Unifi plans to recycle 20 billion bottles by 2020 and 30 billion bottles by 2022. The company, through Repreve, one of its proprietary technologies, has transformed more than 10 billion plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new apparel, footwear, home goods and other consumer products. Repreve is a brand of recycled fiber and pelletised resin, made with up to 100 per cent recycled materials including pre-consumer and post-consumer waste. Unifi works with brands such as Ford, Patagonia, Dockers, Haggar, New Balance and Quiksilver, from surfwear to outdoor gear to car interiors.

The bottles are sent to Unifi’s Repreve Bottle Processing Center in Reidsville, N.C. The center processes more than 2.2 billion PET bottles each year that eventually become recycled performance fiber. The front-end separation equipment comes from Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Ore; and nine optical units with in-flight sorting technology are from National Recovery Technologies, Nashville, Tenn., a wholly owned subsidiary of BHS. Optical separation units remove non-PET plastics from the raw-material stream and can process 22,000 lb/hr.

Off-White is officially the hottest brand on the planet in the third quarter of this year as per the Lyst Index, a quarterly ranking of fashion’s hottest brands and products. Over the last year the cult streetwear label has risen 33 places, surpassing Gucci and Balenciaga at the top of the table for the first time.

Gucci is in second place and Balenciaga third. Nike has moved five places up the index to grab the fourth spot. Also, four out of the 20 hottest products this quarter are Nike. Total search traffic to Nike related pages has grown 13 per cent quarter on quarter.

Prada is fifth and Versace is sixth. The seventh spot is taken by Yeezy. This is a brand founded by Kanye West. His personal profile helps to peak and sustain the hype around the brand. The brand generates major buzz online when a new product or collection drops.

Global fashion search platform Lyst analyses the online shopping behavior of more than five million shoppers a month searching, browsing and buying fashion across 12,000 designers and stores online. The formula behind the index takes into account global Lyst and Google search data, conversion rates and sales, as well as brand and product social media mentions and engagement statistics worldwide over a three-month period.

Much of the world’s T-shirts come from China. China has one of the world's largest textile industries, with 20 million workers relying on cotton imports from countries like Brazil, India and the US as they create products like T-shirts.

The US is the biggest source of Chinese cotton imports, representing 35 per cent of all incoming cotton. It is followed by Brazil and India with Australia, Uzbekistan and Mexico among other major exporters.

China produces 5.16 billion units of T-shirts a year – representing half of all global output. After being imported to China as cotton, the production process is completed and billions of these T-shirts hit the high seas once again, exported to all four corners of the world. The T-shirts are then sold off as high-end consumer products or cheaper goods in markets across every continent.

However, production of T-shirts is gradually shifting to other countries in Asia. While the economically mature markets of the US, Canada, and Western Europe are close to their saturation point in terms of T-shirt consumption, emerging economies, such as China, India, Russia, and Brazil, are far from saturated. They share a few similar characteristics, including a rising population, an improved economic situation, rising disposable incomes, and urbanization.

US apparel and footwear sales are expected to grow between six per cent and seven per cent this year and between four per cent and five per cent in 2019. Operating profit growth is expected to be in the range of eight to nine per cent this year.

Nike, PVH and VF are examples of large US companies that are active in the apparel and footwear sector that is seeing concurrent growth after a rocky two years. Nike’s progress with direct-to-consumer revenues and international expansion are seen as strong evidence that the company will shortly be posting solid profit growth. PVH is noted for its product offering and marketing. VF is expected to see continued growth in its Vans and The North Face brands as well as in its work wear business.

The positive outlook for the US apparel and footwear industry reflects faster-than-anticipated revenue and profit growth. Nearly all rated companies are expected to show some form of profit growth next year as they realize benefits from cost-saving initiatives, acquisition synergies, new product introductions and targeted marketing as well as improved macroeconomic conditions.

Many brands are focusing on direct-to-consumer sales channels as a driver of growth. This allows companies to more closely control brand messaging and the overall shopping experience.

