FW
Apparel retailer American Apparel has named Paul Charron, former head of handbag retailer Liz Claiborne as the new chairman. Charron served as chief executive of Liz Claiborne, now known as Kate Spade, for 11 years until his retirement in 2006.
Charron also served as senior advisor at private equity firm Warburg Pincus and has spent six years as chairman of Campbell Soup. He joined Warburg Pincus in 2008 and focused on investment activities in the consumer and retail industries as well as industrials, leveraged buyouts, and special situations.
Los Angeles-based American Apparel, known for its ‘Made in USA’ fashion and sexually charged advertising, emerged from bankruptcy last month as a private company. In appointing new board members, American Apparel is trying to further distance itself from the tumultuous period that began after its board ousted Charney as CEO and Chairman in 2014 when an investigation uncovered allegations of misuse of company funds and inappropriate behavior with employees.
Susan Davidson, who heads fashion boutique Scoop and design house Zac Posen and has worked at Bloomingdale's and Liz Claiborne, and Bruce Fetter, who runs women's luxury knitwear retailer St. John Knits, will also join American Apparel’s board.
store.americanapparel.net/
Currently in India, imported jute from Bangladesh seems to be a more viable option as compared to the domestically available alternative. The reason being production costs Bangladesh are 30 per cent lower than in India.
Earlier the Bangladesh government had banned raw jute exports to India . The ban was lifted on November 3, 2015, as its domestic consumption rose from three million bales (one bale is 180 kg) to five million bales. .
“There are no sharp market reactions to the current development. But, there is hope that this would ensure more availability of raw jute and help stabilise prices,” said Sanjay Kajaria, former chairman of Indian Jute Mills' Association (IJMA) and managing director of Hastings Jute Mill. Raw jute prices in India are currently at Rs 58,000 a tonne
Experts opine that its cheaper to import jute goods from Bangladesh and Nepal as labour and production costs are higher in India. Export of raw jute from Bangladesh to India, which was in the level of 0.9 million bales during 2011-12 and 2012-13 came down to the level of 0.24 million bales in 2013-14, 0.15 million bales in 2014-15 and 0.26 million bales in 2015-16.
In 2014-15, import of jute bags rose 75 per cent in value terms and 79 per cent in volume. Of this, jute sacks went up by 36 per cent, jute yarn by 37 per cent and carpet backing cloth by 27 per cent.
In July 2015, import of raw jute from Bangladesh surged 213 per cent on volume and 274 per cent in value terms over the same month a year ago. Also, import of jute products rose five per cent in quantity and moved up 23 per cent in value terms compared to July 2014.
Cumulative imports of raw jute during April-July 2015 declined by 21 per cent in volume but rose six per cent in value terms over the corresponding period of last fiscal. Likewise, import of jute products in the period declined 26 per cent in quantity but increased by four per cent terms in value terms.
Texpo will be held in Pakistan from April 7 to 10, 2016. The event will be attended by international textile buyers and is aimed at enhancing the country’s textile exports. The entire value chain of the textile sector will be on display. The event is expected to open new horizons for investors to invest in the textile sector.
Among the exhibits are art silk and synthetic textiles, towels, textile fabrics, tulle lace, tents and canvas, bed wear, garments, accessories. Major textile associations of the country will showcase trendy and stylish textile products. The main objective of the event is to build a strong business relationship of Pakistan’s exporters with importers of textiles worldwide. There will be 230 exhibitors from textiles, value added textiles and high-end fashion.
Around 600 delegates will attend from 50 countries. B&C Collection from Belgium, Marubeni Tex from Japan, Shinwon from South Korea, Polo Africa from South Africa, Super Muffato from Brazil, Apacinti from Indonesia, Septwolves from China, Teddy from Italy, Fifth Factory from Spain, and Firma Gamma from Russia will be among those attending.
Texpo is being organized by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. Pakistan will organise 120 exhibitions in different countries this year to market local products.
tdap.gov.pk/texpo/
Imported jute from Bangladesh seems to be a more viable option in India at the moment compared to the local alternative. The reason: production costs Bangladesh are 30 per cent lower than in India. Earlier the Bangladesh government had banned raw jute exports to India. The ban was lifted on November 3, 2015, as its domestic consumption rose from three million bales (one bale is 180 kg) to five million bales.
