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Cotton produced by forced labor, documented in at least nine countries, makes its way into clothing and home goods sold by major brands and retailers. It is an open secret that the garment and textile supply chain is rife with forced labor and other human rights abuses.
The Responsible Sourcing Network has launched an initiative to eradicate modern slavery in cotton harvesting and yarn production by enabling yarn spinners to identify and eliminate cotton produced with forced labor. The initiative has received the support of brands and retailers such as Adidas, Hudson’s Bay Co, and Woolworths Holdings, which have acknowledged that it is important for companies to work together to create and advance an international ethical and sustainable cotton value chain.
This program will pilot in India and Bangladesh, which have numerous spinning mills and are highly affected by forced labor. It identifies a gap in transparency between where forced labor occurs in the cotton fields and the facilities in which different cottons are blended together. The aim is to close this gap by focusing on yarn spinning mills in the supply chain and establishing a training, assessment, and verification process. Identifying and addressing the forced and bonded labor of young women in spinning mills in southern India will also be incorporated into this initiative.
With both sides offering to lower or eliminate tariffs on a number of items, India and Chile have agreed to broaden their bilateral preferential trade agreement (PTA). The agreement was signed by Commerce Secretary, Rita Teaotia and the South American country's Ambassador to India, Andres Barbe Gonzalez.
"Under the new PTA, Chile has offered concessions to India on 1,798 tariff lines with margin of preference (MoP) ranging from 30 per cent to 100 per cent. On the other hand, India has offered concessions on 1,031 tariff lines at 8-digit level with MoP ranging from 10 per cent to 100 per cent to Chile," said a Commerce Ministry statement.
Signed in March 2006, and effective since August 2007, the original PTA had India offering 178 tariff lines to Chile, with the margin of preference ranging from 10 per cent to 50 per cent. Meanwhile, Chile offered 296 tariff lines to India with MoP ranging from 10 per cent to 100 per cent. India's bilateral trade with Chile stood at $2.64 billion in 2015-16, making it India's third largest trading partner among the Latin American and Caribbean Nations (LAC) grouping. "India's export basket with Chile is diversified and keeping in view the wide variety of tariff lines offered by Chile, the expanded PTA would immensely benefit India," the statement added. Exports to Chile include transport equipment, drugs and pharmaceuticals, yarn of polyester fibres and tyres and tubes, among others.
Amsterdam Denim Days will debut a New York version of its show in 2017. The main goal is to present Amsterdam as the denim hub of Europe, to strengthen and intensify existing ties, promote new partnerships and encourage the exchange of knowledge, expertise and new networks.
New York Denim Days is aiming to be the center of attention for all those with an indigo heart. The program will have something for denim lovers of every kind. It will feature a selection of leading denim labels, workshops, a market and exhibitions for style-setting devotees on the street to the greatest innovators in the industry.
Amsterdam Denim Days is a multi-day event format in Amsterdam that provides an opportunity for denim brands, producers, consumers, press and designers to exchange and connect about all things denim.
Amsterdam, the Dutch capital, is home to major denim brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Denham, Scotch & Soda and G-Star as well as a gaggle of upcoming brands and start-ups. The average Hollander is said to own at least seven pairs of jeans.
Amsterdam Denim Days celebrates the versatility, durability of denim fabric. The event has expos, vintage treasure hunting, music, food and drinks. Key speakers address subjects such as the handling of waste in the denim industry.
Chinese investor Jiangsu Dongqun Investment Holding Group is planning to invest $100 million in the development of textile industry and textile products (TPT) in Indonesia. This was revealed by Indonesian industry minister Airlangga Hartarto in a press release in Jakarta. The Indonesian company has welcomed Jiangsu Dongqun Investment Holding Group to invest in Indonesia. It has also offered some investment options such as Kendal Industrial Park, Central Java that boasts of its vast area and skilled workforce.
Airlangga met the management of Jiangsu in Shanghai recently. The interest of the Chinese company was conveyed during President Joko Widodo’s visit to the People’s Republic of China for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou. Airlangga explained that the Indonesian government has launched economic de-regulation policies to scrap those hampering Indonesia’s industry and business development. The government has issued 13 economic policy packages thus far. The government is also mulling with the idea of lowering gas price to make it more competitive for industries, including the TPT sector.
With recent reports of mislabeling products relating to Egyptian cotton, Applied DNA Sciences (APDN), a provider of DNA-based supply chain, anti-counterfeiting, authentication, genotyping and anti-theft technologies, today provides market data that shows their DNA-based system can be used to monitor, control or eliminate the off-shore substitution of high-value cotton fibers by fibers of unknown origin.
