Cotton Incorporated, a research and marketing company funded by US cotton producers and importers, has launched a new advertising campaign, "Memories are Made in Cotton," to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Seal of Cotton trademark.

The campaign, aimed at millennials and Generation Z, aims to promote the use of cotton in apparel and remind consumers to look for the cotton seal when shopping.

Brands can leverage the recognizability and popularity of the Seal of Cotton to create marketing efforts that benefit both the brand and consumers. According to Cotton Incorporated’s 2023 Seal of Cotton Survey, 82% of consumers say they can rely on the product or brand associated with the seal, and 81% say a brand using the logo helps them make informed buying decisions. The survey also found that nearly 8 in 10 consumers have an awareness of the Seal of Cotton, far more than other fibers.

The Seal of Cotton offers brands a point of distinction and has shown a double-digit return on investment when used on cotton products.

ASEAN countries are looking to strengthen their ties with Russia to gain access to its markets and source cheap energy and commodities.

The recent ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials’ Meeting focused on improving ties between Russia and the ASEAN member countries, including Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, The Philippines, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

ASEAN’s total GDP reached $3.3 trillion in 2021, making up 3.5% of global GDP, and its energy needs are growing by an estimated 3.5% per annum. Developing closer cooperation with ASEAN is mentioned in Russia's new foreign policy concept.

Trade between ASEAN and Russia reached around $20bn in 2021, with ASEAN exports to Russia dominating trade. ASEAN is an important area to balance Russia’s power and economy, given the economic crisis it faces due to the war in Ukraine and sanctions.

Regarding the imports of textiles and garments, ASEAN countries have been increasing their exports to Russia in recent years. In 2020, ASEAN's exports of textiles and garments to Russia amounted to approximately $1.1 billion, an increase of 15.5% from the previous year. Thailand is the largest exporter of textiles and garments to Russia among the ASEAN countries, followed by Vietnam and Indonesia.

US lawmakers are investigating some of the largest clothing companies in the world for using forced labor in their supply chains, potentially violating US trade law.

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has written to Temu, Shein, Nike, and Adidas North America, asking about the use of materials and labor sourced from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region of China.

Any such use would be a violation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act of 2021, according to the letters. The Committee has given the companies until 16 May to respond to its questions about suppliers and supply chain policies.

Chinese brands Shein and Temu are also accused of using a 90-year-old loophole to avoid tariffs on goods sold to US consumers.

Sri Lanka's apparel industry, which constitutes the country's largest industrial export, is bracing for a significant decline of up to $1 billion this year, as global demand continues to slow down, warns a top industry expert, as reported by Reuters.

The industry earned $5.95 billion in 2022, playing a crucial role in pulling Sri Lanka through its worst financial crisis since independence. However, the sector is struggling in the first quarter of 2023, with a 13.8% drop in textiles and garment exports to $1.3 billion, according to the country's central bank. Additionally, exports in March hit a three-year low.

Yohan Lawrence, Secretary General of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), says that the current slowdown in demand could result in a $1 billion reduction in exports this year. The United States, the largest buyer, saw shipments drop 22% to $470 million, while exports to the European Union fell 13% to $344 million. The industry's competitiveness has also been impacted by a 66% power tariff hike in February.

Garment exports from Sri Lanka declined by 18.8% in January 2023, standing at $388.9 million compared to $478.9 million in the same period last year, according to statistics released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Textile exports in January 2023 also fell by 1.2% year-on-year to $27.4 million, with exports of other made-up textile articles down 14.6% at $8.1 million, according to the central bank’s report titled ‘External Sector Performance’. Overall, 54.28% of all industrial exports from Sri Lanka during the period consisted of Textiles, garment, and other made-up textile articles’ exports, totaling $424.4 million and down 17.8% from the same period last year.

On the other hand, imports of textiles and textile articles dropped by 31.3% to $217.5 million, while clothing and accessories imports went down by 20.3% to $18.2 million during January 2023, according to the same report.

Gartex Texprocess India, a trade fair jointly organized by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India and MEX Exhibitions, is set to showcase the latest innovations in textile and garment manufacturing.

With over 125 companies participating, the Mumbai edition of the event will feature a co-located Denim Show and a featured zone on Screen Print India-Textile, providing opportunities to tap new markets and evaluate new technologies.

The exhibition will offer a platform for industry professionals to showcase their latest products and collaborate on innovative solutions. As modern garment and apparel machinery increasingly incorporates automation, energy efficiency, and sustainability, textile producers are turning to updated equipment to streamline production and reduce costs. This has led to the introduction of high-quality, environment-friendly products that are capable of high-efficient production.