Sanjay Kajaria, former chairman of Indian Jute Mills' Association (IJMA) and managing director of Hastings Jute Mill feels there are no sharp market reactions to the current development. But, there is hope that this would ensure more availability of raw jute and help stabilise prices. Raw jute prices in India are currently at Rs 58,000 a ton.
Experts opine it’s cheaper to import jute goods from Bangladesh and Nepal as labour and production costs are higher in India. Export of raw jute from Bangladesh to India, which was in the level of 0.9 million bales during 2011-12 and 2012-13 came down to the level of 0.24 million bales in 2013-14, 0.15 million bales in 2014-15 and 0.26 million bales in 2015-16.
In 2014-15, import of jute bags rose 75 per cent in value terms and 79 per cent in volume. Of this, jute sacks went up by 36 per cent, jute yarn by 37 per cent and carpet backing cloth by 27 per cent.
In July 2015, import of raw jute from Bangladesh surged 213 per cent on volume and 274 per cent in value terms over the same month a year ago. Also, import of jute products rose five per cent in quantity and moved up 23 per cent in value terms compared to July 2014.
Cumulative imports of raw jute during April-July 2015 declined by 21 per cent in volume but rose six per cent in value terms over the corresponding period of last fiscal. Likewise, import of jute products in the period declined 26 per cent in quantity but increased by four per cent terms in value terms.
"CHIC (China International Clothing & Accessories Fair 2016 -Spring) took place from March 16 to 18, 2016 right at the beginning of China’s 13th Five-Year-Plan Convention. The fair underlined evolution, not revolution dominates the prosperity of the fashion business. Innovation, especially in the area of research, development, industrial transformation constitutes the ‚main force."
The 24th edition of CHIC, China's largest fashion trade fair, continues to grow and evolve as the event welcomed over 1,300 exhibitors from 20 countries. CHIC (China International Clothing & Accessories Fair 2016 -Spring) took place from March 16 to 18, 2016 right at the beginning of China’s 13th Five-Year-Plan Convention. The fair underlined evolution, not revolution dominates the prosperity of the fashion business. Innovation, especially in the area of research, development, industrial transformation constitutes the ‚main force. And as outlined by Chen Dapeng, Executive Vice President CNGA and Head of CHIC, “The Chinese market is still growing but it is a market for the middle class. The slogan‚ ‘new normal’ expresses that consumers in China are very well aware on styles and prices, but not buying at any price. The price/quality ratio plays an important role.”
International hub of fashion business
During the three days of the event, 1,04,592 professional visitors registered. Even if this number was lower compared to CHIC in March 2015, the higher quality of visitors was remarkable. As Limin Ou, CEO of Peacebird said they received a lot of positive feedback, the visitor quality as well as the quantity was amazing and they succeeded in reaching their goal. The Chinese market becomes more and more sophisticated and the organizers believe the future for them will lay in quality fashion for China’s growing middle class. The increasing number of international buyers is evident with merchants from as far as Botswana in Africa signing a business contract at CHIC.
Carrefour placed a direct enormous order. Besides trade visitors coming from shopping malls, department stores boutiques, e-commerce platforms also outlet centers attended CHIC. According to Liu, President and General Manager of Shanghai Xiongyi Apparel, a long-time visitors at CHIC, “I am coming to CHIC since many years. I always receive new inspiration here and discover every time new brands for my business.”
Considered Asia’s fashion window, CHIC furnished proof on international cultural and creative industries with total 1,300 brands. Twenty seminars with focus on scientific and technological researches including new sales channels were held during the event. Moreover, 15 fashion shows underlined the new fashion styles.
Lifestyle arenas a lure
The clear structure of CHIC convinced the professional visitors again. Within ‘Prestige,’ hot discussions were raised regarding customization style innovation and better cost performance. Some of the Chinese brands used CHIC as a platform to re-launch their brand or present new lines. ‘Firs’ re-launched its brand ‘Shanshan,’ ‘Peacebird’ presented a new brand of their group called ‘Whaam’, a new cooperation between Ningbo Peacebird and Disney, targeting the young fashion market in China. Also one of the big Chinese retail brands, ‘Semir’, promoted a new brand within the area ‘New Look’ (womenswear). Liu, Business Development Manager of Semir, explained that their new brand ‘Gson,’ focussed on business style fashion, is profiting from the boom in the commercial real estates of China. Septwolves launched its new brand Totem Wolf – a new fusion of Mao, Tibetan, Dai ethnic characteristics and culture. The leading young team of Totem Wolf supplemented the launch with a relevant mobile phone app.
