The 15th Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Indonesia and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), held from April 23-27, 2018 in Banten, was hampered by market access issues. The talks discussed a number of issues related to trade in goods, services and investments.

The CEPA negotiations with EFTA are expected to bring economic benefits, including wider market access, increased exports of goods and services, and investment. Cooperation programs are also expected to be obtained from EFTA member countries in particular to enhance Indonesia's competitiveness in Europe as well as the global market. In addition to market access, trade agreements can also aid the entry of Indonesian export products into the EU market.

Bangladesh, will host the 8th edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo on May 9-10, 2018 at International Convention City Bashundhara, Dhaka. The fair, while attracting international denim players, will focus around the theme ‘Equality’. It will underline the importance of guaranteeing equal rights for workers and employers and ensure that both are treated with respect.

This edition expects to host 14,000 pre-registered visitors. There are 61 already confirmed exhibitors, which include 46 from abroad and 15 domestic denim companies. The event will offer exhibitors and visitors an opportunity to get a comprehensive insight into the Bangladesh denim industry and discover latest trends and gain specific knowledge through seminars and expanded Trend Zone area.

Isko is taking denim manufacturing to a new stage yet again. It’s latest outing minimises the fabric’s environmental and social impacts, while creating exciting possibilities at the cutting edge of fashion.

One of fashion’s favorite fabrics is facing a sea change. To reduce its environmental footprint, Isko is using lower-impact fibers and developing technologies that improve the performance of fabrics throughout their lifecycle. This, in addition to its already leading methods of minimising water consumption and other kinds of waste.

Isko has also developed numerous patented technologies that can be produced in any low-impact fiber combination, from organic to recycled. Its Reform stretch technology, for example, showcases how to design longer lasting, better-functioning products. Another example is POP technology, which combines one-of-a-kind shine with a unique silky softness that begins in the yarn and stays with the garment.

The Earth Fit Collection showcases the best of the company’s responsible innovation, incorporating its groundbreaking production methods and innovative fiber and treatment choices. The collection is made from low-impact fibers such as organic cotton and pre- and post-consumer recycled polyester from PET bottles.

Global Sources Fashion was held in Hong Kong from April 27 to 30. This is Hong Kong’s largest fashion sourcing event for fashion accessories, fabrics and apparel. The show featured verified suppliers from major fashion manufacturing hubs including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

More than 500 exhibitors promoted their own designs and brands. Conference programs featured industry experts who spoke on fashion trends, new technology application such as AI, 3D printing in the fashion industry along with sourcing tips. Fashion Tech Zone was a showcase of smart, eco-friendly and innovative designs. New sourcing markets pavilions displayed more than 100 unique products from emerging markets including Vietnam, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Laos and Cambodia.

The show hosted the largest collections of bags and luggage, footwear, and sports fashion in Hong Kong and Asia's largest scarves pavilion. There was a dedicated area for fashion start-ups, and up and coming designers to introduce their creations.

A wide range of services were there to help enhance the buying experience of online and Amazon sellers and source more efficiently. This included products from exhibitors that accept small orders, an Online Retail 101 conference highlighting e-commerce strategy and marketing techniques, and a special fashion parade on what's hot on Amazon.

After the Kenyan government lifted ban on Bt cotton The Lake Region Economic block plans to re-introduce large scale cotton growing in the Lake Victoria basin. Kisumu Governor, Prof Anyang' Nyong'o stated negotiations had been opened with multinationals to recover the once top-cash spinner under the block bringing together 14 counties in western Kenya.

He further added the renewed interest in cotton farming has been due to the high demand for Kenyan cotton in the US apparel market. Nyong’o says besides the expected rise in demand for the raw material in textile industry there was a big export demand in the US after refurbishing of the Eldoret-based Rivatex.

The Act covers more than 6,000 products that can be exported to the US on preferential trade terms. In line with the Jubilee government’s big four agenda manufacturing, health, food security and housing the government had embraced the high yielding cotton and asked farmers in known cotton growing areas to shift focus to the crop for “good and steady return.

Most of the region’s ginneries closed down as farmers abandoned the once top-cash spinner as the cotton growing and ginneries have been poor over the last few decades. The alliance has entered a partnership with the Lake Basin Development Authority which has been conducting feasibility studies into the viability of cotton farming with plans to help reintroduce it.

The dissolving rayon plant from PT Riau Andalan Pulp Paper (RAPP) will boost the Indonesian pulp paper industry in the near future. The factory which is engaged in upstream rayon making will also boost the Indonesian textile industry as well. The factory belongs to PT RAPP and is expected to be completed by this August. RAPP is part of the April Group which became one of the businesses of the large group of Royal Golden Eagle owned by the Tanoto family.

