from Plaza Mayor’s exhibition center. And it’s also close to Medellin’s central commercial, cultural, and entrepreneurial attractions. Additionally, Hotel La Quinta is also near Jose Maria Cordova International Airport. 

Hotel Holiday Inn

If you still want to enjoy a luxurious stay after visiting ColombiaTex in the afternoon, we recommend Hotel Holiday Inn. It’s on Milla de Oro on El Poblado Avenue, making it a prime location for various city attractions. 

Hotel Holiday Inn is also part of La Strada Shopping Center, where you can access a wide range of restaurants, shopping stores, boutiques, and casinos. With the hotel’s luxurious suites, you can also enjoy free Wi-Fi connection, free use of the gym, and beautiful city views. 

York Luxury Suites

Another luxurious and elegant accommodation is York Luxury Suites. It’s also known for its high-tech amenities, making it ideal for your long-term business stays while visiting ColombiaTex. 

York Luxury Suites is located in El Poblado’s exclusive area, which is the prime location for leisure and business travelers. 

Hotel Estelar Square

A relatively newer hotel accommodation near Plaza Mayor is Hotel Estelar Square. And because it’s new, you’ll find the rooms cleaner, more innovative, and modernized. Hotel Estelar Square is also perfect for private events or business meetings because of its spacious function rooms. 

Hotel San Fernando Plaza

Like Holiday Inn, Hotel San Fernando Plaza is also located on Milla de Oro along El Poblado Avenue. It’s also right in the center of shopping centers, restaurants, and cultural city attractions. Hotel San Fernando Plaza is also near two airports, making it accessible and famous among tourists. 

What sets Hotel San Fernando Plaza apart is its modern, spacious rooms with a luxury minibar. It’s also one of the most exclusive hotels along El Poblado, with unique technological tools to make your stay more relaxing. 

Hotel San Fernando Plaza also features a beauty spa and a 24-hour laundry service. Plus, it’s also equipped with sauna, swimming pool, steam bath, and gym. 

Hotel Intercontinental

Hotel Intercontinental is the most traditional hotel accommodation on this list. It gives you exactly what the culture in Medellin is like. One of its famous rooms is the majestic presidential suite, one of the most beautiful rooms in Antioquia. 

Overall, Hotel Intercontinental gives you the Colombian cultural vibes you won’t find in more modernized hotels. Its rooms are also spacious enough if you wish to bring your entire family. 

Hotel BH El Poblado

A unique hotel with abstract designs is Hotel BH El Poblado. Its excellent location makes it within walking distance within Plaza Mayor, as well as various shopping centers, restaurants, and the metro station. 

Hotel BH El Poblado features Avant-garde rooms with extensive decorations and customized service. These rooms are also what makes this hotel unique among the other accommodations on this list. 

Getting to Plaza Mayor 

Reaching the Plaza Mayor is easy, especially when you book a stay in our recommended hotel accommodations. But if you’re coming from various places, you can ride a commute and reach the place easily. 

You can either ride the bus or the metro to reach Plaza Mayor. It should take you only around fifteen minutes to get to your destination. But it should be faster if you choose riding a cab. And because Plaza Mayor is near most city attractions, restaurants, and shopping centers, it’s easy to visit other tourist destination spots after visiting the fair. 

The Bottom Line

Joining ColombiaTex 2023 is a unique way to be immersed in Colombian culture, especially when it comes to the country’s fashion and textile industry. The fair is a great way for buyers, artists, and business people to interact and generate new insights and opportunities. 

From the Knowledge Pavillion to the Sustainability Route, Trend’s Forum, Graphic Market, and Denim Day, you can find something to look forward to if you decide to join the fair. Get a chance to get to know local and start-up artists with unique talents and skills in arts and clothing designs. 

And finally, if you wish to join the fair, don’t forget to stay at our recommended hotel accommodations for convenience. This will save you time and transportation fees because they are near the venue. 

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