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Germany has launched a new Textiles Alliance. The goal is to help move international textile supply chain towards better labor and environmental practices. Improvements are sought at every link in the supply chain -- from cotton fields to the dyeing, clothing production process to distribution and retail.
In particular the Textiles Alliance seeks decent wages, an end to forced labor and child labor, respect for safety standards, and a stop to the use of certain particularly environmentally toxic chemicals in the textile supply chain.
Cotton is grown on about 2.5 per cent of global farmland, but uses a disproportionate amount of dangerous herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Membership in the alliance is voluntary. About 30 textile companies and associations have joined Textiles Alliance but many key industry players and associations in Germany are not interested. They say that certain chemical substances can’t be replaced and that a gap-free monitoring of all production steps from cotton fields to the retail-store clothes-hanger is unrealistic.
In their view a strategy of trying to address the problem through purely voluntary industry participation, focused only on the German market, will fail. Instead they advocate a European Union-scale approach based on social and environmental regulations covering all textile imports.
Bangladesh is organizing a denim expo from November 11 to 12. The aim is to promote the country's brands in the global market and make Bangladesh a one-stop sourcing platform for denim.
The non-profit initiative would create a platform for Bangladeshi denim makers. Organizers are expecting good participation from apparel entrepreneurs and other industry stakeholders from the US, Europe and several Asian countries. Bangladesh is currently the second largest country which exports denim to Europe and the third largest in exports to the US.
At present, there are 25 denim fabric manufacturers in Bangladesh, who meet about 40 per cent of the domestic demand and the remaining 60 per cent is imported. Bangladesh earns around $600 million per annum from denim exports to the global market. Bangladesh is the second largest denim apparel maker in the world after China. It exported about 74 million pieces of denim apparel to the US in 2013 and around 140 million to Europe. The country was also the largest exporter of men’s jeans to Europe in 2013 with 89 million pieces compared to 65 million from China.
Denim apparel exports from Bangladesh to America surged 11.48 per cent year-on-year in 2013 and to the EU by over 19.65 per cent.
The Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show (TITAS) is being held in Taiwan, October 15 to 17. A total of 367 textile manufacturers from 11 countries put up 760 booths to exhibit their latest offerings at the show.
The exhibition features functional textiles for apparel, upholstery and industrial use. It also exhibits a variety of recycled and sustainable textiles with low carbon footprints, as well as fashion textile trends for the upcoming seasons. The show provides global buyers new strategies for sourcing textiles in Asia. It offers exhibitors a tight focus on innovation and technology plus timing harmonized with other shows in the region. TITAS focuses on middle and upstream yarn and fabric products, emphasizing on high value added functional textiles and evoking fashion trends.
TITAS is organized by the Taiwan Textile Federation. The Federation has acquired ISO-9001 certification from the British Standards Institution for quality control systems, thus substantiating its competence to provide the best services for Taiwan’s textile industry. Local textile companies’ net exports last year were 25 per cent of the nation’s total net exports. Eight in every 10 yoga garments sold in the US use fabrics from Taiwan.
However in the first nine months of the year, exports of the nation's textile and apparel industry were down 0.1 per cent from the same period last year.
www.titas.com.tw/
Invista, owner of the Lycra fiber brand and one of the world's largest integrated producers of fibers and polymers has launched its new campaign. This visually exciting initiative and associated co-branding and merchandising opportunities are now available to trade partners at its new business-to-business website.
The new consumer campaign is the outcome of a two-year, multi-market research program. Its ‘Lycra Moves You’ theme reinforces its association with comfort and personal freedom across a wide range of garments. The campaign created and produced by the Sapient Nitro agency includes dynamic visuals shot by internationally acclaimed photographer Rankin, who likens the freedom and energy his models depict to the unique characteristics of Lycra fiber, as well as stylish TV and digital channel commercial from award-winning film director Philippe André.
