A delegation from Indian leather companies are scouting for opportunities in the Kenyan leather sector. According to the Industrialisation Principal Secretary (PS), Betty Maina, the leather sector in Kenya contributes 0.3 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the partnership with India will try to improve the sector’s output.

The focus of this partnership is to increase leather, textile and apparel and the government feels it can collaborate with India to reduce the trade imbalance which is skewed in favour of India.

The Principal Secretaries (PSs) will soon organise a workshop to propose policies on the revitalisation of manufacturing with leather and footwear being some of the priority areas. The government will also create a market for local leather industry by ensuring that all footwear for the disciplined forces and the police is exclusively bought from local manufacturers.

Global fashion accessories market is projected to grow at 6.5 per cent during the forecast period 2018 to 2023. Growing preference for convenience, along with rising popularity of online retail stores, is driving the demand for fashion accessories across the globe. Growing demand for apparel and eyewear products along with growing influence of promotional strategies by e-commerce players especially during festival season is supporting the market growth from last few years.

Additionally, plant-derived products help to reduce dependence on animal based fashion accessory products. This factor is likely to change the fashion accessories market dynamics in upcoming years. Significant rise in influence of social media and fashion blogs that are communicating the benefits of various fashion accessories is likely to influence sales of fashion accessories. Moreover, easy availability and affordability of fashion accessories are influencing the sales of products such as apparel, footwear, handbags, and eyewear. Continuous improvement in distribution strategy by key players especially in distribution structure, available resources, inventory turns, order filling techniques, etc. are expected to drive the market growth during the forecast period.

There is an increasing demand of different fashion accessories such as eyewear, footwear, handbags etc. owing to the rising consumer preference towards high quality and branded fashion accessories across the globe. Major players in fashion accessories market have been acquiring emerging players in the market to expand consumer base who are progressively passionate about adopting latest fashion trends. For example, in 2011, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton acquired Heng Long, a Singapore-based crocodile tanning company. Two years later, in 2013, Chanel bought a lamb hide tannery, France-based tannery Bodin-Joyeux, which had long been responsible for providing the iconic design house with a portion of its leather fashion products.

Fabrics for business and casual shirts can be produced on the Karl Mayer HKS 3-M high-speed tricot machine in a gauge of E 28. A fine polyester yarn is processed by ground guide bar GB 1 to form a tricot lapping and the GB 3 produces a 2 x 1 lapping with a thicker polyester yarn. With a partial weft lapping made from cotton in-between, the GB 2 is responsible for producing a soft, silky feel.

Also jackets can be manufactured from a fabric produced on an HKS 3-M in a gauge of E 28. The stretch is perfect for producing comfortable jacket fabrics. Textured yarns and the fabric construction also make another contribution to elasticity. This construction produces an unusual elastic recovery behavior for warp-knitted textiles not containing elastane and has already been used successfully to produce tracksuits.

Warp-knitted textiles with a woven look are conquering the world of men’s fashion. Jackets, trousers and shirts made from these practical fabrics are often mistaken for woven products, but they offer better easy-care and performance properties. Warp-knitted fabrics are crease-resistant and machine washable and they dry quickly. By using clever patterning and selected yarns, they can also be made up into items with comfort stretch, which deliver freedom of movement and a perfect fit.

Levi recently launched Future Finish, the first online customisation platform that offers next level personalisation through the use of laser finishing. With over 3,000 possible permutations, consumers can make a true original.

To start, consumers can choose their favorite iconic Levi’s fit—the 501 Original and 502 Taper for men, or the 501 Short and 721 Skinny for women—in a light or dark denim wash. Throughout the process, they can select from three different tints (midnight, black or rose), six patterns like natural worn, bandana, logo, camo or leopard, and then add wear through rips or distressing. Consumers can also swap the leather back patch of their jeans with six different color options.

Future Finish garments retail for $98-$148. The customised jeans are made at and shipped from Levi’s Sky Harbor Agility Center in Henderson, Nev. to consumers within 3-5 days of being designed.

Created in Levi’s Eureka Innovation Lab, Future Finish garments utilize the capabilities born out of Project F.L.X., Levi’s digital finishing operating model. Launched in early 2018, Project F.L.X. automates the jeans finishing process through laser-powered technology, allowing the company to reduce time to market and eliminate thousands of chemical formulations from the finishing process. Roughly 25 percent of the Levi’s denim bottoms business on a global basis is finished with its F.L.X. technology.

Additionally, all Future Finish garments will be produced with 100 percent recycled water. The resulting product is one with a reduced environmental impact and a one-of-a-kind look.

European Union plans to imports retaliatory tariffs worth $39.1 billion on US goods entering the bloc’s member states. These tariffs would be imposed by November 2019. The timing is a direct response to President Trump’s claim in May that some imported vehicles and parts posed a national security threat, giving him reason to put a 25 percent tax on cars from the E.U. However, a final decision was put off for six months, which is expected to end around mid-November.

Car taxes aren’t the only battle between them. The two have an ongoing dispute over subsidies connected to EU firm Airbus and American firm Boeing. The U.S. plans to impose about $7 billion in levies on imports from the region as soon as a World Trade Organisation arbitrator issues his decision on damages. That decision is expected before the end of this summer, although it could be delayed by a few weeks.

