Any country whose exports comprise mainly manufactured goods would do well to think of smart manufacturing. At the heart of smart manufacturing lies a smart factory which is equipped with a fully connected fluid system that can use artificial intelligence and data from connected operations and production systems to learn and adapt to new information. That results in faster manufacturing operations with less human intervention and more precision.

Automated workflows, synchronization of assets and optimised energy consumption in smart factory can increase yield, uptime and quality while reducing costs and waste. These smart factories will utilise multiple digital and physical technologies including digital twin, digital design, additive manufacturing machines and autonomous robots. It is this kind of technology that will drive production processes in the not so distant future. In fact, companies in wide-ranging industries from apparel to automotive manufacturing are already building smart factories.

Bangladesh and Vietnam have already made it a part of their long term industrial policies and companies are investing heavily for strategic benefits. Vietnamese corporations estimate spending heavily on digitisation and automation with the next five years and these potential investments may be significantly larger than global estimates. The expected benefits of investing in Industry 4.0 by Vietnam’s workforce include improvement in operational efficiency and improved access to customers through integration and digitisation of value chains.

Levi Strauss net revenue for the first quarter globally grew seven per cent. Revenue growth from brick-and-mortar stores was 11 per cent, reflecting positive comp performance of existing stores as well as ongoing expansion of the company’s store network internationally, while e-commerce grew 24 per cent. Direct to consumer grew 14 per cent for the quarter in total, and has now grown double-digits for 12 consecutive quarters. Direct to consumer includes the brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce sites that Levi Strauss operates.

Levi Strauss is taking the opportunity as a newly publicly traded company to breathe fresh life into its brands and approach to business. The new chapter the company is writing is being driven by changes in retail-consumer relationship and the push to expand its reach to new customers in new ways. A key strategy is to become a leading world-class omnichannel retailer. Another vital strategy is to diversify the business by expanding more into tops and women’s under-penetrated markets. Levi’s women’s business grew 18 per cent in the first quarter.

When the company discovered the main reason shoppers left stores without buying anything was because they couldn’t find their size or color, it implemented an RFID system to help better track inventory and keep its stock up to date.

The worldwide market for home textiles is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.1 per cent over the next five years. Home textile is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibers often referred to as thread or yarn. Home textiles include terry towels, bed sheets, curtains, pillows cases, rugs, carpets etc used for home furnishings. Bedding is the largest segment of home textiles with a production value market share of 38 per cent.

Developing economies such as China and India are major home textile exporters while the US and Europe are major importers of home textiles. China is the largest supplier of home textiles, with a production value market share of nearly 29 per cent and sales revenue market share of nearly 23 per cent. North America has a production value market share of 20 per cent and sales revenue market share of 30 per cent. Europe enjoys a 16 per cent production value market share and 28 per cent sales revenue market share.

In the next few years, the home textile industry will be a steady energetic industry. It presents a lot of opportunities and there will more companies entering this industry, especially in developing countries.

Itema Italy hosted a Denim Day. The day was dedicated to trends and challenges throughout the denim sector, with a special focus on how to meet sustainable perspectives by presenting and introducing new business models and innovations. The event provided an unique opportunity to share ideas, experiences and best practices. It represented an exclusive and rare occasion for the industry to enter into a fertile and sparkling debate involving all actors of the denim supply chain. The event shed light on the most recent green innovations through a market and customer-oriented approach. The whole supply chain was the center of a lively debate which highlighted the connections between ethics and business, the most recent product and process innovations, key technologies, as well as a survey of digitalisation in the value chain for the textile sector.

The event also highlighted the most recent rapier, airjet and projectile weaving innovations designed and developed by Itema exclusively for denim fabrics. Innovations presented by Itema, tailored and customized for denim production, attracted great interest from denim mills delegates attending the event, impressed by the considerable cost-saving, user-friendliness and unparalleled innovative content of the Itema looms.

Itema is a provider of advanced weaving solutions, including weaving machines, spare parts and integrated services.