The added value and benefits of Lycra fiber will be signaled to consumers through new hang-tags and brand imagery. The iconic brand logo is supported by vibrant, versatile new imagery and designs in a range of stylish retail merchandising and advertising materials articulated through the campaign. From this month onward, consumer communications will take the form of a collection of TV and online commercials, a distinctive new print campaign, a major digital and social platform, as well as new merchandising initiatives at point of sale.
www.lycra.com
Lenzing has come up with Tencel Biosoft, a fiber for nonwovens and aimed at the wipes and personal hygiene markets. The fiber can be used in a variety of blends which tailor the absorbency and cleaning performance to suit a number of different functions from full oil absorbency through to specific lotion management. In top sheets of hygiene products, excellent liquid strike through times and wet back properties ensure a comfortable dry feeling to the skin.
Tencel Biosoft is ideal for incontinence products. It meets the performance of commercially available synthetic products and adds a botanic value as Lenzing’s cellulose fibers are made from renewable raw material wood sourced from responsibly managed forests.
Tests have shown that when using the Tencel Biosoft product the likelihood of sleeping through the night rose quite clearly (by approximately 10 per cent) for those participating since this product needed to be changed less frequently due to the additional wear comfort. The product is the first hydrophobic and home-compostable fiber leading to unique benefits for wipes and hygiene applications.
The study will be presented at the upcoming Insight Conference from October 20 to 23 in Indianapolis and at Outlook Asia from November 26 to 27 in Singapore.
www.lenzing.com/.../tencelRbiosoft-ein-neues-zeitalter-fuer-botanische-f...
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in a recent letter to the ministry of commerce (MoC) requested the government to allocate closed and loss-making state-owned enterprises (SoEs) to relocate their factories by creating small-sized apparel zones. The industry body seeks the SoEs located near the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway for the purpose.
The idea is to move the apparel making factories to safer areas quickly. Since SoEs have gas and electricity connections, the factories can begin their apparel production immediately after relocation of units. In the letter the BGMEA mentioned that many of the apparel factories have been partly or fully closed because of the ongoing inspection carried out by different local and foreign agencies to check compliance factors.
The BGMEA chief also said in the letter that presently around 40 per cent factories are housed in shared buildings, where around 1.5 million workers are employed. Many of these have ability to ensure common safety standards, structural and electricity safety and other safety measures. However, risk-prone ones need immediate attention.
Till September 30, the inspection teams of Alliance, Accord, and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) closed down 29 factories after assessing 2,061 units. The trio is assigned the duty of assessing fire, electricity and structural safety of 3,500 garment factories by this December. The safety assessment is being carried out as part of the action plan forwarded by the United States and the European Union after last year's deadly Rana Plaza collapse, which claimed 1,137 lives and injured many garment workers.
www.bgmea.com.bd
Breaking last year's record exhibitor figure of 3,751, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2014 will reach a new high with over 3,800 exhibitors from 30 countries taking part in the fair’s 20th edition. Domestic and overseas suppliers will showcase their apparel
Following the success of last year’s denim zone, the newly designed and enlarged Beyond Denim hall will feature around 150 exhibitors from six countries and regions. In China, the latest denim products are increasingly popular as China’s expanding middle and upper classes follow western fashion trends. As a result, this year’s denim area expands to an entire hall witnessing a 25 per cent increase in exhibition space compared to last year.
In addition to denim products, accessories and functional fabrics are also a highlighted product category this year. Over 550 domestic and international accessories suppliers will feature in two halls (E6 – E7), with both garment and fashion accessories on display. Buyers can find a wide range of new accessories at the fair including a selection of zippers, buttons, lace & embroidery, linings / interlinings, threads, labels, hangtags, tape, appliqués / sequins / beads / rhinestones and fashion accessories. An Accessories Trend Forum will be located in hall E7 next to the overseas accessories zone displaying a variety of products reflecting the upcoming trends.
