India’s new simplified return forms for goods and services tax (GST) will be rolled out from April 1 next year. The refund process is being further streamlined to make it completely online and friendly for taxpayers.

In the first eight months (April-November) of the current fiscal, the government has collected over Rs 7.76 lakh crore as GST. The 2018-19 budget had estimated annual GST collection at Rs 13.48 lakh crore, which means a monthly target of Rs 1.12 lakh crore.

The Revenue Department, whose monthly target from GST is around Rs 1 lakh crore, was short by Rs 4,000 crore in GST collection in November. GST collection in November was Rs 97,637 crore. The department wants to raise that monthly target to Rs 1.10 lakh crore.

If India permits 100 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail trade it will improve the ease of doing business for the sector. To overcome the barriers and enable a smooth growth and harmonious coexistence of traditional and modern retail, a single cohesive national retail policy should adequately address all concerned areas.

Several steps need to be taken, including strengthening labor laws by regularising policies around part-time labor to ensure greater participation of women in the workforce; and reviewing food safety policies to update archaic laws governing stocking limits, weights and measures, labeling, and taxes on expired food items. Real estate constraints for retail expansion should be removed by creating dedicated retail special economic zones as well as simplifying regulations and real estate approvals for kiranas to expand their stores.

Improved access to capital will help retail business especially traditional retailers. With a simplified, cohesive policy and a focused effort on modernising the traditional retail sector, it is possible to create multiple wins such as higher growth of the sector, larger traditional retail stores under regulatory compliance, and improved back-end efficiency with a lower overall cost to serve. The current foreign direct investment policy permits overseas players to hold 51 per cent stake in an Indian retail company.

With readymade garment exporters losing competitiveness due to lower rates of export incentive scheme, exporters in northern India have requested the Centre to immediately review the new rates to boost the exports. Last week, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) slashed duty drawback rates on cotton, man-made and blended garments. The new drawback rates will be effective from December 19, 2018

The duty drawback rates for apparel industry have decreased for most garment categories such as cotton, man-made and blended. In a letter written to the Finance Ministry, the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has pointed out the move has come as a setback for the industry which is already losing global market share due to reduced competitiveness after the implementation of GST.

According to industry, around 30-40 per cent of exporters have already started utilising their capacity to cater to the domestic demand. The domestic market is pegged at around Rs 3.25 lakh crore and is almost three times more than the exports market. However, manufacturers having deep pockets can sustain in the domestic market.

Child labor has fallen in Cambodia’s garment factories. A survey of almost 500 licensed garment export factories found 10 cases of child labor, down from 74 in 2014. However, there are concerns that children turned away from factory jobs may be working elsewhere, including homes where garments are produced by subcontractors.

The subcontract is a big, unknown area in Cambodia. Child labor usually involves workers under the age of 15, who are presented as much older. Child workers are often from families who have had to migrate because climate change has hit their harvests.

Companies are facing growing scrutiny to ensure their operations are slave-free as rising demand for cheap clothing fuels labor exploitation in factories worldwide. Cambodia, under fire for its human rights record, plans to increase the monthly minimum wage in the textile sector in January. A brand like H&M, for instance, says wages in Cambodian factories producing its clothing are 24 per cent higher than the minimum.

Cambodia’s garment industry is the largest employer in the country. About 40 per cent of its GDP comes from garment exports and the sector employs more than 800,000 workers. Cambodian factories supply global brands including Gap, H&M, Nike, Puma and Adidas.

Bangladesh has given more tax waiver to encourage garment exports. Value added tax or VAT has been waived in transportation, IT services, security services, laboratory tests etc for the export oriented clothing industries. Payment of VAT on water, electricity and gas bill has also been made easier. This is expected to reduce the cost of manufacturing garments and increase export earnings and competitiveness.

Earlier garment factory owners paid five per cent VAT on the transport of goods from port to factory. Now, no VAT will be paid for transport charges. Similarly the 15 per cent VAT on employing security guards has been completely lifted. No VAT needs to be paid for chemical tests of clothing products or laboratory tests. For this examination, owners of garment units had to pay VAT at 15 per cent.

