The 138th Canton Fair Phase 3 is Now Open: Your Ultimate Sourcing Guide & Trend Insights

The grand finale of the 138th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), “Phase 3, is officially underway from October 31 to November 4, 2025”. If your business revolves around apparel, home textiles, food, medicines, or sports goods, this is the unmissable sourcing event of the season. With countless exhibitors and sprawling exhibition halls, how can you navigate it efficiently and make the best purchasing decisions? This comprehensive guide provides the actionable insights you need.

A Look at the Core Exhibition Zones: Pinpoint Your Targets

Unlike the first two phases, which focus more on industrial machinery and electronics, Phase 3 is all about "Better Life" and personal consumption. The key sections include:

• “Textiles & Garments:”This zone encompasses men's and women's wear, children's clothing, sportswear, underwear, and accessories. It is the frontline for discovering the latest fabric technologies—such as sustainable materials and smart temperature-regulating fabrics—and spotting the key trends for the Spring/Summer 2026 season.
• “Home Textiles:”Here you'll find bedding, curtains, blankets, towels, and decorative fabrics. Focus on products with green certifications (like OEKO-TEX), functionality (anti-bacterial, anti-mite), and personalized design capabilities.
• “Food:”This section brings together a vast array of specialty foods, beverages, confectionery, and agricultural products from across China. Healthy, organic, and products with Geographical Indication certifications are currently major highlights.
• “Medicines, Health Products & Medical Devices:”Exhibitors showcase medical devices, dressings, health supplements, and medicines. The demand for portable home-use medical devices and immunity-boosting products remains strong in the post-pandemic era.
• “Sports, Travel, and Recreation Products, Office Supplies, and Gifts:”From stationery and sporting goods to festive gifts and toys, this area has it all. Innovative, educational, and IP-licensed products are particularly popular here.

“Pro Tip:”Before you even set foot in the complex, download the detailed floor plan for Phase 3 from the official Canton Fair website. Mark your target exhibitors based on your sourcing list and plan the most efficient route to maximize your time.

Sourcing to Win: 4 Practical Tips for Phase 3

• “Dig Deeper into "Design" and "Sustainability".”

The competitive edge of Phase 3 products often lies in their design, material quality, and eco-friendly credentials. When speaking with exhibitors, move beyond just asking about price. Inquire about design inspiration, fabric origins, and environmental certifications. This helps you identify high-quality suppliers and can add compelling angles to your own brand story.

• “Inspect Samples with All Your Senses.”

For food products, request a tasting. For textiles, feel the material with your hands and inspect the stitching quality closely. For bags and luggage, test the zippers and understand the weight capacity. A thorough physical inspection is your first line of defense against future trade disputes.

• “Leverage Digital Tools, But Prioritize Face-to-Face Interaction.”

The Canton Fair official app and website are excellent for pre-scheduling meetings and researching exhibitors. However, the true value of a physical fair lies in direct conversation with factory managers and senior sales staff. In-person communication allows you to better gauge a supplier's reliability and cooperation attitude.

• “Build a Resilient, Multi-Sourced Supply Chain.”

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Even if you find a perfect supplier, make it a point to connect with 2-3 other potential vendors. Understand their production capacity, lead times, and contingency plans. This strategy helps you build a more robust and flexible supply chain, mitigating risks.

Beyond a One-Time Purchase: Building Long-Term Supplier Relationships

The Canton Fair is an excellent starting point for sourcing, but the real challenge begins after the fair ends: managing communication with multiple suppliers and ensuring smooth order execution. Juggling different communication apps, dealing with time zones, language barriers, and complex logistics tracking can be incredibly time-consuming.

This is where the value of a dedicated B2B sourcing platform becomes clear. For instance, “Market Union”is designed to provide global buyers with a seamless cross-border sourcing experience. Our platform integrates supplier management, real-time communication, order tracking, and secure transactions into a single, unified interface. This means that even after the Canton Fair concludes, you can efficiently manage all the quality suppliers you discovered through a centralized dashboard, effectively giving you a 24/7 digital procurement office.

By leveraging “Market Union”'s services, you can:

• “Solidify Top-Tier Supplier Relationships:”Transition the connections you make on the ground to a powerful online platform for long-term and efficient management.
• “Dramatically Improve Communication Efficiency:”Our built-in instant translation and async communication tools effectively break down language and time zone barriers.
• “Ensure Transaction Security:”Standardized order procedures and financial safeguards help protect you from potential trade risks.

Conclusion and Your Next Step

The 138th Canton Fair Phase 3 is brimming with opportunity. With a prepared sourcing list and a strategic approach, you are well-positioned for a successful trip. Remember, successful sourcing isn't just about finding great products; it's about building stable, efficient, and long-lasting supply chain partnerships.

If you are looking for a powerful and reliable partner to simplify the complex processes during the fair and beyond, we invite you to connect with our team.

“Want to learn more about optimizing your Canton Fair sourcing strategy or discover how Market Union can support your business growth? Reach out to our experts directly on WhatsApp now at: +86 139 5749 8438.”We are here to help you uncover greater opportunities and achieve trade excellence