The 9th Bangladesh Denim Expo, to be held on November 7 and 8, 2018 at the International Convention City, Bashundhara, Dhaka, will be themed ‘Simplicity in the Supply Chain.’ The expo will define a simpler sustainability and ecology of the denim industry. It will display the latest denim products to global brands, retailers, and Bangladeshi manufacturers.

The expo will also focus on how to understand the demands of buyers, how to prepare for and negotiate these demands, and how the denim industry of Bangladesh can profit from this simplicity. Sixty-two exhibitors from all over the world will participate in the event—which is expected to attract the highest number of international visitors, ever, for an apparel event in Bangladesh.

An international exposition dedicated to the promotion of Bangladesh-produced denim, Bangladesh Denim Expo is will showcase the company’s strength and capability in manufacturing the material.

The fifth day of the Merdeces-Benz Fashion Week Russia started off with a collective show by the Contrfashion (standing for Contradiction Fashion) project, collecting young, artistic designers who showcased their unique and vibrant talent. The show contained four distinct parts, varying wildly in style, concept and method:

DimaKamma& Tata-Polina

This included a stunning collection of glittering fabrics, paired with a wild set of accessories - Art Deco collars, shoulderpads and breastplates of gold and shimmering material. The models stepped out in shocking headdresses, reminiscent of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, and sporting giant silver eagle wings straight from a decoration on a NYC skyscraper.

Daria Fedunova

A stylish, rave-inspired collection, consisting of segmented fabrics - wool, plastic, neoprene, pleather, etc, combined together to form abstract garments. Models were accessorised with big geometric shades, small cubes adorning their heads. A silken cape of pure red finished off this exciting offering from the young designer.

Nicole Feller-Johnson

This collection included a gentle assembly of all-white garments, as though woven from purest spider silk. The dresses seemed to float in the air rather with the light, silk, mesh, muslin and tulle the fabrics adding to the ethereal nature of this collection.

Olga Chernoschekova

This collection was inspired by New York punk and avant-garde - Basquiat and Haring - with bright red, black and white being used profusely. It comprised large coats of leather and faux fur strapped with metal chains, accessories of bleeding-red hearts hanging from neckchains and large leather arms serving as scarves.

Free imports not only expand production quickly but also boost the purchasing power of consumers by allowing them to buy high-quality goods at low price. If trade flow is unhindered, the law of comparative advantage forces countries to specialise and trade in products they have some competitive advantage in. This benefits consumers and producers of both exporting and importing countries.

Economists across the world are at loggerheads with policymakers on whether countries should impose import duty on specific products to regulate imports? While many countries, including India, are actively considering such measures, economists argue governments should refrain from regulating trade flows.

Free imports not only expand production quickly but also boost the purchasing power of consumers by allowing them to buy high-quality goods at low price. If trade flow is unhindered, the law of comparative advantage forces countries to specialise and trade in products they have some competitive advantage in. This benefits consumers and producers of both exporting and importing countries.

Incentives for comparative advantage

China has repeatedly proved that comparative advantage, in most cases, can be developed in a short period by offering several incentives. In the 1980s, China had no domestic electronics and computer industry and imported everything for meeting local needs. The country decided to implement a shrewd production strategy. It attracted MNCs to set final assembly units in China by offering them low-cost land, power, water, labor, tax exemptions, and an efficient customs administration. MNCs were allowed to import all inputs through the ‘global value chain’ model of shared production.

Raw materials and low-end components for these units were sourced from ASEAN and while the components requiring advance manufacturing came from Japan, Korea and Taiwan. This model made China the leading exporter of electrical machinery, electronic items and telecom equipment by 2005. In the next phase of growth, the country reduced its dependence on the GVC model by manufacturing everything needed in-house. China applied a similar strategy for organic chemicals and electrical machinery to emerge a world leader.

High import duties impending growth

While average import duties are low for many developed countries, the US, the EU and most other developed countries charge high import duty on products of interest to developing countries and grant calibrated access only. The EU and the US charge 10-20 per cent import duty on Indian apparel and shoes. Japan charges 300 per cent duty on rice. Many European countries charge seasonal import duties on agriculture products.

Total import duty on some types of steel in the US and EU exceeds 100 per cent. South Korea is an excellent example of export-led development, but in most sectors it imposes high import duties and non-tariff barriers. The US is fast approaching a point where it would impose extra 25 per cent import duty on all goods coming from China. And, China is mechanically retaliating by doing the same.

Strategy need for import substitution

Action is also needed to reduce over-reliance on a country on products related to health, food or national security. For instance, India imports over 90 per cent of its requirement of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) from China. Realising this, China sharply increased prices in the past two years. India therefore, needs an urgent strategy for import substitution.

