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Supermarket Chain Tesco has admitted receiving evidence of widespread forced labor of migrant women in cotton spinning-mills across Tamil Nadu.
The supermarket chain admitted there were several issues in relation to wages and benefits and verbal intimidation of workers in one of the mills it has links to in the region, and is working to stamp out abusive practices.
An investigation by NGOs Somo and Arisa, which interviewed 725 workers at 29 cotton-spinning mills in Tamil Nadu found evidence of multiple labour abuses including deception, intimidation and threats towards vulnerable female workers, abusive working and living conditions and excessive overtime.
The spinning mills of Tamil Naduhave long been associated with human rights abuses. A Guardian investigation in 2018 revealed that Hugo Boss had found young female workers held captive and prevented from leaving the premises in garment factories linked to its company in Tamil Nadu.
The authors of the report believe the alleged abuses they found in the 29 mills surveyed are likely to be replicated across the Tamil Nadu textile sector.
The ACT initiative has published guidance for its members on how to treat their suppliers in Myanmar.
ACT is an agreement between 20 global brands - including H&M, Inditex, Primark, Next, PVH, Tesco, Zalando, ASOS, Bestseller and C&A - and the IndustriALL global union in pursuit of living wages for workers in textile and garment supply chains.
As per Eco Textile, key elements to its advice include engaging suppliers on a case by case basis, endeavoring to maintain open and effective lines of communication and ensuring an accessible complaints mechanism is available for suppliers should they feel they have been unfairly penalized for delays.
The statement also says that ACT members have developed a framework to address any need to pause manufacturing orders, placed by global brands with local suppliers, due to the ongoing circumstances in Myanmar.
Brands including H&M, Bestseller, Primark, C&A and Benetton have temporarily halted orders from their suppliers in Myanmar following the coup, although most of these companies are now sourcing from the country again. This can increase the pressure on employers as well as placing at risk the rights of the workers they employ, the statement continues.
ACT also warns that respect for freedom of association (FOA) for workers in garment factories across Myanmar remains a major concern following the coup.
It states that the current situation poses a threat to the effectiveness and implementation of the FOA Guideline due to the breakdown of communication and a host of new challenges facing workers and employers.
It adds that the Fast-Track Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM), negotiated by ACT member brands, IndustriALL and the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM), can also be used to address and resolve disputes on workers’ rights.
Sales of jeans and tops by American Eagle Outfitters Inc accelerated after the apparel retailer reported a first-quarter results beat on increased spending, driven by stimulus checks.
Stimulus-led spending confidence among customers allowed the apparel retailer to cut promotions and sell at full prices, pushing the company's gross margin to 42.2 per cent from 36.7 per cent in 2019.
The company is also optimistic about the back-to-school season denim trends as it revamps fashion styles to cater to the looser fits that millennials and teens are sporting these days.
Pent-up demand for loose-fit jeans, tops and leggings coupled with the $1,400 stimulus checks that Americans received in March lifted the company's sales for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.
The company also reported a 57 per cent surge in digital revenue in the first quarter compared to 2019 levels, fueled by a redesigned app and enhanced curbside and in-store pickup features.
Excluding one-time items, the company earned a profit of 48 cents per share, above analysts' average estimate of a profit of 46 cents per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Total net revenue surged nearly 90 per cent to $1.03 billion compared with expectations of $1.02 billion.
The Turkish textile industry plans to expand its production capacity to $100 billion in coming years by forging lucrative partnerships with globally recognized brands and textile companies.
Ahmed Oksuz, President, Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association (ITHIB), says, the upward momentum in the field of technical textiles in recent years the sector’s impressive production capacity along with Turkey’s strategic position between Europe and Asia, offer the chance for potential partnerships that could bring tremendous benefits to all stakeholders.
Turkey expects to export roughly $12 billion worth of textiles in 2021, and $30 billion including finished apparel. The sector currently employs more than one million people. It is fully compliant with EU standards and norms and has reduced carbon emissions at all its facilities, adds Oksuz.
Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) has urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to announce an economic stimulus package for MSMEs in Ready Made Garment (RMG) Sector. Raja M Shanmugham, President, TEA President has urged for extension of moratorium on all existing loans for at least three months to SMA-2 (Special Mention Accounts) also, as these companies have been classified as SMA-2 due to COVID-19.
He says, these units have been facing a financial crisis since 2019 and struggling to repay their loans. During the pandemic, RMG sector saw a huge rise in demand for casual wear due to growing work from home culture. Moreover, the RMG sector creates jobs equivalent to or better than agriculture and hence it needs to be protected, he added.
He further added, these measures will help the sector achieve its normal growth rate, enhance exports and increase employment.
