The recent edition of fashion and accessories trade shows, Tranoi, held in Paris from March 4 to 7, scaled up operations after two years of small format shows. As per a Woman’s Wear Daily report, Tranoï returned to its original Bourse venue with around 90 exhibitors. Focusing on accessories, the event hosted around 259 brands.

Footfalls at Première Classe, Maus declined between 20 and 25 per cent compared to March 2020, the last full-scale edition of the event. Adopting the showroom type model, Only Woman featured just 10 labels. Newcomers made up around half the selection at Tranoï, and roughly 60 at Première Classe. There was an increase in participants from abroad. Nine designers form the Seoul Fashion Week participated in Tranoi.

Tranoï also featured a selection of Italian designers returning for the first time since the pandemic, as well as labels from Hong Kong under the Fashion Farm Foundation, including Central Saint Martins graduate Celine Kwan, who presented her first collection of colorful 1960s-inspired designs, and Rickyy Wong Studio. There were three labels from Georgia. Lilia Litkovskaya, one of very few Ukrainian designers who made it to Paris — without her collection — used her booth to raise awareness about the war and the unfolding humanitarian crisis in her homeland, displaying a giant Ukrainian flag adorned with flowers and QR codes linking to the works and profiles of her compatriot photographers, artists and designers

Première Classe showcased the work of African designers in a central space thanks to WSN’s partnership with accelerator Birimian. They included Christie Brown, from Ghana; Rich Mnisi, from South Africa, and This is Us, from Nigeria.

Having completely upended the e-commerce industry with its flexible supply chain, the Chinese giant manufacturing company Shein is now infamous for all the wrong-doings that go on behind its factory walls. While Shein has met the demands of global manufacturers, with on-trend and budget-friendly trends, the true cost of its manufacturing process on Chinses workers and environmental damage, has made industry activists criticize its business model and call for change.

Since its inception in Guangzhou in 2008, the Chinese-owned e-commerce store has become extremely popular with its fast fashion garments. While most thought Shein’s manufacturing process was automated, it was later realized the actual method is traditional human labour, where workers are exploited and made to work around 18 hours a day with high daily targets and low wages.

Documentary highlights pitiful factory conditions

Many secret documents and studies on its factory have been carried out to understand the wrong-doings but since nothing is proven and the Chinese authorities are in denial, industry analysts can only sympathise with the workers for now without taking real action. One of these documentaries titled Untold: Inside the Shein Machine, hosted by award-winning freelance journalist, producer and presenter Iman Amrani, has shown footage from hidden cameras that reveal the dismal labour practices of workers, who are regularly working 16-hour days with a target of 500 garments a day with a fine attached if it is not made to precision.

Women especially are the most exploited as manufacturing factories are predominantly women, who are making the clothes, whose own designs are being stolen and reused by the factory owners and also who are manipulated to advertise the products to look happy.

The environmental damage of these fast fashion apparel from Shein is another big concern as these garments are not made for the resale economy as they are of cheap materials made in such exploitative conditions that they can be worn only a few times before being discarded. But the amount of water and other chemicals used to make a single piece remains the same and just goes to the environmental pollution daily. The resale and renewed purpose of these same clothes in another person’s wardrobe instead of being discarded is non-existent and the real issues of overproduction and overconsumption just pile up.

Use and throw policy increases environmental pollution

Maria Chenoweth, CEO of Textile Reuse points out, they’re producing and making these clothes and then trying to offer some small solution to the much bigger problem that they’re creating. Its greenwashing, making people think it's OK to buy this rubbish when it’s not.

It is ironic and laughable that Shein has launched a resale program to address the issue of textile waste in its factories at the same time as this secret documentary about the pitiful conditions within its factories. It just goes to prove that Shein management and the Chinses government are just greenwashing the entire manufacturing process with no intention to address sustainability or humanitarian issues. However, with industry malpractice analaysts and human rights activists now waking up and taking action the complacent attitude of the Shien management will soon be over.

