As per latest Manufacturing Institute of Supply Management (ISM) ‘Report on Business,’ though the US manufacturing index grew in July, the textile sector reported major declines in growth, new orders and production. The July Manufacturing PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) registered a decrease of 1.1 percentage points from the June reading of 60.6 percent, said Timothy R. Fiore, Chairman, ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee, said. ISM’s Business Survey Committee panelists reported that their companies and suppliers continue to struggle to meet increasing demand levels.

As per a Sourcing Journal report, ISM’s New Orders Index declined to 64.9 percent in July. Of the 18 manufacturing industries, 15 reported growth in new orders in July, led by furniture and related products. The only industry reporting a decline in new orders in July was textile mills, while apparel and leather products reported flat orders.

The Production Index registered 58.4 percent in July, 2.4 percentage points lower than the June reading of 60.8 percent.. The only industry reporting decreased production in July was textile mills, with 16 industries reporting growth in production.

The delivery performance of suppliers to manufacturing organizations was slower in July, as the Supplier Deliveries Index declined to 72.5 percent from 75.1 percent in June. All 18 industries reported slower supplier deliveries in July, led by apparel, leather and allied products, and furniture and related products and including textile mills. The Inventories Index registered 48.9 percent in July, 2.2 percent lower than the 51.1 percent reported for June, reversing two months of expansion.

Scott Baxter, President and CEO, Kontoor Brands believes the trend of global casualization is here to stay with jeans and T-shirts becoming more acceptable as workwear. The pandemic has caused a tremendous change in the way consumers dress for work shifting workplace attire norms towards more casual. A survey conducted by the company reveals, 84 per cent people plan to upgrade their wardrobes and include more casual wear items.

Casual apparel companies plan to go even more casual. For example Levi’s recently announced plans to acquire yoga apparel brand Beyond Yoga. The company expects the move to generate more than $100 million in total sales revenue for the 2022 fiscal year

Beyond T-shirts, jeans and yoga pants, companies that made formal wear mandatory to offices, now plan to allow polo shirts, half-zip fleece jackets or short-sleeve button-ups. Companies that still require employees to dress in formal attire might allow shirt meant to be worn untucked.

Since launching the innovation platform Fashion FWD Lab by the end of 2020, Bestseller’s innovation team has been working with its investment arm Invest FWD to identify right investment opportunities in sustainable fashion. Bestseller has made investments in innovators Circular Systems, Nature Coatings and Evmu. These investments will enable the company to combine access to capital with a brand perspective that will accelerate positive outcomes for innovators and the broader industry on the most critical sustainability issues,

All the three innovators, Circular Systems, Nature Coatings and Evrnu have shown great promise, addressing different aspects from sustainable feedstock to sustainable processes. Fashion FWD Lab has been working with these innovators for some time to ensure that they are the right investments with the necessary potential. These investments demonstrate Bestseller’s willingness to move backwards in its value chain and invest at the fiber level.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in the textile and weaving sector increased 11 per cent to $271 million in 2020. Data from the Bangladesh Bank shows, Bangladesh received $271 million as foreign direct investment, in 2020. As per a Textile Today report, South Korea was the largest investor with an investment of $50.32 million followed by Kong $35.11 million, China $25.19, the United Kingdom $14 million, the Netherlands $6.18 million, USA $11 million, the British Virgin Islands $26.46 million, Sri Lanka $22.36 million and India $11 million.

Industry leaders welcomed the foreign investment in the segment. The investments will enable the sector to diversify products and knowledge sharing, said Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA

Hassan also suggested attracting more foreign investment in fabrics manufacturing in woven mostly, while there are opportunities for value-added products

To become self-sufficient in raw materials for high end products, the government should offer an opportunity to attract foreign investors with large volume investment, said Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

The FDI can help the apparel sector attract capital and skilled workforce, added Moazzem. He opined that FDI should come in backward linkage and textile sector also as still we are importing huge amounts of fabrics.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has accused Grasim Industries of abusing its position in the staple fiber market by charging discriminatory prices to customers, denying market access and imposing supplementary obligations on them. However, the regulator has not imposed any monetary penalty on the firm, considering that a fine of Rs 301.61 crore has already been imposed through an order passed in March 2020 with respect to substantially similar conduct.

Besides, the period of contravention in the instant case (2017-18) was in continuation of the period of contravention in the previous case (2012-2017) and thus partly overlapped. The Commission criticized Grasim Industries’ efforts to seek details of VSF consumed from the domestic spinners to provide discount as an attempt to control the entire market by putting conditions upon small players and interfering with their freedom of trade.