Mirroring current trends in the textiles industry, functional fabrics and products are the other focus areas at the fair. The exhibitors taking part are looking to benefit from the increase in demand in China for functional fabrics and see the fair as the best way to do this. Various kinds of functional fabrics will be showcased, with properties such as thermo-regulation, moisture wicking, increased durability, elasticity, windproof and more. In the domestic market in particular, functional fabrics for sportswear, ladieswear and menswear are in high demand. </br>
Meanwhile, the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum will once again showcase the trends for Autumn/Winter 2015-16 in hall W1, and this year features special labelling for eco and functional fabrics and products to help buyers more easily identify these items. Running concurrently with this fair are two other events: Yarn Expo Autumn and PH Value, which are located within the same venue as Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics and take place over three days from October 20 to 22.
Intertextile-shanghai-apparel-fabrics-autumn.hk.messefrankfurt.com
Local textile companies generated net exports worth $8.4 billion last year, accounting for about 25 per cent of the nation’s total net exports of $33.1 billion, the government of Taiwan has announced. “Eight out of every 10 yoga garments sold in the US use fabrics from Taiwan,” Bureau of Foreign Trade Chief Secretary Wang Cheng-fu said at a press conference during this year’s Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show (TITAS).
A total of 367 textile manufacturers from 11 countries are exhibiting their latest offerings through 760 booths at the three-day show, which began at the Taipei World Trade Center’s Nangang Exhibition Hall. The exhibition features functional textiles for apparel, upholstery and industrial use. It also exhibits a variety of recycled and sustainable textiles with low carbon footprints, as well as fashion textile trends for the upcoming seasons.
Taiwan’s textile companies exported products worth $11.7 billion last year, with 65 per cent of the share coming from fabrics. In the first nine months of the year, exports of the nation’s textile and apparel industry reached $8.69 billion, down 0.1 per cent from the same period last year, according to the Taiwan Textile Federation’s statistics. Imports for the same period increased 4 per cent year-on-year to $2.51 billion, the statistics showed.
Titas.org
The Rs 2,000 crore Himatsingka group is a vertically integrated home textile major with a global footprint. The group is among the largest manufacturers of drapery, upholstery and bedding products in India. The manufacturing facilities are state-of-the-art and vertically integrated.
Himatsingka operates over 10global brands in the home textile space. Its portfolio includes marquee brands like Calvin Klein Home, Barbara Barry, Esprit, Bellora and Atmosphere. The group proposes to take new initiatives to augment its brand portfolio and expand the distribution network with a view to raising revenues from brands to a level of Rs 1,200 crores over the next two years.
Profit after tax grew by 10.5 per cent as compared to the previous year. North America is the largest overseas market for the group. This includes the US, Canada and Mexico. Revenues from these markets stood at 84.6 per cent of the consolidated revenues of the group in 2013-14. The private label distribution business grew 21.6 per cent and its branded business grew 11.40 per cent.
The company has embarked on a program to integrate its various businesses. It has successfully implemented the SAP ERP platform across all its manufacturing and retail locations in India and across its distribution locations in the US.
www.himatsingka.com/
The US says Beijing's cotton price supports have breached global trade rules and wants China's support levels to be examined. China is the world’s top cotton grower. The US says prices paid to farmers by the Chinese government under the country’s farming policy exceed those allowed by the World Trade Organization. It has estimated Beijing's support has exceeded the allowed level of 8.5 per cent of the country’s crop production value for the past four years. It represented 29 per cent of production value in 2014 and exceeded 30 per cent in both 2012 and 2013.
The face-off comes at a tumultuous period for the global cotton industry. Prices have plunged by a third to loss-making levels for most US farmers as Beijing unravels a years-long stockpiling program that has bolstered global prices and demand. The authorities are replacing it with a farmer payment program and have said they will reduce import demand in 2015. That has sparked fears global inventories will swell because of reduced demand from the world’s largest buyer.
The new China policies come on the heels of the settlement of a decade-old dispute between the United States and Brazil over US cotton subsidies. The case led to an overhaul of US cotton policy and a 300 million dollar settlement.
