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Cambodia is developing the silk sector. This would be done by growing mulberry trees, raising silkworms, equipping the labor force with skills to produce silk, reducing reliance on raw silk from foreign countries, and reducing rural poverty. Training and funds will be offered to develop Cambodian silk production. Cambodian silk will be promoted in domestic and international markets. In recent years, import of raw silk has decreased by about 35 per cent.
The silk sector in Cambodia has been down due to lack of labor as most workers have migrated to neighboring countries and some have shifted from this sector to the manufacturing and industry sector. Mulberry trees are now a rarity in Cambodia. Most were destroyed during the Khmer Rouge era.
From 2008 to 2013, the country’s cottage silk weaving industry imported 300 to 400 tons of raw silk from neighboring countries while local production was only a miniscule one metric tons a year to supply the production. The National Polytechnic Institute of Angkor will be the place for research, growing mulberry trees and raising silkworms. This center will be home for displaying modern Khmer silk to the world and boosting the silk sector in Cambodia.
"India’s apparel exports registered a 17.78 per cent decline in March 2018 against the same period last year reveals latest trade data. Indian RMG exports were to the tune of $1.49 billion (approx.) in March 2018 against the corresponding month of February 2017, which was $1.81 billion (approx.). In rupee term, export for the month of March 2018 was Rs 9,694.68 crore as against Rs 1,1946.37 crore in March 2017, a decline of 18.85 per cent. Talking about the decline, HKL Magu, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) says, “The export figures for apparels for the period April-March 2017-18 has shown a drastic decline of 3.83 per cent and a steep decline of 17.78 per cent for the month of March 2018."
India’s apparel exports registered a 17.78 per cent decline in March 2018 against the same period last year reveals latest trade data. Indian RMG exports were to the tune of $1.49 billion (approx.) in March 2018 against the corresponding month of February 2017, which was $1.81 billion (approx.). In rupee term, export for the month of March 2018 was Rs 9,694.68 crore as against Rs 1,1946.37 crore in March 2017, a decline of 18.85 per cent.
Talking about the decline, HKL Magu, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) says, “The export figures for apparels for the period April-March 2017-18 has shown a drastic decline of 3.83 per cent and a steep decline of 17.78 per cent for the month of March 2018. These figures clearly show that apparel exports are not only stagnating but are heading towards a recession. Apparel manufacturing has already registered a decline for the 10th straight month in February. These figures clearly indicate towards an ongoing shrinkage in the industry, which is a big cause of concern for us.” He goes on to explain, the sector presently employs 12.9 million workers but due to the ongoing slide, several clusters have been impacted. Though India is struggling with the problem of exports stagnation, countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam are recording consistent growth in apparel exports. “We would like the government to address the issue at the earliest,” he opines.
While India’s global RMG export from April to March 2017-18 was to the tune of $16.71 bn. (approx.), which has decreased by 3.83 per cent compared to the same period in previous fiscal. During April-March 2016-17, India’s apparel exports were around $17.38 bn. (approx.). AEPC has been engaging with policymakers for an early resolution of issues.
India’s RMG exports in numbers
RMG exports were to the tune of $1491 million in March 2018 a decline of -17.78 per cent against the corresponding month of March 2017, which was $1813.44 million. In rupee term, export for March 2018 was Rs 9,694.68 crore as against Rs 1,1946.37 crore in March 2017 a decline of -18.85 per cent. RMG export in April-March 2017-18 was to the tune of $16716.5 million, which has decreased by -3.83 per cent compared to the same period last year. During April-March 2016-17, India’s apparel exports were $17382.8 millionn.
West Africa’s first organic cotton gin is coming up in Burkina Faso. The gin, in Burkina Faso, is a collaboration between the USDA-funded RECOLTE project, CRS, UNPCB, and SOFITEX. US textile industry NGO, Textile Exchange, recently announced the launch of a Regional Organic Roundtable to help develop the organic cotton sector in West Africa. The discussion is part of a new collaboration with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) on a series of organic cotton focused activities in West Africa. These include a Market Opportunity Scoping Project (MOSP) and a documentary-style video showcasing the region’s organic cotton sector.