The U.S. in April disclosed an initial list of proposed categories that could face tariffs, such as handbags over $20; sweaters and vests from wool and cashmere from Kashmir goats, as well as apparel items such as men’s and boys’ suits. When the U.S. tariffs are imposed, the E.U. in turn is expected to face retaliatory duties on $22 billion worth of U.S. goods imported to the member states.

Chinese companies are proactively moving toward automation and smart production through technological innovation. They are nurturing indigenous brands to move up the value chain. They are expanding their global footprint, working on their design abilities and strengthening their quick response capabilities. Apart from China, they have production bases in places like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The US tariff action against China has increased American companies’ sourcing cost. But despite lingering tariff issues, China will remain a dominant textile and apparel supplier for the US market in the foreseeable future, because China does not have a strong competitor in the variety of products it can make. Although facing uncertainties over US-China trade tensions, most US companies are still looking for cooperation opportunities with Chinese businesses. As companies are moving sourcing orders to Bangladesh, Vietnam and India, the average price of US apparel imports from these main alternatives to China have all gone up by more than 20 per cent in the first five months of 2019 year on year.

In 2018 China processed 54.6 million tons of fibers, accounting for half of the world’s total, and its exports of textile and apparel were 36 per cent of the world’s total.

Some 20 textile dyeing and processing mills in Surat have shut shop. One reason is falling demand for polyester. Those that are still functioning are working at reduced capacity. Daily production has gone down to three crore meters a day from 4.5 crore meters a day. Production costs have also increased by 15 per cent to 25 per cent due to a rise in labor and raw material charges. Surat has some 325 mills.

On the other hand, lower production results in lower efficiency, higher fuel consumption and a higher cost per unit. Customers who once purchased 30,000 meters of a quality have now reduced the offtake to 10,000 meters to 15,000 meters.

Export of synthetic fabrics from the Surat textile industry is around Rs 20,000 crores. The textile industry in Surat is mainly engaged in yarn production, weaving, processing as well as embroidery. Nearly 30 million meters of raw fabric and 25 million meters of processed fabric are produced in Surat daily. Surat wants to expand through forward integration. As of now, yarns and fabrics comprise the major production. Now units want to move ahead into garment manufacturing and move ahead from manufacturing just synthetic fabrics to producing cotton fabrics too.

By signing a free trade deal with the European Union, Vietnam has become the first developing country in Asia which has received tariff reductions on 99 per cent of goods between the 28-member bloc and the Southeast Asian country.

Almost 11 per cent of Vietnamese apparel exports to the EU will get complete duty waiver at the time of enforcement of this agreement. The European Union is Vietnam’s second largest export market after the United States, with the main exports being garment and footwear products. Vietnam is the sixth largest readymade garment exporting nation to EU, having four per cent of the total market. After the ratification of the agreement, Vietnam won’t have to pay the 12 per cent duty anymore on garment exports to the EU.

Vietnam also has free trade agreements with Asean, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Japan, South Korea and the Eurasia Economic Union. All these facilities make Vietnam one of the largest attractions for readymade garment buyers.

Vietnam has been making huge progress in the textile sector due to a sustainably developed industry and strong labor codes. The country is an emerging giant in the global textile and apparel industry.

Casual fashion is driving demand for denim products across the globe. The market can be segregated into apparel, handbags, footwear, and others such as caps and wallets. The apparel segment can be sub-divided into top wear (shirts and T-shirts, jackets and coats, and kurtas), bottom wear (jeans, jeggings, skirts, trousers, and others such as shots and track pants), and one piece (dresses, jumpsuits, and dungarees). Based on category, the global denim market can be segregated into mass market and premium market. In terms of end-user, the denim market can be divided into men, women, and children. In terms of distribution channel, the denim market can be segmented into offline distribution channel and online distribution channel. Online distribution channels include e-retailer websites and company websites. Offline distribution channels include retail stores, specialty stores, supermarkets, and direct selling.

The market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a rapid CAGR from 2019 to 2027. This is attributable to an expanding base of working-class population, rising disposable income of people, availability of cost-friendly labor resources, and abundance of raw materials in the region.

Countries like Russia, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa are witnessing a surge in demand for knitwear through the online retail channel. Clothes manufactured through knitting wool or other fabrics are commonly known as knitwear. The women’s segment dominates the global knitwear market. Knitwear for women is available in a wide variety of designs and patterns. Women have a higher awareness regarding changing fashion trends and they are willing to buy new apparels.

Knitwear is segmented into natural, synthetic, and blended. The natural segment has the highest market share owing to the versatile, cozy, anti-wrinkle, high absorption capacity, and the warm nature of natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, and wool. However, the blended segment has a higher growth rate. The rate of wear and tear of knitted outerwear is high as compared to knitted innerwear, which in turn is helping the sales of the outerwear segment.

North America and Europe have the highest share in the global knitwear market owing to the presence of several prominent market players. Moreover, customers in these regions have a higher purchasing ability to buy premium knitwear products. But there is also a surging demand for textile products in countries such as India, China, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Market players are outsourcing their production operations from Asia Pacific, which in turn is catalyzing the region’s market growth.