International fashion journey
The area was enlarged this time and new nations like Netherlands showed up. Chen Dapeng expressed that European brands are demanded in China, but they have to compete with the market prices of same quality in China and review their calculation of prices being partly six times higher than in Europe.
On the occasion of the visit of Dutch fashion labels to Shanghai, the first Sino-Dutch Fashion Dialogue ‘Cross’ was co-organized by the Netherlands Consulate General in Shanghai, RNW Media and Donghua University, CROSS helped the best of Dutch and Chinese fashion form ties through engaging dialogues.
As Anneke Adema, Consul General of the Netherlands in Shanghai said she noticed that throughout China there is a shift to the creative sector and hope this dialogue will make more people familiar with Dutch fashion: sustainable, comfortable, innovative in crossing borders and with a twist. She also expressed that it will also help in creating sustainable ties between Shanghainese and Dutch creative minds.
According to Gerard Roudine organizer the French pavilion ‘Paris Forever’ opined this CHIC was the best in their longtime participations. And Italian pavilion ‘La Moda Italiana’ received more visitors than previous years.
Meanwhile, Brazilian shoe association Abicalcados organized the Brazilian pavilion ‘Brazilian Footwear’. They were happy about the visitor flow and joining forces with CHIC to push their brands into the Chinese market. After several platforms they tried in China, they found now their place at CHIC and will continue in October 2016.
This time, the Chamber of Commerce of Netherlands, Enterprise European Network participated for the first time at CHIC. They received visitors from wholesalers, buyers and agents. And they even placed orders at CHIC. They considered their participation as successful and will plan a larger participation next time.
Participants of the German pavilion got good experiences at CHIC. Claire Thorneycroft, Export Manager at Roesch, liked the clear structure of CHIC and conducted promising talks to enlarge their distribution network. Some German exhibitors exhibited along with their agents in China. This, some said led to a resounding success.
Similarly, London-based PURE with its show-in-show concept at CHIC was optimistic. PURE organizers were happy about this cooperation as they were aware of the strong partnership with CHIC as mediator in the fashion sector.
Istanbul Leather and Leather Product Exporters’ Union (IDMIB) participated for the 3rd time at CHIC. They increased their participation by 50 per cent and announced already a further increase for next CHIC. The Turkish brands for leatherwear, furs and shoes received many trade visitors and considered their participation much more successful than expected.
Information Age at CHIC
This area provided the complete industrial chain software information technology. Information solution enterprises like Qishaon Tech, Quzhuyun Tech, Jiqimote accentuate the necessity of intelligent manufacturing from sewing automation digital printing. 3 D printing or drawing, but also inventions like cloud computing, big data to improve the industrial standards to 4.0.
CHIC is the recognized mediator of fashion business in China. Since its beginning in 1993, CHIC has established a world-wide network and a very close relationship to whole Chinese fashion circle. CHIC has set its tasks to be the fashion wind vane and to be partner even in more difficult times to see and work out changes and breakthroughs.
Warangal district experienced vast industrial development, especially in the textile production sector, which has in turn boosted employment generation substantially in 2017.
This year, several large initiatives greatly expanded the area’s capacity and the largest of these developments was the laying of the foundation stone of the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park (KMTP) on October 22.
The latest development in the project is that layout of the building is set to be submitted to the government in the first week of January and the project managers will then await its approval. The KMTP initiative is expected to create about one lakh textile related jobs for locals in the area and constitutes a major development in the region and an array of companies, including from South Korea, are involved in the project. The employment that this project will generate will be a great asset to the area.
Another development in the region this year was the setting up of the first regional centre of Telangana Academy for Skills and Knowledge (TASK) in Hanamkonda. MLA, D Vinay Bhasker, who was part of the group that set up the academy. Assembly Speaker S.Madhusudhana Charysays that theTelangana government is going ahead with an avant-garde approach in ensuring development of not just Warangal district but of whole state. As the KMTP project pushes ahead into 2018, further development in the area’s textile industry is expected to follow.
