London Expo will be held from May 29 and 30, 2019. This is a textile, garment and accessory trade fair. Various textile and garment enterprises in Asia and Europe and international retailers will participate. London Expo 2019 is a specialised event for the garment industry and provides exhibitors with a unique platform to showcase their business to a global market. Buyers can have a convenient access to premium manufacturers all in one place. This is the second edition.

Rising fashion talent will showcase fresh collections. The event will showcase the best of London’s young designers alongside a sterling combination of appearances by respected exhibitors. The two-day exhibition will create a timely platform for buyers and entrepreneurs, where they can become familiar with new technologies and services. Consumers, entrepreneurs, importers and suppliers can meet and interact with each other.

At last year’s expo garment industry traders took part for the first time. Eight companies from Bangladesh, the UK and Europe participated. This expo is expected to be similarly successful.

"In a world of accelerating demand for apparel, consumers want -- and can also afford -- new clothes after wearing garments only a few times. Entire business models are built on the premise of fast fashion, providing clothes cheaply and quickly through shorter fashion cycles. However, this linear fashion model of buying, wearing and quickly discarding clothes has several economic, social and environmental implications. Some of these include. The economic loss from fashion waste is tremendous. The annual value of clothes discarded prematurely is over $400 billion globally."

In a world of accelerating demand for apparel, consumers want -- and can also afford -- new clothes after wearing garments only a few times. Entire business models are built on the premise of fast fashion, providing clothes cheaply and quickly through shorter fashion cycles. However, this linear fashion model of buying, wearing and quickly discarding clothes has several economic, social and environmental implications. Some of these include:

Economic and environmental impact of fast fashion

The economic loss from fashion waste is tremendous. The annual value of clothes discarded prematurely is over $400 billion globally. North Texas is literally burying tens of millions of dollars in recoverable materials each year, according to the annual Texas Campaign for the Environment State of Recycling report.

Early research also shows the economic benefits of slowing fast fashion down. A report showed that addressing environmental and social problems created by the fashion industry would provide a $192 billion overall benefit to the global economy by 2030. Several North Texas cities like Aubrey, Little Elm, Corinth, The Colony, Lancaster, Bedford, Haltom City, Richland Hills and, Plano have adopted curbside collection for textiles. Higher quality textiles are resold, while lower quality materials may be used as rags in auto shops or mining operations.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency emissions calculator, making a pair of Levi’s jeans produces as much greenhouse gases as driving a car more than 80 miles. And it takes 2,700 liters of water to make just one cotton shirt, enough to meet the average person's drinking needs for two-and-a-half years.

Fast fashion causes social issues

Clothing production has also created a number of social challenges. A 2018 US Department of Labor report found evidence of forced and child labor in many countries of the world.

Rapid consumption of apparel and the need to deliver short fashion cycles stresses production resources, often resulting in supply chains that put profits ahead of human welfare.

A growing number of policies and regulations around the world require emissions cuts and reduced resource use, such as the EU Waste Framework Directive. Businesses won't be able to out-innovate the problem of growing consumption based on using more materials to meet increasing customer demands. Companies that want to compete in tomorrow's markets will need to decouple their business growth from resource use in order to stay profitable.

Recycling emerges as a viable option

The early signs of an industry in transition are visible. Business models based on longevity, such as Rent the Runway and Gwynnie Bee, are supporting reuse instead of rapid consumption. The Nordstrom Men's store in New York houses a Levi's Tailor Shop, where men can have their damaged jeans repaired and customized instead of thrown to the curb.

There are options for consumers to lease clothes rather than buy and stash them in their closets. Ideally, an end-of-ownership model for apparel will be implemented in a way that considers impacts on jobs, communities and the environment.

To meet the growing demand for clothes, companies will need to design, test and invest in business models that reuse clothes and maximise their useful life. If sustainable apparel is done right, companies can reap rich environmental, economic and social rewards, all while providing their customers better experiences. Consumers, on the other hand, need to seriously consider the volume of apparel they consume and its impacts.

