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The apparel industry is engaged in a process of reorientation from the production perspective. Local demand in China is becoming evident and hence several labels are looking at other countries for sourcing. South East Asia and Eastern Europe are benefiting from fashion labels looking to bring parts of production closer to the European end consumer market. Locating production near to the final customer contributes to sustainability due to the lower energy costs for transport.
Europe and the US continue to source the lion’s share from Far East as far as sourcing is concerned. Africa and some Latin American countries are expected to become sourcing destinations in the future. Olaf Schmidt, Vice President, Textile Technologies, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition reiterates that local sourcing is the trend said, “In the global textile industry as we go up the buyers’ side companies are looking more towards local sourcing. In Europe, medium to high class garment producers are looking for sourcing platforms in East Europe, North Africa and a bit of Middle East. The aim is to have shorter delivery and smaller quantities. One reason is the price increase in the Asian region. The difference between sourcing in Asia and in East Europe and North Africa is not as big as it was in the past. But China remains the largest producer of textiles.”
Apart from China and India all the other consuming economies are expected to grow at less than 5 per cent. If apparel sourcing prices go up and big retailers are not able to mitigate, apparel price rise is inevitable, this will affect fast fashion and consumption patterns.
www.messefrankfurt.com
With the aim of creating breast cancer awareness, Gomitolo Rosa initiated the Pink Ball of Wool project. Running since October 2012, the project aims to be the most effective tool of communication and fund raising association operating in the world of oncology. The Pink Ball of Wool began in Biella valleys where excess production had become a problem and the wool ended getting destroyed. Today, the knitted wool produced in Italy on behalf of farmers has become an important tool to help women and environment. The project supports women’s organizations that work for breast cancer in Italy and in Europe, making use of wool that is not absorbed by the market and contributing to a better balance of the environment.
Pink Ball is an initiative which aims to support this essential component of the fight against breast cancer, and its name derives from the material chosen to achieve this support, the wool. Its theme is ‘Knit a wool, warm life’.
A group of Italian donors has given resources to buy a significant quantities of wool, which would have been burned because of lack of demand from the market. Nearly 70,000 pink balls of wool have been prepared by factories in Biella (Northern Italy) with years of expertise in wool production. These are now available and come in boxes of 200 at a cost of three euros each. No advanced payment is required. The association can sell them at five 5 euros each or more and keep all the profits for itself.
Korea is well known for its synthetics and follows eco friendly process in synthetics and delivers eco friendly products. Eco-friendly is also the current trend and Korea is catering to this trend in a big way. Sharing his views on this, Chang – Yeoul Park, Exhibition & Fashion Team, Team Manager says, “Eco friendly does not mean wearing only natural fibres, it is about the process. Many Korean synthetic producers are trying to have eco friendly processes and products.”
Staying ahead with technology
Apart from eco-friendly processes and products the Korean textile industry is highly technology oriented in terms of materials, dyes, yarns etc. It has a huge focus on functional textiles which is one of its core strengths. Korean companies has always put effort to serve buyers through more technological development and R&D. Emphasizing on this Park says, “Korea is known for high tech products and that asserts their position in the market as they enjoy the benefit of high technology. Korean companies are trying to advance further their R&D to maintain their edge. Technological development remains its USP.”
The current Korean fashion market is very strong and many international fast fashion companies are strongly competing with Korean companies.
Korea is also well known for its high end fabric. As far as prices are concerned, Korean fabrics are high end and therefore, expensive. Park reveals, “The current position of Korean fabric is in between Chinese, known for low prices and Japanese, for high prices. However, China is no more considered low cost and Chinese companies are coming closer to Korean prices”
The Korean Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI) contributes towards long term development of the textile industry as well as advancement of the national economy. It has been performing a leading role in the development of the textile industry and its national economy for the last 37 years. KOFOTI formulates innovative strategies for the textile and fashion industries to actively take measures and respond to sharp changes in the global market performing a pivotal role in the textile industry. The federation also plays an active role in different areas including the development of distinctive products that feature new technologies as well as high quality, cutting edge textile products and state of the art dyeing and finishing technology among others.
Park revealed, “In 2000, we had a sales of export of 18.8 billion which was the highest, we were at the peak at that point of time. Our exports accounted to 18.8 billion USD. In 2009 this figure came to 11.6 billion USD which was the lowest and from then it has been improving. In 2012 it was 15.6 billion USD out of which the fabric export was 12.4 billion USD and apparel export amounted to 3.2 billion USD. The target set for 2013 was 16.3 billion USD. In terms of imports, in 2012, we had an import of 12 billion USD.”
