FW
Even nine years after the Rana Plaza factory collapse that killed 1,138 textile workers in Bangladesh, the safety regulation Accord has found only one taker – Tally Weij, which signed up with Accord in 2014. Another Swiss retailer Coop, which sells various brands of clothing and soft furnishings, procures its few own-label textiles from a handful of suppliers in Bangladesh and takes the responsibility for implementing sustainability standards directly. Similarly, Swiss outdoor label Mammut has built up a substantial control and management system over the past 10 years and is therefore, not a part of Accord.
Accord is the world’s first legally binding measure to improve workplace safety for garment workers. Under this agreement, inspection teams have screened over 1,600 factories and identified more than 118,500 dangers related to fire safety, electrical installations and structural issues.
Suri alpacas could be key in starting a booming natural fiber industry in New Zealand. These animals produce a rare fiber which does not need to be dyed. They are unlike their woolly counterparts, the more common alpaca, which has a sheep-like coat. The fiber is soft and is one of the rarest specialist fibers. It comes in 21 colors from shades of white to fawn.
There is expected to be a rise in demand for alpaca in the high-end fashion industry as people move away from synthetic fibers. Peru, the world's top alpaca fiber producer, supplies to international markets, mainly to Asia, the United States and Europe.
Peru currently holds 80 per cent of the world’s alpaca production. Alpaca-breeding associations, shearers, processing, industrial and artisanal dressmaking companies as well as spinners and fashion designers comprise this sector, which has reached its highest peaks over the past two years. The Arequipa region in Peru, where 95 per cent of fiber is industrially transformed, holds all production chain elements within its territory from fleece harvesting, through processing and dyeing, to garment-manufacturing with added value.
Peruvian alpaca garments and textiles have already been introduced to 30 countries. Alpaca is one of the finest luxury fibers in the world. It’s incredibly soft, with a silky smooth texture.
Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufactures and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) will sign an MoU with HOGIAF, an association of young entrepreneurs in Netherlands to support them in getting partners in Netherlands, help exchange ideas, facilitate business development and strengthen business cooperation between the two countries. The MoU will promote and expand commutation and cooperation between Pakistan and Netherland's textile and apparel companies in a bid to realise common development of industries within ambit of the law in both countries.
HOGIAF is the largest cross-cultural and multi-sectoral association for entrepreneurs in the Netherlands, with departments all around the country. Its main purpose is to support entrepreneurs proactively in different fields of entrepreneurship
A breaking Peta video expose of the mohair industry in South Africa the source of more than 50 per cent of the world’s mohair has prompted several top international retailers to ban the material, and now, after receiving more than 18,000 letters from Peta supporters, Anthropologie, a brand of Philadelphia-based URBN, has announced that because of the potential for the mistreatment of animals, it won’t buy or produce mohair products as of March 2019.
Peta’s eyewitness expose, which is the first of its kind and encompasses 12 farms visited in January and February of this year, shows workers dragging goats by the horns and legs and lifting them off the floor by the tail, which could break their spines. Lambs, who were being shorn for the first time, cried out in fear. Afterward, workers threw them across the floor. Peta has asked law-enforcement agencies to investigate and file charges, as appropriate, for what the group believes are violations of South Africa’s Animals Protection Act, 1962.
Peta Director of Corporate Affairs Anne Brainard stated that gentle baby goats were left bleeding and crying in pain and fear on the shearing floor, all for mohair sweaters and scarves.
Farmers admitted that after shearing, many goats die from exposure to the cold wind and rain 40, 000 reportedly died of exposure across South Africa in just one weekend. Unwanted goats also died in agonizing ways: On one farm, a worker slowly cut the throats of fully conscious goats with a dull knife and then broke their necks, hacking one animal’s head right off. Other goats were hauled to a slaughterhouse, where they were electrically shocked, hung upside down, and slashed across the throat.
In banning mohair, Anthropologie joins Arcadia Group Gap, Athleta, H&M Group, Inditex apparel brands, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Express, and numerous other brands and retailers.
American Apparel will open a flagship store later this year, its first foray into brick-and-mortar shops after all its locations closed following a bankruptcy process. It was bought by Canadian Gildan Activewear last year. Since purchasing American Apparel, Gildan integrated the brand into its own low-cost manufacturing chain and focused at first on selling blank T-shirts and other items to wholesalers, which customize them for sports teams or events. It then relaunched the brand’s US website in August and expanded online sales to 200 countries last month.
One store will be opened and that will be a test model. It could be a franchise, and a few more could be opened. Before bankruptcy, American Apparel’s clothes were produced in the US. Now most of the clothes are made at either Gildan’s factories in Central America or sub-contracted elsewhere.
In its heyday, American Apparel, based in the US, ran 280 stores and five factories. Gildan’s main line of business is clothing such as T-shirts, underwear and socks. It competes with Hanesbrands and Fruit of the Loom. The company is merging different business units and bolstering distribution to strengthen its e-commerce business. American Apparel also has given Gildan a foothold in the lucrative niche of fashionable basics.
In major textile clusters like Coimbatore, Tirupur, Dindigul, migrant workers account for 30 to 90 per cent of the workforce. But textile mills face numerous problems in sourcing, mobilizing, recruiting and retaining migrant workers for a reasonable period.
To handle this situation, Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) has started direct recruitment from Tripura. A job fair was organized by SIMA on April 25 to 26, 2018, at Agartala. Around 4,000 unemployed youth, both male and female, attended the job fair from various districts of Tripura. Eight member mills of SIMA participated in the fair and selected 1,635 candidates, out of which 1,371 were male and 264 were female candidates. This includes 20 physically challenged candidates.
This direct recruitment exercise is expected to help mills source the right candidates with a good background and enable the unemployed youth of Tripura find job opportunities in Tamil Nadu. SIMA will repeat the job fair exercise in Tripura and do a similar exercise in other states.
Tamil Nadu accounts for around 45 per cent of the spinning capacity, 70 per cent of the knitted garment manufacturing capacity and 22 per cent of the weaving capacity in India, and directly employs over 60 lakh people. However, the state started facing a labor shortage in the last decade due to an exponential growth in the manufacturing facility.
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.
