A useful sourcing meeting should leave you with more than a business card. You need to know whether a supplier can make your product, work with your quantities and deliver within your timetable.
If you are visiting The London Textile Fair in January 2027, use this checklist to prepare a clear buying brief, compare suppliers and leave with an agreed next step. Byon Textile will be exhibiting, and we welcome conversations about your next apparel collection.
The London Textile Fair 2027: Dates and Visitor Information
The organiser’s official website lists:
- Dates: 12–13 January 2027.
- Opening hours: 9 am–6 pm on both days, London time.
- Venue: Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 0QH.
The fair brings together fabric, trims, print design and garment suppliers. It is a trade-only event for fashion and textile professionals, with relevant students welcomed on day two. The organiser also notes that it is not intended for retail fabric purchases or buyers seeking very small quantities. Check the visitor registration requirements before planning your visit.
Event information checked on 13 October 2026. Recheck the organiser’s website before travelling.
1. Bring a One-Page Sourcing Brief
Choose the products you want to discuss before arriving. A focused brief helps suppliers give relevant answers instead of showing you their entire range.
| Include | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Product and fit | Garment type, intended customer, reference photos and a sample if available |
| Fabric | Composition, construction, weight in GSM and preferred finish, or a swatch to discuss |
| Quantities | Units per style and colour, plus an approximate size breakdown |
| Branding | Print or embroidery artwork, labels, trims and packaging needs |
| Budget and timing | Target price, delivery destination and the date you need stock in hand |
Bring your tech pack if you have one: the document describing the garment’s measurements, materials and construction. If details are undecided, mark them as questions rather than guessing. Our private-label clothing manufacturing guide explains how these decisions fit into product development.
Keep a digital copy ready to share, alongside labelled reference swatches and a notebook for meeting notes.
2. Shortlist the Right Type of Supplier
Check the official exhibitor list and floor plan as they become available. Prioritise suppliers whose products and services match your brief.
A fabric supplier may supply material without making the finished garment. A garment manufacturer may source fabric and handle cutting, sewing, decoration and packing. Ask who is responsible for each stage, including any subcontracted work.
Contact your priority suppliers ahead of time and share your product category and expected quantities. Leave room between meetings to review samples and record decisions.
3. Ask These Six Questions at Each Meeting
Use the same questions so you can compare answers afterwards:
- What is the minimum order quantity per style and colour? Ask whether fabric, dyeing or trim minimums create separate restrictions.
- Is this material stocked or made to order? Record its reference code, composition, weight and available colours.
- What does the quoted price include? Confirm currency, decoration, labels, packaging, sample charges and delivery terms. Ask which freight or import costs remain outside the quote.
- How does sampling work? Establish sample cost, expected timing, revision arrangements and what must be approved before bulk production.
- When does the production lead time start? Clarify whether it runs from payment, material availability or final sample approval. Separate factory dispatch from arrival at your destination.
- What evidence supports the quality or material claims? Request relevant test reports and current certification details where required for your product.
For example, “300 sweatshirts across two colours” is a clearer starting point than “a small collection”. It lets the supplier check colour minimums and costing. This is an illustrative brief, not a minimum-order promise.
4. Inspect Samples and Record the Details
Feel the fabric, examine seams and check how prints, embroidery, ribbing and trims are finished. For finished garments, compare measurements with your intended size specification.
Ask how shrinkage, colourfastness and pilling will be assessed. A display sample alone cannot establish wash performance or guarantee the quality of a future production run.
With permission, photograph each shortlisted sample beside its reference code. Record the supplier, price basis, minimum quantity and unanswered questions immediately; loose swatches are difficult to identify later.
5. Leave with an Agreed Next Step
Before ending each meeting, agree who will send the quotation, specifications or samples, and by when. This follows CBI’s guidance on apparel buyer meetings, which recommends confirming agreements and follow-up actions before parting.
After the fair, send your shortlisted suppliers a written recap. Compare quotations against the same specification and resolve gaps before approving development. Our manufacturing process shows the stages from sourcing through final packing.
Meet Byon Textile in London
Bring your brief to discuss fabric sourcing, private-label apparel and custom garment manufacturing with our team. See our London Textile Fair exhibition details for updates, or arrange a meeting with Byon Textile and share your product type, quantities and preferred meeting day.
