Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou
The 141st Canton Fair Phase 3 is scheduled for 1–5 May 2027 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China. The organiser describes the third phase as “Better Life”. The official Phase 3 floor map currently available is labelled for the 140th Canton Fair; the product groups below therefore describe the latest published map, not a confirmed final layout for 2027. The China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as the Canton Fair, is organised by the China Foreign Trade Centre.
This is the multi-sector consumer-goods phase of an international import and export fair. Its latest published section map spans apparel and textiles, footwear and leather-related goods, carpets and home textiles, bags and cases, toys and baby products, health and personal care, medicines and medical devices, office supplies, food, and sports, travel and recreation products. For buyers, that breadth supports cross-category sourcing and comparison; for exhibitors, it offers a setting to present products to professional trade visitors.
Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou at a glance
| Item | Information |
|---|
| Event | Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou |
| Official name | China Import and Export Fair, Phase 3 |
| Edition | 141st Canton Fair |
| Event type | International multi-sector trade fair |
| Dates | 1–5 May 2027 |
| Theme | Better Life |
| Venue | China Import and Export Fair Complex |
| City and country | Guangzhou, China |
| Organiser | China Foreign Trade Centre |
| Main sectors in the latest published Phase 3 map | Apparel, textiles, footwear, leather goods, home textiles, bags, toys, baby and maternity products, health and medical products, office supplies, food, sports, travel and recreation |
| Visitor focus | Overseas buyers, importers, distributors, retailers and product-sourcing professionals |
| Latest published Phase 3 floor map | 140th Canton Fair; 2027 section details should be checked when released |
The official 141st schedule confirms the phase dates and “Better Life” theme. Detailed 2027 floor sections and the next edition’s visitor arrangements should be checked with the organiser as they are published.
Why Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou matters
Compare a broad consumer-product offer
The latest published Phase 3 map brings many consumer-product categories into one event, from clothing, footwear and home textiles to food, health products and office supplies. Buyers can use this breadth to compare suppliers and assess adjacent categories without treating them as one undifferentiated market.
Connect category research with sourcing decisions
Product displays and professional conversations can help importers and distributors build a shortlist, ask about specifications and identify which samples or commercial terms need a second review. Treat initial discussions as discovery, then validate supplier credentials, compliance, pricing and delivery conditions independently.
Present products to an international trade audience
Manufacturers and exporters can use the fair to show their product ranges and explore whether their offer fits the needs of buyers and distribution channels. A clear target-market proposition and prepared product information make these conversations more useful.
Exhibition sectors and product groups at Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou
The following groups are drawn from the organiser’s 140th Phase 3 map, the latest map located during research. Confirm the 2027 section plan before finalising a product-by-product visit route.
Apparel and fashion
- Men’s and women’s clothing
- Kids’ wear
- Underwear
- Sports and casual wear
- Fashion accessories and fittings
- Garments and related fashion products
Textiles, leather and floor coverings
- Textile raw materials and fabrics
- Home textiles
- Furs, leather, down and related products
- Carpets and tapestries
- Textile fibres and yarns
- Floor-covering materials
Footwear, bags and cases
- Fashion shoes
- Sports and children’s shoes
- Sandals and slippers
- Leather footwear and related products
- Cases and bags for daily use
- Briefcases and bag accessories
Health, medical and personal-care products
- Medicines and health products
- Medical devices
- Traditional Chinese medicine products
- Home medical-care products
- Rehabilitation and healthcare equipment
- Personal care and toiletries
Food and beverage
- Food products
- Drinks
- Tea
- Food packaging and related products
- Packaged and specialty food ranges
Office, recreation and travel goods
- Pens, paper products and file storage
- Office automation products and consumables
- Labels and desk decorations
- Sports, travel and recreation products
- Cases, bags and everyday accessories
- International Pavilion products
Toys, children’s and pet products
- Toys
- Children, baby and maternity products
- Pet products and food
- Traditional Chinese specialties
- Consumer products for everyday use
Who should visit Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou?
Importers, wholesalers and distribution companies
Useful if you are building or refreshing a supplier portfolio across consumer categories. Prioritise:
- Product groups that fit your existing channels
- Manufacturers with relevant specifications and production capability
- Sample availability, minimum order quantities and lead times
- Export documentation, compliance and after-sales arrangements
- Potential product ranges that complement your current assortment
Roles include import managers, sourcing directors, category buyers and distribution business owners.