The launch of the organic roundtable will take place in Koudougou, about 100 km from Ouagadougou, during SICOT (Salon International du Coton et du Textile), September, 27-29 2018. The Regional OCRT will focus on organic cotton and bring together key stakeholders. At present, organic cotton is ginned six months later than conventional cotton, which delays the entire production chain and payment to producers, and in turn discourages timely organic cotton production and participation.
For the first quarter, Vietnam’s textile and garment exports are up 13.35 per cent compared to the same period of 2017. The worth of apparels shipped abroad rose 12.49 per cent year on year. Exports to key markets like the US, the EU, the Republic of Korea, China, Asean, and members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) enjoyed strong growth.
In 2017, the industry gained year-on-year increase of 10.23 per cent in export revenue, higher than its target set at the beginning of the year. Textile and garment firms in Vietnam have received enough orders until the end of the second quarter of 2018. Some even have orders through the third quarter. Many companies have been working to diversify export markets. Apart from key markets like the US, the EU, Japan and the Republic of Korea, they are also stepping up exports to China, Russia and Cambodia.
In future Vietnamese companies will push ahead with trade promotion programs, specialised training, and experience sharing. They will also encourage the application of smart production models to help businesses boost sustainable development. Vietnam hopes the CPTPP will enable it to boost exports to major markets such as Japan, Australia, Canada and Mexico.
New York Denim Days will take place from September 22 to 23. Spearheaded by true denim insiders, the festival connects denim professionals, designers and brands with denim consumers.
Denim lovers from across the spectrum -- fashionistas searching for the perfect pair of jeans, fade junkies looking to compare notes on raw denim, purists on the hunt for handmade indigo items, and designers shopping for Americana inspiration - will find the largest selection of indigo available at one event. Food, live music and art will round out the festival experience.
Plans include events with retail partners throughout the city. The show will have a mix of denim heads, the best brands and retailers and the most forward fashion. It will feature the who’s who of denim trade, from top designers to creatives and executives on the cusp of what's next in the denim industry.
New York Denim Days is organized by Kingpins, the global denim sourcing trade show. Last year, Kingpins brought Denim Days to New York believing the concept would resonate with the New York denim scene. This year the event will be put more spotlight on the jeans industry. Following the event, Denim Days will return to its original home in Amsterdam from October 22 to 28.
To develop an institutional connection between the fashion institutes of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) plans to tap Saudi’s high-end fashion market. TDAP’s commercial section intends to arrange a textile show of high-end made-ups and fashion apparel in Jeddah with two major stakeholders from Pakistan, including Chenab Group and Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (PIFD) and counterpart in Jeddah, including Dar ul Hikma University and Danube Supermarket.
As per the plan fashion institutes of the two countries would introduce exchange programmes for teachers and students. By 2022, Saudi Arabia’s fashion market is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 12.7 per cent to $3.085 billion. It had always been a lucrative market for fashion entrepreneurs. On the other hand the market’s largest segment apparel is expected to have a market volume of $1.065 billion by the end of 2018.
Saudi Arabia is a late competitor in the regional fashion scene where other Gulf countries such as the UAE have made a mark. Dubai has also established a free zone for fashion and design companies to buoy the growth of the industry.
An exhibition of all such products would be organised in Saudi Arabia, while the TDAP’s Commercial Section Jeddah would continue its coordination on the proposal for institutional linkages between the leading academic institutions of textiles in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
PVH will work with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to improve water quality in Ethiopia, India, Vietnam and China. PVH Corp’s brand Tommy Hilfiger, began working with the WWF in 2015 in China and Vietnam. PVH’s other brands, Van Heusen, Izod and Arrow, will work in Ethiopia while Calvin Klein sources in India will work to improve water quality in the Cauvery community in South India, a region known for heavy textile production.