In the case of one of the informants, Grasim Industries withdrew all discounts/credit notes, making the supply of VSF costly for it, resulting in the VSF yarn manufactured by it becoming uncompetitive.

In a meeting with leading industry associations, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) advised export-oriented yarn makers not to increase yarn prices further. The association revealed plans to form a committee or arbitration cell shortly, comprising representatives from the textile, terry towel and linen and ready-made garment sectors to fix the upper ceiling price of yarn for the local market.

As per a Financial Express report, the virtual meeting was attended by Faruque Hassan, President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA); AKM Salim Osman, President, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA); Shahdat Hossain Sohel, Chairman, Bangladesh Terry Towel and Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BTTLMEA; Mohammad Ali Khokon, President, BTMA and Tapan Chowdhury, Former President, BTMA

The emergency meeting was convened after the BGMEA, BKMEA and BTTLMEA leaders expressed their concern over the rising trend of yarn prices in the local market for last couple of months.

The Standardization Administration of China has issued a new national standard for clothing and home textile products. The national standard GB/T 40270-2021, Textiles-General technical requirements based on consumer experience was included in China’s No. 7 announcement of the approved national standards list in 2021.It will be effective from December 1, 2021.

The standard was formed on the basis of current production processes and overall technical level, with less consideration for the consumer experience. As per the standard, general safety technical requirements of textile products shall conform to the requirements of GB 18401 or GB 31701 (products for infants and children) and quality requirements of textile products shall conform to the requirements of related claimed product standard.

The standard aims to guide enterprises to pay close attention to consumer demand and develop standardized technology when designing and producing products, according to SGS Global Softlines, a global network with 10 laboratories in China.

From January 23 to 26, 2022, Ispo Munich will once again be held as a physical event at the MesseMünchen exhibition center and will launch several concept innovations.

As per The Spin Off report, the exhibition will focus on industry topics such as sustainability and digitalization as part of a conference stage, but also with exhibition areas. The focus here will be on conference/learning; the offerings in this segment are aimed at ISPO's classic B2B target group.

Under the name "Collaborators Zone", the new B2C2B Hall is also being created, a partially separated and segregated area of Ispo Munich, which will specifically serve to activate and integrate consumers. Consumer experts and (micro-)influencers from the Ispo Group's Collaborators Club–a further development of the Ispo Open Innovation platform–will meet brands and customers with a strong B2C orientation here.

Even though exhibitors will be able to present Special Editions for the first time or offer exclusive sales drops in this area, direct sales of products will not be possible.

A diverse group of denim brands will exhibit at the Liberty Fairs ‘first-ever West Coast trade show.

The first amongst these will be Japanese brand Hiroshi Kato which cuts and sews imported fabric in Los Angeles. The brand also offers washed jeans with four-way stretch Its Spring/Summer 2022 line will feature lighter washes and more bleach-out details, keying into an appetite for vintage styling and worn-in fits.

The unisex label Harri Penny will showcase its Spring 2022 line consisting of workwear-inspired ready-to-wear styles constructed mostly from denim. The designer has sought to create comfortable, practical silhouettes to give wearers the confidence to take on life post-pandemic.

The brainchild of Pakistan-based vertical denim manufacturer Artistic Milliners, Rising Sun’s line of men’s and women’s denim is cut and sewn at its Santa Ana, Calif. facility. The Heroes Motors denim label puts a new spin on old-school styling. The line’s denim is awash with distressing, paint splatters, shiny waxing, patchwork and other rugged and eye-catching design flourishes. The range is complemented by a range of denim jackets, vests, T-shirts and pullovers replete with vintage patches, embroidery and screen prints.

Edwin USA, the in-house denim line managed by sustainable L.A. denim manufacturer Saitex USA acts as a testing ground for the manufacturer’s newest production innovations, like fabrics crafted at its newly-opened Vietnam mill. Edwin USA also plays with inventive, cutting-edge styling inspired by heritage denim as well as contemporary trends.

Sourcing at Magic at Las Vegas will give fashion businesses, brands, and sourcing professionals the opportunity to connect and collaborate with an international community of global manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers.

As per Textile Today, the four day exhibition at Las Vegas Convention Centre in Nevada will be attended by Bangladeshi readymade garment (RMG) factories and exporters. The show will end on 11 August.

This Expo will bring in the participation of more than 800 companies. The buyers will come across the following range, furnishing accessories, athletic footwear, carry bags, bamboo fabric, beads and sequins, bedroom textiles, belts and bags, buckles, clips and hooks, blended fabric, carpets and rugs, children apparel, casual shirts, party wear, bridal dress, menswear, embroideries, denim fabric, fashionable footwear, lingerie, maternity dresses, leather goods, swimwear, hosiery wear, yarns, zippers.