The growth in demand for medical textiles and protective clothing made within the country has spurred demand for reshoring in the US. As per an Apparel Resources report, Americans no longer wish to be dependent on China for apparel manufacturing due to rising labor costs. Labor wages in China have been rising significantly over the last decade. In 2013, it rose almost 10 per cent, and have been on an upward growth trajectory since then.

On the other hand, quality of apparels manufactured in China has not improved in the last 20 years. Manufacturers in China also face constant supply chain risks that affect their customer service. This also raises offshoring costs of US brands that fear tariffs by the Biden government might affect their sourcing from China. Manufacturers also plan to move away from China due to the theft of American intellectual property rights by Chinese manufacturers. Since the last few years, cheap imitations of American products have flooded Chinese markets, causing loss in market share for US brands.

Stepping up focus on automation

To offset increasing labor costs, US brands need to focus on automation and robotics. Harry Moser, Founder and President, Resourcing Initiative says, US apparel and footwear brands need to step up their investments in automation. They need to focus on new technologies to manage ‘local to local’ production more efficiently and successfully.

Though technology may make US production more efficient, workers fear it may lead to more job losses. However, Moser believes, lack of automation may cause the US to lose more market to China than automation. Automation can help the US apparel sector manage ‘local-to-local’ production more efficiently, he says. Already, many US companies have started embracing automation in their factories. Association for Advancing Automation informs, orders for industrial robots in North America increased by 20 per cent year-over-year (Y-o-Y) during the first quarter of this year to reach 9,098 units. Around 51 per cent of American companies are willing to invest in automation post pandemic, as per a recent survey by Honeywell.

Automation will help US not just drive cost targets, quality targets and safety targets but also create new job opportunities, avers Mosher. To reshore more jobs, he advises US, Canada and Mexico to enter into more trade collaborations. The US trade agreement with Mexico and Canada (USMCA) will help create 50,000 manufacturing jobs. To increase this figure to 2 million, trade agreements between the US, Mexico and Canada are needed, he says.

Worker training and capacity enhancement

The US also needs to train more workers and focus on improving productivity, feels Mosher. This includes setting up more supply chains for raw materials, assembling the required tools and fixtures, manufacturing testing equipment, establishing testing and quality procedures and ensuring efficient materials handling.

To bring back 5 million more jobs to the country, the American apparel and textile industry needs to focus on reshoring and blend their marketing and selling strategies with the digital space in the next three to four years, says the American Reshoring Institute which anticipates reshoring to rise 25 per cent in 2021.

Marco Gobbetti, CEO, Burberry has resigned from his post in the company. He has led the FTSE 100 company since 2017 and made a number of changes in it. Gobbetti is leaving to head up luxury goods group Salvatore Ferragamo, an opportunity that will enable the 62-year-old to return to Italy and be closer to his family.

Under Gobbetti’s helm the fashion company moved more upmarket to up the fight with rivals. That included more expensive products and taking the axe to a number of stores not close enough to Burberry’s high-spending shoppers. Gobbetti also introduced a range of new collections including Ricchardo Tisci, Creative Head’s new menswear collection.

Prior to joining Burberry, Gobbetti was employed as the Chairman and CEO of luxury leather group Celine from 2008 to 2016. He previously also worked at Givenchy and Moschino.

Faruque Hasan, President, BGMEA has urged for 10-year tax exemption for MMF producers in the country. Monsoor Ahmed, Additional Director, BTMA adds, demand for MMF has risen in the country with the use of sophisticated technologies in production of manmade fibers As per Daily Star, Bangladesh imported 45.72 per cent more manmade fibers during first five months of this year. Imports reached 99,597 tons compared to 68,348 tons during the corresponding period in 2020, according to Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) data.

Of these imports, about 61,693 tons were polyester staple fibre, 32,454 tons viscose staple fiber, and around 5,450 tons tencel and flax fibre. The expenditure on imports also increased 73 per cent during the pandemic. Local importers, millers, traders and spinners spent about Tk 1,221 crore during the January-May period this year compared to around Tk 706 crore in the same period the last year, registering 73 per cent year-on-year growth.

