India's textile exports are unlikely to achieve its previous year’s figures of $40 billion owing to rising raw material prices, says Naren Goenka, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC). The rise cannot be passed on to the consumers as it is around 125 per cent, Goenka says. The rise is more concentrated in Western countries whose consumers are buying more essentials, he adds.

Many cotton spinning mills in South India have shut down due to availability and price issues. Cotton prices increased to Rs 90,000 per candy in March 2021, owing to 11 per cent import duty levied on the raw material. Union Minister Piyush Goyal has cautioned export should not be at the cost of the domestic industry, which is the largest generator of employment in the country.

The government plans to launch the second Production-Linked Incentive Scheme for the textile amid the rise in cotton prices and mills in southern India. In March, the government had issued a notification to set up textile parks under the PM MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) scheme, to create an integrated textiles value chain right from spinning, weaving, processing, dyeing and printing to garment manufacturing at one location. The scheme aims to generate one lakh direct and two lakh indirect jobs per park. The Centre is planning to set up seven MITRA parks with a total outlay of Rs 4,445 crore.

Italian premium denim manufacturer Candiani and specialized manufacturer of cellulosic fibers, the Lenzing Group have collaborated to sensitize consumers and industry leaders on the growing need to be sustainable and adopt fabrics made from alternative fibers like hemp. As per a Spin Off report, the collaboration has taken off with the launch of a limited edition collection of 50 shirts made with Coreva stretch denim fabric containing an innovative variant of Tencel made from hemp fibers. The collection was launched inside the Candiani store in Corso di Porta Ticinese in Milan.

The project enables Lenzing to develop new sustainable fibers, says Carlo Covini, Project Manager-Marketing Textiles The brand has been launching different fiber solutions to boost sustainability in the apparel market and embrace a circular business model. Few years ago, it launched the Tencel X Refibra technology to upcycle cotton and wood scraps and convert them into a new material.

Meeting production standards

A year ago, Lenzing also launched the Orange Fiber & Tencel Limited Edition initiative that involves recycling orange peel to produce new Tencel fibers. Looking to produce these fibers at industrial scale, the brand purifies each raw material and prepares to meet production standards, adds Covini. Candiani has also been involved in similar initiatives. Winner of the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award in 2019, the company developed Coreva, a plant-based yarn made from natural rubber for making stretch biodegradable denims.

Made with about 20 per cent limited edition Tencel Hemp fibers, the new denim shirts contain 68 per cent organic cotton and 2 per cent Coreva fibers. They are sold at €185 a piece at the same price of a Candiani Coreva denim shirt. Covini says, the new range of shirts helps them measure the reactions of customers and explain the characteristics of their products.

Though hemp can be grown easily and requires little water and no chemicals and pesticides, it is not a completely sustainable material. To make the fiber more sustainable, Candiani added a supernatural stretch to make the fiber super soft.

India’s cotton yarn exports decreased 2.15 per cent Y-o-Y but increased by 4.50 per cent M-o-M to 95,200 tons in March 2022.

Bangladesh tops yarn imports from India

As per a CCF Group report, Bangladesh remained the largest importer of Indian cotton yarn with imports remaining constant at 49 per cent from last year followed by China whose imports declined 81.37 per cent Y-o-Y but increased 35.40 per cent M-o-M to 5,994 tons. China accounted for 6 per cent of Indian cotton yarn market in 2022. Egypt and Portugal emerged the third and fourth largest importers of cotton yarn with 6 per cent and 4 per cent of imports, Turkey accounted for 4 per cent yarn imports while the imports by other countries accounted for less than 4 per cent. The export share of most countries either remained flat or declined as compared to February 2022.

Exports to China decline

In March 2022, China’s yarn imports from India remained significantly lower than the same period last year and month. The largest increases were seen by Gautemala whose imports increased 104.88 per cent Y-o-Y. In March 2022, exports of all four mainstream Indian cotton yarns to China dropped year-on-year and month-on-month. India mainly exported carded C8-25S/1 varieties of cotton to China accounting for 61.15 per cent exports totaling 3,665.27 tons in volume.

Overall, India’s cotton yarn exports declined Y-o-Y in March 2022 but increased M-o-M during the period. Importers included Bangladesh, China and Egypt. Exports to China dropped Y-o-Y but increased M-o-M. Exports of all four main yarn varieties to China declined Y-o-Y with the carded C8=25S/1 variety recording the largest export growth.

