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Artistic Denim Mills (ADM) aims at 100 per cent sustainability through the entire supply chain. By partnering globally recognized brands and manufacturers, ADM creates sustainable, ethical raw materials and earth-friendly fabrics that meet a wide variety of demands, such as the comfortable and sculpting properties of four-way stretch. An early pioneer of liquid dye technology featuring less sulfide contents than traditional dyes, the company is selective about the chemicals it uses, choosing those deemed to have a minimal impact on the environment, its employees and consumers.
For example, ADM exclusively uses pre-reduced indigo, decreasing its chemical use by 70 per cent when stacked against conventional denim factories. Rather than distressing denim with harmful chemicals and labor-intensive hand sanders, the company employs computerized laser technology to provide those unique fading patterns the fabric is known for. These lasers also have the added benefit of reducing the use of stones and chlorine during wet processing.
ADM makes denim that’s aniline-free—a non-toxic way of producing the traditional, iconic indigo blue that consumers associate with denim and jeans. Aniline appears on the restricted substance lists of some major clothing brands and retailers. To lessen denim’s impact on the planet and to help create a circular economy in textiles, ADM also uses pre-consumer recycled cotton fibers.
The North Face has launched new material known as Futurelight that aims to create a new paradigm in clothing and protection. The material has been created using a technology known as nanospinning. Nanospinning allows for adjustments in weight, stretch, breathability, durability, texture and constructions for both knit or woven fabrics during the manufacturing process—something the brand said gives it the ability to match products to a variety of activities and consumers.
The first Futurelight collections released by The North Face—the Summit Series, the Steep Series and the Flight series—will include jackets, pants and bibs common to outdoor sports, all produced using nanospinning. In order to ensure the technology would hold up in extreme conditions, the brand enlisted the help of outdoor athletes to field test the apparel in locations around the world.
Futurelight fabric in The North Face’s new collections will also be produced with “industry-leading sustainability. The facing and backing layers in the collection’s three-layer garments, for example, will feature 90 percent recycled materials. The North Face released the Summit Series, Steep Series and Flight Series on Oct. 1 through its own retail channels and through key retail partners.
The Union Ministry for Textile and Women and Child Development plans to develop an apparel cluster in the Noida region which will help it to create five lakh new jobs. The cluster will also distribute one lakh cloth bags in the next three months across the district.
Apart from this, the state government has asked the Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (Yeida) to develop an “apparel park” in Sector 29. This park will be developed with an investment of Rs 5,000 crore in the next three years. It will manufacture all kinds of garments and accessories, including buttons, yarn and other materials at these units.
In addition, Yeida plans to develop a fashion street in the city on the lines of Paris fashion markets. The fashion street will have high-end fashion stores, restaurants and ramps.
Lenzing invites fashion industry players to use more environmentally friendly materials like Tencel and develop a sustainable fashion business. The aim is to introduce Tencel as a basic material for clothing that can be used from natural materials. Tencel is obtained from certified protected forest trees, then processed into fiber, then spun into yarn, then made into material. Through this mainstay fiber, Lenzing wants to make big changes by embracing every stakeholder, including consumers, and in particular also has a mission to support fashion designers to develop better since both Lenzing and fashion designers jointly share positive values about the concept of sustainability to build a more advanced and responsible fashion industry. Tencel is a solution for reducing textile waste, which causes environmental pollution.
The fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to textile waste in the world. Fabric with fiber has good air circulation, makes clothes comfortable to wear and is able to maintain moisture and skin health. In addition, fabric made of fiber has a more vibrant color, is smooth and biodegradable. A sustainable fashion industry is important for social and economic life, given the current excessive consumption of fashion products that has dominated the world.
Pakistan’s textile exports increased 2.3 per cent during the first two months of the current fiscal year. Knitwear exports increased both in quantity and value by 10.7 per cent and 12.8 per cent respectively. Readymade garment exports increased both in quantity and value by 34.6 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively. Bed wear exports increased both in quantity and in value by 20.4 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively. The country’s textile exports constitute more than 60 per cent of total exports. Knitwear exports comprise 14.4 per cent of total exports. Readymade garment exports have a share of 12.5 per cent in exports. Bedwear has a 10.7 per cent share in exports.
The industry wants levies on cotton imports removed so that textile exports can go up. Exports fell one per cent during the last fiscal year as a strong negative price effect dominated the positive quantity effect. Exports, however, recovered 2.79 per cent in the July to August period of fiscal 2020.
The textile industry has asked for subsidised gas and electricity rates and tax breaks. Exporters are unclear about the actual energy tariffs for the purpose of quoting prices of products. A special energy package was extended early this year to the erstwhile zero-rated industry to provide it a competitive energy tariff to expand and increase exports.
In the first half of 2019, operating income of the textile and garment industry in the Jiangsu province of China grew 5.3 per cent. Profits were up 6.1 per cent. Cloth output was up 34.2 per cent and chemical fiber output was up 26 per cent.
