Mimaki has released the TS55-1800, a 76.3-inch, dye-sublimation transfer inkjet printer. The new model offers high-end features, such as low running costs, industry-leading productivity and unattended continuous printing. With this customers can scale their operation with a cost-effective sublimation printer that meets the high quality and short turnaround demands of the textile and apparel industry.

Mimaki is an industry leader of wide-format inkjet printers and cutters. It makes exceptional digital textile printing features available to both the mid-level and high-end markets.

The TS55-1800 prints with the new Sb610 inks at a maximum output of 1,506 sq ft/h. These inks hold the coveted Eco Passport by Oeko-Tex certification, meeting specific requirements with regard to sustainability, safety and compliance. Additionally, it has two new optional units, a mini jumbo roll and a ten kg ink supply.

The mini jumbo roll is a feeding unit. This unit is an ideal way to ensure high-volume, unattended printing for longer production runs. It also decreases the running paper costs per square foot in comparison to normal plotter rolls. The ink supply unit holds a 10 kg ink tank of a single color. The larger quantity tank allows for a continuous operation. Compared to the conventional two liter ink pack, it significantly reduces the ink unit price per quantity.

Louise Trotter is the new creative director of Lacoste. Trotter will be the first woman in Lacoste’s 85-year-history to lead the brand, which is famous for its crocodile motif. The British designer was previously creative director of the English brand Joseph. Her visionary approach to lines and materials and her expertise in the creation of highly technical pieces are expected to be assets that will help Lacoste strengthen the positioning of its collections.

Trotter will take over from Portuguese designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista, who had left the brand in spring. This season, Lacoste presented a collection designed by its creative studio. Lacoste is a unique, heritage French brand. For 85 years, the modernity of Lacoste’s style has been in its unique fusion of sport and fashion.

Trotter will show her first collection at fall 2019 Paris Fashion Week early next year. Lacoste opened in 1933, when René Lacoste revolutionized men’s fashion, replacing the classical woven fabric, long-sleeved and starched shirts on the courts with the Lacoste polo shirt. This is a lifestyle brand which allies elegance, performance and comfort.

The brand has apparel for women, men and children, footwear, fragrances, leather goods, eyewear, watches, belts, home textiles, mobile phones and fashion jewelry.

As per IFO-Index figures, the growth rate for German textiles in 2018 is not satisfactory, though slightly ahead of the values of last year. The apparel sector on the other hand, is on a decline. The proceeds of the two sectors in the current year are below 0.7 per cent of the ones registered in the same period last year.

The turnover in apparels segment till July 2018, declined over 2.8 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year. The sector also suffered from the unusual warm and long summer. Texiles reported an increase of 0.6 per cent in July 2018, which is slightly above the same period last year. Domestic production declined in both segments, however more markedly in textiles, which reported 4.1 per cent decline in July compared to apparels which declined by 0.5 per cent.

In the past months intake of textile orders increased steadily, resulting in a positive order log at +7.1 per cent against 2017. The apparel sector however reported a lower order backlog and grew by over 1.0 per cent above 2017.

As per a research report on the Global Fashion Luxury Cashmere Clothing Consumption Market, China is the world’s largest supplier of raw materials, accounting for about 70 per cent of cashmere in the world, while Italy is China’s largest export destination, in April 2017; Italy imported 98 tonne of cashmere from China, accounting 78 per cent of the month’s exports.

Due to its rapid economic growth, China remains the largest cashmere consumption market, in the world. Many famous brands have set up offices in China including: Loro Piana and Brunello Cucinelli. Although China is the largest cashmere garment manufacturer, its own brand market share is low. Most of these exist as OEM. This has led to local enterprises in China at the bottom of the interests of the value chain for a long time.

Over the next five years, LPI (LP Information) projects cashmere clothing will register a 3.9 per cent CAGR in terms of revenue, reach US$ 3,230 million by 2023, from US$ 2,580 million in 2017.

A Chinese company is investing in the textile industry of Bulgaria. Chinese Orient International is involved in import and export and logistics. It has 100 plants of which, 50 are in China. The company owns a variety of fashion brands and has about 77,000 employees. Bulgaria's economy increased at around 0.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2018. Textile and garment is the biggest employer in Bulgarian manufacturing, employing some 1,00,000 workers.

Bulgaria is Europe's quick response solution. Bulgarian firms are rapidly developing the internal capabilities to manage all aspects of their supply chains to European partners, including sourcing, design, transport/logistics and own branding. These capabilities, combined with Bulgaria's strategically favorable location, make working with Bulgaria a critical and valuable component to a company's strategy. In short, Bulgaria is Europe's most reliable, capable and cost-effective solution for high quality, small orders that need to be there yesterday.

Union density in the Bulgarian textile industry is very low and workers are scared to join a union for fear of losing their livelihood. There is a strong need to empower workers and trade unions if a real change is to be seen in the textile and garment sector in Bulgaria.

Australia may benefit from rising tensions between the US and China. Increasing tariffs see Chinese producers turn to alternative sources of cotton. Import tariffs on US cotton into China now reach 26 per cent within the 8,90,000 tons quota, and up to 65 per cent for out-of-quota imports. This could provide an opportunity for Australian cotton.

Australia exported 872,000 tons of cotton in 2017-18. A two per cent increase is forecast for Australian cotton exports in 2018-19. Opportunities could arise for Australian agribusinesses should China lower tariffs for countries outside the US. In July, China imposed a retaliatory 25 per cent additional import tariff on US raw cotton.

The area planted under cotton in Australia is forecast to fall 50 per cent in 2018-19 due to below-average rainfall. But returns to Australian cotton growers could reach 16-year highs. The cotton industry in Australia employs 15 times as many people as grazing does. Australian irrigated lint yields are now the highest of any major cotton producing country in the world.

