Messe Frankfurt has included the US Clean Show in its portfolio. The Clean Show, together with Texcare International and Texcare Asia, is one of the leading technology fairs in THE industry and will help the entire value chain master the challenges of the coming years from digitisation to sustainability and from Industrie 4.0 integration/automatisation to the best possible customer benefit.

The government in Pakistan is planning to help restart 200 textile mills in Pakistan that were closed for the last three years due to financial crunch and other factors. The government is planning to take concrete steps for the rehabilitation of the textile industry and restore round-the-clock gas supply to the industrial units, enabling them to attain manifold increase in the industrial production and ensure maximum jobs for the workers in the Industrial units and thus eliminate unemployment from the country.

The government recently started work on Phase-II, III of Faisalabad Garment City project, which will be accomplished within shortest possible period to make this project fully operational.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has warned new tariffs will be imposed on China if the US-China trade negotiations do not reach a successful end by March 1, 2019. In Argentina last weekend, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a truce that delayed the planned Jan. 1 US hike of tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion of Chinese goods while they negotiate a trade deal.

Lighthizer demanded certain concessions for the US, across a number of areas, if these tariffs are to be avoided. These concessions include demands for increased purchases of US goods in a more open Chinese market, as well as structural changes to a system that, for example, forces American firms to turn over technology to Chinese partners as a condition of doing business.

The demands are similar to those made under previous Democratic and Republican presidents, but Lighthizer said he felt Trump’s willingness to go beyond “dialogue” and impose tariffs will produce results.

Islamic Fashion & Design Council’s (IFDC) revolutionary Pret-A-Cover™ Buyers Lane has partnered The Retail Summit to hold its new edition at The Atlantis, Dubai from February 13 -14, 2019.

The partnership between IFDC and The Retail Summit will bring together prominent global brands, retailers, entrepreneurs, media, key personalities, and venture capitalists planning to discover investment opportunities, market share, commercial viability, and more within the lucrative Muslim lifestyle markets but also within the wider secondary market of other modest consumers.

Over 80 international c-suite and senior executives representing iconic and disruptor brands from across every segment of the retail ecosystem will attend the event. The attendees will have access to the modest lifestyle showcases of Pret-A-Cover™ Buyers Lane 2019 being exhibited at The Retail Summit’s e Market Place. These exhibitor platforms will showcase innovative designs, new collections, cutting edge ideas, interactive networking, demos and tutorials, retail innovation sessions and more. The VIP fashion show and highly coveted IFDC Awards will be held on Feb 13, 2019 which will unveil leading modest fashion looks by global talent.

An internal survey done in Pakistan reveals, prices of international apparel brands in Pakistan are sometimes double the original retail prices. According to the World Bank, Pakistan’s adjusted net national income per capita was $1,444 (nearly $120 per month) in 2016 whereas the price of a single top of international apparel brands like Debenhams, Mango, Next and Splash often exceeds a quarter of that income. This implies that these brands are targeting high-end customers unlike global trends.

The difference in pricing is due to additional operational and logistics costs that these brands have to incur. A customer might find the price of a product at Mango’s store in Spain very reasonable when compared to the price of the same top of the franchise in Pakistan. Being among the largest textile manufacturers, Pakistan also has the potential to manufacture these brands locally with some value addition, which could help save some of the operational and logistics costs. However, these franchises are restricted by the brands from manufacturing their products locally.

In some cases, brands like Levi’s have set up their manufacturing outlets in Pakistan, making it comparatively more convenient for retail stores and helping the national economy as well.

A section of BGMEA members including its former presidents have requested the commerce minister not to extend the tenure of current board again. The current board under the leadership of its president, Md Siddiqur Rahman, assumed office on September 22, 2015 through a negotiation process for a two-year term.

The board of the trade body got its first extension (six months) from the commerce ministry on the grounds that BGMEA had to relocate its headquarters as the Supreme Court declared its building on Hatirjheel Lake illegal and ordered to demolish it within six months. The illegally built headquarters of the trade body is yet to be demolished as the Supreme Court later extended time for the apparel sector trade body for its demolition.