The WWF partnership is part of PVH’s wider commitment to sustainability through corporate responsibility. PVH is one of the world’s largest global apparel companies. PVH operates in 40 countries and reports revenues of around nine billion dollars annually.
Access to safe water is a human right essential for communities to thrive. Water is used at every stage of the product lifecycle. As major trends like urbanization, population growth and climate change exacerbate existing water issues, water is not only an urgent environmental issue but also a risk to business.
Water pollution is defined as the presence in groundwater of toxic chemicals and biological agents that exceed what is naturally found in the water and may pose a threat to human health and/or the environment. Additionally, water pollution may consist of chemicals introduced into the water bodies as a result of various human activities. Any amount of those chemicals pollutes the water, regardless of the harm they may pose to human health and the environment.
With growing trade wars with China, American garment importers are looking for new sourcing destinations and Sri Lanka hopes to benefit from this. Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers, some of whom are considered the world’s in terms of quality and technology utilization, have extensive operations in South and Southeast Asia, potentially allowing Sri Lankan firms to capitalize on the opportunity to a great degree.
The US currently sources one third of its apparel imports from China, and just 2.4 per cent from Sri Lanka. However, Sri Lanka doesn’t have the economies of scale that China has and can’t deliver the size of orders. So, the country will produce partial orders, around 20 per cent of regular order sizes, while other countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam which have cheaper costs will produce the rest.
Some Sri Lankan apparel exporters have already been approached by top US clothing buyers to partially manufacture some of the orders currently being serviced by China. The impact from the US-China trade war would most likely be reflected in Sri Lanka’s export figures in another four to five months’ time. However, the hurdle Sri Lankan apparel companies would have to overcome would be the acute labor shortage in the industry.
US President Donald Trump is willing to explore re-entering the Trans-Pacific partnership trade deal, while emphasizing that Washington should receive the original terms. Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan's minister in charge of TPP feels President Trump is correctly appraising the significance and effects of the TPP, it's something that would want to welcome. However, he added that the 11 participating countries share the thinking that it would be extremely difficult to take out part of the TPP and renegotiate or change it. Japan wants to ascertain Trump's thoughts on trade policy through a summit between the US leader and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Florida next week. Trump directed US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, to look into rejoining the pact. The US withdrawal from the TPP shortly after Trump's inauguration last year made Japan the largest of the 11 Pacific Rim economies left in the deal. Those countries signed a new version last month that had been revised to account for the US absence. Finance Minister Taro Aso suggested that Trump's shift on the pact should be approached with caution as Trump can be temperamental and might say something different the next day. The shift comes amongst a developing trade dispute between the United States and China, which did not take part in the TPP.The 10 other TPP members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
Turkey’s textile technology show, ITM 2018 ended in Turkey yesterday, the four-day exhibition from April 14 to 17 got a huge response. It hosted companies that operate in various sub-sectors of the industry, ranging from weaving to knitting, digital printing, dyeing and finishing.
This edition hosted 1,050 exhibitors and representatives from 45 countries and around 50,000 visitors. Many Turkish textiles companies were eager to invest in new equipment and learn about new technologies.
Groz- Beckert, a leading supplier of industrial machine needles, showcased its products and services covering knitting, weaving, carding and nonwovens. The company emphasised on the interaction of needles and system parts in the field of knitted products. Transparent knitting and flat knitting machines provided visitors with unique information about the interaction of all components. Four acrylic glass machines were exhibited at the stand.
Karl Mayer exhibited warp knitting and warp preparation technologies. The HKS 3-M model became a focus of attention with its tulle curtain and embroidery ability. In addition, examples of high-speed tricot, jacquard and Raschel machines, made from outerwear fabrics and shoe-faced fabrics, were exhibited.
German circular knitting machine builder Terrot exhibited a number of new circular knitting machines, including a new addition to its fine rib and interlock family.
