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The European Commission has started consultation process for the revision of its Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria for textiles. The main purpose of the new process is to evaluate current GPP criteria and determine whether it is still relevant and what needs to be revised, restructured or removed based on the EU Ecolabel textile criteria from June 2014. Ecolabel is a voluntary performance certificate awarded to products and services assessed from creation to use and disposal, and determined to be eco-friendly.
Following this, the EC has turned its attention to updating its GPP criteria for textiles, which was last published in early 2012. The revision of the criteria addresses key environmental impacts. The two main focus areas for environmental improvement were origin of the textile fiber and chemicals used in textile production.
The EC feels the need to focus on specific products including work wear, emergency services, and healthcare along with the need to identify specific GPP related products and end-uses such as for work wear cleaning services or decoration.
As for chemical management, the EC elaborates that this would mean the implementation of a chemical restricted substance list, including communication of the list to dyeing, printing and finishing sites, monitoring of the compliance of production sites and monitoring of the compliance of final products, including laboratory testing.
Bangladesh garment exports last year rose 5.78 per cent year-on-year. Reason: Retailers are increasingly willing to shift orders from China. The latest numbers come as a boost for the sector, which in the past couple of years has been subject to a degree of backlash over its working conditions and labor rights following the twin disasters of Tazreen fire and Rana Plaza and subsequently some order diversions.
However, the recent clean chit given to more than 98 per cent of garment factories by two foreign inspection agencies, Alliance and Accord has reassured buyers, who are placing orders in bulk once again with confidence. Overall exports grew 4.33 per cent in December. Some $24.6 billion worth of garment products were exported in 2014 in contrast to $23.5 billion the year before. Garment exporters hope to enjoy the benefit of improved safety measures in 2015.
However, the re-emergence of political turmoil does not bode well for the sector. Factories need raw materials from home and abroad and supply is being cut off due to blockade. Shipments too are affected. Also, many small and medium factories, housed in shared buildings, are struggling for orders due to retailers’ new improved criteria for workplace safety.
Apparel imports into the US fell 1.16 per cent in November following strong gains in September and October. US imports of goods and services fell 2.2 per cent month-on-month in November, yet imports of consumer goods rose 7.8 per cent. While shipments from China, the largest supplier of apparel to the US, with a 42.5 per cent share of the market, slipped 0.16 per cent in November, shipment from its nearest rival, Vietnam climbed 9.3 per cent.
However, shipments from both countries were significantly lower than the previous month, with China tumbling 30.6 per cent and Vietnam falling 24.6 per cent. Vietnam was the only country in the list of top eight apparel suppliers to the US to see import gains during November. Vietnam continues to benefit as both producers and buyers diversify their supply chains. The country's apparel business is also being buoyed by the expected benefits of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade treaty with countries including Canada and the US.
Imports from Indonesia were down 8.02 per cent, Honduras down 9.2 per cent, Cambodia down 3.6 per cent, India down 1.7 per cent, Mexico down 1.85 per cent and Pakistan down 17.2 per cent. Imports into the US from Bangladesh declined 15.1 per cent as buyers relocate orders elsewhere in response to factory safety issues.
The Bangladesh government is likely to demand duty-free market access for its garments eports to the US, as local businesses have to pay exorbitant duty for exporting apparel items to America. The authorities are preparing the agenda to be placed at the 2nd meeting of Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA) to be held in Washington in the month of May. TICFA is a platform to resolve trade-related disputes between the two countries through discussions.
Senior secretary in the commerce ministry, Hedayetullah Al Mamoon has informed that his country will start preparing the agenda for the meeting from next month. The aim is to increase exports to the US. Bangladesh is one of the top duty payers for garments to the US, it pays 15.61 per cent duty compared to competitors such as China (3.08 per cent), Vietnam (8.38 per cent), India (2.29 per cent), Turkey (3.57 per cent) and Indonesia (6.30 per cent).
As per Mamoon, his country will also highlight the progress made for ensuring workplace safety that was demanded by the US. As per commerce ministry statistics, Bangladesh exported goods worth $5.59 billion to the US in fiscal 2013-14.
Pakistan's yarn merchants want a better deal. They say unless economic conditions improve, overall business stability, exports and industrial progress will remain elusive. China’s reversal of cotton policy has hit Pakistan’s yarn production and export. Cotton yarn production also started falling in the country, reflecting the slowing down of demand from China.
Import of cheaper yarn from India at zero tariff lowered the demand for domestic cotton yarn and kept market prices down. This again hit production. More than 75 per cent of the textile industry is engaged in yarn making. Much of Pakistan’s cotton yarn goes to domestic production of socks, towels and home textile products. Other yarn buyers are velvet, carpet, tent, canvas, blanket, sewing thread and embroidery thread manufacturing units.
The government has no clear-cut policy on yarn exports. Exporting cotton and cotton yarn at less than international prices creates a shortage of raw material for the local industry. A simple solution would be to address the grievances of cotton growers in the country as that will ensure a bumper crop.
Improved quality of raw cotton will not only reduce the cost of production and waste production but will enable spinners to produce cotton yarn of higher counts to fetch more foreign exchange.
