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The Farm to Fashion expo being held in Ahmedabad from beginning May 4, will act as a connection between garment and fabric manufacturers from Gujarat and retail giants likes Walmart, Philip-Van Heusen Gini and Jony, Reliance Trendz, Arvind, and Simba Fashions, who will be attending it.
Participation of such buyers will give an opportunity for small business in Gujarat and help expand their footprint across the nation and even abroad. Shailesh Patwari, President, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) feels this will be a huge opportunity for local players and foreign buyers to showcase their products to top buyers from across the country.
Local players believe this will benefit local manufacturers by helping them reach markets where these brands have their footprint. In addition to interaction with prospective buyers, the expo will host a series of knowledge sessions.
Meena Kaviya, Chairperson, Textile Committee, GCCI, says this will give local businesses an idea about regulatory requirement, technological updates, sustainable business practices, environment regulations, certification aspects, global scenario, government incentives, and other business insights. A white paper depicting the road map for the growth of textile sector will be prepared by sectoral experts. It will be presented to the central government as an input for the upcoming textile policy.
The three-day expo aims to strengthen the entire garment production chain and to halt the export of low-value textile products and instead, create value added products within Gujarat to help local farmers and small businesses.
The restructuring of Cameroon’s Cotton Development Company (SODECOTON) is showing positive results with the company achieving a net profit of 4.3 billion CFA francs in 2017. The restructuring program of the company included remobilization of staff and the support of the public program. Also, the company has started an ambitious project of modernization, diversification, and intensification of agriculture in the country's cotton zone. These projects are expected to yield production of 260, 000 tonnes this year which should establish the turnover of nearly 140 billion CFA francs, an increase of 20 billion CFA francs compared to the previous season.
India’s Associated Textile Engineers (ATE) has had a long-standing relationship with German companies. ATE’s association with German machinery makers began almost solely as an act to hurt British interests in the pre-independence era. In recent times, ATE also has had liaisons with Italian, Chinese and Japanese companies, but the German connection is strong. ATE works with nearly 15 German principals.
Indian counterparts have a lot to learn and absorb from their German partners with respect to manufacturing processes and technology. Despite initial high investments, the returns from German machinery over a period of time are very high.
ATE also sells Chinese machinery. These machines are designed in many cases in Germany, and most of their critical components also come from Germany. It is only assembled as a final product in China with strict adherence to German manufacturing norms. That way the manufacturing cost is reduced by at least 20 per cent, and buyers get an advantage of getting the latest German technology at an affordable price. And this benefit is passed on to the customer.
A couple of years back ATE set up a division for automation. Seeing the need of the industry for upgrading old machines for better productivity, quality and monitoring, ATE tied up with a company, Softech. This combines ATE’s domain knowledge on processes and technology with software and controls coming from Softech.
Lycra is the original spandex fiber that revolutionized the fashion industry. It is the best-known branded fiber in the world and has changed clothes and the way we wear them. Originally invented to replace rubber threads that caused women’s foundation garments to lose their shape and fit over time, and made them hot and uncomfortable to wear, Lycra outperformed the natural fiber it replaced by adding lasting comfort, fit and the ability to move freely.
Lycra is owned by Invista. It quickly became apparent that the fiber had the power to transform other types of women’s clothing and menswear too. Today, this nearly invisible fiber can be found in virtually every apparel segment, including lingerie, underwear, denim, active wear, hosiery, socks, swimwear, and ready-to-wear apparel. It has also been the catalyst for the development of new multi-billion-dollar segments across shape wear, stretch denim, compression sportswear and athleisure apparel.
What began six decades ago as a single elastic fiber renowned for its ability to stretch and snap back to its original shape, time after time and wash after wash, has evolved into a portfolio of over 200 differentiated fibers designed to meet a wide variety of consumer needs. Each one is engineered to improve fabric aesthetics and add lasting performance benefits that continue to drive sales for leading apparel brands and retailers around the globe.
