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"It’s always a tough challenge for cotton as it competes with synthetic fibers, and, for the past several years, cotton has been much more expensive than other fibres, points out Mark Messura, Senior Vice President – Global Supply Chain Marketing, Cotton Incorporated. In order to create an awareness of cotton fibres, Messura says, there have to be technologies and other things to make sure that retailers and brands, in particular, understand they can offer great cotton products in the kinds of styles and performance features they want with other fibers."
It’s always a tough challenge for cotton as it competes with synthetic fibers, and, for the past several years, cotton has been much more expensive than other fibres, points out Mark Messura, Senior Vice President – Global Supply Chain Marketing, Cotton Incorporated. In order to create an awareness of cotton fibres, Messura says, there have to be technologies and other things to make sure that retailers and brands, in particular, understand they can offer great cotton products in the kinds of styles and performance features they want with other fibers.
Brands and retailers didn’t know when the price of cotton went to $2 if it was going to $3, said Berrye Worsham, President & CEO, Cotton Incorporated. There was just so much uncertainty in the market, and that changed everything. Worsham noted cotton accounted for more than 60 per cent of the market in women’s apparel in the first quarter of 2011. Today, cotton accounts for about 40 per cent of that market segment. The good news is that for the last seven or eight quarters things have started changing for good. The cotton industry is trying to sell into a consumer market that is much more demanding than it was a few years ago. This time the fight is complicated by new trends in products such as active wear and terms like sustainability.
Positive initiatives
One of the areas Cotton Incorporated has been working on is how can cotton compete with synthetics in the performance market. The company has been taking major initiative in the last couple of years in active wear sector. The company is making sure cotton can compete as best they can at a price they can afford with technologies in this market. As a part of the initiative, Cotton Incorporated has developed a number of new technologies such as Storm Cotton, a waterproofing technology; TransDry, a moisture transfer technology; Wicking Windows, another moisture transfer feature; and Tough Cotton, which is an abrasion resistance technology. In many cases, retailers and brands adopt the technology and give it their own name. It’s all part of the process of making sure that cotton is top of mind for every step in the supply chain, says Kim Kitchings, Senior Vice President – Consumer Marketing, Cotton Incorporated.
Knowing the right approach to accomplish that takes research across all segments of the supply, and that’s what the Consumer Marketing Division at Cotton Incorporated is trying to do at a time the cotton industry has been struggling to regain markets from cheaper synthetic fibres. The environmental profile of cotton matters to groups like millennials. That makes sustainability and environmental footprints more important to marketing specialists at CI. It has also changed the way Cotton Incorporated is delivering the message about touch and feel of cotton, leading to a much greater emphasis on social media messaging and less reliance on traditional print and radio and TV advertising, according to Kitchings.
Textrade will be held in Mumbai on May 3 to 4, 2017. This is a trade fair dealing with fabrics and will display shirting and suiting fabrics for men’s wear, which will include cotton fabrics, linen and polyester, covering casual, formal and party wear.
Exhibitors have been allotted 80 stalls. The fair will also display latest international trends, developments and fashion forecast for 2017. A few sample garments will also be on display to represent the feel, texture and look of the final product. The aim is to present an opportunity to showcase fabric creativity, design innovation and color.
Only garment manufacturers, retailers and fashion designers will be permitted to visit. Around 10,000 footfalls are expected. India’s varied geographical regions and climates provide a huge range of plant fibers and natural dyes for cultivators, weavers, dyers, printers and embroiderers.
The per capita consumption of cloth in India was 22.87 sq. mt. in 1991-92 and is now 26 sq. mt. and one of the objectives of the fair is to increase it further. Textrade is organized by the Fabric Suppliers’ Association. FSA is the only association in India representing wholesale fabric suppliers. FSA arranges two Textrade fabric fairs every year in Mumbai and holds seminars and workshops for the benefit of members.
Exhibitors have reported strong increases in the number of contacts and enquiries they received compared to last year at Intertextile Shanghai was held March 15 to 17, 2017. While the quality of buyers sourcing at the fair continues to increase, many exhibitors also said they received a healthy spread of buyers at their booths, both from China and key markets in Asia and Europe, and that a satisfying proportion of these buyers were new potential customers.
