The Australian Fashion Council is perhaps playing one of the most significant roles in the country’s fashion by leading the ‘Scheme Design Report, Milestone 3.4’ for the National Clothing Stewardship Scheme which recommends a seamless way to transform fashion down under into a circular one by 2030. 

Engagements across value chain

This is part of Australia’s big target for 2050-Net Zero. Seamless is the name of the initiative as National Clothing Product Stewardship would initiate engagement and act across the value chain – from designing garments to usage, re-usage and recycling. As Leila Naja Hibri, CEO, Australian Fashion Council points out, Seamless is the industry’s response to its clothing waste problem that will change the way Australians make, consume and recycle their clothes. The idea has hit off among some of the country’s leading, pioneering and progressive brands and retailers and they are uniting to do what no single business, organisation or even government can do alone. 

Hibri is optimistic Seamless will guide the transition from current unsustainable linear model of take, make, dispose, to a circular economy of reduce, reuse and recycle. Seamless was created by a consortium led by the Australian Fashion Council with Charitable Recycling Australia, Queensland University of Technology, Sustainable Resource Use and WRAP Asia Pacific. The design is the result of significant research and analysis, and extensive discussions with stakeholders across the value chain including clothing brands, retailers, charities, recyclers and government agencies.

Commitment to cause

Australia’s Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek pleaded with fashion retailers to join the scheme. Speaking at the launch of Seamless, she said, “We have a choice here. This can be an industry-led approach. You collect the money, you decide how the money is best used, you invest in the research you need, you invest in the collection systems you need, you take charge… or I'll do it.” She added that “I've been really clear that this is too big an environmental problem to turn our backs on. I want to see industry leadership. I don't want to be making these decisions for you. But if I don't see enough movement in a year, then I will regulate.”

Funding Seamless to make it viable

The foundation members of the National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme, Seamless, are BIG W, David Jones, Lorna Jane, Rip Curl, R M Williams and THE ICONIC. Each organisation has committed $100,000 to fund a 12-month transition phase while the Seamless scheme is established. The NSW Environment Protection Authority is also contributing $100,000 to the transition phase as a supporting partner. The scheme design report recommends Seamless is funded by a 4 cent per garment levy paid by clothing brands and retailers who become members of the scheme. If 60 per cent of the market by volume sign up to the scheme, a funding pool of $36 million will be raised per year to transform the industry. If industry signs up to the scheme, the activities driven by Seamless, stakeholders and citizens are projected to divert 60 per cent of end-of-life clothing from landfills by 2027. 

Clearly laid out objectives

Seamless has structured a realistic and achievable goal of Australian fashion’s circularity by 2030 by defining its objectives. The first objective is to provide the fashion industry with a pathway towards clothing circularity in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to transition Australia to a circular economy by 2030. The second objective is to enable collaboration within the fashion industry value chain to achieve environmental and social improvements in line with consumer demand, as well as government policy and regulatory requirements. The third objective is to ensure economic and social well-being are preserved during the transition towards circularity. The fourth objective is to empower industry and consumers to take greater responsibility for the actions they take as they produce and consume clothing.

Fun, funky and functional streetwear has been walking the streets of India far later than the Western markets but now it has permeated every segment of the fashion industry from global sportswear brands and premium fashion houses to a plethora of local brands. Streetwear as fashionable and casual clothing has social media and social influencers taking it places from a skate and surf, music and sporty athleisure outfits to entering haute fashion world of well-renowned designers. Streetwear as a category may have emerged in the 1980s in the US but it is only in the last decade that it has become a distinctive and iconic segment that is sometimes even the showstopper on European catwalks.

Local brands compete with global iconic ones

With the health and wellness overdrive, athleisure clothing is striding ahead of almost every other fashion segment with Gen Z becoming an intrinsic part of the affluent consumer segment willing and able to spend on apparels of choice. Global brands such as Adidas, Nike, Supreme, Vetements, Stüssy and Off-White are among the most recognizable streetwear iconic labels that have taken the world by storm and are now positioned well in India also. Along with them are, are some of India’s popular niche streetwear brands such as  Crepdog Crew (CDC), Capsul, ADK by Avishi Dayal Kalra, Almost Gods, SIX5SIX STREET along with much-renowned fashion designers such as  Masaba Gupta and Nikhil Mehra who are  all a part of the streetwear segment.

In fact, CDC has been one of the fastest-growing domestic streetwear brands with almost 350 per cent year-on-year growth since its inception in 2019. It now plans to open even bigger stores in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities. As India’s one-stop shop for everything sneaker and streetwear related, the brand already logs in more than six lakh visitors every month. The company’s online platform delivers over 500 pairs of sneakers per week to customers spread across India every week and it plans to scale up its e-commerce business and community-based retail footprint.

