G-III Apparel Group and Inter Parfums, Inc have entered into a long-term global licensing agreement for the creation, development and distribution of fragrances and fragrance-related products under the iconic Donna Karan and DKNY brands. Inter Parfums, Inc. will take on the exclusive license, effective July 1, 2022.

Jean Madar, Chairman & CEO, Inter Parfums, Inc. states, these global lifestyle brands will make excellent additions to the company’s portfolio. With this agreement, the company is gaining several well-established and valuable fragrance franchises, most notably Donna Karan Cashmere Mist and DKNY Be Delicious, as well as a significant loyal consumer base around the world. It also plans to launch new fragrances under these brands in 2023.

Morris Goldfarb, Chairman and CEO, G-III Apparel Group, adds, Inter Parfums ability to develop fragrances for an impressive portfolio of brands, combined with their extensive worldwide distribution capabilities, are a testament to their leadership position in the fragrance market. G-III is very pleased to partner with Inter Parfums in the next chapter of developing fragrance for the Donna Karan and DKNY brands.

Spurred on campaigners including veteran naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough and Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, British retailers including Marks & Spencer have responded by cutting waste and their use of plastic.

Marks & Spencer has pledged to achieve zero carbon emissions across its own operations, its entire supply chain and products by 2040, ten years ahead of a government target for Britain. The brand launched a sustainability program in 2007 and in 2012 became the first major carbon neutral retailer for its direct emissions.

It aims to cut its total carbon footprint by a third by 2025 and has committed to zero deforestation in sourcing palm oil and soy by 2025, using more sustainable fibres by 2025 and supporting suppliers to advance lower carbon farming methods. To get customers on board, the retailer will now reward the 12.5 million members of its "Sparks" loyalty scheme with treats if they donate unwanted clothes to British-based charity Oxfam.

Last month, M&S upgraded its profit outlook after a jump in demand for food in its home market and an online clothes sales surge indicated a turnaround plan was working.

With poor weather hurting crops around the world and unrelenting demand for the fiber from the US, Cotton futures rose to the highest in almost a decade.

As per a Bloomsberg Quint report, cotton prices rose by 20 per cent this quarter, the most since March 2011. This also raised the price of cotton garments, adding to inflationary pressures rippling through the global economy this year.

Demand for American cotton continues to increase with China emerging as the largest importer, as per a Robobank International report. This may compel the US Department of Agriculture to increase its estimates for world consumption, adds the report.

Jordan Lea, Senior Trader, DECA Global LLC estimates, prices could increase around $1.12 a pound. While current shipping disruptions are frustrating, a decade ago when prices rose to a record, world reserves were half of what they are now. If prices rise further or shipping snags prevent Asian consumers like Vietnam or Bangladesh from getting the cotton they need, they may turn to polyester to make up for the lack of cotton, adds Lea.

Inditex owned Spanish casual chain of stores Bershkahas has launched DNM Lab, a temporary store experience in its Milan flagship store on Corso Vittorio Emanuele within the September edition of Milan Design Week. The project has been developed in collaboration with Jeanologia, a specialist in denim treating technology.

The project offers customers an opportunity to buy a jean or a denim jacket for €59.90, choose how to customize it in-store by adding their favorite patterns, aged areas and ripping obtained through laser treatment. They can also choose buttons and a back label and have them applied on the garment at the end of the process.

The overall customization and treatment takes 45 minutes, including the washing and drying phase. The project aims to optimize all the treating steps to reduce waiting time to 30 minutes and reach 100 customized pieces per day.

In addition to attracting customers to the store, have them interact directly with the brand and make them feel unique and part of the creative process of their denim item, the initiative was also meant to teach them about a sustainability component of the project.

DNM Lab also plans to host similar projects in other worldwide Bershka stores in the future.

Global retail giant Walmart plans to triple its exports from India to $10 billion annually by 2027. The retailer has been undertaking extensive training sessions for MSMEs alongwith Flipkart.

Under the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Program (Walmart Vriddhi), the retail giant has so far trained over 2,500 MSMEs in modern business management frameworks to enable them to modernize and become part of the digital retail revolution. The e-commerce company aims to triple exports from India to $10 billion annually by 2027.

The different phases in the program delivered by partner Swasti, give MSMEs access to advanced business tools and strategies, as well as one-on-one expert consultation, to help them unlock their entrepreneurial capacity, modernize their business, and thrive.

Walmart and Flipkart expect many more entrepreneurs to graduate from the Vriddhi program over the next few months. Both the companies plan to partner with MSMEs by providing access to online and offline markets in India and around the world.

Launched in 2019, Walmart Vriddhi program aims to empower 50,000 MSMEs across India over five years.

Lenzing Group is among the trade show Filo’s important protagonists embodying the concepts of environmentally-friendly processes, products and mindset. Its TencelL™-branded specialty fibers have been long appreciated for their outstanding characteristics – softness, smoothness, luxurious shine and flow.

As part of the space dedicated to Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto and Fashion B.E.S.T., the first Italian collective of responsible fashion designers, a selection of Tencel™’s key technologies will be under the spotlight at the trade fair

Tencel™ x Refibra™, using cotton textile waste and wood pulp as the feedstock for cellulosic fibers, creating a circular solution

Tencel™ x Indigo Color, infusing pigment into fibers directly during the spinning process; - Tencel™ Luxe, providing superior aesthetics, performance and comfort to be the perfect partner of other noble fibers such as silk, cashmere or wool

Tencel™ Carbon Zero, offering carbon-zero CarbonNeutral®-certified products by Natural Capital Partners; - Tencel™ x Eco Clean, bringing totally chlorine-free-bleached TENCEL™ Modal fibers to the textile industry.