A series of measures have made Jiangsu's textile industry rank eighth in the country. There are industrial bases in the province covering garments, knitwear, textiles, apparel, suits and trousers. The province is upgrading industries, deepening the structural reforms of the supply side and accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system. Technology centers are being established in leading enterprises, promoting research on and application of advanced technologies. At the same time, garment enterprises are being encouraged to develop personalized customization services via new production methods. Intelligent manufacturing is being implemented. Enterprises are induced to objectively analyze their own strengths and weaknesses and find the best transformation path based on their own situation. They are given guidance and policy support in solving problems, so as to create a good environment for enterprises to carry out the intelligent transformation and jointly promote industrial optimization and upgrading.
The textile industry is a pillar industry of China's national economy and plays an important role in expanding exports, attracting employment, increasing farmers' income and promoting urbanization.
During the third quarter, nylon 6 chip capacity in China increased by 20.6 per cent. Consumption of nylon textile filament and staple fiber tumbled in 2019 while that of engineering plastic and film only grew moderately.
From January to August 2019, nylon 6 chip imports reduced by 11.2 per cent. The proportion of imports from Taiwan fell from 42.2 per cent to 21.4 per cent. As for the significant decrease in China’s imports from Taiwan, it was mainly due to the fact that China started production of huge volumes of new high-speed spinning chips. So with much cheaper prices (also considering transportation fees, shipment terms etc.), nylon 6 chips produced in the Chinese mainland replaced those from Taiwan gradually. Imports from Russia and South Korea decreased slightly. However, imports from Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia increased significantly, and imports from Vietnam, Belarus, and Germany increased slightly. Thailand surpassed Russia and became the second largest source of nylon 6 chip imports for China. There was also notable growth from Saudi Arabia. In the second half of 2018, imports from Saudi Arabia expanded significantly.
Should this trend continue in future, new caprolactam plants will open and the cost of feedstock will fall further.
Input costs in Pakistan's manufacturing sector and particularly the export sector are high. For one, utility rates are higher than in competing countries. Purchase agreements are forged with fuel exporting countries or with domestic private sector terminal operators at higher rates than are available to other countries as well as due to poor performance within the energy sub-sectors.
In the first week of June, a 17 per cent sales tax was imposed with the intention of plugging the loopholes that account for lower revenue collections than the sales tax refund applications. However, 70 per cent of semi-finished products emanate from indirect exporters and is supplied to direct exporters. This has raised the cost of inputs, making the country’s exports uncompetitive in the international market.
The textile sector in Pakistan employs 40 per cent of the industrial labor force, accounts for 59 per cent of total exports on an average, and is therefore regarded as the most important manufacturing sector of the country with the longest production chain and the potential for value addition at each processing stage. However concessions announced for the textile sector, which has the highest export earning capacity in the country, have not yet been implemented.
Lenzing has entered Indian footwear with the botanic shoe. The launch of botanic shoe comes at a time when India has committed to ending the use of single-use plastic. Tencel fiber and the material construction to create the shoe require no special care, making it all season friendly. The shoe has a healthy mix of performance, sustainability and versatility. It has a strong presence of Tencel features such as sustainability (raw material wood from responsibly managed forestry, environmentally friendly production processes, compostability), comfort (breathability, smooth to the skin) and performance (moisture management, reduced bacteria growth). Tencel for footwear is conceptualized using source ingredients from nature.
Lenzing is looking at partnering footwear brands in India that are looking for sustainable solutions with strong performance features. The possibilities range from the textile fiber in the upper material, as a filling material or a nonwovens fleece in the inner sole through to Lenzing Lyocell powder in the outer sole or the padding. Likewise, shoelaces and the supporting material for zippers are possible. The more shoe components are made of Tencel Lyocell/modal fibers, the closer is it possible to get to the vision of a bio-degradable shoe.
Globally, Lenzing has partnered with brands such as UGG, Converse, Native, Gant, TOMS, Allbirds, Alceste, Veja, H&M, Soludos and Leguano for sustainable footwear.
H&M has launched a knitwear collection with Pringle. There is a cosy hoodie in wool with a Pringle font emblazoned down each sleeve. Knitted midi-length dresses have a directional turtleneck zip detail and a slashed thigh that is ideal for throwing on top of gym leggings. There are also knitted trousers and sweater combos. H&M has reworked different scales and colourways of the argyle. Inspired by streetwear styling and sport influences, the Swedish fast fashion brand developed new designs around the classic pattern, and introduced an acid yellow color as a highlight accent which brought the whole collection together. The collection uses raw materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, viscose and wool. The collection features Pringle’s heritage highland argyles and jacquards reimagined with a sporty twist.
Scotland’s brand Pringle was founded almost two centuries back and is known as the oldest British fashion brand. H&M has also launched a collection from recycled materials like recycled polyester, recycled brass, recycled zinc and a blend of Tencel and Refibra. Inspired by masquerade balls, the collection includes eveningwear such as softly tailored check separates, figure-fitting dresses and oversized hoodies, in an earthy color palette of light neutrals, black, with pops of orange and red.
