The Event of a Thread: Global Narratives in Textiles is on in Turkey, February 21 to July 7, 2019. The exhibition features works by international artists who use textiles to create aesthetic and cultural narratives through painting, photography, archive materials, objects, installations, and video works. It focuses on the historical, social and cultural meanings of fabrics, and investigates the various uses of textiles as a tool of expression.

Prior to this, the exhibition was held in Germany and Kuwait. It builds on the original selection by creating new connections in each institution it travels to, with the assistance of curators at each institution and the addition of new works from local artists.

The Event of a Thread demonstrates the variety of opportunities provided by textiles as a multifaceted tool of expression in addition to its purpose as a surface produced via the systematic integration of yarn layers, warps and wefts. Social, cultural and historical narratives are untied from threads of fabric and rearranged for to create new connections between them.

One of the special areas in the exhibition has been dedicated to Eyüboğlu, the first artist to develop a synthesis between painting and embroidery, textiles, and yazma traditions in Turkey.

Texprocess India and Gartex India have formed an unified industry platform called Gartex Texprocess India. With the merger of the two strong textile trade fair brands, the organisers, Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India and MEX Exhibitions, aspire to work in collaboration for India’s textile industry development, facilitating global sourcing and networking in the textile value chains.

Stakeholders will be provided a strong brand of enhanced offerings through a single-source business platform – Gartex Texprocess India. While Texprocess India was launched as a pavilion to create an innovation platform for garment manufacturing and textile processing at the Techtextil India tradeshow in Mumbai, Gartex India is held annually in New Delhi and has grown wider in scope covering not just garment and the textile manufacturing value chain but has also added segments like the innerwear manufacturing zone, in addition to digital textile printing, embroidery and other verticals.

Leading in both apparel consumption and exports, India holds the second largest textile manufacturing capacity globally with the textile machinery sector witnessing a growth of eight per cent to ten per cent year on year. As the world's second largest exporter of textiles and clothing, Indian apparel manufacturers are moving towards increasing their manufacturing capacities and upgrading technology, giving rise to automation garmenting processes to enter the Indian market.

Manufacturers from the country's largest man-made fabric (MMF) hub in Surat have stopped exports to Pakistan in the aftermath of terror attacks in Pulwama district a few days ago. Over 40 CRPF personnel were martyred in the attack by the terrorist of the Pakistan-based organization.

Before 2014, the MMF exports from Surat to Pakistan stood at Rs 2,400 crore. The export of MMF fabrics from Surat to Pakistan was predicted to touch Rs 3,000 crore by 2018. However, latest figures of Synthetic and Rayon Textile Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) suggest that exports between Surat and Pakistan have fallen sharply in the last couple of years and that they were less than Rs1,000 crore per annum now.

SRTEPC data says exports of MMF fabrics in 2016-17 stood at Rs 887 crore and Rs 958 crore in 2017-18. Exports of MMF fabrics in 2018-19 (till December 2018) have witnessed a sharp fall at Rs 624 crore against Rs 720 crore during the same period in the previous year.

Shima Seiki’s MACH2S wholegarment knitting machine offers the flexibility of producing wholegarment knitwear using every other needle as well as conventional shaped knitwear using all needles. This feature helps users invest in their technology wisely.

The SVR202 machine features an 80-inch knitting width and tandem knitting capability for added flexibility in knit manufacturing. Twin carriages can be used together for double-cam knitting or used separately for single-cam knitting of two identical pieces in tandem. Other features include the R2CARRIAGE, spring-type moveable sinker, DSCS Digital Stitch Control System, stitch presser and takedown comb.

Shima Seiki is a Japanese computerised flat knitting machine manufacturer, known for quality, reliability, productivity, user-friendliness and cost-performance. The SDS-ONE APEX3 is the latest version of Shima Seiki’s 3D design system. At the core of the company’s Total Fashion System concept, APEX3 provides comprehensive support throughout the product supply chain, integrating production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design to production and even sales promotion.

Especially effective is the way APEX3 improves on the design evaluation process with its ultra realistic simulation capability, whereby virtual samples minimise the need for actual sample-making. Together with wholegarment knitting, APEX3 realises significant savings in time, cost and material, contributing to truly sustainable knit manufacturing.

Shandong Ruyi plans to list some of its assets in Singapore. The Chinese apparel and textile maker is seeking opportunities for its assets to become publicly listed in a stock exchange in Southeast Asia, especially in Singapore, which has a good capital market. The hope is to have a funding platform in suitable major capital markets, in different parts of the world, to gain better access to global investors.

Ruyi, which hopes to be the next Louis Vuitton, has more than 20 subsidiaries in 11 countries, and more than 5,000 retail stores in 33 countries. It is building the world’s largest global, vertically integrated textile and fashion business. It has acquired stakes in cotton farms in Australia, wool trading companies in New Zealand, a textile innovator in the United States as well as mid to high-end apparel brands and distribution companies in Japan, France, Hong Kong, Britain and Switzerland.

In 2016, Shandong Ruyi bought a majority stake in SMCP, the French group that owns affordable luxury brands Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot. Shandong has also acquired British trench coat maker Aquascutum as well as a minority stake in St. John by Fosun. China is transforming itself from an export-dependent economy to a consumption-driven one.

IHGF was held in New Delhi from February 18 to 22, 2019. This is the world’s largest congregation of handicrafts producers. The fair provides exporters a world class marketing platform to showcase their creativity and craftsmanship to the international buying community.

