FW
The 30th edition of the Colombiatex Textile Conference will be held at Plaza Mayor Medellín, Colombia, from January 23rd to 25th. The theme for this edition is ‘Open Your Eyes (Abre los Ojos)’, organiser Inexmoda expects the 2018 event to draw more than 15,000 buyers and around 550 exhibitors from Colombia and abroad to do business and celebrate the on-going growth of textile, clothing, and fashion industry in the country.
Discussing the theme, Clara Henríquez, Director of Commercial Platforms at Inexmoda says the organisation is attempting to help inspire companies and designers to identify their strengths and later build upon them to “make extraordinary things that cultivate the future and a lasting business over time.” The expo will have seven pavilions spread over 10,400 sq. mt. Brazil will be the official guest country. This was due to the support of Texbrasil, ABIT, and Apex-Brazil. Trade in this sector between the two countries grew 6 per cent, year-over-year, to around $40 million and the organisers are confident the inclusion of Brazil in this year’s fair will further that development.
The highlights of exhibition are: a full day, (January 24), dedicated to love of jeans during ‘Denim Day’. There also will be a Graphic Market on display throughout the event that will showcase talented graphic designers as well as the Tecno Espacio (Tech Space) that will highlight latest technological innovations in textiles and industry equipment.
Carlos Eduardo Botero Hoyos, CEO of Inexmoda says the industry faces challenges to increase the volume of its sales and that forces entrepreneurs to focus their efforts on increasing the substitution cycle of garments, either through marketing strategies in the economic segments or greater personalisation.
Hong Kong exhibitor Innee-Sedona International is displaying accessories from the Celine Dion brand at the ongoing Hong Kong Fashion Week fall/winter being held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. In 2017, Celine Dion launched her eponymous label, which includes handbags, luggage and other fashion accessories. Each piece reflects the singer’s penchant for aesthetics, lifestyle and attention to detail combined with quality and craftsmanship. The 49th edition of Hong Kong Fashion Week for Fall/Winter began on January 15 and is on till January 18 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
The brand’s 2018 fall/winter collection is now making its world debut at Hong Kong Fashion Week. Described as bold, feminine, and sophisticated, every element echoes Céline’s sense of style with focus on functionality and practicality. The collection includes handbags, luggage and small leather accessories. According to Hong Kong Trade Development Council in 2017, the company appointed the sole Asia-Pacific distributor of products from the brand curated by the celebrated singer, the organizer of Fashion Week.
The China Yiwu International Exhibition on Textile Machinery (also known as YiwuTex) has been successfully held for 18 editions and gathered extensive network resources, large customer base and high market value. The 2018 edition has been renamed ‘China Yiwu International Textile Fair’ and will be held at Yiwu International Expo Centre (Hall East 1 and 2) May 17 to 19, 2018.
The show will present four thematic zones catering to knitting, garment and printing industries, including an exhibition on knitting and hosiery machinery, an exhibition on sewing and automatic garment machinery, textile printing industry fair, and international textile expo. A comprehensive display of the world's leading textile machinery and cutting-edge technology will be showcased to build up a textile bonanza covering the entire spectrum of the industry supply chain.
‘Belt and Road’ Strategy Brought New Opportunities to Yiwu Around 15,000 foreign merchants reside in Yiwu and inspired by the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, Yiwu opened nine railway lines and nurtured trading partnerships with 64 surrounding countries and regions. The total export of Yiwu increased 11.3 per cent and reached RMB 91.25 billion from January to May 2017. Up to 50 per cent of the increase was from countries along the ‘Belt and Road’. The wide geographical and commercial advantage has laid sound foundation for the development of textile and apparel industry in Yiwu and Zhejiang Province.
The government’s policy facilitates textile industry in Zhejiang Province The supportive policy also brings new opportunities to the textile industry in Zhejiang Province. At present, textile manufacturing is included in the implementation of ‘Upgrading of Traditional Industries Strategy 2017-2020’ in Zhejiang Province. Yiwu is the pilot city for garment manufacturing industry upgrading, which has seen government funding of RMB 30 million. Expectations are that the gross value of local garment manufacturing industry will reach RMB 36 billion by 2020, accounting for over 10 per cent of the industry gross value in Zhejiang Province.
