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Textile Exchange and the Organic Trade Association have entered a joint effort to strengthen the North American organic textile industry. The two groups will work together on legislative advocacy, public outreach and consumer education initiatives.
A major goal of the partnership is to boost outreach to North American consumers on the benefits of organic fiber and textiles, particularly the environmental and social benefits of growing and processing them. US organic fiber sales were the fastest growing non-food sector, reaching $1.1 billion in 2014, up 18 per cent from the previous year. The leading organic fiber is cotton. In 2014, US growers planted organic cotton on 18,234 acres, the largest number of US acres devoted to organic cotton since 1995.
Global sales of organic cotton products reached an estimated $15.7 billion in 2014, up 10 per cent from 2013. Founded in 2002, Textile Exchange is a global non-profit that works with all sectors of the textile supply chain to find the best ways to minimise and reverse the negative impacts on water, soil, air and the human population created by this $1.7 trillion industry. Organic Trade Association is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America.
textileexchange.org/ https://www.ota.com/
Bangladesh’s exports rose 10.4 per cent in January from a year earlier to $3.18 billion, driven by stronger sales of garments. Exports for July to January period, in 2015-16 financial year rose 8.3 per cent from a year earlier to $19.27 billion. Garment sales, comprising knitwear and woven items, totaled $15.76 billion in July to January, up nine per cent from a year earlier.
Garments are a key foreign exchange earner for the South Asian nation, whose low wages and trade deals with western markets have helped make it the world’s second largest apparel exporter after China. The top export destinations of Bangladesh are the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Spain. The top exports of Bangladesh are non-knit men’s suits, knit T-shirts, knit sweaters, non-knit women’s suits and non-knit men’s shirts.
Exports account for about 6.2 per cent of total Bangladeshi economic output. The country’s top ten exports accounted for 96 per cent of the overall value of its global shipments. Clothing shipments alone represent 84.7 per cent of Bangladeshi exports. Bangladesh’s flagship clothing exports appreciated by 95.2 per cent for non-knit or crochet articles and by 84.3 per cent for knit or crochet clothing.
SRF will set up a plant at Indore. The proposed facility is set to have a capacity of 30,000 TPA and a metallisation capacity of 8,000 TPA. More than 60 per cent of the proposed project output of flexible packaging will be used in the food packaging and beverages industries. The project will thus support the expansion of the processed foods industry and enhance food security by reducing food spoilage. SRF is a leading producer of biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate film. The proposed investment will be backed by the International Finance Corporation.
The project aims to create 100 direct jobs and a similar number of indirect jobs in ancillary units and supply chain. In 2012, the IFC financed SRF's greenfield projects in Thailand and South Africa. The current proposed investment complements these earlier investments.
SRF has interests in technical textiles, chemicals and polymer and packaging films. The company has existing operations in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. It has plants in three countries and exports to 75 countries. It is a multi business manufacturing entity—fluorochemicals, specialty chemicals, and engineering plastics. Among its products are laminated fabrics, industrial yarns, refrigerants, engineering plastics, tyre cords, packaging films.
www.srf.com/
"With 21 countries displaying their products to visitors of Texworld Paris, the event will showcase some other interesting specialities among exhibitors - fibres from Lenzing (Austria), Indonesian and Italian silky aspects, Thai lace and embroidery, English prints and, of course, American cotton, represented by the organisation Cotton USA."
This is the season for textile exhibitions and shows in Paris. Moreover, France is investing more and more in reconciling the textile industry with new technologies and fashion. Incidentally, three major shows Apparelsourcing Paris, Avantex Paris and Texworld Paris are happening simultaneously this year.
Apparelsourcing Paris aimed at RMG, accessories
Apparelsourcing Paris will welcome manufacturers of ready-to-wear fashion and accessories to Le Bourget, Paris, from February 15 to 18 to establish the No. 1 European trade fair for garment sourcing. Apparelsourcing Paris will share its space with ‘Shawls and Scarves’, the accessories show case, whose offer will fulfill the expectations of buyers, and collection and production managers in an ideal way.
Following the successful event in February 2015 which attracted almost 50 additional exhibitors, the latest edition has seen an enormous 30 per cent increase in registering totaling 230 exhibitors, a previously unheard-of level. The high point of this fair will be the presence of five Moroccan businesses introduced by Maroc Export, the public body charged with promotion of the export of Moroccan products and services in association with AMITH, (the Moroccan Association of Textile and Clothing Industries). This is an offer which favours the poorly-represented short cycle at the fair but which is able to meet much more fundamental needs. Moreover, Apparelsourcing Paris will host the first annual symposium of Dialog Textil Bekleidung to be held outside Germany.