Indian handicrafts exhibitors showcased designs and styles of home, lifestyle, fashion, furniture and textiles under one roof. Among the exhibits were houseware, table, kitchen and hotelware, fashion jewelry and accessories, furniture, home accessories, home textiles, furnishing and floor coverings, lamp lighting and accessories and decorative and festive décor.

Buyers came from the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Spain, Netherlands, the UAE, China, Canada, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey and Hong Kong. Buyers from new countries like Albania, Togo and Barbados were added this year. IHGF witnessed various activities during the five day extravaganza such as brain storming seminars, fashion shows and awards distribution.

Among the brands at the show were Trendsbee, Nicobar, Gemporia, FabnRugs, Tommy Hilfiger, Sleepwell, Raymonds, Godrej, FabIndia, DLF Brands, Goodearth, Westside, Purple Turtle, Oberoi Hotels, Pepperfry, Paytm and India Bazar. During 2018-19 Indian exports of handicrafts grew 13.26 per cent. The country’s earnings from handicrafts exports have grown from Rs 387 crores in 1986-87 to Rs 23,029.36 crores in 2017-18.

Premiere Vision was held in France, February 12 to 14, 2019. The highlighted the strength of its leadership and influence on the global creative fashion industry. This season, the show once again fulfilled its role as a catalyst for the creative fashion sector. The event presented by 1,782 exhibitors. Highly acclaimed fashion information for spring/summer 2020 was on show. Developed by the Première Vision fashion team, the fashion forums along with the trend tasting seminars were all well attended.

This edition hosted, 53,156 visitors from 127 countries. This is a 2.3 per cent decrease in attendance caused chiefly by a net decline in the number of UK visitors. The show recorded an 8 per cent increase in the number of Asian visitors, and also a 6 per cent increase in visitors from the US, while French presence was relatively stable at +1 per cent. The number of visitors from Turkey instead declined by 6 per cent, a downturn linked to the instability of the country's political and economic situation. Despite a dip in attendance from the UK, the country remains third in number of visitors. The show’s high-tech and technical sections as well as its Wearable Lab and the forum dedicated to sportswear materials attracted a fair number of visitors. On display were innovations in materials – yarns, fibers, fabrics, leathers, textile designs, accessories – and manufacturing solutions tailored to the development of their spring/summer 2020 collection.

There was also an enthusiastic response to the Première Vision marketplace, now being adopted by industry professionals as a complementary tool to enhance their sales development and communications. The physical implementation of the marketplace deployed at the show was a resounding success. Buyers from major international brands and exhibitors clearly expressed their excitement. Launched last September with the weavers’ collections, the digital platform integrated tanners in February.

The Italian fashion sector has been having an average annual sales growth of 6.6 per cent. The sector accounts for 1.3 per cent of the economy. In the past five years, aggregate turnover and employment at the sector rose by 28.9 per cent and 19.7 per cent respectively.

Exports continue to gain in importance for the sector, accounting for 63 per cent of its turnover. Apparel is the most important segment, accounting for 40.5 per cent of total revenues, followed by leather wear (20.9 per cent) and eyewear (16.2 per cent). The fastest growing segment is jewelry, with an annual average growth rate of 13.3 per cent.

Fifteen out of the 43 European fashion giants are Italian. Luxottica and Prada stand out in particular, ranking seventh and fourteenth respectively in European rankings by total sales. The distance between the top 15 and the rest of the pack is narrowing, leading to a roughly equal distribution between leaders and followers in terms of net profits.

Leading names in Italian fashion have long made sustainable development a rallying cry. In 2016, the first guidelines for eco-toxic standards to be complied with in manufacturing were issued. Italy first addressed the issue of sustainable fashion in 2012 when a development manifesto of Italian fashion was published.

Indonesia has issued formal notification for correction of Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) by offering immediate market access for 20 products of Pakistan’s prime interest. The priority products include mangoes, broken rice, ethanol, tobacco, yarn and fabric, home textile, terry towel, apparel and knitwear.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to amend the PTA between the two countries was signed during the visit of President of Indonesia in January 2018. The balance of trade is highly tilted in favour of Indonesia. At the time of the signing of the PTA, total volume of bilateral trade was $ 1.6 billion, which reached to $ 2.8 billion in 2017-18. All the growth in bilateral trade was due to increase in Indonesia’s exports to Pakistan, which were at $ 1,720 million in 2013-14 and have increased to $ 2,530 million in 2017-18.

This way of selling apparel to shoppers in Canada will benefit Indian retailers who otherwise would not have been able to enter international commerce. Fashion portal Myntra has been seeking new markets. This collaboration expands the product reach, creating a global marketplace for Indian sellers and contributing to exports from India.

Indians in Canada do not get ethnic wear easily. Most such apparel has relatively cheap textile quality and unskilled work. Apart from being highly expensive, prominently because of the ethnic tag, size is also an issue.

Working across platforms, Walmart and Myntra will look to meet the needs of customers looking for authentic Indian wear. To start with, the American retailer is looking to rekindle the magic of Bollywood with the Indian diaspora in Canada. It is set to offer a broader assortment of Myntra products for customers, such as the All About You line from Deepika Padukone. On the anvil are other celebrity labels such as HRX by Hrithik Roshan, and the House of Pataudi by Saif Ali Khan.

The launch allows Walmart to test the global response to Myntra’s apparels, and comes close on the heels of a trial run done in October 2018, where a small range of Myntra clothing was retailed at Walmart outlets in Canada.