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Apparel Group, a leading lifestyle and fashion conglomerate, has strengthened its presence in Bahrain with the grand opening of 19 new stores at The Avenues - Phase 2. The expansion solidifies its role as a key player in the region’s retail sector, occupying nearly 10 per cent of the mall’s total retail space.
The milestone event was marked by the launch of 10 stores on March 12, with the remaining locations set to open soon. The new outlets bring an extensive portfolio of globally recognized fashion, footwear, and lifestyle brands to Bahrain, catering to the evolving preferences of local consumers.
Neeraj Teckchandani, CEO of Apparel Group, emphasized the company’s commitment to enhancing Bahrain’s retail landscape. “The grand opening of 19 stores at The Avenues - Bahrain underscores our dedication to delivering exceptional retail experiences. This expansion not only strengthens our market position but also contributes to Bahrain’s economic growth and retail sector development.”
Apparel Group’s continued expansion in Bahrain reflects its long-term strategy of investing in high-potential markets. By introducing diverse brands and enhancing the shopping experience, the company is driving retail innovation, creating jobs, and supporting the country’s economic progress. The move reaffirms Apparel Group’s role as a key force in shaping the future of Bahrain’s retail industry.
Sri Lanka's apparel exports rose by 2.3 per cent to $407.93 million in February 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Preliminary data from the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) shows, though overall exports grew, their performance varied across key markets. For instance, exports to both the US and the UK markets declined.
Exports to the US declined by 7.43 per cent to $153.11 million, while shipments to the UK registered a sharper fall of 14.58 per cent to $54.85 million in February 2025.
Conversely, apparel exports to the European Union (excluding the U.K.) grew by 7.54 per cent, reaching $120.69 million, and exports to other countries increased by 39.85 per cent, totaling $79.28 million.
Total apparel exports rose by 12 per cent to $845 million in the first two months of 2025,, compared to the same period in 2024.
Exports to the US market increased by 8.12 per cent to $322.86 million during the months of January and February, while exports to the EU (excluding the U.K.) grew by 17 per cent to $250.18 million. Meanwhile, exports to the UK registered a slight decline of 0.21 per cent, bringing total exports to $116.42 million for the two-month period.
Exports to other countries showed the strongest growth, rising by 23.16 per cent to $155.54 million from January to February 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.
Although the overall apparel exports figures indicate resilience, the downturn in the US and UK markets highlights ongoing challenges. This prompts industry stakeholders to explore alternative markets and develop strategies for sustained growth.
Last year, Sri Lanka's apparel export earnings grew by 5 per cent Y-o-Y to $4.7 billion.
The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) will host The Boys Club, a dedicated menswear showcase, at Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI on March 27 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
The showcase will feature three collections: Metamorphosis by Anurag Gupta, Monolith by Linetribe, and Nawabs of Bengal by Roy Calcutta. It aims to highlight the increasing influence of contemporary menswear and further strengthen the presence of menswear in the Indian fashion industry.
Emphasizing on the council’s commitment to supporting menswear designers, Sunil Sethi, Chairman, FDCI, following the success of FDCI India Men’s Weekend 2025 in Jaipur, the Council is carrying that momentum forward with this showcase at Lakmé Fashion Week.
The council is proud to see Indian menswear evolving, and support emerging designers, two of whom will be making their debut at the fashion week, he adds.
The 2025 edition of Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI will be held from March 26-30, 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
Inditex-owned fast-fashion retailer, Z ara has opened a new-style Asia flagship store in Nanjing, China. Through this move, the brand aims to close underperforming stores and focus on larger, more prominent retail locations.
In its new Chinese store, Zara aims to introduce several new features including enhanced digital integration and spaces designed to encourage customers spend more time shopping. If successful, the brand plans to introduce these features in other markets also.
The brand aims to particularly revitalize its presence in China as multinational brands targeting middle-class consumers in the country have faced challenges due to a general slowdown in spending, as well as increased competition from local brands.
Spanning 2,500 sq m across two floors in Nanjing's central business district, Xinjiekou, the new Zara store includes a salon for private shopping experiences, featuring a lounge area and private fitting rooms.
It also boasts a ‘fit check’ studio with multiple cameras and lighting setups, allowing customers to record video content and download it directly to their phones. Both the salon and studio can be booked through the popular social messaging app, WeChat. The downstairs area of the store features the first Zacaffe coffee shop outside of Spain.