In the 1960s and ’70s the Nigerian textile industry got a lot of encouragement from the government. One of these major schemes was a ban placed on import of textiles. So many investors came into the textile sector. This led to backward integration in the industry. Many textile mills became fully integrated. Some even became spinning mills. The industry worked on shuttles, shuttleless and sulzer looms, knitting, spindles, real wax printing technology.
In this period the Nigerian textile industry was the most technologically advanced in sub-Saharan Africa. By 1985, there were about 180 textile mills in the country, employing about one million Nigerians. The country’s textile capacity accounted for 60 per cent in West Africa.
However in 1994, many textile manufacturers began to feel the pinch of the unstable political situation, massive smuggling, high production costs due to poor infrastructure, taxes and levies, among others. The situation worsened in 1997, when the ban on import of textiles was lifted. Inferior imported products flooded the market. Consequently, many big players could not survive.
From 60 per cent capacity utilisation in 1996 it deteriorated to about 28 per cent in 2002. At the end of 2009, only about 34 textile companies were still functional, employing less than 25,000 workers. There is an urgent need to take steps for the one million Nigerians who have been rendered jobless due to the decline of the industry.
The 8th edition of Interfiliere Hong Kong will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The emphasis this time will be on harmony of body, mind and well-being. The trade show will encompass a more comprehensive, innovative and quality offer to respond to the market needs and visitors’ requirements. Nearly 170 specialized intimates and swimwear exhibitors from more than 15 countries including Austria, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam etc, will be participating making it a truly international sourcing platform at the hub of Asia, between mainland China and the emerging South East Asia.
Interfilière Hong Kong works closely with its exhibitors and visitors to understand the requirements of Asian and international buyers and to respond to the market needs. As a result, the 2014 sourcing platform will focus on functional and natural fabrics, ecological and sustainable manufacturing and the further diversification of the product range while underlining quality. The 8th edition of Interfilière Hong Kong is also expanding its offer by developing the lounge wear sector with an additional selection of fabrics.
The Sustainable Development project co-organized with the French Knitwear and Lingerie Federation will add value to the visitors experience and their product and industry knowledge. A playful area will engage the visitors’ 5 senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. It will offer visitors and exhibitors an educational and explanatory overview on the eco-concept of natural, biological and innovative fabrics, the green textile certifications, sustainable marketing and much more.
Another innovative and creative project called ‘Trend Lab’ formed under the guiding eye of Jos Berry, Director of Concepts Paris, will bring designers and buyers a fresh perspective on the international lingerie consumer.
The New Age woman is inventing another way to shop, dress, be informed et al. It’s called the Instagram Woman, well informed, detail crazy, communicative, seeking style and stories in every element of life. Trend Lab will gather the hottest relevant innovations through finished product prototypes focused on what we know about the needs and longings of this ‘new’ woman.
Trend Forum, will unveil the trends for Autumn/Winter 2015-’16 to decode tomorrow’s trends and most important innovations. Apart from the projects, the event will also have informative seminars and conferences with top-notch speakers on trends, branding, sustainability and several others.
The European Union wants Pakistan to view India as a partner rather than treat India as a competitor. This will help in catering to the demands of products after settling GSP plus status. The European Union recommended that Pakistan should start imports of man-made fibres from India for the manufacturing and export of apparel made from these fibres as a huge gap exists between Pakistan’s supplying ability and European demands. As per a research report, India’s leather industry association had already grasped the potential of GSP+ for export of leather garments and sent two delegations to discuss the possibility of Indian investment in Pakistan’s leather industry.
The report recommends this approach to be followed in the textiles sector with Pakistan driving it and ensuring that the ensuing benefits accrue primarily to Pakistan. The conclusion lies in solving the hurdles to Pakistan’s exports to the Europe that is within the border. Further this can be a solution to the structural problems faced by Pakistan.
Coats plc, the world’s leading industrial thread and consumer textile crafts business gets a new Non-Executive Director. Ruth Anderson will be the new Non-Executive Director effective January, 2, 2014. At present, Anderson is designated as Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at Ocado Group and Travis Perkins. A chartered accountant by profession, her career was spent at KPMG LLP where she worked for six years as a member of the UK Board and Vice Chairman for five years. Mike Clasper, Chairman of Coats reveals she comes in with related experience from audit and finance along with her position as executive in the industrial and consumer sectors which will benefit Coats business to a large extent.
