The Countdown Has Begun for the International Footwear Components Fair AYSAF

Countdown Begins for International Footwear Industry Suppliers Fair AYSAF AYSAF, the key meeting point for the footwear sector, opens 3-6 May 2023 at Istanbul Fair Centre. The 68th International Footwear Industry Suppliers Fair AYSAF, organized in cooperation with AYSAD, the umbrella organization of the footwear industry suppliers, and Artkim Exhibitions, is preparing to bring together 36 business lines from around the world, including manufacturers of footwear industry materials, leather, synthetic leather, textiles, soles, heels, accessories, machinery, chemicals and moulds. AYSAF, the largest fair in Eurasia and the second largest in Europe in its sector, will host 327 companies. The fair is expected to attract over 15,000 visitors from more than 80 countries. Following supply chain disruptions in China and the Russia-Ukraine War, the footwear industry suppliers sector has reached 500 million pairs of shoes in production and USD 1.3 billion in export volume in 2022, thanks to Turkey's geographical position and the sector's price-quality balance. For 2023, expectations are set at 600 million pairs of shoes produced and USD 1.7 billion in exports. AYSAD Board Chairman Sait Salıcı said: "Our footwear industry suppliers sector has an exceptionally technological and current dynamics. There is USD 60 billion in footwear trade volume in Turkey's near vicinity. Last year, we achieved USD 1.3 billion in exports. European Union countries, which previously sourced large volumes of products from the Far East, are now turning to our country to meet their smaller quantities and short-term needs, given our geographical advantage. As both the footwear and footwear industry suppliers sector, we have much further to go. We have gained good momentum. There are 15,000 businesses operating in the footwear sector in Turkey; approximately 6,000 of these are footwear industry suppliers. We believe that fairs and one-on-one meetings will further accelerate the sector's momentum. Our goal is to make Turkey a 'hub' in the footwear industry suppliers sector." At the AYSAF Fair, which will be enriched with exhibitions, installations, panels and a conference programme, Alexander Moreno, who set the world record for creating the fastest shoe collection in 9 hours 40 minutes 32 seconds at the International Footwear and Leather Fair held in Colombia and entered the Guinness Book of Records, will also create a visual feast with design shows.