FW
Bangladesh’s exports grew 9.01 per cent year on year in May.
The main driver of the growth, garments exports, grew 9.77 per cent year on year in the first eleven months of the fiscal year. Knitwear exports rose 11.48 per cent and woven garment exports were up by 8.15 per cent.
Garment exports account for more than 80 per cent of national exports.
Earnings from garment export even crossed the 11 months’ target at 3.24 per cent.
Though Bangladesh’s garment exports are performing strongly in new markets like Japan, India, Russia, South Africa, Australia and Latin, exports to the US are declining as China, India and Vietnam are performing well in the US market.
The country's garment factories are full of orders from international retailers and brands, thanks to the massive progress in workplace safety carried out by Accord and Alliance.
Exporters have also benefitted from the depreciated exchange value of Bangladesh’s currency.
Cotton, cotton products, and yarn exports went up by 15.86 per cent in the July-May period. Earnings from jute and jute goods rose by 6.99 per cent. Home textile exports rose by 11.67 per cent, footwear by 2.55 per cent, furniture by 21.33 per cent, bicycles by 4.47 per cent and ceramic products by 10.92 per cent.
The Chuu - 5kg jeans, from Korea, reportedly make one look about five kg lighter. Or at least have a slenderizing effect. The new brand of denim jeans for women that claims to be the perfect fit. The jeans are already popular in Asia and are making their way to the US.
Here's how they work their magic. The Chuu denims have undergone multiple style modifications before finalizing the perfect denims. The team behind the jeans aimed to create silhouettes that will fit the body shape of their customers perfectly.
So no matter the size - the moment one zips up the jeans, they are supposed to hug to the natural curves of the body, while emphasizing the parts that should be given slightly more attention. The butt starts looking perkier and the thighs a little slimmer.
These jeans are super comfy and stretchy. They fit like skinny jeans but with a seriously tight fit and minus the fussy buttons and zip. Plus, pockets in front and back add functional symmetry.
The skinny fits are stretchy and easy to maneuver in. They are high-waisted and give the illusion of a smaller waistline. Most of the jeans end at an above-ankle level so as to not break the silhouette of a cigarette-straight thigh.
STOLL will launch the new ADF 830-24 W machine at the international textile exhibition in Shanghai, the ITMA ASIA + CITME 2018.
Equipped with the innovative STOLL-weave-in technology, the ADF 830-24 W allows knitting of textiles with weave-like optics and properties.
A product advantage that directly affects form, comfort and flexibility: unlike traditional knitwear, weave-like textiles are more stretchable and more comfortable depending on the type of knit. In addition, they can already be performed in the machine and provided with 3D elements.
Based on the successful ADF technology, the yarn carriers of ADF 830-24 W are independent of the carriage and allow a particularly high degree of flexibility.
Each pair of them is mounted on a total of 12 tracks on the ADF 830-24 W and can be moved both horizontally and vertically, can be easily programmed and quickly equipped with yarn.
The EKC operating system completes the modern equipment: It facilitates the operation, since it is intuitive and can be learned without much training effort. The ADF 830-24 W represents a user-friendly gain for textile production - from day one.
The eighth edition of RISE, the conference on Research, Innovation and Science for Engineered Fabrics, will be held from Sept. 11-13 at the Marriott City Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Designed for professionals working in materials technology, R&D and new product development, RISE 2018 will provide cutting-edge sessions on game-changing innovations, market developments, new applications and major research trends, Biomimetics in nonwovens, light weighting of auto materials, battery separator developments, and the latest in electro spinning nanotechnology.
Other topics of interest will include the medical segment; testing, standards and regulations; and web formation and technology.
RISE also will feature postgraduate doctoral degree students from the Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University presenting their research, plus the announcement of this year’s RISE Innovation Award winner.
A tour and reception at the Nonwovens Institute’s nearby facilities on Centennial Campus will take place on the evening of Sept. 12.
Including the educational program with 25 engaging speakers from business and academia, RISE 2018 will also connect technology trailblazers with industry leaders to network and socialise throughout the event, all in the vibrant high-tech Research Triangle hub of Raleigh.
LYCRA brand will showcase its popular Lycra T400 fiber with EcoMade technology at Kingpins New York.
Lycra T400 fiber with EcoMade technology is made in part from a combination of recycled materials such as PET bottles diverted from landfills, and renewable plant-based materials.
This innovation will appeal to members of the apparel value chain interested in developing more sustainable denim and wovens collections.
Kingpins New York, co-sponsored by the LYCRA brand, is being held in New York City from June 06-07, 2018.
The event will host a free seminar presented on “High Stretch, Low Stretch, Bi-Stretch, Go stretch” which will offer a framework for evaluating different Lycra fiber innovations for denim.
It will help brands and retailers select the best stretch fabrics for the types of jeans they’re designing.
With the revival of Miami Fashion Week and the newly installed trade show Apparel Textile Sourcing, Maimi is emerging as the new fashion destination particularly for local and Latin American designers.
The arrival of new educational programs, trade shows, runway events, and a general buzz around the fashion startup community has also attracted many fashion lovers to the city.
Besides, the establishment of many fashion institutes has added to the attraction of the city.
Miami Dade College established its Fashion Institute in 2017. The same year, Italian fashion school Istituto Marangoni debuted in the Design District. Most notable, celebrity fashion designer Naeem Khan, who has long retained a residence in Miami, moved his headquarters to Miami and established a fashion program at Design and Architecture Senior High (DASH), one of the nation's more renowned art and design schools.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of wearables grew by only 1.2% in Q1 2018 – as compared to the 18% growth reported this time last year, as consumer preference shifted toward smarter devices and products diversified.