China accounts for more than 95 per cent of Indian imports for items such as blankets, bed linen, artificial flowers, kitchenware, baby carriages, clock movements, tricycles, festival items, combs, vacuum flasks, candles, etc. As these are low technology, labour-intensive products, they can be manufactured even locally.

No alternative to innovation

Indeed import substitution cannot be an option to innovation. For instance, a high-technology product like a driver-less car can only be produced in a country that has with in-depth institutional knowledge of precision fabrication, electronics, robotics, design, IT and many more streams, it cannot be manufactured in countries like Brazil, India or China. Quick comparative advantage cannot be developed in a short period for such products through import substitution.

Karl Mayer launched KM.ON – a new brand for delivering digital solutions and also showcased its own software start-up at ITMA ASIA.  Representing digital driven innovation KM.ON brought together the digital solutions portfolio of the Karl Mayer Digital Factory, a new software start-up, and the entire Karl Mayer Group.

Eight solutions to exploit KM.ON easily and securely

KM.ON’s digital portfolio comprises eight solution categories k.ey – a conventional industry PC together with an appropriate software – provides access to the solutions. The platform of hardware and software can be installed easily and links the machines securely to the protected cloud. This is based on the expertise gained by participating in Adamos with regard to the use of an open IIoT environment which is specifically focused on the needs of machinery and plant construction. This enables the benefits of KM.ON to be exploited easily and securely.

These eight KM.ON solution categories, alongwith the first apps and solutions covering the three areas of management, maintenance and service, were presented At ITMA ASIA 2018. 

Improving process transparency

The system, made up of  k.management enabled the customers to look at the current production process, regardless of location and in real time. The production data was displayed clearly on a dashboard. This simple way of delivering information improved process transparency and acted as a valid database for decision-making and planning.

Supporting customers in maintenance operations

The solutions in the k.maintenance category were designed to support customers in their own maintenance operations. In the first solution, Karl Mayer showcased the Check Parts app for testing the authenticity of the spare parts, with expanded functions. The scan-to-order feature of the app makes it even easier to order spare parts online. Automatic data transfer improves the customers’ day-to-day operations when ordering on site, as well as for warehousing. 

Managing communication between company and customer

The product portfolio of k.service will, in the long term, include all the functions that manage the communication between the customer and Karl Mayer, should the client require assistance. The ability to make contact quickly, together with efficient communication procedures, guarantees a high level of machine availability. The company is showcased the latest developments in this system, based on the tried-and-tested CONNECT app, in Shanghai.

Driving digitisation forward

Karl Mayer is systematically driving the topic of digitisation forward in order to seize the opportunities offered by the upheavals of the time. The Karl Mayer Digital Factory is a pioneering company operating alongside this innovative market leader. It employs a team of software specialists and technology experts in a new, creative environment away from the main company headquarters. 

Another integral part of Karl Mayer’s digitisation strategy is its participation in Adamos, a strategic alliance of German global market leaders in machine construction and the Software AG. On the basis of the Adamos technology, and as part of this network for developments, Karl Mayer is living up with the product portfolio of the new KM.ON brand to its claim of being a global market leader also in terms of digital Solutions. 

China is currently implementing several policies to reduce carbon emissions and adopt a low carbon economy with low energy consumption and low-pollution. To support this initiative, the country is procuring cleaning, dyeing and finishing machines, knitting, stitch-bond, lace and auxiliary machinery from Italy. Over the first six months of the current year, the value of Italian exports to China amounted to 156 million Euros. These Italian machines will foster China textile industry’s quality besides providing environmental conservation.

Quick production at low costs

The demand for machinery in China is focused primarily on technologies capable of saving production costs alongwith offering environmental sustainability. China’s textile industry is sensitive to innovative solutions that respond to the market’s changing demands; i.e. fast time-to-market and just-in-time production.

Innovative and sustainable solutions on display

To tap this growing demand for textile machinery in China, ACIMIT, the Italian Association of Textile Machinery Manufacturers and the ICE-Agency organised Italian exhibitors at ITMA ASIA 2018 on October 15, 2018 in Shanghai. The event, dedicated to textile machinery, featured innovative and sustainable solutions.

Around 130 Italian companies exhibited at the ITMA ASIA+CITME2018 in Shanghai. Of these, 63 presented their technology offerings within National Sector Groups. The total exhibition surface area occupied by Italian businesses amounted to roughly 6,300 sq m, placing Italy among the main exhibiting nations at the event.

Asia in focus for Italian manufacturers

Asia and China in particular, represented the primary foreign markets for Italian machinery manufacturers in the sector. Over the first half of 2018, fully 46 per cent of Italian exports of textile machinery were destined for Asia, compared to 37 per cent for European Countries, and 12 per cent to the Americas. Other major export destinations for Italian machinery manufacturers in Asia include India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. 

