India’s monthly merchandise exports in December 2021 were 37 per cent higher than they were in December 2020. Export of readymade garments grew 22 per cent from December 2020 to December 2021. Exports from April 2021 to December 2021 were 35 per cent higher than they were in the same period in 2020. This is despite the fact local restrictions impacted operations in the first quarter during the second wave of the pandemic. So in spite of challenges Indian apparel exporters performed creditably and India has a fast growing order book from brands and buyers across the world. India’s exports in October 2021 rose 43 per cent compared to October 2020.

As per Sakthivel, Chairman, AEPC says, further, fast tracking trade deals with the US, UK, EU and UAE will make Indian apparels far more attractive. Going by trends, India is expected to achieve the merchandise export target for the current fiscal. Mega schemes have helped India reclaim its global leadership position in textiles and apparels. However the PLI scheme is said to be more beneficial if the investment and turnover targets are reduced by 50 per cent as most players in the apparel industry are in the micro, small and medium segments. Further, fast tracking of trade deals with the US, UK, EU and UAE will make Indian apparels far more attractive.

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics will take place in China, March 9 to 11, 2022. The aim is to support the global textile and apparel industry in business recovery, information exchange and making progress on combating climate change. Held concurrently with the spring edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, Yarn Expo Spring, Chic and PH Value, the entire textile supply chain can be found under one roof for buyers to conveniently source the products they are looking for. Exhibitors and visitors will also be able to catch up with the latest industry developments via Intertextile Apparel’s trend forum, seminars, panel discussions and product presentations which will cover topics on design and trends, market information and business strategies, sustainability issues, and technology and solutions.

The Intertextile fairs have remained a consistent source of business trading for the industry over what has been a challenging couple of years, with both the spring and autumn editions taking place in 2021. At both editions there was an uptick in the quality of buyers and strong intentions to place orders, and with the continuing strength of the Chinese economy, this is expected to continue in 2022.

China’s textile industry has continued to expand and has experienced growth in terms of production, revenue and profit in the first three quarters of 2021. Total profits of Chinese textile companies increased 31 per cent while China’s online clothing sales climbed 15 per cent.

The aim is to raise between Rs 1,200 crores and Rs 1,300 crores. The business’ IPO will mix a fresh issue and an offer for sale for existing shareholders. Mumbai-based Sanathan Textiles, manufactures and produces over 12,000 yarn products. The company is one of India’s leading yarn manufacturers engaged in the production and export of polyester filament yarn, high tenacity filament yarn, airtex yarns, polyester filament twisted yarns and cotton yarn and strives to provide customers with the best quality and variety of innovative yarns.

Sanathan Textiles expanded its margin to 17 per cent in the first half of the financial year 2022 owing to higher realisations, lower raw material prices and the management’s cost-reduction initiatives. The company recorded operating earnings of Rs 260 crores in the first half of the year and expects to be supported by higher volumes in the forthcoming fiscal year, with the completion of capex in cotton yarn and industrial drawn yarn.

The business’ products include cotton and polyester yarns and yarns for technical textiles. Sanathan Textiles also has a range of recycled textile products named Revir and a line of eco-friendly color polyester yarns named Born Dyed and makes functional and customised yarns to order.

Bangladesh’s readymade garment exports grew 52 per cent in December 2021 reveals BGMEA. In calendar year 2021, Bangladesh’s readymade garment exports witnessed about a 30 per cent growth. Apparel makers witnessed growth in terms of both export volume and prices. Bangladesh’s apparel exports have been posing a higher growth for the past few months compared to the fiscal year 2019-20, which saw Covid devastation across the globe. The country’s apparel export industry witnessed the growth in spite of a sequence of lockdowns, Id holiday-led factory shutdown and disruptions due to the countrywide transport strikes against diesel price hikes.

The country’s garment shipments continued impressive recovery, largely driven by volume, as the price hike rate has been very low, with normalcy restoration in the global supply chain from the pandemic's severe fallout. In the US market, the 23.8 per cent growth in export earnings was mostly driven by volume, which rose by 19.8 per cent, whereas in contrast the rise in price per dozen was a mere 3.3 per cent. In the EU markets export earnings rose 8.9 per cent against the backdrop of a rise in volume of 7.9 per cent as against the rise in price by an insignificant 0.9 per cent. 

Bangladesh’s exports of children’s apparel to the US grew 22 per cent in the first ten months of 2021, reveal OTEXA data. Although amid the Covid-led chaos, the American demand for junior wear was low, it gained momentum in 2021. US imports of babywear in the January 2021 to October period of 2021 grew by 32 per cent. China is the largest exporter of junior wear to the US. From January 2021 to October 2021, exports from China grew by 41 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year. In the same period Vietnam’s exports to the US market witnessed a 32 per cent growth. India’s exports grew 48 per cent.