The deceleration was driven by a decline of 9.2% in shipments of basic wearables over the period, while shipments of higher priced smart wearables actually increased 28.4% in the quarter, suggesting that consumers are increasingly interested in the expanded capabilities of more technologically advanced products.
While watches and wristbands accounted for 95% of all shipments in Q1 2018, other products also grew rapidly.
Shipments of sensor-laden clothing, for example, grew by 58.6% compared to Q1 2017.
The vast majority of these products are step-counting shoes but companies are offering increasingly diversified sensor-enabled apparel pieces, such as shirts and shorts, primarily with fitness tracking functionalities.
Established in 1946 at Biella, Italy, Obem Spa has till now installed 56 robotised dyeing plants in all important textile regions including Europe, USA, China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, India and Brazil.
These plants can work with a limited number of operators like one or 2 per shift and have been developed for Wool, Cotton, Acrylic, Polyester, Viscose, and blends.
The company installed its first fully robotised package dyeing plant in 1986 in USA and has from that time, dedicated a lot of time to develop the robotisation for all kind of machines.
In the last 20 years the company has concentrated its efforts on equipping its machines with a high degree of automation and in many cases also of robotisation.
It has, till date, installed about 6.000 machines in five continents for processing all kind of fibre and in every kind of form.
The company produces all its machinery and their software in its Biella factory.
"Casual denim, in the last few years, has given way to a more relaxed wear such as yoga pants and jeggings. People prefer to buy latest fabric technology such as five-pocket trousers in extra stretch materials and trendier style variations. The industry is innovating denim with renewed focus. Designers are developing clothes with added properties to create ‘technical’ denim. The younger generations are adopting the garment with a whole new identity, while the older ones are giving it a much-needed fillip with new styles and designs."
Casual denim, in the last few years, has given way to a more relaxed wear such as yoga pants and jeggings. People prefer to buy latest fabric technology such as five-pocket trousers in extra stretch materials and trendier style variations. The industry is innovating denim with renewed focus. Designers are developing clothes with added properties to create ‘technical’ denim. The younger generations are adopting the garment with a whole new identity, while the older ones are giving it a much-needed fillip with new styles and designs.
Levi’s, which had to face rough weather for some time, reported an 8 per cent rise in revenue in 2017, making the year its strongest growth period since 2011. Besides, PVH which owns two of the world’s biggest denim-focused labels Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger also posted remarkable growth in the jeans category.
New denim trends
A fashion trend currently making headlines is performance wear, with everyone from luxury players Ermenegildo Zegna,to Patagonia and Wrangler
investing in this premium category. Aamir Akhtar, CEO, Denims, Arvind Ltd recently unveiled the company’s new denim collection that displayed new ways of dyeing as well as products like their Boomerang 360 Denim, which offer extreme stretch and high-recovery capabilities.
When it comes to demand, the concept of gender is undergoing a sea change. The notion that body-hugging jeans are for women, and men prefer loose fits, is being completely reversed. Women are opting for straight fits like boyfriend jeans and rugged overalls, whereas men are going for the lean fits. In terms of styles, high waists and tapered hems are the major upcoming trends.
New innovations
The denim industry is considered to be one of the worst polluters of environment; the biggest culprit being the sweet water used to produce a pair of simple jeans. To overcome this, innovative solutions such as dry ice cleaning and ozone washing, etc are being used. Industry leaders are innovating with sustainable dyeing and washing solutions like ikat, ozone wash and indigo to develop eco-conscious processes.
The main reason behind the huge popularity of upcycled denim is its ability to survive the worst of wear and tear. Manufacturers therefore, are creating hybrid weaves besides mixing up different washes in the same garment for modern looking cuts. Two-tone denim and blends with fibres like elastane and lyocell are dominating majorly.
An Indian touch
A great Indian value addition on denim is embroidery. Research suggests that just like the teen-favourite movie Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, embroidery focusing on travel and themes of escapism is likely to thrive. References to global cultures, especially the Middle East and weaving patterns from antique African cultures will also serve as great inspiration boards. Patchwork that takes a dig at heirlooms and kitschy all-over paisleys or bandana in all-over prints can be used with simpler denims to create balanced jackets and statements tops. Designers can also work on contrast stitching on dark tint denims for simple but trend-embedded jeans.
Most of the denim’s appeal comes from it’s worn out, old-world look. Customers today are shying away from overpowering washes and raw appeal of pure denim. A hint of preppy but mostly just plain silhouette denim focus is coming to the fore.
IAF’s World Fashion Convention co-organized with Dutch industry association Modint will be held on October 9 and 10, 2018, Netherlands.
The International Apparel Federation (IAF) is the only global federation of its kind representing apparel associations from 60 countries, representing over 1,50,000 companies. Modint, the Dutch association for the fashion and textile industries, has about 600 members who have a cumulative annual turnover of about nine billion euro.
The IAF convention caters to apparel industry leaders from across the supply chain, from all continents. The theme of this edition is Building a smart future for the fashion industry.
In a world where prices cannot drop much lower, boats cannot go much faster and people cannot work much harder, improvements are made only when the business is made smarter. This means smart supply chain collaboration, smart new machines, smart materials and above all, smart people.
The convention will show many inspiring examples of a smarter apparel supply chain. Top speakers from across the globe will cover the width of the supply chain, from raw materials to apparel sourcing and from production to retail trends.
On top of that, the convention will provide an excellent opportunity to meet the global industry in one location.
