UK e-commerce businesses need to work harder to prevent consumers switching brands, says a new research from Fresh Relevance suggests. Around 35 per cent among the 2,000 respondents say, they frequently try new brands and have no problem switching from a brand they have used previously. Meanwhile, 42 per cent say they prefer shopping with brands they have previously shopped with but would switch to a different brand depending on the circumstances.

Around 40 per cent respondents say, they have switched brands in the past because a different brand offered a better price. In addition to price, convenience is a key factor when it comes to loyalty, with 27 per cent staying loyal to brands that make it easy to buy again. Delivering great customer service is also a key factor in retaining loyal customers.

Around 23 per cent respondents say, they have switched more frequently since the pandemic began. Another 23 per cent say, tried a new brand during Black Friday or Christmas 2021. This was particularly the case for younger consumers, with 38 per cent of respondents aged 16-34 saying they purchased from a brand for the first time during this period.

Mike Austin, CEO & Co –Founder, says, brands can improve customer loyalty and deter consumers from switching brands by optimising out-of-stock pages, implementing a referral program, segmenting returning customers to target them with loyalty perks, and setting up triggered emails, such as replenishment messages, to improve customer service.

Several traders in Surat have supported Trachand Kasat, Former President, Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA)’s demands for elections to the parent body.

Kasat and a few FOSTTA members are planning to topple current president Manoj Agrawal and other members of the body. Kasat recently began a movement seeking support from the presidents of different textile trading bodies and traders demanding elections to FOSTTA. Since the past 10 years, Manoj Agrawal, President, Champalal Bothra, Secretary and Rangnath Sharda, spokesperson have not organized elections, which should be done every two years, as mentioned in (FOSTTA) rule book. They are misusing the powers of FOSTTA for their personal gains, said Kasat.

In a letter signed by RK Singh, Secretary, Japan Market Co-operative Service Society said, the Japan market will not follow any orders and instructions of FOSTTA until elections are conducted and a new body is elected.

World’s foremost leader for size standards for the fashion industry Alvanon has launched its latest Fit Studio in Milan. As per an IAF report, launched in partnership with Italian fashion school Istituto Secoli, the Fit Studio will enable designers, fashion brands and retailers to try their garments on full form physical mannequins in a safe and private space, ensuring their collections achieve the best possible fit for their target demographic.

Offering dedicated design and fit space at Istituto Secoli offices, the Fit Studio will feature a full line-up of the Alvanon standard series, the European Standard fit forms available in men’s and women’s. The studio can either be rented out by brands looking to test out their fit standards or used by designers practicing their skills on a form that represents realistic body shapes.

Alvanon has previously launched Fit Studios in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, London, New York and Shanghai. The company teamed up with Istituto Secoli for their Milan location. to help foster young talent, Alvanon and Istituto Secoli agreed to use 100 per cent of the money earned from the Fit Studio for scholarships.

Global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, Archroma has launched a new softening system for textile and fashion applications known as Earth Soft. Based on Archroma's latest innovation, a vegan silicone softener, Siligen® EH1 has 35 per cent plant-based active content. The range has been developed in line with the principles of ‘The Archroma Way to a sustainable world: safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature.’ The product features ultralow cyclic siloxanes (D4, D5, D6) which are classified by the European Chemicals Agency as ‘substances of very high concern’ due to their very persistent and bioaccumulative properties.

Siligen® EH1 is ideally suited for shirts, underwear, sportswear, towels, bed sheets, etc. as it provides an excellent wearing comfort by supporting a good moisture transportation and delivering a smooth and soft touch.

The new softener, and the Earth Soft system which also includes a Hydroperm® wicking agent to boost hydrophilic properties on synthetic and blended fibers, can be applied on all natural and synthetic textile fibers.

Siligen® EH1 is suitable for both woven and knitted articles. It can be applied by padding process, as well as by exhaust process as it shows a very good shear stability and a low foaming profile. It can be used on white articles and those treated with optical brighteners, as it doesn’t cause thermomigration nor phenolic yellowing.

Italian luxury menswear group Ermengildo Zegna has decided to ban the use of real fur in its collections henceforth. In 2021, the brand’s sales grew 27 per cent while turnover reached €1.29 billion. The brand is fast approaching its pre-pandemic level, registering a decline of only 2 per cent compared to 2019.

Ermengildo Zegna’s 2022 collections will be the last ones to use fur, says Gildo Zegna, CEO. The group owns two brands, namely: Zegna and Thom Browne. Zegna accounts for nearly 66 per cent of the total revenues of the Piedmont-born group, Thom Browne accounts for 20 per cent, while the rest of the revenues come from the group's textile activities. Last year, Zegna’s sales surged 33 per cent to €847.3 million, though they remained below its 2019 level.

Thom Browne’s sales surged 64 per cent compared to 2019 and 47 per cent over last year to €263.3 million. Direct sales more than doubled compared to 2019 and surged 63 per cent over 2020. The group's textile revenues also increased 17 per cent to €102.2 million.

Ermenegildo Zegna Group’s sales increased across all regions except Japan, where they fell by 10 per cent due to the country’s drop in tourism and ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. Sales in North America jumped 46 per cent to €191.2 million, due in large part to a strong financial performance in the United States, where revenues rose 53 per cent year-over-year.

Rising COVID cases is compelling fashion brands to cancel, postpone or showcase their collections digitally. Italian fashion house Versace unveiled its men's collection digitally on February 02 in the form of a video. Versace has also decided to forego a co-ed fashion show this year to give a greater visibility to its menswear collection, which has taken a back seat in recent years.

