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A research by New Danish has estimated that industry-wide environmental and social compliance in Bangladeshi readymade garment (RMG) industry would cost $2-3 billion. This work was undertaken as a part of the Bangladesh Priorities project in collaboration with Copenhagen Consensus Center and BRAC Research and Evaluation Department.
Carried out by a team of Bangladeshi economists led by Wasel Bin Shadat, Lecturer at the University of Manchester. They examined investments that will improve Bangladesh's RMG sector. Ensuring that companies comply with safety regulations is important not only for worker safety, but also to increase opportunities to export. The researchers claimed carrying out such investments could boost garment exports by around 10 per cent and help ensure the country reaches its export target of $50 bn. Better compliance across the RMG industry would require initial investments to improve physical infrastructure and fire protection, as well as funding for operations costs to maintain high levels of compliance from year-to-year, the report says.
The research evaluated current plans to create a new RMG Palli (Village) suited for garment production. The area would be an industrial park, with significant infrastructure for factories. The paper adds that a separate RMG zone would allow factories to form a cluster in a single geographic location which would reduce production costs, allow for simple transfer of knowledge and technologies, make pollution mitigation easier, and promote other positive spill-over effects. A Chinese firm has already performed feasibility and environmental studies for the 530-acre palli zone for Bangladesh that would include utility services, medical facilities, pollution treatment plants, daycare centres, and other similar infrastructure. The zone would employ an estimated 300,000 people at more than 250 factories. The research analysis estimates that a RMG zone in Palli would lead to additional 142 factories over the next three years, when compared to the long-run growth of the industry.
The sharp rise in cotton prices has hurt the prospects of Indian exporters. They are unable to make new export commitments. Prices have surged by about Rs 2,500 a candy within a short span of a week to touch Rs 42,500. And this has happened at a time when the country has had a bountiful harvest.
Exporters feel speculators are responsible for the artificial rally in the crop. During the days following November 8, farmers were not unloading the crop because of the lack of liquidity. But now when conditions have improved, arrivals haven’t. And amid surging cotton prices, farmers anticipate higher return for the crop. The view is that many farmers anticipate realisations to further go up, and hence have held back the crop, causing an artificial rally.
Cotton prices in India were on a strong downtrend in the second half of 2016. After being stuck in a narrow range all through December, cotton prices began the New Year with a bang. Along with restricted arrivals, the Cotton Corporation of India’s decision to purchase at market price from various parts of the country has also aided this price reversal. Traders with a medium-term perspective can make use of dips to go long near Rs 20,000.
After a considerable wait, the Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif has announced a Rs 180 billion package for the textile industry that he had promised to earlier. The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has welcomed the announcement. Chairman Aamir Fayyaz has welcomed the package.
Fayyaz said he had held four meetings with the prime minister over the last four months and apprised him of the state of affairs in the textile industry due to high cost of doing business. The prime minister showed his concern over the decline in exports and increase in trade deficit which has reached $14 billion during first half of the current fiscal. APTMA explained the high cost of doing business that had impacted export sector viability and also apprised the government of the support extended by competing countries like India, Bangladesh and Vietnam to their export industries.
The APTMA chief appreciated the PM for taking a bold decision for export sector of Pakistan, which includes tax-free import of cotton and man-made fibre besides offering duty drawback on exports, including 4 per cent on greige fabric, 5 per cent on processed fabric, 6 per cent on home textile made-up and 7 per cent on garments against realisation of import proceeds. APTMA Punjab Chairman Syed Ali Ahsan expressed the hope the package would boost exports and positive results would be in the offing within the next six months with the availability of a fighting chance against competitors.
"Texprocess, to be held from May 9-12, 2017, has reported the highest number of registrations in its history and thus continues its pattern of growth. Texprocess is the leading international trade fair for processing textile and flexible materials. “It is well worth our while continually developing Texprocess further, with regard to the technologies and processes on display, the hall layout and the complementary programme."
Texprocess, to be held from May 9-12, 2017, has reported the highest number of registrations in its history and thus continues its pattern of growth. Texprocess is the leading international trade fair for processing textile and flexible materials. “It is well worth our while continually developing Texprocess further, with regard to the technologies and processes on display, the hall layout and the complementary programme. With the fourth edition, Texprocess is now firmly established in the marketplace and attracting other market leaders in the sector to Frankfurt,” says Olaf Schmidt, VP – Textiles & Textile Technologies, Messe Frankfurt. The range of products at Texprocess covers all stages in the value-creation chain for textile goods, from design, IT, cutting out, sewing, seaming, embroidery and knitting to finishing, textile printing and logistics.