To meet rising demand, local manufacturers are producing significant amounts of manmade fibers alongside cotton fibers. These manufacturers are also maintaining global workplace safety standards spending nearly $4 billion as per recommendations of the Accord and Alliance, two foreign agencies working on such upgrades.

Sneaker resale platforms are increasingly expanding into apparel sales, shows a new report by Glossy. Resale platform Goat, which launched its apparel segment in 2019, witnessed a 500 per cent rise in apparel sales in the last six months. Sales of women’s apparels made up 40 per cent of total sales, says Eddy Lu, CEO. This encouraged the company to announce a $195 million funding round which doubled its valuation from $1.8 billion to $3.7 billion. The company’s women’s apparel segment is growing twice as fast as men’s, says Sen Sugano, Chief Brand Officer. This can be attributed to new launches from brands like Alexander McQueen and Versace who have worked directly with Goat to sell new products on its site, he adds.

Goat’s main competitor in streetwear resale market, StockX has also been moving away from sneakers. Led by Scott Cutler, CEO, the company now sells electronics and collectibles. It is valued at $3.8 billion compared to Goat’s $3.7 billion. However, its gross merchandise value of $2 billion also surpassed StockX’s 1.8 billion in 2020.

Goat’s sneaker sales grew by100 per cent year-over-year in 2020 while StockX saw more explosive growth in electronics sales, which launched in 2019 and grew by 75x from the third quarter to the fourth quarter of 2020. The company is likely to continue growing from hard-to-find collaborations, like the Supreme x North Face jackets which were among the best-selling items on StockX in the fourth quarter of 2020. Meanwhile, Goat will likely continue to work directly with brands to release products straight to the platform.

The next editions of Munich Fabric Start and Bluezone will be held simultaneously in Munich. The Munich Fabric Start will be held from August 31 to September, 2, 2021 at MOC Munich while the Bluezone will be held from August 31 to September 1 at the Zenith area. Both events will be attended by around 800 international textile, denim and accessory manufacturers who will present their new collections and developments for Fall/Winter 2022-23.

As per Spin Off, the Munich Fabric Start will offer trend forums presenting insights for Fall/Winter 2022-23 collections, a COVID-19 compliant event program involving trend researchers and panel discussions on various topics including circular economy, digital tools and production processes, according to a program that will be finalized in the coming weeks.

The modified hall layout of the event will showcase fabrics, design studios and sourcing areas across four halls and two alongside the MOC Munich. Almost 300 international exhibitors will present their textile innovations in the Fabrics Area including, among others, Lisa, Yünsa, Lenzing, Thermore and collections from agencies such as Berner & Sohn, Loomseven and Tex-Reseac. In the Additionals area, almost 90 manufacturers of buttons, ribbons, labels and other accessories will be exhibiting.

To be held in renewed format, the Bluezone will present a selection of international denim weavers and mills combined with a newly redesigned Keyhouse area as an innovation hub. A total of about 65 exhibitors including Tejidos Royo, Prosperity, Calik Denim, Berto, Officina+39 and Montega will present their latest developments. Advance Denim, Tat Fung, Weko and Dinghui Fashion will also exhibit at the Bluezone.

British maternity wear brand Seraphine plans to raise £61 million funds from the London Stock Exchange in July 2021. The brand will use 16 million of the proceeds to repay current term loan, in addition to paying costs related to float. The remaining £45 million will be used to repay the brand’s loan held by some of its shareholders.

Notably, about 50 per cent of Seraphine’s capital will be issued as a part of the IPO. The IPO is intended to help the brand expand digitally. David Williams, CEO, Seraphine, said, the brand’s listing on the stock exchange will give it an opportunity to expand reach and product offerings in the highly resilient and under-competed maternity and nursing wear market.