Bangladesh’s garment exports to the US and the EU increased between July and October of 2021 compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. Bangladesh has two main export destinations for garment products -- the US, which accounts for 24 per cent of the shipments, and the European Union (EU), which accounts for 64 per cent. The country’s garment shipments have continued to attain an impressive recovery, largely driven by volume, as the price hike rate has been very low, with normalcy restoration in the global supply chain from the pandemic's severe fallout.

Due to the uncertain and unpredictable outlook with regard to travel and event restrictions caused by the new COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron,’ the ITMF Board together with the two co-hosts – Swiss Textiles and Swiss Textile Machinery – have decided to postpone the ITMF Annual Conference in Davos, Switzerland from April 10-12, 2022 to September 18-20, 2022.

ITMF is an international forum for the world's textile and related industries founded in 1904. ITMF members are associations and companies covering the entire textile value chain – producers of fibres, textile machinery, chemicals, textiles, apparel, and home textiles. The membership is from more than 40 countries and is representing around 90 percent of global production.

The new HKS 3-M ON by Karl Mayer is a high-performance, digital generation tricot machine that works with electronic pattern data obtained directly from the KM.ON cloud, which allows it to offer extremely short and flexible design changes, minimal down-time, and operation without the previous expense of ordering pattern discs, having them delivered, and changing and storing them.

The machine’s customer-oriented features also reduce the risk of operating errors. One of the most important of these is the Spring Motion Assistant – an automatic return device that makes changing guide bars much easier. The new solution starts with the most labour-intensive part of the process: the handling required for the spring motion and pattern push rod.

Together with the push rod, the spring motion forms a system that transmits the pattern-specific movement impulse from the electronic pattern drive to the guide bar. One end of it is hooked into a peg on the guide bar as a loop, while the other end leads to a spring unit that is screwed into a sleeve on the drive unit via a bushing. The operator fastens the connection tight and tensions the spring motion using two spanners. This results in highly-precision guide bar movement in line with the requirements of the electronic guide bar drive. This spring motion system needed to be optimised to work with the new ON gear in the HKS 3-M ON, and the developers also took this opportunity to improve it in terms of ease of use.

Just Style’s list of top 10 apparel sourcing countries to watch out in 2022 contains a mix of a few likely and unlikely suspects. Based on the ranking of GlobalData's Apparel Intelligence Center the list rates countries on the basis of 15 main factors that influence a supply chain executive’s decision to use a country for apparel sourcing in 2022.

The list contains 27 countries, rated for their ability to offer free/freight on board, price, tariff advantage, compliance/sustainability, efficiency, lead time, reliability, ability to make basic products, financial stability, ability to source new materials, political stability, flexibility of order quantity, innovation and ability to develop products with buyers and ability to create value-added products.

Vietnam dominates with 59 points

Vietnam tops the list scoring 59 of the total 75 points. The country emerges a global power in manufacturing and exporting of apparels. Apparel accounts for around19 per cent of total exports while employing about 2.5 million workers in 6,000 factories.

Turkey digitizes supply chain

The second top apparel sourcing destination with a score of 58 is Turkey. The country is a provider of basic apparels for many brands and has launched an initiative to digitize the entire apparel supply chain in 2022.

Attractive FDI destination

The only South American country to make into the top 10 list with a score of 55.5, Peru attracts global brands, in part because of its rich heritage in textile craft and eco-friendliness. The country is expected to remain attractive for foreign investment in 2022.

Efficiency and productivity

With a score of 54, China continues to attract apparel buyers due to its efficiency and productivity through advanced manufacturing technologies. It remained the largest supplier to the US market in October 2021, according to data published by the US Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA).

Moving away from CMT

The fifth spot goes to Central America’s El Salvador for its ability to provide FOB with the country moving away from pure Cut, Make, Trim (CMT) to full package. El Salvador has increased its focus on products using those materials such as the growing athleisure market. It is also importing high-tech equipment for production of both fabrics and cut-and-sewn.

Mexico’s apparel exports to rise by 8 per cent

Sixth place goes to Mexico for its tariff advantage. The country focuses on apparel as an important contributor to its economy, employing about 400,000 workers in 22,000 factories. Apparel exports are expected to rise 8 per cent through 2022.

Moderate-size garment industry dominated by US and EU

Ranked seventh, Egypt has a moderate-sized garment industry with the EU and the US listed as its largest export markets. Textiles and apparel represent about 8 per cent exports, 27 cent of industrial production, and 10 per cent of the country’s working population.

Shorter lead times and product innovation

Placed eight, Guatemala offers many benefits for retailers and brands ranging from quality and efficiency to vertical integration and multiple free trade agreements.