Scheduled to showcase his collection at the New York Fashion on February 16, Tom Ford will also present it digitally at a later date. Other brands like Thom Browne have decided to postpone their show to another date outside the traditional fashion calendar. Instead of the New York Fashion Week, Thom Browne will showcase its Fall/Winter 2022-23 collection on the runway in New York on April 29.

On April 29, Emilio Pucci will unveil the first capsule collection of its new creative director, Camille Miceli, in Capri. Gucci will hold a co-ed fashion show in an unknown European destination on May 16, while Max Mara has scheduled its Cruise show for June 28 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Voice of the European textile and garment industry, Euratex has urged European Commissions and its member states to urgently support the industry in resolving the current industry crisis. The crisis is impacting competitiveness of European textile and clothing industry, says Euratex. The Commission needs to introduce a long-term vision to restore this competitiveness and achieve carbon neutrality, it adds. To achieve this vision, the Commission needs to fulfill the following 10 requirements, says Euratex to Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy. Develop resilient supply chains

To lessen the impact of current energy crisis on the sector, the European Commission needs to develop resilient supply chains. It needs to ensure a safe supply with sufficient green energy at internationally competitive prices.

Boost infrastructure investments

To transform the industry into a sustainable one, the Commission needs to make significant investments in infrastructure. This will enable the industry to provide significant amount of renewable energy at competitive costs. It will also ensure a confirmed access to new renewable energy supplies.

Grant competitive prices in green energy

The European Commission needs to maintain price competitiveness in green energy at European or national levels till a global or at least G20 level of carbon price or other means for a global playing field in climate protection are implemented.

Prevent carbon leakage

The Commission needs to protect European textile and clothing companies from direct and indirect carbon leakage which hamper competitiveness from other countries or regions with less stringent climate ambitions.

Introduce solutions-based policy

Need to introduce a policy that supports solutions for the current energy crisis. The policy should grant subsidies for the hydrogen industry, energy grids, Research and Development, technology roadmap studies, etc.

Introduce dedicated approach for SMEs

A dedicated approach for SME needs to be put in place as they do not have the skills and knowledge to improve energy efficiency and become carbon neutral.

Provide Capex support for new technologies

Capex and Opex support for new breakthrough technology like hydrogen. Its Fit-for-55-Package needs to support the European Textile and Clothing industry in decarbonization and carbon neutrality besides establishing an internationally uniform, binding CO2 pricing, preferably in the form of a standard at G-7 / G-20 level.

Compensate gap between national and global prices

The Commission needs to introduce new state aid rules to compensate the gap between national energy or climate levies and a globally competitive energy price. This gap should not be viewed as a subsidy.

Focus on cost-effectiveness

Implement new measures to improve energy efficiency in confirmation with the current investment cycles. It needs to focus on the proportionality of costs without weakening the competitive position in EU internal market or with competitors outside the EU.

Known for its unique and well-patented technology for on-demand digital dyeing of textile thread for more sustainable and creative embroideries, Coloreel has signed a new distribution deal with specialised digital printing solutions provider TechnoProgress in Italy. The first, immediate step includes sales of one unit of Coloreel’s instant thread coloring equipment to TechnoProgress.

Mats Sjögren, Sales Director, says, this new partnership will facilitate new routes to market related to the digital 3D printing and DTG decoration industry and give customers possibility to incorporate something unique into their designs.

Daniele Torrenti, CEO, TechnoProgressadds, Coloreel’s technology will allow our customers to offer something unique to the market, and help them to expand their personalization offering and to grow their business.”

Coloreel is a Swedish textile innovation brand with a groundbreaking technology for embroidery that enables high-quality coloring of textile thread on demand, unlocking a world of potential. On the other hand, TechnoProgress is a leader in providing cutting-edge technologies for the industrial and manufacturing sector. The company’s strength is the technical know-how, which distinguishes it from competitors for the quality of technical assistance.

Saitex has opened its new fabric mill, near its cut and sew factory outside of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Encompassing 100,000 sq m, the mill has created 630 jobs to date and plans to have 20 per cent of jobs dedicated to people with disabilities, an initiative first started in the cut & sew factory to create upcycled merchandise for the Rekut product line.

Building upon the recent opening of the “Factory of the Future” in Los Angeles, CA, and its renowned denim facility in Vietnam, the integration of the mill into the Saitex value stream grants unprecedented control and traceability of a garment’s life cycle. Saitex’s “seed to shelf” approach to manufacturing starts with close partnerships with cotton farmers, utilizes eco-efficient spinning, weaving, and dyeing machinery, and incorporates a production creation center (PCC) with the capability to create and prototype garment samples on-site. Through Saitex’s vertically integrated operations, brand partners are now offered one of the most sustainable and transparent “seed to shelf” processes, globally.

The Saitex Mill was constructed with a roof that reflects sunlight, installed natural ventilation, and used materials that adhere to LEED Gold Certified specifications. The solar panel system consists of nearly 15,000 panels with 3-4 MW capacity, which equates to 2,000+ tons CO2 reduction yearly. Additional energy is derived from industrial sludge which is used to generate 40% of the facility’s steam power.

A broad coalition of industry and labor groups, NCTO has sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging support for the Import Security and Fairness Act (included in the broader House America Competes Act), which aims to stop China from exploiting the de minimis threshold that allows imports valued under $800 to come into the United States without paying duties and taxes, bypassing U.S. Customs inspections and providing a backdoor to Chinese goods produced with forced labor.

The coalition sent the letter to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), urging the leaders to strongly support and prioritize the provision in the underlying China bill. The letter emphasized on the following points: US employment in the textile supply chain was 530,000 in 2020. It imported apparels and textiles worth $64.4 billion in 2020. Its exports of fiber, textiles and apparel valued $25.4 billion in 2020.