The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has completely overhauled its website. The cutting-edge site is more interactive and intuitive. It’s faster and more responsive. It makes it easier for people to find exactly what they’re looking for.

A learning corner is dedicated to teaching environmentally conscious best practices for cotton cultivation. At an interactive forum cotton professionals can discuss the industry’s biggest opportunities and most pressing challenges.

The site also employs powerful new functionality that puts the world of cotton information — literally — at the user’s fingertips. From the home page, visitors now need only three clicks to access comprehensive statistics from any country in the world, with no login required.

When a user clicks on Global Cotton Information and Advisory on the home page, they see a map of the world. One more click on the continent and another on a specific country, and users will see its cotton area, yield, production, consumption, exports, imports, stock-to-mill-use ratio, and more.

ICAC is the world’s leading source of unbiased, impartial information about the global cotton industry. International Cotton Advisory Committee seminars are held the world over. Among other issues these seminars explore the utilization of automation in the production process as well as innovative applications combining cotton and synthetic fibers.

Some 1,200 garment factories have closed down in Bangladesh over the last four years because of their lack of compliance and falling behind in the competitive landscape. It is feared falling profits will lead to the closure of some more factories. Bangladesh’s garment products have been losing competitiveness because of longer lead time, poor productivity and poor demand for apparel worldwide.

In 2014, the global market size for apparel was $483 billion; in 2017, the figure declined to $454 billion. Between 2014 and 2018, the prices of Bangladesh garment items declined in the US market by 11.72 per cent while the cost of production increased 29.54 per cent.

Similarly, the prices of Bangladesh’s garment items declined in the EU markets. But at the same time, garment owners have spent on fixing electrical and structural loopholes as per the recommendations of Accord and Alliance. The cost of production will go up further after the implementation of recommended minimum wage from December this year. Wages comprise nearly five per cent of the total production cost of garment items.

The garment sector has been witnessing a peaceful and calm situation over the last four years as have been no incidents of unrest. But a lot of workers will lose their jobs if any garment factory is shut down for any reason.

As a part of its evolution under designer Riccardo Tisci, Burberry will start releasing limited edition of clothes and products every month, joining a growing number of rivals in the luxury sector trying to turn out collections more frequently to keep clients interested.

New items under the brand will be made available on the 17th of every month. The first release, which follows a similar one around Tisci's debut runway show last month, will feature unisex white T-shirts and sweatshirts with the brand's new monogram, available for 24 hours on a handful of social media channels like Instagram.

Burberry will still produce regular summer and winter catwalk collections and other pre-collections. The company, which is looking to reposition itself as an even more upmarket brand, also plans to create more targeted collections that would help it limit waste.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) believes the implementation of new wage structure for apparel workers may lead to the closure of a number ofreadymade garment (RMG) units. On September 13, the Bangladesh government set Tk8,000 as the minimum monthly wage, with Tk4,100 as basic salary, for the country’s apparel workers. The new wage structure is set to become effective from December.

Without an increase in prices to go with the higher wages, this new wage structure could lead to the closure of a number of RMG businesses. From 2014-2018, about 1,200 RMG factories had to shut down their operations. The prices of Bangladeshi apparel goods had seen an 11.72 per cent fall in the US market, which is the single largest export destination for Bangladeshi goods. The BGMEA president also urged the trade unions and other stake holders not cause conflict regarding the new wage structure by spreading incomplete information.

The annual convention of the International Apparel Forum (IAF) will be held in Pakistan next year. IAF is the only global federation representing apparel associations from 60 countries representing over 1,50,000 companies. The convention will gather apparel industry leaders from across the world and will be a unique opportunity for Pakistan’s apparel industry to learn new techniques.

IAF has been developed to deliver a unique forum for credit professionals from the international apparel sectors. The aim is to equip members with the practical strategies they need to meet the challenges of a changing business environment and add value to their roles. It provides a community for members to meet, network and learn.

