Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) has issued new guidelines to help apparel and footwear companies more efficiently and consistently measure their purchased goods and services (PG&S) emissions.

For apparel and footwear brands and retailers, PG&S emissions result from all the value chain activities that go into making finished products, from raw materials to fabric manufacturing to product assembly.

For every company setting a science based target (SBT), the foundation of the target is an inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across scopes 1, 2, and 3.For companies operating in the apparel and footwear sector scope 3 emissions are usually the vast majority of their total emissions.

The purpose of the guidance is to provide apparel and footwear sector-specific guidance for calculating PG&S emissions so that there is greater consistency in how apparel and footwear companies develop their PG&S inventories; companies can overcome common challenges faced by the sector, for example the need to use a combination of primary and secondary data; companies starting the process of measuring PG&S emissions can do so more efficiently and in line with industry practice, which in turn should result in more companies measuring emissions and setting targets; and over time, with more consistent inventories, the apparel and footwear sector will be able to more accurately gauge its progress towards the GHG reductions needed to stay aligned with SBTs.

Mill owners in Bangladesh have huge stockpiles of yarn. This is mainly due to a decline in demand. So they want a halt on yarn imports, saying this would open a way to sell the stockpiled yarn and save them huge losses.

However, entrepreneurs in the garment sector, the main buyers of yarn, say that if there is an opportunity to import yarn at a cheap rate, it should not be stopped. They say traders will have a monopoly business if the government takes action to discourage yarn imports. But the garment industry is willing to buy yarn from the mills if the price is not much more than the price of imported yarn.

Bangladesh exports yarns and fabrics. Spinners and weavers in Bangladesh export yarns and fabrics after meeting the demands of domestic garment factories.Vietnam buys yarn from Bangladesh. Similarly, textile millers and yarn and fabric users in Turkey, South Korea, Egypt and Taiwan buy yarns and fabrics from Bangladesh.

So spinners and weavers are expanding their capacity to produce manmade fibers because of the growing demand.In the next two years, Bangladesh's yarn production capacity will see an addition of 2.5 million spindles. Currently, 13.5 million spindles are used to manufacture textile raw materials.

Spinners and garment exporters in Bangladesh have not been able to take advantage of falling cotton prices.

This is because of the unfavorable exchange rate, the energy crisis and the fall in demand for finished goods.Apparel manufacturers are also receiving fewer orders from international buyers amid the slide in demand from consumers buckling under deep inflationary pains caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.

Usually, millers, spinners, traders and users brim with joy when the cotton price drops even by a few cents in the international markets since Bangladesh is a net cotton-importing country. And less than two per cent of the country’s total cotton requirement is met through domestic production. Spinners in Bangladesh are sitting on piles of unsold yarn made from cotton imported earlier at a higher price.

Most spinners are failing to make the most of the reduction in the price of the white fiber.Already cotton imports have started declining. The stockpiling of unsold old yarn has reached five lakh tons over the last two months because of a lower demand from garment manufacturers.During peak times, spinners could sell 1.20 crore kgs of yarn a day to export-oriented garment factories. Owing to the lower demand, they can sell just 80 lakh ( 8 million) kgs of yarn a day.

Iluna’s multicolor laces are enriched with iridescent effects that give unexpected glows.

Iluna, based in Italy, is a company known for its high-quality design driven laces. The products that constitute the core business of the group are microfiber and tulle fabrics, rigid and elastic lace for outerwear, underwear, corsetry and beachwear, hosiery and seamless garments.

A novelty of this season is the new double face printing on polyamide with a high sea fastness and unexpected iridescent effects on GRS-certified tulle. The GRS-certified Green Label collection uses Renycle and Q-NOVA, both GRS-certified pre-consumer recycled polyamide yarns, in addition to the recycled stretch Roica by Asahi Kasei. New this season is the use of prints and foils while maintaining GRS certification aimed at unprecedented effects in both look, performance and hands.

Moreover, Iluna is introducing GOTS-certified organic cotton inside its gallons and allovers to add a natural touch to its Green Label line. Bioline embraces the circular economy and presents proposals containing Amni Soul Eco and Roica V550.

The company’s continuous path through the new dimension of responsibility continues in several directions: experiments with 16 different natural dyestuffs; and continued investment in technologies that can ensure significant savings in water and energy consumption, including GreenDrop, the new GOTS-certified digital pigment printing system.

Iran’s garment production in the first seven months of the current calendar year increased by three percent year on year.

Efforts are being made to make things easy for garment manufacturers to enhance exports. The decision to prohibit imports of some items has created huge opportunities for local manufacturers to increase their exports despite all challenges pertaining to the currency.

The country has taken measures aimed at renewing the country’s garment manufacturing industry, in a bid to enter international markets. Exporting apparel products to neighboring countries, including the CIS and, in particular, Azerbaijan, is on the agenda.

There are about 50,000 apparel manufacturing units in the country.Foreign representatives, branches and distributors of apparel in Iran who seek business licenses have been mandated to produce goods worth 20 per cent of their import value inside Iran and to export at least 50 per cent of this domestic production.The initiative is aimed at increasing domestic production, creating jobs and reviving Iran’s apparel industry. Public interest in domestic products has dramatically surged over recent months.

Plans are underway to establish a new apparel industrial town in Fashafouyeh, located in Tehran province’s Rey county, with the aim of limiting imports, boosting domestic production and making the price of Iranian clothing more competitive.

