The India International Textile Machinery Exhibitions (India ITME) Society has formally launched its campaign for ITME 2026 in Coimbatore, urging South India's manufacturing hub to adopt next-generation textile engineering.

Scheduled for December 4–9 in Greater Noida, the 12^th edition of the flagship trade showcase will host over 1,800 exhibitors from 95 countries across 240,000 sq m. With Coimbatore producing nearly 30 per cent of India’s cotton yarn, local spinners and knitwear manufacturers face elevated power tariffs and labor constraints, making capital investment in automated spinning, waterless processing, and high-speed weaving imperative. The 2026 showcase provides domestic textile producers a strategic platform to access global machinery innovations and upgrade operational efficiency, states Ketan Sanghvi, Chairman, India ITME Society.

Strategic policy alignment opens global export opportunities

The outreach aligns with national industrial programs, including PM MITRA mega-textile parks and the National Technical Textiles Mission, which incentivize technological modernization. Integrating Industry 4.0 robotics and energy-efficient equipment enables Tamil Nadu’s textile clusters to reduce operating expenses by 15 per cent to 20 per cent while adhering to international environmental standards. Upgrading to high-throughput, resource-efficient machinery remains essential for regional mills seeking to capture higher-value export orders across Western markets, notes Prabhu Dhamodharan, Convenor, Indian Texpreneurs Federation.

Premier industry body for textile engineering

Established in 1980 in Mumbai, the non-profit India ITME Society promotes textile machinery manufacturing, technology transfers, and foreign direct investment. Serving spinning, weaving, and processing sectors across 95 nations, the organization targets expanded international participation for its 2026 exhibition while building trade corridors for domestic machinery builders. 

Addressing international trade shifts, Piyush Goyal, Commerce and Industry Minister, urged  Indian textile exporters to embed ethical trading, circular recycling, and strict quality compliance to strengthen the 'Make in India' brand across high-value markets.

With total textile and apparel exports standing at $35.52 billion, the Ministry aims to scale total shipments toward $100 billion by 2030. Industry leaders emphasize, adopting fair trade norms and zero-liquid-discharge systems is critical as Western buyers enforce tighter environmental, social, and governance (ESG) rules. Exporters must transition from competing on basic labor costs to delivering high-quality, design-led, and certified sustainable garments under our expanding network of free trade agreements, notes Premal Udani, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council.

Infrastructure expansion and market diversification

To offset export headwinds and input price volatility, apparel manufacturers are utilizing state-backed infrastructure projects like the Rs 1,695 crore PM MITRA Park in Telangana to consolidate production chains and cut logistics expenses. Tirupur-based exporter KPR Mill serves as an operational benchmark, having integrated 100 per cent renewable power, zero-discharge water recycling, and certified fair-wage practices across its production lines. Domestic manufacturers expect these audit-ready compliance capabilities to unlock preferential tariff advantages under active trade pacts with the UK, Australia, and the UAE.

A $225-billion integrated manufacturing engine

India's textile sector processes natural and synthetic fibers into yarns, technical fabrics, and ready-made garments for domestic consumers and major export destinations in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Rooted in traditional handlooms, the $225 billion industry projects reaching $350 billion by 2030 through mega-parks and PLI support.

The conclusion of the Intex & INMAC Sri Lanka exposition in Colombo marked a structural step toward scaling the nation's garment export corridor. Uniting over 250 international suppliers from 15 countries, the dual trade showcase connected raw material procurement with automated manufacturing systems.

With RMG generating over 40 per cent of Sri Lanka's total merchandise export earnings, aligning fabric procurement with AI-enabled cutting and sewing machinery yields immediate operational efficiencies. Manufacturing excellence has become just as important as sourcing excellence, states Yasas Hewage, Chairman, Industrial Development Board. Smarter technologies and stronger global partnerships are crucial to help businesses grow, he adds

Bilateral trade expansion drives regional competitiveness

The showcase advances Sri Lanka's roadmap to reach $8 billion in apparel export revenue by 2030. Industry leaders emphasized expanded garment quotas through the India Free Trade Agreement alongside duty-free access via European GSP+ concessions. Integrating sustainable yarns and automated assembly empowers domestic manufacturers to offset freight volatility while satisfying strict Western environmental compliance standards.

A textile sourcing engine for South Asia

Organized by Worldex India since 2015, Intex South Asia serves as the region’s primary B2B sourcing platform across Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India, connecting over 70,000 buyers with global fiber, fabric, and machinery vendors. The event series continues expanding regional supply trade networks to support South Asia’s multi-billion-dollar apparel export targets.