At present, garment factories have a VAT waiver facility of up to 60 per cent for the bill of services like gas, electricity, water etc. But they had to face many complications to get this facility and refunds were done through a department. Now exporters will get this facility directly. In September, the rate of source tax in the readymade garment sector was reduced by one per cent. At the same time, the corporate tax of this sector was reduced from 15 per cent to 12 per cent and for the green industries the corporate tax was fixed at 12 per cent.

Bangladesh denim exports to the EU, during January-August 2018, increased 4.23 per cent compared to the same period last year. There was a healthy rise in denim exports to the US and European Union (EU) markets. The country witnessed 14.20 per cent rise in export earnings from January to September 2018.

Many factors have worked in favor of Bangladesh such as improved technology in fabrics manufacturing; better safety standards in the apparel sector; and the ongoing trade war between China and the US. Buyers’ confidence for sourcing products from the country has got a boost.

Bangladesh has increased its production capacity in both denim fabric manufacturing and denim products. Bangladeshi manufacturers have also moved to introduce the latest technologies for improved quality of products. The country has established state of the art denim fabric manufacturing plants with increased production capacity. This has attracted more work orders from buyers in the US and EU. As a result, manufacturers can supply orders within a much shorter time compared to earlier.

The US is the single largest importer of clothing and China is the largest exporter of apparel goods in the world. The trade war has brought in more orders for Bangladesh manufacturers.

The textile machinery manufacturer, KARL MAYER, is participating more and more in shows concentrating on applications and end-uses. “We want to pick up customers at key textile areas and introduce them to something new by offering innovative textiles and concepts,” says Oliver Mathews, the Sales Manager of the Business Unit Warp Knitting, when speaking about the aims behind this decision. The next important date in KARL MAYER’s diary of events is ISPO Munich. KARL MAYER can be found here on stand 408 in hall C4 of Messe München – right at the centre of the exhibition’s trends hub.

KARL MAYER will be demonstrating the performance features of warp-knitted textiles on an area of 120 m², surrounded by the latest fabrics, styles and accessories.

TEXTILE-CIRCUIT shows how electrically conductive yarns can be incorporated directly into the textile in a single step during fabric production. The positioning of the electrically conductive yarns is done to meet the requirements of the intended end-use. For example, this can produce warp-knitted textiles having sensor functions, which are opening up completely new potential applications in the sportswear and outdoor sectors.

Textiles that can do so much more are also at the focus of solutions in the field of active sports. With their functional zones, which are also integrated directly during manufacture, these new articles provide breathability and compression following the principles of body mapping. They, therefore, deliver maximum efficiency when producing high-performance activewear for ambitious athletes.

LEISUREE.FASHION is a futuristic concept for producing sporty athleisure wear and comfortable, everyday clothing, as well as conventional underwear and lingerie. The fabrics offer all the comfort of sportswear with the soft support of activewear and also produce a sophisticated look with zones featuring decorative lingerie elements – the perfect combination of style, sportiness and comfort.

Gabriela Schellner, the Head of Textile Product Development at KARL MAYER, is convinced that the products on show will familiarise the sportswear and outdoor sectors with warp knitting technology. In particular, she intends to come into even closer contact with brand manufacturers at ISPO. She wants to learn more about their ideas and requirements for new product developments, and to develop new solutions with them.

ColorJet India Ltd, India’s largest manufacturer and exporter of digital textile printing technologies will be launching and showcasing live demonstrations of its best selling direct to fabric printer, VASTRAJET at DTG-Dhaka which runs from January 9-12, 2019, at ICCB in Bangladesh in hall no. 6, booth no. 313.

ColorJet digital printers are an established name in, both textiles, as well as sign & signage applications. ColorJet digital printers are reputed to offer reliable performance year after year. Having firmly established itself as the biggest digital printer manufacturer in India, ColorJet is now all set to repeat its success story in Bangladesh and countries of Asia, Africa and Europe.

The consumers of Bangladesh share a common passion for colourful textiles with consumers of India and ColorJet brings to the table its experience and expertise, which includes a deep understanding of fashion sense in the sub-continent.

Fully realising that investment in digital printing requires a lot of support and hand holding in the initial stages, ColorJet has tied up with Universal Textile Machinery & Spares Ltd - Bangladesh to fully meet the need for making spares and consumables available to customers in Bangladesh.

