Shopping malls and markets in Bangladesh sell foreign clothing items imported mainly from India and Pakistan, with many smuggled products coming through land ports to evade taxes. The incursion of imported apparels and fabrics, have left Bangladesh's fashion industry in dire straits, despite the country's position as the second-largest readymade garment exporter in the world.

The lack of government policy support, high import cost of raw materials, absence of design and development facilities in most local fashion houses, declining number of weavers due to low wages, and academic fashion design curriculum not matching requirements of professional careers are the major barriers to the growth of the local clothing industry.

Although some Bangladeshi brands produce quality local products, many local fashion houses import fabrics from China and India to cater to consumer demand. The lack of vision among local fashion house owners and their inability to produce world-class merchandise further hampers the growth of the industry.

The March 2023 export data suggests that China's export direction is changing, with the Belt and Road countries and CREP regions potentially occupying a more important position in China's future exports.

The latest figures reveal a decline in the proportion of traditional markets such as Japan, Europe and the US, and an increase in the proportion of ASEAN, Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Oman and Brazil.

The strong performance of China's textile and apparel exports in March highlights the need for businesses to stay aware of changing trends and to adapt to the evolving global trade landscape.

China's textile and apparel exports in March 2023 were remarkably strong, growing by 32% year-on-year for garments and accessories. However, this was not consistent with the export situation perceived by the market. The latest monthly report released by China Customs sheds light on the direction change of China's textile and apparel exports.

The United States retained its position as the largest market for China's textile and apparel exports in March, followed by the European Union and Vietnam, with Japan dropping to fourth place. These four markets accounted for over 15% of the total exports. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Myanmar were the major ASEAN markets, accounting for 19.7% of the total exports, which was 4.7 percentage points higher than that of the United States.

Compared to March last year, Japan, Europe and the US witnessed a decline in their proportion, while Philippines, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates also saw a modest decline. However, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, India, Singapore, Russia, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia showed an increase in their proportion, with Singapore and Saudi Arabia registering a more significant growth.

Regarding the year-on-year growth of China's main export markets in March, Vietnam had the most substantial growth, followed by the United States. In contrast, Japan showed a decline. The exports to Singapore, Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Australia grew by more than 50%, with Malaysia, South Korea and India also performing well, with a year-on-year growth of over 30%.

The largest growth in March was observed in ASEAN, Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Oman and Brazil. Due to the low base of some regions in the early period, their increase was relatively large. Whereas, Japan and European countries witnessed the largest drop in the growth rate in March.

China’s polyester market faces challenges from both upstream and downstream sectors, resulting in suppressed sales and mounting inventory.

Upstream market, particularly PX, was the strongest due to low inventory and intensive turnaround, while PTA market successfully transferred cost to the polyester sector.

However, some downstream plants suspended or curtailed production due to high-priced raw materials. Despite the challenges, the polyester market has shown high resilience, with the polymerization rate remaining high even with new capacity.

Polyester companies are finding it difficult to cut production due to labor and cost issues, and the inventory burden is still bearable. Downstream plants are calling for faster production suspension, and coupled with strongly soaring feedstock futures, polyester companies were forced to cut prices for promotion.

The PFY stocks of DTY plants and fabric mills may guarantee production until next week, but sales are estimated to remain low, and the inventory is expected to mount in April.

The polyester industry is encountering accumulating contradictions, and how long companies can withstand pressure from losses and stagnated sales remains to be seen.

Adore Me, a Certified B Corporation and a direct-to-consumer intimate apparel brand, has partnered with the MAS Foundation for Change, the non-profit arm of South Asian apparel tech conglomerate MAS Holdings, to support its mangrove restoration project in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is a mangrove hotspot, but 50% of the island's mangroves have been destroyed by various activities, including farming, tourism, settlement, and pollution. The MAS Foundation for Change, which aims to tackle social and environmental challenges, has identified mangrove restoration as an important step towards improving biological diversity in coastal areas.

Adore Me's contribution to the project is another reflection of the company's commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Adore Me hopes to raise awareness about the importance of preserving and restoring mangrove forests in Sri Lanka and around the world.