Arvind reported net sales of Rs 1706.87 crores for the December quarter as compared to Rs 1815.11 crores during the September quarter. Net profit was Rs 40.43 crores as against Rs 61.48 crores for the September quarter.

During the year, net sales were Rs 1706.87 crores as compared to Rs 1704.67 crores last year. Net profit was Rs 40.43 crores for the year as against Rs 79.08 crores last year.

Net sales for the nine month period were Rs 5346.89 crores as compared to Rs 5004.68 crores during the nine month period last year. Net profit for the nine month period was Rs 161.70 crores as against a net profit of Rs 200.34 crores for the nine month period last year. EPS for the nine month period was Rs 6.27 as compared to EPS of Rs 7.74 for the nine month period last year.

Arvind is in the process of ramping up textile production across its manufacturing units as it plans to double textile business in the next five years.

Grasim, reported a Q3 net sales of Rs 18591.13 crores as compared to Rs 17098.77 crores during the September quarter. Net profit was Rs 1144.44 crores during the December quarter 31, 2018 as against a net loss of Rs 1299.86 crores during the September quarter. A part of Aditya Birla, Grasim is the world’s fourth largest pulp producer,

Net sales for the year were Rs 18591.13 crores as compared to net sales of Rs 15343.93 crores last year. Net profit for the year was Rs 1144.44 crores as against a net profit of Rs 786.87 crores last year. EPS for the year was Rs 14.57 as compared to EPS of Rs 8.25 last year.

Net sales for the nine month period were Rs 52652.77 crores as compared to net sales of Rs 40331.74 crores during the nine month period last year. Net profit for the nine month period was Rs 1244.09 crores as against Rs 2834 crores for the nine month period last year. EPS for the nine month period was Rs 9.55 as compared to EPS of Rs.33.22 for the nine month period last year.

Virender Uppal is the new chairman of the Apparel, Made-Ups and Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council (AMHSSC). He takesover from A Sakthivel, Chairman of Poppy’s Exports, Tirupur. Uppal a veteran in the apparel sector, has twice been the chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council. He has also provided leadership support to the Apparel Exporters and Manufacturers Association, New Delhi, for over four decades and has been on AMHSSC’s board of directors since its inception. He is also familiar with the skill ecosystem of the country.

Known for his resilient dynamism, far-sightedness and all-encompassing vision, Uppal has been instrumental in providing impetus to garment exports from the country and has therefore been hailed as a natural leader.

AMHSSC was launched with the primary mandate of enhancing and building capacity in skill development. It designs training programs, based on the industry demands of different segments, and ensures all successful trainees are certified through an accredited assessment agency.

It assesses the proficiencies of trainees for the apparel sector, made-ups and home furnishing areas. The assessment is defined as a structured process in which evidence of performance is gathered and evaluated. A person’s competence is gauged through a range of methods--tests, observations, interviews, assignments and professional discussion etc.

Outlays under the Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS) have been reduced in the Interim Budget. Over 3000 projects that got implemented are yet to receive subsidies. The ATUFS is the lifeline of the textile sector. With just Rs 700 crores being allocated under the scheme, modernization in the textile industry is expected to be affected. Power loom weavers who have to repay loan instalments fear a difficult situation.

At least 1500 power loom weavers in Surat, , have filed for the 10 per cent subsidy under the ATUFS. These weavers had ordered machinery from foreign countries for obtaining the benefit of the subsidy. But the complicated guidelines of ATUFS have resulted in non-reimbursement of the subsidy amount to the weavers. India’s largest manmade fabric textile industry is in Surat.

Out of the 7000 files submitted for subsidy under ATUFS, only 70 have been approved for disbursal across the country. Textile players face severe difficulties while availing of benefits under the ATUFS. The total fund allocation under ATUFS has been very low since its launch in January 2016. The complicated structure of ATUFS has made it one of India’s least preferred subsidy schemes. For example, overseas machinery suppliers have to be enlisted in the suppliers’ list.

