Trade fair guide
Sourcing Knitwear at the Canton Fair: A Buyer’s Guide.
We have exhibited at the Canton Fair in Guangzhou twice a year since 2013. From our side of the booth, we see which buyers leave with suppliers they can work with, and which leave with a bag of business cards. This guide covers when to go, how to prepare, the questions worth asking at a knitwear booth, and how to follow up after the fair.
By Marcia Lee, Business Manager at Knitwear World · Updated October 2026
When to go
Clothing, including knitwear, is in Phase 3.
The China Import and Export Fair, better known as the Canton Fair, is held in Guangzhou every spring and autumn at the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou. Each session runs in three phases, and each phase covers different product groups. Clothing, including men’s and women’s wear, sports and casual wear and kids’ wear, is in Phase 3.
| Session | Phase 3 in 2026 | Usual timing |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (139th session) | 1–5 May 2026 | Early May |
| Autumn (140th session) | 31 October – 4 November 2026 | Around the start of November |
The 141st session (spring 2027) had not been announced when we updated this guide; Phase 3 is normally held in early May. Dates change slightly every year, so check the official schedule before you book travel. Register as an overseas buyer on the official Canton Fair website before you go, and check the current badge and entry requirements there.
Before the fair
Prepare a one-page brief.
Phase 3 has thousands of booths, and you will have only a few minutes at each one. The buyers who get useful answers arrive with a short brief that a supplier can respond to on the spot.
- Products: styles, gauges and yarns, with reference photos or a sample from your current range.
- Quantities: pieces per style and per colour, not only the total order.
- Price and timing: target price, and the delivery window you need.
- Requirements: audits and certifications your retailers ask for, such as amfori BSCI, GRS or RWS.
- Shortlist: suppliers you already know, with their booth numbers, so you see them first.
If you plan to meet us, ask Marcia for our booth details before the fair.
At the booth
Questions to ask a knitwear supplier.
Samples on a booth wall show what a supplier can make once. These questions show whether they can make it again, at your quantities and to your standard.
| Question | Why it matters | A useful answer |
|---|---|---|
| Are you the factory? Where do you knit, link and finish? | Many booths belong to trading companies, which is fine if you know it | A factory address you can visit or see on a video call |
| What is your MOQ per style and per colour? | Minimums apply per colour on the machine, not only per order | Clear numbers per style and per colour, and what changes them |
| How long does a sample take, and what does it cost? | Shows development capacity and speed | A plain-knit sample in days, not weeks, with the fee stated |
| What is the bulk lead time after approval? | Yarn dyeing and peak season decide your delivery | Lead time explained by step: yarn, knitting, finishing |
| Which audits and certificates do you have? | Your retailers may require them | Audit name, auditor and year, with copies on request |
| Do you subcontract any production? | Bulk quality depends on where bulk is made | A straight answer about which steps happen where |
| What payment terms do you work with? | Cash flow and risk on both sides | Terms stated clearly in the quotation |
Look closer at the samples
- Turn samples inside out. Linking, seams and the back of jacquard show more than the front.
- Photograph each sample with its tag or style number, so you can quote it later. Our own samples are also online by style number in our ODM sweater collection.
- Ask which samples are the supplier’s own development. A booth that openly shows other brands’ styles may show yours too.
Marcia Lee and our team with buyers at our Canton Fair stand, 2024–2025.
After the fair
Follow up while the samples are fresh.
Shortlist
Within a week, narrow your contacts to three to five suppliers.
Brief
Send tech packs or reference photos with quantities per colour, target price and delivery window.
Verify
Book a video tour of the factory floor one to two days ahead, or arrange a visit or audit.
Sample
Compare samples from the shortlist on fit, hand-feel and the washed result.
Order
Seal the approved sample and agree the standards and inspection plan before bulk.
Plain-knit samples from us normally take 3–5 days once the brief is clear, so a clear brief sent soon after the fair keeps your development on schedule.
Beyond Guangzhou
Other fairs where you can meet knitwear suppliers.
The Canton Fair is our main fair, but not the only place to meet us. We have also exhibited at AFF (Asia Fashion Fair) in Japan, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris in France, Preview in Seoul (PIS) in Korea, CPM in Moscow and MAGIC in Las Vegas.
Can’t travel? Many buyers now start with a video call and a factory tour on screen, then sample before they visit. Our factory is in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, between Shanghai and Hangzhou, and we welcome visits.
Checklist
Canton Fair checklist for knitwear buyers.
- Buyer registration done, and the current badge requirements checked on the official website
- One-page brief: products, gauges, yarns, quantities per colour, target price and delivery window
- Required audits and certifications
- Reference photos or samples from your range
- A way to record each booth: number, contact, and photos of samples with their tags
- Tech packs ready to send in the week after the fair
Visiting a fair? Ask Marcia for our booth details →
Sources
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