The RMG and hosiery sector in East India is accelerating capital deployment into high-precision manufacturing systems to replace legacy equipment. Ahead of the flagship Garknit-X trade showcase in Kolkata, regional mills are prioritizing automated fabric cutting, high-speed knitting, and eco-friendly digital printing. West Bengal aims to double its share of national textile production from 6% to 12%, supported by state-backed apparel park infrastructure. The integration of automated fabric-cutting machinery—demonstrated live at the event—enables regional units to cut material wastage by up to 15% while sharpening production speed and accuracy.

Eastern sourcing base secures export market access

Upgrading regional infrastructure remains critical as European and domestic buyers enforce stricter quality and lead-time benchmarks. Adopting computer-aided manufacturing and high-throughput machinery is essential for local units to capture higher-value apparel orders, notes BP Mishra, Director, Vardaan Events. With over 2 million direct workers relying on the region’s textile ecosystem, modernizing production technology provides regional garment producers a clear path to lower unit costs and capture growing export demand.

Regional industrial catalyst and trade platform

Organized by Vardaan Events, Garknit-X is Eastern India's premier garment machinery and textile technology showcase. Connecting global equipment manufacturers with regional factories across knitting, embroidery, digital printing, and CAD/CAM software, the platform supports West Bengal’s industrial strategy to scale apparel manufacturing capacity. 

Spring & Autumn Fair has launched a national campaign calling for at least 90 minutes of free parking in town and city centres across England, alongside a Parliamentary petition aimed at local authorities. The campaign follows its Voices of Retail research with Faire, which found that 38 per cent of the independent retailers believe free parking would have the biggest positive impact on their businesses, while 63 per cent of consumers say it would encourage them to visit town and city centres more frequently.

The findings point to a wider challenge for physical retail. Some 95 per cent of consumers said they would spend more if their local high street offered a better mix of shops, while 96 per cent want more independent retailers alongside cafés, bakeries and other experiences.

Parking positioned as retail policy

The campaign argues, parking should be treated as part of town-centre economic development rather than solely as a transport or revenue issue. Its petition calls for legislation requiring English local authorities to provide a minimum of 90 minutes’ free parking, alongside wider measures to increase visits and spending.

Jackson Szabo, Portfolio Director, Spring & Autumn Fair, says, retailers and consumers had independently reached the same conclusion on removing practical barriers to high-street visits.

Connecting brands with retailers

Spring & Autumn Fair is a major UK retail trade event bringing together retailers, brands, suppliers and industry professionals. Its portfolio spans fashion, gifts, home and lifestyle products, connecting brands with independent and larger retail businesses. The event’s Voices of Retail research tracks changing retailer and consumer priorities.

Ester Industries reported a sharp improvement in consolidated performance for the quarter ended June 30, with total income rising 27.4 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 441.9 crore. The company’s EBITDA more than doubled to Rs 58.9 crore from Rs 28.9 crore a year earlier, taking the margin to 13.3 per cent from 8.3 per cent. Consolidated profit after tax stood at Rs 18.6 crore, compared with a Rs 7.2-crore loss in Q1, FY26.

The recovery was led by polyester films, where revenue increased 37 per cent to about Rs 399.5 crore. Film sales volumes rose by 2.7 per cent to 22,120 tons, while value-added and specialty products grew 23 per cent to 6,368 tons, accounting for 29 per cent of total film sales. The company attributed the improvement to better realisations, higher throughput and a stronger product mix.

Recycled polyester gains ground

Sustainability-linked products are becoming a more significant part of Ester’s portfolio. rPET sales volumes increased 19 per cent Y-o-Y to 1,394 tons, with revenues rising 24 per cent to Rs 17.5 crore. This follows a much larger expansion in FY26, when rPET volumes rose 258% to 5,325 tons.

The company said improving industry conditions, tighter Chinese pricing and demand for recycled-content materials are supporting the film business. India’s Plastic Waste Management Rules, which began implementation in 2025, have also strengthened demand for films containing post-consumer recycled material.

Sportswear-linked recycled resin order

Ester’s 50:50 joint venture with Loop Industries, ELITe, has secured a letter of intent from a global sports and athletic brand for up to 15,000 tonnes a year of Loop PET Fiber Grade resin from its planned Gujarat facility. The company said a significant portion of planned capacity has been committed before commercial production, providing visibility for its recycled-materials business. Ester has previously disclosed a multi-year sustainable-materials offtake agreement with Nike.

