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A specialist producer of technologies for the production of technical textiles and composite materials, Isotex Engineering, a member of SANTEX Group has announced a new agreement with Covestro to develop and market technologies for PU synthetics, technical textiles, films and foams based on INSQIN waterborne polyurethane technology, a total solution for textile industry.
Addressing the emerging requirements from the sportswear, fashion and automotive industries, the two companies will together promote environmentally-friendly solutions for PU coated fabrics. Using INSQIN technology, Isotex Engineering’s machines will guarantee optimal production standards. To produce waterborne PU synthetic materials and other coated textiles, the new line of machines will be designed for using INSQIN technology with process innovation from Isotex Engineering.
Global Head of Textile Coatings, Covestro, Nicholas Smith, said that continuous innovation in textile machine technology is just as important for the industry as innovation in chemistry and so they have collaborated with Isotex.
Isotex Engineering and Santex Group CEO, Stefano Gallucci they believe that waterborne products are the future and technology and chemistry are ready after years of R&D efforts. He added that they were very honoured with this partnership with Covestro and working worldwide with their clients to help them with this new rich market opportunity.
Vardhman Group, the largest yarn producer in India with a daily production volume of 600 tonnes has signed a multi-million deal for delivery of 26 more Autoconer 6 machines to Arisht Spinning Mills, a unit of Vardhman Group. The deal was signed at ITMA 2015.
As Neeraj Jain, Joint Managing Director, of the company, says delivering top performance was their passion and they are a technology-oriented company that consistently uses the most modern production methods. He said that they were one of the first in India to invest in fully automated integrated systems in which the Autoconer, with its intelligent material flow system, plays a central role. The new machine generation is a further great step forward, he said.
To find out about the latest innovations of German Textile machine manufacturer with which the Vardhman Group has worked closely for decades, a large delegation from Vardhman visited the Schlafhorst exhibition booth.
Levi’s and Goodwill have collaborated to facilitate donating of clothes. Both have a ’Give Back Box’, wherein, those who purchase online will be able to ship back any clothing they wish to donate to Goodwill, by using the boxes they receive.
For every box of clothing, Levi’s will give $5 and will double this to 10 on December 1, which is ‘Global Day of Giving’. Marc Rosen, Head of global e-commerce at Levi Strauss & Co, stated that LS&Co (Levi Strauss & Co) is a company guided by a strong tradition of giving back, and this holiday season they would give their fans an opportunity to support their local community when they shop on Levi.com and Dockers.com. He added that their partnership with Goodwill gives consumers a chance to reuse the boxes they receive from Levi’s, fill them with clothing they no longer need and support the important work of Goodwill in the process. This campaign not only helps Goodwill, but also the environment, by keeping clothing out of landfills.
Michael Kobori, Vice-President of sustainability at Levi Strauss & Co, said that ultimately, they hoped to make recycling clothing as natural for the consumer as recycling a can or bottle. He added that making it easier to donate to Goodwill will help shift consumer behaviour and extend the life of clothing and other items.
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is known for its sustainability measurement tool, the Higg Index. The index drives environmental responsibility and supply chain decision-making to improve efficiency and sustainability. The Higg Index is an open source, indicator-based tool that allows suppliers, manufacturers, brands and retailers to evaluate materials, products, facilities and processes based on environmental and product design choices.
There are nearly 160 global brands, retailers and manufacturers, as well as government, non-profit environmental organisations, and academic institutions that are collectively committed to improving supply chain sustainability in the apparel and footwear industries. There are currently more than 150 members of the SAC, the majority of which are global brands and retailers including Adidas, C&A, Gap, H&M, Kohl’s, Levi’s, Macy’s, Nike, Puma, REI, Target, and VF Corporation.
Intertek, a leading provider of quality solutions to industries around the world, has joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. Intertek will contribute both data and resources to support the Higg Index. Intertek performs a vital role in helping clients achieve environmental sustainability and tackle climate change through a broad range of solutions. These include addressing immediate environmental and social concerns to the development of strategic portfolio initiatives, such as stakeholder engagement programs and ethical supply chain management tools, and reporting initiatives.
apparelcoalition.org/
Hyosung has unveiled a new denim spandex brand Creora Fit. Hyosung is a South Korean elastane producer. Creora Fit is a spandex brand that gives denim 360 degree stretch both horizontally and vertically, unlike traditional denim with elastane that only stretches in a horizontal direction. When giving vertical elasticity with the traditional spandex, the fabric becomes warped. However, the Creora Fit technology has solved such problems.
As the bi-stretch denim with Creora Fit technology satisfies the consumer demand for a more comfortable wear and a perfect silhouette, it is expected to play a role in the rise of athleisure, one of the biggest trends in the fashion and retail worlds today.
Hyosung has partnered with Chonbang, South Korea’s denim product manufacturer, and Soorty of Pakistan, a leading global denim product manufacturer, to introduce the Creora Fit technology.
Hyosung will work with more brands to develop denims by using the Creora Fit technology and deliver consumer needs for more comfort and better fit at the same time. The company constantly looks for new ways to add value. Its innovation platforms are focused on improved processing value, enhanced functionality and new aesthetics.
www.creora.com/
Global expenditure on clothing and footwear is expected to decline by 1.5 per cent in 2015.