Vietnam’s imports of garment and textile materials rose significantly during January to September 2018. In clothing materials, fiber imports jumped 34.6 per cent from the same period in 2017. Cotton imports saw a rise of 30.3 per cent compared to the first nine months of 2017. Imports of waterproof fabrics rose 13.5 per cent.

The country has to import large volumes of feedstock including yarn, fabric and others. >The industry has to decrease its dependence on traditional sources in Asean and China. Depending on purely one or two sources will limit manufacturers’ production capacity and development. Vietnam has imported garment and textile raw materials from China for a long time. It is now looking at upgrading technologies as well as diversifying its raw material sources.

India is seen as one of the best alternative choices. Many Vietnamese garment companies have visited India to explore co-operation opportunities and returned impressed with the country’s garment and textile industry, since several raw materials available in India suit their needs. Indian products have good quality and are priced reasonably due to the free trade agreement signed between India and Asean. Besides, India plans to cut taxes on garments and textile sector products in future.

Countries in Asia and the Pacific recently adopted a declaration that will strengthen national statistical systems to present a more complete picture of the region's development, and support good governance, health and human rights. The declaration, ‘Navigating Policy with Data to Leave No One Behind,’ was agreed at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Sixth Committee on Statistics held in Bangkok from October 16-19, 2018.

The Committee brought together high-level policymakers with leaders of National Statistical Systems to identify transformative, collective actions to advance the regions progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which calls for high-quality data that is accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability and geographic location, along with public-private partnerships to support innovative use of new data sources to inform policymaking.

The declaration urges the governments to make nine commitments to strengthen and transform national statistical systems in support of the 2030 Agenda. It also calls on development partners to support national statistical systems and on ESCAP facilitate its implementation.

Tajikistan’s textile and clothing production have increased by almost 30 per cent in the first eight months of this year. The industrial production index increased 29.1 per cent due to an increase in cotton fiber, fabric, carpets and carpet products, and hosiery. Textile exports increased 92 per cent more than the same period last year.

Starting with the production of raw materials to the production of finished products, the country has a full value chain. The sector has modern enterprises for making clothes and shoes. A complete production cycle has been organized, including the production of raw materials, spinning, fabric manufacturing, and the manufacture of garments and carpets.

The main products are fabrics and garments made from them like denim pants, shorts, textiles, carpets and leather products. Tajikistan has a program targeted at supporting the development of the textile and clothing industry and improving the quality management infrastructure.

Prosperity Textile, one of the main denim producers worldwide, has chosen for its new facility one of the most interesting and sustainable-oriented Itema technologies, iSAVER™ equipped on the Itema. Prosperity Textiles is, in fact, one of the early adopters of this new technology for the new plant that the world-famous indigo fabrics producer will open in Vietnam, and that will be exclusively equipped with the latest Itema weaving machine model, demonstrating once again its green, future-oriented approach.

iSAVER™: the ideal green tool for denim weaving, developed by ItemaLab™, the Itema Advanced Innovation Department, is able to completely eliminate the left-hand weft waste, allowing to insert the weft yarns in the fabric without the need of additional yarns. iSAVER™ significantly reduces raw material waste, leading to tangible benefits in terms of machine’s efficiency, cost reduction and energy saving.

The introduction of iSAVER™ clearly sets a new benchmark in terms of sustainability within denim fabric production. Furthermore, the iSAVER™ is one of the key features of the Itema R95002denim, the rapier weaving machine born and designed to weave denim guaranteeing to weavers superior textile quality, outstanding user-friendliness and tangible energy and raw materials saving.

Pakistan is giving high priority to the value-added textile export industry. The aim is to increase exports, boost the domestic economy, accelerate industrialisation and create job opportunities. In order to promote value addition and exports, the regulatory duty on the import of yarn and other raw materials has been significantly decreased.

The regulatory duty has been revised only on 90 items whereas the same has been increased on 100 luxury items. Further, rebate will also be paid with the export proceeds electronically in order to facilitate the exporters. The process of validating licenses – for export-oriented units and manufacturing bonds – will be soon automated. The audit will also be done automatically by the system. Pakistan’s textile exports constitute a major portion of the country’s overall exports.

The six major sub-sectors of the textile sector, including spinning, weaving, processing, printing, garment manufacturing, and yarn manufacturing, are expected to benefit by adopting value addition and modern techniques. The country is working on upgrading its supply chain and improving productivity. There is room for further expansion of the textile sector with improvement in the law and order and energy situations. As compared to 2013, Pakistan is a changed country now with a conducive environment for both local and foreign investors.