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For some time, Jeanologia has been promoting the Mexican textile sector with sustainable technologies that help increase productivity and competitiveness. The leading Spanish company in the development of sustainable solutions for the finishing of jeans is presenting Exintex 2016 innovations that will transform the Mexican industry towards automation and efficiency.

The company has helped reduce 90 per cent water and chemical consumption and 50 per cent power thanks to the combination of its three sustainable technologies: laser, ozone and e-Flow nano bubbles. Also, its integration of these three technologies power new creative possibilities scalable to large productions.

At Exintex, the company will showcase its latest developments that have been applied to laser, ozone G2 and E-Flow nano bubbles technologies. One can see vintage clothing, novel designs and trends with a common denominator: authentic eco efficient products. Using Light PP Spray and Light Scraper solutions, it is possible to produce pollution-free jeans as the use of the dangerous potassium permanganate has been removed and it’s possible to clone the authentic look of the antique denim in an efficient and ethical manner.

From the October 18th to the 21st Jeanologia will also perform live demonstrations of Flexi HS 3D laser machine that adapts to the needs of each manufacturer or designer and offers maximum versatility. It allows multiple combinations of dial-up thanks to its Swivel Head and optical system that allows you to work both in horizontal and vertical mode on jeans, shorts, shirts, t-shirts, jackets and accessories.

The Mexican clothing industry is a pioneer in the introduction sustainable technologies for manufacturing garments and has become a leading producer in the American market. Currently, 95 per cent of finished garments using laser and ecological processing techniques is done with developments from Jeanologia. Jeanologia has been present in Mexico for last 10 years and works with major brands and manufacturers.

The second quarter (July-September) earnings estimates of the apparels sector by ICICI Securities is out. The brokerage house expects Vardhman Textiles to report a net profit of Rs 346.2 crores up 94.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter Q-o-Q). The revenue of the textile firm is expected to decrease by 0.4 per cent Q-o-Q (down 8.8 per cent Y-o-Y) to Rs 1,502.7 crores. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) are likely to fall by 9.7 per cent Q-o-Q (down 8 per cent Y-o-Y) to Rs 282 crores.

Consolidated revenues are likely to decline 8.8 per cent YoY to Rs 1,502.7 crores on account of sale of stake in Vardhman Yarns and Threads. On the segmental business front it is expected that the yarn volumes would increase by 2 per cent YoY while the fabric volume is expected to increase by 7 per cent YoY. Consolidated operating margins are likely to increase marginally by 16 bps to 18.8 per cent on account of higher margins in the acrylic business. On the operational front, Vardhman's performance is expected to be moderate.

However, owing to stake sale (40 per cent) in Vardhman Yarns and Threads, an exceptional income to the tune of Rs 210 crores is expected this would boost consolidated net profit to Rs 346.2 crores v/s net profit of Rs 125 crores in Q2FY16. Excluding the exceptional profit, net profit is expected to increase by 9 per cent YoY to Rs 136.2 crores.

Diwali bonuses for textile workers in south India are expected to be less than 10 per cent of their annual salary. In comparison automobile parts manufacturers and other sectors offer employees a festival bonus of 12 to 16 per cent of their annual salary. Textile workers say companies are doing financially well, especially the big ones, and so there’s no reason for them not to offer a higher bonus. They say they want a bonus of at least two months' salary or 16.33 per cent of annual salary.

But employers say business is yet to pick up and that the cash flow is yet to improve. They say business volumes and profits margins aren't anything better than what they were in 2013 and they had to face losses in 2014 and 2015. Companies that used to run two shifts earlier say they don't have enough orders to run one shift fully. Employers also say that the bonus is not calculated in terms of percentage of salary and that it is usually given based on an individual worker’s performance and contribution.

However, small scale industries might hike bonus by three to five per cent of what was offered last year.

