Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles outlines the EU’s vision for the future of the fashion industry and the major reforms that will affect the sector in the coming years.

The EU’s overarching goal is to make textile products on the EU market long-lived and recyclable, made as much as possible of recycled fibers, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment by 2030.

New rules will be introduced to extend the life of textile products and foster new circular business models. The EU plans to introduce new binding ecodesign requirements for textiles to increase their durability, reusability, repairability, fiber-to-fiber recyclability and mandatory recycled fiber content. Furthermore, hazardous chemicals in textile products will be subject to new rules requiring producers to minimize or even substitute them in clothes and footwear.In addition, the EU plans to boost new circular business models, such as reuse, renting, repair, product-as-a-service, take-back services and second-hand retail.

The work to develop new EU-wide ecodesign requirements will start in 2022. At the moment, the focus seems to be on personal and household textiles, but the plan is to launch a public consultation by the end of the year that could identify further priorities.

Japan’s textile and apparel imports were up six per cent year-on-year in July and one per cent month-on-month.

Of these imports from China moved up nine per cent from the same period last year and two per cent compared to last month. Japan’s textile and apparel imports in January to July were up two per cent from the same period last year and two per cent compared with the same period in 2019. Among Japan’s textile and apparel imports, apparel imports had a growth rate of over 40 per cent.Japan’s textile and apparel imports maintained high growth in July. The growth rate exceeded 30 per cent for three consecutive months given the low basis of apparel imports in the second quarter and July of 2021.

In recent years, the proportion of import volume and value of Japan's textile and apparel imported from China in total imports had a certain seasonal rule, accounting for the largest share in September or October every year, then gradually falling back to a relatively low level in April or May of the next year, and then fluctuating. Japan's textile and apparel imports growth hit a new-2022 high because of the low base in the same period of 2020.

International suppliers of yarn, fabric, dye chemicals and machinery are eying to grab the growing apparel sector of Bangladesh by increasing their supplies.

Cedaar Textiles, a Bangalore, India-based company, produces around $30 million worth of manmade fibers and its fabrics annually and exports 60 per cent of them to Bangladesh. Cedaar Textiles has been doing business with Bangladesh since 2002.

Hebei Linen Home Textile, a Chinese home textile fabrics manufacturer, produces fabrics in 280 sets wide rapier loom, mainly grey fabric for pure hemp and cotton linen and Tencel linen grey fabric. Since Bangladesh is doing well in exporting home textiles, Hebei wants to further expand its market in Bangladesh, which is also the second largest apparel exporter.

Dodhia Synthetics, a Mumbai-based company, produces petropoly dyed, fancy, and recycled yarns from PET bottles. Since the apparel sector is moving towards sustainability and circularity, Dodhia produces petropoly, a planet-friendly yarn that reduces dependency on non-renewable natural resources and helps the environment by keeping bottles and plastic out of landfills.

MYD, a Turkish textile chemical manufacturer, produces pre-treatment, dyeing, finishing, printing auxiliaries and optical brighteners and wants to export all kinds of chemicals to Bangladesh here. MYD produces chemicals for the textile and leather sectors and Bangladesh is a good market for both.

Pakistan’s textile industry is faced with countless opportunities to capture a greater market share, but state reforms in energy, technological upgradation, diversification and value addition will be necessary in order to enhance the potential of the sector and facilitate economic growth.

Pakistan’s exporters handled disruptions such as the Covid pandemic very well especially in comparison to regional competitor Bangladesh.To maintain the current momentum, the textile sector has committed to unprecedented value addition by committing to setting up 1000 garment plants. Each plant will consist of 500 stitching machines able to produce garments for exports of $20 million per annum while generating employment for 700 workers.

In order to grow at scale and achieve its target of $50 billion in exports over the next four years, the textile sector requires an adequate supply of energy at regionally competitive tariffs, availability of working capital, 500 new entrepreneurs and a debt-equity ratio of 80:20 which includes building and infrastructure as 50 per cent of the cost of garment factories is on these.

The readymade garment industry has emerged as one of the most important small-scale industries in Pakistan, with sizeable demand both at home and abroad. Pakistan is the fourth largest producer and the third largest consumer of cotton worldwide.

Japan’s Uniqlo is set for its best year ever in North America.

The flagship brand of Fast Retailing is poised to book its first annual profit in North America - after 17 years of trying - aided by a revamp of its logistics and pricing strategy, introduced during the pandemic, and essentially halting discounting.

Uniqlo used the pandemic as a chance to scratch everything and start over in North America. Critically, Uniqlo stopped almost all discounting, essentially retraining its customers to get used to flat pricing.Instead, the company has put renewed focus on basic clothing items like loungewear and lean inventory management, setting up an automated warehousing system that linked inventory at its physical stores and e-commerce shops.

Uniqlo has also increased use of more expensive air freight to cut lead times for popular items and avoid logistics snarls caused by the pandemic. The attempt is to get products into the warehouse in the shortest possible time, even if it’s by air.

Away from the warehouse, the company’s stores are looking brighter and more attuned to American tastes than before. Uniqlo, best known for fleeces and inexpensive basics, first entered North American in 2005 and now plans to open 30 stores a year until it reaches 200 in the next five years.

