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A leading brand in pop-culture merchandise and licensed apparel, the Souled Store has partnered with insights-led customer engagement platform MoEngage to enhance its automated customer interaction, and improve overall customer experience.
Bhaavya Gupta, Chief – Staff, highlights, this collaboration has been highly beneficial for the brand as its push campaigns have seen notable improvements in both deliverability and click-through rates. It has also help the brand expand its customer engagement channels from just push notifications to include WhatsApp and email. Besides, the partnership has also facilitated the automation of multiple flows—such as customer journeys and campaigns for the brand.
Previously reliant on a CRM platform for customer engagement, The Souled Store’s rapid growth prompted the need for a more advanced and scalable solution. MoEngage’s platform offers automation capabilities, enabling the brand to efficiently attract and retain customers while streamlining their engagement strategies.
Yash Reddy, Chief Revenue Officer, MoEngage adds, the brand’s adoption of MoEngage highlights the growing demand for scalable, automation-friendly platforms in today’s fast-evolving retail environment. This partnership also demonstrates the benefits of tailored, automated customer experiences in transforming brand-consumer interactions.
Curated by Alcova Milano, the Heimtextil Trends 25/26 will offer fresh perspectives for the textile industry as they seamlessly blend tradition with modern technology. Titled ‘Future Continuous,’ this cutting-edge showcase will be held in the Trend Arena at Heimtextil in Frankfurt from Jan 14-17, 2025.
The Heimtextil Trends 25/26 will highlight the concept of learning from the traditional practices and adapting them to the present. The showcase will explore ways in which historical methods inspire modern design solutions.
The Heimtextil Trends 25/26 showcase will be curated by the founding team of Alcova Milan for visitors in Hall 3.0. Known for its alternative design platform showcased during Milan’s design week, Alcova Milano often reactivates historical and spectacular locations, drawing connections between the past and the future of design.
The Heimtextil Trends 25/26 will showcase the rising of innovations from traditional practices. It will offer new approaches to sustainability and resource efficiency. Visitors will experience these through a dynamic installation that highlights textiles’ central role in technological, cultural, and ecological advancements.
The event will also feature six insightful interviews with international designers, textile researchers, and industry leaders, including Janis Jefferies, a pioneer in textile research, Ilse Crawford, StudioIlse, and Dirk Vantyghem, Director General, Euratex. These discussions will explore the importance of natural fibers like hemp, jute, and flax, as well as the growing focus on repairability, locality, and transparency in supply chains.
Featuring a color palette with shades like Naturally Uneven Green, End of Petrol, and Imperfect Pink, the Trend Arena promises to be a must-visit for those at the forefront of interior design.
Showcasing the success of its multi-brand strategy, JD Sports Fashion outperformed analysts’ expectations for its first-half profit. In the 26 weeks leading to Aug 3, 2024, the British sportswear retailer posted an adjusted pre-tax profit of £405.6 million, surpassing the £384 million forecast by analysts. Regis Schultz, CEO attributed this success to the company's global, multi-brand approach, which allowed it to quickly adapt to shifting industry trends.
The group achieved organic sales growth of 6.4 per cent, with like-for-like sales growth at 0.7 per cent. Revenues rose by 5.2 per cent to £5 billion, with a 6.8 per cent increase in constant currency. However, despite the adjusted profit rise of 2 per cent, statutory reported profit before tax declined by 64.3 per cent to £126.3 million.
JD Sports saw notable success across its core segments including JD, Complementary Concepts, and Sporting Goods & Outdoor. The JD brand experienced double-digit organic growth in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific, opening 83 new stores, including its largest ever location in Stratford, London. The company is set to open 200 stores globally by year-end and transferred 19 more stores to JD from Finish Line, MIG, and ISRG.
The acquisition of Hibbett expanded JD’s North American presence with 1,179 stores, although the completion of its Courir acquisition awaits European Commission approval. Progress in omnichannel efforts was highlighted by the rollout of 'ship from store' in Europe and a successful 'click and collect' trial in France.
Regionally, Europe and North America showed strong organic sales growth of 10.1 per cent and 10.7 per cent respectively. The company’s performance in the UK improved as the period progressed, though non-core divestments impacted overall results. This growth was mainly driven by the footwear category, with a growth of 9.6 per cent and a larger share of 59.8 per cent in revenue. Meanwhile, the apparel category struggled due to weather-related challenges, growing only 0.7 per cent, with its share of revenue dropping to 29.8 per cent.