In a significant development, new promoter Kumar Mangalam Birla sold off most of Kesoram's cross holdings in other B K Birla Group companies and also disposed stakes in own group outfits like Aditya Birla Fashion at one go, netting close to Rs 300 crores.
Market observers say these deals are believed to be part of Kesoram's ongoing restructuring exercise which would help B K Birla's grandson Kumar Mangalam to manage Kesoram efficiently, removing it from inefficient business units and group cross-holdings.
To trim its diversified business operations, Kesoram Industries hived off its rayon and transparent paper business to a wholly-owned subsidiary for Rs 480 crores. In September, it had sold truck and bus radial tyre plant at Haridwar to JK Tyre.
Recent transactions, carried out in the open market, reduced to zero Kesoram's holdings in several B K Birla Group companies like Century Enka, Century Textile, Mangalam Timber Products, Mangalam Cement and also in K M Birla's own group outfit Aditya Birla Fashion.
While the biggest deal in monetary terms is the sale of 2.46 per cent in Century Textile for Rs 142.86 core, the most important transactions have been those involving companies like Mangalam Cement and Mangalam Timber. These companies are being managed by Manjushree Khaitan's daughter Vidula Khaitan as per her grandfather's Will.
DuPont has unveiled a new Type 3 liquid-tight garment for personal protective apparel, DuPont Tyvek 800 J. This is a new limited-use Type 3 chemical protective garment that is both durable and light weight. The garment resists pressurized jets of low-concentration, water-based, inorganic chemicals while providing protection, and freedom of movement due to its novel Tyvek 800 J Fabric Technology.
The product is geared to be used in industrial cleaning applications including pressure washing and tank cleaning, food processing, petrochemical installations, environmental remediation, maintenance, and other pharmaceutical operations. Tyvek 800 J is also suitable for use in cleaning operations using spray guns where the operator may be exposed to liquid splash.
DuPont's earnings for fourth-quarter 2015 beat expectations, but currency headwinds due to a strong US dollar and weak results in its agriculture business dented both top and bottom lines in the quarter.
Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA) and China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel (CCCT) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote and expand cooperation between Pakistan and Chinese textile and apparel companies. The MoU was signed during China Asia Textile Forum 2016 at Shanghai. Ijaz Khokhar, Chief Co-ordinator inked the MoU on behalf of PRGMEA while CCCT was represented by its chairman Jiang Hui.
The guest speaker from Pakistan side, Khokhar also made a presentation on Pakistan textile and apparel sector at China Asia Textile Forum. The forum was attended by major apparel associations and many leading Chinese garment companies from the whole Asia.
As per the MoU, PRGMEA will provide visa assistance to Chinese companies through invitation letters. In first phase, CCCT delegation is visiting Pakistan to attend Texpo Fair being held first time in Pakistan from April 7 to 10. PRGMEA will arrange factory visits for Chinese delegation, and B2B meetings with its members. PRGMEA also plans to arrange a trade delegation to visit China by the end of this year. It is expected that Chinese companies will establish their units at CPEC Economic zones through joint ventures of the local companies, with PRGMEA playing leading role after striking this deal with CCCT.
Both, PRGMEA and CCCT have also agreed to deal with managing business contacts, seminars, business meetings, presentations, exhibitions, fairs holdings and other arrangements to make potential partners and export possibilities available in the two countries.
Korean owned factories in Myanmar have been cited for labor violations. Workers are under pressure in Korean-owned garment factories. Many factories have been found to be non-compliant, particularly concerning laws on working hours and overtime. Most of these Korean factories supply to international brands.
Almost 30 per cent of the factories surveyed failed to abide by the maximum 16 hours weekly overtime limit. Nearly two thirds of workers surveyed (62 per cent) reported being unable to refuse working excessive hours. Almost two-third of workers (63 per cent) said their take home pay is not enough to live comfortably. About 30 per cent of workers are provided pay slips only in English or Korean, another direct breach of Myanmar law which requires pay slip information to be provided in Burmese.
Only 40 per cent of workers have signed employment contracts; many did not have their own copy. Despite a legal requirement that an employer with more than 30 employees should establish a Workplace Coordinating Committee, only 14 per cent of Korean garment factories – all of which had more than 30 employees – have one. Other findings cover discrimination against trade union representatives, medical leave, maternity rights, harassment, child labor and working conditions including fire safety.
