FW
The Bangladesh government, International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the European Union (EU) signed a joint declaration of launching a project called ‘Skills 21’. It is aimed at developing a skills training module of international standards in line with the demand from global labour market.
Under the €20 million project, the ILO and EU will work for institutional development of technical education under the technical and vocational education and training program and also to improve the skills development module in Bangladesh, says ILO director-general Guy Ryder.
EU ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon points out Bangladesh is in need of a skilled labour force to ensure the sustainability of its economic growth. The Skills 21 project would help Bangladesh to define a national skills development policy and the EU would continue its support for further developing and completing the establishment of a comprehensive and coherent TVET system and its institutional setup for a long-term effectiveness, the envoy said.
Bangladesh education minister Nurul Islam Nahid believes the EU project would support the commitments of the government to inclusive economic growth and full and productive employment for all. He says a skilled and productive workforce would make a major contribution to the Bangladesh’s goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2021.
Having fallen 21 per cent in volume terms and 14 per cent in value terms, the decline in spun yarn exports from India slowed down in November. Shipments of spun yarn of all kinds were 90.1 million kg worth $261.1 million or Rs, 1,733 crore implying per unit realisation of $2.90 per kg which was down US cents 11 from previous month and up US cents 24 as compared to November 2015. China’s cotton yarn imports from India recovered in November and demand stayed strong with shipments of Indian yarns piling up in different ports of China. Cotton yarns from Vietnam are suffering due to higher material costs as the country needs to import its cotton.
Once TPP is scrapped, Chinese investors could also opt out of spinning industry in Vietnam. This would mean Vietnamese apparel units will not enjoy duty-free access to the US market in the future. In November this year, 77 countries imported spun yarn from India, with China on top accounting for 39.8 per cent of the total value with imports declining 12.5 per cent in volume terms YoY and value edging down 4.3 per cent. Bangladesh was the second largest importer of spun yarns accounting for around 12.7 per cent of all spun yarn exported from India. Export to Bangladesh was down 37.6 per cent in volume and 32.2 per cent lower in value.
Pakistan was the third largest importer of spun yarns, which saw volume plunging 49.9 per cent while it was down 39.2 per cent in value. These three top importers together accounted for around 55.9 per cent of all spun yarns exported from India in November. China was the largest importer of cotton yarn from India in November, followed by Bangladesh and South Korea. The top three together accounted for more than 63 per cent of cotton yarn imported from India.
"Having largest production chain with inherent potential for value addition at each stage of processing from cotton to ginning, spinning, fabric, dyeing and finishing made up garments, Pakistan is a growing textile haven. Contributing nearly one fourth of industrial value addition, the industry employs about 40 per cent of labour force, accounting for 8 per cent GDP. Its average share of about 58 per cent in national export, however, despite being the 4th largest producer and 3rd largest consumer of cotton globally, Pakistan’s comparative advantage diminish due to export of low value added textile products."
Having largest production chain with inherent potential for value addition at each stage of processing from cotton to ginning, spinning, fabric, dyeing and finishing made up garments, Pakistan is a growing textile haven. Contributing nearly one fourth of industrial value addition, the industry employs about 40 per cent of labour force, accounting for 8 per cent GDP. Its average share of about 58 per cent in national export, however, despite being the 4th largest producer and 3rd largest consumer of cotton globally, Pakistan’s comparative advantage diminish due to export of low value added textile products.
Though an emerging area of high value addition, technical textile is gaining thrust from the government. There is huge scope for the expansion of functional textile in different segment of textile industries like Home tech, Mobi Tech. Medi tech, Geo Tech and Spo Tech.
Increasing contribution in technical textile
Pakistan’s share in technical textile is little because of the lack technological advancement, which restricted cotton’s presence in home textiles where textile fibrous materials are becoming basic component in bridges, architecture combat vehicle automotive aeroplane medical implant protective wear against bullet shock radiation. World consumption of this sector is increasing rapidly. There is a need to work on Mobi tec, Home tech, Medi tec, Protective tec, through this priority list can enhance export potential while reducing the imports in bulks. Developmental activities in this area will be focussed on new material, new process and new application with economic liberalisation and globalisation.
Befitting policy
In textile policy 2014-19, the government decided to develop a proper strategy for the promotion of technical textiles in the country. For this purpose, exclusive centre of excellence to impart training, develop skills and targeted to share relevant information about world trends in such field like geotech, meditec, spotec would be established. Government is also pursuing the KOICA who has shown interest in establishing a research facility for technical textiles university Faisalabad. The non-woven sector is one of the emerging sub-sectors having considerable share in value-added products to encourage this sector.