Gartex Texprocess India is considered one of the most trusted textile and garment machinery exhibitions in the country. The event's co-located Denim Show and Screen Print India-Textile will feature the latest technological offerings in screen printing, digital sublimation, and textile printing.

The trade fair will also see the convergence of CEOs, senior industry representatives, ministries and departments of the central and state governments, user industries, and specialists under one roof.

The Mumbai edition of Gartex Texprocess will feature top brands such as IIGM, E.H Turel, Balaji Sewing Machines, True Colour, Jaysynth, Mehala, Orange O tech, DCC, Epson, Jindal Worldwide, Raymond UCO Denim, and more.

The second edition of Gartex Texprocess India in Mumbai will take place from May 11 to 13, 2023, at the Jio World Convention Centre, BKC.

China's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a Pacific Rim-focused trading bloc, is unlikely to be successful due to the country's poor track record on market access, according to US Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee.

Hagerty, who sits on Senate committees for appropriations, foreign relations and banking, argued that Beijing's bid amounts to "rhetoric" and that other members of the CPTPP would not accommodate a country that behaves "in a predatory fashion".

The comments put Hagerty on the side of those opposed to the CPTPP, a later version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that former President Donald Trump pulled out of in 2017.

The US has instead offered its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which focuses on improving environmental and labour standards as part of a "worker-centred" trade policy.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework was launched by US President Joe Biden in May 2022 as a countermeasure to China's growing economic influence in the region. The framework aims to promote economic growth and development, increase investment in infrastructure, and support democratic values and human rights.

While the US has not yet formally joined the CPTPP, the Biden administration has signaled a willingness to engage with the agreement's members on trade issues.

In September 2021, the US and Japan signed a digital trade agreement that includes provisions on data localization and digital trade, and there have been discussions about the US potentially joining the CPTPP in the future.

The impact of the CPTPP on the global textile and apparel industry will depend on how effectively the participating countries implement the agreement's provisions.

Football legend and former Golden Ball winner in 2000, Luís Figo, has announced the launch of his own luxury fashion brand, LF.

The brand is named after the initials of his name, Luís Figo, and offers a high-end collection dedicated to the contemporary man who values refinement, details, and quality.

LF's range includes travelwear, sportswear, and "new chicwear" - a term coined by the brand that perfectly captures its inspiration. The brand aims to dress dynamic and out-of-the-ordinary men who love to appear impeccable on any occasion. LF's collection explores the moments that mark the lifestyle of a contemporary man and offers an approach to everyday life and style.

Figo's brand is not just a collection but a reflection of his values, which include savoir faire, elegance, class, and distinction. The LF collection will be available in selected stores from February 2024, and an exclusive selection will be available online from July 2023.

Italian luxury and lifestyle brand Ginori 1735 has opened its first store in South Korea, located in the heart of Seoul.

Developed in collaboration with South Korean actress and model Ko So-young, the store is inspired by the brand's iconic Oriente Italiano collection, and offers Korean enthusiasts access to Ginori 1735's best-selling collections.

The new store is part of the brand's international expansion strategy, which includes a distribution network spanning over 31 countries, an e-commerce channel, flagship stores in Florence, Milan, Sesto Fiorentino, and Paris, as well as selected dealers and a presence in high-level department stores and multi-brand specialty stores worldwide.

The brand's mission is to forward a modern Renaissance, a rebirth and rediscovery of the pleasure, personal expression, and art of everyday life.

Kontoor Brands, the parent company of denim brands Lee and Wrangler, announced a dip in revenues for Q1 2023. The company reported a 2% decrease in revenue to $667 million, with the international market weighing down the overall results due to the ongoing impact of Covid-policy changes in China.

International revenues fell by 14% to $149 million, while U.S. revenue for the quarter was $518 million, increasing by 2% over the same period in the previous year.

The results were mixed for the individual brands, with global revenue for the Wrangler brand growing by 3% to $423 million, while Lee brand revenues fell by 9% to $241 million. Despite the challenges, Kontoor Brands expressed confidence in the company's diversified growth strategy and its ability to generate sustained, profitable growth over time. Company also reaffirmed the 2023 outlook despite macroeconomic pressures that are expected to weigh on consumer demand in the second half of the year.

Looking ahead, Kontoor Brands expects fiscal 2023 revenue to increase at a low-single-digit percentage over 2022, with relatively balanced performances in the first and second half of the year.