After the six-month extended tenure the government had further extended the tenure of the BGMEA board for one more year and allowed the existing board to remain in office up to March 22, 2019. Forum, a platform of the BGMEA members, alleged that the incumbent president was trying to extend his tenure for the third time.

BGMEA members said as the tenure of the current committee would end on March 22 next year; the election schedule would have to be announced by December 22 this year as per the articles of association of the trade body.

Japanese apparel giant Fast Retailing has declared the list of Uniqlo and GU’s key fabric mills and factories. This was a part of the company’s commitment to increase transparency across its supply chain. It has shown its commitment to ensure the right working conditions for the people and protect the environment in addition to safeguarding human rights.

The list published by the group includes sewing factories and fabric mills in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Turkey and Bangladesh. Fast Retailing claims to have monitored all aforementioned sewing factories and fabric mills to ensure compliance with its Code of Conduct for Production Partners. The fast-fashion retail, over the last decade has been promoting sustainability by regularly conducting independent testing of factory wastewater so as to remove dangerous chemical discharges.

The Japanese retailer joins elite fashion and sports brands like Adidas, Levi Strauss, Primark, H&M, Nike, Marks & Spencer and Arcadia in embracing and encouraging transparency in supply chain.

As per ITC Tajikistan, the Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting held in Dushanbe on November 30, 2018, discussed the role and contribution of the International Trade Centre (ITC) to the textile and clothing sector of Tajikistan. It also discussed the results of the initial year of the new Global Textiles and Clothing Program (GTEX).

The PSC consists of representatives from Tajikistan’s relevant ministries, agencies, private sector, academia, the donor (government of Switzerland), and the ITC. The committee ensures transparency in project implementation and assurance that its outputs respond to the country’s priorities.

The Global Textiles and Clothing Programme (GTEX) launched by ITC aims to boost textile and clothing exports from Tajikistan to stimulate employment and income generation along the textile and clothing value chain. Tajikistan is one of the five countries selected to be part of this new four-year initiative, financed by the Government of Switzerland.

Lenzing’s textile brand Tencel TM will be the prime sponsor for this year’s Intimasia 3.0. The Tencel TM intimate fiber is a must have ingredient for a high-quality lingerie and authentic underwear. It absorbs moisture efficiently preventing any chance of bacteria growth. The fiber also manages moisture transportation, enhancing fabrics by keeping skin pleasantly comfortable.

Tencel TM is used in highly specialised applications, and is known for its skin softness; touch smoothness and sensitivity, and enlightening senses. Moreover, it has an amazing efficiency for thermal regulation and moisture absorption. Intimasia 3.0 will be held from January 21-22, 2019 in Delhi. It will highlight all categories of intimate apparels including lingerie, men’s innerwear, kid’s innerwear, sleepwear, loungewear, swimwear, shapewear, activewear, socks & stockings, thermals, leggings, handkerchiefs and other hosiery products. The two-day event will provide a platform to the retailer and distributors to connect and head into the intimate apparel business right away. Retailers from 84 neighboring cities are expected to attend the event.

India and Vietnam are targeting $15 billion in bilateral trade by 2020. Indian businesses have invested in 201 big projects in Vietnam. The country earned $257 million from selling garments and textile products to Vietnam between April and August of the current fiscal, increasing by 59 per cent than the same period in the last fiscal.

In the first nine months of 2018, the bilateral trade reached $8.27 billion, increasing by 47 per cent over the same period in 2017. In fiscal 2017-2018, India’s global exports of garments and textile were worth $36.73 billion, including $555 million to Vietnam, up 42 per cent over the previous fiscal.

As per a FTA between India and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indian exports of cotton, woven cotton fabric and knitted fabric to Vietnam will enjoy tax exemption from January 1, 2019 making it a competitive supplier of such materials and machines to Vietnam.