FW
The recent crisis in Bangladesh, with its crucial role in the global textile industry, has sparked speculation about potential gains for India's textile sector. While short-term disruptions may benefit Indian garment manufacturers, a complex interplay of factors, including China's influence and India's own manufacturing capabilities, will determine the extent of this opportunity.
Bangladesh's textile prowess and the crisis
Bangladesh's textile sector has been a remarkable success story, accounting for over 80% of the country's total exports in 2022-23. Its competitive advantages stem from a combination of factors, including access to cheap Chinese fabrics, lean labour laws, and large-scale manufacturing facilities.
The ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh, marked by political unrest and labour strikes, has disrupted production and raised concerns among global buyers. This situation has prompted discussions about whether India, with its own strengths in the textile sector, can fill the potential void.
Potential benefits for India
Short-term gains: The immediate impact of Bangladesh's crisis could be favourable for Indian garment manufacturers, particularly in regions like Coimbatore, Tirupur, and Delhi, which are known for their garment manufacturing prowess. Western buyers, seeking to diversify their supply chains, may turn to India for fulfilling orders, especially for the upcoming holiday season.
Long-term prospects: In the long run, India's ability to capitalize on this opportunity will depend on addressing several challenges and leveraging its strengths.
• Complementary strengths: India and Bangladesh have distinct strengths in the textile value chain. Bangladesh excels in large-scale garment manufacturing, while India specializes in smaller, flexible orders with value-added requirements. This complementarity offers the potential for synergistic collaboration, where India can supply raw materials and fabrics to Bangladesh, which can then focus on its garment manufacturing expertise.
• Data table: India and Bangladesh's strengths in the textile sector
|
Feature |
India |
Bangladesh |
|
Manufacturing scale |
Smaller, flexible orders |
Large-scale production |
|
Product focus |
Value-added, niche products |
Mass-market garments |
|
Labour costs |
Higher |
Lower |
|
Fabric sourcing |
Domestic and imported |
Primarily imported from China |
Table 2: India-Bangladesh Textile Trade - A Synergistic Potential
|
Category |
India's Strength |
Bangladesh's Strength |
Potential Synergy |
|
Fiber Production |
Strong cotton and man-made fiber production base |
Reliant on imports, including from India |
India can supply fibers to Bangladesh |
|
Yarn Production |
Significant spinning capacity |
Reliant on imports, including from India |
India can supply yarns to Bangladesh |
|
Fabric Production |
Diverse fabric manufacturing capabilities |
Reliant on imports, primarily from China |
India can supply fabrics to Bangladesh, reducing its dependence on China |
|
Garment Manufacturing |
Growing but faces challenges in large-scale production |
Strong in large-scale, bulk production |
India can focus on value-added and niche segments, while Bangladesh continues to cater to mass-market demands |
The China Factor
China plays a pivotal role in both Bangladesh's and India's textile sectors. Bangladesh's competitive pricing is largely due to its reliance on cheaper Chinese fabrics. India, on the other hand, has been trying to reduce its dependence on Chinese imports.
Challenges:
• Pricing: India may struggle to match Bangladesh's pricing due to the latter's access to cheaper Chinese fabrics. This could hinder India's ability to attract buyers looking for cost-effective options.
• Supply chain disruptions: The crisis in Bangladesh could disrupt the supply of fabrics and other raw materials from China, impacting both Bangladesh's and India's textile industries.
Opportunities:
• China Plus One strategy: The ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh could further accelerate the western world's China Plus One strategy. India, with its vast textile manufacturing capabilities and a stable political environment, could emerge as a preferred alternative for buyers seeking to diversify their supply chains beyond China and Bangladesh.
India's Path Forward
To fully capitalize on the Bangladesh opportunity and reduce its dependence on China, India needs to focus onIncreasing domestic capacity particularly in areas like man-made fibers and specialty garments, which are in high demand globally. And promoting collaboration between Indian and Bangladeshi textile manufacturers can create a win-win situation for both countries. India can supply fabrics and raw materials to Bangladesh, while Bangladesh can leverage its garment manufacturing expertise.
