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Significant changes in cotton production are expected for a number of countries in 2014-15 due to the effects of El Nino. World’s 2014-15 cotton area is forecast to remain nearly unchanged at 32.9 million hectares, but below the five-year average. The global yield in 2014-15 is forecasted below last several seasons at 764 kg per hectare.
The two largest producing countries—China and India—are expected to account for a combined 50 per cent of the global crop in 2014-15. In 2013-14, these countries contributed about 53 per cent of world cotton production. China is forecast to produce 29.5 million bales in 2014-15, nearly 8 per cent below the previous season and the smallest crop since 2005-06.
India’s 2014-15 cotton production is forecast at 28.5 million bales, a three per cent decline from the preceding year despite slightly higher area. Last season, production benefited from above average yields. Concerns about El Niño may discourage further growth in planted area. India’s yield is projected at 526 kg per hectare, near the three-year average.
Australia is also expected to reduce cotton production in 2014-15 as reservoir levels have decreased considerably from a year ago. In contrast, Brazil’s crop estimate has been raised as increased cotton plantings are expected. Pakistan and Uzbekistan are forecast to produce crops similar to the 2013-14 season. The largest increase is projected for the United States in 2014-15.
The textiles and garment industry in Thailand feels the declaration of martial law will hurt its prospects. After months of political impasse, Thailand's military has imposed martial law in response to the threat of civil war.
The country’s manufacturers want the government to do its utmost to secure long-term low duty access to the EU. Thailand was excluded from this facility this year since it was deemed too rich to be included in the program. The EU's Generalised System of Preferences grants low or duty-free access to EU markets for many developing countries.
Apart from reduced global competiveness in the long run, the imposition of martial law also deals a blow to Thai garment manufacturers serving the domestic market. While Thai exporters may relocate factories to countries that still have GSP privileges, such as Laos or Vietnam, the detrimental effect of political uncertainty on tourism is certain. Revenues for the local garment industry are sure to suffer as foreign consumers shun the country.
Under Thailand’s Martial Law Act of 1914, military commanders have wide-ranging powers to suppress unrest, including powers to detain people, censor the media, impose curfews and prohibit public gatherings.
The World Textile Awards are looking at being the first truly independent and global competition dedicated to celebrating and rewarding the best companies across the entire industry. The awards recognises and rewards excellence in the textile industry worldwide.
The group feels there are many firms worldwide doing amazing work and they need to be recognized. The vision was to select winners from across the supply chain, all the way from fiber production through to the end stitched product. The competition is putting excellence ahead of all other factors such as company size or geographical location. It is a level playing field.
Winners will be announced in each of the competition’s seven categories with one overall winner also garnering the prestigious title of International Textile Firm of the Year. The competition has been created by a partnership of textile professionals and award competition experts and is headquartered in London.
Judges are currently being scouted from the worldwide pool of textile professionals and interested parties can also submit their application to be a judge through the World Textile Awards website. The competition is now open for entries and early bird reduced rates are available until July 1, 2014.
www.worldtextileawards.com/
The entire world's attention was drawn to Bangladesh, after calamities like fire and building collapse claimed several lives in the RMG industry last year. The issue of lack of fire safety norms and compliance came to the fore with several labour organisations and well-known western brands importing from the country raising an alarm about labour safety. Now, other Asian countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia have woken up to deal with the challenges faced by their garment manufacturing industries.
Especially issues in Cambodia where industrial disputes over working conditions in its textile and clothing sector are being dealt with. The country's garment industry has been trying to improve its reputation for fair working conditions, in part due to the presence of Better Factories Cambodia, an International Labour Organization (ILO) programme that independently monitors factories. However, the collapse of two garment and a shoe factory that left three dead and dozens injured, raised concerns about the safety conditions.
A Better Factories Cambodia survey conducted in July 2013 pointed out that no improvement has been made in areas including fire safety, child labour, and worker safety and health. The report warned that: "Cambodia's industry runs the risk of forfeiting the advantages that come from its reputation for decent working conditions." The group also published its first online transparency database in March, this year and has seen work happening towards improving compliance in the industry.