To optimize its retail space by concentrating on flagship stores in prime locations and boosting online sales, Inditex has been reducing its global store footprint in the last few years.n
As recently as 2019, the company had 570 stores in China, its largest physical presence outside of Spain. However, by January 31, 2025, this number had decreased to 132.
Announcing plans to set up a PM MITRA Park on the Lucknow-Hardoi border, Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh signed two MOUs totaling Rs 700 crore for the project.
Aligning with Prime Minister Narender Modi’s ‘5F’ vision, these MoUs encompass ‘Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Factory, Factory to Fashion, and Fashion to Foreign.’
Addressing the Investors Meet for the project, Yogi also revealed plans to develop two leather parks named after Sant Ravidas.
The state has provided Rs 210 crore in incentives to investors under the 2017 textile policy for the project, Yogi highlighted. It has also allotted an additional Rs 8 crore under the 2022 policy for industrial growth and job creation and is committed to creating investor-friendly policies, Yogi emphasized.
Having major textile centers in regions like Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Azamgarh and Mubarakpur, Uttar Pradesh can be established as a leading textile hub, he highlighted.
Consequently, the government has decided to construct an integrated textile park in Lucknow, with ten additional parks being developed as extensions under state government initiatives, Yogi informed.
The establishment of the Mega Textile Park will help generate employment and strengthen Uttar Pradesh's position as a leading textile manufacturing state in India, Yogi affirmed.
To boost the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) textile and garment industry in the country, the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) signed two important MoUs with the Clothing Manufacturers' Association of India (CMAI) and the Sachin Industrial Co-operative Society.
Designed to provide financial and technical support to textile industrialists, these MoUs enable them to access collateral-free loans and government assistance programs.
The MoUs specifically focus on providing assistance for textile sector upgrades, including the repair and modernization of water jet and air jet machines, as well as advancements in the garment sector.
The MoUs provide textile entrepreneurs with an access to direct loans without needing collateral. If they lack collateral, they can secure a loan by depositing just 25 per cent of the total loan amount. The Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme previously offered collateral-free loans up to Rs 5 crore, but this limit is set to increase to Rs 10 crore.
Under this scheme, CGTMSE will provide funds of up to 90-95 per cent. For loans up to Rs 5 crore without collateral, only 25 per cent of the amount needs to be shown as an investment. Interest rates will range from 8.75 per cent to 9.75 per cent, depending on the unit's credit rating. SIDBI's funding process for new units will be completed within 30 to 45 days.
Mayur Golwala, Secretary, SICS, explains, CMAI and SICS will establish SIDBI support centers in their offices. Dedicated staff at these centers will assist entrepreneurs with loan applications and the processing of those applications. SIDBI will provide both financial and technical support to these centers.
Growing at a rate of approximately 19 per cent, Pakistan's clothing exports reached a record high of $6.2 billion in the first eight months of the current FY2024-25.
As per a report by Jam Kamal Khan, Federal Minister of Commerce; Shakeel Ahmed Mangnejo, Special Secretary of Commerce, and Mudassar Raza Siddiqi, Director General –Textiles,
During this period, Pakistan’s textile industry grew at a rate of 9.3 per cent compared to the same period in the previous year.
Once the third-largest cotton producer globally, Pakistan has since fallen to the sixth position, points out Director General of Textiles.
Comparing Pakistan to Brazil, Siddiqi highlighted, while both countries have similar crop acreage, Brazil's yield per hectare is three times higher than Pakistan's due to the adoption of high-tech seed varieties, precision agriculture, mechanized harvesting, rain-fed irrigation, and the use of renewable energy.
Disease-resistant and climate-resilient seed varieties, prohibition of uncertified seeds and chemicals in the local market, and the adoption of good agricultural practices will help revive local cotton production and increase farmers' profitability, emphasized Jam
During the meeting, Siddiqi presented a Short to Medium to Long Term Work Plan to the commerce minister to boost exports of Pakistan's textiles and apparel sector.
This plan includes interventions to reduce manufacturing costs, enhance economies of scale, conduct targeted marketing events, diversify into high-value-added finished products including technical textiles, expand into non-traditional markets, simplify non-tariff and technical trade barriers, gain access to potential markets, develop and implement a national action plan on sustainability and circularity, facilitate export-focused research and development projects at the firm level, align academic activities with industrial needs, and, most importantly, develop a national Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) development program.