"While sustainability rankings have gained prominence however, one doesn’t really know the authenticity of these reports and on what basis assessment are done. Sustainability assessment is complex, especially where the value chain is long and products are diverse. Rules to ensure a ‘level playing field’ are set out in guidelines for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO). ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006 provide broad guidance for quantifying environmental impacts of a product from cradle-to-grave. Importantly, in 2017 ISO provided clearer guidance on using an LCA approach for comparative"
While sustainability rankings have gained prominence however, one doesn’t really know the authenticity of these reports and on what basis assessment are done. Sustainability assessment is complex, especially where the value chain is long and products are diverse. Rules to ensure a ‘level playing field’ are set out in guidelines for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO). ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006 provide broad guidance for quantifying environmental impacts of a product from cradle-to-grave. Importantly, in 2017 ISO provided clearer guidance on using an LCA approach for comparative assertions and for communicating a ‘footprint’ (a single score across one or few impacts). LCA is the most holistic system currently available, but it is still evolving. It is not a perfect tool and there are many dimensions of sustainability not captured in LCA.
LCA provides a basis for a ‘level playing field’ across equivalent products but only if applied correctly. In practice, some data are frequently missing or of poor quality, and the assumptions or simplifications that are made because of this affect results and potentially bias comparisons. Simplifications such as not including the full life cycle or counting only a few environmental impact categories risk making the field no longer level. It is found that in apparel sustainability assessments, natural fibres such as wool are particularly disadvantaged.
Full life cycle
Each stage of the life cycle of a garment from extraction of raw materials to final disposal affects the environment in some way. It differs depending on the impact, type of apparel and material. Taking climate change as an example, over half of the full life cycle impact of wool garment commonly occurs at the raw material stage, while for polyester raw material may represent less than 10 per cent. Clearly, comparison at the fibre stage cannot give an accurate ranking for garments of different materials.
Levi Strauss’s 2013 LCA showed that over the full life of denim jeans, consumer care (washing, drying, etc.) represented 37 per cent of climate change and 23 per cent of water consumption impacts. Additionally, a paper by Consumption Research Norway (SIFO) revealed significant variations in consumer care across garments of different materials. Woolen garments were washed less frequently than cotton and at lower temperatures using a gentler cycle, with less tumble drying than the average for all laundry. According to the analysis, wool clothing commonly has a longer service life than equivalent items of alternative fibres, reducing ‘production burden’ per wear or per garment. Along with end-of-life biodegradability, this is another important factor in sustainability.
Environmental impact
To avoid trade-offs between impacts, ISO requires all categories of significance to be counted in publicly available comparisons. For issues such as microplastic pollution, where reliable indicators and quantification methods are not yet available, this limitation should be acknowledged. Where possible the risk of trade-offs should be identified. For example, moving to replace cotton with polyester in apparel may reduce water consumption and land use at the fibre production stage, but increase harm to marine and freshwater ecosystems and potentially human health due to microfibres.
Progress so far
Data issues, methodology development, and incorrect application of tools such as LCA are some of bug bears for successful sustainability assessment. Examples for wool include a new LCA study by The New Zealand Merino Company and an AWI survey to build on data and understanding of use phase. Continuing to report results & data and engage with organisations including the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) will improve the quality of apparel sustainability assessments. Technical experts globally are working on new and improved impact methods and while expertise in correctly applying these methods is growing across the industry, attentiveness is needed to ensure that not even unconscious bias undoes good progress towards a level playing field in this complex area.
US based robotic sewing pioneer SoftWear Automation is collaborating with European manufacturers, brands and retailers.
The aim is to encourage production of sewn goods in Europe. The plan will start with T-shirts and create automation capability within European manufacturing. The company then plans to build those capabilities across a wider range of products, including footwear, since Europe has historically been a focal point of footwear.
SoftWear, which launched in 2012, aims to change the current inefficient market environment by creating autonomous sewn goods work lines for home goods, footwear and automotive sectors. With its patented fully automated sewbots disruptive technology, the company aims at geographically shortening the distance between manufacturer and consumer by utilising the benefits of disruptive technologies.
