Textile firms throughout West Yorkshire are expected to pick up new deals at an international trade fair in Paris.

Firms throughout the region are attending the 25th Premiere Vision fashion apparel trade fair from Friday, October 2, to Sunday, October 4.

Companies are being supported by the Bradford-based National Wool Textile Export Corporation which has offices in Lloyds Bank Chambers in Hustlergate.

The Corporation is setting up a British By Design stand at the event which aims to appeal to top designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Paul Smith in the UK and Ralph Lauren in the USA.

Nearly 70 firms throughout the UK are attending the exhibition, including Bradford area companies Clissold, Denholme Velvets, Drummond, Fosters, Hield Brothers, Abraham & Moon, Parkland and Whiteheads.

The Corporation is involved in 20 promotional events in a year which is helping textile firms promote their goods abroad.

These include the British Textile Show in Korea, Woolmeet in New Delhi, India and the Yarn Fair International in New York. There are also trade missions to Hong Kong, Japan, Nepal and New York.

The next big event after the Premiere Vision event is the Intertextile show in Shanghai.

David Hainsworth, immediate past president of the National Wool Textile Export Corporation, said: "Trade fairs are a key part of the Corporation's marketing strategy. The staff organise UK participation in over 20 events each year."

He said the Government was helping textile companies by putting more resources into the Trade Fair Support Scheme - a decision of former Trade and Industry Secretary Margaret Beckett.

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