Hundreds of China's textile and apparel makers helped kick off the International Apparel Sourcing Show on Tuesday in New York. A record number of Chinese companies are participating - up 30 percent from last year - as they look to establish new niche markets in the United States.

"More Chinese brands are on display this year. Most of them used to focus on the domestic market earlier and are now focusing on the US market," said Sun Ruizhe, vice-chairman of the China National Textile and Apparel Council. "They are supposed to offer more good options for the US business partners."

The show, which is being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan is on till Thursday. It has attracted more than 600 Chinese companies and about 1,000 companies from more than 20 countries, which are displaying products including clothing, fabrics and home textiles.