Jam further noted, Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world with a complete textile and apparel value chain and the implementation of strategic interventions will help address key challenges and unlock the sector's full potential.
Textiles and apparel exports will increase through collaborative efforts and supportive policies, Jam affirmed.
Navi Mumbai has launched an innovative project for managing post-consumer textile waste. Having gained momentum this month, this initiative aims to recycle discarded textiles into valuable products while promoting sustainability and employment.
Being executed by the Textile Committee under the Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), this initiative began from CBD Belapur and will gradually cover all areas under the NMMC jurisdiction. While the fiber making procews may take time, the initiative will become fully functional within the next six months, says Dr Kailash Shinde, Commissioner, NMMC.
The project is being executed in collaboration with SBI Foundation, IDH India Hub, National Institute of Fashion Technology and Tisser Artisan Trust. As a part of this project, NMMC will install designated collection bins in 250 societies across Navi Mumbai to collect old clothes. NMMC has already installed 49 bins in 47 societies in the first phase in coordination with SBI Foundation and Tisser Artisan Trust,. The remaining bins will be placed in a phased manner.
To facilitate collection, a dedicated vehicle will be provided to gather textiles from various The collected clothes will be sorted and processed at a textile recycling center at Shakuntala Mahajan Multipurpose Building in CBD Belapur.
The segregation of usable textiles will be managed by the Tisser Artisan Trust which will then be upcycled using handlooms. This process will give new life to discarded garments by transforming them into different products. The finished items will be exhibited and sold in markets, with the involvement of women’s self-help groups to support economic empowerment.
The initiative will help reduce the burden of textile waste on NMMC’s solid waste management system while creating sustainable employment opportunities. It will particularly benefit local artisans and provide income opportunities for women.
Lenzing Group, a global leader in wood-based specialty fibers, successfully hosted the Lenzing Conclave at Radisson Blu Hotel in Ludhiana, bringing together key players from the textile industry. The event served as a platform for manufacturers, exporters, dealers, agents, and brands to explore Lenzing’s latest fiber innovations and their applications in knitted and woven textiles.
Lenzing showcased its advanced fiber portfolio, including Tencel Lyocell A100, LF, x Micro, Fill, and Lenzing Ecovero Black, with a special focus on innerwear, sleepwear, activewear, lingerie, and ethnic wear. The conclave provided insights into evolving industry demands while reaffirming Lenzing’s commitment to innovation, technical and marketing support, and supply chain solutions for a more sustainable textile future.
Avinash Mane, Senior Commercial Director for AMEA & NEA in Commercial Textiles at Lenzing Group, highlighted the company’s vision, stating, “As demand for eco-conscious textiles grows, Lenzing remains at the forefront of innovation, empowering brands and manufacturers with high-performance fibers that prioritize both quality and sustainability. Our Tencel and Lenzing Ecovero fibers represent the future of textile production, offering versatility while significantly reducing environmental impact.”
Through interactive discussions and product showcases, the conclave strengthened industry connections and reinforced Lenzing’s position as a global leader in sustainable fiber solutions. The company expressed gratitude to all attendees for their participation and looks forward to fostering partnerships that will drive meaningful change in the textile industry.
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc, a leader in spider silk biotechnology, has made a major scientific breakthrough by engineering the largest known spider silk gene insert into silkworms. This advancement nearly doubles the previous record, paving the way for next-generation high-performance silk fibers.
Led by Xiaoli Zhang, the research team has significantly expanded the potential of spider silk technology. "By increasing the size of the inserted genes, we are unlocking new material properties beyond what is currently achievable," said Zhang.
The achievement allows for the production of larger, more complex proteins, enhancing the strength, flexibility, and overall performance of spider silk fibers. Kraig Labs sees this as a key step toward developing advanced biomaterials for industrial, defense, and performance textile applications.
While pushing the boundaries of genetic engineering, Kraig Labs remains focused on commercializing its current recombinant spider silk production strains. The company is scaling up production to meet market demand while continuing research on future innovations.
"Our mission is to commercialize existing spider silk technology while pioneering the next generation of biomaterials," said CEO and founder Kim Thompson. "This breakthrough underscores our long-term vision and research expertise."
As Kraig Labs accelerates its recombinant spider silk production, it will provide updates on both commercialization efforts and ongoing advancements in biomaterial science.
