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There are growing opportunities in the US for African clothing and textile producers under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The act runs from 2000 to 2015. Exports from Africa to the US under AGOA have grown by 500 per cent from 2001 to 2011, of which the textile and apparel industry amounted to almost a billion dollars. Despite this growth, the African share of the US market amounts to just one per cent, so there is ample opportunity for African manufacturers to increase their exports to the US.
Rising production costs in China means that US retailers are beginning to look elsewhere to fill orders. The quality of yarn and technology used by African textile manufacturers to produce their products is very good, yet companies struggle to make an impact in the US markets. One reason is that they cannot manufacture the volumes of merchandise sought by American retailers.
Under AGOA the best opportunities for African companies lie where the highest US duty rates are applied on exports from other countries. Since Africa can’t emulate China in terms of mass producing goods, African companies can cater to niche markets, creating new styles. African producers need a long-term preferential trade agreement is order to develop supply chains that can meet demand.
trade.gov/agoa/
Bangladesh is expecting better jute production this season especially in the north. Farmers have started adopting the latest line-sowing jute technology using seeder machines saving huge seed and reducing farming costs and ribbon-retting method to get quality fiber and more profit.
Farmers cultivated the Tosha variety of jute on over 0.17 million hectares of land, the Deshi variety on 13,635 hectares, the Mechhta variety on 4,607 hectares and the Kenaf variety on 2,275 hectares of land this season. A target of producing over 2.41 million bales of jute from over 0.22 million hectares of land has been fixed for the current season in the northern region.
To ensure farmers get a price, relevant steps have been taken to evolve a mechanized method for separating rotting jute fiber and so ensure a better quality of jute. However, jute targets could not be achieved fully this season due to the prolonged drought-like situation that caused lack of soil moisture hampering sowing of jute seeds, crop diversification and some other reasons.
Bangladesh is the second largest jute producer and a major exporter of the fiber in the world. Fabrics made of jute fibers are carbon-dioxide neutral and naturally decomposable. These properties are also why jute can be used in high performance technical textiles.
The EU Commission's criteria for awarding the Ecolabel to textile products, announced recently, include restrictions on hazardous chemicals in the manufacturing process. To get this label, manufacturers will have to ensure that products and production recipes do not contain hazardous substances listed in the restricted substance list (RSL) at, or above, the specified concentration limits, or according to the specified restrictions.
They are required to put together their own individual RSL, which covers any regulatory or preferential list of unwanted substances. This will also have to specify the verification and testing requirements for each production stage and for the final product. The list must be sent out to suppliers and agents responsible for the spinning, dyeing, printing and finishing stages of production, who must comply with it.
In addition, where required, laboratory testing based on random sampling must be carried out for each product line. The Ecolabel criteria say that testing must be carried out annually during the license period in order to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the RSL. The criteria also state that final products must not contain substances of very high concern (SVHC), or those on the candidate list. Along with chemical management criteria, Ecolabel also covers recycled content, energy efficiency and water management.
Ec.europa.eu
Lectra has announced the launch of Kaledo V4R1, the latest release of its design solution. Taken inputs from the textile customers that said product development teams and pre-production rely on the efficiency of designers to produce innovative and creative designs to ensure that fresh products reach stores on time, Lectra’s R&D teams developed this new version to respond to industry needs.
Kaledo V4R1 features a host of new tools including draper, a texture mapping module that simulates fabric on images and sketches, producing realistic results for speedy decision making in the collection and sales selection process. Kaledo realistically represents what a product will look like that enables designers to aptly present the end result to the clients or in-house design teams.
The latest release also introduces major improvements to colour management, such as better lighting options for increased colour accuracy. Users can now work with more complex knit and woven structures for sophisticated design options. Other features include new repeat, colour mask and transparency tools for more design flexibility.
www.lectra.com
The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) has been able to garner huge response from Pakistani exhibitors with about 70 per cent stalls already booked for the 2nd edition of the ‘Made In Pakistan Expo 2014’ to be held in Mumbai from August 31 to September 5, 2014. The inaugural edition of MIPEM 2014 held from April 3 to 7, 2014 at Mumbai had also witnessed positive response.
The exhibition provides a platform to Pakistan-based companies to showcase their range of products and services to the Indian public and business community. The exhibition also contributes in promoting Pakistan-India economic relations by diversifying the existing trade patterns, thus introducing a wide range of quality Pakistani products in the Indian market.
Organisers expect to fetch in over Rs 3,600 crores worth export orders as compared to over Rs 2,400 crores received from the first edition. Pakistani fashion, lawn suits and garments are seeing great demand among the Indian women. PRGMEA has also arranged B2C and B2B meetings between the Pakistani exhibitors and manufacturers with Indian buyers and trade delegation would also visit India in the sidelines so that Pakistan exhibitors could avail maximum benefit from the event. Besides readymade garments, fashion clothing, and home textiles, handicrafts, marble items, food items and other goods would also be on display.
www.madeinpakistanexpo.com
Woolfest 2014 will be held at England Mitchell’s Lakeland Livestock Centre on June 28 and 29. This is an event that displays the best in wool crafts and offers a wealth of advice for any natural fiber enthusiast. Visitors have a chance to find out more about a new craft or learn a new skill in one of the many demonstrations taking place. This year they have the opportunity to discover more about wet felting, weaving and extreme textiles.
