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In financial year 2016-17 Bangladesh exported woven garment worth $14.39 billion. But most of the fabric for this export is being imported. Bangladesh till now is lagging behind in weaving and woven processing infrastructure. The country requires building more weaving facilities to cater to local export oriented garment industries. This will help in reducing apparel export lead time from Bangladesh. It will also save on foreign currency.
After discussing with Italy-based company Itema — one of the world's leading suppliers of quality, high-performance weaving machinery and support services to the industry — and exploring their solutions it was clear that the Itema Group could be one of the most important company for Bangladesh in providing technologically advanced weaving machinery to establish world-class weaving facilities in Bangladesh. Itema and its Bangladeshi representative Pacific Associates organised a seminar titled “Itema Innovation Roadshow in Dhaka” recently. A discussion ensued between Christian Straubhaar, Sales & Marketing Director, Itema Group and Tareq Amin, Editor & Publisher of Textile Today.
Straubhaar said Bangladesh should keep its produced shirting and clothing fabric inside for growth of its industries. He spoke about obstacles in growth path of textile industry where electricity is the big issue, and suggested Bangladesh textile mills could opt for Airjet because Itema Rapier machine need less power and it could be a great solution to this problem.
Tareq Amin of Textile Today noted factories are asking for grid electricity instead of having their own captive power. Bangladesh is a key market for Itema, the company is showing its commitment in investing even more attention, resources and energy in the country. Straubhaar advised the Bangladesh textile industry to keep costs low so that they could gain a competitive advantage. High-efficiency, advanced and sturdy machinery were the need of the day.
Top British retailer Sainsbury’s, has decided not to sign the new Accord while Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Debenhams are undecided over signing the new factory safety deal in Bangladesh, following a harsh retail environment in the UK. Several other companies may follow suit due to concerns over costs and lack of support from factory owners and the Bangladeshi government.
Following the Rana Plaza building collapse in April, 2013 that killed over 1,100 people mostly garment workers, European brands and retailers came up with the Bangladesh Accord on fire and building safety. The initiative invested over $55 million in safety monitoring, training of health and safety committees and site inspection by 200 trained engineers. Its signatories have also contributed funds for safety measures, including improving structural design and installing fire doors and sprinkler systems.
Over 1,600 factories are covered by the Accord whose renew by due date ends in May. About 60 major international brands using 1,200 Bangladeshi factories – including H&M, Zara’s owner Inditex and Primark – have signed up to a new version of the Accord.
The tough retail environment in the UK was an indication that retailers were trying to limit corporate social responsibility spending. The original Accord cost the largest brands $5,00,000 a year before further commitments to support any work needed in factories from which they source. The new deal will last three years maximum with reviews every six months to assess whether the Bangladeshi government is ready to take over its work.
Sainsbury’s said while it would not be signing up, it remained supportive of progress in Bangladesh. Jenny Holdcroft, assistant general secretary of the international union IndustriALL, assessed that brands need to stay with the accord otherwise all the hard work and money they have invested will quickly be undermined. She said that those brands that did not contribute were letting other more responsible companies ‘carry the can’ for continuing the safety work.
The Salvatore Ferragamo Group, one a leader in the luxury sector, released the group’s preliminary consolidated revenues for fiscal 2017, which was €1,393 million down 3.1 per cent at current exchange rates and 1.4 per cent at constant exchange rates 2016. As of 31 December 2017 the Salvatore Ferragamo Group reported total revenues of €1,393 million down 3.1 per cent at current exchange rates.
The Group's Retail network was 685 points of sales, including 410 Directly Operated Stores (DOS) and 275 Third Party Operated Stores (TPOS) in the wholesale and travel retail channel, as well as the presence in department stores and high-level multi-brand specialty stores.
Among the product categories, at constant exchange rates, footwear posted a decrease of 1.7 per cent decrease as compared to FY 2016 and handbags and leather accessories of 0.8 per cent, while fragrances registered a 2.2 per cent increase.