A leader in sustainable textile innovations, Birla Cellulose is redefining the potential of Open End (OE) yarn with its revolutionary product, Excel. The company is integrating the exceptional properties of the Excel fiber such as superior strength and whiteness into the unique structure of OE yarn to offer spinning mills a groundbreaking alternative. This innovation helps reduce the dependency on virgin cotton, increases waste utilisation, and delivers outstanding results throughout the value chain.
A lyocell fiber, Excel proves to be the ideal blend with the mechanically recycled cotton, addressing the limitations often associated with recycled fibers. The fiber provides uniform length, denier, whiteness, and enhanced strength in yarn production, effectively offsetting the shortcomings of mechanically recycled cotton fibers. The resulting blends of recycled cotton and Excel offer multiple advantages, including enhanced yarn strength increased productivity, capability to spin finer rotor yarn, soft touch and feel, vibrant color retention, improved fabric luster and versatility in applications
The introduction of Birla Excel as a value-added component for mechanically recycled yarn spinning is encouraging many OE mills to incorporatethis fiber into blends with recycled cotton and other soft wastes.
Spinning mills are also offering OE recycled yarn with specialised Excel fiber blends in counts ranging from 6s to 34s for various applications, including bed linens, covers, shirting, trousers, towels, women’s dress materials, and knits.
Additionally, with its pan-India presence, Birla Cellulose’s Business Development team is supporting order tie-ups with various value chain partners across different categories to promote Excel-based products to a broader market.
India is has emerged strong in the global apparel and textile industry. With a combination of favorable government policies, a vast skilled workforce, and a growing domestic market, the country is attracting significant investments and grabbing the attention of global brands. As geopolitical tensions rise and concerns over supply chain disruptions persist, India is positioning itself as a reliable and cost-effective alternative to traditional manufacturing hubs like China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.
Asper the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), India's apparel and textile exports grew 42 per cent to reach a record-breaking $45 billion in the financial year 2022-23. This exponential growth is a testament to the sector's resilience and the government's concerted efforts to create a conducive business environment.
Table: Apparel and Textile Exports (in billion $)
|
Country |
FY 2020-21 |
FY 2021-22 |
FY 2022-23 |
|
India |
28 |
32 |
45 |
|
China |
312 |
350 |
320 |
|
Bangladesh |
42 |
45 |
48 |
|
Vietnam |
45 |
52 |
58 |
From cotton fields to catwalks, brand shift to India
The growing allure of 'Made in India' is evident in the influx of global fashion brands setting up shop or expanding their sourcing operations within the country. H&M, the Swedish fashion giant, has been at the forefront of this shift. The company has invested heavily in India, partnering with local manufacturers to produce a wide range of apparel, from casual wear to ethnic fashion. As Daniel Kulle, Head of Sustainability at H&M explains, "India offers a strong value proposition for sustainable fashion. The country has a rich textile heritage, a growing focus on sustainability, and a skilled workforce. We are committed to increasing our sourcing from India and supporting the development of the local supply chain."
On similar lines, Gap Inc., the American clothing and accessories retailer, has invested heavily in India to strengthen its supply chain. The company has established a design and sourcing center in Bengaluru and has partnered Indian manufacturers to produce private-label brands such as Old Navy and Banana Republic. Prasad Rajappan, Managing Director, Gap India says, "India has emerged as a strategic sourcing hub for Gap Inc. The country's cost-effective manufacturing capabilities, coupled with a growing pool of design talent, make it an attractive destination for our business. We are optimistic about the long-term growth prospects in India." In all this, the government has played a pivotal role in fostering growth of the apparel and textile sector. Initiatives such as 'Make in India', 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes have provided a strong impetus to domestic manufacturing. Additionally, the focus on skill development and infrastructure improvement has created a conducive ecosystem for businesses to thrive.The PLI scheme for the apparel sector, with an outlay of Rs 10,683 crore, aims to boost production by Rs 19,000 crore and create 6 lakh additional jobs.