Anedrson says she is extremely happy to be on board of Coats which is on a constant innovation path and aims to fulfil consumers demand across the world. She also aims to bring back the listed company status for the company.
If the US is complaining its jobs are going overseas, here’s a Chinese company that’s reversing the trend. The Keer group is building a textile plant spread over 2,30,000 sq. ft. in South Carolina. The plant will create more than 500 jobs. This American state has access to the port of Charleston and has cotton producers in the vicinity, all of which attracted the Chinese company. The state has strong logistics capabilities.
The plant will involve an investment of $218 million and will produce industrial cotton yarn. The yarn will be exported in containers to China via the port of Charleston. Charleston has eight direct service routes to China. South Carolina has long been a strong player in both manufacturing and foreign direct investment. Foreign-owned companies employ more than 100,000 South Carolinians. From 2011 to 2013, China was the fourth-highest nation in foreign direct investment to South Carolina, behind Germany, Japan and France. The southeast region of the US and South Carolina in particular, continues to see export growth driven by manufacturing.
South Carolina leads the US in foreign-affiliated job recruitment per capita. Chinese firms in particular represent an important and growing part of the state's business community.
Newlife recently announced its collaboration with Italian luxury women’s fashion brand Weekend Max Mara Group. In its Spring/Summer ’14 collection the Max Mara Weekend brand has introduced a selection of garments made of a special hi-tech fabric Made in Italy, using the NewLife yarn. NewLife yarn is made of recycled polyester which is 100 per cent derived from the post-consumer PET waste such as plastic bottles. A special hi-tech fabric is being developed from the collaboration of Saluzzo Yarns and Max Mara Group, always in search of innovative and best performing raw materials.
The garments of Weekend Max Mara made in Newlife will be sold in 1,500 stores of 
about 50 countries worldwide. The Newlife project will be in store starting from January 2014 and is being previewed in selected points of sale from December 2013.
Weekend Max Mara presents a special project that underlines the constant commitment of the Group in the search of new and best performing raw materials, the first step towards the manufacture of a product of impeccable quality. Max Mara Group has always focused on product design and women’s requirements: research therefore has a fundamental role in the creative process, and quality is a prerequisite to the creation of a fashion product.
The name NewLife is significant because this yarn is obtained by converting recycled plastic bottles in Italy and transformed into a polymer spun into yarns by means of a 100 per cent Made in Italy mechanical rather than chemical process. The manufacturing process is highly innovative, fully traceable, entirely mechanical and Made in Italy; it allows considerable savings in water and energy resources and a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
All this translates into an item of clothing, which combines fashion contents with a responsible choice as regards the environment and society.
As a debut collection, faithful to the philosophy of Max Mara, has installed 11,000 solar panels for the production of eco-friendly electricity. Sustainability, quality and attention to fashion blend in this cutting-edge style project by Max Mara Weekend, which proudly stems from 100 per cent Italian research.
Newlife has been able to fuse fashion with innovation, combining 30 years of textile experience by Saluzzo Yarns to create a completely new kind of yarn 100 per cent made in Italy. The Newlife yarns platform comes in a wide range of counts with multiple functional performances offering incredibly different choices in terms of applications in textile productions: fashion, casual wear, lingerie, outdoor, luggage, workwear, sportswear, labels, ribbons, automotive, home textiles and outdoor furnishing. The Newlife yarn range allows the creation of fabrics and garments that comply to all sustainability requirements in terms of design, innovation and responsibility.
Readymade garment factories in Bangladesh that are non-compliant will be relocated in an industrial park. The government has set up a company toward this end. The aim is to make the country’s apparel industry compliant. Small and medium entrepreneurs will get priority in allotment of plots. The company will sign a memorandum of understanding with Hong Kong’s KRD International Investment Group for establishing the park.
The industrial park will be established on 532 acres of land, of which 30 per cent will be used for infrastructural development and the rest for factories. An apparel maker who exports products worth $1.2 million and above will have to pay 40 per cent of the total plot value as down payment. And an apparel maker who exports below $1.2 million dollars will have to pay 20 per cent of the price as down payment.
The park will have facilities like power station, fire brigade, child care, police station, bank, river port, pump house, solid wastage pump, central effluent treatment plant and dumping yard.
About 1,700 applications have been received from garment makers as against 432 units to be allocated in the proposed park.