Sewbots use a combination of patented high-speed computer vision and lightweight robotics to steer fabric to and through the needle with greater speed and accuracy than a human. Using sewbot work lines customers are expected to be able to increase productivity while decreasing their overall defect rate.
The company’s newest sewbot work line is available for global pre-order. The patented sewbot pick-place-sew automation has been expanded to fully-automated shoe uppers.
The fundamental problem in the fashion retail industry today is the wrong product at the wrong time and an oversupply of it. Localised manufacturing has to enter the strategic capability.
The Government of Pakistan has allocated Rs 1,500 million in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for some on-going and four new schemes. The Pakistan Government has assigned Rs 100 million for establishing an Institute of Fashion and Design in Karachi. The institute will develop and promote the country’s fashion sector and attract investment.
The government has also allocated close to Rs 280.437 million for schemes of the Textile Industry Division in order to promote the country’s textile sector. The Karachi expo centre will also be remodeled and expand as the government has assigned Rs 500 million for it. Additionally, Rs 700 million has been earmarked for setting up an expo centre in Peshawar, according to Pakistani media reports.
Over a thousand stitching units will also be established in the country at a cost of Rs 154 million. About Rs 18 million will be spent on the Faisalabad garment city training projects. The government has also allocated Rs 58 million for standardising the system of producing high quality and clean cotton.
Nilit is a leading manufacturer of high-quality nylon 6.6 fibers. The company operates globally, with manufacturing operations and marketing offices in key regions such as Europe, USA, Turkey, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and China. Renowned brands incorporate the innovative fibers in their collections.
Nilit nylon 6.6 fibers are inherently softer, sturdier, more durable, moisture absorbent and resist odor better than other synthetic fibers, making them perfect for active wear, athleisure and casual sportswear.
Nilit performance yarns are engineered to deliver the added value and functionality that athletes need. Nilit Breeze has a cooling effect for enhanced comfort in warm environments. Nilit Heat keeps one warm in cold conditions or during cool downs, while Nilit Aquarius keeps one dry when sweating. Nilit Innergy has been developed to stimulate blood circulation, energise cells and reduce the development of cellulite.
Functional fibers made from Nilit Fiber’s special high quality nylon 6.6 deliver measurable results when it comes to performance, comfort, and well being. The fibers have energizing, cooling, warming and moisture-transporting properties.
Nilit is based in Israel. It is known its brands Sensil and Sensil Breeze. The secret is in polymer and yarn production. Nilit does not finish its fibers and yarns but integrates mineral micro particles before the fiber is even spun.
Sri Lanka’s apparel exports grew 4.1 per cent during the first quarter of this year. Apparel exports to the European Union grew by 5.2 per cent year on year while exports to the United States grew by 5.1 per cent year on year.
However, exports to the EU slowed down during March, recording only a marginal growth of 0.5 per cent year on year. In contrast, apparel exports to the United States grew significantly by 17.7 per cent year on year.
The trade dispute between the US and China is helping somewhat Sri Lankan apparel exports to the US.
Both apparel and textile exports during the first quarter of 2018 grew by four per cent year on year.
The country has targeted to achieve 5.5 billion dollars in apparel exports this year with a minimum ten per cent growth in exports to the EU countries. However there’s a concern on the European markets due to the weather conditions. Because of the long winter in Europe, the retail sector has slowed down as the long winters cause people to spend lesser time in shopping.
Some manufacturers in Sri Lanka are still engaged in manufacturing basic apparel despite the country’s gaining the GSP Plus concession last year.
Future Group owned firm Future Retail as part of its joint venture (JV) with Oman based Khimji Ramdas (KR) Group has incorporated a new firm "Future Retail LLC" to foray into the Oman and other Middle East markets.
The firm will open around six FBB fashion outlets in the Middle East during the current financial year. In all, the JV company plans to open around 18 exclusive FBB stores in the Middle East over the next few years with a total investment of Rs 150 crore (approx $ 22.5 million).
Future Group’s value fashion brand FBB also plans to enter the top ten performing global fashion brands in the 2019 financial year with its international expansion.