It enables members to exchange experiences and views on issues of common interest, share practical ideas that members can implement in their own organizations, develop and promote best practices in the credit and risk management community. It facilitates improvement of knowledge and skills and keeping up to date with industry developments and connecting credit leaders and practitioners with each other and with industry experts. This is for the first time that a convention of the International Apparel Forum will be held in Pakistan. It will be held in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Italian company Albini in partnership with Oritain has created the first 100 per cent traceable Supima organic cotton. Using forensic science, Oritain analyses the naturally-occurring chemical properties of the actual fiber itself, creating a unique chemical fingerprint for the product that links it back to the field in which it was grown – which cannot be altered, copied or adulterated.

Oritain can test the product at every stage of the supply chain to verify that the fabric is consistent with the original fingerprint and has not been substituted, blended or tampered with. Only an exact match shows that the product is authentic. Thanks to this procedure, each step is traceable and it is therefore possible to go back, from the finished fabric, precisely to the field in which the cotton was grown. The cotton will be used by French luxury brand Kering and is aimed at helping consumers understand the origins of the clothing they wear. The project will be using only organically grown Supima cotton that is woven and dyed by Albini.

Kering is focused on sustainable raw material sourcing. This innovative technology for its organic cotton supply chain will enable the company’s Materials Innovation Lab greater visibility to verify farming best practices and fiber quality and ensure integrity within the supply chain.

"Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) in partnership with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India is organising the India Pavilion at the 22nd Taipei, Innovative Textile Application Show, that is being held from October 16-18, 2018. The pavilion is showcasing the best in textile accessories, textile related technologies & services. The pavilion is being headed by Vrittant Sharma, Research Associate & Trade Fair and FICCI."

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) in partnership with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India is organising the India Pavilion at the 22nd Taipei, Innovative Textile Application Show, that is being held from October 16-18, 2018.

The pavilion is showcasing the best in textile accessories, textile related technologies & services. The pavilion is being headed by Vrittant Sharma, Research Associate & Trade Fair and FICCI.

Key Indian exhibitors

The India pavilion hosts a meaningful exhibitor presence includes companies like Indorama industries, J.Korin Spinning, Dodha Synthetics, Paras Fashions, Kireet Apparels, etc.

One of the largest sources of employment generation

The Indian textiles industry, currently estimated at around US$ 120 billion, is expected to reach US$ 230 billion by 2020. The industry contributes approximately 4 per cent to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 14 per cent to overall Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

With 45 million people employed directly, the textile sector is one of the largest sources of employment generation in the country. With 3,400 textile mills having installed capacity of more than 50 million spindles and 842,000 rotors, it is the second largest sector in the world

One of the largest contributors to exports

The textiles sector is also one of the largest contributors to India’s exports with approximately 15 per cent of total exports. The Indian textiles industry is extremely varied, with the hand-spun and hand-woven textiles sectors at one end of the spectrum, while the capital intensive sophisticated mills sector at the other end of the spectrum.

"After going through a distressed period, the denim industry is now on an upswing. As a recent study by P&S Market Research indicates, global jeans sales reached $40 billion in 2016, and are expected to exceed $87 billion by 2023. Data from Edited suggests retailers have started to refocus on their denim assortments by planning new releases. They have so far stocked 42 per cent more denim products than the last year. As a result, both manufacturers and designers are betting on denims revival."

After going through a distressed period, the denim industry is now on an upswing. As a recent study by P&S Market Research indicates, global jeans sales reached $40 billion in 2016, and are expected to exceed $87 billion by 2023. Data from Edited suggests retailers have started to refocus on their denim assortments by planning new releases. They have so far stocked 42 per cent more denim products than the last year. As a result, both manufacturers and designers are betting on denims revival.

Levi Strauss & Co in 2017 posted an 8 per cent growth owing to a significant revamp of its women’s jeans. This is the jeans maker’s strongest annual growth since 2011. Similarly, streetwear brands Off-White and Vetements garnered a lot of attention for the washes on their reworked denim and patchwork styles respectively, while mass-market labels such as American Eagle Outfitters set a record for volume last Fall, in an effort to lure teens into stores by providing a range of different silhouettes and washes, from ripped high-waisted ‘jeggings’ to indigo mom jeans.