"As re-commerce, when particularly executed by partners, unleases a low-risk, high-reward market for goods, and offers a straightforward path into a more circular business model, clothing brands are increasingly turning to re-commerce partners to tap into secondary markets. As thredUp's 2018 Resale Report indicates, the secondary retail apparel market in India, currently valued at $20 billion, is projected to grow by 15 per cent annually over the next five years. The country offers tremendous opportunities in secondhand clothing sales, with branding making a margin on selling the same garment multiple times while maintaining its quality control."

As re-commerce, when particularly executed by partners, unleases a low-risk, high-reward market for goods, and offers a straightforward path into a more circular business model, clothing brands are increasingly turning to re-commerce partners to tap into secondary markets. As thredUp's 2018 Resale Report indicates, the secondary retail apparel market in India, currently valued at $20 billion, is projected to grow by 15 per cent annually over the next five years. The country offers tremendous opportunities in secondhand clothing sales, with branding making a margin on selling the same garment multiple times while maintaining its quality control.

Four companies are catalysing the secondary apparel retail markets in India…

ThredUp

The company offers customers the opportunity to either receive cash or store credit in exchange for their clothes. Its new program UPcycle offers an additional 15 per cent in value if sellers select payment in the form of a partner brand's gift card. If a brand agrees to drive traffic to its online thrift store and pay the 15 per cent bonus to sellers, it can drive sales to returning customers without even touching the used clothing. ThredUP manages apparel intake, pricing, marketing, selling and shipping. The program has been initiated with only one brand partner; the sustainable apparel company Reformation. But ThredUP will announce its second partner soon. The company plans to form 10 new partnerships next year.

Yerdle Recommerce

This company offers a white label service to its apparel retailers — including Eileen Fisher, Patagonia and REI — which enables brands to develop an online re-commerce marketplace under their own names, without investing in a new website and warehouse or straying from their core competencies. These brands encourage customers to return used goods in exchange for store credit. These goods are then repaired and refurbished by Yerdle enabling apparel companies to sell them again under their own brands in their own online stores, complete with warranties, customer service and return policies.

The Renewal Workshop

This is a fully outsourced re-commerce service which manages the reverse logistics, repair, cleaning, quality assurance and resale of used clothing to companies such as the North Face, prAna and Icebreaker. To avail this service, apparel brands pay a processing fee at a rate comparable to apparel waste management and can sell "renewed" clothing in their stores or on the Renewal Workshop's website under a revenue-sharing agreement.

The RealReal

An online consignment store that targets the luxury resale market, this was set up in a founding partnership with Stella McCartney. Aiming to be the first $1 billion circular-economy company, this store offers its sellers that consign pieces from it a $100 Stella McCartney gift card. Similar to thredUP's approach, a financial incentive drives sales back to the company, while also giving apparel a second life.

RealReal recently launched an online "sustainability calculator" to quantify its impact. An initial calculation found that the 2.5 million women's clothing items consigned to the RealReal since 2012 have offset the equivalent of 65 million car miles worth of greenhouse gases and energy.

So far, only a handful of companies are embracing re-commerce. Many fear that by making refurbished versions of their products available, they'll curb sales of new ones. Whether brands will embrace re-commerce at scale, or if this trend quickly goes out of style, only time will tell.

"According to the US Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), from January to September 2018, Bangladesh witnessed a 14.20 per cent increase in its export earnings to the US; i.e. from $367.10 million to $419.21 million during the same period of 2017. China on the other hand earned a $683 million from exports a hike of 1.3 per cent from 2017, while Mexico witnessed a 1.08 per cent increase in exports from 2017 to $595.40 million. Vietnam, a close competitor of Bangladesh earned 41.95 per cent more i.e. $205.43 million which was $144.72 million during 2017. While Cambodia saw a 30.85 per cent rise in export to $88.34 million."

As per Eurostat data Bangladesh earned €917.14 million from exporting denim products to EU countries from January to August 2018, a growth of 4.23 per cent from the corresponding period last year. The country’s denim manufacturers saw a healthy rise in exports to the US and European Union (EU) markets, beating its biggest competitor China. It witnessed a steady growth in exports to the US and EU from January to August 2018.