On October 9, Fair Wear will launch the HRDD Academy, an online platform designed to help garment and footwear brands implement human rights due diligence (HRDD) in line with the European Union Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (EU CSDDD) and other global frameworks.
The HRDD Academy will provide essential tools and resources for brands to navigate new industry standards. As the only multi-stakeholder initiative (MSI) dedicated to HRDD in the garment and footwear sector, Fair Wear brings over 25 years of experience working with brands, factories, and workers. The platform is built to guide brands through the complexities of HRDD, following OECD standards.
Rachel Chuang of Ganni highlighted that Fair Wear has consistently played a key role in enhancing labor conditions. She noted that the HRDD Academy would further strengthen their understanding of human rights due diligence (HRDD) and enhance their efforts in due diligence practices.
Key features of the HRDD Academy include self-paced learning, expert guidance on topics such as living wages and gender equity, and tools like risk scoping to assist brands in managing their HRDD processes. The platform also offers networking opportunities for brands to collaborate and share best practices.
A pilot phase that ran from 2023 to March 2024 allowed Fair Wear members and industry stakeholders to shape the platform's design. Markus Reisegger-Huber of Loffler GmbH praised the platform’s user-friendly structure and logical design.
The HRDD Academy aims to equip brands with the skills and knowledge needed to meet evolving regulatory requirements while fostering responsible business practices.
Karl Mayer Group has unveiled a new generation of remote support, offering flexible, multi-level service through a global network. This system provides 20/6 availability and ensures faster resolutions with enhanced transparency via the myKM.ON Customer Portal. Customers can easily track support requests and access remote assistance through a cloud connection.
A three-tiered support system addresses varying complexity levels. Level one handles basic issues, while levels two and three escalate tougher problems to specialized teams. This structured approach ensures faster troubleshooting and improved customer experiences.
The new Remote Support Case model offers flexible, application-based payments, replacing traditional machine contracts. Customers can pre-purchase cases for their entire warp knitting machine fleet, with discounts available for larger purchases. Online support cases, available through the KM.ON cloud, offer faster and cheaper solutions.
Remote support pilots began in June 2024 in Germany, China, and Hong Kong. A broader rollout is planned for late December 2024, with additional services launching in October for warp preparation machines. By 2025, customers of Stoll and technical textiles will also benefit from this system. The Service4you concept will expand further with multilingual support, adding Italian, Turkish, and Spanish, alongside existing German, English, and Chinese.
This innovative system aims to provide Karl Mayer customers with enhanced speed, flexibility, and reliability in service handling, marking a new era in remote machine support.
India's cotton textile exports registered mixed performance in fiscal year 2023-24, with some sectors showing robust growth while others facing a decrease. Overall, the combined export value of cotton textiles and raw cotton was $11,517.73 million, a 11.23 per cent increase compared to previous year.
Cotton yarn emerges as the star performer
Cotton yarn led the growth story, registering a remarkable 37.25 per cent increase in export value, reaching $3,777.57 million. This rise was further supported by an 83.18 per cent increase in export quantity, indicating both higher volumes and potentially better prices. The impressive performance of cotton yarn significantly contributed to the overall positive growth in the cotton textiles sector.
Madeups hold steady, fabrics face challenges
Cotton madeups, another key export category, demonstrated resilience with a modest 1.75 per cent growth, reaching $4,372.29 million. However, cotton fabrics exports faced a setback, declining by 10.75 per cent to $2,252.39 million. This could be attributed to various factors, including global economic conditions and increased competition in the international market.
Raw cotton exports grow
Raw cotton exports also witnessed a substantial increase of 42.75 per cent, reaching $1,115.49 million. This growth aligns with the increased demand for cotton yarn, suggesting a potential shift towards value addition within the domestic textile industry.
In terms of export destinations, the US remained top importer of Indian cotton textiles, accounting for 25.26 per cent of the total exports. Bangladesh followed closely at 17.14 per cent, a significant increase from previous year. China emerged as a notable market, with a remarkable 206.06 per cent growth in imports of Indian cotton textiles.
