Pitti Filati is on till January 25, 2019. This is a trade show for the knitting yarn industry, showcasing spring/summer 2020 trends and collections to industry buyers. The main markets covered by the event, besides Italy, are the UK, France, Germany, the US, Switzerland, Spain, Russia, Turkey, Japan, the Netherlands, China, Belgium, Sweden, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Techno-Luxury, a section where rare and hi-tech materials blend is showcasing the combining of both rare fabrics, like cashmere, and polyamide and polyester yarns. Participants are Italian warp knit and circular knit stretch fabric specialists. CustomEasy is a knitwear capsule collection resulting from the synergy between various players at Pitti Filati.

A debate focused on supply chain management and sustainable development, on workers’ rights and growth in the regions involved in the textile industry supply chain. Pitti Filati is highlighting for the first time vintage apparel, accessories and design objects. A special layout punctuated by illuminated frames is accompanying visitors as they discover a new perspective on vintage.

Revenues of the Italian yarn industry were up 2.7 per cent in 2018. Bucking the trend of the last few years, exports grew again, rising by 3.6 per cent though imports were slightly down.

Hong Kong Fashion Week was held January 14 to 17, 2019. Hong Kong Fashion Week is held every January and July as a trade show for women’s wear, men’s wear, children’s wear, lingerie, swimwear, evening wear, handbags, shoes, accessories, fabrics, buttons and labels. In this edition, the mood was subdued as exhibitors were facing uncertainties from the ongoing trade conflict between the United States and China as well as rapid changes in sourcing and retail models.

While US buyers were not as abundant as in the past, there were a number of attendees from Europe, Indonesia and Australia who roamed one vast hall filled with sparkling evening gowns, scads of sweaters, beaded handbags, rows of denim and pint-sized clothing for children. US tariffs on Chinese goods had affected buyers’ confidence levels in placing orders with Chinese factories. They were turning to sourcing from Vietnam.

Last year, the show added a corporate fashion and uniform zone, popular for its offerings of stylish and tailored company uniforms. That section was back this year as were sections for fashionable sportswear, thermal clothing, bridal and evening wear, intimate wear and swimwear.

One of the few exhibitors from India was Only For U Designs, showing colorful tunic tops. Usually some 25 Indian companies exhibit at the show.

Korea’s trade deficit continued to expand in 2018. In 2018 import value of textiles and apparel into Korea was up by 12.11 per cent and export value was up by 2.25 per cent. Trade between Korea and Vietnam increased but the import and export textile and apparel share of China dropped.

Textile and apparel exports of Korea are dominated by 60 codes (knitted or crocheted fabrics), 54 codes (manmade filaments) and 55 codes (manmade staple fiber). In 2018, export value of 60 codes (knitted or crocheted fabrics) fell 4.12 per cent year on year. Export value of most major export varieties increased, and export of 55 codes (manmade staple fiber) moved up by 15.97 per cent.

Korea’s export volume to Vietnam increased 3.9 per cent year on year and to the US moved up by 11.25 per cent. As for Korea’s imports of textile and apparel, China was the largest source of imports, accounting for 37 per cent, up by 6.91 per cent year on year. Vietnam’s share increased 23.25 per cent. The share of Indonesia, India, Myanmar and other countries also moved up. China’s market share has been decreasing year on year, while that of India and some Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam is growing rapidly.

The global economy is expected to grow at a steady pace of around three per cent in 2019 and 2020. Risks include escalation of trade policy disputes, financial instabilities linked to elevated levels of debt and rising climate risks.

Growth in East Asia is projected to be moderate 5.8 per cent in 2018 to 5.6 per cent in 2019 and 5.5 per cent in 2020. Private consumption will remain the key driver of growth, supported by healthy job creation, rising incomes and moderate inflationary pressures. In most countries, infrastructure investment is also expected to remain strong as they focus on expanding productive capacity and easing structural bottlenecks. The region’s export growth, however, is likely to slow, amid a softening of the global electronics cycle and elevated trade tensions.

