Global Sources opened its garment and fashion China Sourcing Fairs today with more than 1,200 booths -- an increase of 28 percent from last year. All four events are being held Oct. 27-30, 2011 at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong. They are:

• China Sourcing Fair: Fashion Accessories -- Sold out with booths up by 30 percent from last fall
• China Sourcing Fair: Garments & Textiles
• China Sourcing Fair: Underwear & Swimwear
• India Sourcing Fair: Garments & Accessories

Exhibitors are primarily from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, South Korea and the Philippines.

"This is one of the premier fashion sourcing events for global fashion retailers. Many of the items you see here today are what you will be seeing on store shelves around the world in the months ahead," said Tommy Wong, President of Global Sources Exhibitions.

"Our focus on specific fashion categories, along with the opportunity to meet garment and textile suppliers from both India and China, make this a must-attend event for industry buyers."

Show Highlights focusing on the hottest products at the shows keep buyers and suppliers up-to-date on the latest fashion trends. In addition, the Color Trends Area featuring color forecasts for various fashion-related products provides fashion buyers with insights on the up and coming color trends.

Buyers pre-registered to attend the Fairs include Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, AEON, Anteprima, Coles Group Asia, Columbia Sportswear, Diesel, Disney, Dollar General, Eddie Bauer, El Corte Ingles, GAP, Sobond, Tesco and Woolworths.

The Fairs' Private Sourcing Events offer exclusive opportunities for pre-selected exhibitors to meet global buyers in private. Eighteen sourcing teams from companies including Auchan, Esotiq & Henerson, Hermes-Otto International, Intersport, Kaufland, New Balance, Okaidi, RSI and Shop Direct are scheduled to participate in this fall's events.

Other highlights of the Fairs include:

• Conference programs offering firsthand advice and market intelligence to buyers and suppliers, hosted by experts including AsiaInspection, Bureau Veritas, Pantone, PassageMaker, Silk Road International and WGSN Asia Pacific.
• Online Sourcing Fairs, web-based platforms for the Fairs designed to help boost the sourcing productivity for buyers and exhibition investment for suppliers before, during and after the physical shows.
• Global Sources Product Gallery. Physical and digital product gallery, featuring innovative products from hundreds of verified suppliers unable to attend the shows, allows buyers to send direct inquiries on the spot -- greatly extending their sourcing reach and efficiency at the shows.
• Global Sources Show Guide Magazines. Fifteen enhanced sourcing magazines that incorporate the Fair show guides -- featuring the exhibitor list and floor map -- and a CD-ROM that contains a copy of all Global Sources' eMagazines, are being distributed to buyers on-site. This one-of-a-kind initiative puts in buyers' hands information on hundreds of additional verified suppliers and their products, boosting the productivity of their show visit.
• Special Buyers' Lounges at the Fairs, which provide free Internet access and sourcing information.