Colombiatex 2025 Brought $10.5 Million USD in Economic Benefit for Medellín

Colombiatex de las Américas has brought an economic benefit to Medellín. In addition to short, medium, and long-term business, Colombiatex de las Américas generated an economic impact of $10.3 million USD for Medellín, demonstrating its contribution to the city’s economic, social, and cultural development.

Colombiatex de las Américas boosted MICE (business-related tourism), which is reflected in the hospitality, transportation, and gastronomy sectors. Its 37th edition closed with 29,000 attendees.
The fair focused on internationalization, Latin American linkages, differentiated value offerings, and the sustainability of the textile, apparel, and fashion sectors.

Nine entrepreneurs participated in this full-service program, supported by programs from the Medellín Mayor’s Office. They work in the swimwear, baby clothing, underwear, knitwear, and menswear sectors. During the fair, they established strategic relationships, accessed new markets, and added value to their production chain.

Inexmoda announced the holding of two new fairs: the first is the Colombia Fashion Summit, a congress that will take place in October of this year and seeks to connect entrepreneurs and academics from the fashion world in Medellín. The second, called Nextech, will take place in September 2026 and will focus on machinery and technology for the various links in the textile-apparel value chain.

“One of the characteristics that has allowed Medellín to thrive in its worst moments has been the constant unity of the public sector, the productive sector, the universities, and civil society. That’s what it’s all about: how we are allies, how we take care of companies, so that things happen,” said Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

Colombiatex de las Américas generated an economic impact of $10.3 million USD for Medellín. Photo credit: City of Medellín.

With this edition of Colombiatex of the Americas, Inexmoda reaffirms its internationalization strategy through a mission of buyers from India, Brazil, Italy, Turkey, Spain, the United States, Peru, Costa Rica, Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, among other countries, who find in Colombia an opportunity to access products distinguished by their high quality, innovative design, and sustainability.

“Together with the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, we have developed a trade fair master plan so that these events continue to be held and generate economic benefits for the city.” We estimate that a trade fair like Colombiatex de las Américas generates 2,500 direct and indirect jobs. Not only are we kicking off the trade fair calendar for the textile and apparel sector, but we are also impacting the economy and creating jobs through business and specialized tourism,” said Sebastián Díez, CEO of Inexmoda.

In addition to the trade agenda, Colombiatex 2025 featured the Knowledge Pool, a space for updating and inspiring the textile and apparel industry that will bring together more than 30 national and international experts, who will offer nine daily conferences focused on regeneration, multidimensionality, and cooperation. Additionally, the fair will feature the Sustainability Route, which will feature 47 companies from Colombia, Brazil, Italy, and Spain, and the Materials Library, which will showcase progress in eco-friendly developments.

At this edition of Colombiatex of the Americas, the Complete Value Package took on special importance, highlighting the competitive advantages of the national industry in responding to the needs of the global market, as this model offers comprehensive solutions ranging from conceptualization to the final delivery of the finished product.

During the event, nine entrepreneurs from this category supported by programs from the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, had the opportunity to establish trade agreements, exchange knowledge, and transfer technology, which will strengthen their businesses and make them more competitive in the global industry. The textile industry in Antioquia remains one of the largest generators of employment.

Companies in the sector associated with the Fashion and Advanced Manufacturing cluster contributed approximately 7% of departmental employment in 2023. Meanwhile, in Medellín, 10,462 organizations are registered as part of the various subsectors that comprise this cluster. These companies’ total assets of more than $9.4 billion USD by 2024 and represent 8.8% of the city’s total companies, according to figures from the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia.

Photo credit: City of Medellín.