The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) says, almost 100 per cent of used clothing and household textiles in the US can be re-used or recycled: 45 per cent are re-used as apparel; 30 per cent are converted into industrial polishing/wiping cloths and 20 per cent are processed into fiber to be manufactured into new products. 95 per cent of all used clothing is recyclable, only 5 per cent is unusable due to mildew or other contamination.

As per reports, the amount of textile waste generated by the US has doubled over the last 20 years. In 2014,16.2 million tons of textile waste was generated, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Of this amount, 2.62 million tons was recycled, 3.14 million tons was combusted for energy recovery, and 10.46 million tons was sent to the landfill.

Consumers are regarded as the main culprit for throwing away their used clothing, as only 15 per cent of consumer-used clothing is recycled, whereas more than 75 per cent of pre-use clothing is recycled by the manufacturers. The average person buys 60 per cent more items of clothing every year and keeps them for about half as long as 15 years ago, generating a huge amount of waste.

The recently closed 2020 Keqiao Textile Expo (Autumn edition) attracted 5.1 per cent more visitors than previous edition. The event attracted around 46,086 visitors, reports CCF Group. The expo displayed textile materials, fabrics, home textiles, as well as creative design at 1,270 booths at the China Textile City International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Keqiao. Well-known domestic enterprises such as Shaoxing Mulinsen, Zhejiang RGB and Sichuan Chuanmian introduced their latest products at the event.

Looking to be an international, professional, market-oriented and information-empowered event, the expo also launched live streaming, product releasing and online business matchmaking ‘on cloud’, drawing 51,018 buyers including 15,132 foreign buyers to further facilitate international cooperation and trade amid the pandemic.

Supported by the China National Textile And Apparel Council, China General Chamber of Commerce, and organized by the textile sub council of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and Shaoxing Keqiao management committee and exhibition industry development center, this year’s event implemented strict prevention and control measures to ease epidemic concerns.

As per a Vietnam Plus report, export turnover of Vietnam’s footwear and handbags industry is expected to return to growth in the fourth quarter of this year during the year-end shopping rush in European and American countries.

A report from the Ministry of Industry and Trade estimates orders of businesses in the footwear industry to gradually recover from the third quarter of this year. Though some businesses in the leather and footwear sector have already secured new orders, the purchasing power of consumers is still weak as the main import markets for Vietnamese leather and footwear products are still being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After more than two months implementing the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), footwear has been added as a commodity in the list of Vietnam’s exports with positive changes. Leather footwear production is estimated to have increased by 5.3 per cent to 31 million pairs last month. It is estimated to have increased by 0.8 per cent year-on-year to 249.1 million pairs in the past 10 months of the year.

Footwear export turnover of all kinds in 10 months was estimated to have decreased by 9.9 per cent to $13.38 billion over the same period last year.

As per a Vietnam Plus report, export turnover of Vietnam’s footwear and handbags industry is expected to return to growth in the fourth quarter of this year during the year-end shopping rush in European and American countries.

A report from the Ministry of Industry and Trade estimates orders of businesses in the footwear industry to gradually recover from the third quarter of this year. Though some businesses in the leather and footwear sector have already secured new orders, the purchasing power of consumers is still weak as the main import markets for Vietnamese leather and footwear products are still being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After more than two months implementing the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), footwear has been added as a commodity in the list of Vietnam’s exports with positive changes. Leather footwear production is estimated to have increased by 5.3 per cent to 31 million pairs last month. It is estimated to have increased by 0.8 per cent year-on-year to 249.1 million pairs in the past 10 months of the year.

Footwear export turnover of all kinds in 10 months was estimated to have decreased by 9.9 per cent to $13.38 billion over the same period last year.

The recent development of luxurious, realistic-looking fur-free furs has helped some brands shed the animal hide from collections. As per Humane Society International YouGov poll, 93 per cent British population does not wear fur. Designer labels like Gucci, Chanel, Versace, Armani, Coach, Prada, etc have all gone fur free. Even Fendi, which started life as a fur house in 1925, has scaled back its use of animal hides, emphasizing the less controversial parts of its offering – from lace dresses to handbags.

As per Jing Daily, China represents 80 per cent of the global fur trade Euromonitor predicts China’s fur production to increase from £6.6billion last year to £6.9billion in 2021. Russia and the US are big fur markets, too, as is South Korea. In the West, however, Euromonitor expects the US to photograph fewer high profile figures in fur coat.

Outliers include Jennifer Lopez, who wore a huge fur coat in much of the 2019 movie Hustlers, though she was protested against at the movie’s premiere. Hip hop stars, including Cardi B and Diddy, have also been photographed in fur.

For its second quarter that ended September 30, 2020, Himatsingka Seide has reported total income of Rs 659.55 crore as compared to Rs 183.29 crore during the period ended June 30, 2020. The company posted a net profit / (loss) of Rs 3.81 crores for the period ended September 30, 2020 as against net profit / (loss) of Rs (139.79) crore for the period ended June 30, 2020.