In current Textile Policy, the government of Pakistan has taken special initiatives for institutional restructuring and human resource working under the ministry in field of research, textile engineering, international trade matters, negotiation project development project monitoring tariff rationalization and other related matter for enhancing capacity building of the Ministry and its organisations as well. National Textile University will extend its support to provide higher education to fulfill the gap in R&D. The initiative will be done in collaboration with foreign donor agencies and it will also set up a department for textile dyes, pigments finishing to support and chemical manufacturing in the country. Since it requires huge amount of finance, the ministry is approaching for allocation of funds from Export Development Fund, PSDP through PC-I, while donors are also requested to aid in financing.
The Textile Policy initiatives will strive to compliment strengthen support relevant initiatives taken by other federal ministries, provincial government or donors will also strive to avoid any duplication. For skill enhancement, Ministry of Textile Industry will provide technical support for up-gradation of EDF funded textile training institutes to meet International requirements and eliminate skill gap for manufacturing high value added textile and technical textile product. It is estimated that by taking all these steps, technical textile segment will be in a better position to contribute significantly.
Solapur district in Maharashtra wants to develop as a major supplier of school uniforms for the whole country. Solapur is known for easy availability of transport, labor and raw materials. It has more than 1,000 garment manufacturing units and is well connected with the rest of the country with a rail and road network and the nearest airports being Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad.
The district is already contributing six to seven per cent of the trade volume of the country’s Rs 18,000 crores uniform manufacturing industry. To showcase its potential, an uniform and garment exhibition will be held at Solapur between January 5 to 7. The fair will highlight the capabilities of Solapur, which in turn would lead to the setting up of more garment factories and thus more jobs in both skilled and unskilled areas.
Delegates from over nine countries have confirmed their visit to the exhibition. As many as 6,000 retailers from across the country are expected to visit the fair. Apart from school uniforms Solapur’s garment industry is known for children’s garments, men’s and women’s dresses. The district seeks investments from national and international garment manufacturers.
Generally, schools in the northern part of the country have separate summer, winter and sports uniforms, whereas most schools in the south have just one main uniform.
Bangladesh has a program, Pathways to Promise, that gives women working in garment factories the opportunity to leave their jobs and pursue higher education. In January 2016, 22 women walked away from their jobs at factories to participate in the Pathways to Promise program. That number now stands at more than 100, including more than 30 factory workers in addition to 70 other young women from ethnic minority groups and Afghan women from conflict zones.
Participating students spend 20 hours per week in the classroom, which is primarily focused on academic English language communication skills, critical thinking, leadership development and presentation skills. The core curriculum also includes mathematics and is supplemented by a robust extracurricular program of eight to 10 hours that includes activities ranging from community service and karate to IT and social enterprise.
Students receive up to two hours of personalized one-on-one academic mentoring each week and have access to the writing center and math and science center for additional expert academic support. A social mentoring pastoral care system is available for all Pathways students, and senior program participants take an active role in the mentoring and support of the less experienced Pathways students.
Bangladesh employs more than three million women in the garment manufacturing industry, many of whom have had only a few years of schooling.
Vietnam’s biggest importer of textiles and garments is China though exports to the US this year are also estimated to go up four per cent against last year. The EU, Japan, India, Brazil, Russia and Canada were also large importers of Vietnam textile and garments in 2016.
However, buyers want higher quality and are moving forward delivery deadlines. Increasing production costs, limited orders and pressure by exporters to reduce selling prices have placed a burden on corporations. Lower selling prices by 18 to 20 per cent, and even 30 per cent, hasn’t helped as buyers find partners who are less expensive in other countries.
The country’s textile and garment sector would continue facing challenges in 2017 due to fierce competition by other major exporters – including China, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan –while global demand is forecast to slow down. Vietnam’s textile and garment exports to the US and the EU are expected to see negative impact, as consequences of Brexit and the new US administration, which opposes the TPP trade pact.
So the sector anticipates an export growth rate of just five to seven per cent next year. It has asked for support measures like strengthening the management of both domestic and foreign investment projects in the industry and reviewing policies on minimum wage increases and working hours.
The Textile Institute, Manchester, UK has conferred Darlie Koshy with the prestigious Holden Medal for Education. It’s a bi-annual award and Koshy is the second Indian to win this prestigious award.
