The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is hosting seven concurrent lifestyle products and licensing trade fairs in the course of April 2023. After a period of political turbulence compounded by the pandemic and the global disruptions due to Ukraine war, Hong Kong is ready to bounce back and reclaim its glory as a regional hub of trade, commerce and creativity. These seven fairs will be held between April 19 and 22, 2023 at the picturesque Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre at Wan Chai North, along Victoria Harbour. As Sophia Chong, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director explains, “Hong Kong is a unique creative and cultural hub where East meets West and the city always excels in creativity. The HKTDC has been committed to promoting creative and design industries, help develop Hong Kong as Asia’s city of culture and creativity. This year, the HKTDC gathers a number of large-scale exhibitions in April, covering lifestyle products and licensing to strengthen cross-industry and cross-field cooperation, creating even greater synergy to the industries.”

Trade fairs to highlight innovation and technology The events include the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair; Home InStyle (formerly the Hong Kong Houseware Fair); Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair; Fashion InStyle (formerly Hong Kong Fashion Week); Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair as well as the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference, which will end on April 21.

Under the exhibition + hybrid model, exhibitors and buyers have the opportunity to participate beyond physical shows, through the intelligent Click2Match platform which will run until April 29. Chong adds, “Since Hong Kong returned to normality, the HKTDC has organised several large-scale trade fairs and forums. Both domestic and international exhibitors and buyers showed support by attending the events physically, which is very encouraging. This time, the six major exhibitions attract over 3,800 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions, with 70 per cent being non-local exhibitors who will participate in person. More than 20 international licensing leaders will also join the Asian Licensing Conference.”

Royalty-free environment to benefit all A key component in this gathering is the Asian Licensing Conference, apt as intellectual property rights continue to be a bone of contention, particularly with many Western economies alleging violations occurring in Asia. The conference will host over 20 experts from the global licensing field to discuss latest developments in global licensing, location-based marketing (LBM) and sport licensing, keeping participants up-to-date on market trends.

Overseas speakers will include Ben Peace, Vice President for the Asia Pacific at WildBrain CPLG (the agency for PEANUTS, Sonic Prime, and the Teletubbies); Maura Regan, President of Licensing International; and Yvonne Chou, Head of Global Marketing at VICTOR Rackets Industrial Corp, (the badminton brand in cooperation with various IPs such as Peanuts, Hello Kitty, One Piece). The Licensing Academy, organised by Licensing International and supported by the Intellectual Property Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, will host a Japanese expert as a speaker to educate attendees on the role of being royalty-free marketing creating is a win-win situation for all. This conference will also host another topical event, ‘Powering change: Women in innovation and Creativity’.

AI technology to drive fashion

Fashion InStyle will host 430 exhibitors representing the entire industry chain, upstream and downstream. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the UK’s Royal College of Art will conduct live demonstrations of AI technology application to fashion design, merchandising and retailing. Israeli innovation company Stratasys, manufacturer of 3D printers, software, and materials for polymer additive manufacturing as well as 3D-printed parts on-demand will show the sector on how to maximize on operational resources through 3D printed outfits, accessories and parts of outfits quickly and efficiently.

A recent report by the U.S. Department of Labor has exposed wage theft and illicit pay practices in the heart of Southern California, where laborers toiling away for some of America's top fashion retailers are taking home a meagre $1.58 an hour.

The investigation covered 50 garment contractors across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties between July 31, 2021, and June 30, 2022, and revealed that 80% of the contractors violated wage laws, owing over $892,000 in back pay and liquidated damages to 296 workers. More than half of the employers were found to have paid garment laborers partly or wholly off the books, and payroll records were either doctored or missing.

The investigation also discovered that 32% of the contractors paid workers on a piece-rate basis, a practice that California outlawed in 2022. Shockingly, one Nordstrom and Stitch Fix contractor was found paying workers only $1.58 an hour. The majority of these underpaid garment workers, who are primarily immigrants, are too afraid to speak up, fearing backlash or termination.

LA's Fashion District employs about 20,000 garment workers, constituting roughly 83% of California's and the nation's cut-and-sew apparel sales. The report found that the sewing fees manufacturers paid to contractors were, on average, $2.75 below the amount needed for contractors to meet federal wage standards. Contractors who played by the rules received a higher sewing fee, ranging from $17.50 to $35 per garment.

The Garment Worker Center, an anti-sweatshop organization based in the Fashion District, believes that over time and with robust enforcement, legislation will drive change in the industry.

Première Vision Shenzhen is set to showcase the Spring-Summer 24 collections at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center from April 26-28.

The event is expected to attract visitors and exhibitors from across the globe, as the fashion industry focuses on sustainability and ecological change. PV Shenzhen has been staging successful exhibitions in China since its debut in October 2020, with over 20,000 visitors and 200+ exhibitors.

Vetted Exhibitors from Europe, Asia

This year's exhibition will be presented in a massive 50,000㎡ exhibition space, with over 50 PV-vetted leading European and Asian material companies showcasing their products in six main sectors: Yarns, Fabrics, Leather, Accessories, Designs, and Manufacturing. Notably, several exhibitors are from outside China, including Switzerland, Italy, France, and Turkey.

