FW
The Chhattisgarh government has decided to increase production of Kosa silk in order to provide livelihood for people residing in rural areas of the state. The chief secretary Vivek Dhand has sent out letters to all district collectors to support the measure, so that a committee can be formed in every district to implement the proposed plan.
The state government is in the process of chalking out an elaborate five-year plan for promotion of Kosa silk production in Chattisgarh and all district collectors have been asked to submit a report on production prospects of Kosa and silk in their respective regions. There would be a lot of focus on planting Kauha (Arjun) and Saja saplings during the monsoon season to promote the Kosa silk production drive. The government expects the plantation to benefit since training would be provided in weaving threads at the Kosa production site.
State Horticulture Department will host technical and training programs for the people involved in the Kosa and silk trade. The government has also directed to develop women self-help groups (SHGs) under National Rural Livelihood Mission to help them with the Kosa and ailk production. Chhattisgarh now one ‘Raw Material Bank’ for Tussar silk established in Raigarh district, according to the 2013-14 annual report of the Union Ministry of Textiles. The primary objective of the ‘Raw Material Bank’ is to ensure economic and fair price for the primary Tussar Silk growers.
Cgstate.gov.in
The 'hank yarn obligation', an age old stipulation obligating the textile mills to produce a minimum of 40 per cent of the yarn as hank yarn, is a deterrent to growth and threat to their economic viability. According to the textile entrepreneurs from Tirupur, though there are certain exceptions provided on the clause when it comes to production of blended and hosiery yarn, this old rule holds no significance in the present textile scenario existing in a liberalised economical condition. They wanted the obligation rule either be scrapped or reduce the obligation limit to 10 per cent.
D Prabhu, secretary of Texpreneuers Forum, points out that with the introduction of schemes like Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme, many handloom weavers have moved either to power looms or auto looms. Hence, the demand for hank yarn has come down. The textile units were forced to produce 40 per cent of the yarn as hank yarn without having adequate demand in the market.
Prabhu further says that the forum has pointed out in its representation to the Union Textiles Ministry that due to the hank yarn obligation rule, about 3.21 crore kilograms of hank yarn is produced in the state in a month against the actual requirement of 16.22 lakh kg. Scenario across the country is also almost the same. Textile mill owners are of the opinion that the report of an external agency appointed by the government to study the repercussions of hank yarn obligation on textile sector should be released soon.
Concerned with reports of federal government's decision to increase gas tariff from next month, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has urged the government to review this decision in the best interest of the domestic industry.
Chairman, APTMA Sindh and Balochistan Region, Tariq Saud, has said the proposed increase in gas tariff from April 1, 2015 by 64 per cent per MMBTU is punitive and unjustified. The huge raise in tariff would cripple the entire textile value chain, which is using gas for power generation and processing, he said adding that the decision would erode viability of the export-oriented industry, as it was already hit hard by the over-valued currency phenomenon.
An increase by Rs 262/MMBTU would push up gas prices to Rs 750/MMBTU. It would push up the proportion of energy in the cost of production by another 20 per cent, resultantly the country’s textile products would become uncompetitive in the international market, Saud added. He also demanded the government to remove inefficiencies in the system to ensure adequate and non-discriminatory supply throughout the country.
The tariff increase would divert an extra Rs 67 billion for the gas utilities, which could lead to thwarting of any effort to improve efficiencies in the system. The government needs to come up with a workable solution and bring the energy cost at par with competitors in the region, as sizeable quantities of basic textile from regional competitors had already started making inroads into domestic market, threatening the very existence of the local industry, he said.
The growing complexity of the fashion industry is forcing companies to transform from traditional to more modern business models. This led Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using soft materials, fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials, to plan the ‘Lectra Fashion PLM V4’.
As Daniel Harari, Lectra CEO points out, fashion companies need to adapt their ways of working to be agile enough to offer compelling products to please consumers and reach the market quickly. Lectra provides companies with business expertise, technologies and change methods to meet the challenges of today’s modern fashion market and remain competitive. Lectra Fashion PLM is the embodiment of these pillars.
