H&M has extended its support to International Chemical Secretariat to end the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the clothing and textile supply chain.

The government-funded Swedish organisation, which also goes by ChemSec, is asking policymakers to regulate PFAS efficiently without swapping one PFAS chemical for another unregulated “cousin.” ChemSec also wants a formal recognition that PFAS pose a health and environmental problem and for the chemical industry to invest in the development of safer alternatives to PFAS for an array of products. Most of all, ChemSec would like a “serious commitment” by brands to phase out PFAS from consumer products.

The biggest problem with PFAS, is they are “perfectly legal to use” with very few exceptions, which means brands that wish to stop their use have very limited ways of communicating this in their supply chains. While “business as usual is not an option,” she said, without legal restrictions, suppliers will continue to use these “very effective chemicals” in manufacturing.

The Coronavirus outbreak in China is likely to boost Turkey’s apparel exports as a halt in operations in the mainland is expected to shift orders toward Turkey. The apparel industry, which sold goods worth $17.7 billion to foreign countries in 2019, looks to increase its exports to $19 billion this year. Its share in the country's overall exports of $14.8 billion in January 2020 was 10.1 per cent. In all, the country exported apparels worth $1.5 billion during the month.

Around 73.4 of apparels were exported to EU countries, with Germany and Spain being the main destinations. Several fashion retailers manufacture clothing in Coronavirus-hit China are negotiating with Turkish firms to shift their production base to Turkey. Around 1 per cent of the orders would be shifted to Turkey initiatlly that could amount to $2 billion.

The virus outbreak has also prompted many factories to suspend operations as authorities are trying to contain its spread.

Texcare, the trade fair for laundry and dry-cleaning technology will be held in Germany from June 20 to 24, 2020. Companies have high expectations from this year's edition because it will set the sector’s course for coming years. Exhibitors will present latest machinery, plant, processes and services for laundry and dry-cleaning technology. The top theme of sustainability will be reflected at the trade fair.

In the laundry and dry-cleaning technology sub-segment, German exports fell by 11.4 per cent in the first eleven months of 2019. Due to worldwide changes, such as rising hygiene and living standards, the industry has extremely positive expectations for the future. The topic of circular laundry is gaining in importance. The growing global hygiene standards offer many new opportunities for the entire textile care sector. Last year's tense political and economic situation also affected the laundry and dry-cleaning industry. The trade conflict between the US and China unsettled customers and reduced investment. It is precisely for this reason that Texcare is expected to generate a positive investment impetus. Companies are thinking ahead on the topic of laundry to improve connectivity and digitisation and to drive the digitisation of the entire value chain.

Saurer plans and installs transport systems, especially between roving frames and ring-spinning machines. The company has successfully implemented over 100 systems worldwide. The new product line serves as customers’ expert engineering partner for integrated automation solutions across the entire textile value chain. It consists of specially designed automation elements that the project engineering team combines into tailored system solutions that are seamlessly integrated into customers’ processes. These offer tailor-made automation solutions in the areas of staple fiber spinning and twisting, filament twisting and cabling and project engineering. Thanks to these solutions, Saurer is meeting the growing demand for cost-effective automation of spinning and further processing in staple fiber spinning and twisting mills as well as in filament yarn processing.

Comprehensive data management with innovative quality functions has become indispensable along the entire textile value chain. With Senses, the digital mill management system from Saurer, customers can consolidate and analyse company-wide production, quality and performance data, even for machines from other manufacturers.

Textile companies are facing increasingly complex challenges: higher labor costs and employee turnover rates, not to mention the need to automate material flow, reduce lead times and boost productivity. Further, companies increasingly require comprehensive automation solutions due to greater demands on yarn quality and ease of use as well as the trend towards large and heavy packages.

According to Axel Baumanns, Product Management and Sales, Kannegiesser, the garment industry in India is suffering. Speaking at the recently held GTE exhibition, he said, “Countries like Bangladesh, which proves to be an ideal manufacturing base for the US and Europe, have picked up business since 1998.”Though other countries have also picked up in garment manufacturing, mass production by US and Europe ensures the quality of these garments.

Bangladesh -an ideal destination for garment manufacturing

However, these garments need to be produced on a mass scale for which Bangladesh proves to be an ideal destination. As these garments don’t have many downtimes, they can be fully automated. “You can’t put fabrics at one end and expect a garment to emerge from another,” says Baumanns. These garments need to be customised to different sizes and preferences. Machines can’t achieve this. They deliver the same result every time.

Job creation to fuel sector development

According to Baumanns, Indians have it in their blood to make garments. “Tailoring shops abroad are run by Indians. However, they need to transfer their abilities to big garmenting companies. Countries like Vietnam and Indonesia have been doing this quite efficiently. However, these countries can’t do high fashion as they are far from the US,” he adds.

However, India is much closer. The country has improved immensely in the last 20 years as people have broadened their mindsets. They are traveling more. However, the country needs jobs which the garment industry can provide. Since sewing is something every woman can do, people can earn money and spend. It is a chain reaction. The more you earn, the more you spend.