Athleisure market is expected to grow at 6.7 per cent CAGR to reach $257.1 billion by 2026. As per a new Allied Market Research Report global athleisure market size was valued at $155.2 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach $257.1 billion by 2026. In 2018, North America accounted for nearly 38.4 per cent market share.

Recent trends show, athleisure has gained preference over denim. The market has been evolving continuously in terms of product offerings. Innovation material and technology are being used in designing and producing athleisure product ensuring odor free, stretchability, sweat-wicking, and protection from dirt. For instance, Nike is using a blend of classic materials like polyester and spandex and innovative manufacturing techniques. These materials are woven to create attractive shirts, sweatshirts, and vests.

Analysis of the global athleisure market is segmented on the basis of product type, gender, distribution channel, and region. Based on product type, the market is classified into sneaker, joggers, leggings, hoodies, and others. Based on gender, the market is segmented into male and female. In terms of distribution channel, the market is divided into online and offline. Based on region, the market is analyzed across North America (US, Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Germany, Spain, UK, Italy, France, and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and rest of LAMEA).

Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has alleged that consumers are being duped into paying a premium for productions falsely labeled as sustainable but have no credentials to prove it.

As per a report by The Guardian, CMA is investigating many such claims made by British fashion brands. The analyst estimate, UK consumers spend £54 billion annually on clothing and footwear. According to estimates, fashion is responsible for between 2 per cent and 8 per cent of global carbon emissions. It also causes huge amounts of wastes and pollution.

Buyers opting for sustainable products are being bamboozled by sweeping claims, according to the report, resulting in a loss of trust which could stop the UK reaching its climate commitments.

Cecilia Parker Aranha, Director-Consumer Protection, CMA says, around 60 per cent of people had said they were either likely to or fairly likely to be willing to pay more for products, and about 9 per cent more for products that were environmentally friendly.

Claims being investigated by the CMA include unfair comparisons that individual items of clothing are “better for the environment” without qualifying how; claims about the use of recycled materials in new clothing; and entire ranges of clothing within stores being branded as “sustainable”.

The CMA will name the companies it considers to be the worst offenders, as an example to the rest of the industry, and ask them to make changes. If they do not make changes to their advertising, they could be taken to court.

US’ jeans imports rose by 22.5 per cent to $308.19 million in January this year, as per data from the Commerce Department’s Office of Textiles & Apparel (OTEXA) revealed.

Blue denim apparel imports from top supplier Bangladesh rose by 9.99 percent year over year to $62.03 million in January, while shipments from Mexico increased by 28.68 percent to $53.89 million, according to OTEXA.

Jeans Imports from Vietnam surged 49.19 percent to $37.25 million in the month, while shipments reaching U.S. ports of entry from Pakistan rose 32.76 percent to $34.52 million and imports from China increased 17.13 percent to $33.31 million.

Imports from Egypt jumped by 78.17 percent year over year in January to $15.71 million. Shipments from Turkey also surged to $7.95 million, while imports from Cambodia rose 8.54 percent to $15.88 million/

Amongst Western Hemisphere countries, shipments from Nicaragua rose by 20.15 percent in the month to $4.26 million. On a smaller scale from the region, Colombia’s shipments more than doubled to $2.48 million for January and Guatemala imports were up 32.44 percent to $1.66 million.

The global denim jeans market is estimated to grow to $76.1 billion by 2026, from $57.3 billion in 2020, as per a new report from Research and Markets. The market research firm attributed the anticipated success to factors including casualization in the workplace.

The Fall/Winter edition of China’s most important fashion week event, Shanghai Fashion Week has been postponed. The event was originally scheduled to be held from March 25 to Apr. 1.

The postponement comes as China’s financial capital battles its most serious outbreak of Covid-19 since early 2020, dozens of new cases have been identified in Shanghai in recent days and various parts of the city have heightened restrictions.

This is the second time Shanghai Fashion Week has postponed its event in recent years due to COVID-19 outbreaks. Held every two years, Shanghai Fashion Week is a fashion event fashion event held two times every year in Shanghai. Shanghai, each time lasting for seven days

The current organizer of Shanghai Fashion Week is Shanghai Textile Group, who is in the center of the textile and clothing network in China. In cooperation with many consulates of other countries in Shanghai, Shanghai Fashion Week also invites many international designers to come present their latest work. It's also a venue for those designers who are targeting China.