Designers and brands can visit the PV Shenzhen Trend Area, PV Shenzhen Sustainable Focus Area, and PV Shenzhen Sustainable Fashion Seminar to learn about the three central guidelines of Première Vision SS24: color, material, and environmental protection. Additionally, visitors can explore new sustainable initiatives in the market and engage in discussions with 20 fashion industry experts on new models for sustainable ecological change in China's fashion industry.

Travel to Paris, virtually at Trend Area

The exhibition also features the PV Paris 3D Trend Area, where visitors can virtually travel to the PV Paris Forums to view seasonal exhibits, learn about material highlights, and interact with vendors directly through the Première Vision Marketplace. Moreover, visitors can take a break from the bustling show to reflect on sustainable issues and learn about cutting-edge trends in durability, sustainable manufacturing, social challenges, and traceability.

Community Building

The PV Shenzhen VIP Club creates a community in which PV's executives, suppliers, buyers, partners, and journalists can engage in fruitful conversations, exchange ideas, and explore business opportunities. The event promises to be an important internal reference for future brand development, with valuable insights into substantial progress of trends, materials, and markets.

Global alpaca fiber market was valued at $846.5 million in 2021 and is expected to generate $1.2 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 3.5% during the 2022 to 2031, as per a report from Allied Market Research.

The increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly textile goods, consumer awareness of the product benefits, and the expanding alpaca fibre fashion outlets are the major drivers of the market growth.

However, the high cost of production of alpaca fibres acts as a restraint to the global market growth. The report also highlights that the versatility of alpaca fibres and the increase in R&D to improve the quality and consistency of alpaca fibres will present new growth opportunities for the global alpaca fibre market.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the alpaca fibre market, as lockdowns and restrictions imposed by governments led to a decline in consumer spending on luxury items, including alpaca fibre products. This resulted in reduced demand for alpaca fibres and a decline in revenue for businesses operating in the alpaca fibre industry.

Based on application, the textile segment contributed to the largest share of more than half of the global alpaca fibre market in 2021 and is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. The Huapaya fibre segment grabbed the highest share of more than 90% of the overall alpaca fibre market in 2021 and is projected to maintain its dominance in 2031. Moreover, the superfine segment grabbed the highest share of nearly one-third of the overall alpaca fibre market in 2021 and is projected to maintain its dominance in 2031.

The LAMEA (Latin America, Middle East, and Africa) region was the largest market for alpaca fibre in 2021, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global market and is likely to dominate in terms of revenue in 2031, according to the report. The same market is expected to show the fastest CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period.

The LAMEA region is home to many alpaca farms, particularly in countries such as Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, which are major producers of alpaca fibre.

Iran's apparel industry has exported goods worth $80 million in the previous Iranian year, according to the Textiles and Clothing Industries Department of the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade. Neighboring countries, including Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as several Eurasian countries, were the primary destinations for these exports. To expand its reach, the Iranian government is making efforts to penetrate the Russian market.

To promote the industry, the Iranian government has maintained the same import tariff for clothing raw materials, which was 1% in the previous year. The textile industry is one of Iran's leading economic sectors, providing employment opportunities for a significant percentage of the population. Despite challenges such as international sanctions, the industry has continued to flourish, with exports increasing every year.

The industry's diverse product range, including cotton, wool, silk, and synthetic fibers, is renowned for producing high-quality fabrics. The Iranian Ministry of Industries, Mining, and Trade has been promoting the apparel industry and expanding its exports to different regions worldwide. The government's favorable trade policies and the country's proximity to several neighboring countries have made it easier to penetrate markets in the region.

Apart from promoting exports, the textile and apparel industry heavily relies on imports of raw materials. According to the Iran Textile Exporters and Manufacturers Association, the country imported around $2.5 billion worth of textile raw materials during the last Iranian year, with cotton being the most imported material, followed by polyester, viscose, and acrylic fibers.

Despite being one of the leading producers of cotton in the world, Iran still imports a significant amount of cotton due to the lack of modern technology and sufficient investment in the sector. However, the government has been taking measures to reduce the country's dependence on imports by increasing local cotton production and encouraging investment in the industry.

The government is also implementing measures to improve the industry's competitiveness by upgrading technology, providing financial assistance, and establishing new production units.

Texhibition Istanbul Fabric and Textile Accessories Fair, held in March this year, aimed to further highlight the Turkish textile industry, and push it towards becoming the focal point of the European textile market.

The fair, which boasted a record 437 producers exhibiting their wares, managed to attract over 18,000 visitors, a 50% increase on last year’s show. The fair attracted mainly Turkish attendees; however, the organisers hope to make the sourcing fair more international in the future.

The organisers aim to increase exports of Turkish textiles and reach ambitious targets of accounting for 20% of the EU’s textile imports. This is despite current challenges, including inflation, upcoming elections, and the catastrophic effects of the earthquake in the southeast of Turkey, which affected the weaving and spinning mills in the area.