Apparelsourcing Paris is offering customers a platform of garment production solutions covering all the items in any man’s, woman’s or child’s wardrobe.
Avantex Paris: A new acclaimed event
The second Avantex Paris trade fair will be held from February 15, to 18 2016 at Le Bourget, Paris, dedicated to high-tech fashion fabrics and R&D in the industry. The fair, will build on the great interest shown by visitors in the first event, in September 2015. Messe Frankfurt France wants to renew and reinforce this powerful dynamic, mixing fashion and high-tech fabrics.
According to Michael Scherpe, CEO of Messe Frankfurt France , the purpose of the Avantex concept is to bring high-tech textile businesses, designers and fashion product managers together around innovative textiles, to create intelligent collections and conquer new markets with Intelligent, connected fabrics, materials combining nanotechnology and cosmetics, and astounding finishes and coatings - in short, the best of high-tech R&D.
The textile and garment offer by exhibitors at Avantex Paris combines numerous innovative functions: all-season, moisture transfer, quick-drying, UV protection, impermeable, breathable, waterproof, windproof, antistatic, insulating, anti-bacterial and with a cool feeling (like cosmetic fibres).
Texworld Paris: A unique palette full of discoveries The 38th Texworld Paris trade fair, too will be held at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre from February 15, 16, 17 and 18 2016. The fair will continue to make its mark as the definitive international fashion trade fair for fabrics, sundries and accessories, and as a bridgehead for the French and western market for a high number of large and medium-sized export-oriented manufacturers. The February trade fair, dedicated to the Spring/Summer seasons, follows the logic of fashion with a slightly narrower offer than the September event, which is dedicated to autumn and winter. The February 2016 is showing that exhibitors’ interest in the unique European platform which Texworld Paris provides is growing, as more than 630 exhibitors will take up space exceeding an entire hall for the first time.
With 21 countries displaying their products to visitors of Texworld Paris, the event will showcase some other interesting specialities among exhibitors - fibres from Lenzing (Austria), Indonesian and Italian silky aspects, Thai lace and embroidery, English prints and, of course, American cotton, represented by the organisation Cotton USA.
On the fringes of the range of textile solutions, Texworld Paris is arranging practical improvements and fringe promotions which will supply essential information, food for thought and dreams to help to make a better choice. A clearer distinction between sectors will group exhibitors by their manufacturing specialism.
Sri Lanka’s apparel sector associates are to be supported by the country’s largest private bank with an exclusive debit card that confers special benefits, under a partnership between the Commercial Bank of Ceylon, the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) and Channel 17, the company tasked with managing an employee loyalty program for the sector. The aim is to retain and reward workers of the apparel industry which is a vital constituent of Sri Lanka’s export economy. The debit card will enable them to manage their finances better and at the same time receive a host of other benefits.
The JAAF membership targeted Commercial Bank – MasterCard issued Ransalu Privilege Card will be available free of charge to any member of the JAAF operated Ransalu Loyalty Program who has or opens an account with Commercial Bank. The debit card will make its owners eligible to receive the extensive collection of discounts and offers normally enjoyed by Commercial Bank debit card holders, in addition to the benefits they are entitled to under the Ransalu program.
The card will also serve as identification for them to claim benefits from the Ransalu loyalty program, which targets a membership of over 3,50,000. The Ransalu privilege loyalty program already offers its members discounts on essential consumer items, hospitalisation, pharmaceutical products and clothing.
Pakistan replaced Bangladesh to emerge as the largest buyer of Indian cotton in the October-December quarter. Pakistan suffered crop damage due to the white fly virus. India’s cotton exports to other countries are also likely to remain significantly up this year. Around a third of the crop in Pakistan was damaged. So textile mills there imported cotton from India to meet their requirements.
India transports cotton to Pakistan primarily through the Wagah border. Meanwhile, the global scenario is also changing due to a slowdown in demand from China, which contributed to 24 per cent of India’s overall cotton exports in 2014-15. This year, however, China’s share is likely to decline.
China’s cotton imports may fall by 40 per cent this year due to a fall in consumption and lower domestic cotton prices. If the pace of its imports remains steady, Vietnam may overtake China as the largest importer of cotton in the world in 2015-16. Cotton imports by Vietnam are estimated to rise by 17 per cent. Imports by Bangladesh are forecast to increase by 12 per cent.
