The Woolmark Company has strengthened its brand identity in Vietnam through high-quality natural fibres and wool products. The company has been working in the Vietnamese market for the last five years, witnessing the country’s growing interest in the use of natural fibres and its potential for production of quality wool product. The industry employs more than 2.7 million people in the country, equivalent to 25 per cent of the industrial workforce and is the second largest export earner in the manufacturing sector.

Accounting for 17 per cent of world apparel exports in 2017, Vietnam’s textile exports have steadily grown to $31.1 billion in 2017 from the modest $1.35 billion in 1998, listing the country among the world’s top five textile exporters. However, it is essential for Vietnamese businesses to develop specific strategies to enhance competitiveness and generate breakthroughs. Simultaneously, businesses also need to leverage effective flows of foreign investment, while actively participate in the supply chain to reduce costs and optimise domestic performance.

The textile and garment industry has long been Vietnam’s key economic sector. The industry employs more than 2.7 million people in the country, equivalent to 25 per cent of the industrial workforce and is the second largest export earner in the manufacturing sector.

Milano Unica is exploring innovation, quality and a new vision for the future by creating a restyled, improved and extended Sustainability Area - within the ‘Tendenze’ area. This attracted significant interest in the past edition, with the participation of over 50 entrepreneurs, who presented over 250 textiles and accessories samples selected for the use of sustainable materials and production processes.

This section showcases the proposals of leading entrepreneurs, with a panorama of textiles and accessories that meet the sustainability demand of the market. To facilitate visitors’ decision-making, the textiles and accessories presented in the Sustainability Area have been classified based on categories that reflect the main segments of sustainable innovation. In addition, in this edition, the Sustainability Area table provides visitors with access to more detailed information about the samples through their smartphones and tablets.

Global brands including Arrow, Calvin Klein, H&M, Izod, Cherokee and VF Corporation are increasingly eyeing Kenya to source their apparel as the garment and textile sector rebounds after many years of decline. The Tailors and Textile Workers Union is organising workers and winning good agreements in this growing industry.

The government of Kenya’s Vision 2030 identifies the garment and textile sector as a driver of industrialisation. Currently the sector contributes to 7 per cent of the country’s export earnings. The sector can benefit by expanding its market to free trade areas that it belongs to, including the African Continental Free Trade Area, the East African Community, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. The country has also signed Economic Partnership Agreements, the European Union African Caribbean and Pacific (Cotonou Agreement) and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). About 92 per cent of apparel from Kenya is sold in the US under AGOA.

For the first time, Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) is supporting five local brands to showcase its products at the largest streetware exhibition, "Agenda Show", in California, USA, from June, 28-30 2018. One of the participating brands is the Paradise Youth Club. As per the owner Hendrick Setio, whose products are inspired by the style of the 90s, his participation in the exhibition, which will be represented by 50 countries, can become their opportunity to penetrate the American market.

The other four brands that will showcase in the US are: Elhaus, which focuses on men’s wear and denim; OldBlueCo, the classic denim focus born from American miners; Monstore, which creates clothing oriented to history and combines it with pop art; Popmeetpop a very creative brand with modern denim designs.

Indonesia is targeting America as the main destination for local streetwear brands to expand business. This will allow Indonesian artisans to introduce their local products in the US. The US is also Indonesia`s largest export market for fashion products, with an export value of $4.72 billion.

A large proportion of the manufacturing in the Indian garment industry is for the export market. The garment export industry is mainly concentrated in urban regions around Bangalore in Karnataka, Chennai and Tirupur in Tamil Nadu, and in Gurugram, Faridabad Noida around National Capital Region. There is a significant wage difference among garment workers in different Indian states.

The garment industry uses low wage states as the reason to oppose wage increase in states with higher wages. This is exactly what the garment units in Karnataka are doing. They argue since minimum wages in Karnataka are higher than in other states increasing wages would have an adverse impact on an industry that is already facing tough international competition.

Karnataka’s garment units threaten to shift to Telangana when the issue of wage revision comes up. That means management has the upper hand in determining the minimum wages of workers in the textile industry, spinning industry and the printing and dyeing industry. Determination of the minimum wage is regulated by the Minimum Wages Act. Garment and textile industries in the state argue they are incurring losses and so are unable to implement the Minimum Wages Act.

With the growing fitness industry in China, demand for sportswear is also growing. To cater to this, domestic brands are launching their products to meet the requirements of different sports. Sportswear giants like Li Ning, Anta and 361 Degrees have launched footwear and outfits for basketball, football, running, outdoor sports and athleisure with similar product strategy as big international brands Adidas and Nike.