Asia Pacific emerged the top market in terms of revenues, decreasing by 2.1 per cent due to the significant decrease of Chinese tourists, and the ongoing negative performance in particular in Hong Kong. Europe posted a decrease in revenues of 3.6 per cent as compared to FY 2016, with a positive performance for the retail channel and a negative trend for the wholesale business, negatively impacted by the destocking activity. North America recorded a revenue decrease of 4.2 per cent in FY 2017, also negatively impacted by the department stores sales.
Fit has been an on-going issue in the apparel sector for decades but with a rise in online shopping, consumers are increasingly finding it difficult to find clothing that fits the first time around. Fast fashion too has contributed to fewer fit cycles and eliminated the human element in favour of virtual fit. As Andrea Kennedy of apparel industry publisher Fashiondex, said during a Texworld USA talk 94 per cent of fashion professionals surveyed for the study agree that garment fit is a problem at retail today.
Lead times of fast fashion in some cases is just two weeks. 75 per cent of respondents pointed to fast fashion fit issues. On an average, majority of companies are fitting two samples per style to maintain stringent timeframes and the consequences are obvious; around 68 per cent of their returned garments are because of fit issues.
Two decades ago, companies were fitting as many as four samples per style and fit issues were only seen in 30 per cent of returns. The survey revealed 40 per cent companies still use a professional fit model to fit their samples, 23 per cent make someone at the company who wears the sample size try it on, and 15 per cent just try it on themselves. Though 3-D virtual fit has been getting a good amount of press in recent years, only 2 per cent of those surveyed said they are using it. Most aren’t doing size run fittings anymore. They are fitting the sample size — and finalizing before perfecting it — then scaling up and down from there for the other sizes.
One problem, is that companies are often not making, fitting and correcting their samples all in the same place which often means DHL packages back and forth and expanding delivery times. Eighty-nine per cent of those Fashiondex surveyed said they’d be interested in a service that would permit them to complete the full fit process locally.
The Winter2018 editions of Texworld USA and Apparel Sourcing USA opened their doors to exhibitors and visitors on January 22nd at the Javits Center. Over three days, a wide range of international suppliers from around the globe showcased textiles, trims, accessories, manufacturing and private label development services and finished apparel for industry buyers, designers and experts.
Both shows garnered a record-breaking 371 exhibitors representing 14 countries and over 4,000 visitors. The expo showcased textiles with innovative structures, material mixes and new colour palettes across 14 product categories. Visitors were able to see latest textile trends, materials, fabrics and more with an exclusive opportunity to network and meet designers and suppliers from around the world while taking in the free educational seminars.
Exhibitor Global Textile said, “Our company has been to other trade shows and this is the most planned and organised. The visitors are more focused and know what they want, know what they like and it makes for a great experience. We are doing great business and are able to find exactly what the US market wants.” Jennifer Bacon, Show Director, Fashion & Apparel said, “As organizers, we recognise that our responsibilities extend far beyond providing a space for the industry to do business here in New York City.
We believe in building a true industry event that unites the best talent from the industry with access to education and valuable resources, as well as a chance for our vibrant community to connect and exchange ideas. We are also aware of the changing fashion ecosystem. Texworld USA and Apparel Sourcing are dedicated to contributing to the fashion industry worldwide.”
Texworld‘s educational seminar series, organised by Lenzing Fibers returned with sessions hosted by curated panels of experts discussing global textile and sourcing landscape, including sustainable solutions and the circular economy. Texworld Trend Showcase explored the latest designs trends for the upcoming season.
The H&M group continued to grow globally in 2017. Sales including VAT increased by 4 per cent to SEK 2,31,771 m in the financial year. Sales increased by 3 per cent in local currencies. Sales excluding VAT amounted to SEK 200,004 million. Gross profit increased to SEK 1,08,090 million. This corresponds to a gross margin of 54.0 per cent. Profit after financial items amounted to SEK 20,809 million. The group’s profit after tax amounted to SEK 16,184 million, corresponding to SEK 9.78 per share.