Retailers, buying groups and e-commerce businesses
Useful if you are assessing assortment options, private-label possibilities or category gaps. Focus on:
- Materials, construction, packaging and product variation
- Price positioning and channel fit to be confirmed directly with suppliers
- Seasonality, replenishment capability and delivery windows
- Labelling, product-safety and market-specific compliance requirements
- How a new product would sit alongside your existing range
Relevant roles include retail buyers, merchandise planners, product managers and private-label teams.
Manufacturers, brands and exporters
Useful if you want to present consumer products to international trade visitors or explore distribution conversations. Prepare:
- A concise description of your target buyers and export markets
- Product specifications, available variants and current certifications
- Production capacity, sample policy and realistic lead times
- Clear commercial terms and the support your channel partners may need
- A follow-up plan for qualified conversations
Relevant roles include export managers, sales directors, brand owners and international business-development teams.
Product-development and procurement teams
Useful if you are benchmarking products, materials or suppliers across related consumer categories. Compare measurable requirements rather than relying on appearance alone: dimensions, material composition, performance, packaging, production consistency and service arrangements.
Relevant roles include product designers, procurement specialists, quality managers and technical category teams.
Why visit Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou?
- Build a focused supplier shortlist: use the published categories to identify relevant apparel, textile, footwear, food, health or other consumer-product suppliers.
- Compare alternatives: examine materials, features, specifications and product variations side by side where the 2027 sections permit.
- Check channel fit: evaluate whether a product range suits your customers, distribution model, price position and service expectations.
- Investigate adjacent categories: consider whether related goods can strengthen an existing assortment, without assuming that categories share the same buyers or compliance rules.
- Prepare due diligence: use conversations to identify documents, samples and commercial details that need verification after the fair.
- Explore supplier relationships: meet potential manufacturers or distributors and agree on a specific next step rather than relying on a general expression of interest.
Why exhibit at Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou?
Manufacturers, brands and exporters whose products fit the phase’s consumer and lifestyle categories may consider exhibiting to present their range to trade visitors and explore potential buyer or distributor interest. The organiser’s latest map includes an International Pavilion as well as product sections spanning apparel, home textiles, footwear, food, health products, office supplies and recreation.
Exhibitors can prepare a clear range, product specifications, target-market information and a process for recording enquiries. Use the event to test which product features prompt useful questions and which markets or channels merit further research; an exhibition conversation does not guarantee an order or a distribution agreement.
Before committing, check participation terms with the organiser and assess product-specific requirements in each target market. Confirm applicable standards, certification, labelling, import rules, intellectual-property protection, payments, after-sales support and spare-parts or replenishment arrangements. These requirements vary by product and destination.
What makes Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou different?
Its latest published Phase 3 map brings a wide range of everyday consumer goods into one trade-fair phase. The organiser’s map lists clothing, shoes, textiles, carpets, bags, toys, baby and maternity products, intelligent healthcare, medicines and medical devices, food, office supplies, personal care, pet products and sports or recreation goods. The Canton Fair’s current official home page describes the wider fair as 13 categories and 54 exhibition sections.
This breadth can help buyers investigate adjacent product groups in one trip, but it also makes prioritisation important. The available floor map is for the 140th edition; use the 2027 exhibitor directory and floor plan, when issued, to check which products and companies are actually scheduled for Phase 3.
What should you try to achieve at Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou?
“See what is new” is too broad for a multi-sector fair. Set a measurable objective matched to your role.
If you are an importer or distributor
Identify a defined shortlist of suppliers in two or three product groups and record which specifications, samples, compliance documents and commercial terms you need to assess next.
If you are a retailer or category buyer
Compare potential additions to a specific category against your target customer, channel, quality requirements and replenishment plan.
If you are exhibiting
Qualify the conversations that fit your target market by noting each buyer’s category, market, requirements and agreed follow-up step.
How to prepare before Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou
1. Choose your categories
Select the product groups that match your business and rank them A (essential), B (useful) and C (if time allows). The latest published Phase 3 map is a starting point, not a confirmed 2027 floor plan.
2. Build a target list
When the organiser publishes the 2027 exhibitor information, use its official directory and floor plan to identify companies and sections. Check the edition and phase shown in any directory before booking meetings.
3. Prepare supplier questions
- Which product variants, materials and specifications are available?
- What is the minimum order quantity for each variant?
- Can the supplier provide samples and technical documentation?
- What are the production capacity and standard lead times?
- Which quality systems or product certifications apply?
- Can packaging, labelling or private-label requirements be supported?
- What export documents and destination-market requirements should be checked?
