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The 16th edition of HGH India is being held from December 4-6, 2024 in Bengaluru. The exhibition is hosting more than 700 brands and manufacturers from 32 countries.
Featuring home textiles, décor, furniture, house wares and gifts, the bi-annual show is being held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre. A few of the highlights of this event includes a conference on the evolving India sleep market held on December 4, 2024, a panel discussion on house wares trends, a sustainability pavilion and the Indian Heritage Pavilion, which highlights National Award-winning artisans showcasing traditional Indian art forms passed down through the generations.
This is the expo’s debut edition in South India which contributes 20 per cent to India’s population and 35 per cent to its GDP. The region is fast emerging as an important production and services hub. The per capita income in this region is about 50 per cent higher than the five North Indian states, which gives it a higher purchasing power, states Arun Roongta, Managing Director, HGH India.
As Western countries actively seek to ‘de-risk’ their supply chains from China, India emerges as a prime contender to capture a significant chunk of this re-routed trade. But can India truly capitalize on this opportunity, or will it be caught in a tangle of its own making?
The ‘China Plus One’ strategy, adopted by many companies to diversify their sourcing, is gaining momentum. This strategy aims to reduce dependence on China by adding another manufacturing hub to the mix. And India, with its vast labor pool, cotton production prowess, and growing manufacturing capabilities, is a natural choice.
Where India can stitch success
As one of the largest producers of cotton globally, India has a significant advantage in raw material sourcing. A large and relatively inexpensive workforce makes India attractive for labor-intensive textile manufacturing. Add to this, government initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for textiles that are aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and attracting foreign investment. For example, Arvind Limited has invested heavily in modernizing its facilities and expanding its product range to cater to international brands. Similarly, Welspun India,, the leading home textile manufacturer, has successfully captured a significant share of the global market through innovation and quality.
Table: Comparative investments in textile industry ($ billion)
|
Country |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 (Estimated) |
|
China |
250 |
270 |
285 |
|
India |
40 |
45 |
50 |
|
Vietnam |
30 |
33 |
36 |
|
Bangladesh |
25 |
28 |
30 |
Sources: Source: Statista, Invest India, various industry reports
In fact numerous opportunities are waiting to be unravelled for India. In garment manufacturing, India can become a major hub, especially for Western brands looking to diversify their sourcing. With growing demand for specialized fabrics in sectors like healthcare and automotive, India can carve a niche in technical textiles. What’s more, India's rich textile heritage and design talent can be leveraged to create unique, high-value fashion products.
Growth challenges
However, the path to success is not easy as infrastructure bottlenecks are a major dampener. Inadequate infrastructure, including unreliable power supply and logistical challenges, can hinder production and increase costs. Lack of skilled labor in areas like design, technical textiles, and modern manufacturing techniques too needs to be addressed. Also complex regulations and bureaucratic hurdles too can deter investment and slow down business operations.
Therefore, while India has the potential to become a textile and apparel powerhouse, it needs to address its challenges proactively. By improving infrastructure, upskilling its workforce, and streamlining regulations, India can truly seize this opportunity and weave its way to dominance in the global textile industry.
India’s cotton market continues to grapple with significant supply-side challenges despite a 0.04 per cent rise in cotton candy prices in South India. This rise in cotton candy prices in South India is being driven by a rise in apparel orders and exports.
India’s cotton production is also expected to decline by 7.4 per cent to 30.2 million bales in 2024-25 due to reduced planting areas and crop damage caused by heavy rainfall. USDA has alson revised its production estimate for India to 30.72 million bales. This decline in production estimates is anticipated to impact exports while boosting imports, which are projected to rise to 2.5 million bales during the year.
India’s production challenges are expected to cause global cotton prices to rise even as supported by higher yields in China, Brazil, and Argentina, worldwide output is predicted to increase by 200,000 bales. Nonetheless, the market is facing some downward pressure from Hurricane Helene’s disruption of U.S. production and a global dip in import demand.
In India, with a 9 per cent Y-o-Y shrinkage in cotton acreage, particularly in Gujarat, farmers are shifting to more profitable crops like groundnuts. However, despite this shortage in supply, domestic cotton demand in India is projected to remain steady at 31.3 million bales in 2024–2025.