Asia-pacific witnesses fastest growth

Driven by factors such as surge in digitisation within the apparel industry, advancement in new denim knitting technologies, growth in investment in clothing and increasing adoption of luxurious and casual garments from all segments of the society, has led to Asia-Pacific witnessing the fastest growth in denim sales.

Over dominance of comfort clothing over the past decade led to stagnancy in growth of the classic jeans. The segment did not witness any major innovations during this period. Short-lived trends such as cropped and frayed hemlines, flared bottoms and ’80s throwbacks did uplift the gloom for a brief period but could not bring back the reign enjoyed by the skinny jean style.

Meanwhile, for a brief period from 2015 to 2016, athleisure and comfort stretch street clothing overtook the denim industry but post this luxury and mass markets witnessed a huge upswing. To lower the cost of mass market, various denim manufacturers are experimenting with new materials, replacing cotton with nylon, polyester, aramid, and other spun thermoplastic variations.

Emergence of new denim styles

Driven by new trends and eager shoppers, the denim market soared through the early months of 2018. Skinny jeans represented 58 per cent of women’s jeans with other styles such as wide leg and flare bottom, frayed details, silhouettes such as cropped hems, culottes, mom jeans, and wide styles also gaining momentum

In addition to this, silhouettes such as cropped hems, culottes, wide leg and flare bottom styles, frayed details and black and white colors are the most in-demand denim styles today with brands like Madewell and Everlane refocusing their attention on them. Madewell, witnessed record sales both in stores and online last quarter, and continues to report double-digit increase in comparative store sales, thanks to its jeans category.

Sustainability initiatives in denim

With sustainability being the centre of conversation in fashion and apparel industry, Levi’s launched its F.L.X. technology– a laser-powered process that allows consumers to customise a unique distressed finish on their jeans. By giving consumers the opportunity to personalise their designs, laser distressing could be used as a means to create thousands of finishes currently being achieved through laborious traditional methods like sanding.

Garment contractors in the US have been fined for labor law violations. A worksite operating under the name of Pure Cotton had 57 employees. Most worked up to 65 hours a week for less than the minimum wage and without overtime. Few were covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Two workers, ages 15 and 16, were operating industrial sewing machines in violation of California’s child labor laws.

Four other garment manufacturing contractors were operating in the same building without licenses. Wage theft is endemic in the garment industry. In 2016, the US Department of Labor investigated 77 Los Angeles garment factories and found that workers were paid as little as four dollars and an average of seven dollars an hour for ten-hour days spent sewing clothes for retailers including Forever 21, Ross Dress for Less and TJ Maxx.

Up to 85 per cent of Los Angeles garment manufacturers violate California wage and hour laws. Although the contractors who make garments can be caught and fined, the brand-name retailers whose pricing structure incentivizes wage theft may escape legal liability. Further, enforcement priorities seem to focus on punishing wage theft rather than rehabilitating garment workers.

Garment workers who are not paid as required by law may file claims against the contractor who hired them, the manufacturers whose garments they produce, and sometimes the retailer.

Durable, fine and luxuriously soft, cotton sourced from Egypt has long been seen as the best on the market. But recent years have been far from smooth for the North African country's farmers.

Cotton was once Egypt’s main source of wealth in the 19th century, as the Nile Delta provided fertile grounds for the crop used to make the towels, sheets and robes coveted by Europe's bourgeoisie. But decades of fierce international competition have diminished returns. Profits are meager.

Short fiber cotton -- while lower quality than the long fiber variety -- looks good and has increasingly been used by textile giants, dealing a heavy blow to Egyptian players. The United States and Brazil are now the world’s top cotton exporters, followed by India and Australia, leaving Egypt trailing behind. The popular uprising in 2011 dealt a fresh blow to the cotton sector, as political and economic chaos hit production and export chains.

Last year brought producers some respite, thanks to rising prices and higher export volumes. But a trade spat between the US and China has seen benchmark global cotton prices fall afresh. The major challenge however is boosting productivity. A rise in productivity rather than prices would ensure better incomes for workers.