To investors in digital printing, perhaps even more important than the technical support, it is the extensive and the holistic approach to selling a digital inkjet printing solution rather than a digital inkjet printing machine.

The VASTRJET is a workhorse with its robust Konica-Minolta print heads and for the production rate it delivers, it probably has the lowest carbon footprint. The printer is ideally suitable for home furnishing producers with a working width of up to 320 cms.

What’s more, it is also available in a hybrid version or two ink systems. Though reactive dye inks are the most popular choice in the sub-continent, pigment inks are preferred by some. ColorJet offers the VASTRAJET in the open system with both ink systems and also with direct disperse.

“Before the end of 2019, ColorJet hopes to install atleast five printers in Bangladesh, two of which are already in advanced stages of negotiations,” Jitender Pal Singh, Textile Head at ColorJet India said.

ColorJet maintains its No.1 position in India as per the latest IDC 2018 Q1 Super Wide Format report, while assiduously pursuing excellence in digital printing since 2004.

About ColorJet India Ltd: ColorJet India Ltd, the largest manufacturer of digital inkjet printers in India, markets its products in 14 countries worldwide. Founded in 2004, the company maintains its operations via two manufacturing facilities and sales offices spread across seven countries, which include India, China, Bangladesh, UAE and Sri Lanka. To-date, ColorJet has installed and implemented over 4,000 of its printing solutions and products across 315 cities around the world backed by a strong 278 member team, of which almost 100 are in technical related functions. For more information please visit www.colorjetgroup.com

Epson, will show its solutions for the home textile market at Heimtextil expo, 2019 which will be held at Frankfurt, Germany. The company will present its offering to both operators in the sector and to visitors by creating a living room in partnership with Brochier, the prestigious brand of top of the range furnishing fabrics.

Few of the displayed furnishing item in this setting like sofa, armchair, poufs, curtains and carpet will be made of fabric printed by Monna Lisa, inkjet textile printer featuring the suggestive motif of the Utopian Philodendron, chosen from the company’s archive of furnishing fabrics. Also, on display will be the SureColor SC-S80600, ideal, to print wallpaper, and SureColor SC-F9300 for sublimation textile printing, the ideal solution to personalise household items and to create 3D printed objects, such as plates, cutlery and vases.

SureColor SC-F9300, 64”, sublimation printing, is a user-friendly economic printer. This highly flexible machine is the ideal choice to produce small volumes of quality fabrics and to sublime custom-designed motifs on hard substrates, such as, for example, anti-splash panels, table tops, cups, cutlery and vases. A 4-colour printer that uses UltraChrome DS ink with high density HDK black, the model SC-F9300 offers Epson PrecisionCore TFP double print heads for consistent and reliable results that feature exceptional colours and definition.

SureColor SC-S80600, the printer that supports a wide range of substrates to meet all needs, from posters to graphic applications and Interior Decoration. With its advanced substrate management system, the printer ensures high precision for exceptional performance. Automated maintenance of print heads and the collection system for condensate produced by ink allow uninterrupted printing, thus ensuring high levels of productivity.

SureColor SC-F2100 for direct printing on fabric that can produce in a few minutes kitchen towels, aprons, cushions and personalised bags. A printer that is highly appreciated by the market: Epson estimates that, from its launch until August this year, it has been used to print about 36 million T-shirts worldwide.

“Epson’s printing solutions combine cutting edge technology, such as Epson PrecisionCore print heads, dedicated inks and precision mechanics, to meet the demands of a market that seeks a rapid and versatile approach even in the furnishing sector. As witnessed by our commitment to ensure ongoing development of inks and high quality printers, our goal is to become a strategic technological partner for high quality industrial textile printing,” said Giovanni Pizzamiglio, Direct To Fabric Sales & Marketing Director, EMEAR & Americas.

DuPont Advanced Printing is considered an industry leader in flexographic printing solutions for consumer packaging and digital printing inks for textile, commercial, home, and office applications that deliver consistent, high-quality print performance and productivity. DuPont™ Artistri® textile ink jet ink portfolio includes all chemistries (acid, reactive, pigment, dye sublimation and direct disperse) and ranges from low to high viscosity for compatibility with a variety of printheads.