Lectra Fashion PLM was developed to improve teamwork from design to production and to help fashion companies build better products faster while boosting overall business performance. Lectra Fashion PLM focuses on collection planning and calendar management, Lectra R&D teams partnered with South Korea’s leading fashion company Samsung-Cheil Industries and DBApparel, the French market leader for branded intimate apparel.
Lectra develops the most advanced specialised software and cutting systems and provides associated services to a broad array of markets including fashion (apparel, accessories, footwear), automotive (car seats and interiors, airbags), furniture, as well as a wide variety of other market sectors, such as aeronautical and marine industries, wind power and personal protective equipment. Lectra serves 23,000 customers in more than 100 countries with 1,500 employees and $281 million in 2014 revenues. The company is listed on Euronext.
The International Apparel Federation (IAF) is all set to host the 31st edition of World Fashion Convention in Istanbul. With organizing partner TGSD and support from IHKIB, this year’s World Fashion Convention will be held concurrently with the 8th Istanbul Fashion Conference on October 14 and 15, 2015.
IAF President Rahul Mehta recently visited Istanbul to meet Hikmet Tanriverdi, President of the Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters Association (IHKIB) and Şeref Fayat, President of the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers' Association (TGSD). Elaborating on the reasons behind finalizing Istanbul as destination for World Fashion Convention, Mehta said, “IAF is creating bridges between continents. We aim to provide maximum value to our members in international cooperation. Manufacturers, retailers, brands, solution providers and associations are working together to improve our industry together. That is why we are hosting this year’s convention in Istanbul, close to the bridge that is literally connecting the continents.”
He further added, “IAF, representing more than 20 million employees in over 50 countries, is happy to use this opportunity to support Turkey’s $30 billion export target in 2023. The theme this year is ‘Making it better’. The industry faces multiple challenges which combined create downward pressure on clothing’s value perception of consumers. The IAF World Fashion Convention will look into the future and highlight the current positive developments that are rejuvenating and strengthening our industry. We will look at investments in local skills, investments in CSR and sustainability, in products, in supply chain management and in marketing.”
With the 31st edition of the IAF World Fashion Convention coming to Istanbul, Turkey will be in the center stage of international apparel industry. IHKIB President Hikmet Tanriverdi said, “We hope to make significant contributions to the world apparel industry.” Iafnet.eu
Marks & Spencer, is working hard to push home its most ambitious project of overturning more than a century of retail history by taking full control of its supply chain. M&S has been undergoing many changes to adjust to changing demands of its, mainly middle aged customers. After hiring new designers, overhauling its online offering and giving a facelift to stores.
M&S has always relied on third party suppliers to create, manufacture and ship most of its garments. Taking control of the supply chain means a radical departure to create more flexibility in its quest to source faster. Long-term relationships with those mostly British-based firms, based on big orders and long lead times, helped M&S keep prices down and build a reputation for quality. But as its most loyal customers – women aged 50-plus – have become more fashion-conscious, middlemen have hampered M&S’s ability to quickly refresh supplies of fast-selling items before shopper interest tails off.
Shoppers often found the clothes were sold out in their size or were not appropriate for the weather even as new M&S women’s wear collections won praise from the fashion press. In contrast, nimble retailers like Zara-owner Inditex , H&M and Next, which have more direct control over factories, replenish their stores faster and offer a more frequent turnover of styles.
After a mild winter and delivery problems at the new online distribution centre hit Christmas trading, leading to a 14th consecutive quarterly sales decline in the clothing side of the business, pressure mounted on M&S Chief Executive Marc Bolland. But investors seem prepared to give him more time after his revamp of the supply chain started to bear fruit.