Carvico and Jersey Lomellina will exhibit at the Outdoor Retailer exhibition to be held from June 09 to 11.

. The two Italian producers of stretch performance fabrics, respectively warp knitted and circular knitted will exhibit their products at the biggest trade fair of the outdoor market in North America, an event which every year attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.

Outdoor Retailer offers Carvico and Jersey Lomellina the opportunity to display the high-tech features and high quality of their 100 per cent Made in Italy fabrics. Their products are simply unique, designed for high performance, trendy and comfortable sportswear, mixing technology and sustainability.

Carvico warp knitted fabrics to be displayed at the fair include the n Revolutional Eco and Norway. both made of ECONYL®, a 100 per cent regenerated Nylon 100 per cent yarn from pre- and post consumer waste materials, Sydney Eco, made from a yarn derived from PET bottles, Revolutional Teddy, Vuelta, Artica, Colorado, Tokyo and Aosta.

Among Jersey Lomellina circular knitted fabrics on display at Outdoor Retrailer will be Renew Waffle, an eco-sustainable fabric made of ECONYL®; 3D, 3D medium and 3D brushed; Ireland and Nair Melange.

Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA signed a deal with Varun Vaid, Business Director, Wazir Advisors to launch a study on ‘Fiber Diversification of Non-Cotton Textile and Apparel for Bangladesh in the global market’. The study aims to identify potential scope for non-cotton textile and apparel by Bangladesh in the global apparel market and formulate a strategy to develop the country's overall competitiveness and strengths in the area.

It will identify key challenges for Bangladesh to capture a significant pie of non-cotton apparel market. The study will also analyze non-cotton product categories for their complexities, resources and trade volumes while economic, demand and sustainability rationale of non-cotton apparel will be looked upon.

It will assess the competitiveness of products, technologies, skill, cost and availability of other resources besides identifying challenges restricting Bangladesh's growth as a non-cotton products supplier.

A roadmap for manufacturers, investors, policymakers, development partners and other influencers will be developed detailing approach and ways to establish a strong presence in non-cotton textile and apparel market.

The government plans to launch the second edition of the PLI (Production Incentives Linked) scheme for the textile industry, mainly in the garment and apparel segment. PLI 2.0 will promote khadi along with man-made fibers and technical textiles with a budgetary allocation of Rs 4,000 crore. The Ministry of Textiles aims to complete approval and cabinet process for the scheme by August-September, and implement the scheme by October.

Designed to make India a garment hub, the new PLI scheme urges 64 garment companies to complete investment process under the old scheme in the next two years Sandeep Jain, Director, TradeSwift says, the government gives special importance to this sector, as textile has been the biggest employer in India.

The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham Vietnam) has signed an Memorandum of Understanding with the Aquafina Vietnam International Fashion Week (VIFW). Reports say, the MoU will give EuroCham and its affiliated national chambers an opportunity to support the development of European companies both regionally and in Vietnam, and assist Vietnamese companies planning to expand into the European market.

The MoU will also identify and promote the benefits of the EVFTA for both groups; it will expand Vietnam’s fashion and culture across the world and create new business opportunities for Vietnamese designers and fashion brands. Alain Cany, Chairman, EuroCham Vietnam, believes, EuroCham would help VIFW connect and bring European businesses to Vietnam for mutual development and a sustainable relationship. Le Thi Quynh Trang, Chairperson, VIFW and President, Council of ASEAN Fashion Designers says, this ensures a new development journey for local and international businesses.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, Deputy General Secretary, Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) opines, the MoU would promote sustainable development of Vietnam’s fashion and textile industries. Organized by Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam and VIFW, the seminar was a sideline event of the Aquafina Vietnam International Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2022 held until May 29.

Pakistan’s apparel textile sector has warned the federal government against discontinuing the special power tariff to five export-oriented sectors saying, this would prove disastrous for the economy. It also urged the government to inform the IMF that the concessional facilities are not a ‘subsidy. It should be communicated to the IMF that the special energy tariffs and other facility to export industry have been wrongly interpreted as ‘subsidy’, says Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum

The government needs to understand that the special energy tariffs provided to the five export sectors are on par with those given to industries in the regional countries to ensure the country’s products could compete globally. Similarly, the DLTL (the Duty Drawback on Local Taxes and Levies) is a policy measure to spare export goods from taxes, he adds. The government should continue the concessional tariff for export industries beyond June 30, 2022 in ‘the national interest, Bilwani says. He urges the government to act wisely and do not any decision that would negatively impact exports.