Polyester and recycled-materials portfolio

Incorporated in 1985, Ester manufactures polyester films, specialty polymers and rPET for packaging, textiles, technical textiles and other industrial applications. It supplies customers across more than 50 countries and operates three manufacturing facilities in India. Its strategy increasingly centres on specialty films, recycled materials and circular-economy technologies, including its Loop Industries joint ventur

China’s Zhejiang Jasan Holding Group has initiated construction on a self-financed $117 million integrated manufacturing hub in Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE). Located across a 300,000-sq-m site in the Qantara West Industrial Zone, the three-phase development incorporates spinning, weaving, seamless sportswear fabrication, and dyeing units. Designed to ship 90 per cent of output to international retail markets, the project will generate approximately 6,000 direct jobs at full operational capacity. Concentrating sequential apparel manufacturing processes within a single zone optimizes lead times and structural production costs, states Waleid Gamal El-Dien, Chairman, SCZONE Authority.

North Africa consolidates regional manufacturing shift

This facility advances Cairo’s target of expanding national garment and textile exports from $2.8 billion in 2024 to $11.5 billion by 2030. End-to-end domestic processing reduces reliance on imported intermediate fabrics, enabling brands to comply with European sustainability and traceability standards. Coupled with incoming Turkish manufacturing commitments, Jasan’s investment strengthens North Africa’s position as a low-tariff sourcing alternative for Western retailers seeking short-haul supply chain resilience.

Industrial scale and global footprint

Founded in 1993, Zhejiang Jasan Holding Group produces seamless activewear, hosiery, and technical yarns for global apparel brands. Operating production networks across China and Southeast Asia, the Shanghai-listed manufacturer is expanding its EMEA capacity to sustain double-digit export expansion and improve global order fulfillment.

Polish apparel conglomerate LPP SA has rescinded its brief operational suspension in Bangladesh following a joint resolution with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). The dispute stemmed from unpaid invoices linked to third-party buyer FES Retail, which had created operational uncertainty across local manufacturing units. Clarifying that LPP holds no direct financial liability for third-party claims, both organizations reaffirmed their ongoing commercial ties. LPP sources over $700 million annually from Bangladesh through 722 supplier facilities, underscoring the strategic necessity of insulating primary supply lines from indirect credit exposure

Operational continuity and legal protections secured for apparel hub

The settlement mitigates systemic risk for more than 350 direct apparel manufacturers that faced sudden order freezes during LPP's strategic review. BGMEA committed to engaging government ministries to safeguard LPP personnel from administrative complications and commercial pressure. Disputes involving isolated third parties should not compromise broader sourcing stability or harm compliant export partners, noted Mahmud Hasan Khan, President, BGMEA. This resolution reinforces supply chain predictability for Bangladesh’s ready-made garment sector as European brands enforce stricter compliance standards.

Global apparel sourcing footprint

LPP SA manufactures fast-fashion collections across five major retail brands - Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay - targeting European and Asian markets. The Gdansk-headquartered group expands store networks globally while targeting annual revenues exceeding PLN 20 billion, building on four decades of international retail scaling.

Swiss performance brand On Holding AG is recalibrating its retail distribution strategy, accepting top-line pressure in exchange for gross margin defense. The brand’s Q2, FY27  net sales increased by 13.5 per cent Y-o-Y to CHF 850.3 million ($1.05 billion)—missing consensus estimates = as wholesale revenue growth moderated to 4.8 per cent. Rather than engaging in broad market discounting amid cautious consumer spending, On deliberately restricted wholesale order allocations to preserve brand positioning. Consequently, management raised the company's full-year gross margin guidance to at least 65 per cent.

Direct-to-consumer channel drives global expansion

This operational rebalancing is supported by momentum across direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels. DTC revenue increased by 26 per cent to CHF 388.4 million, accounting for a record 45.7 per cent of overall sales. Strategic store openings in Copenhagen and São Paulo, combined with a 54.7 per cent constant-currency sales gain in Asia-Pacific, reflect On’s plan to scale physical retail and capture higher-margin apparel sales.

Sector implications and executive outlook

The brand is intentionally prioritizing profitability and full-price selling over short-term sales volume, notes a brand executive, addressing import tariffs and promotional market trends. As legacy athletic wear brands manage excess inventory, On's focus on premium placement offers a distinct strategy for navigating retail volatility.

Brand architecture and financial profile

Founded in Zurich in 2010, On Holding AG manufactures premium performance running footwear and sportswear utilizing patented CloudTec technology. Operating in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, the firm is expanding its global store network, targeting full-year 2026 sales between CHF 3.47 billion and CHF 3.56 billion. 

The traditional order that once separated low-cost fast fashion from premium luxury is steadily breaking down as consumers become more selective about value rather than simply price. Rising operating costs, regulatory scrutiny on cross-border trade, digital-first retail, and the rapid increase of resale platforms are altering how fashion companies compete.

