Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags (January edition)

The global crossroads for volume footwear

For half a century, Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags has been the leading international trade fair dedicated to volume production of footwear, bags, and fashion accessories. It takes place twice a year at the Riva del Garda Exhibition Centre, located at Via Baltera 20 in the town of Riva del Garda, in the province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige). The January edition launches the autumn-winter season, while the June edition previews the spring-summer collections. The focus here is not on luxury or catwalks, but on the commercial heart of the industry: placing large volumes of product, seasonal orders, and facilitating direct meetings between manufacturers and buyers from across the globe.

An exclusively B2B trade fair

The event is reserved for industry professionals: importers, distributors, retail chains, agents, and purchasing managers. Admission is free but requires online registration. Each edition attracts over 1,000 exhibitors from dozens of countries—with a strong Asian presence, particularly from China, alongside Italian producers from the Marche, Tuscany, Puglia, Lombardy, and Veneto regions—and several thousand qualified visitors from around 100 nations.

Sections and sectors

• Footwear: the historical core of the fair, featuring volume production across all categories and price points.
• Gardabags: the section dedicated to bags, luggage, and accessories in leather and alternative materials, divided into Sourcing, Sourcing4Bridge, and Brands areas.
• Fashion Accessories: components, materials, and supplies for the supply chain.

More than just an exhibition

Alongside the stands, each edition offers a packed schedule of events: trend analysis and seasonal forecasts, market insights, strategic meetings, round tables on sustainability and innovation, and presentations of retail solutions. The 104th edition, held under the slogan "Crafting the future of Footwear," featured a calendar of sixteen appointments covering trends, networking, and new technologies.

Riva del Garda, the natural home of the event

Its location on Lake Garda, at the northernmost tip of the basin and at the gateway to the Trentino region, makes Riva del Garda an ideal venue. It is easily accessible from Northern Europe and well-served by accommodation facilities that host many of the side events. The January appointment, held during the low tourist season, enlivens the town and confirms its vocation as a hub for trade fairs and conferences in the Trentino-Alto Adige region.