Deloitte’s Global Powers of Retailing ranking 2018, which lists the largest 250 global retailers, reports US retail giants are spiralling down international market, while e-commerce, European fast fashion and sportswear brands are tightening their grip. Big US department stores are among those that have lost out most in the ranking this year: Macy’s dropped two positions, down at the number 37 spot, while Sears has dropped from 39th to 45th since 2017. The grand old American Eagle Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch have sunk, having totally dropped out of the top 250 global retailers. Gap, , one of the world’s biggest fashion company, has also been overtaken by Japanese group Fast Retailing, Uniqlo’s parent company, which forced it to 61st place.
In contrast, the 2018 ranking shows strong progress for leading European fast fashion brands such as H&M which overtook Sears this year to garner 39th place, and Inditex, which is now hot on Macy’s heels in 38th spot. Bucking the trend in the US are Nordstrom, which managed to notch up three spots to 65th place – overtaking Marks & Spencer– and L Brands, which moves 2 notches up from 78th place in 2017 to 76th this year. Kohl’s also managed to hold onto its 52nd place from 2017 for another year.
The biggest winner of 2018’s is Canadian department store chain Hudson’s Bay, which zoomed up from 114th place last year to 87th. Nike was also one of the achievers rising up 14 places to 109th position. Indeed, the ranking showed generally positive progress for sportswear brands, with Dick’s Sporting Goods, Foot Locker and Decathlon all moving up.
Online retailers also continued to perform well: Amazon consolidated its place in the top ten, this year, by jumping four places to the number six spot, while China’s JD.com climbed eight places to 28th position. Deloitte’s report confirms some of the most noticeable retail movements that have been shaking up the sector recently. As reflected by the ranking, faced with ruthless opposition from online retailers, malls, department stores and other traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are under increasing pressure to diversify their offer and tap into the new experiential retail trend to tempt customers in store. Deloitte’s Global Powers of Retailing ranking is compiled using retail sales data from 2016.
The Tiruchirapalli District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (TIDITSSIA) who had demanded a mini textile park, a hub for minor readymade manufacturing units has been shown a few locations in Manapparai area for of a mini textile park (MTP) that will get significant government subsidy. N Kanagasabapathy, TIDITSSIAs President says the location of MTP with common facility centres for design ideation, training, and sales in Manapparai area will be ideal for the development of the readymade garments business in Puthanatham town.
The MTP includes establishment of at least 10 production units on a minimum area of 10 acres which has to be developed through formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle. The government, through the Handlooms and Textiles Department, will make available subsidy to the extent of 50 per cent with a maximum ceiling of Rs 2.5 crore under the project.
Revenue authorities have identified around 24 acres within the jurisdiction of the proposed area identified for establishment of the SIPCOT Industrial Park. Such a facility would be ideal for promoting export. Most of the over 50 readymade garment manufacturers in Puthanatham, located about 17 km away from the Manapparai town, have specialised in making churidars and children's apparel of export quality following study visits to Mumbai.
Establishment the MTP will be a motivating factor for scaling up production through cluster approach. Moreover, as Manaparai has both road and rail connectivity, by setting up a MTP would not only give a potential platform for small power loom manufacturers to promote their products in both domestic and international markets but also help in generating employment.
The 7th edition of Texfusion to be held from March 20 to 21, 2018 at the Business Design Centre, Londin. More than 100 international exhibitors will be visiting London for Texfusion, which happen to be the first trade fair within the UK catering exclusively to international fashion fabrics and accessories, home textiles, functional fabrics and garment manufacturers and a new section completely dedicated to denim. The show attracts top UK buyers, with an increasing interest from European designers and manufacturers.
Featuring the best international manufacturers, the show attracts industry professionals from sportswear to casualwear such as garment retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, chain stores. It is dedicated to international garment manufacturers and features menswear, womenswear, childrenwear, events/evening, sportswear, lingerie, swimwear, accessories, scarves and a lot more.
This February in Las Vegas, Sourcing at Magic will focus on the most important topic for 2018 –digitalisation of manufacturing. Digital Apparel Micro Factories, which can create apparel on demand and in extremely short periods of time, gives designers and producers powerful ‘concept-to-creation’ capabilities. In five steps you can go from design to product – CAD/Design to printing to cutting to sewing. Christopher Griffin, President, Sourcing at Magic says, “Automation will ultimately change where and how all apparel is produced. We are at a tipping point in terms of the technology necessary to move this forward. Sourcing at Magic felt it was a very compelling focus category that all buyers, brands and factories are interested in and are seeking guidance.”