US apparel retailer Gap will sell its Greater China businesses to e-commerce service provider Baozun.

Gap has granted Baozun exclusive rights to manufacture and sell its products in the Greater China area. The arrangement can last two decades, with an initial term of ten years that can be renewed twice for each five-year term. Baozun will acquire Gap Shanghai Commercial and Gap Taiwan, which operate the whole business of Gap Greater China, with a primary deal size of $40 million and no more than $50 million for adjustment.

Gap had been in any case reducing its manufacturing exposure to China over the past few years and has been migrating sourcing out of China.

Headwinds persist for global consumer brands in the world’s second-largest economy.Deal makers have seen opportunities for merger and acquisitions involving multinational firms that look to spin off their China units, as growth outlook in the country grappling with strict Covid-curbs remains uncertain amid intensifying competition with domestic brands.

Earlier this year, American fast fashion retailer Forever 21 made its third effort to enter China after having left the market twice, while major sportswear companies Nike and Adidas lost ground to local brands Li Ning and Anta in recent years.

Spring Fair will be held in the UK, February 5 to 8, 2023. This is the UK’s leading marketplace for wholesale home, gift and fashion. This edition has an even more dynamic and inspirational offering.

Spring Fair is the UK’s trusted platform for discovery and innovation, putting the most sought-after products, bright new finds, and industry leading creative thinkers under one easy-to-navigate roof whilst giving retailers unparalleled cross-buying opportunities.The show creates a compelling and unmissable platform for buyers to touch, feel, and experience the latest products, trends and innovations. The show offers an incomparable destination for sourcing newness, innovation and the next best-sellers. The show has a heritage as a trusted platform for buyers and adds an improved layout and unparalleled opportunities for cross-buying and creativity.

Within Home, Living and Décor and The Summer house buyers will discover the most stylish and on trend furniture, textiles, housewares, art, and decorative interior accessories from the UK and around the world. Serving up the best in culinary must-haves, from the latest innovations in cookware to the most beautiful tableware décor, visitors to Housewares will encounter kitchenware and dining ideas. Returning to the show are large numbers of established European exhibitors. Beauty and Wellbeing will feature products that pamper, groom, spritz and energise with a huge rise in sustainable, vegan, and ethically made and sourced products.

US denim imports in September 2022 rose 27 per cent compared to September 2021. However this is a decline from a 31 percent rise in the first eight months of the year and a 42 percent first-half rise.

A slowdown in consumer demand has caused merchants to take stock of their inventory positions. US denim imports in September 2022 from Bangladesh increased 42 percent year over year. This was down slightly from a 46 percent hike in August 2022.

Bangladesh is the top denim supplier to the US. Imports from Mexico in September 2022 rose by 18 percent compared to the prior month’s 20 percent rise. Denim shipments from Pakistan were up 36 percent from a year earlier while imports from Vietnam rose 25 percent and shipments from Cambodia increased 47 percent. China’s jeans shipments into the US rose by a meager six percentas the country’s production faces competition from ongoing tariff costs and diversification strategies. US jeans imports from Egypt increased 60 percent. Imports from Nicaragua increased 25 percent. Imports from Turkey rose 21 percent and imports from Sri Lanka rose by 24 percent.

For the second quarter Welspun’s consolidated net profit fell by 95 per cent.

This was mainly due to high input costs. Revenue from operations slipped 15 per cent during the quarter. The company’s total expenses in the quarter fell four per cent.

Welspun India manufactures a range of home textile products ranging from towels, bathrobes, bath rugs and carpets, mats, area rugs, carpets, bedsheets, utility bedding and fashion bedding. The company is also engaged in the generation of power.

Welspun aims at being carbon and water neutral by 2030 and united in its efforts in safeguarding the environment and communities at large.The company’s strategic efforts are to integrate ESG drivers and adopt a circular approach in all aspects of its operations.

Welspun India was selected as one of the world’s leading companies for sustainability by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. It was featured in the index due to strong environmental performance as well as significant improvement in its social and governance impact parameters. Welspun India’s ESG Score stood at 48, which was over 62 per cent higher than the average industry score. Additionally, with a score of 45, the entity’s environmental dimension scores were 75 per cent higher than the industry average, while the social dimension score, at 50, was 54 per cent higher than the industry average.

Synthetic clothing accounts for more than a third of primary microplastic release to the world’s oceans. Textiles are the fourth largest cause of environmental harm after food, housing, and transport.

Between 2000 and 2014, global clothing production more than doubled. People are buying more clothes than ever before and throwing them away even faster. This problem of overconsumption is fueled by a surge in production of cheap, fossil fuel-based textiles. Fossil fuel-based fibers, such as polyester, recycled polyester and nylon, now make up more than 60 per cent of global fiber production and this is expected to continue growing rapidly.

When fewer and better products are produced, it will be possible to use these for longer, and circular textile models such as repair, rental, reuse and recycling will become viable.

The EU wants to promote a more sustainable textiles industry and has a strategy for sustainable and circular textiles. However the Product Environmental Footprint methodology is out of date. It doesn’t include indicators for microplastic pollution, plastic waste and circularity that are critical for the EU if it wants to achieve its goals.

Failing to include these indicators targeted at fast fashion will give brands license to greenwash, guiding well-intended consumers to unintentionally purchase more, rather than less, fossil fuel-based, fast fashion products.