FW
A company in Sweden has developed the world's first garment made entirely from recycled cotton. A Japanese company has developed a similar technology that polymerises polyester, turns it into polyester chips and then turns those chips into new fibers of equal quality. The result is a new polyester fabric that’s just as good as the fabric in the discarded clothes. The process reduces Co2 emissions by 77 per cent compared to polyester made from petroleum. Though the new garments do require non-recycled content the process also reduces the consumption of petroleum, the raw material from which polyester is made.
The prospect of clothes recycling makes fast fashion an attractive trend. The Swedish cotton recycling scores particularly well as it uses no new ingredients other than timber, whose cellulose fibers can be added to the existing cotton ones. But recycling of fabric often involves dangerous materials such as heavy metals. And because rayon is much harder to recycle than cotton, the recycling doesn't go full circle. It’s thought a better approach is to compost the clothes. Valuable nutrients could be added to clothes, which would benefit the soil when the garments are composted.
A vision is that clothes recycling will take a route similar to paper recycling. Early on in paper recycling, only a small share of paper was recycled. Now most paper is recycled and yields good results. The same thing could happen to fabric.
The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) is apprehending large-scale bankruptcies if energy security and affordability issues are not addressed on a war footing. Serious energy supply constraints have already led to forced closures of production capacities by 40 to 50 per cent, says APTMA. It fears the industry would be unable to procure the cotton crop already arriving in the market if the issues are not addressed immediately.
Against a target of $16 billion, Pakistan’s textile industry exports closed at $13 billion during the outgoing fiscal year. One reason is the limited energy supply, to the Punjab-based textile mills that constitute 70 per cent of the total textile industry in Pakistan.
Exports of both yarn and fabric registered 26 and 35 per cent decline in quantity terms, respectively, during the last three months. It further triggered serious supply chain issues for the value-added sector right from knitting to woven to bed linen, which consequently failed to avail of the GSP Plus facility from the EU.
APTMA has urged the government to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to industry and expedite sales tax refunds. It also says the US should be pursued for market access facility in line with the GSP Plus facility from the EU.
www.aptma.org.pk/
Textile Exchange has released a new version of its Global Recycling Standard. For the first time this version includes restrictions on chemicals used in the production of GRS products.
GRS Version 3 aims to provide brands with a tool for more accurate labeling of recycled textile products and better information to consumers. Control Union Certifications launched the first Global Recycling Standard (GRS) for textiles and clothing in 2008 to ensure greater sourcing clarity right through the production supply chain. Control Union Certifications is a Netherlands-based group of international industries. GRS intends to provide brands with a tool to encourage innovation in the use of reclaimed materials, to encourage and reward a strong commitment to social and environmental improvements in production.
The GRS is a three-tiered system with the gold standard requiring products to contain 95 per cent to 100 per cent recycled material; the silver standard requires products to be made of 70 per cent to 95 per cent recycled products; and the bronze standard requires products to have a minimum of 30 per cent recycled content.
Ownership was passed to Textile Exchange in 2011. Textile Exchange initiated a revision of the standard in early 2012 and an International Working Group of Certification Bodies was developed to revise the standard.
textileexchange.org
Invista is working with renowned finishing expert Garmon and premiere mill Candiani Denim to introduce a concept collection of jeans with unique aesthetics utilizing low impact finishing treatments specifically designed for elastomeric fabrics. Invista is a leading provider of fiber and fabric solutions to the denim industry.
The collection brings together the best in fiber, fabric, and finish development. The garments are made with Invista’s dual FX technology which combines Lycra fiber and Lycra T400 fiber in a single yarn for fabrics with high stretch and excellent recovery. The fabrics are designed and constructed by Candiani Denim, which has been producing fashionable, high-quality fabrics for over 75 years. And finally the jeans are finished by Garmon, which combines unique chemical processes with Italian-inspired design to create denim garments with fashionable appeal.
The range debuted at Kingpins Los Angeles earlier this month and will be displayed at upcoming denim trade shows including Kingpins Hong Kong (August 19 to 20) and Kingpins Amsterdam (October 29 to 30).
Invista is also known for its brand Cordura. This is a fabric which is a primary ingredient in many of the world’s leading high performance gear and apparel products ranging from luggage, upholstery and backpacks to footwear, military equipment, tactical wear, work wear and performance apparel.
www.invista.com/en/index.html
World organic cotton production has declined 21 per cent since last year. This means brands seeking to use organic cotton in their ranges over the next few years are likely to face a supply shortage. H&M and C&A in particular have made commitments to use 100 per cent organic cotton by 2020.
Overall production of natural fibers fell 3 per cent in 2013, with conventional cotton production declining 4.1 per cent compared to the year before. This is due to a number of issues, including competition from other crops, greater use of polyester following a spike in international cotton prices in 2010-11, and a government stockpiling program in China (since discontinued), which removed much of the excess cotton from the world market and also contributed to high prices.
But there are specific challenges facing the organic cotton sector, including a scarcity of good quality non-GMO (genetically modified organism) seed, and the threat of GMO contamination and the resulting loss of product integrity. Also there is also a lack of business security for farmers who switch to organic agriculture. Converting to organic farming requires specialist knowledge and can take up to three years to be verified, during which time yields may dip as soils recover their fertility.