The event also offers visitors a chance to meet makers and designers as well as the opportunity to learn more about British wool. This year, the festival will celebrate the native Herdwick sheep. Readings, images and music will provide an informative yet entertaining take on the iconic breed. Wool fans can purchase a two-day ticket and take part in many of the creative projects that will be happening throughout the festival.
In 2013, the event had attracted more than 6,000 visitors and picked up a number of awards from industry publications including being voted as favorite event.
www.woolfest.co.uk/
Mosi or fine ramie fabric is a traditional Korean fabric. Mosi cloth weaving starts with the ramie plant. It’s one of the oldest fibers cultivated for fabrics. The ramie is peeled off and then split to be made into threads. It takes great effort to make a fabric out of ramie plants, as there are many steps involved in it. To make a suit, the weaving process alone takes about 10 days.
The handmade ramie fabric is also called Jeomapo or Jeopo. Mosi is known for being light, breathable and holding its shape easily. For this reason, Mosi has long been regarded as the ideal fabric for summer attire. It is made by hand weaving strands of durable bast fiber from stems of the ramie plant, a member of the nettle family. Whenever a garment made of Mosi is washed, it becomes more lustrous and white, which gives it a fresh look and feel after each wash.
As weaving Mosi is an arduous task that calls for an experienced and dexterous hand, it was treasured as a precious fabric. This strong, yet airy natural fabric has inspired modern fashion designers like Seo Young-soo, who recently held a collection composed of pieces made of Mosi fabric.
SPINEXPO, the international exhibition for yarns, fibers and knitwear, will be held July 15 to 17 in New York. More than 80 exhibitors from 15 countries will display an array of tactile and colorful yarns from internationally acclaimed spinners and knitwear manufacturers, including fibers such as cashmere and mohair, merino wools, silk, viscose, metallic and synthetics.
The Cashmere Boutique is a special area that aims to create a pop-up boutique focused purely on a new generation of cashmere, highlighting a fiber which can be technical, light and fashionable even in spring/summer. Working with a bright palette, stylists, spinners and knitwear manufacturers have worked hand-in-hand to create mini capsule designer collections to show cashmere in a whole new light.
The general Trend Area shows a fusion of active wear and technological crafts. Active sportswear influences daily fashion and shows stretch, knit and fabrics that are technologically enhanced to offer more comfort and ease of wear.
Among the companies participating are Bros Holding and Yarns & Colors. Bros Holding specialises in top-dyed mélange yarn. Yarns & Colors offers eco-friendly products, ranging from natural fibers to high performance synthetic fibers, single materials to sophisticated blends, and all kinds of spun yarns to fancy twisted yarns.
www.spinexpo.com/
After European Union (EU) granted GSP Plus status to Pakistan, the country has been reaping benefits of duty-free access to European markets. It was evident as textile garment exports grew almost 31 per cent in the first two months after the trade preference scheme came into force, according to official statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce.
As per sector-wise analysis, exports of textile garments grew significantly by 30.68 per cent against last year’s shipments in January and February. Total sales of textile garments to the EU in the two months last year stood at $342 million, which grew to $446.91 million this year, recording an increase of $105 million or 30.7 per cent.
From January 2014, the EU granted duty-free access to Pakistan for a period of 10 years, but its continuation is subject to periodical reviews that will determine whether Pakistan is making progress on over two dozen conventions of the United Nations pertaining to human, labour and gender rights and freedom of expression.
Experts estimate that GSP Plus will result in almost 20 per cent of Pakistan’s exports entering the EU market at zero tariff and 70 per cent at preferential tariff rates. This status will enable exporters to boost overseas sales by more than one billion dollars. Only the textile industry would earn profits of more than Rs one trillion per year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The Ministry of Commerce said exports of home textiles to the EU in January-February 2013 amounted to $214.18 million, which rose to $274.47 million in the same period this year, showing an increase of 28.15 per cent. Leather and carpet manufacturers were also successful in making a strong mark as they enhanced their share in the European market after the grant of GSP Plus with shipments increasing 15.20 per cent and 12.79 per cent respectively during January and February 2014. The leather sector exported goods worth $25.46 million this year, up from $22.10 million in the corresponding period of previous year.
Commerce.gov.pk
The leaders of the apparel sector in Bangladesh have sought government action against rights groups who are engaged in tarnishing the image of the country’s garment industry abroad. These are labor rights groups that have lodged complaints to different international organisations bypassing the government and other local stakeholders.
Heads of the apparel sector say if there is any such incident of workers' oppression in garment factories, the complaint should be first lodged with the local authorities concerned instead of engaging in a conspiracy against the industry. Some labor leaders have alleged to have lodged complaints with a US authority that Bangladesh garment workers are oppressed.
Rights groups say the Bangladeshi government should stop garment factory owners from intimidating and threatening workers who organize trade unions. Some union organizers say they have been beaten up, and others say they have lost their jobs or been forced to resign. More than 50 factory-level unions have been established. But the law still requires union organizers to get the support of 30 per cent of factory’s workers before registering a union. Employer threats and intimidation make it a difficult task, especially in factories employing thousands of people.