However, despite all this issues such as infrastructure bottlenecks, raw material costs, and labor shortages persist. To harness its full potential, the government and industry stakeholders must collaborate to address these issues and create a more conducive business environment.
Bluesign, a leader in sustainable textile production, has released its 2023 sustainability report, showcasing significant strides in environmental impact and supply chain transparency. The report highlights a remarkable reduction of 3 billion kilotons of carbon emissions, reaffirming Bluesign's position as a top sustainability framework in the textile industry.
Bluesign's mission is to drive a more responsible textile industry by balancing efficiency with environmental stewardship. As transparency becomes increasingly important under global regulations, Bluesign's advanced data tracking systems have set new industry benchmarks.
In 2023, Bluesign's influence extended across its global network of 864 System Partners in over 50 countries. Of these, 226 partners contributed primary data, illustrating the collective impact of collaboration. Key achievements from 2019-2023 include saving 6.3 billion liters of water, reducing energy consumption by 773 million kWh, and cutting carbon emissions by 3.27 billion kg.
Aligned with six United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Bluesign's approach underscores a commitment to sustainable development and resource efficiency. The 2023 report solidifies Bluesign's role in leading the textile industry toward a greener future, supported by a strong network of global partners.
This comprehensive effort emphasizes the importance of collective action in achieving significant environmental progress and sets a high standard for sustainability in the textile sector.
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), Centrestage 2024 will take place from September 4 to 7 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The event will kick off with the Centrestage Elites opening show on September 3, featuring renowned designer Robert Wun, who will present his collection themed “Home” at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.
Wun’s participation marks a significant homecoming, as he is the first Hong Kong designer to present at Paris Haute Couture Week. His collection pays tribute to his grandmother and the resilient spirit of Hong Kong women, drawing inspiration from local music, television, and cinema.
Discovered by Joyce Boutique after showcasing his graduation collection in London, Wun launched his brand in 2014. He has received numerous accolades, including being named one of Fashion Asia Hong Kong's 10 Designers to Watch in 2020 and winning the Andam Fashion Awards Prix Special in 2022. His designs have been worn by celebrities like Beyonce and Lady Gaga.
On September 5, Wun will lead a masterclass sharing insights from his journey. Centrestage continues to serve as a vital platform for global fashion, featuring a dynamic lineup of shows, seminars, and networking events that enrich the Asian fashion landscape.
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. announced that its commercially produced recombinant spider silk has demonstrated the same exceptional strength and toughness as seen in previous small batch tests. This successful result paves the way for the company to accelerate commercial production.
Last week, Kraig Labs conducted rigorous testing at its R&D headquarters, comparing its spider silk to regular silk using a high-precision tensile testing machine. The tests involved monitoring force, displacement, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation. The analysis confirmed that Kraig Labs' spider silk outperforms traditional silk, maintaining mechanical superiority.
Crucially, this testing showed no loss in the material's strength or toughness despite the significant increase in production scale. While the positive results were anticipated, they mark an important milestone by proving that lab successes can be replicated in commercial production.
COO Jon Rice stated that the test results validate the performance of their spider silk and confirm the existence of a scalable system for commercial production. While the company anticipated these outcomes, the results provide reassurance as they continue to scale up production.
This achievement solidifies Kraig Labs' position to aggressively move forward in the commercial production of sustainable spider silk.
American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) test methods are increasingly recognized worldwide as essential tools for the textile industry. The organization's rigorous consensus-based process ensures the development of high-quality standards that are adopted by countries like Colombia and Sri Lanka.
Colombia has recently incorporated three AATCC colorfastness to water test methods into its national standards. These standards will enhance the country's textile industry by providing clear guidelines for product quality and consistency.
Additionally, Colombia is exploring the adoption of more AATCC standards in areas such as dimensional stability and fiber analysis.Sri Lanka is also committed to adopting AATCC standards to bolster its textile sector. The country recognizes the value of AATCC's expertise in guiding the standard-setting process.