Exhibitor numbers grew by 5.9 per cent at this edition from 26 countries and regions. New exhibitor countries included Denmark, Malaysia and Poland. The top ten visitor countries and regions, excluding China, were Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, the US, Taiwan, India, Russia, Turkey, Indonesia and the UK.
Among the more than 71,000 trade buyers sourcing at this year’s fair were a number of well-known global brands taking advantage of the show’s product range. Part of the fair’s recent success has been its ability to evolve to meet the changing needs of the market. The number of exhibitors displaying functional fabrics nearly doubled this edition, mirroring the continued strong demand for functional fabrics both in China and elsewhere.
The fair’s Beyond Denim area also grew in size at this edition, further cementing its place as the leading sourcing event for denim fabrics in China.
Woolmark has partnered with Tommy Hilfiger for a range of suits called Thflex. These are lightweight, high-performance, Woolmark-certified suits that are perfectly tailored. They are designed to provide a sophisticated look with a relaxed ease and comfort.
The Thflex collection is wrinkle-free and naturally elastic and highly breathable, making it perfect for those on the go, and celebrates Tommy Hilfiger's long history of weaving athletic influences into their designs.
The performance suit is crafted from 97 per cent stretch wool for ultimate liberation of fit. It is unconstructed and unlined, with mesh detailing and pants with a jogger-inspired elastic waistband. The ultra-light suit is a 65 per cent wool-cotton blend. The fully-lined suit jacket weighs less than a shirt. It has micro-geo jacquard lining, with grosgrain signature stripe tape details. The travel suit is 100 per cent wool with natural stretch finishing in 3D knit-style texture. It is fully lined and wrinkle free, with lightweight construction.
Woolmark has an extensive network of relationships spanning the international textile and fashion industries and highlights Australian wool’s position as the ultimate natural fiber and premier ingredient in luxury apparel.
Tommy Hilfiger offers men’s clothing and sportswear, women's apparel and sportswear, kids’ wear, denim, underwear, including robes, sleepwear and lounge wear, footwear and accessories.
Textiles and clothing account for roughly ten per cent of South Africa’s manufacturing jobs. However, the industry has been struggling for many years. Competition from Asia and African countries has led to a decline in the industry for over two decades.
South Africa has traditionally been one of the largest clothing producers in Africa. In the past 15 years, it is estimated that 1, 50,000 jobs have been lost in the textile industry, and 2,000 to 3,000 workers lose their jobs every year. The garment industry in South Africa has better conditions than many other parts of the world, although wages can still be low. Workers here are predominantly women, often single parents working to provide their family’s only source of income, putting them in a vulnerable position.
The current economic climate is challenging for the clothing sector in South Africa. Prices are rising and consumer confidence is low, leading buyers to reduce non-essential spending. However, apparel is still in demand, and the market grew in 2016 despite these setbacks.
International brands are starting to make a splash in the market, giving consumers a wider array of choices. Manufacturers and retailers have also started creating more clothing aimed at plus-size women, as this is a significant and underserved market.
Mumbai is hosting Technotex from April 12 to 14, 2017. The event has attracted participants, visitors and other key decision makers from a cross section of technical textile industry with a view to provide more innovative solutions, identify new business opportunities and create an environment congenial for growth.
The aim of the event is to make India a manufacturing hub in technical textiles, project latest technological developments in technical textiles, and showcase latest products, machinery, equipments and developments in the industry for generating business and test marketing. It will also explore joint venture partnerships, project collaborations, transfer of technology, investments and R&D.
Taiwan is one of the participants. Taiwan has made great advances in technical, industrial, functional and eco-friendly textiles, including smart technology textiles. Taiwan’s textile companies have developed environment-friendly concepts and recycled polymer and polymer blends. From yarns for apparel, industrial and sport accessories, recycled yarns are growing in importance and are a core part of the Taiwan textile industry. The Indian technical textile industry witnessed significant 16 per cent growth from 2001-10, and is expected to grow at 20 per cent over the next five years.