- How are product defects, warranty claims and after-sales support handled?
- What payment methods and commercial terms are offered?
- For food or health products, what ingredients, approvals or product-specific records are available?
4. Plan meetings and documents
Request meetings with priority suppliers when contact and booking arrangements are available. Prepare a short company profile, target-market details, product specifications and a way to record conversations. Visitors can ask ilikevents for help planning a visit, registration and business meetings.
How to make the most of Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou
Use a consistent note for every supplier: Company → Product → Why relevant → Evidence to request → Next action. For example, a footwear buyer might record the materials and size range, the target retail channel, applicable test reports, sample availability and the date for a follow-up quotation.
Compare products against written requirements, not memory. Photograph or catalogue items only where the exhibitor permits it, and label notes with the company and product reference. Separate confirmed specifications from claims that still need documentation. At the end of each day, update your A/B/C list and reserve time for the highest-priority follow-ups.
Plan your time realistically at Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou
The announced phase runs for five days. The right length of visit depends on how many product groups and meetings matter to you; do not assume every category can be evaluated thoroughly in one walk-through.
Before the visit
Check the 2027 phase plan and map when available, then group target companies by section and meeting priority.
During each day
Use the first part of your day for essential meetings and product comparisons, reserve a middle block for a second category or follow-up discussion, and end by reviewing supplier notes and confirming the next actions.
At the end of the phase
Revisit only the most promising contacts to resolve specific questions. Leave time to organise documents and agree on what each side will send after the fair.
Networking at Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou
A useful sourcing conversation starts with a clear introduction: your company, target market, customer type and the product requirement you are evaluating. Ask questions that allow suppliers to respond precisely, and explain what information you need to make a decision.
Record the supplier’s name, relevant products, claims that need checking, requested documents and agreed follow-up date. For exhibitors, capture the buyer’s market, channel and stated requirements with permission. A contact is more valuable when both sides know what happens next.
Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou visitor profile and business opportunities
| Visitor profile | Main interests |
|---|
| Importers and wholesalers | Supplier capability, product range, export terms and documentation |
| Retail buyers and buying groups | Assortment fit, product variation, quality, packaging and replenishment |
| Distributors and agents | Market positioning, channel fit, territory expectations and after-sales support |
| Fashion and textile sourcing teams | Garments, fabrics, fibres, yarns, home textiles and accessories |
| Food and beverage buyers | Food, drinks, tea, packaging and product-specific import requirements |
| Health and medical product buyers | Devices, healthcare products, documentation and applicable regulatory checks |
| Product and procurement teams | Technical comparison, samples, specifications and supplier due diligence |
| Manufacturers and exporters | Product presentation, buyer requirements and potential distribution conversations |
One day or several days at Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou?
One day
May suit a visitor with a narrow category focus, a preselected supplier list and confirmed priority meetings. Use the current official map to avoid spending the day on irrelevant sections.
Two or three days
May allow a buyer to cover several priority product groups, compare suppliers and revisit shortlisted stands. Keep time for organised notes and follow-up questions.
More of the five-day phase
May be useful for visitors covering multiple categories, conducting detailed supplier reviews or combining scheduled discussions with broad market scanning. The value depends on a clear plan and the released 2027 layout.
Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou for a live sourcing project
If you are buying for a defined project, bring the brief that suppliers need to assess fit: product specification, target market, required standards, expected quantity, packaging needs, delivery window and service expectations. For garments and textiles, include fibre or material requirements, finishes and size range. For food or health products, identify the destination-market approvals and documentation you must verify. For office, recreation or household goods, bring the performance, durability and packaging criteria relevant to your sales channel.
Separate non-negotiable requirements from preferences. This helps you compare proposals consistently and reduces the risk of selecting a product on appearance alone.
After Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou: turn conversations into decisions
Within a few days, sort contacts into three groups:
- A — Immediate evaluation: request the agreed samples, specifications, certifications, quotation or production details.
- B — Potential fit: ask for missing information and compare the offer with alternatives.
- C — Market intelligence: retain the contact or product insight for future category planning.
For every serious supplier, confirm the legal company identity, product claims, applicable compliance, sample quality, commercial terms, delivery capacity and after-sales arrangements through appropriate due diligence. Keep a written record of what was agreed and who owns each next step. For exhibitors, follow up with qualified buyers using the product information and actions they requested.
Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou visitor checklist
Before
- ☐ Confirm the official 2027 Phase 3 dates, venue and visitor registration arrangements.
- ☐ Check the 2027 exhibitor directory and floor plan when published.
