Sri Lanka’s largest textile manufacturer,Teejay Lanka PLC, has appointed AjitGunewardene as its new airman with effect from February 17, 2022, consequent to his appointment as an independent non-executive director of the Company on 1st February.

A former Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings (JKH) and a former Chairman of Nations Trust Bank (NTB) and Union Assurance, Gunewardane will succeed Bill Lam, who resigns on February 17, ending a 13-year stint at the helm of the Company. Gunewardene’s appointment is expected to be pivotal to the growth journey of the Company, which has already announced targets of becoming a $ 300 million enterprise by 2023 and a US$ 500 million business in the longer term.

Gunewardene is the Founder and Chairman of Bluestone Capital, a leading private equity investment company. He is the Founder Chairman of Digital Mobility Solutions., better known as ‘PickMe’ – the leading ride hailing and delivery company in Sri Lanka, and Chairman of Fintrex Finance, a Central Bank of Sri Lanka registered non-bank financial institution. He is also a Council Member of the University of Colombo.

In retail, MrGunewardene was instrumental in mentoring and guiding the island’s largest branded retail business ‘ODEL.’ As its seed investor and chairman, he guided the management of the company, took it public and sold the business in 2014.

C.L.A.S.S has added Circular Systems as its Material Hub partner.The addition will prove as an importan and valuable addition to the market to develop new generation of fashion based on natural – circular and regenerative solutions saysGiusyBettoni – CEO & Founder, C.L.A.S.S.

Circular Systems is a California based materials science company, focused on creating a net positive impact on environment, society and economy through innovation. Its circular plus regenerative technologies provide systemic solutions for transforming waste into valuable fibre, yarns, and fabrics for the fashion industry.

Circular Systems is looking at waste streams as valuable resources, turning problem into a solution by converting them into high value materials for the fashion industry. The “Lightest Touch™“ philosophy, defines their mission to retain maximum amount of embedded energy in waste inputs while creating the “highest-value outputs” with the lowest impacts. Integration of these technologies into global supply chains is key without compromising quality, thus extending the life cycle of these materials.

Circular Systems has three break-through waste-to-fibre platforms that offer the most efficient management of textile and agricultural waste:

All Circular Systems yarns are GRS, OCS and/or GOTS certified and are in the process of developing their own Crop Residue Standard with Textile Exchange that would relate to the Agraloop™ platform technology.

The upcoming Autumn/Winter 2022-23 season of Premium Vision Paris will emphasize on eco-conscious fabrics with brands and designers showing altogether a more responsible approach towards production processes. Though exhibitors will continue to focus on the design element, the production will become more conscious with manufacturers, weavers and spinners embracing an authentic sustainability.

The upcoming fair will focus on fabrics and textures that speak directly to consumers’ senses and are imagined with technical performances in mind. Casualwear will take centre stage with oversized tailoring, comfortable structured jackets, flowy and unrestrictive tops as well as stretchy bottoms, trompe-l’oeil effects and leather impressions.

The fair will also introduce the notions of ‘alter couture’ and ‘offbeat jacquards’ in its ‘Sport & Tech’ trend report. It will feature daring styles and bold and bright details like shiny trims, sequins and vibrant contrasts.

Sangam India plans to increase its cotton production capacity by 10,500 mtpa to 33,500 mtpa. As per a Textile Value Chain report, the company reported 483 per cent growth in profit after tax in Q3 FY22 to Rs 44 crore as against Rs 7 crore reported during the previous corresponding quarter.

The company’s revenue for the quarter ending December 2021 grew 47 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 646 crore against Rs 438 crore for the quarter ending December 2020. Sales grew by 114 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 607 crore, for the nine-month period ending December 2021. Sangam India’s EBITDA grew 79 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 80 crore for the Q3 FY’22 The company has approved a brownfield expansion plan in the cotton yarn segment worth Rs 137.25 crore in the previous quarters.

Incepted in1984, Sangam India has over 10,000 employees. The group has more than 200,000 spindles and 3000 rotors for producing PV dyed yarn, cotton and OE yarn with an enviable reputation for quality, which is underlined by its ISO 9001:2008 certification. It is the largest producer of PV dyed yarn in Asia at single location It is also a forerunner in manufacturing ready to stitch fabric with the annual capacity to produce 30 million meters of fabric and 40 million meters of denim.

Specialized in advanced contemporary fashion, German trade fair organizer, Premium Group is returning to Berlin for its next edition to be held from July 7 to 9 ,2022. The show’s organizer who also founded the Premium, Seek, Fashiontech and The Ground will present a completely new live event concept around the Berlin Radio Tower and Summer Garden.

The founders of the Premium, Seek, Fashiontech and The Ground, Anita Tillmann, Jörg Arntz will launch a completely new event interactive concept in which the B2B and D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) sectors merge and redefine the future of fashion fairs. As per a Spin Off report, the new event will allow brands to present themselves emotionally and interactively to retailers and consumers. New D2C brands, e-com and influencers will be represented t the fashion festival The Ground. The long-standing partners of established brands and representatives from traditional stationary retail will also benefit from further B2B spaces.