He believes, continuation of concessional power tariff slab will help local industries perform better.

In a meeting with the newly constituted Textile Advisory Group, Piyush Goyal, Minister for Textiles and Commerce & Industry directed concerned authorities to finalize the decision to extend import duty waiver on cotton till December 31.Je also addressed issues relating to augmenting present supplies of cotton and strengthening productivity. He called for importing from destinations where stocks are available.

Suresh Kotak, Chairman, Textile Advisory Group emphasized on the need to ensure seed availability for sowing especially new early maturing varieties and revamp the seed system to enhance productivity of Indian cotton from present stagnation. As per estimates of Committee on Cotton Production and Consumption, current carry over/closing stock is 41.27 lakh bales, which is about 12.66 per cent stock to use ratio and equivalent to stock for 45 days consumption. The cotton-based textile industry is facing a shortage of cotton leading to rise in prices from Rs 44,500 per candy in February 2021 to Rs 90,000 per candy in March 2022.

The steep increase in cotton prices is severely impacting the potential growth of the cotton textile value chain. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) had notified the exemption from Customs duty and Agriculture Infrastructure development Cess for import of cotton.

Valued at $3,579.1 million, the global custom T-shirt printing market is estimated to grow to $9,009.3 million by 2032, says a Future Market Insights study. They estimate, the market will contribute over 2 to 3 per cent to the global apparel market. From 2022 to 2032, the custom T-shirt printing market is expected to surge by over 9.7 per cent CAGR. Most of this growth will be driven by increasing demand for customized modern T-shirts and their use as a modern branding strategy. Rising disposable income coupled with a growing preference for personalized clothing is encouraging customers to spend on customized clothing.

Boosting brand visibility and luring customers

Demand for customized T-shirts with slogans and logos moving north. The global custom T-shirt printing market is expected to surpass 508,487 units by the end of 2032. Major companies across the world including start-ups use custom T-shirts to boost brand visibility and lure potential customers. These T-shirts also act as an effective branding tool for companies. The high-quality materials used to make these T-shirts helps brands extend their shelf-life and visibility for longer period.

US contributes 78.9% to global sales

One of the most lucrative markets for custom T-shirts is the US contributing 78.9 per cent to global sales in 2021. Demand was driven by leading football clubs and teams who custom-designed their T-shirts and jerseys with personal logos and designs. The market is expected to continue growing with government spending on sports-related activities increasing in coming years.

One of the fastest growing markets, Germany accounted for 26.9 per cent of the European custom T-shirt printing market. The market is expected to continue growing on account of rapid development and investment in printing technologies.

T-shirts with movie slogans, logs rise in popularity

Presence of market leaders such as Spreadshirt among others is also expected to boost growth. Custom T-shirts with movie slogans and logos are gaining immense popularity resulting in increased collaborations between key players and leaders of the entertainment industry.

Offering high print quality, the screen printing segment revenue share increased to over 52.1 per cent in 2021. Cost-effective printing techniques enables mass printing on synthetic fabrics like viscose, polyester, silk, and other similar materials.

Graphic design segment to dominate market

The largest share is being held by the graphic design segment with a market share of over 56.9 per cent in 2021. Growth in this segment is being aided by the growing popularity of custom T-shirts with pre-printed graphics. Increasing demand for graphic T-shirts is expected to boost the global men’s custom T-shirt printing market through 2021. On the other hand, growing gender fluidity and acceptance of different sexualities will help the global unisex custom T-shirt printing market to grow at 12.5 per cent CAGR from 2022 to 2032.

Discounts, easy access will help online segment

Emerging as the fastest growing segment, the online segment will grow at 13.1 per cent CAGR from 2022 to 2032. Growth will be driven by higher internet use, large discounts and ease of access.

Leading players in the custom T-shirt printing market are launching new products and expanding their business. For instance, Printful launched commercial and merchandize use graphic printing techniques in collaboration with Vexels in 2021. Similarly, in January 2019, Printful opened its second fulfillment center in Europe for better customer service and meet faster shipping demands.