In January 2020, Turkey’s fashion exports increased 5.8 percent. Europe was Turkey's main customer during this period. Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom’s import of Turkish fashion goods during this period went up 4.7 per cent, 8.7 per cent and 3.9 per cent respectively. The Netherlands, France, the United States, Denmark, Iraq and Poland were also among the main importers of the Turkish fashion.

The share of apparel in Turkey’s overall exports in January 2020 was 10.1 per cent. Turkey’s garment exports are projected to rise by 10 per cent due to the Coronavirus outbreak in China, which has delayed shipments. Turkey is the seventh biggest cotton producer in the world. It has the biggest machinery park in the world. The Turkish textile sector has a very strong image in the global market. The sector stands out thanks to its state-of-the-art technology, flexible production ability, capability of producing special products and high-quality workforce. It is the biggest textile manufacturer in Europe. It continues to make significant breakthroughs not only in design and fashion but also in technical textiles. The Turkish textile and readymade clothing sector as a whole has the highest foreign trade surplus.

Weak domestic demand growth, threat of cheap imports and dwindling incentives and exports are likely to keep volumes in the Indian textile sector muted. Withdrawal of incentives under the MEIS from India scheme may affect export players of made-ups (home textiles) and garments. Indian exports are likely to remain uncompetitive against counterparts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey and Vietnam. However, key raw material prices are expected to remain low in 2020-21, after a correction in 2019-20, contributing to a modest recovery in margins, stable working capital requirements and steady cash flows. Cotton prices may stabilise with improved cotton supply and an inventory build-up in the next fiscal. The industry adjusting to a low dealer inventory is becoming the new normal. Easing of the GST implementation issues might only provide modest support to demand growth, unless liquidity improves. Liquidity remains choked, with lack of bank funding and sluggish end-consumer demand. Sector consolidation may continue in 2020-21, while the mid and small commodity players continue to struggle.

However, regulatory support in form of GST refunds for spinning chains and availability of input tax credit from units operating in the unorganised sector or composition scheme may improve liquidity in the value chain.

Chuck Lambert is the new president and chief executive officer of American Apparel. Lambert has been with American Apparel since 2005. He was made vice president of manufacturing in 2006. In 2012, Lambert was promoted again, this time to chief operations officer.

American Apparel has been manufacturing combat and utility uniforms for all branches of the US military since 1987. The company produces between 80,000 and a lakh garments a month. Women’s jeans styles include a non-stretch cropped, wide leg jeans, a super skinny jean with two-way stretch, a stretch pencil jean and a button flare jean. The brand’s core item, 100 per cent cotton high-waisted mom jeans, are offered in an array of vintage-inspired washes like rainbow wash, pink tinted wash and marble blue wash. The women’s assortment also offers high-waisted cuffed shorts, a button-front A-line mini skirt and an American Apparel signature—denim hot shorts—in sizes XS-XL. For men, American Apparel offers skinny, slim and straight fit jeans in classic light, dark and black washes. American Apparel first introduced denim to its line-up of US-made basics in 2011. American Apparel at one time underwent a series of setbacks, including the removal of its controversial founder Dov Charney from his CEO position and bankruptcy in 2014.

Mukesh Trends Lifestyle is planning an initial public offering. Approval has been received from the capital market regulator SEBI. The IPO size could be approximately between Rs 75 to Rs 90 crores. The company plans to utilise the issue proceeds for setting up a manufacturing unit for knitted denim fabrics and working capital requirements.

The textile manufacturer based in Ahmedabad is engaged in the business of fabric processing, including bleaching, dyeing, printing and finishing of grey fabric to produce finished knitted and woven fabrics. The company commenced its commercial production in 1990 with an installed capacity of five million meters per annum for the production of woven fabrics. In April 2016, the company diversified its facilities to manufacture knitted fabrics by starting a separate commercial division for processing and printing knitted fabrics with an installed capacity of 3,600 MT per annum. The objective is to strategically improve and consolidate its position as a major textile manufacturer. Mukesh Trends is setting up a facility for manufacturing knitted denim to manufacture products like jeggings, jogger denims and jogger jeans. It is a first of its kind facility that can manufacture completely knitted denim. This fabric is usually imported from China, Turkey and Brazil and is hardly manufactured in India.

The IAF World Fashion Convention will be held in Belgium, November 9 to 11, 2020.

This is an unique fashion industry event, bringing together the entire global industry ecosystem to share high level industry insights and to jointly discuss concrete actions to create faster industry transition. It is an unique opportunity to gain the insights necessary to understand where the industry is heading and to join the conversation on concrete ways to make the necessary transitions. In fact the theme of this event is transition in the global fashion system. For this edition the format has been changed to better cater to the theme of transition. One day will be devoted to plenary sessions with top speakers from across the globe. On the second day, workshops with participants from across the fashion ecosystem will discuss major topics driving transition such as circular textiles and implementing new technologies.

The theme of transition recognizes the fact that the demand from societies and from consumers, the restraints posed by the earth’s ecosystem and the possibilities offered by technology converge to create a necessity for transition.

The International Apparel Federation has chosen to connect the convention to the EU as a whole, because of its vibrant fashion and textile industry.