APDN has a solution that uses forensic science to tag, type and test textile products. Trademarked as SigNature® T for textiles, the core technology has a unique molecular tag that tags cotton fibers en masse in the gin that are subsequently checked at every step of the supply chain as it is made into yarn, fabric and finished goods. In addition to SigNature T, all cotton is fiberTyped®, which quantifies the native DNA within cotton fibers by species prior to ginning to ensure the original cotton species is present.
Once SigNature T DNA tagging was implemented, including the strict storage and labeling protocols, along with inspections and frequent DNA testing, the level of DNA compliance rose quickly to 100 per cent. Data were obtained by APDN from commercial samples.
With Welspun of mislabeling products as 100 per cent Egyptian cotton. Subsequently, a number of cotton retailers have launched formal audits of their products obtained from the Indian company. Earlier, APDN had warned that brands and consumers seriously question Egyptian textile claims.
"CENTRESTAGE, a new brand and designer fashion promotion platform opened today in Hong Kong. Organised by the HKTDC, the four-day (7-10 September) international fashion event has gathered some 200 fashion brands from 20 countries and regions, showcase latest designer collections. More than 50 events are slated to be held during CENTRESTAGE, including around 30 fashion shows with ‘CENTRESTAGE Elites’ being the highlight of the opening gala."
CENTRESTAGE, a new brand and designer fashion promotion platform opened today in Hong Kong. Organised by the HKTDC, the four-day (7-10 September) international fashion event has gathered some 200 fashion brands from 20 countries and regions, showcase latest designer collections. More than 50 events are slated to be held during CENTRESTAGE, including around 30 fashion shows with ‘CENTRESTAGE Elites’ being the highlight of the opening gala.
A trade show with a difference
“Unlike other apparel sourcing shows, CENTRESTAGE is a trade show and not exactly a fair or an exhibition. It is more of a marketing platform for brands and designer labels and is mainly Asia focused. The show aims to be a launch pad for international, especially Asian, fashion brands and designers who can present their collections, while reaffirming Hong Kong’s position as a global fashion capital. It is not a replica of any French, American or western fashion weeks,” opines Byron Lee, Senior Exhibitions Manager, HKTDC, responsible for the project and its marketing and promotions.
Debut CENTRESTAGE’s theme is ‘Shooting Stars’ with four thematic zones: Glam, Allure, Metro and Forward, showcasing fashion brands from around the world, including Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Australia, the United States and Europe. Local and overseas industry associations are also taking part some of them are: Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, the California State Trade and Export Promotion & Center for International Trade Development from the US, the Taiwan Textile Federation and the Thailand Textile Institute among others.
Fashion shows and more…
Inaugural brand collections’ first show featured iconic Ika Butoni and other Indonesian designers Ali Chrisma and Zelmira. Some 30 fashion shows will be held during CENTRESTAGE, including those by 45R, anagram, Anteprima, Aquascutum, arthur lam, atsuro tayama, Charmante, Galtiscopio, harrison wong, Hidy N.G., initial, i.t, Jnby, Kenaxleung, Koyo, Loom Loop, Lu Lu Cheung, Marimekko and Moiselle.
More than 30 overseas buying missions from 25 countries and regions, comprising buyers from over 1,000 companies are joining in, these include: Galerie Lafayette from France, Shinsegae from Korea, specialty shop SHIPS from Japan and select shops NY Studio and The Fashion Door (TFD) from the Chinese mainland. Representatives from Lane Crawford, Harvey Nichols and online fashion retailer Zalora are invited to the event. CENTRESTAGE is targeting buyers, particularly select shops, department stores and e-tailers, as well as fashion media and fashion enthusiasts from around the region.
More than 20 industry seminars and networking events, trend seminars, designer sharing sessions, industry seminars and networking events are taking place during the trade show. Apart from fashion shows and competitions spotlighting designers and collections, the International Fashion Supermodel (IFSM) Competition Asia-Pacific Regional Final will be held on the last day. The concluding day will also see final competition of ‘The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest’ (YDC) 2016.
HK In Fashion: a citywide celebration of style
The signature fashion event for the region is the talk of the town among fashion enthusiasts from all walks of life. HKTDC has organised a citywide campaign “Hong Kong in Fashion” with support from over 90 partners, including renowned fashion brands, malls, hotels, restaurants and fashion and design institutes.
CENTRESTAGE will become ‘Openstage’ on the last day (September 10), when the doors will open to public so that they can experience the magic of the fashion industry and check out the latest designs from leading brands.
