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Natural fibers and bluesign wool-based textiles are the focus of Schoeller Textil’s 2017 summer collection. Bluesign textiles provide effective moisture transportation, temperature regulation, and heat retention. Schoeller Textil is a Swiss-based company which specialises in functional fabrics and textile technologies for active sports, fashion and work wear.
The company has developed a corkshell technology. This offers much higher thermal insulation than functional fabrics along with high breathability and wearer comfort. With corkshell, it is now possible to combine the outstanding natural features of cork with those of high-performance fabrics.
Corkshell is made of a natural granulate that is a by-product in the production of wine corks. This natural granulate is pulverized and combined with the fabric in a patented process from Schoeller. Two corkshell options are available. One is a two-layer fabric construction with a cork coating on the inside of the fabric. The other is a three-layer fabric construction in which the cork coating is between a stretchy, water and wind repelling surface fabric and a highly breathable lining that can be adapted to the requirements of weather conditions.
Corkshell fabrics are soft, lightweight and offer natural antimicrobial properties. In addition, they offer high wearer comfort and aid in moisture and odor management.
www.schoeller-textiles.com/
To bring down attrition and increase productivity of women employees, textile industries in Gujarat are taking a slew of measures. This includes building housing facilities to providing creches for children. The number of women working in the textile sector in Gujarat has risen by 30 per cent in the last five years. The national average is 15 per cent.
A better work environment, consistent income and several incentives by employers is attracting women to the textile industry, especially the garment and fabric sections. Close to 90 lakh people are working in the textile industry in Gujarat including 45 to 50 lakh women. Some textile units are paying their women employees more than they do their male counterparts. A grievance cell deals with the issues of women employees. If women have to work overtime, boarding and lodging are also provided.
Many companies have also set up skill development centers where women in large numbers are being trained. Many companies and textile units are building facilities to house their employees with an aim to reduce absenteeism and help women focus on the job. Arvind is planning to set up a dormitory-based manufacturing facility in its upcoming apparel park in Dehgam. The facility will house around 10,000 women.
Production in Australia's wool industry has declined since the collapse of the reserve price scheme in the early 1990s, compounded by a long term shift from wool to synthetic and cotton substitutes in clothing. Many producers have switched from wool to more profitable lamb operations.Demand has jumped, with competition among buyers and reports of stockpiles being cleared. With the wool industry now heavily reliant on exports to China, an uptick in demand from Chinese wool mills on account of easing credit conditions and signs of higher global demand has seen prices increase significantly.
If the recent higher prices can be sustained, wool grower profitability should improve somewhat. Cotton prices have stabilised and even moderately increased this year after falling in mid 2014. However, decent supply and signs of sluggish Chinese demand have weighed on sentiment.
In 2014-15, Australian cotton production was estimated to have declined 43.5 per cent on markedly lower plantings due to reduced irrigation water availability. Last season’s yields were quite strong, however. Australian cotton lint production is expected to increase four per cent on the back of a 7.1 per cent increase in area planted. Prices are forecast to rise 9.3 per cent in 2015-16.
Heavy rains in April and May in the US have delayed cotton planting in several states, including top producer Texas. Cotton for December delivery rose 5.6 per cent for the latest week to 67.51 cents a pound, the highest close since April 30.
The surge reflects hopes that the gap between US cotton production and demand will narrow. The feeling is that the US would produce less cotton in the year ahead than in the current year, but demand will remain near the lowest in more than a decade as apparel and textile companies turn to synthetic fibers. The US is the world’s largest cotton exporter.
South Texas is a traditional source of early, new crop bales, with a reputation for high fiber quality. If crop yields in Texas are lower, or if the harvest is delayed and the maturing crop gets too wet from seasonal rains, it could create a temporary shortage of quality fiber. The harvest is likely to run behind schedule due to the late start of the planting. The spring rains, which ended a four-year drought in Texas, also made it difficult for growers to get the seed into the fields. As of June 21, 94 per cent of the planned US cotton acreage had been sown, while in previous years planting was complete at this point.
While the Rajasthan government has been trying to boost sales of handloom Kota Doria saris worldover, weavers are suffering due to lack of direct access to the market. Copied powerloom designs offered at a much cheaper rate have been affecting business of most handloom products and no action has been taken against powerloom weavers.
Though the Rajasthan government’s efforts to push sales and recognition of the craft with international designer Bibi Russel has helped the community, the artisans feel that they are not enough to provide them direct market access. The weavers want their products to get retailed online so that their efforts are appreciated and products fetch some good amount for them to grow business.
