Oerlikon’s Wings Fdy is now available for the polyamide 6 process. With this development, the tried and-tested Wings technology – so far known for Fdy yarns from polyester manufacturing – is now available for the challenging polyamide 6 process. This new 24-end winding concept makes the efficient production of Fdy PA6 yarns a reality. Wings Fdy pays yarn producers dividends, particularly in terms of investment expenditure and operating expenditure: significant savings with regards to energy footprint due to its more ergonomic design. The enclosed draw unit ensures low spin finish emissions, offering a safe working environment.

Oerlikon develops modern materials, systems and surface technologies and provides specialised services aimed at securing high-performance products and systems with long life spans for customers. Oerlikon is the world market leader for manmade fiber filament spinning systems, texturing machines, BCF systems, staple fiber systems, solutions for the production of nonwovens and as a service provider offers engineering solutions for the entire textile value added chain.

The Eafk Evo generation of machines promises superior speeds, greater productivity and consistently high product quality, along with lower energy consumption and simpler operation vis-à-vis comparable market solutions. The BCF S8 production plant promises carpet yarn manufacturers greater punching power.

Global fiber production has doubled in the last 20 years, reveals Textile Exchange. In the plant-based natural fibers category, cotton is the most used fiber. Preferred cotton has a market share of 22 per cent of total global cotton production and is grown in 30 countries.

Due to concerns about the treatment of animals for textile and apparel use, animal welfare standards and initiatives are in place to define responsible practices and provide assurance that specific criteria are being delivered on in the animal-based fibers and materials category. Preferred down is produced on thousands of farms in 13 countries. Preferred down is recognized through the adherence to standards. Wool is the most used animal-based fiber, with more than one million metric tons produced globally. Preferred wool is estimated to be below three per cent of the global market share. Preferred wool is identified by key standards and initiatives.

The Responsible Mohair Standard was developed in 2018. This will provide assurance that mohair comes from farms with high animal welfare and progressive land management practices. The manmade cellulosic fibers category is increasing steadily with a market share of approximately 6.2 per cent of total fiber production volume, which is double what it was in 1990, and is expected to continue growing.

Global Fiber Congress will take place in Austria, September 16 to 18, 2020. The meet will focus on fiber innovations, circular economy and sustainability, surface modifications and additives, non-woven fabrics, technical textiles, mobility, apparel.

Every year the event discusses recent developments in synthetic fibers. This year the Congress held from September 11 to 13, 2019 saw over a 100 international speakers from science and industry presented the latest innovations and trends in the global fiber and textile industry. This year, the event focused on topics such as sustainability and circular economy, digitalisation and smart textiles, as well as the latest fiber innovations, surface modifications and special textile applications. One hot topic in the industry is micro particles produced by textile products, found especially in wastewater. Several research centers presented initial results.

Topics such as sustainability and the environmentally friendly production of fibers are not yet an issue outside Europe. Even so, globally leading fiber producers such as Indorama Ventures and Reliance Industries have been championing more sustainable raw materials and production environments for years. Europe is looking to integrate more recycled materials into fiber production of the future. The problem is, however, that polyester has become a globally sought-after resource in recent years. The fiber industry is therefore struggling to source the highly coveted flakes.

Global e-commerce sales in 2018 were up 22.5 per cent from 2017. The top 10 retailers accounted for 14.6 per cent of all global e-commerce sales. Three of the top 10 global online retailers ranked by 2018 e-commerce sales were web-only merchants. Their online revenue also significantly contributed to bumping up 2018’s e-commerce penetration. As web sales rise without an accompanying uptick in offline sales, online’s share of total retail sales grows.

Collectively, revenues of Amazon, JD and Vipshop Holdings in 2018 were up 22.2 per cent from 2017. As online revenue continues to grow each year, larger gains are necessary to achieve the same level of growth, so some deceleration makes sense. E-commerce penetration has steadily been on the rise—with online’s share of retail spend registering 10.5 per cent in 2016, rising to 12.3 per cent in 2017 and closing out 2018 at 14.4 per cent. The momentum is expected to continue in 2019, with penetration north of 16 per cent. Global retail sales through all channels are likely to increase 3.4 per cent by the end of the year. This would increase online’s share of total retail sales to 16.4 per cent and e-commerce would account for more than three-quarters of overall retail gains.

