Canton Fair Phase 3 guide: Food and health halls are mostly factories, clothing halls are half traders

Phase 3 of the 140th Canton Fair runs from Oct 31 to Nov 4, 2026 at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou, and it is the week for home textiles, shoes, clothing, food, fabrics, bags, toys, office supplies and health products.² At least 11,062 exhibitors list a Phase 3 booth, according to a Standard Trade analysis of the fair’s exhibitor directory.¹ This guide covers the practical details, the halls where each product sits, and which halls are mostly factories rather than trading companies.

For the other weeks, see Phase 1 (Oct 15 to 19, appliances, electronics and tools) and Phase 2 (Oct 23 to 27, home goods, furniture and gifts). To tell a factory from a trader at any booth, see our guide to the whole fair.

What do I need to know before I go?

• Dates: Oct 31 to Nov 4, 2026. It is the last week of the autumn session.³
• Hours: 9:30 am to 6 pm on exhibition days.⁴
• Venue: China Import and Export Fair Complex, 382 Yuejiang Zhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou. Metro Line 8 stops at Xingangdong and Pazhou stations, next to the halls.⁵
• Badge: Pre-register online through the fair’s Buyer Service System. The overseas buyer badge is free, and you collect it with your passport at Baiyun Airport, Guangzhou South Railway Station, Pazhou Ferry Terminal, a designated hotel or the complex itself.³
• Visa: If you need one, request an invitation letter through the same Buyer Service System.⁶
• Bring: Your passport, plenty of business cards, comfortable shoes, and Alipay or WeChat Pay set up before you land.⁶

Where is my product in Phase 3?

Phase 3 is the largest week. Home textiles, shoes and clothing lead, with 1,000, 889 and 880 of the 9,472 exhibitors that book only Phase 3, followed by food, fabrics and bags (Table 1).¹ Hall numbers give the pavilion and then the floor, so 5.1 is pavilion 5, first floor. Pavilions 1 to 8 form Area A, 9 to 13 Area B and 14 to 16 Area C, and Area D starts at pavilion 17.⁵

Source: Standard Trade analysis of Canton Fair exhibitor profiles; exhibitors that book only Phase 3, by the exhibition area on their profile. Halls hold at least 5% of an area’s booths. Traders are the share choosing “Foreign Trade Company” among those stating a type.¹

The share of self-described traders tells you what kind of booth to expect. Food (21%), personal care (22%) and health products (22%) lean toward makers, which fits goods where the license to produce is itself the asset. Clothing and shoes are the opposite: 52% of exhibitors in men’s and women’s clothing, 51% in kids’ wear and 64% in shoes say they are traders. Garment orders are often placed through a trading company that spreads work across several sewing plants, so the booth you visit may not be where your order is made.

How should I plan my days?

Shortlist before you fly. Exhibitors have profiles on the fair’s Canton Fair 365 site with their products, company type and booth numbers, so you can mark the booths you need on a hall plan and walk one area at a time.¹

Read the booth list on each profile. An exhibitor with booths in more than one phase is selling more than one industry’s goods, which is what trading companies do. Among Phase 3 exhibitors that also book another phase, 48% call themselves traders, against 38% of those that book Phase 3 only.¹

Location is a weaker signal. Zhejiang sends the most Phase 3 exhibitors, and 46% of those stating a type say they are traders, against 26% for Guangdong and 55% for Fujian.¹

If you can’t check every booth yourself, our Canton Fair Evidence search answers questions across the exhibitor list with the profile behind each claim. It is invite-only while we test it, and you can request access on that page.

How do I tell a factory from a trader at the booth?

• Ask production questions and see who answers without phoning anyone: the machines, the monthly capacity and the lead time.
• Read the registered Chinese name. 239 Phase 3 exhibitors that call themselves manufacturers or “industry and trade” carry 贸易 (trade) or 进出口 (import and export) in it.¹
• Check the license by its 18-character Unified Social Credit Code at gsxt.gov.cn, and confirm the business scope covers production of your item.

Our whole-fair guide has the full checklist and what to verify before you pay a deposit.

Tell us what you need checked: info@standardtrade.ai.

Common questions

1. When is Canton Fair Phase 3 in 2026?

   Phase 3 of the 140th Canton Fair runs from Oct 31 to Nov 4, 2026 at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou, from 9:30 am to 6 pm each day.^2,4 Phase 1 runs Oct 15 to 19. Phase 2 runs Oct 23 to 27.

2. What products are in Canton Fair Phase 3?

   Home textiles, shoes, clothing, food, fabrics, bags, sports and outdoor goods, toys, office supplies, health products and fashion accessories are the largest areas.¹ Appliances and electronics are in Phase 1, and home goods and furniture in Phase 2.

3. Which hall has clothing at Canton Fair Phase 3?

   Men’s and women’s clothing is in Area A, halls 1.1 to 5.1, with sportswear in 1.1, 6.1 and 7.1 and underwear in 8.1.¹ Home textiles fill halls 14.1 to 16.3 and fabrics halls 14.4 to 16.4.

4. Is the Canton Fair buyer badge free?

   Yes. The overseas buyer badge is free when you pre-register online, and you collect it with your passport at the airport, Guangzhou South Railway Station, Pazhou Ferry Terminal, a designated hotel or the complex.³

5. How many exhibitors are in Canton Fair Phase 3?

   At least 11,062 have a profile that lists a Phase 3 booth.¹ Another 7,394 listed exhibitors across the fair had no phase on record when we checked, so the real number is higher.