One positive is the number of looms has increased from 1,500 to 2,500 over the years, engaging around 3,000 weavers, who contribute to the total business of around Rs 85 crores every year. Kota Doria is a fabric made of cotton and silk yarn with square patterns called Khat in local dialect. Zenab Bano of Kotsua (Kota) was awarded the National Award by the President of India in 1995-96 for Kota Doria work. Basheeran Bano of Kota got the National Certificate Award in 2012-13 for her Kota Doria product. After Bibi Russel’s efforts to bring more designs into Kota Doria fabrics, the use of Kanjivaram designs on Kota Doria has increased its demand specially in south India.
Many textile mills in Pakistan are on the verge of closing down. This is because of a steep increase in the cost of doing business. These mills are located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and Karachi feel they have nothing to offer international buyers against regional competitors.
The burden of incidental taxes, provincial cess, system inefficiencies and punitive withholding tax regime has added fuel to fire. Mill owners say the government has not brought unorganised sectors into the tax net and is billing the textile industry. All these incidentals and punitive measures have hit the sustainability of textile industry in Pakistan. The federal government had imposed a surcharge of Rs 3.60 per unit to mitigate positive impact of tariff reduction by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority. The textile industry is unable to bear this burden despite operating on independent feeders with no line losses and theft and 100 percent payment of bills.
Regional competitors are paying less than 10 cents against 14.50 cents electricity tariff in Pakistan. Most of the mills are already operating partially because of the energy mismatch at present. Millions of workers are expected to be laid off.
Venkatagiri sari industry is suffering since powerlooms in South India are copying their designs and bringing out them quickly to market. And the impact is despite Venkatgiri sari receiving Geographical Indication tag some six years ago.
These handwoven saris are backed by the 300-year-old history created by artisan cluster situated in Nellore district, which earlier was under the dynasty of Venkatagiri. The sari is made of pure cotton adorning elaborate zari work using gold and silver on borders. The craftsmanship of the weavers was recognised and the sari became the 18th Indian sari to get Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the registrar of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
The GI tag is supposed to protect the product against misuse of designs, while boosting exports to other countries. However, due to lack of marketing and publicity support from the government wings, weavers of Venkatagiri sari have not been able to increase sales. In fact, they are now victims of design replication by powerloom clusters.
Sustainable technology firm Jeanologia has launched its latest innovation – software designed to help brands and garment finishers minimise their carbon footprint. The Environmental Impact Measuring software is meant for the garment finishing industry and assesses the environmental impact of the finishing process in the areas of water and energy consumption, chemical product used, and worker health.
The new launch is a ‘revolutionary tool’ that will allow both laundries and brands to implement sustainable processes in their manufacturing centres and control its development, regardless of what country they are in, to produce ecological collections based on the same parameters anywhere worldwide.
Currently, popular apparel brands such as H&M has used the software for its conscious denim collection, and Jack & Jones for its low impact collection. Denim giant G-Star is also using the technology.
The company, with more of 20 years of experience, is the world leader of sustainable technologies development. It caters to the customers spread across five continents. Jeanologia products and solutions are currently being used in more than 45 countries including: México, Colombia, Brazil, USA, Germany, Italy, Portugal, India, China, Russia, Japan, Morocco and Bangladesh.
www.jeanologia.com
Export of value-added cotton textile products such as dyed and printed fabrics and made-ups to African countries will be affected as the new foreign trade policy has removed the benefits extended so far on these exports, says R K Dalmia, Chairman of the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (Texprocil).
Dalmia said recently the newly-introduced Merchandise Exports from India Scheme has allowed duty credit scrip of two per cent, three per cent and five per cent to exports of notified products to specific countries. However, it does not include export of products such as the dyed and printed cotton fabric and made ups to African countries. The share of textile exports to African region is less than five per cent now and the potential is huge.
The products usually exported to African countries are materials that are used in traditional dresses and are manufactured by small and medium-scale units. And according to Dalmia, these units need support to tap the potential in African market. The early foreign trade policy granted duty credit scrips at four per cent of the FOB value of exports in general for export of cotton fabrics and made ups to many African countries, he said.
www.texprocil.org
New Zealand ended its 2014-15 wool season with the smallest volume of the clip sold through auctions in least seven years. This is because more farmers were attracted to premium prices and protection from commodity price volatility offered in private sales. The auction system's share of wool is likely to continue to shrink. An estimated 4,64,000 bales are expected to come up for auction in 2015-16 year, down from 4,80,000 bales in 2014-15 and 4,93,000 bales in 2013-14.
New Zealand has probably rounded out its smallest annual wool clip in six years this season, reflecting the lowest sheep flock in more than 70 years, dry conditions and an increased focus on meat producing breeds of sheep. The amount of wool that is going through the nation’s auction system is also declining, as farmers are seeking higher returns from direct contracts.
There has been a shift in how farmers are looking to sell their wool and some farmers are choosing to move their wool away from the auction system. A small shift away from auctions began in the 2013-14 season, whereas in 2014-15 there has been a huge shift. In recent years, sheep numbers are declining and an increased amount of wool is circumventing the auction system.