The rising prices and tighter supply chain have sparked mixed reactions in the market. Apparel manufacturers are voicing concerns about potential cost escalations, while exporters are keeping a close eye on global price trends.
Stakeholders are urging the government to introduce new policies to support farmers in addressing crop damage and exploring more sustainable planting practices to stabilise cotton production.
Indian fashion brands Doodlage, Lovebirds, Ka-Sha, Paiwand Studio, Sonam Khetan, and Urvashi Kaur have partnered with Canopy, an environmental non-profit focused on protecting Ancient and Endangered Forests and promoting Next Gen Solutions in the fashion industry. Joining sustainability leaders like Flipkart and Anita Dongre, these brands are part of a global network of over 950 companies committed to advancing circular supply chains and forest conservation.
The announcement follows Canopy’s ‘Fashion for Forests’ event in New Delhi, where Indian designers and innovators discussed reducing the fashion industry’s environmental impact and scaling sustainable materials derived from recycled textiles and agricultural residues. With India generating over 500 million tonnes of agricultural waste annually, transforming this into textiles and packaging could position the country as a global leader in low-carbon, circular materials.
Nicole Rycroft, Founder of Canopy, emphasized that India’s fashion industry is well-positioned to lead in sustainable textiles while safeguarding biodiversity. She highlighted the role of partnerships with innovative brands in driving this transition and bringing the vision of eco-friendly fashion to fruition.
Gursi Singh and Amrita Khanna, founders of Lovebirds, stressed their dedication to purpose-driven creation, noting that partnering with Canopy supports their commitment to sustainability across all aspects of their brand. Similarly, Karishma Shahani Khan, founder of Ka-Sha, acknowledged Canopy's role in strengthening their circular practices and enabling the exploration of innovative, sustainable materials.
With these partnerships, the Canopy Style initiative now includes 560 brands globally, collectively representing over $1.06 trillion in annual revenues. The collaboration underscores how fashion can drive positive environmental change through creativity, innovation, and sustainable practices.
A pioneering report by Circle Economy, supported by funding from the H&M Foundation, offers an unprecedented look at circularity in the clothing and textile industry. Titled, Circularity Gap Report Textiles, the study calls for urgent action to reduce the sector's environmental footprint by adopting circular economy principles such as reuse, recycling, and slow fashion.
The report uncovers startling statistics: of the 3.25 billion tons of textile materials used annually, only 0.3 per cent are obtained from recycled sources. Furthermore, 70 per cent of these materials are fossil-fuel-based synthetic fibers. The report advocates a focus on renewable and recycled fibers, improving garment durability, localising supply chains, and scaling back production and consumption to propel the industry towards a sustainable and circular future.
The report offers actionable insights for the textile industry, says Christiane Dolva, Head - Innovation, Research & Demonstration, H&M Foundation. Its findings aim to inspire industry-wide transformation for the benefit of people and the planet, she adds.
To achieve a circular textile industry, the report makes four key recommendations including reducing overproduction, expanding environmental priorities, ensuring a just transition to circularity and fostering collaborative action.
Quantifying circularity in textiles for the first time, the report emphasises on the urgent need to transform the entire value chain, notes Hilde van Duijn, Managing Director, Circle Economy Foundation. The industry needs concrete, scalable actions to contribute meaningfully to a sustainable future, he adds.
The Circularity Gap Report Textiles aligns with the H&M Foundation’s ongoing initiatives, such as the Global Change Award, which supports innovations benefiting both people and the planet, and Saamuhika Shakti, a program advancing inclusive circularity by empowering waste pickers. Moving forward, the Foundation plans to use the report’s findings to inform its efforts to decarbonise the textile industry equitably, identifying areas where its philanthropic support can have the greatest impact.
By highlighting circular economy principles and actionable strategies, the report sets a roadmap for reshaping the textile industry into a more sustainable and socially responsible sector.
A part of FGF Industry, Italian sportswear brand, Blauer has launched its latest F/W 2025/2026 collection offering a complete look for men, women and kids.
In this collection, the brand focuses on creating outer and down jackets that constitutes 65 per cent of its revenues. Catering to the needs of the modern customer, this new jacket range focuses on style factors like innovation, performance and design.
Blauer also reinvents its classic Police Jackets by using more sophisticated materials like the pinstriped version of the polyester wool fabric, says Enzo Fusco, Owner and President, FGF Industry.