- ☐ Select priority categories and set A/B/C objectives.
- ☐ Prepare supplier questions, product specifications and target-market requirements.
- ☐ Arrange meetings and check travel and entry requirements for your circumstances.
During
- ☐ Record product, company, evidence needed and next action for each priority contact.
- ☐ Compare specifications and samples against written requirements.
- ☐ Distinguish confirmed documentation from verbal claims.
- ☐ Review your shortlist at the end of each day.
After
- ☐ Request the documents, samples or quotations agreed with priority suppliers.
- ☐ Compare offers using consistent specifications and commercial terms.
- ☐ Verify compliance, supplier credentials and delivery capability before committing.
- ☐ Set an owner and date for each follow-up action.
Is Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou worth visiting?
It may be valuable for importers, retailers, distributors, exporters and product teams whose work matches the phase’s consumer-product categories. The breadth can support supplier discovery and comparison across related areas, but it also makes a focused category plan essential. Visitors who arrive with target suppliers, written specifications and a follow-up process are better placed to turn product browsing into informed evaluation. Check the official 2027 directory and floor plan before travelling, particularly because the accessible Phase 3 map describes the 140th edition.
Your Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou plan
What do you need to identify, compare or decide at this fair that cannot be resolved from a catalogue alone? Set that objective before you travel, then use each conversation to move toward a specific next step. Discover. Compare. Evaluate. Follow up.
Consumer-goods opportunities in China
Market size and demand
China’s 2025 retail sales of sports and recreational articles at enterprises above designated size increased 15.7% year on year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics; this is a retail-category growth indicator, not the total consumer-goods market or wholesale demand. The same 2025 statistical communiqué reports growth of 9.3% for grain, oil and food retail sales, 3.2% for clothes, shoes, hats and textiles retail sales, and 3.0% in textile-industry value added.
Market indicators
- Sports and recreational articles retail sales: up 15.7% year on year in 2025 among enterprises above designated size.
- Grain, oil and food retail sales: up 9.3% year on year in 2025 among enterprises above designated size.
- Clothes, shoes, hats and textiles retail sales: up 3.2% year on year in 2025 among enterprises above designated size.
- Textile-industry value added: up 3.0% year on year in 2025.
These indicators measure selected retail categories and industrial value added; they do not establish import demand, wholesale growth or demand for an individual product.
Market drivers and commercial opportunities
The reported 2025 category movements provide context for companies reviewing consumer-product assortments, while textile value-added growth indicates activity in that industry segment. Buyers and suppliers can use these figures as research prompts alongside channel-specific data.
- Apparel, footwear and textile ranges: compare product positioning and discuss distributor fit; the national retail indicator does not prove demand for a specific brand or wholesale offer.
- Food and beverage assortment: assess products against buyer channels and product-specific requirements; broad food retail growth is not evidence of imported-food demand.
- Sports and recreation products: review ranges and specifications against the reported retail-category movement; category growth does not guarantee sales or market access.
- Textile materials and home textiles: explore supplier and product options while validating quality, standards and channel fit independently.
Regulations and market-entry conditions
Product-specific rules and market-entry requirements were not covered by the reused destination research. Companies should verify applicable standards, certification, labelling, import approvals, intellectual-property protection and distribution conditions for each product and destination market before committing.
What this means for exhibitors
Exhibitors may use the national indicators to frame product-positioning and distributor discussions, then test which specifications and channel requirements matter to prospective buyers. The figures are context only and do not promise buyer access, sales or product-level demand.
What this means for visitors
Visitors may compare suppliers and product specifications in the fair’s apparel, food, textile, recreation and related categories, then test product fit against their own customer and channel data. Product approvals, demand and commercial terms still require case-specific due diligence.
How ilikevents can help you at Canton Fair Phase 3 Guangzhou
Whether you are sourcing consumer goods or presenting a product range, ilikevents can help organise the practical steps around your visit or participation.
For visitors
- Exhibition visit planning around your sourcing categories
- Flight and hotel arrangements
- Visa application assistance
- Airport transfers and local transportation
- Interpreter and business guide services
- Exhibition ticket and registration assistance
- Business meeting coordination
- Factory visits and industrial tours
For exhibitors
- Exhibition registration and organiser coordination
- Stand selection and participation planning
- Booth design and construction
- Exhibition staffing and interpretation
- Promotional materials and advertising
- Business meeting arrangements
- Local market research and distributor identification
- Accommodation, flights and transportation
Explore Event Opportunities
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