The company reported EPS of Rs.0.39 for the period ended September 30, 2020 as compared to Rs.(14.20) for the period ended June 30, 2020. On a yearly basis, Himatsingka Seide reported total income of Rs 659.55 crore during the period ended September 30, 2020 as compared to Rs 653.48 crore during the period ended September 30, 2019.

The company posted net profit / (loss) of Rs 3.81 crore for the period ended September 30, 2020 as against net profit / (loss) of Rs 34.08 crore for the period ended September 30, 2019.

The company has reported EPS of Rs 0.39 for the period ended September 30, 2020 as compared to Rs 3.46 for the period ended September 30, 2019.

Dutch denim brand G-Star has launched ‘Relz Black Denim’ fabric, the world’s most sustainable black denim fabric in eight styles for its winter ‘20 collection. As per an Apparel Resources report, the fabric has been launched in collaboration with Artistic Milliners and Archroma. It is made from pure organic cotton, dyed and treated without the use of any harmful chemical.

The dye is applied to the fabric in a five-step process instead of the conventional eight to ten steps, which saves around 52 per cent water, 65 per cent energy, 71 per cent CO2 emissions and 14 per cent chemicals. The residual of the black liquid dye and the pigment coating level left behind is easy to clean and is reusable. G-Star’s long-standing cooperation partners Artistic Milliners and Archroma have helped the brand to achieve the Gold Status certification by the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute for its Raw Relz Black Denim.

This makes it the first black denim to achieve the Cradle to Cradle Certification, which is given to the products that are safe, circular and responsibly produced. The eight denim styles launched by the brand include a lined denim peacoat, a button pencil skirt, ultra-high mom and dad ankle jeans, boyfriend crop jeans, ultra-high straight ankle jeans and a bomber jacket.

OTEXA stats reveal volume of blue denim imports by the US has decreased 32.19 per cent to $1.69 billion per year until August. As per Textile Focus, this decline was a little higher than the fall in seven months to July of 35.26 percent annually. Cambodia and Vietnam were the major suppliers during the period. Jeans exports from Vietnam increased 1.51 per cent to $230.1 billion and from Cambodia by 23.2 per cent to $89.03 million.

US’ denim imports from Bangladesh decreased 8.46 per cent to $333.55 million in the period, while Mexico’s imports decreased by 50.89 per cent to $274.45 million. China’s market share declined to be equivalent of Vietnam’s share by volume. In the eight-month span, imports of jeans from China fell by 60,21 per cent.

The remainder of top 10 suppliers increased marginally during the month, while shipments remained substantially reduced for the year. Imports from Pakistan declined by 16.44 per cent to $142.79 million; by 31.12 per cent to 55.7 million from Nicaragua and by 12.47 per cent to $31.78 million for Lesotho.

Denim production and consumption in India is increasing at a CAGR of 15 per cent, says a report by Business of Fashion and McKinsey. The pandemic has challenged the fashion sector in the nation. Executives from three Indian denim mills shared their views on the current denim industry at a Carved in Blue webinar recently.

AamirAkhtar, CEO, Arvind , noted that as brands still hold their spring inventory and plan to repurpose the same, they aren’t buying new. However, capacity at several mills still remains underutilized. Over the next six months, most Indian mills won’t surpass a capacity of 45-55 per cent, said AdityaGoyal, CEO and Managing Director, Anuhba Industries.

However, demand in rural areas has been increasing where denim is being purchased as a workwear essential. These individuals are able to sell their goods and have received support from the government. Meanwhile, cities are taking longer to bounce back and make denim purchases since workers are unemployed and businesses are struggling. Because of this, commoditized denim is rebounding at a greater rate than fashion denim.

Even though consumers’ stay-at-home lifestyles have caused denim sales to take a hit, denim mills expect demand for denim to bounce back soon. It cannot be challenged by anything but itself, asserted Subir Mukherjee, Business Head, Bhaskar Denim.

The South African fiber industry hopes to regain the glory of its golden days as international buyers and investors set their sights on sustainable fiber source Earlier in October, SA’s wool industry participated in Europe’s Torino Fashion Match for the first time. Cape Wools SA general manager Deon Saayman spoke at the event as part of a virtual Focus Africa segment with the aim of creating awareness of the sustainability of the South African wool clip and generating interest in beneficiation in the wool pipeline in South Africa. He said the move signaled a significant boost for the country’s wool sector.

Increasing the production and export of wool to Europe will be a game-changer for SA. An inclusive approach targeting global marketing on one end, as well as community upliftment on ground-level, is sought to strengthen the industry. The recent awarding of a R5m grant to the Free State’s Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension (Censarde) hopes to empower communities to create a sustainable livelihood for communal wool farmers in the province in the long run.