The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) held its 65th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 29th September 2023, through video conferencing. Following the AGM, the newly Reconstituted Committee of CITI elected Shri Rakesh Mehra as Chairman, CITI, Shri Ashwin Chandran as Dy Chairman, CITI and Sh. Dinesh Nolkha as Vice Chairman for two years i.e. 2023-2025.

Brief profiles of the Office-bearers of CITI:

Rakesh Mehra, Chairman, CITI

A Chartered Accountant, Shri Rakesh Mehra is the Chairman of Banswara Syntex Limited (BSL), integrated textile manufacturer & exporter of yarns, fabrics, and garments, having a turnover of Rs 1,400 crores. He has been associated with various Industry Associations and has held various leadership positions, including Chairman of The Synthetic & Rayon Textile Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) for two terms, President of the Indian Spinners’ Association (ISA), and Deputy Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI).

Shri Ashwin Chandran, Dy. Chairman, CITI

A B.Sc., (Hons) Graduate in Textile Technology, UMIST, UK and a Post-Graduate (MBA) from the University of Illinois, USA, Shri Ashwin Chandran is the Chairman and Managing Director of M/s. Precot Limited, Coimbatore. He has held various leadership positions in various Industry Associations, including Chairman of SIMA, Member of CITI Sub-Committee on Manmade Fiber and Yarn and Technical Textiles, Chairman of Yarn Committee of TEXPROCIL, and Vice-Chairman of Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), New Delhi.

Dinesh Nolkha, Vice Chairman, CITI

A fellow member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and The Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of India, Sh. Dinesh Nolkha is the Managing Director & CEO of Nitin Spinners Ltd., Bhilwara. He has served as President of Mewar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bhilwara, Rajasthan, and Chairman of NITRA, Ghaziabad. Presently he is Vice President of the Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Jaipur, Rajasthan. He has also been conferred by CA Business Leader Award by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Peloton and Lululemon have recently announced a five-year strategic global partnership, making Peloton the exclusive digital fitness content provider for Lululemon and Lululemon the primary athletic apparel partner for Peloton. 

This partnership marks the end of Lululemon's recent venture into connected fitness with Mirror, which the company acquired in June 2020 for $500 million.

This partnership is expected to bring together the best in fitness content and athletic apparel to inspire a combined community of more than 20 million members and guests across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia.

Lululemon's Expansion into Athletic Apparel

Lululemon, which was initially renowned for its yoga gear, has since expanded its athletic apparel offerings. The company's partnership with Peloton is a strategic move to further its reach into the fitness market and offer its customers a more comprehensive fitness experience.

Benefits of the Partnership

The partnership is mutually beneficial for both Peloton and Lululemon. Peloton will gain access to Lululemon's large and engaged customer base, while Lululemon will be able to offer its customers access to Peloton's high-quality fitness content. 

The partnership is also expected to help both companies expand their reach into new markets.

Cairo Fashion & Tex is the premier event for the textile and fashion industry in Egypt and beyond. It showcases the newest trends and innovations in fabrics, garments, yarns, and accessories twice a year. 

The show takes place at the Cairo International Convention Center (CICC), a prestigious venue that can host medium-sized exhibitions. Cairo Fashion & Tex is a high-quality and professional event that attracts visitors from all over the world. 

The next edition of Cairo Fashion & Tex will be held from October 5th to October 7th, 2023. You can explore the latest spring-summer and autumn-winter collections from exhibitors from different countries. Highlights 

Learn about the latest developments and innovations in the textile industry. Connect with potential business partners and customers.

The fourth edition of Texhibition Istanbul Fabric, Yarn, and Textile Accessories Fair was held at the Istanbul Expo Center from September 13 to 15. The event witnessed a record-breaking number of visitors, with 20,354 attendees from 112 countries exploring the offerings of 444 exhibitors. 

This marked an impressive 43.7% increase in international visitors and nearly 10% growth in overall attendance compared to March 20231.

Texhibition Istanbul has firmly established itself as a prominent platform for the international textile industry. 

It comprehensively covers essential sourcing sectors, including textiles such as woven fabrics and knitwear, ingredients, prints, yarns, artificial leather, and fibers1.

Exhibitors expressed high satisfaction with the fair’s response and progress, highlighting its growing significance in the international trade fair landscape. 

Attendees from various corners of the globe participated in the event, with a significant portion coming from the European Union and Western Europe.

The theme for Texhibition Autumn/Winter 2024-25 is “United For Climate InTextiles,” reflecting the textile industry’s collective commitment to addressing environmental impacts and climate change challenges effectively. 

