Interbrand recently released its much-anticipated ranking of the world's 100 best brands for 2018. This ranking measures how much a brand name contributes to a consumer's decision to buy a product, which is especially true when it comes to luxury items. On an industry-by-industry basis, the luxury industry tops the Best Global Brands 2018 Index. According to Interbrand, the luxury fashion and accessories sector reported an overall growth of 42 percent since 2017. Gucci and Louis Vuitton are among the world's fastest-growing luxury apparel brands.

Gucci's brand value grew by 30 per cent to $12.9 billion. On the other hand, Louis Vuitton's grew by 23 per cent to $28.2 billion. The nine luxury brands on the list have a combined brand value of $105.8 billion.

Individually, or on a brand-by-brand basis, Apple tops the list of the world's top brands. Its brand has an estimated value of $214.5 billion, an increase of 16 percent from 2017. Behind Apple is Google, another tech giant, which saw its brand equity jump 10 percent to $155.5 billion. And third is Amazon, whose brand equity skyrocketed 56 per cent to $100.8 billion, helped by the massive increase in its stock price and revenues since the start of the year. Amazon is also the fastest-growing brand on Interbrand's top 100 list.

Yarn Expo will be held in China from October 15 to 17. This is a textile sourcing event. More than 500 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions will showcase an unrivalled range of yarn and fiber products. It will have visitors from throughout the textile supply chain.

For those looking for the industry’s latest innovations, Yarn Expo is the place to be. Industry players like PT Indo-Rama, Chemtax, Shandong Ruyi, Jiangsu Shenghong and Jilin Chemical Fiber Group choose the fair as a platform to debut new products each year.

The fair’s product groups have also expanded in recent years, reflecting market needs, to now include natural fibers like cotton, wool, silk and flax / ramie); manmade fibers (regenerated and synthetic); specialty fibers; natural and blended yarns; manmade and blended yarns, elastic yarns; fancy yarns and specialty yarns.

Significant new business partnerships in the yarn and fiber industry are anticipated at the fair, with new international sourcing options this edition. Highlighted big-name newcomers at the fair include Safilin from France, offering premium linen products developed through the brand’s extensive history, and Italy’s Sinterama Asia who will show their range of 1,200 diverse chemical fibers and end use. Novetex Textiles from Hong Kong will feature super soft merino in a wide range of colors.

Trident has added four staff members to its New York team. Luis Hernandez has joined as vice president, sales and marketing. He has over 30 years’ experience in the home fashion industry. He has worked for Loftex, Richloom and Cone Mills. Hernandez has an excellent handle on the market and consumer insights.

Jennifer Polikoff is vice president, bedding design. She has a design and product background of over 20 years in both luxury and moderate home textiles. With an exceptionally strong background in trend analysis and interpretation, Jennifer is highly respected for her creative talents and ability to transform trends into commercially successful product lines. She has worked for Victoria Classics, Kohl’s, Target and Nostalgia Home Fashions.

Carla Grosso is vice president, bath design. She has a background in bath and fashion bedding. She has technical knowledge in all areas of textiles, with an emphasis on terry cloth. She has worked for Createx, Sunvim and Macy’s.

Jhony Pamnani is director operations. He is experienced in overseeing logistics, imports, demand and supply planning, replenishment, EDI and OMS teams. In addition, he’s well versed in the unique relationship between 3PLs, Retailers, and manufacturers.

Trident, a manufacturer of home textiles, hopes these appointments will enable it to further its expansion and growth in the North American market.

As per a report by Avesta, textile and clothing production in Tajikistan, for the first eight months of this year, increased by almost 30 per cent. As the Ministry of Energy and Industry revealed, production of textile and clothing products during this period amounted to over 844.5 million somoni (more than $ 89.6 million). Industrial production index increased 29.1 per cent due to an increase in the output of cotton fiber, fabric, carpets and carpet products, and hosiery.

As the country’s statistics agency reported, for the specified period, textile exports amounted to more than $149.6 million or 92 per cent more than the same period last year. Of the total exports, over $106.9 million is cotton fiber exports.

Mahlo is known for its automatic straightening technology. This is the principle of detecting and automatically correcting distortions in the fabric by means of scanning. The scanning system detects and analyses the angle position of the weft threads, courses or rows of tufting. An intelligent control algorithm with a self-optimisation function, together with the hydraulic or electric roller positioning adapted to it, ensures that all web distortions are reliably removed.

Scanning and distortion correction of patterned products (lace, jacquard, print, terry cloth) is also possible. Mahlo, based in Germany, has paired over 70 years of experience with state-of-the-art technology and set standards in textile production and finishing.

The Generation 15 machine features cross-platform visualisation. The user interface can be adapted to the individual requirements of the operating personnel with just a few clicks. A large number of operating pages can be individually defined and provide the operating personnel with a complete overview of all the process parameters without having to constantly scroll through the menus. Visualisation can also be used as an information centre to visualise and monitor several Mahlo devices. The data generated is stored in databases and can be summarised in adapted protocols and output via suitable interfaces.

The latest edition of Priemer Vision in Paris saw a mix of different fibers, weights and constructions, with knits and weaves complementing each other. The trends showed the versatility of knits as a medium which respond quickly to technical advances and design.