Beyond national adoption, many AATCC test methods have been incorporated into ISO standards, solidifying the organization's position as a global leader in textile testing and standardization.
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) President and CEO Kim Glas applauded the introduction of the bipartisan “Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act.” This legislation, spearheaded by House Select Committee on the CCP Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), aims to tackle trade fraud that threatens American textile and apparel manufacturers.
Glas emphasized the need for enhanced federal resources to address the growing prevalence of trade crimes impacting the industry. The proposed bill will establish a dedicated structure within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division focused on aggressively prosecuting international trade offenses.
The US textile and apparel supply chain has suffered significantly from trade fraud, including the import of products made with forced labor, fraudulent rules of origin claims, and exploitation of the de minimis trade loophole. Recently, these issues have contributed to the closure of 18 textile plants and substantial job losses, exacerbating challenges for Western Hemisphere trade partners.
Glas emphasized that the bipartisan legislation represents a significant advancement in addressing extensive fraud, holding wrongdoers accountable, and safeguarding essential domestic industries. The NCTO asserts that prompt action is crucial to create a fair and equitable marketplace for American manufacturers and workers.
The VDMA Textile Machinery Association has released a position paper addressing the EU's stringent regulations for the sustainable transformation of the textile industry. The document highlights the need for efficient processes, circular economy practices, and binding rules to reduce the industry's environmental impact.
VDMA Textile Machinery members are dedicated to helping customers worldwide reducecarbon dioxide emissions in textile production, according to VerenaThies, Deputy Chairwoman of the association. The association highlights the significance of textile-to-textile recycling and the technical requirements for efficiently reusing both natural and synthetic fibers.
The position paper calls for realistic targets and measurable outcomes in the EU regulations, minimizing bureaucracy to facilitate smoother implementation. It also underscores the necessity of market surveillance to ensure fair competition among market participants.
To foster innovation and competitiveness, the VDMA Textile Machinery Association advocates for improved conditions in Germany and the EU. Key recommendations include the provision of affordable green energy, which is crucial for sustainable recycling solutions, and enhancing location conditions. These improvements encompass access to skilled labor, reduced bureaucracy, shorter approval periods, investment security, and tax reductions.
The association believes these measures are essential for advancing sustainability in the highly competitive textile industry, ultimately contributing to a greener, more efficient future for textile production.
The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) has joined hands with the Fair Wear Foundation to prepare Indian textile exporters for the European Union's upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
Enacted in May 2024, the CSDDD requires European companies to enforce human rights and environmental due diligence throughout their global supply chains. This directive aims to create a unified legal framework within the EU, reducing the multiplicity of reports, and fostering legal certainty.
CITI's Immediate Past Chairman, T Rajkumar, emphasized the directive's potential to transform the Indian textile sector, enabling it to meet global standards and engage more effectively with stakeholders. He highlighted the opportunity for Indian manufacturers to adopt HRDD practices, which would enhance their negotiation leverage and risk management.
As part of this initiative, CITI and Fair Wear Foundation organized a Capacity Building Workshop titled "Sustainable Practices: Navigating Social and Environmental Compliances" in Coimbatore on July 26, 2024. The workshop, held in association with the Southern India Mills Association (SIMA), featured insights from the Fair Wear Foundation and the Regulatory Representatives & Managers Association (RRMA).
Key sessions covered the implications of the CSDDD for brands, due diligence obligations, environmental responsibilities, and the climate change combat plan. Participants also learned about global chemical compliance regulations and sustainable practices in the textile value chain. Emphasis was placed on certifications like Oeko-Tex, ZDHC, GOTS, Blue Sign, Cradle to Cradle, and Eco Label.
SIMA Chairman, SK Sundararaman, announced the formation of a “Sustainability Cell” to assist members in complying with social and environmental mandates. SIMA also introduced guidelines for women's employment in the textile industry and established partnerships with TUV Rheinland and BSI for compliance audits and certification.
