Global leader in zippers and fastening products, YKK plans to explore Green Theme Technologies’ (GTT) water-free and non-toxic Empel™ water protection technology on its zippers and has signed a licensing agreement with the company. As per a Textile World report, GTT operates at the leading edge of sustainable performance textile finishes, and its PFC-free Empel platform is one of the best performing dry fabric finishes in the world, now being utilized on zippers for the first time.

The adoption of GTT’s Empel water protection technology is in keeping with YKK’s Sustainability Vision 2050 action plan to reduce water and chemical usage through innovative new technologies. The company has a long history of zipper innovation with its slide fasteners being used on everything from commercial fishing nets to space suits.

As a leader in product sustainability, YKK launched the Natulon® zipper — the first zipper to be made with recycled material — in 1994. Since that time YKK has developed an expansive portfolio of eco-friendly products such as GreenRise® the first zipper to use plant-based polyester, and Natulon® Ocean Sourced® zipper, made from ocean bound plastic waste.

GTT launched the Empel platform in 2018 and began with the goal of eliminating toxic PFCs. In addition to being highly sustainable, Empel treatment ranks among the highest water repellency and longest lasting protection available. GTT and YKK plan to collaborate with leading premium brands on the best quality and performance zippers on the market.

US’ import of denim jeans surged 29.18 per cent year over year in the five months through May to a value of $1.15 billion, shows the latest report by OTEXA. As per Sourcing Journal, US import of jeans surged by 30 per cent, or $26.39 million, cumulative year-to-date from April to May. Imports of blue denim apparels from Bangladesh rose by 35.61 percent in the year through May from the same period in 2020 to $218.35 million. Imports from Mexico surged by 51.35 percent to $232.76 million after a 25.07 per cent hike the previous month.

Among the Top 10 suppliers from Asia, imports from Vietnam rose by 8.69 per cent in the five months to $121.58 million, following a 2.86 percent drop the prior month, as sourcing experts have said capacity issues have started to challenge the country’s rapid rise. Imports from China increased by 38.67 per cent in the period to $117.27 million, while shipments from Pakistan increased 38.73 per cent to $116.62 million, imports from Cambodia rose 10.33 per cent to $59.92 million and shipments from Sri Lanka gained 32.79 per cent to $23.48 million.

A CCF Group' report estimates, 2021-22 Pakistan cotton planting area may decrease by 11 per cent year on year to 1.974 million hectares, and cotton production may reduce to less than 1 million tons affected by hot weather, drought and pest infestations. As of June 15, cotton planting area in Pakistan declined 16 per cent year on year. The areas in Sindh declined 13 per cent to 533,000 hectares. On June 3, the cotton planting areas in Punjab fell by 11 per cent to 1.305 million hectares. Since the area devoted to cotton has fallen short both of the government’s target and of last year’s recorded level, trade sources are not very optimistic.

The decline in area of plantation has led to a rise in prices of Pakistani spot cotton By July 5 the price has hit a historical new high to be Rs. 12,900 per maund, equivalent to 98.76cent/lb. to be the one of the most expensive cotton in the world. Currently, the market price of cotton is Rs. 4,000-4,500 per maund, and the growers hope the minimum support price of Rs. 6,500 per maund.

As a part of strategic investment made by JD.com in the company in 2020, Hong Kong-based multinational group Li & Fung is now partnering the firm. As per Apparel Resources, the partnership will focus on providing end-to-end digital supply chain management services for JD.com’s private brand initiatives.

Together both companies will create a multi-category collection that includes homeware under the brands ‘Made by JD’ and ‘Best Home’, and also develop a pet product brand ‘Jingmeng’ to capture China’s burgeoning pet care market. The latest partnership will help leverage emerging consumer-to-manufacturer (C2M) business model that enables manufacturers to significantly lessen the time from design to consumer from the industry average of 40 weeks to as little as 2 weeks – thereby helping deliver high-quality, trend-responsive, products to the consumer.