Thanks to increasing demand in both local and international markets amid a fall in the price of raw materials, polyester and yarn producer Indorama Synthetics expects to sell more yarn this year. The company has enjoyed sustainable demand growth in yarn and expects to sell about 18,000 tons more than the 112,500 tons of yarn it sold last year from its production units in four countries viz: Indonesia, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan. The firm’s yarn exports from the four countries increased by 168 per cent to 67,000 tons in 2015 from 25,000 tons in 2010.
Indorama president director VS Baldwa said that a change in lifestyle worldwide has increased demand for fashion. Hence, thread and yarn enjoy sustainable growth from year to year. To realize the sales target, Indorama recently began operating two new plants. The first is in Jatiluhur, West Java, worth $25 million that is able to produce 6,000 tons of yarn per year. The other is in Uzbekistan, producing up to 12,000 tons per year.
Although demand remains stable, the selling price in the yarn industry has been under pressure, along with the price of oil, a raw material for yarn. Indorama hopes to see a better sales value in the second semester as the oil price has relatively recovered. In terms of the sales value from Indonesian production only, the firm suffered a slight drop of 4.2 per cent year-on-year to $336.14 million in the first half. Its other products, namely greige fabric, finished fabric and polyester have also seen volatile sales prices due to the unstable oil price. Oil is a raw material that is used for all of Indorama’s products.
The use of nanotechnology to improve safety of workers will be a key trend for market growth, says report of the Global Safety Apparel Market 2016-2020. The report forecasts global safety apparel market would grow at a CAGR of 8.12 per cent between 2016 and 2020. Increasing focus on quality and customization will be a key driver for market growth.
Advances in nanotechnology have led to the experimental use of nanofibers and composites in PPE. These fibers improve mechanical properties of a PPE at a lower weight making them superior to their conventional counterparts. They also help protect the wearer from thermal, mechanical, chemical and biochemical hazards. With the application of microelectronics in PPE, sensors and actuators can be calibrated to monitor environmental conditions and detect any hazardous particles or gasses.
The report divulges vendors are investing in state-of-the-art manufacturing units as well as R&D to increase the comfort and ease of use of the products while ensuring optimal protection for the wearer. Branded manufacturers are placing great emphasis on product customization and flexibility to meet customer demands and expectations.
Global Safety Apparel Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. To calculate the market size, the safety apparel market report considers the revenue generated from the worldwide retail sales of safety apparel based on their application in the market.
Undoubtedly, India’s textile industry has been one of the largest contributors to the country’s exports and provided employment to several thousands. The government has so far given incentives to the textile industry through tax exemptions and incentive schemes, this has brought down the tax rate. The latest incentive for the textile industry is the Rs 6,000 crore booster package announced in June. This has increased duty drawback significantly.
However, now all eyes are on the most awaited indirect tax reform, GST, On the positive side, GST would bring in uniformity and a level-playing field for textile players. The industry is plagued with several issues including classification disputes (fabric versus garment), differential taxation of cotton and man-made fibre, higher rate for composite mills than power looms, and so on.
Considering the textile industry is tilted towards domestic market with the industry coming under the GST net, domestic textile players would be able to take full credit of input tax as their sales would be liable to GST. This will reduce the cost of capital investment and encourage domestic textile players. The new tax regime should positively influence exporters, as exports would be zero-rated and input tax credit would be fully available to textile exporters. But the applicable duty drawback scheme at high rates will have no an important role to play under GST which could be a dampener.
On the down side, the proposed GST rate of 12 per cent is likely to have a negative impact on the industry, the worst being the cotton value chain which is currently sees zero excise duty under the optional scheme. The textile industry also sees several exemptions (central excise and VAT exemption) through the value chain, thereby reducing tax incidence to an average 8.9 per cent. Additionally, the current rate of tax on branded apparels is much lower than the proposed 12 per cent GST.
The Ministry of Textile Industry of the Pakistan government has repeated the Federal government’s resolve to modernize textile infrastructure and resolve the issues of textile sector industry, to enhance exports for economic growth. The Ministry of Textile was following a multi-pronged strategy to facilitate research and technology up-gradation for the protection and development of textile sector, it is understood.
This was revealed in a recent meeting of Federal Textile Board (FTB) Cotton Committee. An official of the ministry said experts and scientist trained 8,000 farmers to control losses of cotton crops and evolve measure against the pin ball virus that harmed cotton crops in past. He also said in recent times, farmers would get good prices for cotton as rise of its prices in international market would pay back to the farmer as compared to previous years when they got huge financial losses.
He said the preliminary meeting of International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) would be held here from October 30, where stakeholders would discuss challenges being faced by the textile sector. Delegations from government, private sector officials and scientists from 47 cotton producing countries would participate in the five-day long meeting, he informed.