India’s top furnished yarn market Panipatis facing a yarn shortage due to the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war., pushing up the prices of recycled yarn by Rs5-10 per kg, according to market information.

Panipat market is known for recycled cotton and non-cotton yarn, which is used for furnished fabrics. According to traders, it is currently slump season for furnishing market. However, recycled yarn mills were facing acute crisis of old clothes and woollens from Europe, which is major supplier for Panipat market, where mills import old clothes and woollens and turns into fibre and then use for manufacturing of yarn. A local trader said that furnishing market will pick up after June and will continue to perform better till Diwali.

In Panipat, 10s recycled yarn (white) was traded at Rs95-100 per kg, 10s recycled yarn (coloured - high quality) at Rs95-100 per kg, 10s recycled yarn (coloured - low quality) at Rs65-70 per kg, and 20s recycled yarn (coloured) at ₹125-140 per kg. 10s optical yarn was traded at Rs100-110 per kg in the market.

The pandemic and soaring inflation have failed to take the shine off luxury brands, from Louis Vuitton to Gucci and Cartier, as the sector hiked prices to notch up stellar profits.

Luxury brands have responded to the pandemic by hiking their prices and actually look more desirable to their customers.

UBS analysts estimate that top brands such as Louis Vuitton, which is owned by industry leader LVMH, have raised their prices two-and-a-half times higher than the inflation rate over the past 20 years.

LVMH bagged a record €64 billion ($72 billion) in sales and €12 billion in net profit last year, both exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

The French company also owns a broad range of spirits, perfume, jewelry and cosmetics products.

Kering - which owns Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent - also beat its pre-COVID-19 levels to book a net profit of €3.2 billion on sales of €17.6 billion. Herrmes chalked up profits of €2.4 billion on sales of 9 billion euros.

Swiss group Richemont, which owns Cartier and runs its business year from April to March, said it booked sales of 5.6 billion euros in the third quarter alone, an increase of 38 percent over the corresponding period of 2019.

The Indian textile Industry has the potential to become the second largest manufacturer of textile products in the world after China, said DarshanaJardosh, Minister of State for Textiles and Railways, during the inaugural address at CITI’s Man-Made Fibre Conclave 2022 held on 9th March 2022.

The Minister stated that “the textile industry is one of the priority sectors for the Government of India and appreciated CITI for organizing MMF Conclave 2022 at such an opportune time”.

The Minister also stated that “the Government is looking towards the inclusive and participative development of Indian textile sector and accordingly, the Government’s central focus has recently been on increasing the textile manufacturing many-folds by developing the best-in-class manufacturing infrastructure, up-gradation of technology fostering innovation, enhancing skills and utilising traditional strengths in the MMF textile sector.”

The Minister exhorted the industry captains to heavily invest in the MMF Sector and take advantage of recently announced schemes like PLI and PM MITRA for the holistic development of this particular sector. This will increase India’s share in the global trade and provide huge employment opportunities for the Indian youths.

To support Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises to reduce emissions, the German Development Cooperation Organization (GIZ) and French sporting goods retailer Decathlon have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in improving the environmental performance of Vietnamese garment and textile suppliers.

Accordingly, GIZ partners with Decathlon Vietnam through its projects, “Climate protection through sustainable bioenergy markets in Vietnam’ (BEM) and ‘Fostering and advancing sustainable business and responsible industrial practices in the clothing industry in Asia’ (FABRIC), to help Decathlon's Vietnamese suppliers improve their ability in climate change adaptation, efficiently use of water and energy, and manage chemicals at factories in 2022.

Specifically, the GIZ Fabric project will offer free e-learning courses namely “Climate Action Training” and “Chemical Management Training (e-REMC), via the platform www.atingi.org.

Henceforth, Vietnam's textile and garment industry aims to focus on green production and reduce emissions and help implement the Government’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.