Koshy is the founding head of Fashion Management at NIFT, New Delhi (1987-2000) and was at the helm of NID, Ahmedabad as the Director (and governing council member) for almost a decade from 2000 to 2009. He rewrote the fortunes of Indian design and created the National Design Policy in 2007. He also authored a path breaking tome named ‘Indian Design Edge’ which has been acclaimed by critics and readers alike.
At present he is the DG & CEO of Apparel Training & Design Centre (ATDC) that has over 200 centres around India and IAM with its campus in Gurgaon having trained over 2, 00,000 candidates under ISDS since 2010 and over 50,000 candidates in other programmes. He has been the ideator of the ‘Smart’ brand that ATDC had launched in October 2010 and initiator of the TOT Academies apart from the inspiring the “Imparting Skills, Improving Lives” slogan.
A visionary educator par excellence, he is a doctorate from IIT Delhi in Management. He undertook specialized training at FIT, New York in International Fashion Marketing and has received UNDP research grant for conducting research in nine importing centres in the USA Europe and Japan which led to the publication of successful book ‘Effecting export marketing of Apparel to the USA, UK & Japan’.
Nearly 20 industry leaders exhibiting in the common area set up by the Italian Trade Agency and the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT), are expected to stand out at the Colombiatex of the Americas, a three-day event to be held from January 24 to 26, 2017 at the Plaza Mayor in Medellin, Colombia. Among the Italian manufacturers are: Biancalani, Btsr, Cogne, Carù, Fadis, Fk Group, Itema, Laip, Mactec, Mcs, Monti-Mac, Nexia, Noseda, Ratti, Reggiani, Srs, Tecnorama, Testa and Ugolini.
The well-represented contingent of Italian manufacturers confirms the level of attention Italy’s textile machinery manufacturers place on the Colombian market. For the second year in succession, Italy’s textile machinery industry will be collectively represented bearing witness to the undisputed value both the event and the Colombian market have taken on over time for our machinery manufacturers.
In 2015, Italian exports amounted to €10 million. Over the first eight months of this year, sales of Italian textile machinery in this market have exceeded 2015 with 63 per cent increase over the same period last year. Among the Italian machines, most in demand by Colombia are finishing machinery (50 per cent of the overall total) and knitting machinery (18per cent).
The world’s first silk-based electronic textile manufacturing technology has been developed by a South Korean research team lead by Incheon University professor Kim Byeong-hoon and Inha University professor Jin Hyeong-joon, says the National Research Foundation of Korea.
This has been developed based on graphene oxide coating on silk, requires no adhesive. The research team focused on the properties of silk, that is, the ease of hydrogen bonding and high-temperature resistance. It succeeded in graphene oxide coating without a medium such as an expensive adhesive by repeatedly dipping silk in a graphene oxide solution and drying it. In addition, the team accelerated the process of reduction into an electronic textile by using heat.
The team’s silk-based electronic textile showed little deformation even after washing and bending while maintaining an electric conductivity of approximately 10 S/m comparable to those of existing ones. In other words, the textile can be produced with its performance intact, at a lower cost and within a shorter period of time.
According to the research team, its technique is expected to contribute to the development of flexible display panels, wearable gadgets, sensors detecting harmful substances and so on. Electronics textiles have been applied to combat uniforms, biometric shirts, wearable computers, etc. The commercial use of this type of textiles due to high manufacturing costs and complex manufacturing process has shown little progress.
PrimaLoft provides high-performance insulations and fabrics. The Insulation ThermoPlume is a blowable synthetic insulation. It is a blend of water-resistant PrimaLoft fibers that deliver insulating loft, wet weather protection and compressibility. It has been developed to mimic the fluidity, feel and aesthetics of goose down in a synthetic fiber.
The new product offers an ethical and water resistant synthetic alternative to down, guaranteeing warmth even in wet conditions, delivering thermal properties. It fills a growing demand for innovation from designers, brands and consumers looking to move away from down.
The plume is manufactured with small, silky tufts of fiber plumes that collectively form a loose fill insulation, replicating the lightweight warmth, softness and compressibility of natural goose down. Its construction allows it to be blown through traditional down-blowing manufacturing equipment, simplifying the manufacturing process for brands, enabling product designers the freedom to create innovative garments which combines the look and feel of down with the water-resistant performance of a synthetic.
Providing a blowable, high-performing synthetic that acts as a true replacement for down allows brands to replicate the design aesthetic and manufacturing process of a down garment. This helps to simplify the supply chain, combat the volatility of down prices and provides peace of mind when it comes to the ethical sourcing of materials.