Pakistan happens to be another country where progress in compliance standards is not up to the mark. While demands and promises were made to implement safety regulations and industry standards in the garment industry following a September 2012 factory fire in Karachi that killed 258 workers, however, no major initiatives have been taken up so far.
Experts in Pakistan claim that lack of labour laws, corruption and the tendency to cut corners to secure bigger profits continue to plague the industry.
The West Pakistan Hazardous Occupation Rule 1963, authorised under the pre-independence Factories Act 1934, is the only comprehensive Pakistan legislation on factory health and safety.
Though Pakistan is signatory to the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Labour Inspection Convention, implementation of such laws has been an issue in the textile industry, which employs 38 per cent of the country's manufacturing workforce.
Sri Lanka has been ahead of its competitors in better establishing safety standards. The country’s national laws demand safe and healthy working conditions, environmental protection standards and acceptable hours of work since its independence. Sri Lanka's Shop and Office Employees Act No 19 of 1954 limits a normal day's work hours to eight and 45 for a week. The legislation also bans child labour across all sectors, including the garment industry, while the Factories Ordinance (No 45 of 1942) says all factories should maintain a safe and a healthy work environment. Sri Lanka has also ratified the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951, of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
www.ilo.org
Young fashion graduates now have the opportunity to submit their work in three prize-eligible categories: Design, Product Development and Branding under the IAF Student Award category. Winners of the award will receive a half-year paid placement at a major global brand.
Companies where previous award winners have been placed include Supertrash and Diesel. Last year students from over 63 international fashion institutes took part in the IAF Student Award competition. Submissions for the awards would be judged by a panel of industry experts based on the criteria such as attention to fashion trends, commercial applicability, technique and technology.
The purpose of the award is to connect the results of fashion education to real, relevant challenges in the fashion industry. The winners of each category of the 2014 IAF Student Award will be announced at the 30th edition of the IAF World Fashion Convention to be hosted in Medellín, Colombia on September 30th.
Iafnet.eu
Epson, a manufacturer of printers, projectors and scanners, has teamed up with garment industry specialists to demonstrate a live end-to-end sportswear production workflow on its Fespa stand. The aim was to show how much more quickly and accurately garments can be produced with a fully automated, digital workflow, with garments produced from lay-out to finishing in just half an hour, on the booth.
Time pressures are now increasing significantly in the fashion industry. While earlier there would be around four collections a year, now there are 10 or more. Also, now garments are designed in Europe but the production is mostly done in Asia or Turkey. With digital production the process can be shortened by around 80 per cent.
The on-stand production line includes design, pattern editing, 3D modeling, proofing, dye sublimation printing, heat transfer and final garment construction. Patterns are produced using cad.assyst, which imports customer measurements from body scanners or tables of measurements to show on screen how a design fits and drapes. Adjustments can be made which automatically alter the 2D pattern being produced.
Proofs are printed on an Epson Stylus Pro 4900 printer. Final designs are printed on Epson’s SureColor SC-F7100 dye sublimation printer. After heat transfer, garments are constructed using a Flamis flatbed welder, which works not by stitching, but fusing the fabric with heat and adhesives.
Pakistan is taking a series of steps to protect its cotton ginners. The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association has expressed reservations over cotton imports from India and says that interests of local growers should be protected. In turn they have been assured that a new policy would be framed on cotton imports from India with the consent of all stakeholders.
The Ministry of Textiles would play a key role in getting cleared refund cases of ginners. A five per cent import duty on the import of cotton yarn has been imposed after reviewing the effects of cotton and yarn imports from India. Funds have been released for the establishment of a Cotton Ginning Research & Training Institute. Amendments have been introduced in Seed Act 2010 so that well-germinated, certified and heat resistant seeds can be supplied to farmers at reasonable rates.