Sri Lanka-based company MAS Holdings is buying Acme-McCrary, an American textile manufacturer. MAS Holdings is a global apparel technology and manufacturing company. Acme-McCrary produces leg wear and active wear for large US retailers.
MAS employs more than 85,000 associates worldwide, operating 48 state-of-the-art facilities in 15 countries, including design offices, apparel and component manufacturing plants and private industrial parks. It also provides technology solutions to the apparel and footwear industries. The company has been working to integrate technology into clothing, partnering with start-up companies in the Silicon Valley region of California and in New York in the fields of wearable technology and health and wellness.
By acquiring Acme-McCrary, MAS hopes to have a presence in the western hemisphere and strengthen its value propositions of speed and flexibility offered through on-shore and near-shore operations to customers. It also enables MAS to engage and strengthen its continued association with academia and research institutions in the US.
Acme-McCrary was the sole producer of the popular Spanx brand of hoses and is still engaged in product development for the brand. MAS has had a small account of Spanx for a few years now. MAS will expand Acme-McCrary’s manufacturing capacities and create at least 133 new jobs, while retaining the current jobs.
Lectra now offers a revolutionary technology to make athletic footwear. Vector Footwear is rooted in digitalization and automation. With this, it’s possible to make more pairs of shoes an hour and handle more types of fabrics. It provides major gains, including fabric optimization, maximum flexibility, optimized productivity and performance, as well as improved quality and operational excellence.
Connected to Lectra’s call centers, Vector Footwear’s 180 embedded sensors and counters allow predictive maintenance to avoid costly downtime. With up to 98 per cent uptime, Vector Footwear is one of the most reliable cutting solutions on the marketplace. Vector Footwear can replace between four and eight die presses depending on the model. Compared to traditional die press production, Lectra’s digital solution saves up to six per cent in fabrics by minimizing the gap between cut parts, combining several nestings together and cutting with accuracy. In addition, Lectra provides support to ensure change management during the manufacturing process.
Lectra is the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials. It serves major world markets: fashion and apparel, automotive, and furniture as well as a broad array of other industries. Lectra’s solutions enable customers to automate and optimize product design, development, and manufacturing.
India’s first denim show Denimsandjeans will be held in Bangalore from September 25 to 26, 2017. The denim show will attract some of the most reputed denim mills, including top local and international garment manufacturers, together on one platform. The show brings together major stakeholders in the supply chain.
Key retailers, buying houses and factories from India as well as from Europe, Southeast Asia and the US are expected to visit the show. Denim has been one of the main textile segments in India in the past decade. The capacity of Indian mills to produce denim fabrics has risen over 300 per cent, making India stand second only to China globally. Over 500 million jeans are being sold in India, which is a little more than the 490 million jeans sold in the US. This gives India the distinction of being the second largest consumer of denim apparel after China.
India is set to get a big lead over the US and the EU in the coming years, as consumption increases in Tier II and III cities. Denimsanjdeans is a premium fashion website dedicated to the denim industry and has hosted seven denim shows in Bangladesh and two in Vietnam.
Amsterdam Denim Days will be held from April 17 to 23, 2017. World class denim stores will present tailored product launches, presentations, exhibitions and special offers geared for the denim obsessive. Denim brands, producers, consumers, insiders and designers will celebrate the indigo world. This year’s brand participation has grown further. Among the confirmed participants are: Tommy Hilfiger Denim, Calvin Klein Jeans, Nudie Jeans, Lee, Kings of Indigo and Wrangler.
Trade show Kingpins Amsterdam will gather top innovators and trendsetters from the denim industry, presenting novelties from about 90 global exhibitors from top-notch mills, wash houses, full package manufacturers and trim providers. Lined up are: denim trends for fall/winter 2018-2019, fits, fabrics and finishes. Invista will present results of its research conducted across five countries to learn consumers’ vision on jeans – what they love, what frustrates them and what they want to see in future.
A seminar will help brands find ways for achieving better fit products thanks to technology and data. Lenzing will launch its latest garment collection under the name of Sustainable Denim Wardrobe as an attempt to develop a denim lifestyle collection that enables ecologically conscious consumption.
Experts will speak about the opportunities, challenges and progress being made toward making the denim supply chain sustainable, from fiber through apparel.