In China, growth is projected to remain solid, but will moderate from 6.6 per cent in 2018 to 6.3 per cent in 2019. The imposition of tariffs by the United States will dampen exports, while ongoing economic rebalancing measures will weigh on industrial sectors with excess capacity. The Indian economy is expected to expand by 7.6 per cent and 7.4 per cent in 2019 and 2020, respectively, underpinned by robust private consumption, a more expansionary fiscal stance and benefits from previous reforms.

German-based Bayer has taken over US seeds group Monsanto. The integration of Monsanto into Bayer is creating tremendous innovation and tailored solutions for the agriculture industry as a whole, including of course cotton growers.

Bayer’s move to combine its crop chemicals business with Monsanto’s industry-leading seeds business is the latest in a series of major agrochemicals tie-ups. The deal creates the world’s largest integrated pesticides and seedscompany but would limit the number of competitors selling herbicides and seeds in Europe. There are concerns the proposed acquisition could reduce competition in a number of different markets resulting in higher prices, lower quality, less choice and less innovation.

The breeding, biotechnology and digital advancements of Monsanto, combined with the broad crop protection and seed treatment portfolio of Bayer, may support the cotton industry globally.

Bayer has a keen focus on delivering increased yield, fiber quality, disease resistance, and product choices that work across a diverse set of environmental conditions. Additionally, Bayer will continue to engage, listen, promote, and partner in key supply chain initiatives for cotton fiber.

Bayer has a plan to create combined offerings of seeds and pesticides with the help of new digital farming tools, which include sensors, software and precision machines.

Chinese tariffs on imports of cotton from the US have been extremely destructive to the US cotton market. Cotton is a big money-making product for the United States, which exports almost all its domestic crop and is the largest cotton exporter in the world. Its biggest market area is Latin America, where cotton gets shipped to Central America to be spun into yarn and then made into fabric for clothes that come back to the United States. The country’s second-largest cotton export area is northeast Asia.

With tariffs making US cotton cost more, Chinese cotton importers are looking to other countries—including Brazil, Australia and India—to fill their needs at a lower cost. Brazil is the country that everyone is expecting China to buy from. Brazil is preferred because, like the United States, it uses machines rather than hand labor to harvest its cotton, resulting in less debris in the picked cotton.

Brazil is trying to gain more market share in China by upping its cotton production by 19 per cent. For the 2018-2019 crop season, the country is expected to harvest 11 million bales of cotton. The tariff problem comes at a bad time because China will probably have to import more cotton this year than in previous years. China’s cotton inventory last year was less than 6.5 million tons, which is half the reserve it had in 2014.

"A new research from UNFCCC reveals, greenhouse gas emissions from textile production currently amount to 1.2 billion tons annually. This is more than the emissions of all international flights and maritime shipping combined. The fashion industry has increasingly been working on issues such as chemicals, circularity and equality but must also further address its impact on climate change."

A new research from UNFCCC reveals, greenhouse gas emissions from textile production currently amount to 1.2 billion tons annually. This is more than the emissions of all international flights and maritime shipping combined. The fashion industry has increasingly been working on issues such as chemicals, circularity and equality but must also further address its impact on climate change.

At the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, Global Fashion Agenda released the CEO Agenda 2019. Developed in collaboration with leading fashion players Asos, Bestseller, H&M group, Kering, Li & Fung, Nike, PVH Corp., Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Target, the CEO Agenda 2019 reflects global developments, highlighting climate change as a core priority.

Contributing to the development of the local fashion industry

The release event in Davos was attended by CEOs from fashion and interconnected industries who discussed ways to make fashion more sustainable at an accelerated pace. This would require a collaborative effort across the value chain and engaging in a dialogue with external stakeholders, who play an integral role in creating this change.

