Sri Lanka’s earnings from garments exports grew by 30 percent to $446 million in May 2022, compared to May 2021, according to the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF). Export of garments to all major markets, such as the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, improved in May 2022.

Contributing approximately 6 per cent to Sri Lanka’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounting to nearly half of all merchandise exports, the garment industry forms the backbone of the national economy, the Joint Apparel Association Forum says.

While the industry continues to face significant constraints due to ongoing disruptions in energy supply and freight operations, the sector’s cumulative export earnings in the first five months of the year rose by 16.7 per cent to $2.2 billion, JAAF noted. For 2022, the country aims to earn $6 billion from garment exports, which the industry is hopeful of achieving despite the current environment.

Around 65 men’s wear and gender fluid brands showcased their collections at Project New York. Jack & Jones showcased its Spring/Summer 2023 collection full of vibrant colors and themes that tap into the post-pandemic consumer mindset.

The Bestseller-owned brand pairee these novelties with primary Jack & Jones washes like mid-blue and black acid wash. Denim shorts, an ‘It itein men’s S/S ’23 runway collections, is also a category to watch. The brand expects its cut-off styles to be the most popular.

Circularity was the focus of 7 For All Mankind’s S/S ’23 collection. The Los Angeles-based brand’s Earth Kind product range featured garment made with biodegradable fabrics and tags that can be buried in soil at the end of their life. Over time, the jeans will dissolve into the earth.

Desyree Thomas, founder of Todd Patrick, paid homage to Michigan’s landscapes and growing up in a small town in a S/S ’23 collection called “Small Town, Big Dreams.”

With an emphasis on texture, the collection featured statement pieces including a pair of ecru trousers with a net overlay, a sleeveless blazer and multicolored shorts made from the scraps of unused fabrics.

Fit, fabric and function are the three F’s that DL1961 followed when creating its S/S ’23 men’s collection.

Along with increasing the amount of stretch in its 360-degree stretch fabrics, DL 1961 used a French terry knit fabric that provides comfort and retains shape, so there’s no “sag and bag” after a long day.

Neutral tones, light-wash denim, shorts and joggers are among the most in-demand styles for the season, according to a brand rep.

The collection also builds on DL1961’s commitment to sustainability. In addition to using waterless laser technology and solar power in its production, some jeans are made with high-quality recycled cotton fibers made from post-consumer textile waste from Spanish tech firm Recover.

In its new collection, Edwin USA focused on fresh, authentic and sustainable denim. To do this, the company opted to make a small collection to support simplicity at its best” and not overcomplicate denim shopping for consumers.

The recently announced association of GartexTexprocess India with Fabexa is expected to bring fabric manufacturers and suppliers from Gujarat on the show floor to deliver a strong push to the region’s textile and apparel sector.

With participation of over 175 companies, GartexTexprocess India is gearing up for a power-packed edition in New Delhi. Following the success of its first-ever Mumbai edition earlier this May, The leading B2B platform on garment and textile machinery, fabrics, accessories, and allied industries is ready to open the curtains in New Delhi from August 04 –06, 2022.

Co-located alongside Denim Show, Fabrics & Trims Show and Screen Print India, the three-day show will converge more than 175 companies to create an extensive display

With an aim to promote localization in the fabrics’ sector, organizers Messe Frankfurt India and MEX Exhibitions have joined hands with FABEXA, an arm of Ahmedabad’s nodal textile trade body Maskati Cloth Market Mahajan for the Fabrics & Trims Show. The FABEXA pavilion will host around 70 fabric manufacturers from Gujarat to demonstrate their expertise in fabric, cotton and natural based fabrics The trade fair will also welcome about 300 fabrics sourcing representatives as hosted buyers over the span of three-days.

As a highly-recognized industry exhibition, GartexTexprocess India New Delhi 2022 is backed by the support of Ministry of Textiles as well as chief industry associations and trade bodies, comprising: The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), Denim Manufacturers Association (DMA), Maskati Cloth Mahajan, Retailers Association of India (RAI) and the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC).

Pakistan’s ready-to-wear apparel exports increased by 28.75 per cent to $3,904.658 million in fiscal year 2021-22 from $3,032.812 million in fiscal year 2020-21, as per a report by WealthPK.

According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the export volume of ready-to-wear garments increased by 14.62 per cent to $368.699 million in June 2022, compared to $321.670 million in May 2022.

Year-on-year, Pakistan’s ready-to-wear apparel exports increased by 13.13 per cent, with their volume amounting to $325.910 million in June 2021.

AmjadHussain, Deputy Director, Sadaqat Textile Mills, says ready-made garments contributed 20 per cent T to Pakistan’s total textile exports of $19.329 billion in fiscal year 2022. He said added that the ready-to-wear industry has made remarkable progress.