While taking tighter control of the company’s supply chain started several years ago, the final push is being given by Hong Kong-based brothers Neal and Mark Lindsey, whom Bolland appointed as joint sourcing directors last year. The pair previously worked at Next, where they pioneered ‘virtual manufacturing’, a process that enables designers to produce patterns and layout plans for cutting fabric so they can give precise instructions to distant factories.
Adopting the Next model is a big shift for M&S, which until recently ordered most of its stock through so-called full service vendors. M&S has already taken control in the last few years of most logistics for the 40,000-odd shipping containers it fills a year, leaving detailed product design and factory liaison as the last jobs to come in-house.
In Vietnam, textile and garment projects would only be licensed if they are located in industrial zones and investors pledge to satisfy the norms waste water treatment, said an official of the Dong Nai provincial Planning and Investment Department in Vietnam. The country has become choosy about licensing foreign- projects. There is a growing tendency for rich provinces to say ‘no’ to projects in labor-intensive and low-value added industries like textiles and garments. While textile and garment projects are welcomed in Nam Dinh, they are being turned away in other provinces. Ba Ria–Vung Tau, Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces in the south and Hai Duong province in the north have been restricting projects in the field.
Nam Dinh provincial authorities reported that the locality has licensed 32 textile and garment projects with foreign funding. Of the four Chinese-invested projects licensed recently, two are in textile and dyeing segment, registered by Thien Nam Sunrise and Yulun Vietnam. The other Chinese enterprises, Luenthai and Sanshui Jialida, teaming up with Vietnamese Vinatex, are moving ahead with a $400 million project on developing Rang Dong, an industrial park reserved for textile and garment companies.
Other provinces too are considering adding textile and garment to the list of conditional business fields. Hai Duong is the latest province to be ‘reconsidering’ textile and garment projects. The provincial authorities have decided to temporarily stop trying to attract FDI to six business fields, including textiles and garments.
The 33rd edition of Bangkok International Fashion Fair and Bangkok International Leather Fair 2015 (BIFF&BIL 2015) took off on March 11. The grand opening ceremony was held at Fashion Show Stage, in Muang Thong Thani. The theme in this edition is: 'Catching the Creative Spirit'. The fair has on display, the best products, materials, design elements across segments found in Southeast Asia.
Apiradi Tantraporn, Deputy Minister of Commerce inaugurated the fair with a welcome speech. The opening event was followed by a performances and fashion show by exhibitors. The official launch of METI or projects of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, who participated in BIFF&BIL 2015 also took place with a pres briefing.
METI is a collaborative project with the Government of Japan, to support business owners with exhibition and distribution channels through international websites. Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, Director General of Department of International Trade Promotion co-hosted the press conference with Chairperson of METI. The briefing ended with a fashion show of products of the participants of METI project.
Speaking on the occasion Sakuntanaga,said, "Since the organisation of the first BIFF&BIL, the Department of International Trade Promotion or DITP has continuously sought new methods and strategies to support and promote business operators in order to enhance the business capacity both on national and international level. DITP has always been the mediator between stakeholders in the industry such as busiess owners, production, designers and consumers. Therefore, BIFF&BIL has proudly evolved into a hub or the center of fashion and leather goods."
To ensure that BIFF & BIL 2015 continues to be effective and marches towards the next level, the department hired consultants from abroad to study and recommend approaches to improve the event. As a result, the department came up with a fresh identity under the concept ‘Catching the Creative Spirit’. It focuses on bringing innovative idea selection in fashion and leather goods from Thailand and overseas operators. The department will also adjust the format of the event to keep up with changing patterns of business. The exhibition will be divided by new products and by fashion style, so that the buyers can easily access the products and make decisions quickly.
The event also features an exhibition to showcase Thailand and other countries readiness in entering the AEC, providing raw materials, technical development, production, design and new approaches of presentation. The department plans to invite more participants from abroad, especially countries in ASEAN to add more diversity and make the event interesting.