Although aimed at winter, many jerseys and lightweight knitted fabrics were semi-transparent, in small stitch graphic micro designs and very fine yarns. Woolen knitted fabrics tended to be more chunky, with substantial designs in large dramatic jacquards and large gauge loops and bouclés in warm ginger and dark red colors. Menswear jackets from knitted fabric were versatile, fit for both work and play, cool for work and casual enough with jeans.

A trend for jacquards with heraldic looking themes and geometric patterns gave a rich look, teamed with velvets and deep colored prints. Pale winter tones, like light turquoise, pink, white were interpreted in jerseys with flammé random effects, as well as soft plains. A slight shimmer came from metallised yarns and small sparkling elements in the yarn.

Three dimensional looks were achieved in various ways, by knoppy and textured yarns, and knits of various thicknesses in the same fabric. Digital printing brought optical effects to deceive the eye – woven looks, shimmering surfaces and broken up geometrics.

Intex will be held in Sri Lanka from November 14 to 16. This is a show for yarns, apparel fabrics, denim fabrics, clothing accessories and allied services. It connects the manufacturing and supply chain by bringing together the best manufacturers of apparel and accessories with buyers from South Asia and the rest of the world.

Intex is focused on transforming the South Asia region into a textile and garment powerhouse. With Sri Lanka regaining GSP Plus, countries can make use of regional cumulation to benefit from rules of origin when local sourcing for product input is not possible. Regional cumulation creates stronger regional co-operation between countries which are members of an EU recognised regional grouping like SAARC and countries which are GSP beneficiaries.

Understanding this, Intex strengthens intra-regional trade, helping manufacturers and buyers take advantage of opportunities developing in the South Asia region by combining their strengths and joining hands to create stronger business ties under one trading platform.

Intex’s seminars and interactive business forums deliver high quality market intelligence to support industry efforts to upgrade, move up the value chain, better understand intra-regional trade, leverage better FX practices and help manufacturers gain a competitive edge.

Intex is growing bigger year-on-year, bringing some of the world’s most renowned exhibitors and buyers to Sri Lanka.

India’s cotton production is likely to fall 4.7 per cent from previous season. Scanty rainfall and an attack of pink bollworms are expected to squeeze crop yields. Pink bollworms consume the fiber and seeds inside a cotton plant's boll, or fruit, and yields fall.

Gujarat, the country’s top cotton producing state, received 28 per cent lower rainfall than normal. The state’s fiber output is estimated to drop 14.3 per cent from a year earlier. In Maharashtra, the country’s second-biggest cotton producer, output is expected to ease to 8.1 million bales from 8.3 million bales due to an attack of the pink bollworm pest.

Gujarat and Maharashtra together account for more than half of the country’s total cotton production. The drop in output could limit exports from the world’s biggest producer of the fiber and in turn support global prices, which were hovering near their lowest level in more than nine months last week.

Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and Vietnam are key buyers of Indian cotton. In 2017-18, India exported 6.9 million bales of cotton. Demand for Indian cotton happens to be robust this year from China as a trade war is prompting the world's top consumer to avoid imports from the United States.

Hyosung Group chairman Cho Hyun-jun is expanding the group’s presence in Chinese clothing market. At the recent Intertextile Shanghai 2018 fair in Shanghai from September 27-29, 2018, he met officials from Chinese lingerie maker Maniform, Chinese Sportswear Company Anta and Chinese clothing brand Yishion during the event to discuss measures to expand cooperation.

year, Cho has been strengthening on-site management of the group's global operations. In February, he met with Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to discuss ways to bolster business and cooperation. He revealed plans to construct a spandex factory in India during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In August, Cho sat down with Zhejiang Gov. Yuan Jiajin to examine ways to achieve mutual growth.

China’s clothing market was valued at 1.8 trillion yuan, ($261.09 billion), as of 2016. The market has been growing at over 5 per cent every year. Hyosung took part in the event with 21 global clients, including China's textile company Ya Tai and Vietnam’s Hung Yen Knitting & Dyeing Co., and helped their sales activities and consultations.

Synthetic fibers from washed clothes are linked to ocean microplastics. About 35 per cent of microplastics released into the world’s oceans come from synthetic textiles. Three-fifths of all clothing is discarded within a year of being produced, either sent to landfill or incinerated.

The industry is rethinking the way clothes are manufactured, right down to the fibers that are used. The garment industry is one of many industries that have a threefold impact with emissions to air, water, and large amounts of waste produced for landfill and incineration. Water pollution and energy use from the fashion industry is significant. The industry’s emission of carbon dioxide is more than that of international flights and maritime shipping combined.

The industry is investing in new environmentally-friendly materials. Garments could be created so they don’t fall apart at the seams and so that they can be recycled after they have been worn for many years. Fabrics should be designed not to shed microfibers when washed and industry needs to look at how efficiencies can be made in the cutting process, which currently sees huge amounts of material discarded on factory floors each year.

To reduce a garment’s carbon footprint, people are encouraged to wash their clothes at a lower temperature, use mesh laundry bags to catch threads, use tumble dryers less often, and install filters on washing machine waste pipes.