Unifi Asia Pacific and Kipas Textiles have entered into a partnership to supply Repreve staple fibers in Turkey. Repreve staple fibers will be available from Kipas in a variety of specifications, including raw white and dope-dyed, as well as a range of deniers and staple lengths. Repreve will go to fabric mills, brand and retail partners in Turkey, a key supplier of fabric and finished goods to the US and the European market—notably in denim.

Repreve polyester staple fiber is used in blends and 100 per cent polyester constructions and can be coupled with performance technologies for enhanced functionality. Kipas’ production facilities allow for advanced blending and spinning capabilities, including ring, open-end, siro compact, core spun and air jet.

US-based Unifi manufactures synthetic and recycled performance fibers. In addition to Repreve, the company’s primary product is the Profiber brand of virgin polyester and nylon performance fibers. Both Profiber and Repreve yarns can be embedded with a combination of innovative Tru-technology performance benefits such as moisture management, thermal regulation, cooling, UV protection, water resistance, enhanced softness and cushioning.

Kipas Textiles has 25 factories with more than 10,000 employees. The company maintains a focus on sustainability, which besides using recycled fibers like Repreve, includes using recycled paper in paper production and emphasizing geothermal energy.

Premiere Vision will be held in France from February 12 to 14, 2019. The show will disclose novelties from the fabric, accessory, component, fiber, leather, fur and textile design markets for spring/summer 2020. Almost 1,777 exhibitors from 50 countries will participate. Participants will exhibit their newest developments across five halls. Out of the total companies participating, 161 are new ones, counting for almost nine per cent of the total.

This year’s edition will host a specialized offer of innovative materials, technologies and services, alongside a selection of conferences with experts. The Wearable Lab section will host 17 exhibitors divided in three zones: Smart Materials, presenting ten companies offering smart materials without embedded electronics; Innovative Technologies, showing five companies specialized in developing advanced technologies embedded in materials, garments and accessories; and Prototypes and Labs, a space devised to present working prototypes, test them out and discuss the coming issues and challenges in R&D. Wearable Lab will be hosted for the third year in a row.

The Maisons D’Exceptions section will host 25 selected ateliers including six new ones from new countries such as United Arab Emirates and Cambodia. These special artisans will present their unique abilities and custom-made products featuring outstanding techniques in textiles, leather and accessories.

The inverted duty structure in India makes it easier for textile industry to import synthetic textiles rather than manufacture them domestically. Synthetic fiber is taxed at 18 per cent, yarn at 12 per cent and final output at five per cent, creating a tax structure where rate on inputs is higher than that on output.

The inverted duty structure has made imports 15 per cent to 20 per cent cheaper for the domestic industry. Also the absence of refund on input tax credit on the domestic sale of synthetic fabrics is said to have blocked the working capital of the textile industry. Refund of inverted duty is allowed but the industry feels it is complicated and leads to working capital blockage for months. GST on capital goods is not refunded.

Another grouse is that rules do not allow refund or adjustment of GST on services from output GST obligations, which has led to losses for small and medium enterprises using job working services and having an inverted duty structure. The industry wants the refund rule rectified and has sought refund for unused input tax credit that lapsed on July 31 last year and extension of the refund to those selling in the domestic market.

JC Penney will exit the major appliances category and shift gears to focus on soft textiles such as apparel and home furnishings, which are expected to represent higher margin opportunities.

The retailer is finalizing new layout options, including the reduction of store space previously dedicated to appliance and furniture showrooms to maximize efficiencies. It also wants to create an enhanced shopping experience that inspires repeat shopping trips. The assumption is that apparel is the answer to get consumers to return to the store on a regular basis.

The major appliance category will remain in the stores and online through February 28, while the furniture category will still be available online and at select stores. The major appliance category isn’t exactly high margin. Once consumers make a major purchase, they won’t need to make another replacement purchase for at least another five years.

JC Penney used to be the place where middle-income consumers went to for apparel and soft home goods but the retailer then threw out many of the private label brands that JC Penney customers relied on. They showed their displeasure by going elsewhere to do their shopping.

Exclusive private label brands in apparel for women’s, men’s and children’s were always a staple at JC Penney.