The executive board of adidas has decided to launch a multi-year share buyback program. Starting in January 2022, the company plans to buy back shares worth upto € 4 billion until 2025. Taking into consideration the € 1 billion share buyback completed in 2021 already, the company intends to return up to € 5 billion to its shareholders through regular share buybacks alone during the five-year strategic cycle. The buyback activities are complemented by the company’s annual dividend payouts in a range of between 30% and 50% of net income from continuing operations.

Strong shareholder returns are a key component of adidas’ new strategy ‘Own the Game’. As part of ‘Own the Game’, adidas plans to generate substantial free cash flow until 2025 and return the majority of it – between € 8 and 9 billion – to its shareholders via dividend payments and share buybacks. In addition, the company plans to return the majority of the cash proceeds from the Reebok divestiture to the shareholders after closing of the transaction, which is expected in the first quarter of 2022.

“Over the next couple of years, our business will become significantly more cash generative than ever before”, says Harm Ohlmeyer, CFO of adidas. “And we will hit the road running in 2022: Driven by strong top- and bottom-line improvements, we will once again generate a high free cash flow, which we will almost entirely return to our shareholders next year.”

adidas intends to cancel most of the shares repurchased during the program, which would reduce the number of shares as well as the share capital accordingly.

In recognition of her active leadership, participation, and support of the AATCC Student Chapter at Thomas Jefferson University, Janet Brady has been awarded with this year’s AATCC Student Chapter Faculty Advisor Award. A member of AATCC since 1975, Brady has been an advisor with the AATCC Student Chapter at Thomas Jefferson University since 1996.

Brady received an AAS in Textile Technology from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1977, where she graduated cum laude. She completed a BS in Textile Technology from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Sciences in 1979 and an MS in Textile Engineering from Philadelphia University in 1999.

The AATCC Student Chapter Faculty Advisor Award recognizes and promotes the work of AATCC student chapter faculty advisors who are active AATCC members and who work to ensure their AATCC student chapters are active and growing.

One of the leading industry chambers of the textile and clothing industry, THE Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), held its 63Rrd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on December 15, 2021, through virtual platform. At this meeting, CITI elected the new office-bearers that included T Rajkumar as the new Chairman.

Chairman, Sri Mahasakthi Mills, Kerala and Foundation One Infrastructures Tamil Nadu, T Rajkumar was re-elected as Chairman of CITI. He is currently the Chairman of the Textile Sector Skill Council (TSC) and the Director in National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). He is also the Former Chairman of The Southern India Mills’ Association and The SIMA Cotton Development Research Association (SIMA CDRA) and the current e Chairman & Managing Trustee of Global Pathway School, Coimbatore and Secretary of Nachimuthu Gounder Rukmani Ammal Charitable Trust, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu

A graduate from the PSG College of Arts and Science and Masters in the Business Administration from the PSG College of Technology, T. Rajkumar is a Member of the Governing Council of The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) and The South India Textile Research Association (SITRA), Coimbatore. He is a Member in the Academic Council of PSG College of Arts and Science and also a Member in the Board of Studies of Bharathiyar University and PSG Institute of Management. He is the Joint Secretary of Sri Purandaradasar Sangeetha Vidyalaya, Coimbatore, a social and cultural organization, which is dedicated for the cause of development of Arts and Music. He is the Former Chairman of Board of Trustees of Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple and Charities, Anamalai.

Rakesh Mehra, Chairman, M/s. Banswara Syntex., Mumbai has been elected as Deputy Chairman of CITI. Since 2018, Mehra is the President of Indian Spinners Association (ISA), Mumbai an association of MMF Yarn Spinners of the country. He is the Former Chairman of The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC). With his guidance and support CITI was instrumental in removing the ADD on Polyester Staple Fibre (PSF) & Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF), rationalization of GST rates and many other policy initiatives benefitting the MMF Textile Value Chain.