CAD/CAM companies gaining ground
Texprocess reports growing numbers of companies signing up, particularly in the CAD/CAM and Cutting, Making, Trimming (CMT) product groups. Technologies and material for Sewing, Joining and Fastening are growing steadily, too. To make the profiles of Techtextil and Texprocess sharper, the bonding and separating technology, CMT (Cutting, Making, Trimming), CAD/CAM and printing product segments will be concentrated together at Texprocess in hall 4.0.Visitors will find Techtextil exhibitors from these segments at Texprocess. These product groups will be deleted from the Techtextil nomenclature. Apart from this change, the overall concept behind the halls at the previous event will be retained.
Space travel textile processing in focus
Texprocess this year, has a rather special experience: under 'Living in Space', Techtextil will be showcasing a wide variety of applications for technical textiles in space travel, together with the processing involved. This is a cooperative venture between Techtextil, The European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Close to the location for, amongst others, exhibitors of functional apparel textiles in Hall 6.1, and based on the areas of application for technical textiles, a special, interactive area is to be built to display, with the help of four thematic sections, the high-tech textiles and textile processing technologies that have emerged from and for space travel. The highlight of this area is a virtual-reality experience where Techtextil and Texprocess get to go on a virtual journey through the universe, where they will learn about the application of technical textiles in space travel and the processing required to make them.
Digital printing highlight
Complementary program with focus on Digital Printing and international Innovative Apparel Show Digital Printing will be one the thematic focuses of the Texprocess complimentary program. The sector's information service, the World Textile Information Network (WtiN) will, for the first time, be organising European Digital Textile Conference at Texprocess. The conference will centre round technologies for digital printing on textiles and will be held on Wednesday 10 May in the Saal Europa in hall 4.0.
Digital printing on textiles will also be a topic in a dedicated series of lectures part of the Texprocess Forum. The forum offers expert lectures on current issues in the sector, on all days of the trade fair.
Innovative apparel show
Following on from the success of its first edition, the Innovative Apparel Show is to be continued and set on an international footing. For the first time, there will be, a German university, three European universities/colleges from outside Germany, showcasing, their fashion designs from functional textiles and the processing stages that go into making them.
Texprocess innovation award
With the Texprocess Innovation Award, Messe Frankfurt seeks, to honour the best new technological developments in the field. Submissions for the award may be made up until 20 February. The competition is open both to exhibitors at Texprocess 2017 and to other companies, institutes, universities, colleges and private individuals, who are not otherwise exhibiting at the fair. The awards in the various categories will be presented during the joint opening ceremony for Texprocess und Techtextil, on May 9, 2017. At the same time, there will be a special display area in Hall 4.0, showcasing all the prize-winning products at Texprocess.
The Australian government, along with Cotton Australia and Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), has forged a partnership to support training of around 225,000 Pakistani cotton farmers commencing with the 2017 cotton-sowing season. The partnership has been established to support Pakistan’s ability to compete in premium international cotton markets.
The Australian High Commission’s a statement said this partnership will deliver practical tools and latest environmental and cutting-edge management practices aligned with internationally recognised quality assurance for sustainable cotton production. Farmers will be trained in techniques for growing cotton with focus on improved environmental, social and economic benefits in line with the Better Cotton Standard System. Cotton is an important export earner for Pakistan that is supposed to be the fourth largest producer of cotton in the world.
The Australian government has committed AU$500,000 to this project, which will be supported through the Australian aid programme’s Business Partnerships Platform. Australia’s contribution will be matched by AU$2.4m from the BCI Growth and Innovation Fund. The matching funds come from the BCI Retailer and Brand members, such as Adidas, IKEA, H&M, Levi Strauss & Co, Marks & Spencer, Cotton On, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Tommy Hilfiger and Nike.
Several key Indian ministries and major associations have shown their widespread endorsement for Dubai's Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation's latest project Textile Mall, the first merchandise hub of its kind in the world. As the first-ever mall in Dubai that operates under a Free Zone Enterprise (FZE) trade license, the Mall offers a unique 'open door' policy for Indian merchants looking to expand their business. Acting as a galvanizer of the industry, Textile Mall will become a diverse and competitive hub of merchants from around the world and a one-stop-shop for large and small-scale buyers.
As a global hub for textile, apparel and jewellery sector, the Mall is set to significantly invigorate international trade for India-based merchants and their businesses - stimulating a vital growth industry in the heart of Dubai, the gateway hub between East and West. While visiting four cities throughout India last month to meet India-based textile, apparel and jewellery business owners, the Textile Mall executive delegation received widespread support from several ministers and major associations, including the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI).
