Korea Textile Federation to host Preview in Seoul 2026

The Korea Federation of Textile Industries is hosting Preview in Seoul (PIS) 2026, a global textile sourcing fair, at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, from Wednesday through Friday.

The fair features 526 participating institutions and companies — 267 domestic and 259 international — across 784 booths. Exhibits span yarn, fabric, knitwear, trimmings, textile machinery, apparel and fashion technology, covering the full breadth of the industry from sustainable eco-friendly fibers and advanced functional materials to AI and digital solutions.

On the domestic side, Hyosung TNC, DMC, KTC, the Gyeonggi Province Economic Science Promotion Agency, the Gyeonggi Textile Industry Federation and the Spinning Industry Association are presenting a joint pavilion. Other notable Korean participants include Wonchang Material, K-Jun Company, Shinhan Industry, Deokseong Inco, Ceylon, Grootex, Daesung Zipper, Young Textile, Geoflex and Daehyun TFC.

Among overseas exhibitors, China leads with 223 companies, followed by Taiwan with 10 and Japan with 8. Participants also come from Hong Kong, India, the United States, Pakistan, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Mongolia, Turkey and Thailand, among other countries.

The federation has set up five dedicated zones: three trend galleries — Trend Now, PIS Index and PIS Inspire — and two special pavilions, Salon de PIS and TechSphere. The TechSphere pavilion in particular will spotlight innovative companies working with AI and other advanced technologies.

This year's PIS will welcome more than 200 invited overseas buyers representing premium brands and major vendors from the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Buyers from North America and Europe account for 51 percent of the total, while those from Asia — including Japan and Vietnam — make up 47.5 percent. North American attendees are primarily from the material sourcing and R&D teams of global brand headquarters; Japanese participants come mainly from large fashion retailers and general trading companies; and those from China and Vietnam represent production-base operations.

The federation said its business matching system, introduced last year, has gained traction, with about 1,360 matches arranged this year — an 18 percent increase from the previous year. The overall matching rate between buyers and exhibitors stands at roughly 50 percent.

A series of side events will run throughout the fair, including a global forum where domestic and international experts will discuss future strategies for the textile industry, specialized seminars covering global trends, eco-friendly practices and digital innovation, and a pitching stage where exhibitors can present their products and services directly to buyers.

The federation has also bolstered its smart-fair infrastructure with an AI-based translation solution, a 3D booth layout and e-directory through an e-floor map and guide map system, and an automatic business card registration system.

"Just as this year's exhibition concept 'CO-OP' suggests, we hope textile companies will use PIS to forge new opportunities for collaboration and spread the value of shared prosperity," a federation official said.