The mangrove restoration project will continue until December 2025, with Adore Me sponsoring the replantation of over 2,500 mangrove seedlings in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province.

The global athleisure market is set to reach USD 330.99 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 9.5% from 2023 to 2030. The rise in health awareness and fitness activities, along with the increased adoption of casual wear in daily life, has propelled the growth of the athleisure market, according to a recent report by Reliable Business Insights.

One of the main findings is the emergence of sustainable and eco-friendly athleisure wear. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their purchases and are looking for sustainable options. Another trend highlighted in the report is the rising popularity of online channels for athleisure purchases. With the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating the shift to online shopping, e-commerce platforms have become essential for the athleisure market's growth.

It is found an increasing demand for customization and personalization of products, with consumers seeking unique and tailored pieces. To meet this demand, athleisure brands are exploring new technologies to personalize their products, such as 3D printing and digital design tools.

There are opportunities of collaborations and partnerships between athleisure brands and technology companies to create innovative and sustainable products.

India's e-commerce market is rapidly expanding, with over 125 million online shoppers added in the past three years and another 80 million expected to join by 2025, according to a report by Kantar.

The growth is being driven by affordable smartphones and low-cost data plans, with major retail and consumer goods makers investing more in the online space. India has over 530 million active social media users, of which 52% are millennials, and the number is projected to reach 600 million by 2025. Social media is expected to boost e-commerce sales, with 77 million shoppers purchasing from social platforms in 2021.

The country is on track to have 900 million internet users by 2025 and leads in digital ad spending at 22%, ahead of the UK, US, Australia, France, and China. The report also highlights India's D2C ecosystem as being at an "inflection point," with D2C brands generating $4 billion in FY2022 and an addressable market size predicted to exceed $100 billion by 2025.

HanesBrands Inc., a global leader in iconic apparel brands, has released its 2022 Sustainability Summary Report, highlighting significant accomplishments in the areas of People, Planet, and Product. The company has set ambitious sustainability goals, and the report outlines its progress in achieving them.

In terms of People, HanesBrands aims to improve the lives of at least 10 million people through diversity and inclusion, workplace equality, health and wellness, education, and community-improvement philanthropy.

The report indicates that the company has made progress in this area, with 2.7 million lives impacted by HanesBrands’ philanthropic initiatives and associate and community programs. The company has also provided 8.5 million pieces of essential clothing to people in need and achieved a 50% representation of women in senior manager and above positions in the U.S.

Regarding the Planet, HanesBrands has set science-based targets to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce energy and water use by 25%, move to 100% renewable electricity, and take landfill waste to zero.

The report shows that the company has made progress towards these targets, with a 30% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 92% waste diversion from landfill. Additionally, almost 50% of the electricity the company consumes is from renewable sources.

For its Product goals, HanesBrands aims to use 100% recycled/biodegradable polyester and sustainably sourced cotton, reduce packaging weight by 25%, and eliminate single-use plastics. The report indicates that the company has made progress in these areas as well, with 70% of cotton used being sustainably grown, and projects implemented to reduce single-use plastic by 34% and packaging weight by 11%.

HanesBrands has also launched its “I’m In” global associate sustainability campaign to encourage associates to do simple things to create major change. The campaign is designed to further strengthen HanesBrands’ impact on improving the environment and fostering engagement among its internal teams to help create a more comfortable world for everybody.

With more than 50,000 associates around the world, the company hopes to make a significant impact in achieving its sustainability goals.

The global insect repellent apparel market, to expand at a CAGR of 6.2% and will attain a valuation of US$ 550 Mn during the forecast period of 2021-2031, according to a report by Transparency Market Research.

The growth is being driven by the rising incidence of insect-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, and Zika virus. The increasing demand for outdoor recreational activities, such as camping, hiking, and sports, is also driving the growth of this market.

Insect repellent apparel refers to clothing designed to protect individuals from insect bites and the diseases they can transmit. This type of clothing is treated with insect repellent chemicals that repel insects, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting insects.