The fair aims to inspire action and foster a shared responsibility for the future of our planet and future generations.

In a bold bipartisan move, a group of U.S. senators, led by Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), has sounded the alarm over China's harmful trade practices and their dire consequences for the American textile and apparel sector. The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) President and CEO, Kim Glas, lauded their actions and implored President Joe Biden to spearhead a multi-agency crackdown on these practices and craft a strategic plan to counter them.

The senators, including Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ted Budd (R-NC), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Tim Scott (R-SC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), collectively conveyed their concerns to President Biden, warning of an impending disaster for the U.S. textile and apparel industry unless immediate and enhanced enforcement is implemented.

Among the grave issues highlighted in the letter are the lack of effective customs enforcement, exploitative trade practices fueled by the 'de minimis' shipments loophole in U.S. trade law, import fraud eroding free trade agreements (FTAs) and their rules of origin, and the infiltration of forced labor into supply chains. These challenges are undermining the industry's stability and competitiveness.

The senators' demands are clear:

1. Strengthen enforcement against subsidized textiles and apparel produced using forced labor entering FTAs.

2. Terminate duty-free privileges for clothing made with forced labor under the 'de minimis' provision.

3. Review executive authorities to hold China accountable for its predatory trade practices.

Kim Glas emphasized the urgency of these actions to preserve the domestic textile supply chain and protect its workforce. The fate of the U.S. textile and apparel industry hinges on immediate and resolute measures to combat systemic abuse.

Ketan Sanghvi has been elected as the Chairman of the India International Textile Machinery Exhibitions (ITME) Society for the term 2023-2027. This decision was made during the society's Annual General Meeting on September 16, 2023. 

Sanghvi, an MBA and BS Mech graduate from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, currently serves as the director of Laxmi Shuttleless Looms Pvt Ltd in Ahmedabad, a prominent manufacturer and supplier of shuttleless looms in India. He is also a partner in Creation Textiles, an established dobbies manufacturer in Ahmedabad, and serves as the director of Wanland Datacom (India) Pvt Ltd, specializing in WAN and wireless connectivity solutions.

Sanghvi's extensive industry involvement includes his role as the President of the Indian Textiles Accessories & Machinery Manufacturers’ Association in 2006-2007, as well as his directorship at the Rotary Club of Mumbai Queen’s Necklace during the same period. He has also been the dedicated Honorary Treasurer of India ITME Society since 2017.

The ITME Society expressed its gratitude for the contributions of outgoing Chairman S Hari Shankar, Joint Managing Director of Lakshmi Card Clothing Mfg Co Pvt Ltd, during his tenure from 2017 to 2023.

In a move to address the persisting challenges within the garment and textile industry, Fair Wear Foundation and the Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This landmark agreement signifies their commitment to bolstering their joint efforts in promoting systemic change, particularly focusing on responsible purchasing practices and the impactful implementation of the human rights due diligence (HRDD) framework.

The collaboration between Fair Wear and STTI is poised to inject fresh momentum into an industry that has seen sluggish progress in recent years. Both organizations share a vision of a more just garment and textile industry where brands actively engage with stakeholders in manufacturing countries to enhance working conditions. Central to this vision is the establishment of equitable partnerships between brands and suppliers, who possess invaluable knowledge for informing HRDD efforts and responsible purchasing practices.

Fair Wear, with over two decades of advocating for responsible supply chains, emphasizes the importance of these equal partnerships in realizing improved working conditions. Margreet Vrieling, Associate Director at Fair Wear, highlights the significance of strengthening their collaboration with STTI in defining how such partnerships can operate in practice.

STTI, known for its contributions to responsible behavior principles, has been instrumental in refining the Common Framework of Responsible Purchasing Practices (CFRPP). This MoU further solidifies STTI's integration into CFRPP's work, fostering collaboration between manufacturers, brands, and retailers to enhance purchasing practices.

Matthijs Crietee, Secretary General at IAF and co-initiator of STTI, see the MoU as an opportunity to establish stronger links with Fair Wear member brands. Moreover, the partnership between Fair Wear and STTI promises to make substantial strides in shaping a global infrastructure that promotes responsible purchasing practices, crucially timed with upcoming EU legislation on HRDD. The collaboration will leverage Fair Wear's expertise in guiding brands on HRDD implementation and STTI's insights from representing supplier associations in ten manufacturing countries, delivering essential insights and guidance on responsible purchasing practices.