Constantly reinventing the brand’s origins, Blauer also offers B Department, a new stylish range of military-apparel items comprising bomber jackets, field jackets, and reinvented parkas. Made with materials like flat nylon, crease nylon and lightweight polyester, these clothing items guarantee resistance, durability and reduced environmental impact.
The B Essential range in the collection includes down jackets, reversible and easy-to-pack zipped wind jackets. Meanwhile, the B Project range comprises an exclusive new urban-minded minimalistic product for demanding male consumers. Focusing on futuristic designs, this range uses hi-tec 3-layer materials that are breathable, waterproof and made from windproof fabrics.
In 2024, Blauer also aims to maintain its last year’s sales of €78 million from apparel and €12 million from licensed footwear, produced and sold by the company. The company aims to achieve sales worth €90 million from each of these categories this year, he explains.
Currently, Blauer sells through 1,500 stores in Italy and abroad. Of its 18 monobrand stores in Italy, eight are direct store, another eight are franchise stores and two stores in the Czech Republic are run by the local distributor. The brand plans to open two more monobrand stores by June 2025 in Palermo and Bari in order to cover the whole country.
Around 35 per cent of the brand’s sales are generated from exports. The company exports around 15 per cent of its products to Germany, followed by Spain. In Spain, the company plans to expand its Montegalda facility to 9,000 sq m by opening an additional 4,500 sq m facility adjacent to the existing 3,500 sq m.
To cope with the current market situation, the company has kept its prices unchanged for the last few years, Popular amongst teenagers, its basic down jackets with seams is are sold for €290 per piece.
With its decisions being guided by the philosophy of ‘Passion for Denim, Passion for Life,’ and actions being driven by an urge for sustainability, denim brand Calik Denim has established a few long-term goals to address critical areas across its business.
Driven by its aim to achieve a more comprehensive and futuristic target, Calik Denim has set new goals in four categories including Planet, Supply Chain, Business Model and Employee Experience. The company has also established dedicated working groups across these four key areas.
The Planet working group deals with the issue of climate change by optimising energy management, accelerating energy management, advancing waste management and promoting sustainable water management.
Focusing on responsible material sourcing, the Supply Chain working group ensures traceability for transparency. To foster an inclusive work environment, Calik Denim advocates a positive Employee Experience by focusing on talent management, inclusivity, diversity and employee engagement.
The Business Model working group of the company emphasises on innovation and circular designs. It promotes collaborations with the company’s partners to expand its sustainability initiatives.
Focusing on these areas, Calik Denim ensures a meaningful progress for the company and a positive contribution to the environment and the society in the long term.
Coats Digital proudly announces that SQ Celsius Ltd, a leading knitwear specialist and subsidiary of SQ Group, has achieved remarkable operational improvements following the implementation of its FastReactPlan solution in 2019. The digital transformation has resulted in a 6 per cent increase in production efficiency, an 8 per cent boost in on-time delivery performance (OTDP), and a 7 per cent reduction in unnecessary overtime hours. These gains have contributed to a 5 per cent business growth and significant annual profits.
Headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, SQ Celsius operates two LEED Platinum-certified factories in Gazipur and Mymensingh, employing 18,000 people and producing over 2.4 million pieces monthly. Its clientele includes global brands such as M&S, H&M, Inditex, Ralph Lauren, PVH, and GAP.
Before adopting FastReactPlan, SQ Celsius faced challenges due to fragmented data management. Reliance on Excel spreadsheets for capacity planning and production scheduling led to data silos, bottlenecks, and delayed deliveries. The inability to forecast demand accurately or optimize inventory disrupted cash flow and inflated costs.
Trevin Banks-Clifford-Wijesinghe, Head of Planning at SQ Celsius, highlighted the challenges the company faced due to a lack of visibility and disjointed data. These issues led to operational inefficiencies that impacted customer commitments and profitability. The implementation of FastReactPlan significantly improved the company’s planning processes by providing real-time data visibility and enhancing overall agility.
With a centralized planning system, SQ Celsius now benefits from streamlined scheduling, accurate Cost-to-Make (CM) quotes, and the flexibility to accommodate diverse orders and style changes. This has reduced excess material purchases and improved cash flow.