Focus on value-added basic products

Africa-based Morocco sits in ninth place by exploiting niche products and focusing on low value-added basic production. Three quarters of Mexico’s apparel exports are formal and casualwear and the value per weight and volume is among the highest in the world.

Refining value-added products

Southeast Asia’s Thailand takes 10th place with apparel accounting for 30 per cent of the country’s GDP. Thailand is committed to improving its competitive position in apparel by refining its value-added products, introducing more advanced technologies, and providing tax relaxation.

Accounting for around 80 per cent of the Kingdom’s annual exports, the garment industry is one of the main pillars of the Cambodian economy. The country currently has over 500 garment factories which need to be modernized to compete with the global rivals.

The Cambodian garment and the footwear industry employed around 800,000 people before it was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis resulted in a loss of around 150,000 jobs besides reducing employment hours for workers.

Tech solutions firm, LT Labs, calls the Cambodian garment sector as the least digitally transformed industry in Cambodia. The Luenthai Group unit promises to increase efficiency, reduce waste and improve the garment supply chain in Cambodia by collecting the required data, as per a Khmer Times report.

Touch-screen technology to determine production efficiency

One of the ways LT Labs inspects fabrics for defects is by using the touch-screen technology to upload pictures of the fabric to the Cloud. This enables the company to determine the average speed of workers and efficiency of the operators on machines. It also helps the company to monitor in-line and end-line production in real time and display it on large screens to let the factory know where delays are happening. LT Labs also allows brands like Adidas to determine the efficiency of the factories they use.

Training its staff and managers in the Khmer language, LT Labs currently targets factories with at least 2,000 employees. In the next few years, it plans to roll out an LT Light plan for smaller factories employing around 500 workers. To achieve this, the company needs to train its workers in technological advancements, says Ath Thorn, President, Coalition of Cambodian Garment Workers Democratic Union. This will enable Cambia to respond to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, he adds. Workers need to be given joint training on high-tech machinery and new fashion styles. Only infrastructure upgrade and lower electricity and water prices can help garment factories become more competitive, he adds.

Increase minimum wages to improve labor productivity

Further, to compete with its overseas rivals, Cambodia also needs to increase its minimum wages. This will help the workers improve their livelihoods and increase their productivity, adds Thorn. The rise in wages will not impact the Cambodian garment sector but make essential goods more affordable for workers, he adds.

The government recently took some bold steps to address tax and raw material issues in the textile industry. First, it brought the entire textile value chain under GST net and also removed the anti-dumping duties on polyester raw materials, polyester fiber and acrylic fiber. Further, it introduced the RoDTEP scheme to refund the applicable and embedded taxes apart from extending duty drawback benefits to refund all the taxes and levies and thereby enhance global competitiveness.

Another important decision is the introduction of 5 per cent BCD, 5 per cent AIDC and 10 per cent social welfare cess on both totaling 11 per cent on cotton imports in the Union Budget 2021-22. However, the industry immediately protested against this and urged the government to roll back its decision as it imports only 5 per cent of the total cotton consumed by the industry.

International volatility leads to spike in domestic prices

In cotton season 2021-22, India’s opening stock stood at 75 lakh bales while estimated crop reached 360 lakhs bales. Unprecedented volatility in international cotton prices led to the skyrocketing of domestic prices while pent up demand in the post-COVID period led to skyrocketing prices. The situation was further stimulated by the US sanctions on Xinjian cotton that accounts 10 per cent of the world cotton production. Dominated by large traders, the Indian Commodity Markets MCX and NCDEX also fuelled the market.

Ravi Sam, Chairman, The Southern India Mills’ Association states, the Indian cotton textile industry was at an advantage as cotton prices reduced by around 10 per cent during the cotton season -- from December to March. Prices of cotton seed surged from the beginning of the season. Price of Gujarat Shankar-6 cotton increased to Rs 8,930 from Rs 6,788 per quintal on October 1, 2021 while prices of good quality kapas increased from Rs 7,575 to Rs 10,760.

Import duty erodes market competitiveness

For the first time, Indian cotton price zoomed ahead of international prices due to the imposition of import duty on cotton which eroded market competitiveness of the exporters. Price of Indian cotton price increased by Rs 10 to Rs 15 per kg for the last two months and the situation is likely to aggravate. Due to this, exporters have been unable to confirm export orders usually finalized during the December-January period, leading to the diversification of orders to competing nations.

The premium of good quality cotton is 5 to 7 per cent higher than low quality cotton. Due to this, mills have been unable to procure this cotton even for the daily use, posing a huge threat to the entire textile value chain. Therefore, SIMA urges the government to remove the 11 per cent import duty on cotton and cotton waste and also remove cotton from MCX and NCDEX features.