Hussain said the demand for woven garments has grown rapidly in recent years. He said that North America and the European Union were the main importers of Pakistani cloth. He urged the government to help the garment industry by organizing training for its workers, providing modern technology, improving its access to credit and extending professional consultancy services to garment units so that Pakistani exporters can compete with their rivals in the international market.

AmjadHussain said new technologies of mass customization, contactless body measurement and digital printing will play a vital role in the development of the industry. The apparel industry can meet strong demand patterns that will help earn foreign exchange reserves and positively impact the trade deficit, he adds

From January-May, Bangladesh swimwear exports to the US surged by 86.93 per cent Y-o-Y to $59.24 million.

According to recently released data from OTEXA, from January to May of 2022, US swimwear imports increased by 36.36 per cent to $937.57 million. The OTEXA data also showed that China emerged as the top swimwear exporter to the US and exported $285.74 million worth of swimwear, noting 44.93 per cent Y-o-Y growth.

While Vietnam’s swimwear exports to the US reached $270.95 million and grew by 29.29 per cent Y-o-Y Indonesia was the third major swimwear exporter to the US during the January to May 2022 period and exported $97.50 million worth of swimwear.

Bangladesh aims to increase in apparel export earnings by 10.30 per cent this year to $47 billion.

Of the total target, earnings from knitwear exports are projected to rise by 10.28 per cent to $25.60 billion. While $21.40 billion will come from woven products, and the expected growth rate is 10.32 per cent.

Meanwhile, government also has set total export target at $58 billion from merchandise and $ 9 billion from services. In FY22, Bangladesh’s export earnings rose by 34.38 per cent to $52 billion, of which 42.61 billion came from the RMG sector.

In FY22, export earnings from RMG products rose sharply by 35.47 per cent to $42.61 billion, which was $31.45 billion in the previous year. Of the $42.61 billion, knitwear products fetched $23.21 billion, up by 36.88 per cent from last fiscal year’s $19.91 billion, while woven items earned $19.49 billion, registering a 33.82 per cent growth.

The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) has settled its wage dispute in the Non-Woven textile sector. SACTWU has declared a formal wage dispute for the Non-Woven textile sector, on June17, 2022.

The union started negotiations in this sector on April 21 2022, and when no settlement could be reached after 3 formal rounds of wage talks, the union declared the dispute.

The settlement was reached on July 15, 2022, and the final agreement was eventually signed July 21, 2022.

These new wage increases for SACTWU's Non-Woven textile sector members will be backdated to 1 July 2022, which is the normal implementation date.

This new collective agreement for the Non-Woven textile sector is a 2-year agreement, effective from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2024.It provides for wage increases of 7% during the first year of the collective agreement, and the same rand amount for the second year.

This new collective agreement was successfully concluded under the dispute processes and procedures of the National Textile Bargaining Council (NTBC), with employers represented by the National Textile Manufacturers' Association (NTMA).

In addition to the wage increases, this new Non-Woven textile sector agreement also abolishes new entry-level wage provision. It allows for an increase in the long service allowance; It introduces annual bonuses payable one week before Chirstimas It seeks abolition of the requirement for annual bonus on leaving employment before November 01, 2022.

Union Minister PiyushGoyal urged the private cotton textile production sector to share knowledge on productivity, farmers’ education, and branding to boost the industry in the global market.

As per a Fashion Network report, Goyal addressed textile business owners and industrialist on July 24. In his address, he urged them to promote global best practices in the cotton industry. He also urged public and private sector players to adopt an integrated approach and collectively adopt best practices to boost productivity.

Goyal also urged the private sector players to contribute in boosting research in productivity, farmers education, as well as branding to which [the] government would provide matching support. He urged the government to pursue more free trade agreements with regions including the UK, EU, and Canada.

According to the minister, the central government is also working on the 5F model of ‘farm to fibre, fibre to factory, factory to fashion, fashion to foreign’ to boost the textile industry at every step and increase exports. By boosting cotton production, more jobs will also be created for citizens, Goyal adds.

Identifying textiles as a high emission intensity sector, the government has directed the textile industry to prepare a roadmap for reducing emission intensity and carbon dioxide by 2030 along with the expected financial implications.

The roadmap would include ways to adapt to protect communities and natural habitats, especially the ones threatened by climate change.

India relies heavily on coal and natural gas for electricity and heat production and that increases the carbon footprint of each apparel product.

Globally, the textile and garment sector accounts for 6-8 per cent of total carbon emissions, or some 1.7 billion tons in carbon emissions per year.

The decision was taken after an inter-ministerial committee met last month to discuss the implementation of the roadmap on energy efficiency with a focus on sectors with high emission intensity such as transport.

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