An Austrian-based company that has focused on fibers for more than 80 years, Lenzing has been producing fibers for many sectors in a sustainable way. Each Lenzing product is made of cellulose from wood, a renewable natural resource, coming only from certified sustainable sources. An important characteristic of cellulose is its biodegradability and compostability: at the end of their life cycle, cellulosic fibers can re-enter the ecosystem and create a closed loop. Lenzing’s production process itself mirrors the circular concept of nature: water and chemicals are re-used over and over, re-circulated within the system.

The Lenzing Group operates two commercial-scale biorefineries with 100% wood utilization, which ensure that the totality of wood constituents are used to produce fibers, biobased chemicals, and bioenergy, thus maximizing value creation from an economic and environmental perspective. This concept is illustrated by Carlo Covini, Lenzing Business Development Manager Italy & Switzerland, in his presentation “Lenzing’s biorefinery concept” on September 30 at 3 pm at Dialoghi di Confronto – Networking Area. At the heart of the concept is the notion that renewable source material wood is used by Lenzing as universal replacement for non-renewable raw materials, such as crude oil. Therefore, Lenzing aims to utilize and commercialize all of the wood’s natural components by turning them into pulp for Lenzing fibers or other useful Lenzing solutions for various industries.

Bangladesh-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI) delegates have urged Bangladesh to maintain higher human rights and environmental standards in production comply to the new due diligence laws to be implemented from 2023, said business leaders yesterday.

As per a Daily Star, the new law will apply to countries doing business with Germany, said the delegates at a webinar on "German Due Diligence Act – Implications for Manufacturers and Exporters in Bangladesh".

The new due diligence law will come into effect from January 2023 for companies with more than 3,000 employees. It will be applicable to companies with 1,000 workers from January 2024.

The law would assess human rights and environmental protection measures related to the emission of noise and water consumption in production and in the whole supply chain. It would be monitored by a separate federal body on exports and imports that will focus on human rights, green production facility and environmental protection in the supply chain, says Karl Borgschulze, Managing Director, Consulting Service International, a German social auditing and certification firm.

Sheikh Luqman Ain, Regional Chairman, The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) has emphasized on the need to continue duty-free import of cotton and cotton yarn from all over the world till the country becomes self-sufficient in the raw material.

Amin says, Pakistan has been unable to achieve its full exports potential due to lack of product diversification and limited access to raw-material. All taxes and duties on cotton yarn import should be terminated on long-term basis to achieve price competitiveness and product diversification, he adds.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet had announced to withdraw customs duty on import of cotton yarn in April this year for the period of three months in order to ensure smooth supply of it to the value-added apparel industry, Amin informs. The government’s earlier move of withdrawing five percent regulatory duty in Dec 2020 on the import of cotton yarn, and then removal of customs duty in April 2021 greatly supported the apparel sector and contributed to the country’s economic stability, which needs continuation, he adds.

Amin has also urged the government extend the relaxation of customs duty on yarn import till the country is capable of meeting textile value-added industry’s demand of 10 million cotton bales. He further requested the Prime Minister to direct the ministries concerned to focus on the value-added apparel sector and prepare a solid strategy to help the industry stay afloat.

Rahul Mehta, Chief Mentor, CMAI, has urged the Central and State Governments and GST Council to review their decision and find alternate solutions to address the Inverted Duty Structure problem. CMAI has in the past recommended a flat 5 per cent GST across the entire value chain - which will resolve the Inverted Duty Structure, will boost consumption, production and employment, and will cost the government a negligible amount on revenue.

In the absence of such a solution, CMAI urges the authorities to maintain the current status quo.

As per reports, the GST council aims to increase the current GST rates of 5 per cent on all fabrics and garments up to the price of Rs.1,000 to 12 per cent.

Rajesh Masand, President, CMAI urged the Government and the GST Council to consider the fact that the domestic garment Industry is still struggling to revive post the COVID pandemic - with most of the industry still at 60 – 65 per cent of pre-COVID levels. Additionally, there have been massive increase in the prices of raw materials such as yarn, fabric, fuel, packaging materials, transportation, etc that have raised the price of the final product by 20 per cent. The consumer is already reeling with job losses, wage cuts, and social and personal traumas. In such a scenario, adding another 7 per cent taxes to the price of an essential item of consumption such as garments is uncalled for.

Already 15-20 per cent of garments units across the country have either shut down or scaled their operations. The industry is currently seeing a drop of not less than 20 per cent employment in the sector. The move contemplated by the Council is likely to risk an even higher level of unemployment, adds Masand

Indian garment industry is still largely a cotton based Industry. Cotton garments, including traditional wear categories such as dhotis, sarees, etc. form the bulk of clothing used by the poorer sections of the society. This section of population will be hit by another price increase, says Masand.

The increase in GST on garments and footwear from the current 5 per cent to 12 per cent is likely to raise the prices of these products from January 2022.

As per a Live Mint report, the GST Council had on 17 September announced its decision to correct the duty inversion on textiles and footwear value chain from January 01.Higher duty on raw materials as compared to finished products leads to an inverted tax structure, making it difficult for manufacturers to claim input tax credit (ITC), and the burden is finally passed on to the consumer.

Under the ITC system, a GST-registered business is entitled to claim levies already paid on inputs to manufacture a product, or supply a service, or both, before making a final sale to prevent cascading of taxes and to lower the tax burden.

The council is considering a 12 per cent GST rate for a bulk of products under the two segments—textiles and footwear. This will effectively correct duty inversions and allow manufacturers to claim the full ITC.