The fashion and textile industry will benefit from transiting to regenerative agriculture, says a new report from Textile Exchange. The report points to the rising interest in regenerative agriculture amongst brands. The no one-size fits all approach is gaining momentum in the industry as brands are analyzing the growing opportunity to engage meaningfully, says the report.

Titled ‘Regenerative Agriculture Landscape Analsis, the report is sponsored by Kering, J Crew Group and CottonConnect, it aims to give fashion and textile industries a framework and toolkit to credibly understand, implement and describe the benefits of work in the space. The report’s initial ‘Matrix of Regenerative Programs and Engagement Pathway’ equips brands to ask the correct questions to identify and support initiatives that align with their values. It also addresses an important gap seen in the discussion–the need to acknowledge the indigenous and Native roots of this concept and to include racial and social justice as critical components of any system termed regenerative.

Textile Exchange calls on brands to invest in inclusive and credible regenerative agriculture projects to boost the resilience of the industry within the planetary boundaries. Brands should also ensure that the direct stewards of the land, including Indigenous people, communities of color and farmers or their chosen representatives, have an active decision-making role in any regenerative project from the start, adds the report.

The state Textile Policy 2018-23 will bring about a revolution in the sector by benefitting both the government and the weavers, says Aslam Sheikh, Textile Minister, Maharashtra. He aims to understand the issues faced by weavers in the state and address them in the new textile policy to be framed by in the next one year.

The visited the powerlooms in Bhiwandi, Malegaon, Solapur and Ichalkaranji to discuss the issues faced by weavers and address the same in the next policy. A leading state in India, Maharashtra has thousands of textile and apparel factories. The state government aims to drive the textile sector with new Textile Policy 2018-2023.

Announced in February 15, 2018, the policy aims to create over 10 lakh jobs in the five years and double the farmers’ income by the year 2023. It also aims to attract investment worth Rs. 36,000 crore.

Buoyed by strong orders and revival of global retail industry, India’s apparel export revenues surged 24 per cent in 2021 over 2020. Export evenues increased to $15.21 billion during calendar year 2021 as compared to $12.27 billion in 2020. Revenues shrunk 24.50 per cent due to the pandemic in 2020 that wreaked havoc in the global apparel industry. Compared to 2019, export revenues declined by 6.43 per cent in 2021. The US emerged as top apparel export destination for India during 2021 with shipments totaling $4.78 billion worth of garments, noting 44.93 per cent Y-o-Y growth.

Apparel exports to the US surpassed the figures clocked during pre-pandemic year 2019 when US imported garments worth $4.34 billion. Not just 2019, India’s export to the US in 2021 remained the best export performance of last one decade, signaling a strong rebound in its top export destination after a devastating pandemic.

Exports to third top export destination UK increased 16.68 per cent to $1.31 billion in 2021, while the shipment values dropped by 17.44 per cent as compared to 2019.

Cotton stocks in the country declined -0.43 per cent at 36870 on profit booking after removal of import duty on cotton was sought by the industry in Budget 2022-23. In recent sessions, cotton prices had surged amid the low cotton yield this season due to excessive rains and the pink bollworm attack that resulted in the crop selling at over 60 per cent higher than the minimum support price (MSP). As per the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), unseasonal rains in September last year followed by pink bollworm attack affected the crop’s quality and yield.

In the current season, cotton acreage in Gujarat increased to 22.53 lakh hectares in the Kharif season 2021-22 as against 22.78 lakh hectares in the previous season. Atul Ganatra, President, CAI, believes, higher demand and lower output could bring down stockpiles at the end of the current season to 4.5 million bales from 7.5 million bales a year ago.

Currently, the market has witnessed a drop in open interest by -2.05 per cent to settle at 6536 while prices down -160 rupees, now cotton is getting support at 36630 and below same could see a test of 36390 levels, and resistance is now likely to be seen at 37040, a move above could see prices testing 37210.

Pulp and fiber business of Grasim Industries, Birla Cellulose aims to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero across all its operations by 2035. As per a Textile Value Chain report, the company also aims to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity to half by 2030 from the baseline of 2019. Birla Cellulose’s commitment to carbon neutrality and GHG reductions includes scope 1, scope 2, scope 3 emissions, and the carbon sequestration in managed forests and are derived using science-based methods. Birla Cellulose’s net-zero announcement aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 & 13 on climate change and affordable and clean energy.

HK Agarwal, Managing Director Grasim Industries and Business Director, Birla Cellulose says, climate target is at the core of their business strategy that aims to address climate change-related risks and adapt to changing consumer preferences for more sustainable, nature-based, and low emission products. The company aims to increase use of renewable energy in its processes, invest in innovative low emission technologies, target net positive carbon sequestration in its managed forests, and focus on circular fashion.

Currently, around 40 per cent of the energy for global operations of Birla Cellulose comes from renewable sources. In addition to this, in an assessment carried by E&Y in 2019, the carbon sequestered in its directly managed forests exceeded the entire scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from global sites during the year. Birla Cellulose leads the industry in sustainability practices such as sustainable forestry (ranked #1 in Canopy Hot Button Ranking 2021) and has set the industry benchmark for the lowest water intensity for viscose and lyocell production.