Much has been discussed in Indian media about the domestic cotton scenario spanning farming, spinning, textiles and apparel. The clear picture that emerges when one cuts through the media chatter is that the sector has become rather vulnerable due to global scenarios much beyond their control. From climate change that lowers natural yield and increases crop diseases to economics that dampens demand for non-essential items such as apparel and home furnishing to sustainability activism that accuses cotton farming of reckless consumption of water and soil infertility. In this context, one of the biggest setbacks has been for cotton mills manufacturing yarn and textiles and the industry wants the government to take necessary actions including import duty cuts for raw cotton. 

Duty removal tops sector agenda

India’s domestic textile industry has urged the government to exempt cotton from 11 per cent import duty. When the government introduced the tax three years ago, Indian cotton was cheaper than imported cotton and therefore, the levy would make manufacturers source locally and decrease the carbon footprint of importing. Now, with the domestic cotton prices having shot up, being more expensive than imported varieties by 18 to 19 per cent, importing cheaper cotton is the only viable way forward, say textile manufacturers. However, the government has not obliged yet. 

The Southern India Mills Association (SIMA) has been relentlessly petitioning the government to consider a temporary halt on the 11 per cent import duty during the off-season between April and September each year. The battle may remain ongoing as the government is aware that the trend during off-season has not seen a significant jump in prices. Thanks to the levy, Indian textile manufacturers are unable to put forth competitive pricing at international level despite sourcing cheaper foreign cotton. 

Last year the government had given import duty exemption until October 2022 as local cotton prices touched Rs 1,00,000 per candy. The import target for this year is 15 lakh bales, which might be difficult to meet with high import duties. With September 2023 marking the end of off-peak season, a candy of cotton costs Rs 75,000 nowadays. The upcoming season may not hold much promise either as the agricultural prediction for India’s cotton farming has not been too positive. 

Indian cotton yarn slides down the export ladder

The sector is in dire need of changes to bolster its survival and success. To add to its bag of woes, Indian cotton yarn has been underperforming in terms of exports as per the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s recent stats. The demand trend is mostly on a downward slide as shipments to Bangladesh, Egypt, Portugal and Peru dropped by 62.4 per cent, 26.4 per cent, 3.4 per cent and 25.4 per cent respectively, on a year-on-year. 

Nevertheless, China threw in a huge boost for this beleaguered commodity as its import of Indian cotton yarn leaped to nearly $229.7 million, a remarkable increase of 175 per cent. In this context it could be said that since May 2023, India cotton yarn exporters can only hope. As now Indian cotton yarn exports hit a decadal low of 664,000 tonnes in FY23, compared with the highest exports of 1.38 million tonnes in FY22. Demand for cotton yarn in FY22 was strong, driven by downstream demand for home-textile products and the advantage of lower domestic cotton prices compared to international prices. As it stands, Indian cotton yarn exports have dwindled by a significant 32 per cent.

ISKO, a leading denim manufacturer, is doubling down on its commitment to denim circularity by bringing industry experts together to discuss how to build a better denim industry.

On Tuesday, September 26, a panel of experts from Urban Outfitters Europe, GANT, Jeanerica, Jeans & Co, and ISKO, moderated by Daniel Mensch from Sustainable Fashion Academy, discussed the challenges and opportunities of denim circularity.

ISKO also showcased its latest advancement in material science, Ctrl+Z, and introduced exciting developments in material separation and recycling technology.

Ebru Ozkucuk Guler, Head of Sustainability at ISKO, said: "Now is the time for all players to take to the field like the first eleven in the game. Like this, collaboration can only be achieved if all of the parts have a common purpose. 

KARL MAYER GROUP, renowned for its long-standing association with Turkey, marked its latest milestone by inaugurating a subsidiary in Bursa. The decision to establish a presence in Bursa was primarily driven by the concentration of the company's customers in and around the city. 

Bursa boasts a well-developed industrial landscape, particularly in sectors like automotive, furniture, and textiles. The city's accessibility, strong connectivity, and continuous growth potential made it a strategic choice.

The new location, situated in Nilfüer, Bursa, encompasses 1000 m² of office and meeting space, a fully equipped academy, and an extensive spare parts warehouse. This infrastructure will enable KARL MAYER GROUP to provide optimal support to its customers in Turkey.

The academy in Bursa offers state-of-the-art training, featuring the HKS 4-M ON, enhancing customers' knowledge and skills through versatile application scenarios. The company's focus is on delivering high-quality after-sales service, setting standards in spare parts supply, expert knowledge, and online services. The regional representative ERKO will continue to handle machine sales, building on its market experience and broad network.

The move demonstrates KARL MAYER GROUP's commitment to supporting its Turkish customers in adapting to evolving market challenges, fostering profitability, sustainability, and growth.