Japan's apparel industry will place a special tag on genuine Japanese clothing. Companies will be allowed to put the ‘J Quality’ tag on suits, shirts and sweaters if three processes -- weaving fabric, dyeing and sewing -- are carried out in Japan. Raw materials such as threads may include those imported from abroad.
The project has come into force for Autumn/Winter this year. So far, clothing with the ‘Made in Japan’ label included products that use foreign-made fabric and sewn in Japan. Imported items account for about 97 per cent of clothing sales in Japan. The purpose of the tag is to acknowledge the skills of Japan's apparel industry workers and counter the competition from cheaper Chinese-made products.
The companies will be able to apply to a fashion industry group in February to be allowed to put the tag on their products. Shoes and bags will not be included. After two decades of decline, Japan’s apparel market looks set for an era of growth and relatively stability. The categories trending in the Japanese apparel markets are women’s outerwear, sportswear, and children’s wear.
The country is an excellent balance of traditional textiles and modern fashion entwined together.
The new technology allows rugs made of New Zealand wool to be colored with pure gold. The proprietary process is called ‘Aulana’, and the technology’s science comes from early alchemical processes used to create the color in stained glass windows of Gothic cathedrals.
Wools of New Zealand is a grower-owned sales and marketing company owned by New Zealand sheep farmers. It was launched in 1994. Wools of New Zealand is a premium brand identifying carpets and rugs made by licensed partners who meet demanding quality standards and fiber content requirements.
The company takes special care of the land, animals and people to grow the world’s finest wool. New Zealand wool is the whitest purest wool in the world; it’s ideal for making carpets and textiles of exceptional beauty and outstanding quality.
Aulana uses gold to create color without dyes, shifting light into soft purples and grays. Aulana is simply pure New Zealand wool colored with pure gold. Aulana demands the cleanest, purest fiber which can deliver rich color without fault. This is a new innovation in wool yarn. The rugs are a unique blend of precious metal and natural fiber to create an exclusive textile.
www.newzealand.com/
Behrampur, one of the oldest and largest cities of Orissa is famous for its pure silk saris. However, silk sari weavers are facing tough days. For example, even if four members in the family work together for a whole week, they earn only Rs 2,000. So many are leaving the profession and moving to other occupations. Making a silk sari takes a week. It involves cleaning the silk threads, dyeing and weaving.
In order to install the machine used for weaving, weavers have to make a hole on the floor one foot deep and two feet wide. It is not a problem for weavers who work at their own houses but those living in rented rooms are not allowed to make the hole. This is also a reason why many weavers are leaving the occupation.
Indeed, some weavers have been provided with machines that allow them to work standing but maintenance of these machines is not easy. One needs to be careful while working on these machines and if there is any problem in the machines, repairing takes a lot of time.
Most weavers have seen little increase in their wages for years. This has directly affected the rate of production of saris. A decade ago, silk saris worth Rs 1.5 crores were annually produced in the city but now the figure has come down to Rs 25 to Rs 30 lakh.
The organizers of New York’s three textile shows, to be held in July 2015, are looking at making the trip for exhibitors and participants more efficient, productive and fun. This is being done through a collaborative marketing effort called ‘NYC Textile Week’. Textile and apparel executives travel to New York twice a year to participate in trade shows like: Texworld USA, Kingpins, Première Vision, Indigo, DG Expo, menswear shows MRket, Project New York, Liberty and Capsule and streetwear show Agenda. In July the schedule also includes yarn show SpinExpo.
Andrew Olah, CEO of Olah Inc, the force behind invite only denim show Kingpins points out that for the people visiting New York for those weeks, the organizers should get together and make it an outstanding experience. The shows can negotiate better hotel rates and organize activities for attendees and exhibitors to do while they are in town.
Lizette Chin, VP of menswear for the MRket menswear trade show believes says the partnership gives an opportunity to attendees to visit the MRket show and walk to other shows that have a different synergy. Chin goes on to add that many of the MRket exhibitors are already taking advantage of the overlap in scheduling. Meanwhile, the three trade shows have approached the other apparel and textile trade shows to join in NYC Textile Week.
India will help develop the textile industry of Afghanistan. A MoU has been signed to focus on expansion of business and cooperation in the field of textiles, clothing, cotton, man-made fiber and handlooms. India will assist in skill development, research and development, technical collaboration in product development and manufacturing, testing and certification and organize joint trade missions for mutual collaboration.
Afghanistan has a huge potential for development of the textile industry since the country is endowed with rich quality of cotton, silk and cashmere and this sector is a good source for jobs and employment. India has been one of the main donors to Afghanistan contributing over $2 billion in reconstruction projects in the country following the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001.
India’s investments in the textile sector can turn Afghanistan into a country exporting textiles. Afghanistan once had a vibrant textile industry, employing thousands of workers. Today, there is no textile manufacturing in the country. The textile industry is a potential growth market for Afghanistan. It can expand economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs. It’s possible to develop textile trade hubs with an emphasis on high value added products. The country is endowed with high quality raw materials as well as low production costs which give it a competitive edge.