What is emerging is a market where retailers offering the strongest balance of quality, design and affordability are consistently outperforming both discount-driven operators and brands trapped in the middle of the pricing spectrum. Rather than racing to the bottom on price, successful apparel companies are creating stronger consumer propositions built around product longevity, supply-chain agility and disciplined inventory management.

Middle market loses ground

Traditional fast-fashion retailers are finding themselves squeezed between two rapidly growing competitors. On one side are factory-to-consumer (F2C) platforms such as Shein and Temu, who have redefined affordability through algorithm-driven merchandising, customer-to-manufacturer (C2M) production models and highly responsive manufacturing systems. By producing in small batches and replenishing only successful products, these platforms have pushed average selling prices below $11 while dramatically reducing inventory risk.

On the opposite end, the resale economy has transformed from a niche sustainability movement into a mainstream retail channel. Platforms led by Vinted have grown rapidly combining affordable pricing with growing consumer interest in circular fashion. With second-hand apparel typically priced between $11 and $16, resale offers consumers both economic and environmental value.

This leaves conventional fast-fashion retailers in an uncomfortable middle ground. Selling products between $19 and $27, these brands are no longer the cheapest option nor are they the strongest quality proposition, forcing many to rationalize store networks while reassessing sourcing strategies.

Value becomes the competitive edge

While discount retailers and legacy fast-fashion operators battle shrinking margins, a distinct group of value-for-money brands has established a profitable competitive position. Retailers including Zara, Uniqlo and Mango have deliberately shifted away from competing solely on price, investing in better fabrics, stronger product design, higher retail environments and integrated digital experiences instead.

These improvements have translated into operating margins of almost 20 per cent EBIT, among the strongest across global apparel retail. Rather than relying on constant promotions, these companies maximize full-price sales through flexible inventory management, shorter sourcing cycles and efficient omnichannel operations. The strategy reflects a broader change in consumer behaviour. Shoppers are willing to pay moderately higher prices when they perceive tangible improvements in garment quality, durability and overall shopping experience.

As senior retail analyst Marc Thorne observes, “Competing strictly on low prices has become unsustainable under today's supply chain realities and tariff landscapes. The winners in global retail are those establishing a clear sweet spot—offering a noticeable step up in material, design, and longevity over disposable garments without reaching high luxury prices."

Global leaders redefine retail economics

The operational models adopted by the world's largest apparel groups showcase how strategic positioning now matters more than aggressive discounting.

Table: Rise of value-for-money brands

Among these companies, Inditex continues to show how operational discipline can create sustained competitive advantage. Through Zara and its wider brand portfolio, the Spanish retailer has built a highly responsive supply chain supported by nearshore manufacturing, digital integration and continuous investment in flagship stores. This allows the company to react quickly to changing demand while maintaining healthy margins despite an increasingly volatile global market.

Uniqlo has followed a different but equally effective strategy, differentiating itself through functional innovation under its LifeWear concept while retaining tight control over sourcing and production. Meanwhile, Shein continues to dominate the ultra-value segment through on-demand manufacturing, although evolving trade policies and greater scrutiny of cross-border logistics may reshape the economics of its model. H&M, in contrast, has responded by optimizing its global store portfolio while increasingly relying on premium concepts such as COS and Arket to strengthen profitability.

Premium pricing faces higher expectations

At the upper end of the market, brands positioned within the masstige and contemporary categories are facing a different challenge. Consumers are proving more unwilling to pay premium prices unless they are matched by superior craftsmanship, distinctive design and an elevated retail experience.

This explains why curated brands such as COS continue to gain traction while several traditional premium labels experience slower growth. The market is becoming less tolerant of price inflation unsupported by clear product differentiation. The shift reflects a broader change in consumer priorities. Rather than chasing trends or brand labels alone, shoppers are placing greater emphasis on durability, versatility and perceived long-term value.

Changing competitive scenario

The apparel industry's next phase will be defined less by speed and more by execution. Tariff adjustments, nearshoring initiatives, supply-chain diversification and digital retail are reshaping global competition, while circular fashion continues to expand consumer choice. For apparel companies, success depends on having a clearly defined position in the market. Retailers that can consistently combine quality, affordability and operational agility are showng that value not simply low price has become the industry's most powerful competitive advantage.

The global fashion reset is therefore, not merely about changing consumer tastes. It is a transformation in retail economics, where brands capable of delivering superior value across sourcing, design, merchandising and customer experience are setting the new benchmark for sustainable growth.