Rise in denim exports to the US

According to the US Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), from January to September 2018, Bangladesh witnessed a 14.20 per cent increase in its export earnings to the US; i.e. from $367.10 million to $419.21 million during the same period of 2017. China on the other hand earned a $683 million from exports a hike of 1.3 per cent from 2017, while Mexico witnessed a 1.08 per cent increase in exports from 2017 to $595.40 million. Vietnam, a close competitor of Bangladesh earned 41.95 per cent more i.e. $205.43 million which was $144.72 million during 2017. While Cambodia saw a 30.85 per cent rise in export to $88.34 million.

Exports to EU countries rise by 4.23 per cent

Eurostat figures reveal, Bangladesh earned €917.14 million from exporting denim products to EU countries during January-August period of 2018, which is 4.23 per cent higher from exports earned in the corresponding period of last year. Turkey, the second largest exporter of denim goods to EU, registered a 11 per cent loss in earnings to €687.28 million from €772.93 million in 2017. Pakistan saw a 4.83 per cent rise to €500.56 million, while China’s exports registered a 14.30 per cent decline to €304.79 million from €355.68 million in the same period of 2017.

Bangladesh denim products include blue denim trousers WG, blue denim trousers MB, blue denim skirts, blue denim jackets, blue denim suit type coats MB, playsuits and sun suits.

The reasons for Bangladesh’s steady growth in exports earnings are improved technology in fabrics manufacturing, improvement of safety standards in the apparel sector and the trade war between China and the US. There is no such unified, safe and secure sector in the world other than Bangladesh. Alliance for Bangladesh Workers, a platform of American buyers has certified Bangladesh as a safe place, which also boosted buyers’ confidence for sourcing products from here.

In recent times, production cost in China and other countries have gone up due to wage hike. As a result, EU manufacturers are moving to Bangladesh for sourcing denim products. On the other hand, Bangladesh has increased its production capacity in both denim fabrics manufacturing and other denim products. The Bangladeshi manufacturers have also moved to introduce latest technologies for improved quality of products.

In recent times, Bangladesh has seen the establishment of state of the art denim fabrics manufacturing plants, which has increased production capacity. This has helped to attract more work orders from the US buyers, as well as EU, as a result, the manufacturers can supply the orders within much shorter time compared to previous ones.

"Many apparel producers, brands and retailers are making a lot of noise about their sustainability initiatives, but in reality little progress has been made as more and more clothes are being thrown into the landfills every year. To deal with this, brands need to increase investments in sustainability and also cut down their volume of production."

Many apparel producers, brands and retailers are making a lot of noise about their sustainability initiatives, but in reality little progress has been made as more and more clothes are being thrown into the landfills every year. To deal with this, brands need to increase investments in sustainability and also cut down their volume of production.

Brands continue to feed consumers addiction for new clothes while at the same time appeasing them by signing into numerous environmental initiatives. This only creates an appearance of sustainability which is far from truth. Consumers should refuse to buy these cheap, disposable clothing.

Manifesto on circular economy

Some organisations genuinely aim to improve the environmental impact of textile and apparel industries. One such organisation which aims to address this issue in a disciplined way is the Ellen MacArthur Foundation which recently collaborated with some of the biggest names in fashion and apparel industry to create a manifesto based on the principles of circular economy. The manifesto: ‘Make Fashion Circular’ includes partners like H&M, Burberry, Gap, HSBC, Nike and Stella McCartney. Its other participants are DuPont, Lenzing, and VF Corp and other well-known fashion designers, producers, and brands along with government authorities, NGO’s and innovators.

The fashion industry can save around $460 billion if they make clothes that last longer. As Ellen MacArthur Foundation report “A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion’s Future” notes, in 2015, 46 per cent of the collected garments were reused. If 100 per cent of discarded clothing were collected, 22.2 million tons would be reused instead of 5.6 million ton as at present.

Emerging Initiatives

To address these issues, some brands are upgrading their operations through several new initiatives. For example, H&M started an initiative in 2013 to collect used H&M clothing at all their retail outlets and works with I:CO, a global recycling company, to either reuse or repurpose the clothing as rags, insulation or back into fiber. Similarly, Unifi’s Repreve® yarns are made from recycled plastic bottles and reduces petrochemical consumption and delays plastic bottles being put into the landfill for a short time until the clothing is discarded. And Cotton Inc supports reducing water and chemical use in growing cotton. Parkdale’s JV with Intrinsic Textiles produce CiClo® biodegradable polyester yarns.

