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With emphasis placed on responsible manufacturing and sourcing, circular economy is the new eco buzz word. Traditional linear textile chain is having a shakeup and a growing element in circular economy products. Efficiency will be crucial to the survival of the sector throughout the entire textile chain, from clean ingredients, chip dyed yarns, innovative yarns that create interesting aspects with one dye bath, fabric that self heals when ripped and self launder.
The efficiency wave continues through to garment production, as textile manufacturers and brands collaborate in creating varying control and performance in panels within the fabric that eliminate seams. In a landscape of uncertainty on a geo and political level, consumers need reassurance, especially through an emotional reconnection to touch and through the use of color.
Laser finishing, waterless dyeing through to 24/7 freshness through anti-door ingredients all feature. Trailblazing smart fabrics will come through from personal thermal regulation systems to reflective features and e-textiles. Smarter fibers and finishes feature, but this also transfers through to product design, with engineered technictity and a reduction of the sewing process. Intelligent fabrics react and respond to different environments and protect the wearer. The traditional supply chain has been disrupted by B2C partnerships.
In fiscal 2018, Bangladesh’s readymade garment exports to India were up 115 per cent compared to exports in fiscal 2017. Of the total amount, earnings from knitwear products were 89.75 per cent higher than the same period a year ago. Earnings from woven products were up 124.79 per cent.
Also, since India has raised duties on clothing imports from China, this has opened an opportunity for Bangladesh readymade garment exporters. India has doubled import duty on about 328 textile and apparel products from China. As a non-traditional export destination, India is a potentially great market for Bangladesh. It is logical if India’s textile products imports from China decrease, Bangladesh can grab the space.
Since India has a large population and a growing middle-income group, there is scope for exports from Bangladesh to Indian markets to see a sharp rise. Bangladesh already enjoys duty and quota-free market access to Indian markets. Now Bangladesh manufacturers have to develop good relations with global retailers, who are opting to open outlets in India. Non-tariff barriers are a great challenge for Bangladesh in penetrating Indian markets.
In the last fiscal year, Bangladesh’s export earnings from the apparel sector were 8.76 per cent higher compared to previous year earnings.
Jahon Information Agency, Uzbekipaksanoat (Uzbek Silk Industry) Association and the Italian Silk Association will team up to establish an Italian industrial park in Uzbekistan. The park will house companies specialising in the processing of cocoons, the manufacture of silk products, as well as equipment and necessary components. The setting up of this park, according to experts, will increase the export of silk products to the European Union, as well as create new markets in European countries.
In addition, the association is negotiating with Turkish textile companies to produce new goods – silk carpets and the painting of silk fabrics. About 30 mills for the processing of cocoons are currently being modernised on the lines of integrated development of the silk industry until 2021, approved by the Uzbek Government. Eleven new specialized enterprises for deep processing of silkworm cocoons worth $83.2 million are also being organised.
The association also signed agreements As for the purchase of new equipment from such well-known companies as Van De Wiele, Picanol and Reggiani. As a result, it has planned to double the production of raw silk in three years and increase the figure to 3 thousand tonne per year. It also plans to increase the production of silk fabrics eightfold through the deep processing of raw materials.
Jeanologia has introduced the sustainable concept to the textile industry through two innovative collections, 5.Zero: Indigo & vintage and All blacks. The collection 5.Zero indigo & vintage, is inspired by the vintage of the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s and shows how, through the use of Jeanologia’s laser, it is possible to create wear and other effects from the era, saving water and considerably reducing the use of chemicals and energy.
All blacks showcases the benefits of eco-technology for developing finishes on black denim. Combining the use of laser and G2 ozone technology, Jeanologia enhances the white effect in the used area, avoiding the use of potassium permanganate spray.
The Spanish company is a pioneer in the development of sustainable technologies worldwide. The aim is to have zero discharge, zero manual scrapping, zero potassium permanganate spray, zero stone washing and zero bleach as the standard in the denim industry, improving appearance and product quality with a neutral cost.
The environmental footprint of all developments made at Jeanologia is analyzed using the EIM (Environmental Impact Measurement) software. This software, developed by the company, measures water, energy and chemical consumption. By doing so, it can be proved that all garments have a low environmental impact.
US sewn products body, SEAMS will present reshoring awards to companies that have relocated their sewing to the US. SEAMS comprises more than 200 of America’s foremost fashion brands, retailers, manufacturers and textile providers. The awards will be in three categories including cut and sew manufacturers, brands, vertical retailers, and OEMS and technology suppliers.
The award will not only motivate more companies to reexamine their offshoring but also highlight the benefits of domestic manufacturing. The hope is that other associations also choose to support similar awards to show that their industries are now successfully reshoring.