The Process: Create and prepare a garment prototype using 3D renderings; Convert designs into printing data and transfer to digital printer; Pick fabric using colour management software and you are now ready to digitally print. Send design to a ‘heat press’ which transfers the design directly onto fabric; and Automated cutters cut the patterns (sewbots).
Sourcing at Magic will host a micro-factory on the show floor, featuring live demonstrations of apparel production (the micro factory will produce T-shirts onsite). The micro-factory will consist of machinery from EFI, Optitex, EFI Reggiani, Klieverik, Zund and Eton System along with robots and sewing from Henderson. Several specialists will lead panels discussions on functionalities and the benefits behind automated technology.
South Africa is fighting to revive its frayed clothing industry, which at one time was a key provider of jobs in a country that had high unemployment due to the fact that a tsunami of cheap imports forced local factories to shut down and lay off workers. The glut of cheap products from China has led to the loss of nearly two-thirds of the sector’s jobs in the past two decades.
The clothing factory in Verulam, north of the port city of Durban, shut down post many years of fighting low demand for its products. The grim situation forced the government to intervene while business has called for a radical policy overhaul to stem the crisis. Inside a factory, workers sat in front of rows of sewing machines, stitching at a brisk pace to fulfil daily orders from a local chain store. It is one of the producers benefitting from government grants and loans designed to help companies recapitalise their operations.
Christopher Kinross, who runs a clothing company that bears his name and employs 253 people says, “We’ve had a very rocky ride, and we have lost ground to the rest of the world. The industry is stagnant at the moment.” The government’s scheme had brought some stability. However, more needs to be done to promote competition and create jobs.
One of the main challenges facing the industry is a tax on importing raw materials essential for manufacturers. “We pay 22 per cent duty on imported fabrics. If they remove that duty, our businesses could grow in a spectacular fashion,” he said. Years of talks to remove the duty have been unsuccessful and there are no quotas on clothing imports.
South Africa’s textiles and clothing sector contributes 3.3 per cent to the nation’s overall economic output and is heavily reliant on domestic consumption. Foreign investment in apparel has skipped South Africa and gone to Lesotho, Swaziland and Madagascar, among other African nations.
A steep 11 per cent rise in cotton prices during the past two months in India has spiralled up raw material costs for mills, making export unviable and uncompetitive. International cotton prices are also up 17 per cent but 2.7 per cent appreciation in the Indian rupee has nullified all gains to be had from international cotton prices. While cotton yarn and cotton fabric exports have seen a pathetic growth of 0.38 per cent year-on-year in dollar terms in December 2017, however, for man-made yarn and fabrics it grew by 6.77 per cent.
Central government's quick estimates of exports for some of the major commodities for December 2017 are: cotton yarn, cotton fabrics, cotton made-ups and handloom products, among others, grew by 0.38 per cent to stand at $938.57 million, up from $935.05 million in December 2016. On the other hand, man-made yarn, man-made fabrics and made-ups, among others saw a decent growth of 6.77 per cent in December 2017 at $416.91 million, as against $390.47 million in the corresponding month last year.
Paritosh Aggarwal, MD of Suryalakshmi Cotton Mills says, "With Bangladesh being able to export on free trade basis, India's cotton exports have become even more uncompetitive. Hence, price rise as well as dearth of incentives from government post GST has made exports growth difficult." Arvind Raichura of Balkrishna Ginning and Pressing Factory, says domestic sales and exports in December were also low due to lesser capacity utilisation. "This is owing to festive mood in the latter part of December when capacity utilisation fell. Moreover, with export demand lagging, fabric manufacturing companies reduced demand from spinning and ginning mills." Lack of export incentives hit the cotton ready-made garments (RMG) the most, posting a decline of 8.08 per cent in December 2017 as against December 2016. Cotton-based RMG exports stood at $1,336.63 million in December 2017 as against $1,454.17 million in December 2016.
The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has also been taking up the matter with the government, having made representation for restoration of duty drawback and other incentives that the industry was dependent on for exports.
A new industry agreement for the prevention of microplastic release from synthetic textiles washing was launched and endorsed by the European Commission. The European Textile and Apparel Confederation (EURATEX), the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (A.I.S.E.), the European Outdoor Group (EOG), the European Man Made Fibres Association (CIRFS) and the Federation of European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) struck an agreement to address the release of microplastic in the aquatic environment.
The group of European industry associations, representing the global value chain of garments and their associated maintenance, agreed that viable solutions need to be found to the release of microplastic into global marine and freshwater during the entire lifecycle of textiles — which is highlighted as one of the sources of microplastic.