Ashwin Chandran, Chairman and Managing Director of M/s. Precot Meridien Limited, has been elected as the Vice Chairman of CITI. having textile units in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. A B.Sc, (Hons) Graduate in Textile Technology, UMIST, UK and Post-Graduate (MBA) from University of Illinois, US, Chandran is a Member of Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (Texprocil), Mumbai. He held the position of the Chairman of The Southern India Mills’ Association, Coimbatore for two years during 2019-2021.

The size inclusivity and sustainability movements have made a garment’s fit more crucial than ever. Fit technology—which includes solutions like sizing recommendations and digital fitting rooms—could be the key to developing more sustainable products as proper fits can lower return rates and the associated environmental impact as well as keep consumers wearing their clothing longer.The technology includes sizing systems at stores, the availability and quality of size charts, the use of supporting visuals, fit-advising customer reviews and the integration of sizing technology.Customers are more likely to trust size recommendations when faced with a nicely fitting visual example. Fit preferences can vary, making measurements and visuals crucial for a number of reasons.

Modern fashion has a fit problem. And while it does affect men, whose shirts and jeans rarely bear honest measurements, it’s a much more sweeping issue for women. The debate over sizing is an emotional one, especially right now, when so many shoppers are rejecting labels of all kinds, from sexual orientation to gender to size. Women prefer to buy clothing labeled with small sizes because it boosts their confidence. People buy more clothes online, try them on at home, realize nothing fits, and send them back. And retailers get stuck with bills—for two-way shipping, inspection and repair.

Pact for Skills is part of the EU industrial strategy, addressing the competitiveness of 14 critical ecosystems, including textiles.

The main aim of the pact is maximising the impact of investments in improving existing skills and training in new skills. Pact for Skills is an initiative promoted by the European Commission and coordinated by Euratex and has more than 100 organisations as members. The signatories acknowledge the skills challenge in the textiles ecosystem, and have committed to invest in reskilling and upskilling workers, integrating green and digital skills and improving the attractiveness of the sector. Members of the pact will benefit from the networking, guidance and resources offered by the EC to implement the targets which are proposed in the Pact.

The industry, employers, social partners, national and regional authorities, education and training providers will work together and invest in large-scale skill partnerships, guarantee the exchange of best practices and increase the attractiveness of the sector.

As the voice of the European textile and clothing industry, Euratex works to achieve a favorable environment within the European Union for design, development, manufacture and marketing of textile and clothing products.The EU textile and clothing industry has around 1,60,000 companies employing 1.5 million workers.

PSI will be held in Germany, April 26 to 28, 2022.

This is a leading European trade show for the promotional product industry. It was scheduled for January 2022 butthe ongoing pandemic made a re-scheduling necessary. The new dates provide both exhibitors and visitors with more planning safety.In the meantime, exhibitors and visitors can continue to learn about the latest trends and innovations across the industry by connecting with PSI’s online platform.

With PSI scheduled next April, the organiser offers the industry the best conditions possible for a successful, safe and secure event.The postponement from January to April was decided in close consultation with exhibitors and partners as well as promotional product distributors and consultants.Attracting over 350 exhibitors and numerous visitors, PSI is known and popular well beyond the borders of Europe. PSI is organised by RX Austria and Germany. Although the current health and safety measures implemented at the trade show venue have proven to be highly effective RX aimed at putting attendees’ minds at rest by deciding on the postponement.

Pandemic developments across Europe are affecting planning for trade show organisers, exhibitors and visitors alike. The new wave of cases is causing major uncertainties among both exhibitors and visitors.

Knitwear garment exporters in Bangladesh want the permissible wastage rates to be raised from the current ceilings.