Infinited Fiber, based in Finland, has produced a strong, sustainable fiber from textile waste. The company is currently running a 50-ton pilot plant and plans to increase the annual capacity of next generation sustainable textile fiber production up to 500 tons in order to meet the growing demand from the market.

Besides cotton rich textile waste, Infinited Fiber manufacturing process can use most material containing cellulose, e.g. recycled paper, cardboard, and agricultural waste such as straw. The reborn fiber will be the same. Properties of the Infinited Fiber include a natural soft look and feel, consistent proven quality, 30 per cent to 40 per cent better color uptake than competing fibers. It’s antibacterial and bio-degradable and has excellent moisture absorption qualities. In addition, it has a total cost competitiveness in the textile production supply chain. The reborn Infinited Fiber is re-usable forever, carbon neutral and applicable like natural cotton without any microplastics harming the environment.

The business model of IFC is to license the Infinited Fiber technology for global fiber producers in textile and non-woven industries. End-use applications include fashion, disposable personal care products (e.g. wipes, diapers, pads) and technical products (e.g. automotive filters, dairy, construction applications). The production process is protected by several patents in key market areas.

Pakistan is about to sign the second phase free trade agreement with China. China has agreed to allow Pakistan to export 313 items duty-free. Pakistan and China will also sign several MoUs and agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in diverse areas. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is one of the largest projects under the Belt and Road Initiative and nearly 50 per cent of the project has been completed since 2014. China is helping Pakistan's spinning mills become more cost efficient and competitive. China also wants to relocate its textile units to Pakistan to benefit from Pakistan’s low paid and well-experienced textile labor.

Pakistan’s major exports to China are cotton yarn, chemical material, crude vegetable material, rice, raw hides and skins, fish and fish preparations. Major imports are machinery and spare parts, manufactured fertilizer, yarn and thread of synthetic fiber, iron and steel, chemical materials and products, vegetable and synthetic textile fiber, road vehicles and their parts, non-ferrous metals, tires and tubes of rubber etc.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s economy is going through a difficult period, with the country’s foreign exchange reserves falling. Economic growth is expected to slump to 3.9 per cent in fiscal 2019 down from 5.2 per cent in 2018.

Apart from consumer education about issues like waste, transparency and toxins in the fashion industry, technology also plays an important role in solving problems related to sustainability.

Block chain has a role in sustainable fashion. When collecting textile waste from consumers, block chain sits right in between because it gives trust and transparency without being owned by any specific brands or organizations. This tech can be used to promote good production processes. Tracing the supply chain through block chain will support traceability and accountability. Ultimately, it will lead to a supply chain that embraces good practices.

Circular economy is a legitimate economic concept. Because this has gained ground, the job of a designer in the fashion world also needs to evolve. The role of the designer is changing. They are no longer just selecting the fabric and making designs but need to know every step of production, including disposal. Smart innovation speaks to the new generation of consumers and enables the circular economy because millennial shoppers are willing to pay more for a sustainable product.

In its current form the fashion industry is a toxic industry. There are toxins in the clothes that we wear. There is a relationship between the increased use of synthetics in fabrics and a rise in serious illnesses such as breast cancer.

Shri Ravinder Kumar Passi, Vice-Chairman-EPCH has been elevated as new Chairman of Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) during 164th meeting of Committee of Administration (COA) held on today informed Shri Rakesh Kumar, Director General – EPCH. Shri Passi has taken charge from Shri O.P. Prahladka. All members of Committee of Administration were present during the meeting.

Shri Kumar further said that Shri Ravinder Kumar Passi, representing M/S R.K. Arts, New Delhi is a leading handicrafts exporter from Northern region since last 26 years. He is associated with Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) since its inception and has served EPCH as its Chairman during 2001 and 2002.

He is very actively involved in various trade bodies. Shri Passi has also been the Co-Chairman of National Centre for Design and Product Development [NCDPD] for many years.