The apparel industry alone accounts for 6.7 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The industry’s impact increased 35 per cent from 2005 to 2016 and is projected to increase further 49 per cent by 2030.

The forces behind the industry’s impact on the environment are multifaceted. They include evolving consumer habits, shifting tastes and preferences in materials, and production operations in far-flung locations. For example, a polyester shirt, while cheap to buy, releases micro-plastics each time it is washed, and that is bad for the environment. Fast fashion is very tempting. The attractive prices make consumers more than what they need. Fast fashion is an institution few young people pay attention to, even though it’s where much of their disposable income goes. In 2018, Americans purchased an average of 68 garments. On an average, a British woman wears a garment only seven times.

Clothing recycling will play a significant part in nudging the industry from being linear to more circular. There has been a fundamental, generational shift in consumers’ willingness to tailor purchases to their impact on the environment. In a 2018 Nielson survey, 75 per cent of millennials said that they definitely or probably will change their purchase/consumption habits to reduce their impact on the environment.

The Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles will return to the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai from March 11-13, 2020. Working on consistent growth in recent years, the fair is a prominent annual destination for the best-finished home textile products. The fair gathers leading high-quality suppliers from China, as well from overseas, featuring a wide range of home textile collections.

Despite ongoing trade disputes and global economic uncertainty, data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that China’s home textile industry maintained steady growth in the first eight months of 2019. The domestic sales of home textile products amounted to USD 13.4 billion in the period from January to August 2019, with a year-on-year growth rate of 4.81 per cent.

The Chinese home textile industry is continuing to perform well against all odds. This steady growth injects confidence in the market. Held amid the peak sourcing season of the Chinese home textile industry, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles Spring Edition is the ideal place for companies to tap into the growing Chinese market, and for buyers to source the best of the finished home textile products.

In March 2020, the Spring Edition will showcase a range of home textile products including bedding & toweling, rugs, table & kitchen linen, home textile technologies, textile design and many more. For those who want to unlock China’s abounding trade opportunities, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition is the the place to be.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition 2020 will be held concurrently with four other textile events: Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition, Yarn Expo Spring, CHIC and PH Value. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK); the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; andthe China Home Textile Association (CHTA).

"With fashion trends changing at the drop of a hat, consumers throw away nearly 83 percent of their clothes and shoes into garbage bins every year. Some brands also burn their unsold stock to protect their exclusivity. A glaring instance of this is Burberry which destroyed $36 million worth of unsold clothes/accessories in 2017."

With fashion trends changing at the drop of a hat, consumers throw away nearly 83 percent of their clothes and shoes into garbage bins every year. Some brands also burn their unsold stock to protect their exclusivity. A glaring instance of this is Burberry which destroyed $36 million worth of unsold clothes/accessories in 2017.

However, a new reuse and re-wear revolution is emerging on new platforms that are upcycling discarded garments into new clothes. Eileen Fisher launched a new recycling program Renew which recycles old garments to be sold at either stores or pop-up shops. Similarly, another brand Reformation transforms old materials and vintage clothing into new feminine creations while Cambodian brand tonlé uses surplus fabric from mass clothing makers and turns it into zero-waste collections, or Queen of Raw, which connects designers and textile firms with dead stock fabrics from factories/brands.

Alongwith these, several subscription-based brands are emerging which allow people return worn clothes for new ones: For Days buys back worn T-shirts from customers to recycle them into new tees. In 2018, wellness hotel brand Westin launched a new initiative to recycle the sheets/towels from its global hotels into pajamas for children in homeless shelters.

Reward for customers returning old clothes

Many brands are also reward their customers to return their unwanted clothes for recycling. Guess recently launched a new scheme with I-Collect that offers customers a 15 per cent discount on new clothes to customers who return five clothing items. Similarly, J. Crew partnered Blue Jeans Go Green to recycle old denim to build housing for communities in need. Sweden-based Nudie Jeans offers a discount to customers who return their old jeans. The brand also provides these customers free repairs for life.