The decline will be due largely to depreciations of the currencies in a number of major supplying countries against the dollar. Such depreciations have made exports from these countries cheaper in dollar terms and this has enabled suppliers in these countries to remain competitive as sourcing locations.
In China, for instance, the value of the currency fell against the dollar by four per cent between October 2014 and October 2015 after a sustained appreciation between July 2005 and October 2014.
As a result buyers who source from China hope to be able to negotiate reduced prices. Chinese producers may also have to reduce their prices in order to remain competitive with their counterparts in Vietnam, given that Vietnam is set to gain from preferential access to the US market under the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
In India, the rupee depreciated by 13 per cent against the dollar between 2012 and 2014. And during the first nine months of 2015, it was down by four per cent compared with the corresponding period a year earlier to its weakest level on record. The depreciation of the rupee has made Indian products cheaper in dollar terms and therefore more attractive to foreign buyers.
The Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) has welcomed the Central Government’s efforts to boost exports of man-made fibres to B&C group countries under the MEIS Scheme. In the original policy issued in April 2015, there was no incentive for export of such textiles to African and Latin American countries falling under the B&C category.
Anil Rajvanshi, SRTEPC Chairman, said that India, being the largest producer of polyester and viscose in the world, can supply polyester/viscose blended spun (P/V) yarn to the world for making apparels. In the current year, the export of P/V spun yarn falling under Chapter 55 dropped by almost 19 per cent due to non-competitiveness as compared to China. There is a huge market for such yarn and the same needs to be included under MEIS for B&C countries, where India can definitely secure a large share of exports in this segment.
The government has announced the revised all industry duty drawback rates effective from November 23, 2015. The rates have been increased in some cases like cotton made-ups and readymade garments of cotton and certain fabrics. However, the rates for the same items manufactured from man-made fibres have not been increased. One of the most commonly exported fabrics made of P/V falling under Chapter Heading 5515 has got a setback as drawback rates on this has been reduced.
“SRTEPC requests the drawback directorate under MOF to kindly look into it and correct the anomaly in the made-ups and fabrics made of PV accordingly. Though, the drawback rates announced by the government are by and large satisfactory except for some of the above items, which have been reduced despite the increased competition from China,” Rajvanshi said.
He further said that it is heartening to note that the Cabinet has approved 3 per cent interest subvention for the exporters applicable from April 2015, which will give an impetus to the falling exports of the country and should be uniformly applied all exporters without any discrimination and conditionality’s.
www.srtepc.org
Belgium based Europlasma, a leader in low pressure plasma technology, has been awarded with the ITMA Future Materials Award 2015 for the Best Innovation in Sportswear and Outdoor Apparel with its PlasmaGuard technology. PlasmaGuard is Europlasma’s durable water repellent (DWR) coating solution for sportswear and outdoor apparel applied by low pressure plasma technology.
The PlasmaGuard solution is said to be disruptive to the DWR industry, combining the highest performance with the lowest environmental footprint, and is applicable on 3D textile goods and apparel, the company reports. Europlasma was nominated for both categories ‘Best Innovation Sportswear and Outdoor Apparel’ and ‘Most Innovative Medium Company’.
World Textile Information Network (WTiN), publisher of international technical textiles magazine Future Materials, launched the Future Materials Awards to recognise success in textile innovation and celebrate the essential work of the many businesses which support the industry. The industry leading awards recognise innovation and achievement right across the technical textiles industry, with 19 dedicated categories providing competition for all end-use sectors for technical textiles as well as materials experts, product developers and designers.
www.europlasma.be
The International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) has launched capacity development training programme on effective workplace cooperation for workers’ representatives and mid-level managers in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector. By the end of 2015, the training will be imparted to at least 2,700 workers and managers from 100 RMG factories.
The training will be implemented in technical collaboration with BIM and in partnership with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), National Coordination Committee for Workers’ Education (NCCWE) and IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC).
The capacity building activities will ensure that workers, employers and their representatives are better equipped to engage in meaningful dialogue and labour relations on workplace issues of mutual importance. The programme will see a series of two-day workshops take place each bringing together equal number of workers’ representatives and managers.
28 master trainers including seven management counsellors from BIM, who have been trained on effective workplace cooperation by ILO’s International Training Centre (ITC) will conduct the training programme. Five training modules developed by ITC and translated into Bangla will be used to support the sessions.
www.ilo.org
Kitex Garments a vertically integrated manufacturer of infant wear has the ability to manufacture over five lakh pieces of infant wear per day. For 2014-15, the company’s turnover was up by 15 per cent and PAT was 72 per cent higher compared to the previous year. Kitex invested Rs 30 crores in the last financial year for augmenting production lines, modernisation of process plant and mechanisation of production line to the extent possible. These have contributed a lot to the profitability of the company.
Kitex intends to further its performance through backward integration of operations into the spinning segment and also by takeover and merger of similar product companies. The goal is to increase capacity utilisation from 65 per cent in 2014-15 to 75 per cent by 2015-16. The plan is to develop a new private label by spring 2016 and its own label by this year end. By opening a new office, the company plans to change over from FOB to LDP terms which will be more attractive to buyers. It will also aim for additional profits. The US remains Kitex’s key market. Going forward, it plans to further leverage its competitive advantage in the US.
www.kitexgarments.com/