Shri Passi expressed his gratitude to members of Committee of Administration of EPCH after taking over as Chairman of Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, an apex organization for promotion of Exports of Handicrafts from the Country.

The exports of Handicrafts have shown an increase from Rs. 23029.36 crores (2017-18) to Rs. 26590.25 crores during the year 2018-19 [prov.] Showing an increase of 15.46% % over previous year. Shri Passi further said that in order to sustain this growth, the international marketing initiatives, cluster development projects, design and product development, new policy initiatives are needed to be pursued more vigorously.

Shri Rakesh Kumar, Director General – EPCH informed that the dates of Spring edition of IHGF-Delhi Fair have been shifted from February to 15 – 19 April, 2020.

Shri Kumar stated the reasons behind shifting of dates of Spring edition of IHGF-Delhi Fair by elaborating that after conclusion of IHGF-Delhi Fair Spring 2019, the Council carried out a survey amongst exhibitors and buyers so as to take their feedback to consider shifting the show dates from February to April i.e. before China and Hong Kong fairs and found that 90% of the participants of this edition of the show expressed that dates should be shifted to April. Another reason for shifting dates cited was to give proper time to manufactures to prepare and develop new products lines to encourage buyers to visit the show in April enroute their way to the shows in China and Hong Kong. Shri Kumar informed that EPCH availed the opportunity of availability of buyers from more than 50 countries who are in India to source their requirement from Home Expo India being held at India Expo Centre & Mart and exhibitors as well to share and popularize the new dates of IHGF-Delhi Fair Spring to be held from 15 – 19 April, 2020.

As EPCH is an apex organisation of handicrafts exporters, the feedback received from the members was to be welcomed so accordingly Members of the Committee of Administration have took the decision to shift the dates of Spring edition of IHGF-Delhi Fair from February to 15 – 19 April, 2020.

Shri Kumar elaborated that EPCH had been organising Spring edition of Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair 1994. The first edition of this fair was held in January, 1994 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi with 313 exhibitors in an area of 5500 sq. mtrs. at Pragati Maidan with visit of 515 buyers. From 2006 onwards the fair is being held at state-of-the art exhibition centre i.e. India Expo Cenre & Mart, Greater Noida. The Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair was revamped and renamed as IHGF-Delhi fair with bigger, bolder and for five days during in 2014.

Spring edition of the show have registered fast growth in terms of exhibitors, display area, visit of buyers and generation of business enquiries. The fair which was started with display area of 5500 sq. mtrs. in 1994 has acquired 1,90,000 sq. mtrs in February, 2019 with 3189 exhibitors with visit of 6737 buyers and business enquiries of Rs. 2900 crores.

Shri Kumar hoped that with new dates of the show from 15 – 19 April, 2020 more buyers would be able to visit the show before going to attend fairs in China and Hong thereby enhancing business enquiries and earning of foreign exchange for the Country.

Vietnam’s apparel shipments to the US rose seven per cent in February 2019 compared to February 2018. China continues to lose its footing as the major supplier of apparel to the US, and Mexico’s standing is on shaky ground, too.

Apparel goods coming from China to the US fell 2.9 per cent in February. Shipments reaching US ports from Bangladesh increased 13.6 per cent. Imports from India were up 6.3 per cent, from Pakistan it went up 14.8 per cent. US imports from Philippines rose six per cent; Sri Lanka 4.7 per cent. However, Indonesia’s shipments fell 1.2 per cent and from Mexico dropped 23.2 per cent in February. Imports from Honduras increased 14.12 per cent in value. Imports from the Dominican Republic rose 3.4 per cent. But they fell 6.69 per cent from El Salvador and 4.74 per cent from Guatemala. Apparel imports from Jordan jumped 21.61 per cent year over year in February, and shipments arriving from Egypt rose 13.2 per cent.

These developments came in a slow month for US apparel imports. Global shipments to the US fell 0.4 per cent in volume. For the year to date, imports were up 5.12 per cent in value compared to the same period in 2018, thanks to a surge in January.