Sneakers and bags are the best-sellers 

The sneaker segment has always been one of the fastest moving sectors in India, currently growing at 12-15 per cent, and expected to catch up to the global sneaker market that stands at $6 billion. Its dominated by iconic brands like Reebok, Adidas, Nike and Puma among others. Start-ups such as Solesearch, founded in 2020 by Param Minhas, Prabal Baghla, and Rannvijay Singha are leading sneaker marketplaces that have a strong retail presence in both online and brick-and-mortar stores in Indian metros. The Mumbai store has a sneaker wall with over 75 pairs from renowned brands like Air Jordan, Yeezy, Crocs, as well as ive collaborations featuring ior, Tiffany, Off-White, Travis Scott, and more.

Innovative hybridization between Indian textiles and global streetwear influences for bags and shoes is also making a statement. Premium global brand Balenciaga showstopper is its blanket bag heavily inspired by tote bags available at local markets in India while English-born Iranian fashion designer Paria Farzaneh has used her Iranian textiles while fusing it with global streetwear silhouettes. Interesting prints and slogans on T-shirts, leggings, capris, tie-dye hoodies, oversized T-shirts, wrap skits and many other apparels make up the interesting segment.

Whether it is accessories, statement outerwear, or oversized clothing, it is all about versatility in interesting silhouettes and colour combinations that make streetwear funky in all settings. Streetwear doesn’t have to be the strangest thing you’ve ever seen in even a formal setting provided it is designed and accessorized right. And Indian designers are in a league of their own with rising roster of homegrown streetwear with a tweak that allows the wearer to reinvent their sensibilities and stand out instead of just blending in with popular fashion apparels. Being different while being comfortable is the new normal and streetwear brands are using that to maximum advantage.

The renowned Pitti Uomo event commenced in Florence, drawing a multitude of visitors who were reassured by the sector's robust economic performance. The opening ceremony highlighted Italy's pride in its fashion industry and the global admiration for events like Pitti Uomo 104, held in the artistic city of Florence. 

Contribution of fashion sector to Italy's reputation as a hub for beautiful and well-crafted fashion was recognises. Export figures for 2022 exceeded €80 billion, indicating a positive trend expected to continue in 2023.

Menswear, showcased prominently at Pitti Uomo, experienced significant growth in international trade, with exports totaling €5.7 billion in 2022, a 22% increase from the previous year. The sector continued its positive trajectory in 2023, witnessing a 21.5% surge in the first two months alone. This success is attributed to the sector's ability to innovate rapidly, surpassing competitors.

ICE collaborated with Pitti to bolster international buyers and journalists, focusing on emerging markets such as China, Africa, Vietnam, and Indonesia. 

Piquadro Group received a prestigious award during the opening ceremony for his company's remarkable achievements, including the expansion of the Group's boundaries through strategic acquisitions and a commitment to environmental sustainability and philanthropy.

UK Fashion and Textiles (UKFT) is leading a £4 million project with partners like Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Pangaia, and New Look to divert large quantities of waste textiles from landfills. 

The initiative, called Autosort for Circular Textiles Demonstrator (ACT UK), focuses on developing an automated sorting and pre-processing facility for waste textiles over a two-year period. The consortium includes recycling technologies, textile collectors/sorters, academia, manufacturers, industry associations, technologists, and renowned brands/retailers. Funding is provided by the Circular Fashion Programme, supported by Innovate UK, AHRC, and NERC under UKRI. Project partners involve IBM, Reskinned, Salvation Army, Oxfam, and others. 

ACT UK aims to overcome current challenges in achieving circularity by integrating advanced technologies such as optical scanning, robotics, AI, and size reduction equipment in a single facility. 

UKFT aims to create a model for large-scale sorting and preparation of non-reusable textiles, potentially preventing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of materials from reaching landfills and supplying resources to the UK textile manufacturing sector. Brands, retailers, and stakeholders are encouraged to participate.

VF spin-off proved to be a pivotal moment, granting Lee and Wrangler newfound independence and agility in the ever-evolving fashion landscape. The strategic rationale driving this decision is to enhance focus on brand individuality and targeted market penetration.

The successful execution of the spin-off and the steps taken to establish Kontoor Brands as a separate entity, was the liberated creative vision led to sharpened customer-centric approach that now define Lee and Wrangler and their promising future under Kontoor Brands.

The Philippine government is actively pursuing the inclusion of its garment exports in the renewed preferential trading scheme with the United States. 

With the local industry currently valued at approximately $1.5 billion annually, updated Philippine Export Development Plan, set to launch this week, will prioritize the goal of incorporating the country's garment exports into the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). 

The move aims to level the playing field for local producers and exporters, allowing them to compete effectively with garments from the Americas in the US market. Furthermore, the inclusion of garments in the US GSP would invigorate the industry, generating more employment opportunities due to its labor-intensive nature. 

While the Philippines' eligibility for the US GSP expired in 2020, the country is actively advocating for its renewal. 

The trade preference program grants zero duties to 3,500 Philippine exports, amounting to $1.6 billion in value in 2020, including products such as tires, bags, insulated electric conductors, sugar, non-alcoholic beverages, and hair dryers.

The ILO and IFC have introduced the Better Work program in Uzbekistan, aiming to improve working conditions and competitiveness in the textile and garment industry. On May 30, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by the IFC, ILO, Uzbekistan's government, employers, and workers' organizations, outlining the program's terms. Better Work will focus on compliance assessments, training, and advisory services to promote labor standards and enhance competitiveness in textile and garment factories.