A new survey by the US-based Genomatica reveals, around 86 per cent of consumers in the country aim to shop sustainably but 48 per cent are unaware of the mode of sustainable shopping while 42 per cent are confused about what makes clothing sustainable.
Nearly 72 per cent consumers claimed to be aware about sustainability issues in the fashion industry while 52 per cent viewed sustainability as an important factor in fashion and 47 per cent aimed to make more sustainable clothing choices. Almost half consumers expressed concern over the materials used for making clothes and their impact on the environment. Another 47 per cent ranked clothing made with renewably-sourced or natural materials as a top sustainability characteristic, with around 46 per cent listing production processes with few to no toxic chemicals as one of their top three priorities.
Almost 55 per cent consumers wanted clothing brands to reveal their sustainability initiatives. Another 50 per cent urged brands to add a sustainability labels to their clothes while 38 per cent urged for clearer information about sustainability features in garments.
The survey reveals, 44 per cent consumers purchased less clothing during the pandemic with more women reducing their shopping trips than men.
Irish fast-fashion retailer, Primark has launched a new leisurewear collection made from recycled materials. As per reports, the collection has been created in collaboration with Spanish material science company Recover and is a part of Primark Cares range. The new sustainable women's leisurewear collection includes eight pieces of classic and on-trend pieces in black, navy, white, and grey, including hoodies, joggers, sweats, tees and leggings, with the V neck T-shirt body and a matching hoodie and jogger combination serving as standout products.
Recover, a leading supplier of sustainable, quality recycled cotton fibre and cotton fibre blends, has supplied 15-25 per cent recycled cotton for the collection. The rest is made up of a variety of materials, including polyester, organic cotton and sustainable cotton from Primark's sustainable cotton initiative.
Lynne Walker, Director, Primark Cares says, with prices starting at £3.50, this collection may help everyone make more sustainable and attractive choices.
Gap and Walmart have collaborated to launch Gap Home, a new collection of home essentials available exclusively at Walmart. The Gap Home launch collection will feature more than 400 items across home décor, tabletop, bedding and bath, ranging in price from $15.88 for a washed denim pillow to $64.98 for a T-shirt soft jersey reversible king comforter set perfect for dressing all spaces, from college dorms to forever homes. The collections will be developed in partnership with Gap’s licensing agency, IMG.
The collection features quality materials like denim and chambray with unique finishes at a price point that is accessible to all customers. It includes items made with organic cotton and recycled materials. This partnership with Walmart enables it to introduce a new category in a smart, scalable way, says Mark Breitbard, President and CEO, Gap. The collection opens a new door for Gap as a lifestyle brand delivering timeless American Style in all new ways, he adds.
South Korea-based organization Youngone is constructing five state-of-the-art textile factories in the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) located in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The three factories will produce manmade fiber yarn and finished garments on a combined floor space of 2 million sq. ft. This will reduce Bangladesh’ dependence on imports, views Mohammad Hatem, First Vice President, BKMEA. Since these yarns will be duty-free they will raise the production of high-end garments and increase Bangladesh’s export earnings. Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, Assistant General Manager, KEPZ, adds, the five new facilities will be able to meet 25 percent of the MMF demand in Bangladesh.
Faruque Hasan, President BGMEA, the global synthetic fiber market is expected to reach $62.74 billion in 2021 and this project by KEPZ will enable Bangladesh to take part in that race. Youngone is expanding the scope of Bangladesh-made textile line to include both blended and more sophisticated fabrics, both 100 per cent polyester knit and woven fabrics, polyester blended fabrics, both knit and woven (blended wool, cotton, rayon, spandex, polypropylene (PP) and many more), Merino wool knitwear, and various polyester warp knitted fabrics.
To increase its focus on higher-end luxury brands, French group Kering sold additional $1.0 billion worth of shares in German brand Puma. Kering sold approximately 8.9 million shares, representing approximately 5.9 per cent of the share capital of Puma through its qualified investors only by way of an accelerated book building process.
The sale reduces Kering’s shareholding in Puma to 4 per cent Kering held 83.7 per cent shares in the German brand in 2018 when it announced plans to gradually wind down its investment. As per the Frankfurt stock exchange, the sale transaction is worth more than €830 million or $1.0 billion. Proceeds from this transaction will be used for the general corporate purposes of Kering and will further strengthen its financial structure.
A global Luxury group, Kering manages the development of a series of renowned Houses in Fashion, Leather Goods, Jewelry and Watches: Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin, Ulysse Nardin, Girard-Perregaux, as well as Kering Eyewear. The company set new standards in luxury by placing creativity at the heart of its strategy.