Founded in 2002 by Cécile Reinaud, Seraphine presently has eight stores across London and reaches as many as 120 countries through websites. It has stores in the UK, Dubai, Hong Kong, France as well as in the US, and generated a turnover of £28 million in 2020.

Revenue of sportswear brand Nike doubled to over $12 billion in the fourth quarter, overshadowing its weaker-than-anticipated performance in its fast-growing China market. As per Cristina Fernandez, Analyst, Telsey Advisory, growth is being boosted by a rapid vaccination drive and easing of restrictions in Europe and the United States that have encouraged people to go on a shopping spree, unleashing demand for expensive items, including sneakers. This strong momentum globally is helping the brand offset its losses in China.

However, analysts are optimistic of a swift demand rebound China as sales trends in the country during June were already reaching 2020 levels. The American multinational corporation t is the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, with revenue in excess of $37.4 billion in its fiscal year 2020. As of 2020, the brand alone was valued in excess of $32 billion, making it the most valuable brand among sports businesses.

To raise capital for its entry into the North African market and expand East African operations, Apparel maker Hela Clothing plans to launch an initial public offering on the Colombo Stock Exchange within the next 12 months. As per Bloomberg Quint, the Sri Lanka-based manufacturer for PVH Corp will offload 20 per cent stake for $20 million. It manufactures underwear, sleepwear and children’s apparel. It will enter the North African nation Egypt by the first quarter of 2022. This will help the company boost its value by 11 per cent to $250 million by the end of the financial year in March, says Dilanka Jinadasa, CEO.

Hela also plans to expand its intimates business in Kenya and boost the capacity of bra-making factory in Ethiopia. The company generates nearly 60 per cent of its revenue outside Sri Lanka.

Indonesia-based viscose staple fibre producer Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) is aligning operations with the industry’s best practice and standards. As per Textile Today, the company, which holds PEFC chain of custody certification, is using 100 per cent certified dissolving wood pulp, ensuring that the forest-based material contained in a product originates from sustainably managed plantations.

The APR facility also has ISO and Step by OEKO-TEX® certification, which confirms APR’s production processes and facilities have been comprehensively assessed and verified by independent third parties to have met all relevant standards, in terms of chemical management, environmental management and performance, social responsibility, quality, and workplace safety. APR has also added a number of product level certifications in the first two years of operations. These include the USDA Biobased, OEKO-TEX® STD 100; OEKO_TEX® Made in Green Label; Medically tested for skin compatibility, Seedling and DIN-Geprüft industrial compostable certifications.

The USDA bio-based certification confirms that APR’s products are 100 per cent plant-based, while the OEKO-TEX® STD 100 certificate states that APR’s products have been tested for harmful substances and that they are harmless to human health.

The Made in Green Label provides an added layer of assurance, transparency, and product confidence that customers expect, as it verifies that an article has been tested for harmful substances and guarantees that the fibre has been manufactured using sustainable processes under environmentally friendly and socially responsible working conditions.

The latest certificates confirm the biodegradability of APR’s fibres in fresh water and soil. The tests for the certifications were carried out by independent research laboratory Organic Waste Systems and, as a result, APR’s viscose staple fibres have been awarded the international OK biodegradability WATER and OK biodegradability SOIL labels by accredited certification board, TUV Austria.

In its bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), United Kingdom recently launched negotiations with of its 11 member countries. The partnership will give UK exporters and services firms better access to these markets. It will increase UK exports to these countries by £37 billionby 2030.

Joining the free trade area would boost growth and support British jobs. These benefits would increase over time, with the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan and the Republic of Korea all having expressed interest in joining.

UK negotiating teams will be working over the coming months to ensure a good deal for businesses, producers and consumers across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Membership would lower tariffs on key British exports like cars and whisky in industries employing hundreds of thousands of people and should mean tariff-free trade for 99.9 per cent of UK exports.

The deal should also benefit British farmers. With CPTPP countries set to account for 25 per cent of global import demand for meat by the end of the decade, joining would support farmers selling high-quality produce like beef and lamb into fast-growing markets like Mexico, the release said.