A total of 479 stores were opened and 91 stores were closed, resulting in a total net addition of 388 new stores. During the year, eight new H&M online markets and five new H&M store markets were opened. At the end of the financial year the H&M group had 69 sales markets of which 43 were online.
Speaking on accelerating their transformation in a rapidly changing industry Karl-Johan Persson, CEO said, they have three main action areas:
• Be restless around the core: We must always have the best across product assortment and mix, look, value for money and sustainability. The best customer offering always wins. Our physical stores must offer a more inspiring and convenient customer experience and be more customised to local needs. The digital store is a process that should never settle. The offering needs to be constantly improved and broadened to ensure it maximises engagement and sales. We are integrating our physical and digital stores to offer our customers a great shopping experience with services ranging from Click and Collect to Scan and Buy and online returns in store.
• Invest in the enablers – new technology and ways of working. We will invest even more in analytics and intelligence. We see huge potential across the board from assortment planning to supply chain and sales. We will continue to invest in our tech foundation. This includes: building scalable, robust platforms; faster development of consumer-facing apps; and broadening our use of technologies like Cloud, RFID and 3D.
• Drive growth – both traditional and new. Our expansion across digital will accelerate. We will be broadening our assortments, rolling out digital to new markets and linking to new platforms, like Tmall for mainland China. We will continue to open new stores – there is still significant growth capacity in physical stores in many regions and countries. We will constantly optimise and refine our physical store portfolio. There is still potential for strong growth in some regions whereas in others we can get a better balance by reducing store space. We constantly work on new ideas and innovations that will drive us forward – and there are many in our pipeline for 2018 and the years to come.
The Underfashion Club has announced Dita Von Teese, burlesque queen, lingerie designer, New York Times bestselling author and musical artist behind the newly released self-titled album, Dita Von Teese, will be hosting the 2018 FEMMY Awards. The event will take place on February 6, 2018 in New York City. Famous for her revival of burlesque style and performance, her namesake intimates and new album, Dita Von Teese has always communicated her love of lingerie.
The 2018 Femmy Awards, presented by The Underfashion Club, the intimate apparel industry charitable organisation dedicated to education, will be honouring: Retailers, Target; Manufacturer, Komar Intimates; Supplier, Texco Hook & Eye Tape Ltd.; Lifetime Achievement Award, Donald R. Allen, Jr., Vice President, Design & Innovation, The Underwear Group, PVH Corp.; Diamond Jubilee Award, Lycra® fibre.
This year marks the 60th Anniversary of The Underfashion Club, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organisation established to provide intimate apparel industry leaders with a forum to exchange information and ideas in support of the intimate apparel market as a vital aspect of the fashion industry through its on-going commitment to support the education of new talent.
The FEMMY Awards honour individuals and companies that have significantly contributed to the intimate apparel industry and its growth. The gala is recognised as a premier event in the intimate apparel industry and is the fundraising vehicle that enables The Underfashion Club to support its extensive Scholarship, Awards, Internship and Grants (SAIG) programs in support of intimate apparel design and merchandising. In 2017, the organization distributed $230,000. These efforts bring to life the Underfashion Club's credo of "Education today for a better industry tomorrow."
The summer of 2018 will witness two international denim shows hosted by Denimsandjeans.com. Vietnam will host the third edition of Denimsandjeans and India (Bangalore) will host the second edition of the highly successful first edition. The 3rd edition of Vietnam show is scheduled for June 27 and 28 at Riverside Palace, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The theme is going to be ‘Rock n Roll’, focusing on the importance of denim in the rock and roll history.
