According to the exhibition organizers, the fourth edition of the Turkish Fashion Fabric Exhibition, held July 15-16 at The Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York, managed to attract nearly 1,600 buyers, an increase of almost 50 percent from previous exhibitions.

This number includes 588 buyers who were first time attendees.

The Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters Association (ITKIB), organizer of the TFFE, attributes the growth to a yearlong aggressive marketing and public relations campaign in the U.S. crafted to bring Turkish fabrics and branded ready-to-wear to buyer's attention.

"As Turkey acknowledges free market rules, we are confident that using our marketing power to gain recognition for the high quality, high value, innovative fabrics we offer will continue to pay off," says Mr. Oguz Satici, chairman of the ITKIB textile board. "We are letting the U.S. industry know that we are fashion creators as well as producers," he adds.

New technologies in fabric yarns, weaving and finishing offered buyers exciting ideas and applications for finished apparel.

Some newness of particular note includes Bossa's Velvet, brushed cotton corduroy with a patented weaving technology that creates the finest yarn possible; Kipas' new finishes for denim such as wrinkling, and colorful over-dyes and tie dye effects actually woven into the fabric; Denim Dynamo's jacquard patterned sport fabrics and polyurethane and cotton blend moleskin finished fabric named Dyno Darry (Darry means skin in Turkish); Polaris, 80% cotton/20% poly Velour fabric that doesn't mottle and has a stretchy hand without the use of Lycra; Altinyildiz's "formula one technology," a combination of processes that enhance fabric behavior resulting in a richer hand and an enriched performance.

The TFFE is one of many promotional events organized by ITKIB to promote exports of Turkish fabrics and ready-to-wear in the global marketplace.

Based on the success of the New York exhibition ITKIB has expanded the TFFE to include London, now readying for its third edition on August 19-20 at Olympia 2, Kensington, London W14.

In related news, ITKIB has entered a sponsorship program with global textile company DuPont Textiles and Interiors (DTI) to develop an inspirational resource area where buyers can view trends in aesthetics and technology, including twice daily interactive audio/visual presentations, a lounge and complimentary refreshments.

The first collaboration will take place at the upcoming London exhibition and will be expanded to include the next New York exhibition which will take place in January 2004.