CEO Shane Baldsing emphasized the transformative impact of FastReactPlan on the company's operations. He noted that the solution has helped balance inventory, reduce costs, and improve cash flow. Additionally, its real-time insights have enhanced customer relationships and positioned SQ Celsius for long-term growth and success.
Golam Mahbub Sikder, Customer Success Manager at Coats Digital, commended SQ Celsius’s achievements, attributing their success to the impact of digitization in enhancing efficiency and driving business growth. He expressed enthusiasm about continuing the partnership and supporting SQ Celsius in achieving future milestones.
FastReactPlan, part of Coats Digital’s Manufacturing Solution Suite, offers dynamic, visual production planning for the apparel industry, enhancing delivery, efficiency, and lead times.
The International Istanbul Yarn Fair, organized by Tuyap Fair & Exhibition Group, will return from February 26-28, 2025, at the Tuyap Fair Convention and Congress Center. Recognized as a vital platform for the yarn and textile industry, the event will host over 500 exhibitors and attract more than 20,000 visitors from around the world.
Following the success of its 2024 edition, which featured 490 exhibitors and welcomed 15,267 visitors from 87 countries, including Germany, Italy, China, and Russia, the 2025 fair aims to surpass these figures. The previous event facilitated numerous high-value trade agreements, solidifying its reputation as a key driver of industry growth.
The 2025 fair will cover 50,000 square meters across eight halls, emphasizing sustainability and innovation. Leading companies such as Sanko Holding, SASA Polyester, and AKSA Akrilik have confirmed their participation, promising a diverse showcase of cutting-edge yarn products and trends.
Professional buyers and decision-makers will have the chance to explore innovative yarn varieties and engage in networking opportunities. This global gathering is not only a marketplace but also a space for knowledge exchange and trend forecasting, making it an essential event for industry stakeholders.
With an expanded exhibitor lineup and increased visitor targets, the International Istanbul Yarn Fair is poised to set new records and further cement its status as a premier event in the global yarn and textile industry.
The recently concluded November 2024 edition of Miami Fashion Week® (MIAFW) highlighted Miami’s role as a global fashion hub while setting the stage for an exciting 2025 season. The event concluded with showcases from celebrated designers such as Philipp Plein, Lafayette 148 NY, Giannina Azar, Yas González, Shantall Lacayo, Claro Couture, Sigal, and Yenny Bastida.Curated by Sergio Salerni, Brand Partner and Director, Milan Fashion Week, the showcase reaffirmed MIAFW's prominence in the industry.
The fashion week commenced with a press conference at the Gary Nader Art Centre, where Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Oliver G. Gilbert III, Chairman and fashion leaders like Elliot Carlyle welcomed MIAFW back to Miami. The festivities launched with Philipp Plein’s signature urban style at the prestigious ‘Designers' Dinner’ held at Queen Miami Beach, attended by notable trendsetters such as Osmariel Villalobos, Hofit Golan, Rodner Figueroa, and Carlos Adyan.
Throughout the week, Miami hosted a variety of standout events. Lafayette 148 NY presented an elegant outdoor runway show atop Mr C Miami Coconut Grove, while Giannina Azar dazzled audiences with radiant eveningwear at the Gary Nader Art Centre, modeled by Miss Universe finalists Marianela Ancheta (Cuba 2024), Celinee Santos Frias (Dominican Republic 2024), and Ileana Márquez Pedroza (Venezuela 2023).
The ‘Influencers Brunch’ at Sofia Design District featured Shantall Lacayo's newest collection, while Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada captivated audiences with an intimate book presentation at the Gary Nader Art Centre, offering insights into her illustrious career. Exclusive in-store events hosted by Sigal and Lafayette 148 enhanced the experience, drawing fashion enthusiasts from across the globe.
Highlighting extraordinary talent, the November edition of Miami Fashion Week showcased Miami’s global fashion influence, says Lourdes Fernandez-Velasco, Executive Director, MIAFW. Supported by the Miami Fashion Institute, the Miami Fashion Week Summit offered thought-provoking insights into the future of fashion, the event brought together industry leaders such as Rodner Figueroa, Andrea Minski, Vanessa Sanchez, Taryn Hipwell, etc, to discuss sustainable fashion and the impact of influencers.
MIAFW also emphasised its economic and cultural contributions. The event generates jobs, tourism, educational opportunities, and global branding for the city, says Fabian Basabe, State Representative, Florida House of Representatives.