This show will be a small tribute to the classic era of Rock N Roll Fashion and their pioneers including Elvis Presley & James Dean. Vietnam, being one of the most important sourcing destinations, has become the favourite destination for sourcing heads. The country is already a large supplier of apparel to the US and the EU and is expected to further grow in the coming years as the pending FTA with EU goes through. This bonanza will bring numerous opportunities for the country to grow and play a much larger role as international supplier of apparel internationally.
Vietnam has about 6,000 garment related companies that employ 2.5 million people and exported $31 billion worth of clothing and textiles in 2017. Vietnam is the 2nd largest exporter of apparel to the US behind China. Though the FTA with the US and Vietnam (TPP) was stalled by President Trump, Vietnam is still able to produce for their US customers with reasonably competitive price. From a labour cost, Vietnam Garment Industry in 2017 is cheaper than China and Eastern Europe.
Vietnam has signed many bi-lateral trade agreements with other countries including Russia recently which, in long run benefits the local as well as the International denim supply chain partners. Vietnam has favourable trade policies and the labour conditions are stable as against other countries. In latest Apparel Survey Report released by Mckinsey, Vietnam ranked among top five as the best sourcing destinations in the world.
Denim combined with ‘rebel music’ goes all the way back to Elvis Presley, James Dean, the Beatles, Rolling Stones and other around the 60s. The rock n roll looks and its effect on denim can be seen in resurgence with skinny jeans for men and dark and grunge denims, leather combinations and more. The 2nd edition of Denimsandjeans India is scheduled to be held on August 1st and 2nd at the Hotel The Lalit, Bangalore. The theme of the show is ‘Denimgenderfree’
The level of China’s investment in Africa is increasing at a fast pace. Until recently, China’s investments in Africa focused on large projects in a few sectors, including mining, oil and infrastructure. Chinese companies are major players in the world’s textile market and important customers in the cotton market. Cotton exports from Africa to Asian countries are increasing.
Textile production in China is facing numerous issues, including rising wage levels, higher energy bills, enhanced logistical costs and quotas on the import of cotton. Therefore, Chinese textile companies are investing overseas. For example, Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill Textile Group, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with a partner in Ethiopia to invest in a 3,00,000 spindles spinning mill. Wuxi No, is the largest producer of high quality compact yarn globally.
The group produces in China with 5,00,000 spindles annually 26,000 tonnes of yarn. Wuxi’s president Zhou Ye Jun says, the encouraging message is that Africa has some unique advantages for Chinese investors. In comparison with Asia, Africa’s location is physically closer to the European and American markets. It also enjoys more favourable trade policies with the EU and the US.
African market of textile manufacturing has less competition as well. The huge population and immense space in the continent provide great potential for manufacturers to develop.
The International Cotton Conference, taking place in Bremen from March 21 to 24 under the theme 'Cotton Insights', takes this up systematically. This is a part of a session with top-level speakers speaking on current results of sustainable economic activity using the example of cotton and textile production.
Jürgen Jansen, will moderate the discussion in his capacity as Head of the Secretariat of the German Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, and introduce the topic and define the key points using the example of the Textile Partnership. Allan Williams, R & D Manager, Cotton Research & Development Corporation (CRDC), Australia, will emphasises in his presentation the need to measure progress in sustainable cotton production using objective, internationally recognised methods. Jesse Daystar, VP, Cotton Incorporated USA and Head of Sustainability, will present latest Life Cycle Assessment results covering the lifecycle of fibres and textiles through to end consumers. In 2016, the OECD and FAO developed a guideline to help companies comply with standards for responsible business practices.
Eddie Jernigan, Jernigan Global, USA, will speak on how era of cheap polyester is coming to an end in China. The impact on environment and its control are gaining in importance at the political level. He criticises that until now there has been a global failure to keep an eye on the environmental impact of chemical fibre production. Richard A. Venditti, Professor at North Carolina State University, USA, will explain the impact of the release of different types of microfibers from household laundry on bodies of water and the state of biodegradability.