Mr. Eric P. Beyler, Global Marketing Leader – Artistri Inks, DuPont Advanced Printing

In an exclusive chat with The Textile Magazine, on the sidelines of the recently held ITMA Asia 2018 event in Shanghai, Mr. Eric P. Beyler, Global Marketing Leader – Artistri® Inks, DuPont Advanced Printing, gave detailed insights on the company’s products and solutions.

When asked to elaborate on specifically the inkjet inks product portfolio of DuPont, Mr. Eric Beyler replied stating: “We serve both the roll to roll and Direct To Garment (DTG) segments. In addition to acid, reactive, pigment, direct disperse & Dye Sublimation Artistri® ink jet inks, we also provide pretreatments and processing guidance so our customers have the total solution at their disposal.

Pointing out to the importance of the textile printing segment for DuPont globally, Mr. Eric Beyler mentioned that company has a near 100-year long history dedicated to helping customers move to the digital textile era and at the same time significantly lower its environmental footprint.

For the textile printing segment, Artistri® ink jet inks is DuPont’s brand. The company offers inks both for roll to roll (Xite inks) and DTG (Brite inks) customers.

Going into details on the key global markets for DuPont’s textile printing business, Mr. Eric Beyler said: “Digital textile segments are in the same regions as the traditional textile segments and they all have their uniqueness. The USA for DTG and Italy for fashion have been historically key for the transformation of textile printing into digital. Today, digital is growing fast all over the world, from Brazil & Turkey to China & India. The number of print equipment manufacturers continues to grow and these manufacturers hail from many countries throughout the world, from Brazil and Portugal to Australia and Korea.”

When queried how important is the Indian market for DuPont’s textile printing inks vertical, Mr. Eric Beyler said: “Digital textile is a fast-growing segment in India with a very large traditional printing base. It is a major producer of roll to roll digitally printed fabrics, with reactive, dye sublimation and direct disperse inks being the high-volume inks today. Use of pigment inks in DTG is in its early stage but growing fast and many customers are asking us to help them with printing Artistri® pigment inks in roll to roll applications. DuPont’s portfolio and expertise in pigment inks (including pretreatment, polymers, dispersions & ink formulation) enables us to provide complete solutions to our customers in India poised to catch the growing wave of digital printing with pigment inks.”

The textile printing inks market today is highly competitive with products across every price point. Given this scenario why should a customer consider using DuPont inks? In his response to this question, Mr. Eric Beyler listed down certain key advantages offered by the inks saying: “DuPont has been innovating, manufacturing and selling ink jet inks for more than 25 years. Artistri® textile ink jet inks deliver advantages in 3 critical areas for our customers – color, productivity & innovation. With the polymers and dispersions, we develop, and with more than 15 years of textile ink formulations, we enable dye & pigment ink sets to deliver bright colors, deep blacks and offer an excellent white ink for DTG applications. By adding quality, consistency and printing reliability, we help our customers lower their production costs and optimize their productivity. We keep the new ink products coming, constantly innovating & renewing our portfolio to help our customers be successful with increasingly demanding standards.”

DuPont textile inks are manufactured in the USA, with its primary technology center being located in Wilmington DE. “We are expanding our technical footprint with centers in Germany, Japan and China to better understand and respond to our customers’ needs,” Mr. Eric Beyler added.

When asked to share his thoughts on whether digital textile printing is the answer for sustainable printing solutions, given the reputation of the textile industry for being among the top polluting industries, Mr. Eric Beyler observed: “We believe the technologies with the lowest environmental footprint, namely pigment, dye sublimation and direct disperse, will be key in taking the digital share of textile printing to the next level. We are dedicated to continuing to innovate to help our customers achieve high quality printing with the lowest environmental impact.”

Sounding optimistic about the future prospects of the textile printing market, Mr. Eric Beyler said: “We see continued growth for digital textile inks and are investing in people and assets to support & develop the DuPont™ Artistri® inkjet portfolio and be a major contributor to digital textile customers. We find that we must be agile to be able to respond to our customer’s changing needs, and be differentiated as the number of players is ever increasing. Our customers want more than an ink, they want a complete technical and business solution. We are ready to deliver on this challenge and help our customers succeed and grow.”