The 2024 Hong Kong International Fur & Fashion Fair

Economic recovery and growth creating Booming sales

The four-day 2024 Hong Kong International Fur & Fashion Fair closed with success on 25 February 2024. This annual spectacular showcased the latest fur and fashion collections, premium raw materials, novel accessories and other products from exhibitors, the leading trade platform for premium fur products concluded a growth in total order confirmed over last year.

Taking the advantage from the pandemic recovery and the growth in spending, this year, the fair had experienced a record-breaking attendance, bouncing back faster and stronger from the lockdown period. The fair had become a key platform to explore business opportunities, bringing the industry more investment and promote local tourism and economic development at the same time.

As the global fur market continues to evolve, Asia sectors such as China, Korea and Japan had played a significant role in the market. The diversified strategies and fashionable or casual lightweight designs tailored to Asia-pacific regions and younger customers had become the new spotlight. In addition, fur dressing sector also keeps abreast of the changes with raw material innovations. The major markets such as Russia, Europe, Korea and Japan are very active and there are plenty of new buyers whose preference differs from traditional styles, such as fashionable items like short jackets and sporty casual wear, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a key trading hub for global fur industry. In results, while buyer attendance from Korea had doubled up, orders from Korea and Japan both experienced solid growth of 31% and 74% respectively, suggesting that the demand from traditional markets remain strong.

The fair also attracted Russian and European buyers to participate in the event and to explore the Belt and Road market as well as promote local economy and tourism. Seminar with experts from the fur industry was held to share their insights focusing on global perspectives, market dynamics, and strategies to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. The European customers showed strong increase by 479%. Besides, the European market had become one of the top trade regions, recorded a high volume of purchases, representing 83% increase over last year. In results, over 70 companies from Russia and Europe regions visited the event with strong demand on high-end merchandise such Sable and Lynx, showing that the fur market is continuously recovering.

Founded over four decades, Hong Kong Fur Federation (HKFF) launched the annual Hong Kong International Fur & Fashion Fair since 1982. The fair is now regarded as a renowned trading platform for global industry where international buyers and exhibitors build close relationships and make remarkable sales every year.             Mr. Alva Choi, Chairman of HKFF, noted, “Exhibitors and buyers are expecting business to return to pre-pandemic levels in coming year, creating an extremely positive atmosphere among the fair, the economic growth had also given support to the global market, we are confident that the fair will excel to higher level in the future.”

Fur has evolved from a luxury material that can keep that chill out to a fashion staple with both style and functionality. Youthful, lightweight and comfortable designs with slimmer silhouettes have been introduced to attract young consumers. Experienced exhibitors also delighted buyers with more diversified offerings this year, presenting refreshing looks incorporating elements of a down jacket or fur parkas. Bold pop art was combined with traditional craftsmanship to create a playful look, while a creative palette gave the material a chic twist. Constantly pursuing innovation, the fur industry is ready to capture the market potential with full confidence.

The 2024 Hong Kong International Fur & Fashion Fair housed over 150 exhibition booths, with around 60 exhibitors showcasing fabulous products and exchanging innovative ideas. The exhibition brought together market-leading furriers and more than thousand of major fur buyers from over 30 countries and is recognized as the world’s most important fur trading platform.

*              *              *

The Hong Kong Fur Federation was established in 1979 to coordinate Hong Kong fur trade activities and to promote its development. The vast majority of raw materials used by Hong Kong fur manufacturers are sourced from modern fur farms in Scandinavia, the USA and Canada. All wild furs come from overpopulated species so as to maintain the ecological balance. Industry players also work closely with their local governments to ensure that no endangered species are being used.