This partnership is a significant step for Uzbekistan's cotton, textile, and garment production, opening doors to new export markets. As a leading cotton producer, Uzbekistan has undergone notable reforms. Better Work will play a crucial role in upholding labor standards across the country's textile and garment factories, acting as an industry facilitator.

The program seeks to support sustainable growth in the sector, creating decent job opportunities, especially for women in rural areas. Conor Boyle, Officer-in-Charge of Better Work, emphasized the program's dedication to this objective.

The MoU builds on collaborative efforts among the Uzbek government, World Bank Group, ILO, and other stakeholders to enhance labor and environmental standards in cotton fields. Since 2016, the IFC has provided advisory support and investments to Uzbekistan's cotton and textile industry. In 2022, the ILO successfully eradicated systemic child and forced labor from Uzbekistan's cotton production cycle. Initial funding for the Better Work Uzbekistan program was contributed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Sri Lanka's MAS Holdings has become the first partner to receive Vizoo accreditation for material digitization services. Their cutting-edge digital material service hub serves brands and vendors seeking source-based digitization capabilities. 

The apparel industry's Digital Product Creation (DPC) is thriving, driven by post-pandemic agility and efficiency. Accurate digital twins are crucial for faster time-to-market, enhancing product appeal and profitability. Digital materials play a vital role in capturing textures, colors, and properties that affect garment aesthetics and fit. Tharindu Meemaduma, MAS Holdings' Director of Innovation, highlights Vizoo's technology for achieving unparalleled realism and aligning digitization processes with industry standards. 

To meet the rising demand for digital materials, MAS established a dedicated digitization unit in 2020, recognized by Vizoo for maintaining high standards. With expertise in DPC, MAS creates digital twins at various sampling stages, enabling accurate decision-making and translation from digital to physical products. 

Their material digitization center supports their end-to-end DPC strategy, providing world-class services. 

Anupama Fernando, Group Lead DPC, emphasizes MAS Holdings' commitment to future-proofing through Digital Product Creation, constantly improving their processes and skill set.

A recent report by Solidaridad Europe and the Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) reveals that the majority of top brands and retailers' sustainability reports, filled with flowery language and jargon, are misleading when it comes to their actual performance, particularly in the cotton sector. According to the 2023 Cotton Ranking, a staggering 89% of these companies lack transparency, sustainability, and show minimal progress in improving labor conditions.

The discouraging statistics shed light on the fact that numerous feasible actions are already available to corporations to mitigate or even reverse the severe environmental and social impacts of cotton production they heavily rely on. However, the rankings expose that most major companies fail to meet even the basic certification requirements for the cotton they purchase, rendering their sustainability claims empty words.

Only nine of the world's largest cotton-sourcing companies, including Decathlon, H&M, Ikea, Adidas, Columbia, Marks & Spencer, C&A, Lojas Renner, and Puma, source 99% of their cotton from certified sources, demonstrating a notable commitment to responsible practices.

The overwhelming majority of international brands, constituting 89%, are still non-transparent, unsustainable, and show limited progress in improving labor conditions. 

The release of the 2023 Cotton Ranking and the accompanying paper, 'Cotton and Corporate Responsibility,' by Solidaridad Europe and PAN UK highlights the need for urgent action and collaboration among major stakeholders in the cotton sector.A recent report by Solidaridad Europe and the Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) reveals that the majority of top brands and retailers' sustainability reports, filled with flowery language and jargon, are misleading when it comes to their actual performance, particularly in the cotton sector. According to the 2023 Cotton Ranking, a staggering 89% of these companies lack transparency, sustainability, and show minimal progress in improving labor conditions.

The discouraging statistics shed light on the fact that numerous feasible actions are already available to corporations to mitigate or even reverse the severe environmental and social impacts of cotton production they heavily rely on. However, the rankings expose that most major companies fail to meet even the basic certification requirements for the cotton they purchase, rendering their sustainability claims empty words.

Only nine of the world's largest cotton-sourcing companies, including Decathlon, H&M, Ikea, Adidas, Columbia, Marks & Spencer, C&A, Lojas Renner, and Puma, source 99% of their cotton from certified sources, demonstrating a notable commitment to responsible practices.

The overwhelming majority of international brands, constituting 89%, are still non-transparent, unsustainable, and show limited progress in improving labor conditions. The release of the 2023 Cotton Ranking and the accompanying paper, 'Cotton and Corporate Responsibility', by Solidaridad Europe and PAN UK highlights the need for urgent action and collaboration among major stakeholders in the cotton sector.

The National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria has expressed its willingness to collaborate with Governor Uba Sani's administration in Kaduna State to revive the dormant textile industries in the region. 

The positive outcomes of functional textile industries, such as providing employment opportunities for unemployed youths and reducing insecurity. 

The union president stressed the importance of social justice for sustainable peace and security, emphasizing the need for urgent re-industrialization in Kaduna State and mass employment of the unemployed youth population. The union pledged its support and cooperation as a key stakeholder in the state's development, particularly in reviving the textile industry and creating jobs.