The Australian cotton industry produces about 9,00,000 metric tons of cotton a year, with almost 100 per cent of this exported.

Canada’s apparel imports grew 4.11 per cent from January to July ’18. However, the country’s apparel imports grew just 1.87 per cent in July ’18 compared to July ’17. China’s apparel shipments to Canada in the seven-month period this year grew just 1.06 per cent. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s apparel exports to Canada plunged by 0.60 per cent on a year on year basis.

In July, Bangladesh’s apparel exports to Canada fell 14.46 per cent as compared to July last year. There is a shift toward Cambodia and Vietnam. Cambodia’s apparel exports to Canada jumped by 10.60 per cent in the first seven months of 2018. Vietnam’s exports jumped 14.93 per cent. Asean’s share in total Canadian apparel import value stood at 23.21 per cent in January to July ’18, whereas the share in the same period of the previous year was 22.10 per cent.

India’s apparel exports to Canada rose by 3.81 per cent. Exporters of India have a huge scope for expansion and growth to fill the gaps in the Canadian textile and apparel market including its FTA partners. Canadian apparel and textile importers and retailers are eager to connect with the world’s major apparel and textile manufacturers. Some of Canada’s brands are Aritzia, Le Chateau, Walmart-Canada, Jockey-Canada, Gildan, Canadian Goose and Roots.

Bangladesh has a plan to revitalise the silk industry. The number of silk farmers has plummeted to around 2,000 from 10,000 only a few years ago. The plan is to bring in Chinese help and increase silk production. Bangladesh's silk industry is one of the oldest in the world. It specialises in high-quality mulberry silk -- widely known as Bengal or Rajshahi silk -- produced by the larvae of moths fed on fresh mulberry leaves and used for luxurious items of clothing. After around 40 days, the worms start to form cocoons -- by spitting out saliva around their bodies -- which are then placed in bamboo frames before being harvested.

The cocoons are then boiled in hot water, killing the worm inside and separating the ultra-thin threads, which are coiled on huge bobbins and hung out to dry. Each cocoon contains around 500 meters of thin thread. The dried threads are sent to a mill where workers join several threads together and put them onto looms to make cloth.

This material is then boiled, washed and waxed before being sent to tailors to make mostly saris, tunics and dupattas. With the booming of the Bangladesh economy -- it grew over 7.5 per cent last year -- demand for Rajshahi silk has increased several fold.

AATCC and SGIA will organise the Digital Textile Printing Conference 3.0 on December 5 and 6, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham, NC, USA. The conference will cover latest industry trends, newest digital textile ink and printing technology developments, key market drivers, global market conditions, color management and workflow developments, design software, digital manufacturing and integration, micro factories, etc.

The conference will help the attendees to connect with industry colleagues and experts, network with businesses similar to yours, gain valuable knowledge to stay ahead of their competitors. In addition to the presentations, the program will feature two panels. The Wednesday panel will focus on brand/color management/digital workflow and Thursday’s panel will address micro-factory/automation. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions in these interactive sessions.

"In the past few years, Bangladesh exports and sustainability have both grown faster than most global counterparts strengthening its momentum. For instance, denim maker Vintage Denim is extremely conscious about workers’ wellbeing. Vintage Denim offers up to Tk 25000 per person or family for their healthcare needs. This includes: free basic check-ups and covers surgery and ambulance fees, maternity and obstetrical problems etc. There is an option of paying back in installments if the costs are too much to bear. These moves helped the factory reduce employee turnover by 30 per cent."

Year 2021 will be one of the most successful one for Bangladesh ready-made garment industry reveals the government’s manifesto ‘Vision 2021’. Bangladesh clothing manufacturers is looking at exporting over $50bn worth of apparels and being counted among the top destination for sourcing clothes.

In the past few years, Bangladesh exports and sustainability have both grown faster than most global counterparts strengthening its momentum. For instance, denim maker Vintage Denim is extremely conscious about workers’ wellbeing. Vintage Denim offers up to Tk 25000 per person or family for their healthcare needs. This includes: free basic check-ups and covers surgery and ambulance fees, maternity and obstetrical problems etc. There is an option of paying back in installments if the costs are too much to bear. These moves helped the factory reduce employee turnover by 30 per cent.

Bangladesh is one of the most preferred sourcing destinations for global apparel companies owing to its low overhead costs. While this was true for low-end apparels so far, now, competitive advantage is making way for high-end clothing as well. Companies like Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, and Emporio Armani are increasingly sourcing from Bangladesh.

Reasons for Success

Among other things, the country’s success can be attributed to the academic institutions that have come up to address the demand for apparel education. For example, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has a pioneering institution called BUFT (BGMEA Institute of Fashion & Technology) and there are many others both private and government owned. In the past, their aim was to just provide basic education on merchandising but with industry expansion the curriculum has expanded to include engineering concentrations, part-time intensive diploma programs, and high-end fashion.

This combination has helped the country make a mark in global apparel industry. Concepts such as lean manufacturing have improved efficiency. It is also constantly working on quality control, merchandising, production, etc. As per the country’s vision, by 2021, a large portion of clothing manufacturers will be catering to high-end suppliers, at a quality that is parallel to China and other countries with high-end apparel manufacturing.

Most eco-friendly destination

Bangladesh clothing manufacturers have been quite aggressive in making their factories greener. For starters, the top three LEED certified factories in the world are based in Bangladesh, the country has seven out of the top 10 LEED certified apparel manufacturing plants, there 67 factories in Bangladesh that are LEED certified, and 222 factories are on their way to becoming LEED certified. The government is also encouraging this trend by offering loans at 9 per cent rate, much less than the national interest rate for any industry. Going by the trend, it will soon become the country with the most environmentally friendly apparel industry and be an example for others to follow.