Table: India's cotton textile exports 2022-23 and 2023-24
|
Commodity |
2022-23 (mn $) |
2023-24 (mn $) |
Growth % |
2022-23 (mn kg) |
2023-24 (mn kg) |
Growth % |
|
Cotton Madeups |
4,297.15 |
4,372.29 |
1.75 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Cotton Fabrics |
2,523.73 |
2,252.39 |
-10.75 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Cotton Yarn |
2,752.41 |
3,777.57 |
37.25 |
663.14 |
1,214.71 |
83.18 |
|
Cotton Textiles |
9,573.29 |
10,402.24 |
8.66 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Raw Cotton |
781.43 |
1,115.49 |
42.75 |
318.47 |
573.1 |
79.95 |
|
Cotton Textiles + Raw Cotton |
10,354.72 |
11,517.73 |
11.23 |
- |
- |
- |
Overall, Indian cotton textile industry demonstrated a mixed performance in 2023-24, with cotton yarn emerging as the driving force behind the overall growth. While challenges persist in certain segments like cotton fabrics, the industry's resilience and adaptability are evident. The substantial increase in raw cotton exports further underscores the potential for value addition and growth within the domestic textile sector. As the global economic landscape evolves, the Indian cotton textile industry will need to continue innovating and diversifying to maintain its competitive edge in the international market.
In today's fast-paced business landscape, efficient inventory management is critical to success. The Large-scale Automated Test and Re-order (LATR) model is emerging as a game-changer, leveraging automation and data analytics to streamline the process of maintaining optimal stock levels.
Decoding LATR
At its core, LATR is an AI-powered model that automates the testing and reordering process for inventory. It leverages real-time data on product consumption, stock levels, and lead times to predict when inventory will reach a critical point. It employs sophisticated algorithms and predictive analytics to determine optimal reorder points and quantities, ensuring that businesses have the right products in stock at the right time. Once triggered, LATR autonomously places reorders with suppliers, ensuring that businesses maintain optimal stock levels without the risk of overstocking or stockouts.
LATR's adaptability has led to its adoption across diverse industries. Retail giants are leveraging LATR to streamline inventory management for thousands of products across multiple stores. This ensures products are readily available for customers, enhancing customer satisfaction. Manufacturers are utilizing LATR to manage raw materials and components, ensuring uninterrupted production runs and minimizing downtime. Hospitals and healthcare providers are implementing LATR for critical medical supplies, guaranteeing that essential items are always on hand to provide timely patient care.
LATR’s impact
LATR has a significant impact on businesses. For example by optimizing inventory levels, LATR helps businesses reduce carrying costs associated with excess stock. By ensuring that products are available when customers need them, LATR helps businesses improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
And by automating the testing and reordering process, LATR frees up staff to focus on other tasks, improving operational efficiency. Inventory management processes are becoming more efficient, allowing businesses to allocate resources to other strategic initiatives.
A recent study by McKinsey study revealed, businesses that implement LATR can achieve inventory cost reductions of up to 30 per cent. A case study of a major retailer found that LATR helped the company reduce stockouts by 50 per cent and overstocks by 40 per cent.
Changing the traditional business landscape
LATR is transforming the traditional business landscape by enabling businesses to move away from manual, reactive inventory management approaches to automated, proactive models. This shift is leading to improved efficiency, cost savings, and customer satisfaction.
A cutting-edge inventory management model LATR is revolutionizing the way businesses manage their stock. By leveraging automation and data analytics, LATR is helping businesses achieve significant cost savings, improve customer satisfaction, and increase operational efficiency. As businesses continue to seek ways to optimize their inventory management, LATR is poised to play an increasingly important role in the years to come.
China's textile and apparel industry, a global powerhouse, has woven an intricate network of clusters, propelling its growth and evolution. These specialized hubs, fostered by organizations like the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), have become the backbone of the industry's success. The CNTAC has now set up a network of 210 textile clusters, integrating more than 200,000 businesses. This network includes ten clusters that generate an annual industrial output value exceeding $10 billion, and 100 clusters worth more than $1 billion each.
Clusters transforming textile sector
These clusters have played a pivotal role in driving the growth and transformation of China's textile and apparel sector. They have fostered collaboration, innovation, and efficiency, allowing businesses to leverage shared resources, knowledge, and infrastructure. The benefits of clustering are manifold:
Economies of scale: Clustering enables businesses to achieve economies of scale, reducing costs and improving competitiveness. It helps to pool resources, share infrastructure, and benefit from specialized suppliers and services, leading to reduced costs and increased productivity.