Rental fashion gains momentum

Increasing number of online resale shops allows the new generation of customers to avail luxury fashion at affordable rates. Many websites like eBay, of course, and RealReal, Poshmark, Vestiaire Collective, Vinted and thredUP also sell high-end clothes at cheaper rates. Some of these platforms have also launched innovative concepts to sell clothes. For instance, thredUP has launched a new collection concept, Remade, where the brand researches on what exactly resells to create an affordable collection designed to be resold. Each item on this website is sold with a buyback promise, ensuring it will be resold on thredUP, with sellers earning 40 percent of the original value.

Another fast emerging trend is that of rental clothing. Several platforms allow their customers to rent their wardrobes. The goliath in this space is Rent the Runway, which rents its designer dresses and accessories for special events through a monthly unlimited membership service. Members can rent four items at a time and rotate them in and out as fast as they want. The platform has also partnered with WeWork for installing drop-off boxes at the co-working spaces that allow its members to rent their wardrobe via tablet.

The rent-not-own fashion model liberates its customers from the time and energy eaten up by shopping while freeing up space in its closets. In future, people will stop buying new clothes and shoes and re-wearing and renting will get cooler.

Non-for-profit organisation Oxfam has published a report accusing Australia-based brands of failing to pay living wages to its workers in foreign countries. 

The report, ‘Naughty or Nice’, is a part of a two-year campaign started in 2017. According to the report, paying for essentials like food, housing, healthcare and education should be covered by a basic living wage. However, the report reveals that some of the Australia-based brands do not offer this to their employees in foreign countries.

The report has released a list of fashion brands that have failed to ensure payment of living wages to women making their clothes in countries like Vietnam or Bangladesh. The research conducted by Deloitte Access Economics says women aged 18 to 25 make up 80 per cent of the factory workers in the global garment industry. It affirms that the local minimum wage in Bangladesh equates to just 39 Australian cents an hour, 64 cents in Vietnam and 93 cents in China.

Pakistan’s textile sector has been hit by a liquidity crisis. Refunds have been delayed. The zero-rated status to the export industry has been withdrawn and replaced by a 17 per cent sales tax on the textile sector. Exporters were promised refunds within 72 hours. But refund applications of exporters are still in process and meanwhile the liquidity crisis has got worse. The energy package is yet to be implemented.

Pakistan’s textile exports increased by 26 per cent in the last fiscal year and last month exports increased by eight per cent in quantitative terms and by 4.10 per cent in value terms. Pakistan’s textile exports during the first four months of the current financial year increased by 4.10 per cent. Knitwear exports were up 9.49 per cent. Bed wear exports were up 5.72 per cent. However, exports of raw cotton from the country came down. The country’s merchandise trade deficit plunged by 33.52 per cent. Exports during the period increased 3.81 per cent. Imports into the country declined 19.21 per cent. However, in the last four months of the current financial year, cotton yarn exports decreased by 2.14 per cent, cotton cloth exports by 4.83 per cent, and exports of tents, canvas and tarpaulin by 1.58 per cent.

Novozymes has launched Livelong, a solution for producing better quality and longer lasting clothes from plant-based fibers. Livelong is a biological solution where enzymes are used to extend the lifetime of fabrics. Until now, the enzyme technology process has only worked on cotton. The solution makes it possible for the first time to extend the life of plant-based fabrics by 20 per cent, making the garments look new, wash after wash. It saves substantial water, chemicals and energy by reducing textile waste.

Novozymes is a Danish company. Being a country of energy efficiency and environmentally friendly solutions, Denmark is always striving towards technological advancements through research and development.

Global clothing production has more than doubled in the last 15 years, but consumers keep clothes for just half the amount of time, making the textile industry one of the most wasteful industries in the world. Consumers are demanding more sustainable solutions and they are willing to pay for it. However, they need help in making the right choice. Consumers are demanding traceability and transparency and they want to be informed. The market is changing, consumers are changing, and consumption patterns are changing. The next generation is far more conscious about what they are purchasing.