The global apparel industry is heading for a slowdown this year as macroeconomic tensions and slumping consumer confidence chip away at post-Covid 2022′s profits of most retailers. In many key categories like electronics, garments, furnishings, and automobiles, the need-to-have essentials versus great-to-have non-essentials for the daily living segment are being closely scrutinized.

In many segments of retail spending such as electronics, luxury fashion apparels and cars, where price tags are higher and goods are long-lasting, most consumers are less likely to replace them with new versions in 2023. Meanwhile, global apparel industry has felt the impact of rising cotton prices and this has affected sales. Even though there was a strong sales run during the second half of last year, it has been rather volatile after that and the trend is changing for every quarter after that.

US markets sees a cut in retail spending

Consumers in the US have drastically cut down on their unplanned shopping splurges on apparel and accessories and put off replacements and upgrades of electronics for another brighter day. US-based PYMNTS, a recognized global leader for data, news, and insights with a set of proven frameworks to analyze scales in dynamic markets, highlighted in its recent report that there has been around $8 billion cut in US retail spending in the past few months. The research has shows 67 per cent retail customers are expecting a significant price increase next year and the average global consumer does not expect inflation to return to normal until the end of 2024. Data from the US Census Bureau also shows general spending has declined 1per cent month on month on a seasonally adjusted basis which follows a 0.2 per cent decline seen in February versus January 2023.

While the electronics and appliances segment was lower by 2.1 per cent month over month and around 10.3 per cent year on year, even the home furniture and home furnishings segment was down 1.2 per cent and 2.4 per cent respectively. Spending on branded clothes, shoes, bags and accessories has also slipped 1.7 per cent month on month and 1.8 per cent from a year ago.

Alongside slowdown, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been warning advertisers to back up claims about their products and has issued notices to over 670 companies warning that they may face civil penalties if they make claims in their ads that cannot be substantiated with reliable evidence. The problem is, as consumers tighten purse strings, many companies are making false claims and misleading advertisements to lure people into buying their products.

India’s textile segment too sees sales slow down

In India too, the slowdown is not restricted to just apparel and has even hit the fine dining restaurants and liquor segments, which had both surpassed pre-Covid sales last year with consumers’ vengeance to be finally out wining and dining again. However, this quick rise in demand for feel-good categories such as apparel, quick service restaurants and lifestyle products has started to lessen with the peak period already over. For apparel players, growth may look optically high in good seasons but overall demand trends remain broadly unchanged. The impact of rising cotton prices has hit hardest the small-town consumers who are most price-sensitive.

A HDFC Securities a report states, demand peak in discretionary categories seems to be behind us. Elevated ticket sizes and store expansion coupled with normalising footfalls aided growth. However, in retail, many of these variables are now mean-reverting. In Q4, we are already seeing signs of reined-in expansion plans across categories and ticket sizes are also normalising. Discretionary spending may weaken in Q4, as apparel, lifestyle companies etc expect sales to grow only 15-20 per cent. Experts caution, pent-up demand cannot sustain forever as people go back to normal habits.

Downcycle exposure and sustainability of certain segments in the apparel industry may provide the biggest opportunities while inflation is the greatest threat with deteriorating macroeconomics and job losses weighing in heavily on the industry in the second half of 2022 and continuing to leave the fashion segment on tippy toes in the first few months of 2023.

Global fashion brand Uniqlo has launched its new prototype roadside store, the Uniqlo Maebashi Minami IC Store, in Japan.

The store is designed to appeal to customers while also incorporating a range of energy-saving features and lifestyle services. The company intends to use the store as a blueprint for future roadside stores.

The Maebashi store has been developed to reduce energy consumption and includes solar panels, skylights, glass facades and eaves to reduce the amount of energy used for lighting and air conditioning.

It also incorporates the Uniqlo FLOWER florist shop, Uniqlo COFFEE café, and RE.UNIQLO STUDIO, a repair, reuse, recycle and remake service.

By 2030, Uniqlo aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to 2019 levels.

The new store is expected to use around 40% less electricity compared to conventional Uniqlo roadside stores.