FW
Textile industry’s initiative Samarth has the broad objective of skilling youth for gainful and sustainable employment in the textile sector.
It aims at training 10 lakh people, of which nine lakh will be from the organised sector and one lakh will be from the traditional sector. The scheme covers the entire value chain of textiles (except spinning and weaving in the organised sector). The focus will lie on apparel and garmenting, knitting, metal handicrafts, textiles and handlooms, handicrafts and carpets, among others. District-wise tailoring opportunities for women will be identified as part of the outreach for skilling across states. A few courses and modules have been developed under Samarth in the area of garment manufacturing. Women form 75 per cent of the work force in the textile sector. Another objective is to promote skilling and skill upgradation in the traditional sectors of handlooms, handicrafts, sericulture, and jute. It also seeks to enable provision of sustainable livelihood either by wage or self-employment to all sections across the country.
India’s textile and apparel industry is one of the oldest such industries in the world. The country is the world’s second largest exporter of textiles and apparels. The industry is a significant contributor to the economy and one of the largest sources of job creation in the country, employing about 45 million people directly.
With the easing of trade tensions between the US and China, textile-related exports are likely to register a positive growth by the end of this fiscal. Besides handicraft and jute products, exports of all the other textile-related products declined in October. The exports of cotton yarn, made-ups and handloom products declined by 6 per cent while the exports of man-made yarn, fabrics and made-ups declined by 5.69 per cent during the seven-month period from April to October.
Textiles and apparels declined by 3.21 per cent. Of this, textile exports slid 4.15 per cent. For the seven-month period, these exports declined by 8.84 per cent. Though apparel exports also declined in October, they moderately rose during the seven-month period over last year.
Production of textiles and clothing in September was down by 2.6 per cent and almost flat for the 6-month period. Carpets witnessed the steepest decline in percentage terms — 16.87 percent. A saving grace was handicraft exports, which grew by 7.66 per cent. Jute product exports also went up by 9.75 per cent.
Demand for Australian wool in China has improved slightly. Overseas customers are waiting and reviewing again as caution prevails. The fake-fur season is considered over for now so processing trade must look to more normal regular items and lines of production. Gone are the traditional worsted suits and cheap V-neck sweaters that made up the corporate wardrobe for millennials entering the workforce. They are replaced by chinos (containing a high percentage of wool) and polos, tees and a multitude of knitted garments in various layers. High worth millennials are choosing a natural product like Merino while those with less worldly experience are buying polyester/nylon. Topmakers and traders are just looking to survive on a daily basis given the battering they have weathered with the recent downturn in prices.
Retailers are hoping that consumer confidence will not get waylaid in the lead up to Christmas. Spinners and knitters are looking at the topmakers and scouring parties and wondering how they can transfer some of their pain from previous high contract prices back to them. Unlike other fibers such as cashmere or silk, angora or mohair, it’s only wool that has so many different organisations and boards to oversee the production, packaging, testing, selling and shipment of the underlying raw material.
Australia’s cotton crop production has fallen 16 per cent compared to two years ago. The main reason is the drought. This year's cotton crop production in Australia is going to be the lowest in a decade. Just a few cotton producers have been able to access water—primarily groundwater—to grow crops this summer. Growers are resilient and used to managing through volatility, but the relentlessness and severity of this drought is taking its toll. In some cotton producing valleys, no cotton was planted this year. The beginning of the northern wet season was sluggish, with only a few cotton-producing regions receiving heavy rains. The Indian Ocean dipole positive event that has contributed to the ongoing dry spell is so strong it may not break down until mid-summer. While the planting window is still open if there is no significant rainfall in the coming months, cotton growers will face the harsh reality of a further reduced crop this season.
There are more than 1200 cotton farms in Australia. On an average, Australia’s cotton growers produce enough cotton to clothe 500 million people in a year. The major buyers of Australian cotton are: China, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Bangladesh and Japan.
Millennials in the US insist on sustainable products. So, retailers, manufacturers and brands alike in the US are being forced to become environmentally aware. There’s a focus on less-disposable products across all consumer categories, including apparel. Brands are taking a closer look at their supply chains, manufacturing processes, overall and business practices in the context of environmental concerns. As the circular economy grows in importance, companies are researching and developing less environmentally damaging production methods and materials and communicating their commitment to sustainability to consumers.
When it comes to apparel manufacturing, sustainability initiatives can be particularly beneficial for the environment, too. Businesses are pushing their suppliers and partners to improve sustainability because sustainability helps buyers achieve cost efficiencies, improve revenues and boost profitability. Companies that make sustainability a priority stand to benefit immensely, as sustainability initiatives also force them to identify efficiencies in their operations, maximize their supply chains and minimize waste. The result is often an increase in yearly revenue and a renewed sense of loyalty among consumers who see the company as a champion for sustainability. Outdoor clothing retailer Patagonia produces new clothes in a smart, sustainable way. Fashion brand Reformation uses sustainable fabrics and upcycled materials in its clothing and ensures that it partners only with socially responsible suppliers.