The rayon industry is important for Indonesia. The group already has a pulp dissolving plant in Brazil to produce rayon fiber. There are three types of pulp products, first, paper, second, dissolving pulp and last is a specialty pulp that can be used for eyeglasses, diet pills, tablets, and cigarette filters.

The new rayon factory may open in September. The plant has a production capacity of 350,000 tons a year. The Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings, or April, is Indonesia’s second largest pulp and paper producer. It develops fiber plantations and is the owner of one of the world's largest pulp and paper mills. It also has operations in China. April mainly produces bleached hardwood kraft pulp and uncoated, wood-free paper.

US-based PolyOne, has introduced a new fiber-colorant technology for polyester that consists of proprietary high-pressure metering equipment with the company’s Color Matrix liquid concentrates. This new spin-coloring technology requires no water and consumes less energy and fewer chemicals whereas traditional aqueous dyeing processes can use up to ten liters of water to color a single kilogram of fiber. It also eliminates the secondary treatment operations typically required to discharge wastewater safely into the environment.

The technology allows facilities that use reactor spinning lines to produce standard white polyester fibers to produce colored products inline, eliminating the need for a secondary aqueous dyeing process. It enables the color-injection step to take place further downstream than in conventional colorant processes.

While the technology is currently targeted to polyester fibers, plans are underway to begin exploring its application for other polymer fibers, including nylon and polypropylene.

The technology’s deployment has been focused on specific projects, such as high-performance textiles for sports and recreation till now, but plans are in place to scale up the process for users’ core product ranges. In the Color Matrix process, liquid color is injected into the polyester melt-flow between the end of the extruder and the spin head. This later-stage injection minimizes color contamination and reduces the time required for cleaning and color change out.

Pakistan has established a cotton endowment fund to create indigenous resources for conducting research and development activities in the field of cotton across crop growing areas in the country. The aim is to generate internal resource to conduct research for producing high-yielding seed varieties and innovative technologies to produce over 15 billion cotton bales annually.

The fund would help bring more areas under cotton crop production. This year the area under cotton is expected to increase due to the reduction in sugarcane prices and stabilization of commodity prices in local markets. Meanwhile Pakistan has imported trap-ropes from Japan to guard the crop from possible pest attacks and get the maximum crop output during the season. These traps are being distributed among growers free of cost.

Also a pro-active approach has been adopted to enhance the per-acre crop output and stop the downward shift of crop production. Provision of certified seeds and pesticides is being ensured to exploit the existing crop production potential. Research is on for producing high yielding, disease resistant varieties of cotton seeds.

Pakistan imports almost five million cotton bales to fulfill its domestic requirements and these initiatives are expected to bridge the gap between demand and supply.

Pakistan wants to increase trade and economic cooperation with Kenya, which is the gateway to many African countries, where there is a big demand for Pakistani goods. Both countries are looking for strong socio-economic development through exchange of information and technologies and sharing experiences in various fields.

Pakistan and Kenya have old cultural ties. Pakistan is opening trade centers in Kenya and other African states since getting more access to new international markets for Pakistani goods through diversification and value addition is essential to ensure better and sustained economic growth.

Kenya is the first African country to have engaged in business-to-business contacts with Pakistan. Pakistan hopes to support Kenya in modernization of agriculture and in the development of the fishing sector.

Pakistan has overtaken Uganda as the largest buyer of Kenyan goods. Private sectors in both countries will play a role in promoting bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Both countries will stress exchange of training and institutional research. Both countries have agreed to form a joint trade committee which would meet twice a year.

In search of new potential markets, Pakistan already launched the Look to Africa initiative in November 2017. Incentives are being given to exporters.

Indonesia and Brazil want to strengthen their strategic partnership and bilateral business relationship. The value of bilateral trade between the two countries is around $3.5 billion a year. Indonesia exports yarn, rubber, palm oil, footwear, iron and steel, dry coconut, vegetable oils and fats, cocoa, electronics and automotive parts to Brazil. Imports from Brazil are soybean oil, sugar, cotton, tobacco, iron ore and corn.

The countries target at increasing the volume and variety of tradable products. Indonesia and Brazil already have a significant defense relationship, with defense being one of the areas of cooperation the two emerging powers have pursued under their broader strategic partnership, established in 2009. This has included the sale of Brazilian defense equipment to Indonesia.

Technical cooperation between the two countries, boosting agribusiness, environmental protection and technology transfers are also part of long-term goals. The two countries have maintained amicable diplomatic relations since 1953 and Brazil is Indonesia's main trade destination in South America.

Indonesia is mulling beef imports from Brazil. The type of Brazilian beef most likely to be imported will be frozen, bone-out manufacturing beef for supply into the wet market, low to mid end food service and retail in Indonesia.