International Finance Corporation and VF Corp are working together to enhance the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of the textile wet processing sector in Bangladesh. This is being done by reducing excessive groundwater extraction and surface water pollution, energy and chemical use. The project will be carried out by IFC’s Bangladesh Partnership for Cleaner Textile (PACT) program. VF Corp joins 12 other brands in the PACT family, bringing the total partner brands to 13. The program has contributed to water and energy savings of 14.4 billion liters and 1.23 million megawatt hours per year.

IFC is a member of the World Bank Group. In Bangladesh, IFC provides both investment and advisory support and works along with other stakeholders to help the garment sector become globally competitive and safe for its employees. VF Corp is a branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories company. VF aims at assisting its strategic suppliers in reducing their water, energy, waste, and chemical use, while simultaneously reducing the cost of production.

PACT will engage with VF’s supplier factories in awareness building, basic and in-depth cleaner production assessment. Major activities will include factory-level advice on technical assessment of resource efficient textile processing, facilitating implementation through user groups, strengthening corporate water and energy management systems, and investment facilitation in technologies with significant water sustainability benefits.

The United States Department of Labour (US DOL) has removed garments made in Jordan from its 2016 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) list. This was done as incidence of forced labour in the production of garments in Jordan has been significantly reduced, a US DOL report read.


'While there are still some indicators of forced labour present in the sector, their incidence is isolated and consistent with the standard articulated in the Procedural Guidelines, the evidence no longer supports inclusion of garments from Jordan in the TVPRA List,' reads the seventh edition of the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labour issued on September 30.

'The removal of these goods from the list is a result of targeted action,' says the report which includes the collection and reporting of credible information, the investment of significant resources by the government of Jordan, the USG, and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The US DOL also reports that 'one of Jordanian government's most significant steps to combat forced labour in the garment industry has been to collaborate with the ILO on the BWJ program which was launched in 2008 with funding from the USG and from participating garment buyers.'


Invista’s brand Cordura has been making fabrics for the armed forces for nearly 50 years. Cordura has been driving military textile innovation with performance solutions featured in both fabrics and webbings used extensively in combat gear, such as the SDN yarn technology. These solutions are suitable for use in load carriage equipment, boots, body armor covers, knee/elbow pads and other similar tactical gear.

Available in a palette of six military colors that meet both lot-to-lot shade and infrared requirements, the fabrics have built-in reflectance capability as well as resistance to sunlight UV fade and strength degradation. Cordura has made fabric innovations for military gear and apparel. The goal is to develop reliable, innovative fabric solutions that help equip soldiers to meet the battlefield challenges of today and tomorrow.

Cordura nylon 6, 6 fabrics are designed to be the soldier’s first line of defense in protective/ballistic vests. These fabrics are meant for protection against heat, flame and thermal propagation in protective apparel and footwear. Cordura Nyco tactical fabric focuses on lightweight comfort. This optimized fabric is a comfort blend of Invista T420 fiber and cotton. It’s engineered to help provide security and protection for war fighters and their vital equipment through lighter weight and exceptional durability.

The limited edition collection, that won Teatum Jones the 2015/16 International Woolmark Prize for womens wear, is now available at select David Jones stores and its website until stocks last. The launch of the collection at David Jones comes after the winning design duo of Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones visited the source of the fibre they work with.

As one of the original retail partners for the International Woolmark Prize, David Jones is the exclusive stockist of Teatum Jones collection in Australia. The collection will be available globally through International Woolmark Prize retail partners including Boutique 1 (Dubai), Boon the Shop (Seoul) Harvey Nichols (London), Isetan Mitsukoshi (Tokyo), Leclaireur (Paris), mytheresa.com (online), Saks Fifth Avenue (New York) and Verso (Antwerp).

David Jones is Australia’s leading retailer known to showcase several luxury brands and offer customers the finest options across fashion, beauty and home. Its philosophy perfectly aligns to that of the International Woolmark Prize: fostering the development of emerging international designers and being constantly on the lookout for the next big name in fashion.