The export value of Laos' garments rose five per cent in the first six months of this year. This has come about mainly because of an expansion of industrial capacity. In 2014 garment exports is expected to bring in $226 million. Laos’ garment industry has been strengthened by the implementation of modern technology and the influx of new manufacturers. The country continues to be attractive because of its stable political environment and cheap labor force.
One of the main reasons why Laos is an attractive investment destination is that there are no strikes in the country unlike neighboring Vietnam and Cambodia. However, the garment industry in Laos is facing labor shortage as workers are moving to Thailand in search of higher wages. Labor shortage means manufacturers can’t keep up with demand. In fact, there is a high demand for Laos garments particularly in EU.
Thailand offers an attractive minimum wage of $279 US a month while in Laos the minimum wage is around $77 US per month. However, the Laos industry is benefitting from a rise in labor costs in China. International trading firms prefer to order their merchandise from countries with lower production costs such as Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
Karl Mayer has added the JL 65/1 B machine to its jacquardtronic lace series. The machine is available in gauges E 18 and E 24, and features a working width of 132 inches plus a two-inch extension for the tenter frame. It was developed for problem-free coarse bourdon cord processing.
The HKS 2-M is the latest addition to Karl Mayer’s tricot machine line. The 180-inch-wide version can operate at maximum speeds of 3,200 meters per minute, which is approximately 20 per cent faster than its predecessor. A 210-inch-wide version can reach top speeds of 3,000 meters per minute.
The HKS 2-M includes the Kamcos a computer platform, electronic speed control of the main drive, and electronic systems for controlling the fabric take-down and yarn feed. The medium stroke machine is suitable for producing non-stretch fabrics featuring low stitch number and loose yarn running in gauges of up to E 32. End-uses for such technical and semi-technical fabrics include mattress covers, velour fabrics for furniture, nets, sporting goods, shoe fabric and printing grounds. The machine also is capable of producing tulle and other open mesh, stylish fabric for the clothing sector.
Beginning September 2014, Karl Mayer will include new flexible reusable pattern guide fingers and strings on all new lace raschel machines.
www.karlmayer.com/
Inspection of Bangladesh garment factories for compliance has run into a hurdle. Who’s to fund the factory owners for implementing safety measures? Western groups, Accord and Alliance, who are carrying out their inspection programs have commitments to assist those factory owners who are unable to carry out remedial measures. But a similar inspection done by the Bangladesh government in association with the ILO has no such clear guidelines.
There’s a fear that the government-led improvement program might fail to bring desired results if remedial steps can’t be undertaken due to shortage of funds. Most of the factories are small and medium ones.
The government and the ILO are implementing a three-and-a-half-year-long project to improve working conditions in the readymade garment sector. This involves inspection of factory buildings for fire and electrical safety, strengthening labor inspection, occupational safety and health awareness among workers, rehabilitation and skill training of survivors of the Rana Plaza collapse, and implementation of Better Work Program in the country.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is demanding a budgetary allocation so that cash-strapped factory owners get the funds required for the post-inspection period. It has requested the government to take steps on a priority basis so that funds are available to these units at a low interest rate.
The EU is now the world's largest garment importer, with shipments increasing at a rapid pace. In contrast, the US is showing marginal gains. US footwear companies are sourcing more from inner China and non-traditional production countries in a bid to offset tariffs and rising costs. While China’s share of the US market has fallen 3 per cent over the past year, Vietnam is gaining the most from this drop.
Colombia's textiles and apparel industry is set to grow 7 per cent in 2014, buoyed by strong domestic sales. But exports, a key pillar of industry growth, look disappointing. East African countries continue to induce foreign investors to revive their textile and apparel industries.
India has overtaken Germany and Italy to emerge as the world's second largest textile exporter. But it lags behind China, whose exports are nearly seven times higher. With a 4.5 per cent share in world garment exports, Bangladesh has overtaken India, which has a 3.5 per cent share. Garment sales comprise 80 per cent of Bangladesh’s exports, catalysed by export-processing zones that enjoy subsidized power.
In addition to lower labor costs, Bangladesh’s clothing exports don’t face taxes in at least 37 countries, including EU nations, Canada and Australia.
Japan is the third largest garment importer in the world after the US and Germany. But imports from China are gradually declining. Chinese garments which constituted 84 per cent of Japan’s imports at one time reduced to 75.6 per cent in 2013, while the share from ASEAN countries surged by 8.4 per cent. Japanese garment buyers have invited Pakistani producers to tap their market as they intend reducing garment imports from China.
Japan is an industrialized country deficient in natural resources and raw materials hence it relies heavily on value added exports to pay for these imports. On the other hand, Pakistan stands in the category of developing countries deficient in technology and endowed with natural resources of fertile agricultural land and raw materials. The natural resource endowments and economic backgrounds of these countries make a strong match for engaging in trade and investment.
During the early days of Japan-Pakistan foreign trade relations, Pakistan exported raw cotton to Japan and Japan processed the cotton into yarn and cloth and then exported them back to Pakistan. This pattern shifted later on as Japan began to export spinning machinery to Pakistan, and currently textile yarn and fabric is the largest component of Pakistani exports to Japan.