Consumption in both Vietnam and Bangladesh is increasing steadily, due to lower production costs, but both produce very little cotton, and instead must rely on imports to meet demand.
To draw up its third five year plan, the apparel industry is in the process of discussion among key stakeholders. With preparations underway to draft the next five year plan the industry is carrying out discussions on a number of issues particularly the trade concessions with the European Union (EU), a new US backed trade partnership with 12 countries, and the bilateral trade agreement with the Chinese authorities. According to the officials, the apparel industry is waiting for the egaining of the EU trade concessions of GSP plus that will be forthcoming most likely by the end of the year.
Once the fish ban on Sri Lanka is lifted the country would soon thereafter submit their application to obtain the trade concessions from the EU. The recently signed Trans Pacific Partnership agreement between 12 other countries is currently being discussed among members of the industry. The apparel industry is trying to understand the implication of the said agreement as it involves a partnership of 12 countries which command 45 per cent of the world GDP that has custom territories.
According to the officials, countries like Vietnam have already engaged in negotiations to gain concessions from the TPP which is likely to be granted in about two years. In the wake of these developments it was pertinent that Sri Lanka looks at its implications on the apparel sector based on issues relating to purchasing of yarn and fabric from countries within the grouping
The Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) has once again sought a large amount of funds from its government to make its ailing mills profitable. The request came at a meeting between the textiles and jute ministry and Finance Minister AMA Muhith where the high officials of BJMC were also present.
The request of about Tk 1,800 crores is for paying staff salaries and various dues and purchasing jute. According to Humayun Khaled, chairman of BJMC the prospects for jute have expanded and its demand on the market is on the rise. About 5,500 employees have retired in the last few years and BJMC is unable to provide their dues, he said. However, no decision on the matter was taken at the meeting. Muhith has directed the finance division and the textiles and jute ministry to hold separate meetings to take stock of the situation and make recommendations.
According to finance ministry official, only after finding a way to make the 25 mills profitable would a decision on paying their dues would be taken. Since 2009, BJMC has been given more than Tk 6,000 crores for buying jute, paying dues and staff salaries. The funds were given under various conditions such as turning the jute mills into holding companies.
However, this time, funds will be provided only after the mills meet the conditions. In the last nine years, the mills suffered losses every year, save for one, in fiscal 2010-11, when a slight profit of Tk 14 crores was made. From fiscal 2006-07 onwards, they made losses of Tk 66 crores to Tk 700 crores each year.
The value of textile and apparel exports from China in January 2015 fell sharply. There was a decline of 10.6 per cent year-on-year. Of this, textile exports fell 7.6 per cent while apparel exports dropped 12.4 per cent. The previous year, China’s total textiles and garment exports had increase by 4.06 per cent year-on-year, which was lower than the 4.9 per cent growth recorded for all Chinese exports.
For 2015 China’s textile exports fell 3.9 per cent. However, clothing exports grew 11.8 per cent. There has been a continued depreciation of the yuan against the dollar, driven by the dual factors of lower year-on-year base and a return to growth of the export of Chinese textile clothing in December 2015.
For the Chinese textile and garment industry, manufacturing costs have risen in recent years. At the same time, China's textile and apparel products continue to enjoy export competitiveness in the international market, helping to increase sales orders.
The textile industry is planning to increase textile and clothing annually by about seven per cent and boost the export value of fiber products to $400 billion by 2020. Exports of Chinese textiles and garments over the years have not shown a significant improvement, but the trend is changing.
Interfiliere Paris was held from January 23 to 25, 2016. There was a strong presence from Tunisian producers showing that Tunisia is very much open for business and ready to work with European companies. Getting it right in the lingerie market continues to be crucial for lingerie companies so the need for accurate trend forecasting is vital.
Comfort is the biggest attractor for selling. About 80 per cent of women bought for comfort as opposed to 20 per cent who put sexiness first. Layering in lingerie, like a long sleeved lace top, is beginning to evolve.
One of the key areas of innovation is in fine-gauge stretch jacquard knits. Jacquard is now at 68 gauge. What is being seen in embroidery and lace is the use of grounds that practically disappear. Fleur of England’s signature used grounds that disappear on skin so that all that is seen is the embroidery or the lace so the fabric doesn’t dominate or detract from the design.
Interfiliére is all about looking forward into the future--looking forward at future trends, future innovations, spring boarding off current innovations and looking at old materials in new ways such as rayon or micro-modal, jacquard and leaver’s lace.
www.interfiliere.com/