In his opening speech to the delegation of the Textile Mall, the Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Bhai Rupani expressed full support and invited owners of the Textile Mall to be a part of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017 to promote growth of Indian businesses through Dubai. Among many other benefits under the FZE trade license, Indian business owners have 100 per cent foreign company ownership of their business, no corporate or personal income tax, full repatriation of capital and profits and four allocated residency visas per license. The mall also offers an unprecedented 30-year, fixed-price lease for all tenants
Khadi sales have tripled until December across Maharashtra. The stat government has appealed to employees to use khadi at least once a week. The objective is to promote products made by rural entrepreneurs. This includes products from agriculture, food processing to khadi. Around 35 per cent subsidy will be provided for projects up to Rs 25 lakhs under the Prime Minister Employment Scheme.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) expects sales of khadi products to cross Rs 5,000 crores by the end of 2017-18. Overall sales of both khadi and village industries jumped over 14 per cent in 2015-16. Sales of khadi goods shot up 29 per cent in 2015-16. The KVIC is also setting up export cells to promote overseas sales of the products, which have a good demand in the countries like the US and UK. A beginning will be made with direct exports. The aim is to make khadi an international brand.
To improve the quality and sales of products, KVIC is regularly organising training programs for spinners and weavers in areas like designing and marketing. Khadi and village industries products are manufactured by about seven lakh privately-owned household units. These units are funded through schemes such as the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Program.
Bangladesh wants India to scrap anti-dumping duty on jute imports. As a result of the duty a fifth of the Bangladesh’s yearly jute exports are at stake. India accounts for 20 per cent of Bangladesh's jute goods exports. India was probably prompted by a desire to cushion its local jute industry from regional competition.
Three years ago, Indian jute mills had accused Bangladeshi exporters -- for the first time in 40 years -- of selling jute products at prices lower than those in India's domestic market. Of the total $919 million worth jute and jute goods Bangladesh exported in 2015-16, exports of $260 million were sent to India. Usually, the anti-dumping duty on a product is the same amount by which it undercuts the domestically manufactured product. The prices of jute yarn in Indian market tend to be comparatively low.
Bangladesh’s jute sector, which involves about 40 lakh farmers and about two lakh workers, processes more than nine lakh tons of raw jute. The country currently has 26 jute mills. Jute is one of the most affordable natural fibers and considered second only to cotton in the amount produced and the variety of uses of vegetable fibers.
Hong Kong will host Interfilière on March 15 and 16, 2017. This is a sourcing platform for intimates and swimwear. It aims at strengthening its position as an innovations’ incubator and as a leading business accelerator platform, serving the needs of industry in an ever-changing market environment.
The new Interfilière Hong Kong is designed to be more flexible and provides plenty of networking opportunities. Visitors and exhibitors will be able to connect at any time and place, using new high tech devices, allowing them to share and collect information. The latest technology will enable visitors to collect the information about the products using their personal accounts at any convenient time.
The event will include a number of special events and dedicated areas, such as trend forums, meeting areas and fashion shows. The conference program at the trade fair will feature success stories and keynote speakers, providing visitors with the latest market and trend information during presentations and panel discussions. A new dedicated area will provide an ideal platform for exhibitors to launch their new products, solutions, and innovations. One floor will develop a new area celebrating creativity and technical progress, demonstrating a vision of the future of lingerie in the lives of modern women.
ThreadSol develops smart and resource efficient garment manufacturing solutions. Apart from reducing garment manufacturing cost and waste, ThreadSol solutions also aim at minimising human intervention by automating the planning processes and reducing manual effort of data aggregation.
Fabrics account for about 70 per cent of the operational cost of garment manufacturing units, where the average amount of waste can vary from five per cent to as high as eight per cent, largely because the length and width of the cloth varies across mills.
ThreadSol enables garment manufacturers to lower their manufacturing cost up to ten per cent. It empowers sewn product industries with software tools to optimize the use of their biggest investment, fabric. Its innovative solutions are revolutionising how garment manufacturing facilities work today, from buying fabric to planning pieces to tracking every inch of fabric. It has been recognized for its several inventive solutions spanning smart resource efficiency, sustainable consumer engagement and alternate materials.
The company currently has two main solutions: intelloBuy helps manufacturers buy the correct amount of fabrics and intelloCut helps manufacturers optimise their cut planning and save fabric, reduce waste and thereby help them make millions in the process.