Though encouraging, many of these efforts are either insignificant or insincere to have a meaningful impact on this massive problem. It requires bold and fundamental changes which are unlikely to materalise unless consumers demand them.

Ending their obsession with fast fashion

To achieve this goal, consumers need to end their obsession with fast fashion and disposable clothing. Non-profit organisations need to initiate a broad and well-planned global education program to develop and fund a global public service advertising campaign explaining the enormous environmental effects of apparel production and disposal and identify ways to dispose off or repurpose that clothing in a sustainable and responsible manner.

If brands produce and sell higher quality, more durable apparel, demand for clothing swaps and second-use sales will grow and brands and retailers would have a new financial incentive to expand access beyond the few specialty resellers currently in place. Increase in demand recycled clothing will encourage the industry to invest more in these technologies.

For addressing the growing negative environmental impact of textile and apparel industries, wide-ranging and expensive structural changes are required. However the industry will take action only when the consumers threaten to ban those brands that do not adopt these changes.

For the second quarter Clariant’s profits were up 16.1 per cent. Sales clocked up Rs 256 crores as against Rs 244 crores for the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Sales were Rs 521 crores for the first half of the year as against Rs 502 crores for the corresponding half of the previous year.

The company’s initiatives to upgrade product portfolio is paying dividends, despite the uncertainties like the depreciating rupee and a surge in crude oil prices. Clariant, based in Switzerland, is a specialty chemical company operating in care chemicals, catalysis, natural resources and plastics and coatings. Its corporate strategy is based on five pillars: focus on innovation through R&D, add value with sustainability, reposition portfolio, intensify growth, and increase profitability. It is with several external sustainability initiatives such as the Global Product Strategy and the United Nations Global Compact. Clariant is one of the top European chemical companies being part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices.

In India the business includes pigments, masterbatches and additives, which deliver solutions for the emerging industry sectors in India. Clariant has also invested in a state-of-the-art regional innovation center in Mumbai, with an aim to co-create tailormade solutions with customers for the industry.

Puerto Rico, in collaboration with the SFA (Smallholder Farmers Alliance ), plans to conduct a feasibility study for reintroducing smallholder-grown cotton in the country later this month. With the support of brands, Puerto Rico hopes to replicate the agronomic revitalisation experienced by Haiti through its cotton reintroduction project – conducted by the SFA and Timberland.

The cotton reintroduction project was conceived at the 2017 Textile Exchange conference, as the effects of Hurricane Maria were emotively discussed in relation to the nation’s smallholder farmers. Subsequently, the Puerto Rico Cotton Fund was launched and over $30,000 was pledged to support the immediate implementation of measures such as emergency micro-grants for smallholder farming families and the development of a smallholder recovery program. Cotton production in Puerto Rico collapsed in the early 1930s following a major hurricane and the failure of the nation’s growers to successfully combat plagues and pests such as pink bollworm and cotton boll weevil.

Around five decades later, Haitian cotton growing stopped due to governmental policies of the time, but now with the support of Timberland and the Smallholder Farmers Alliance a new phase of cotton expansion is now underway in the nation.

Hyosung TNC, the textile and trading arm of South Korean fibre giant Hyosung, plans to increase its production efficiency by improving the production process with an optimal quality algorithm, which will be prepared by analysing the data of each machine vision. The company recently transformed its five Spandex factories into smart factories in China and Vietnam as it looks forward to boost the product quality as well as capacity while preparing its business for the Industry 4.0 era.

The company completed the installation of the smart factory in September at the company’s spandex factories in Quzhou City, Jiaxing City, Guangdong Province and Zhuhai City in China, and in Dong Nai in Vietnam.

With the beginning of the next generation production system environment, it will now be easier to manufacture products of identical quality at each of its global factories and monitoring their status in real time for better quality control. The new system comprises of a process monitoring system, quality control system, and smart IoT among the other elements.

The company’s IT division, Hyosung ITX has launched smart factory solutions brand-XTRM Factory so that it can also enter the smart factory systems market in Korea and overseas by using its experience of establishing smart factories for Hyosung TNC.