In 2017, over 1,70,000 manufacturing jobs had returned from offshore destination back to the US. The apparel and textile industry is mainly impacted by offshoring and now reshoring. Through this award SEAMS acknowledges those US based companies returning to manufacturing in the US. The initiative helps manufacturers realize the importance of domestic production and also provide training to suppliers on how to sell the product against low priced offshore competitors.
The aim is to boost production in the US in order to strengthen the economy and bring jobs back to the US.
Latest provisional data released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S) shows, import of MMF yarn, fabrics and made-up together increased 27 per cent and import of made-up staple fibres increased 19 per cent from April to July, 2018.The import of MMF textile has increased by almost 26 per cent in value terms at $869 million compared to $711 million in the previous year. The highest import growth was recorded in the remade garment (RMG) segment, which represented 47 per cent increase at $784 million during April-July, 2018 compared to $535 million in the same period in previous year.
The MMF sector has been demanding an increase in basic customs duty (BCD) on the import of MMF textiles to provide level-playing field to the indigenous manufacturers. Synthetic and Rayon Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) has also recommended increase in effective rates of BCDs on MMF, MMF yarns and all the left over tariff lines of MMF knitted fabrics falling under chapter 60. The effective rates of BCD on man-made fibres and MMF yarns such as polyester, viscose and others need to be increased to 10 per cent and on nylon fibres and yarns the effective rates of BCD need to be increased to 15 per cent.
The Ethiopian government has invited India’s KPR to establish an apparel manufacturing unit in Ethiopia by offering various incentives and concessions. Considering the core competence prevailing there, the Board of Directors soon decided to set up a unit for manufacture of apparels at the Mekelle Industrial Park set up by the Ethiopian Investment Commission.
The Ethiopian textile industry is fast catching up with the other textile countries like Vietnam and Cambodia with low cost of labor, duty-free import of garments from Ethopia to the US and Europe, availability of trainable workforce, proactive Government support, growing economy, special industrial zones and duty-free import.
Also, the Ethiopian government has the available land and building and KPR only needs to install a few machines and start production. This also saves considerable time in terms of construction. Also there is an option to lease the facility which will cut down on the capex. KPR is planning to incorporate a separate subsidiary company in Ethiopia to establish and run the unit.
India’s apparel market is projected to grow at 15 per cent CAGR till 2022. Seven in 10 fashion accessory purchases in India will be influenced by mobile phones. Nearly half of those mobile-influenced purchases will be driven by Facebook, amounting to a 110 billion dollar sales opportunity. Additionally, the mobile will influence two in three apparel purchases, amounting to a 66 billion dollar opportunity for brands, half of which will be driven by Facebook.
Friction occurs when consumers dropout during purchase due to unnecessary additional effort, incremental step or inconvenience. Friction accounts for 19 per cent of consumer dropouts in the apparel category, and in the accessories category, friction accounts for 22 per cent of consumer dropouts.
Top friction areas for different demographic cohorts vary and hence marketers need to customize their marketing strategy accordingly. For example, men and women display different drivers for entering the purchase funnel. Fashion brands need to adopt relevant marketing strategies and reduce friction in consumer journeys across multiple touch-points, leading to improved conversion rates and increased revenue opportunity.
The fashion spectrum in India has evolved so considerably that the apparel and accessory market is projected to reach $102 billion and $155 billion by the year 2022.
Hosiery manufacturers in Mumbai are protesting against the rising prices of yarn. Yarn rates, which were around Rs 255 till January, have reached Rs 400 per kg. Many manufacturers in the city are losing orders because of this increase in yarn prices. Within six months, the prices have almost doubled.
Dealers say the government needs to take care of the cartel in yarn industry or else manufacturers would lose orders from both domestic and overseas markets. Many hosiery manufacturers protested against the “cartel” of yarn dealers and owners. Under the banner of For Arm Welfare Organisation, they burnt the effigy of yarn dealers/ owners of yarn manufacturers. Varun Malhotra from the organisation said dealers and mill (yarn) owners were hand in glove with each other and targeting hosiery manufacturers.
The hosiery manufacturers are trying to meet Member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu on this issue. President of Knit and Fab Industry Vipan Vinayak said orders were taken earlier and now, prices have been increased and it had become too difficult to execute the orders on previous rates.
The Swedish retailer's non-profit H&M Foundation has launched the fourth annual edition of its Global Change Award, which will challenge trailblazers to submit ideas for creating a circular fashion industry. For its 2019 edition, the awards will focus particularly on digital innovations, how to recover and reuse waste, or ideas supporting a climate positive fashion industry
The award was launched in 2015, in partnership with Accenture and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. It offers coaching and €1 million n funding to its winning inventors, and has attracted more than 8,000 entries from 151 different countries. Last year, the prize money was divided among the five finalists via a public vote, with the largest portion of the funds being allocated to "Crop-A-Porter," a concept designed to turn the harvest remains of crops such as hemp and bananas and turn it into useful bio-fiber for making textiles. The application process will remain open through October 17, with the winners announced in April 2019.