With a distinctive style, flamboyant colors and clear cuts, Chinese designer Sun Lei recently launched her own brand Mono, to offer both functional and fashionable fitness clothing to an increasing number of gym-goers in the country. The brand’s special design for gym workouts aims to provide a new option for gym goers, with fabrics that absorb sweat, dries fast, and is ultraviolet-proof and anti-bacterial,. Mono has released three series in different styles and three colors, for women.

Chanel, founded by Coco Chanel in 1910 has released its annual results for the first time in its 108-year history. It also announced a reorganisation that aims to bring its various companies under one roof. The figures released revealed that the company registered total sales of $9.62 billion for the 2017 calendar year. This was an increase of 11 percent compared to the previous year on a constant-currency basis. That growth was primarily driven by sales in the Asia-Pacific region and in Europe, while operating profit was recorded at $2.69 billion.

Synonymous with French high fashion and blockbuster Parisian runway shows, Chanel is one of the biggest brands in the global luxury business. It is a French privately held company owned by Alain Wertheimer and Gérard Wertheimer, grandsons of Pierre Wertheimer. Chanel S.A. is a high fashion house that specialises in haute couture and ready-to-wear clothes, luxury goods, and fashion accessories.

The textile industry is currently facing double trouble with prices of both cotton and dyes, and chemicals have increased substantially in the last few days. The increase in prices of these key raw materials has pushed up the input cost of textile mills and processors.

Cotton prices have increased by 20 per cent whereas the cost of reactive dyes has almost doubled. The price of Shankar-6 variety of cotton has currently settled at Rs 47,500 per candy (one candy is 356kg) after touching a six-year high of Rs 48,500 per candy. The carry-over stock for 2018-19 is low both domestically and internationally. The price could firm up further if the US-China trade war continues. Based on the current scenario, the cotton prices may remain 15-17 per cent higher in 2018-19.

Higher imports of dyes raw materials by China from India has resulted in dyes prices in the domestic market surging by 30 per cent in the last two month. The price of caustic dye has also increased by 40 per cent and even coal prices have increased by 60 per cent

Filpucci is known for its innovative products, high-end knitwear and creative yarns. Research, style and fashion are key to driving Filpucci’s responsible approach towards innovation. The company uses the best raw materials and has an established know-how in the fields of dyeing and finishing.

Among this season’s new offerings are Baby Camel Re.Verso, RWS- certified merino organic wool, Re.Verso cashmere, organic silks and FSC-certified viscose. Filpucci is an Italian leader in manufacture creative yarns for quality knitwear. It is all about a constant movement towards new generation values and a reliable, traceable and transparent manufacturing process, as shown by the Re.Verso circular economy supply chain, of which the group is a unique ambassador in the field of high-end/low-impact knitwear yarns.

With quality always in mind, the group represents a corporate model that has made sustainability a mission, embarking on complex paths that have brought great results with fashionable textile solutions led by ethical and sustainable values. Filpucci’s products have become part of Patagonia’s collections. Patagonia was on the hunt for the highest performing, lowest impact materials and came upon Re.Verso (95/5 transformed) cashmere yarn from Filpucci. It allowed Patagonia to create a range of products with the insulative and soft properties of cashmere while adhering to its mission statement: building the best product without causing unnecessary harm.

World cotton stocks are forecast to decrease following last season’s relatively small increase. Ending stocks are projected at 83 million bales for 2018-19, nearly six per cent below 2017-18 and the lowest since 2011-12. Global cotton stocks totaled a record 110.8 million bales at the conclusion of 2014-15, with China holding 60 per cent of the total. Chinese policies resulted in unusually large stocks in its national reserve. Subsequently, however, policies were implemented in China to reduce surplus stocks, resulting in lower world stocks.

For 2017-18, cotton stocks in China are forecast lower at 41.2 million bales, while stocks outside of China are expected to increase 22 per cent. For 2018-19, stocks in China are projected to decline further to 33.1 million bales—40 per cent of the global total—while stocks outside of China are forecast to approach a record 50 million bales. However, as a share of world mill use, stocks outside of China are expected to rise only slightly in 2018-19.

Reduced yields in 2017-18 in India are contributing to lowered planted area for 2018-19, with exports projected at 8,40,000 tons, representing a 24 per cent decrease from the previous season. Production in Brazil for the 2017-18 season is estimated to be 1.9 million tons, a 26 per cent increase from 2016-17.