Following a global search that nominated 41 emerging womens wear designers from across the world British labels, Teatum Jones was chosen as the winner at a final event staged during New York Fashion Week in February. Using fine Australian Merino wool for their winning collection, the designer duo partnered with a specialist guipure lace mill in France and convinced them to use wool for the first time in a particular way to create innovative and vibrant geometric Merino laces.
The International Woolmark Prize celebrates outstanding fashion talents from across the globe that showcase the beauty and versatility of Merino wool. First held in 1953 as an initiative of the International Wool Secretariat, the award was won by the then relatively unknown and now iconic fashion designers Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent the following year.

A free trade agreement with the European Union would boost exports of garments and fabrics from India and help tackle competition from Bangladesh. While Bangladesh enjoys preferential treatment and tax benefits for textile exports in the EU, India has a greater competitive advantage in terms of environmental compliances. Countries of the EU lay huge importance to environmental compliances.

Once an agreement between India and the EU is in place, and exporters from India also get tax preferences, it would be easier to face competition from Bangladesh. The Indian textile industry is at a turning point. China’s export growth in textiles is decreasing and India is enjoying cost advantages, while it is also among the very few countries which have the entire value chain existing within the country. Several states are coming out with their own policy and incentive schemes for the textile sector.

FTA proposals have hit a roadblock. The negotiations were launched in 2007. There are some disagreements in areas such as duty cuts on automobiles, wines and spirits, data security status and easier temporary movement of services professionals.

The EU is India’s number one trading partner. India is the EU’s ninth trading partner. Among EU exports to India are engineering goods, gems and jewelry, other manufactured goods and chemicals. Among EU imports from India are textiles and clothing, chemicals and engineering goods.

Fashion Hong Kong will return to Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo on October 17. Supported by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), it will feature three innovative Hong Kong fashion designers viz Chailie Ho and Polly Ho and first-time participant Vickie Au. It would end on October 20. It will showcase the designers’ collections and feature 24 fashion and accessories brands.

Tokyo is known for its fashion-forward culture while Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo is one of the top-tier international fashion weeks. Designer Chailie Ho will present her collection ‘Dream, or Jail’ which searches for an innovative breakthrough by building around special silhouettes and presenting the tension of fabrics. Following her success last year, Polly Ho’s latest collection ‘The Double Life of Madam White Snake has been inspired by the Chinese legend ‘Madam White Snake’ and created with delicate Canton silk and traditional Chinese knot structures, which reflect her ‘East meets West’ design philosophy. Debutant Vickie Au will introduce her Urban Chill collection. Applying de-constructivist architectural styles and modern swimming pool features, the collection embodies a refreshing summery feeling.

At the Fashion Gallery, visitors will be able to see and handle designers’ runway pieces as well as a wide range of fashion accessories such as eyewear, handbags and shoes from 23 Hong Kong brands. Thirteen of the designers’ brands will be unveiled at K11, a revolutionary museum retail concept that fuses art and shopping, featuring top global and local brands in a complex adorned with sculptures and interactive art.

Friday, 14 October 2016 11:35

EU imports from Mediterranean falls

Clothing exports from Mediterranean countries to Europe have dropped from 25 per cent in 2007 to 17.6 per cent in 2015. Morocco was the eighth largest supplier of clothing and textiles to the European Union in 2015. In the first half of 2016, exports to Europe boomed by 8 per cent. One reason for the dip in Mediterranean exports is competition from Asia. With 1.3 million employees, 3,800 businesses and exports worth $27.2 thousand million in 2015, Vietnam’s clothing and textile sector represents one of the largest exporters in the world. The Chinese textile industry is the world’s leading producer and exporter with 28 million employees. In 2015, its exports topped $284 thousand million, $44 thousand million of which went to the European Union.

There are plans for a joint European and North African sectoral program that needs to be developed and implemented to develop a growth strategy that offers perspectives for the future. Textiles are the largest exports from Tunisia, Morocco and Jordan while for Egypt and Syria it is the second largest after oil. In Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Syria and Jordan the textiles and clothing industry accounts for between 30 and 50 per cent of all industrial jobs.