The CEO Agenda contributes to development of the Davos fashion industry as a major contributor to the global sustainability agenda. To achieve this, fashion companies need to future-proof their businesses. Social and environmental issues such as climate change, microfibre pollution, growing population and automation are likely to affect the future business model of the industry. According to projections from the Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2018 report, co-authored by Global Fashion Agenda and The Boston Consulting Group, fashion brands, by investing in sustainability, will be able to reduce their social and environmental footprint whilst improving their bottom line, with a potential increase in EBIT margins.

COA Agenda sets sustainability goals

The CEO Agenda has become a reference point for implementing sustainability measures, guiding corporate strategies, policymaking and investments. While many CEOs are already stepping up their work to address these shifts, half of the industry is yet to take action on sustainability. This will require top-level engagement from fashion brand CEOs, who can lead the transformation of not only their own companies but also the entire industry. The CEO Agenda 2019 details eight priorities for CEOs in fashion industry. Of these four core priorities for immediate implementation include:

• Supply chain traceability

• Combating climate change

• Efficient use of water, energy and chemicals

• Respectful and secure work environments

The remaining four transformational priorities for fundamental change are:

• Sustainable material mix

• Circular fashion system

• Promotion of better wage systems

• Fourth industrial revolution

H&M Group and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have expanded their partnership to jointly promote improved working conditions in the textile and garment industry supply chains. The new agreement expands an existing partnership, and continues the longstanding, close collaboration between H&M Group and the ILO that aims to strengthen work in the group’s supply chain on sustainability. The new partnership will include more H&M Group business functions than before, making it even broader.

The flagship Better Work Programme of the ILO, jointly managed by the International Finance Corporation, will play a key role in implementing activities under the agreement. The Better Work Programme operates in seven countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Haiti, Indonesia, Jordan, Nicaragua and Viet Nam) working with about 1,600 factories that employ around 2,200,000 workers.

H&M Group and the ILO have been working together since 2001 in countries such as Cambodia and Bangladesh. They have specifically addressed a range of issues including wages, work quality, productivity, and the documentation and recognition of workers’ skills.

Both parties acknowledge that systemic changes are needed in terms of labor relations by working with governments, trade unions and employers’ organisations.

Bangladesh is hosting a yarn and fabric show from January 23 to 26. The aim is to introduce latest sophisticated yarn, fabrics, accessories and emerging technologies for textile and garment industries. Over 370 exhibitors from 22 countries are showcasing textile products that include latest trends and technologies in fabrics, accessories, ready-to-wear and industrial fabrics, innovative and smart fabrics and many more.

The exhibition will enable textile and apparel industry buyers to meet local and overseas textile and yarn manufacturers face to face for the best qualities and reasonable prices.

Bangladesh is recognised as a lower middle income country. The contribution of the industrial sector to national growth has been increasing. Considering purchasing power, Bangladesh is now the world’s 32nd largest economy. The garment sector contributed 81.23 per cent to total revenue in the last fiscal year. China is the top exporter of apparel products in the world while Bangladesh is in second place.

This year’s expo is taking place along with two concurrent exhibitions, Denim Show and Dye and Chem. There are seven garment factories in Bangladesh that are placed in the top 10 environmentally-compliant readymade garment factories around the world. The country has a target of reaching $50 billion in textile exports by 2021.

Victoria Beckham is launching her full-fledged collaborative collection with Reebok after the small collection introduced by Beckham and Reebok with NBA player Shaquille O’Neal. Tapping the pulse of streetwear that generally gets associated with athletic fashion, the collection comprises work-to-workout ensembles for both women and men with pieces such as slouchy drawstring trousers, a short-sleeved hoodie and orange leggings. More gender centric items include styles such as sports bras and cropped tees.

The designer’s three strengths lifestyle, her husband’s professional soccer experience and her children’s near-constant-motion lives, dictate the design themes of the collection. The collection will be retailed at a microsite and other premium stores.