Zones in the forefront
The new zoning concept at BIFF&BIL 33 stages four zones, based on the style of fashion. The ‘Salon’ is for formal fashion and leather products. The ‘Street’ is set for casual fashion and leather items. The ‘Heritage’ shows unique fashion and leather styles of each country, such as silk, textiles and handicrafts. The ‘Source’ represents raw materials, textile fibers, textile products, machinery and chemicals for the manufacturing of all kinds of fashion products. A great number of exciting activities are also planned, including ‘Trend Forum’ to present the global fashion trends; ‘Eco Fashion’ to exhibit fashion created keeping in mind environmental concerns and ‘One-Stop Supply-Chain Integration’ for business match-making. The new zone will allow buyers to bring a desired sketchpad to show and the prototype will be made on order and they can receive it during the event. In addition, conferences and seminars are prepared to provide knowledge on fashion and leather by professionals and by world-class fashion influencers.
DITP’s efforts to attract buyers and visitors, has seen a significant increase in exhibitors. This year, a total of 527 exhibitors are participating with 831 booths, a 17.5 per cent increase from last year. International exhibitors from more than 10 countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Vietnam, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Bangladesh, Israel, Italy, Spain, Germany and Sweden are at the event. Thailand is globally accepted as the center of fashion and leather industry that offers complete business cycle solution. In 2014, Thailand’s export value of the product in this sector is worth $7.4 billion (239 Billion THB).
Archroma, the global speciality chemicals business, says halogen-free flame retardant powder coating additive, Pekoflam HFC, has been certified by the Oeko-Text Association to Oeko-Tex Standard 100. The company also claims that Pekoflam HFC is an organic phosphorous/nitrogen compound that provides excellent performance on synthetic materials, including polyamide fibres and blends with possible applications including military and protective wear, transportation interiors, and high-quality upholstery.
The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is an independent test and certification system for textile raw, intermediate and end products at all stages of processing. Examples of articles that can be certified include yarns, fabrics, treated fabrics, and manufactured articles including clothing of all kinds, domestic and household textiles, bedding, towels and soft toys.
The chemistry in Pekoflam demonstrates higher efficiency compared to commonly used nitrogen and phosphorous based chemicals, with the product also applicable in water-based systems as well as in the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 compliant ‘green’ solvent based coating systems, Archroma suggests.
According to Archroma’s global segment manager flame retardants, textile specialties business, Michael Schuhmann, the primary advantage of Pekoflam HFC is its ability to combine the effects and properties of selected halogenated and non-halogenated technologies in a fire protection solution for various coating polymers. Pekoflam HFC thus offers a sustainable long-term alternative for synthetic textile applications, meeting the criteria of the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and responding to the general trend towards more environmentally-compatible materials and end-products that pose significantly lower risks to health, he claims.
Vicunha, the only manufacturer to offer 100 per cent grounded in BCI cotton products, exhibited for the third consecutive time at the ‘Denimsandjeans’ fair held at Dhaka in Bangladesh recently. The brand is likely to open a showroom in Dhaka soon with export 30 to 35 percent of its production to more than 80 countries. Currently, the company has factories in Brazil, Ecuador and Argentina and other business offices in Colombia, Asia and Europe is responsible for getting their products to the world.
Vicunha was the only non-Asian company to exhibit and was one of the highlights of the event. It presented articles that offer flexibility, recovery functionality and aesthetics. More than 1,300 visitors from 400 companies around the world visited the fair. Vicunha saw visitors from brands like G-Star, Zara, Gap and American Eagle.
Among the novelties present was the launch of Perfect Fit, super line ‘smart’, which offers perfect recovery, and ‘Emana Slim’, which brings to serge the bioactive crystals technology, stimulating blood microcirculation and cellular metabolism.
Thomas Dislich, Director, Vicunha (Europe and Asia), also participated in a roundtable on sustainability along with Italian denim, Adriano Goldschmied and Piero Turk, strengthening the ecological positioning of the company.