They say the wastage rates for knitwear-making from yarn are unrealistic and that if they are to meet the apparel export targets, business activities need to be simplified and that they will not be able to reach the goals if they have to face a fault-finding attitude. Exporters often run out of lead time to settle the HS code issues and get the orders cancelled eventually. They also say they miss the export lead time due to raw materials and accessories stuck up at ports and a lengthy supervision by revenue officials of cutting at factories.Garment entrepreneurs saythey are put into trouble since most of the applications by export-oriented industries seeking their raw materials to be enlisted with the harmonised system code are not accepted. Owing to a constantly changing market apparelmakers need to import new types of raw materials that are not in the harmonised list. According to them, imported raw materials need to be released without any bank guarantee or duty if the harmonised system code of the product is mentioned in the utilisation declaration by the BGMEA or the BKMEA.

Swiss textile machinery companies have machinery for fabric inspection and presentation, labelling and tracking, folding and packaging.

They have the technology to inspire a new vision at the post-production segment of textile manufacturing. Maag Brothers is a leading supplier of high-end machines for quality assurance in the final make-up processes, specifically fabric inspection, plating/folding, selvedge printing and packaging. Maag’s new system covers tasks from fabric inspection to dispatch, and offers transparent and easily adjustable processes with real-time process control. It’s a digital solution, resulting in a slim organization, is paperless, and the basis for further optimization towards industry 4.0.

Norsel is an expert in grey fabric labelling systems, for piece tracking through all textile processes. High-quality labelprinting and proper sealing on all kind of fabrics ensure readability and sustainability after dyehouse processes such as mercerizing, high temperature dyeing and even hot calendering. There is no roll mix-up during dyeing. Easy sorting of fabric rolls and rapid delivery make processes in the mill much more efficient.RFID codes lift fabric inventory control to the highest level, with all information readily transferred to a database and integrated through any ERP software.

For most textiles, finishing processes are not actually the last stage.Products often need an extra touch of expertise to make them perfectly ready for the customer.

An international conference on cellulose fibers will be held in Germany, February 2 to 3, 2022.

Cellulose fibers are a true material miracle as they offer a steadily expanding, broad range of applications. Meanwhile markets are driven by technological developments and policy frameworks, especially bans and restrictions on plastics, as well as an increasing number of sustainability requirements. The presentations will provide valuable information on the various use-opportunities for cellulosic fibers through a policy overview, a special session on sustainability, recycling and alternative feedstocks as well as the latest developments in pulp, cellulosic fibers and yarns. In addition, examples of non-wovens, packaging and composites will offer a look beyond the horizon of conventional application fields.

The conference will highlight crucial issues with regard to the overall goal of keeping the environmental impact of cellulose fibers low. A core theme of the session will be the responsible use of wood and forests. With this objective, speakers of the session will discuss the importance of circular concepts for cellulose feedstocks. Exciting insights into the important Hot Button Reportwill be offered by Canopy. The Hot Button Report enables the producers of cellulose fibers to better understand the impact their raw materials have on forests and the climate development worldwide.

Istanbul Fashion Connection will be held February 9 to 12, 2022.

About 300 companies and brands will present themselves. The entire range of the apparel industry will be presented under one roof: women’swear, men’swear, children’s wear, denim, leather and fur. Shows-in-show with the product areas lingerie and hosiery and with bridal and evening wear complete the offer.

Istanbul Fashion Connection offers an overview of the concentrated strength of Turkish design, production quality and service offerings in the fashion industry. In the fashion hotspot of Istanbul, designers, brands, design studios, agents, producers and representatives of all retail channels will meet to expand their portfolio and develop new business areas.Istanbul Fashion Connection will take place under 2G rules and adherence to strict hygiene measures. Topics such as digital transformation, smart clothing, technical textiles and sustainability will be the focus of seminars and workshops at Istanbul Fashion Connection. Trend zones and fashion shows will provide information on current trends. For visitors, the event will offer an attractive invitation program including accommodation and transfers.

Turkey as a production location and its highquality producers meet the demands of the European fashion industry and trade and are considered a strong argument for cooperation.