The wool textile industry experienced a slowdown in the second quarter this year.

Production of wool yarn and wool fabric saw an increase of three per cent and 46 per cent respectively. The demand for wool fabric has increased rapidly since the beginning of this year. Cumulative production from January to May exceeded production during the same period pre-pandemic, showing a significant year on year increase.

Total Chinese exports of raw wool materials and wool products increased 21 per cent year on year (excluding chemical fiber carpets). The total value of products of all categories enjoyed year on year growth; in terms of export volume, most categories saw growth, excluding wool yarn and wool knitwear. Among them, wool fabric showed a strong rebound from the shrinkage in the previous two years.

Given the growth trend of overall consumption, the consumption of wool products in the key markets has also perked up. From January to May, total imports of the US market increased by 51 per cent year on year. The wool apparel market in the US grew faster than expected and showed high growth for two years.

The overall situation in China is improving and the domestic textile and apparel market trade and consumption are expected to improve.

The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) will cooperate with Cotton Council International, USA, in the area of cotton.

US Cotton has been visiting Pakistan over the last few years. This interaction is expected to help in resolving issues relating to production of cotton and its trade between the two countries. The US is Pakistan’s largest trade and investment partner. There will be a technology transfer of high-yielding cotton seeds to Pakistan. The US will introduce improved, genetically modified, and certified seeds in Pakistan and share information on weather forecast.

Pakistan will be updated on the best global practices in cotton and textiles being adopted by various countries. Mutual cooperation between American cotton growers and Pakistan’s textile industry is seen as offering a win-win situation for both countries where raw cotton imported from the US is converted into manufactured textile products and exported back to the US after enormous value addition. Cotton Council International has discussed with Pakistan the challenges being faced in production of cotton in various cotton growing areas all over the world and highlighted the aspects relating to the development of eco-friendly cotton.

Agriculture research institutions in Pakistan are being given training on contamination-free cotton production.

Ted Baker is benefiting from a turnaround plan.

The British fashion group is known for its suits, shirts and dresses with quirky details. People are returning to its high-street stores and buying more formal wear and children’swear, boosting its store revenue. Growing demand for formal wear amid a return-to-office push by companies is also aiding performance.

Revenue for the 14 weeks to July 29 was up three per cent compared with last year but still down 28 per cent compared with pre-pandemic levels.While revenues from its stores jumped 20 per cent during the period, its overall performance was partly weighed down by a 13 per cent fall in online sales because of unresolved issues with its new e-commerce platform. Ted Baker which opened 34 years ago hopes for a full return to international tourism. But anaemic levels of tourism in places such as London have hurt store footfalls.Ted Bakerhas 377 stores and concessions with three-quarters of those located in the United Kingdom, Europe and North America. The upmarket retailer is now half-way through a three-year turnaround and is focused on cost cuts and boosting its online presence and product range.

Ted Baker has been bought by Juicy Couture and Forever 21 owner Authentic Brands.

Bangladesh’s apparel exports grew 58 per cent year-on-year in the first 22 days of August 2022.

The apparel industry of Bangladesh despite numerous challenges, including reduced consumer demand and reported cancellation of some work orders by global buyers, managed to put up a decent performance in terms of apparel shipments this August.

Bangladesh garment sector grew 446 per cent year-on-year in a single day during the period even if on the other end it also witnessed a negative growth of 54 per cent in a day. The hope is that August will end with positive growth even September and October are expected to see a negative trend.

Plummeting sales in the West amid rising inflation driven by the Russia-Ukraine war is the big cloud on the horizon for the apparel industry of Bangladesh which is already taking a hit. Foreign buyers are cutting new orders and postponing old ones, according to exporters who fear a huge fall in the industry’s earnings for the next few months. Export orders have decreased in August and its effects will be seen in September and October. Many buyers are holding up orders. Walmart has cut orders by 30 per cent. In the US, inflation-weary shoppers have been skimping on clothing purchases, prompting retailers to slash prices to clear inventory off the racks.

China’s position as the top global cotton importer is weakening as cotton shipments flow into flourishing textile industries in competing countries. Following years of rising production costs, volatility from government intervention in the market, and government caps on the volume of imports, China’s cotton imports dropped from their peak of 24.5 million bales in 2011 to 4.4 million bales in 2015 before rebounding to 9.5 million bales in 2021.

Meanwhile, competing countries, including Vietnam, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Turkey, have expanded their textile industries and boosted cotton imports over the same period. These countries’ combined imports now exceed China’s volume of cotton imports. This increasing geographic diversification of global cotton demand has helped US cotton exports to remain relatively robust despite volatility in China’s imports over the past decade.

Combined cotton imports by Vietnam, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Turkey are expected to rise by 8.1 million bales from 2021 to 2030 while China’s imports will rise by a more modest 3.5 million bales. In 2030, China is forecast to account for 24 per cent of total global cotton imports, while the other five destinations are projected to account for 47 per cent of world cotton imports.

Soon after China joined the World Trade Organisation in 2001, the nation’s textile manufacturers had become the world’s leading importers of cotton.