Nonetheless, companies like Bossa and Sasa, whose factories were not damaged, plan to keep production going, albeit at slightly lower levels.

However, cotton supplier Iskur was badly affected, losing a warehouse and 70% of its yarn factory. It is slowly restarting production.

India's commerce ministry's DGTR has started an investigation to review the necessity of continuing the anti-dumping duty on flex commonly known as linen yarn imported from China.

The probe comes following complaints from the domestic industry, and an application for initiation of the sunset review of the anti-dumping duty by Grasim Industries Ltd and Sintex Industries.

Linen yarn is used to make linen fabrics, which is used in apparel and home textiles. The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trade practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers regarding foreign producers and exporters.

According to the notification by DGTR, there is prima facie evidence of dumping of the product from China, despite the existing anti-dumping duties. As a result, DGTR would review the need to continue the duties and examine whether the expiry of existing duties is likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and impact the domestic industry.

The existing duties are set to expire on October 17, 2023. It is important to note that the lea count, which is a unit for measuring the length of yarn, is below 70 for the flax yarn imported from China.

This investigation will determine whether the anti-dumping duty on flax yarn should continue to be imposed on imports from China and will ensure fair trade practices between the two countries.

Sleepwear and loungewear market projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.21% and reach USD 29,398.4 million by 2027, according to a report by Technavio.

One of the key drivers of market growth is the introduction of products with advanced features and innovative designs. Rising disposable income has increased consumers' purchasing power and positively influenced their spending on premium sleepwear and loungewear.

The market is also witnessing a growing trend towards plus-size sleepwear and loungewear, designed to cater to the fashion preferences of women with larger body sizes.

However, the market faces challenges due to the presence of counterfeit products that hamper the market growth. The low price of counterfeit products increases their demand, and their availability adversely affects the sales and pricing strategies of vendors, leading to reduced profit margins. To overcome this challenge, vendors are compelled to price their products low, which affects their value sales in the market.

Bangladesh and Vietnam celebrated the 50-year anniversary of their diplomatic relations by establishing the Bangladesh-Vietnam Friendship Society. The two countries have enjoyed friendly relations since 1973, with bilateral trade projected to reach $2 billion by 2023.

The garment and textile industry plays a vital role in both countries' economies. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest garment exporter, accounting for over 80% of the country's total exports. Vietnam, on the other hand, is the world's third-largest textile and garment exporter, contributing 15% to the country's GDP.

The United States and the European Union are the largest importers of garments from both Bangladesh and Vietnam. In 2020, the US imported $5.82 billion worth of garments from Bangladesh, while Vietnam's garment exports to the US amounted to $13.8 billion.

Vietnam has shown resilience post-pandemic and benefited from the US-China trade war over Asia, giving it a potential opportunity to access South Asia through Bangladesh if the two countries develop closer ties. Although Bangladesh and Vietnam are seen as competitors in the global apparel market, both countries can share knowledge and information to enhance growth in the market.

Although the bilateral trade is on the rise, Bangladesh is running a trade deficit with Vietnam since as it imports $678.6 million worth of goods from Vietnam where it’s export’s to the country amount to only $61.29 million. Bangladesh has also struggled to attract significant investment from the country, with Vietnam only investing in one project in Bangladesh worth $27,900.

To attract Vietnamese investment, Bangladesh might provide easier ways to invest in its economic zones related to technology or tourism, where it may give country-specific services to Vietnam. Bangladesh already has a low minimum salary of US$ 95, making it a desirable location for Vietnamese investors to transfer their operations.

Closer ties between the two countries are expected to further enhance cooperation in various sectors, including the garment and textile industry, as well as emerging sectors such as ICT, agriculture, and tourism. Both countries recognize the value of cooperation and have contributed to each other's foreign investment.

Vietnamese garment companies should focus on niche markets rather than compete directly with foreign companies, according to the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex).

Vietnam's domestic market is a potential growth area for its garment industry, with a population of over 100 million people. However, local companies have faced challenges in recent years due to declining demand and limited new store openings. In contrast, foreign companies investing in Vietnam often view losses in the domestic market as a strategic investment to expand globally and reap profits in other markets.

To compete with foreign brands, the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) suggests that local companies focus on niche markets rather than trying to directly compete. This means relying on internal analysis and doing business in a way that enables them to conquer niche markets that big foreign fashion brands cannot enter. Additionally, Vietnamese companies can fulfill small orders, which are becoming increasingly popular, by creating a variety of products using difficult production techniques.

In recent years, the Vietnamese garment industry has made significant strides in terms of productivity, technology adoption, and labor skills development. This progress has been driven by the government's efforts to support the industry and the increasing demand for textile and garment products in the global market.

Despite the challenges, Vietnam's garment industry remains an important contributor to the country's economy, providing jobs for millions of workers and generating significant export revenues. The industry has the potential to continue to grow and develop by leveraging its strengths, focusing on niche markets, and adopting innovative approaches to production and marketing.