Global denim fabric imports increased 9.4 per cent last year. Bangladesh, with a 25.5 per cent share of total imports, is the leading the pack. Vietnam follows with 7.6 per cent share; Hong Kong has a share of 7.4 per cent, Turkey 7.1 per cent and China’s share is 5.4 per cent.
China has a 42 per cent share of world denim exports. Pakistan has a 11.7 per cent share, India 8.2 per cent, followed by Hong Kong with 7.4 per cent and Turkey 6.8 per cent.
From January to July 2019, Turkey’s denim fabric imports decreased 23.6 percent. Pakistan has the biggest share of denim fabric imports into Turkey. Other countries from where Turkey imports are: Egypt, Italy and Ethiopia. In 2018 Turkey’s denim imports from Ethiopia increased by 58.2 per cent. Turkey exports denim to Germany, Spain, England, the Netherlands and Denmark. But looking at the most important denim market shares in Turkey’s exports in 2018, Tunisia comes first with a 16.2 per cent share, Egypt has a 13.9 per cent share and Italy has a share of 10.3 per cent.
India’s merchandise exports fell by 1.1 per cent in October. However, some large export items, such as gems and jewelry, chemicals, engineering goods and pharmaceuticals, grew. Readymade garment exports, for instance, fell by 2.1 per cent and petroleum products by 14.6 per cent. Gems and jewelry exports, however, grew by 6.02 per cent, chemicals 0.86 per cent, engineering goods 1.2 per cent and pharmaceuticals by 12.6 per cent.
Imports fell for the fifth month in a row. These include imports of coal, petroleum, chemicals, plastic materials, precious stones, iron and steel and electronic goods. However, gold imports picked up. The only silver lining signaling a probable revival in domestic investment activity was the fall in imports of electrical and non-electrical machinery and of transport equipment.
During the first seven months of the fiscal, exports contracted 2.2 per cent. A weakening external sector will put additional pressure on India’s growth, as GDP slowed to a six-year low of five per cent in the first quarter while consumption fell to a 18-quarter low.
Because of escalating trade tensions and a slowing global economy world merchandise trade volumes are now expected to rise just 1.2 per cent in 2019. Downside risks remain high. China’s October exports fell for the third straight month, down 0.9 per cent, while imports shrank for the sixth consecutive month.
Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2020 will focus on redesigning growth which will be its theme this year. The summit will urge industry leaders to harness the power of creativity and ingenuity to create a positive change.
The summit will also urge these industry leaders to think outside the box and investigate new business models that will challenge the traditional concept of prosperity. This will not only future proof their business, but also enable them to meet the needs of future generations.
Another topic of discussion at the summit will include how fashion industry leaders can approach profitability and reconfigure the parameters of success. These topics will be discussed at the summit that will bring together decision-makers from across the globe and present sustainable solutions.
Lee has relaunched the first ever denim it made for women in the 40s and 50s. While vintage sizing has been updated to reflect modern sizes, the thread choices, hardware and manufacturing processes are the same as they were back then. These pieces represent a time when Lee took what was made for men and created jeans made specifically for the female body. They were aimed at women who were riding horses, working in factories during the war, who were making things happen and looking cool and effortless while doing so.
The reissued jeans are for the same women, the ones who forge their own path with confidence and grace, the women who don’t believe being a tomboy or a girly girl are mutually exclusive. The collection includes the Lady Lee Rider, the original boyfriend jeans created in 1947; the Lee All Purpose Blue Jeans, a high-waisted wide leg introduced in 1950; the Lee Frontier Lady, a high-waisted, side-zip straight leg with pearl accents from 1952; the Lee Riders jacket from 1949; and a raw denim jacket and jeans set with classic white stitching.
Like many other denim brands, Lee has been riding the nostalgic wave for a while now.
Global organic cotton production has gone up 56 per cent, reveals Textile Exchange. India, Tanzania, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan and China all have significant areas of cotton-growing land in transition to organic. The number of facilities certified to voluntary organic standards is also on the rise. Cotton is grown organically in 19 countries around the world. Organic cotton now makes up 0.7 per cent of total cotton production globally. Most farmers engaged in this production are smallholders growing organic cotton in rotation with other crops. In India organic cotton farmers have increased the proportion of certified land used to grow cotton (as opposed to other organic crops) from 45 per cent to 70 per cent, which contributes in part to the 44 per cent growth seen in India’s production.
However, farmers access to cotton seed that has not been genetically modified remains a huge obstacle for organic farmers, particularly in countries such as China and India where GM cotton dominates the cotton landscape.
