EDB 'Footwear and Leather Fair 2009'

"Footwear and Leather fair 2009", a trade show for footwear, leather goods, travel goods and related components machinery and accessories will be held from November 6 - 8 at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Exhibition Centre. This is the second of its kind first being held in November 2007. The EDB on the request of the industry intend to have this fair annually but due to non availability of the venue it could not be held in year 2008, a media release from the EDB said.

EDB footwears

Organised by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board ,in collaboration with the Ministry of Industrial Development, Industrial Development Board, Sri Lanka Footwear Association and Lanka Small and Medium Footwear and Leather Goods Association, the fair will have about 200 stalls. Manufactures of footwear and leather products as well as Local and foreign suppliers and importers of related raw material, machinery, components and accessories are also invited to participate as exhibitors at this fair.

A fashion Show, Designer Award Ceremony and a Best Stall Competition will be held as special events concurrent to this event. The educational seminars will also be held to encourage new entrepreneurs to the industry.

The last show held in 2007 was a success with more than 30,000 people of all walks of life visiting the fair. Around 500 foreign visitors including several importers, agents, designers visited the fair. The SME manufacture's established trade links with large scale manufacture's while Large scale manufactures received many orders from foreign buyers as well as from Sri Lankans living abroad. An Indian pavilion organized by the Indian Footwear Components Manufactures' Association (IFCOMA) and the exhibitors of China and Thailand added value to the fair.

Owing to the present conducive environment in the country many foreign visitors are expected to attend to this event. Leading five star hotels in Colombo have offered packages to encourage foreign visitors to the fair. The EDB is working with the Sri Lanka's Missions abroad to organize buyers' delegations to visit the fair.

Sri Lanka is renowned for its garment industry. The buyers of garments from Sri Lanka buy their leather goods from India. Our intention is to promote our Footwear and Leather Industry to attract these buyers to buy their leather products also from Sri Lanka. This fair will provide SME manufactures of Footwear and Leather goods an opportunity to showcase their talents to the world. The main objective is to give recognition to the industry locally and internationally showcasing our talents to the world.

Sri Lankan's footwear exporters have already established themselves as suppliers of fashion footwear to well-known international brands, such as Mark and Spencer, Bata France, H.H. Browns, Clarks, Aerosoles Nike. Our leather products manufactures have also catered to famous brands like play boy Laura, Helen Kaminski.