Enhanced efficiency: The proximity of suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers within clusters streamlines operations, leading to enhanced efficiency and faster time-to-market.
Innovation and knowledge sharing: Clusters create a fertile ground for innovation and knowledge sharing, facilitating the development and adoption of new technologies and practices.
Industry specialization: Many clusters focus on specific sectors within the textile and apparel industry, fostering specialization and expertise. By working together, businesses in clusters can implement and adhere to higher quality and environmental standards, enhancing the industry's reputation and competitiveness.
Sectoral focus enhances growth
The clustering concept in China's textile industry is rooted in the idea of creating geographically concentrated networks of interconnected businesses. This approach offers several strategic advantages. For one, they enable businesses to compete more effectively in global markets by leveraging collective strengths and addressing common challenges. And promote environmentally responsible practices through resource sharing and the adoption of cleaner technologies. By creating jobs and generating economic activity, clusters contribute to the development of surrounding communities.
China's textile clusters are often developed with a sectoral focus, catering to specific segments of the industry such as spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing, and garment manufacturing. This specialization allows clusters to build expertise and achieve excellence in their chosen fields.
For example, the Shaoxing cluster renowned for textile manufacturing and trade generates an annual output value exceeding $20 billion. It boasts of a complete industrial chain, from yarn production to garment manufacturing and export. Similarly, Shishi Clothing City focuses on the garment industry, with over 10,000 businesses involved in design, production, and sales. It's known for its fast fashion and e-commerce capabilities. The Wujiang silk cluster specializes in silk production and processing, this cluster has become a global leader in high-quality silk fabrics. It is home to numerous silk mills, weaving factories, and design studios.
Overall clusters have played a pivotal role in propelling China's textile and apparel industry to global prominence. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and efficiency, they have enabled businesses to thrive in a competitive global market. As the industry continues to evolve, clusters are poised to remain a key driver of growth and transformation, ensuring China's continued leadership in the global textile landscape.
China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) will organise the 7th World Textile Merchandising Conference in Keqiao, Zhejiang from Oct 23-26, 2024.
Based on the theme, ‘Fashion Vision, New Quality Future,’ the conference will focus on the significance and key pathways for new quality productive forces to empower the global textile industry. It will also offer insights into the future of the global textile sector.
Sun Ruizhe, President, CNTAC, says, a strong force driving global industrial cooperation, the textile and apparel industry in China registered exports worth over $300 billion annually for four consecutive with their contribution to global textile and apparel exports exceeding 50 per cent.
As per the organisers, this year's conference will serve as a bridge between the industrial innovation hub and the international exchange platform, fostering innovation and collaboration. It will promote the global textile industry's development towards high-end, intelligent, green, and integrated innovation.
By empowering the modern international textile city with new quality productive forces, the conference will showcase Keqiao's textile industry cluster, highlighting its technological innovation and green competitiveness to the world, add the organisers.
In July 2024, earnings from Bangladesh's apparel exports grew by 2.88 per cent to $3.18 billion compared to $3 billion in July 2023, as per data from the Bangladesh Bank.
Earnings from export of woven products increased by 3.9 per cent to $1.44 billion, while earnigs from knitwear exports rose by 2 per cent to $1.72 billion. Abdullah Hill Rakib, Acting President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), avers, this growth provides a promising start to the fiscal year. However, the recent labor unrest, which disrupted production for over 20 days in Savar and Ashulia, has led to a significant rise in production costs, he adds.
Echoeing Rakib’s concerns, Fazle Shamim Ehsan, Executive President, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), notes, labor unrest and political instability are making buyers hesitant, potentially hindering work orders for the next season.
Describing the export growth in July as sluggish Khondkar Golam Moazzem, Research Director Center for Policy Dialogue, emphasises, the industry needs to step up efforts to meet annual targets. He attributes the current slowdown to global factors such as high inflation in the US and Europe, which have weakened consumer purchasing power and reduced demand. Domestic challenges, including the weak law and order situation and ongoing labour unrest, are also impacting production, Moazzam points out.
The industry needs to introduce a swift resolution to these issues, failing which it may not be able to achieve the targeted double-digit export growth, he warns.