The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association is a representative body of over 1,200 ginning factories all over Pakistan. It takes care of the interests of ginners and coordinates their problems with government agencies. Membership is mandatory for every ginning factory in Pakistan. PCGA educates and advises cotton ginners, and adopts ways to bring cotton to international standards.
pcga.org/
Labour leaders have accused owners of closed readymade garment (RMG) units of not following labour laws and paying workers dues. Since the beginning of inspection by Accord and Alliance, so far 20 garment factories have faced production suspension while seven out of them may not be operational owing to their structural condition. Out of these 20 units, one supplied products for Alliance signatories' brands, six supplied goods to Accord members while the rest shared the buildings.
Earlier, the Accord -- a platform of more than 150 brands, retailers and trade unions had decided not to pay wages to workers during production suspension or closure of any factory. While Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed asked the Accord to contribute to workers’ payment, Accord said that it’s the factory owners’ responsibility to pay their workers during factory closure.
Labour leaders also claimed that even government authorities despite being aware of the situation are not monitoring the issue. The factories that have been closed following the inspection have not paid or compensated their workers. They have not even announced service benefits to those workers, who served them for many years.
While Alliance is paying one month's wages to the workers, industry is demanding the Accord to follow them and contribute to workers' payment. There is a fear among workers if they don’t get their dues then they may be forced take to the streets to protest against the inspection, which could further add to everyones woes.
Representatives from major clothing brands and unions have decided to hold a meeting with the government officials of Cambodia to discuss rising concerns over workers’ rights in the country. The meeting follows a previous round of talks between brands and government officials that were held in February. Since then, at least 17 union leaders and representatives have been arrested for their roles in planning strikes.
Jyrki Raina, Secretary General of IndustriALL will attend the talks, where she will also be representing the International Trade Union Confederation and the Uni Global Union. Also included are brands like H&M, Gap, Levi’s and Puma.
The unions plan to ask the government about failure to investigate the deaths of workers, as well as the case of 23 union members/leaders and workers who were tried for their role in January’s garment sector strikes, for whom verdicts are due on May 30.
As per sources, last week, eight representatives from the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union (CCAWDU) were arrested for instigating workers. Also two leaders of the Workers’ Friendship Union Federation were detained and then released after leading workers from the Cambo Handsome factory in Pur Senchey district on the second day of protests.
www.industriall-union.org
The forthcoming edition of ready-to-wear and accessories fashion trade show Fatex to be held from July 3 to 5, 2014 at Porte de Versailles will be an important event for exploring turnkey collections, a wide range of manufacturing solutions and sourcing new suppliers. The platform offers an opportunity to explore major global players, high-capacity sub/co-contracting, and full package manufacturing who are attuned to the needs of western buyers.
Fatex, offers an extensive portfolio of solutions for international manufacturing, supply chains, enabling exhibitors to meet European fashion brands. Visitors get a complete overview of the market viz: products, technology, finishing and services, as well as an update on developments in quality and style.
For the July edition, Fatex will be handpicking new firms to be endorsed by a selection committee against strict criteria for an even more eclectic and carefully thought-out sourcing offer. Again there will be a large contingency from China, representing the majority of clothing and accessories offer in all categories. Five firms from the Hong-Kong region complete the Chinese sourcing offer, each of them familiar with western buyers’ demanding quality standards. India is also becoming popular with Fatex visitors, particularly for its cotton fabrics and embroidery expertise.
Bangladesh too will be exhibiting with 10 fully integrated organisations. Newcomer Vietnam will be offering alternative apparel solutions from companies managed by local operators aware of their distinctive offer. Egypt too is returning to the European market. Knitted and woven fabrics, leather, work-wear, household textiles and accessories are the main sectors offered by around 100 firms exhibiting at Fatex 2014.
For the first time, Fatex will be hosting a large European symposium that will provide an in-depth analysis of the optimal conditions for feel-good sourcing: Closer to Sourcing on July 3. Industry experts including Pierre Cardin Jeanswear, G-Star, Kurt Salmon, Tom Tailor, Modint, Hugo Boss and juststyle.com will be sharing the secrets of their success and offering invaluable advice.