The government of Karnataka has invited Kitex Garments to set up its new projects in the state. The government is offering the company 25 per cent capital investment subsidy (without cap) on fixed assets like land, building, dormitory, ETP (effluent treatment plant), machinery. Investment subsidy for anchor industries up to Rs 7-10 crore, 5 per cent interest subsidy on term loan for 5 years, concessional registration charges, 100 per cent exemption of stamp duty, 40 per cent grant support for fixed capital investment in factory buildings ft common infrastructure, 50 per cent subsidy on fixed capital investment in CETP ft CSTP up to Rs 5 crore are the major incentives on the capital expenditure side.

Power tariff subsidy up to Rs 2 for 5 years, wage subsidy of up to Rs 1,500 per employee per month for 5 years, 75 per cent reimbursement of ESI & EPF for 5 years, 2.25 per cent of turnover as investment promotion subsidy for 6-10 years for 40-60 per cent Value of Fixed Assets are the incentives on the operational expenses side.

According to Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka, the positive aspects of setting up business in Karnataka include: Strong existing ecosystem for textiles and garment manufacturing in the state; Multiple financial incentives to create favorable economics for manufacturing activities announced as part of the Textile and Garment Policy 2019-24.

Premium denim ingredient brand ISKO has signed a licensing agreement with textile research and development company HKRITA to develop the revolutionary Green Machine – a one-of-a-kind technology that fully separates and recycles cotton and polyester blends at scale.

This will help ISKO improve and commercialize recycling technologies which will eventually enable the company to offer a 100 per cent post-consumer recycling solution to all of its customers. In addition, ISKO and HKRITA will work together to develop related technology, strengthening the company’s position as a leader in sustainability.

Fatih Konukoğlu, CEO, ISKO says, the Green Machine uses an innovative and ultra-efficient hydrothermal treatment method that decomposes cotton into cellulose powders and enables the separation of polyester fibres from blended fabrics. The process is a closed loop and uses only water, heat and less than 5 per cent biodegradable green chemicals. Crucially, this method maintains the quality of polyester fibers; the cellulose powders, which are clean and toxic-free, can be used in a variety of ways.

Investment in this new technology is the latest in ISKO’s ongoing drive for advancements in sustainability. As a part of the company’s R-TWO™ program, it is also working to develop fabrics with a guaranteed minimum 50 per cent+ GRS (Global Recycle Standard) recycled content blend. This will significantly reduce the carbon and water footprint of a fabric, as well as make it easy for consumers to trace a garment’s sustainable journey step-by-step from the beginning of the supply chain through to the end product they purchase.

Hong Kong-based leading textile and apparel manufacturer Esquel Group has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Commerce over the erroneous inclusion of its subsidiary on US Entity List. The lawsuit has been filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia seeking relief from the economic and reputational harms caused by the placement of its subsidiary - Changji Esquel Textile Co - on the US Entity List, reports Global Times

The listing falsely implicated Changji Esquel in using forced labor in the Xinjiang region, a conclusion that contradicts the facts, including audits by multiple world-class, third-party independent auditors using internationally recognized industry standards such as the SMETA standard, read the statement.

These audits involved site visits to facilities in the region and independent interviews with randomly selected Uygur workers. In every instance, the audits found no evidence of forced labor or coercion. Further, the Changji Esquel facility is highly automated and technologically advanced, and it requires highly skilled workers - the opposite of a business model reliant on underpaid labor, it continued.

Hong Kong-based leading textile and apparel manufacturer Esquel Group has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Commerce over the erroneous inclusion of its subsidiary on US Entity List. The lawsuit has been filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia seeking relief from the economic and reputational harms caused by the placement of its subsidiary - Changji Esquel Textile Co - on the US Entity List, reports Global Times

The listing falsely implicated Changji Esquel in using forced labor in the Xinjiang region, a conclusion that contradicts the facts, including audits by multiple world-class, third-party independent auditors using internationally recognized industry standards such as the SMETA standard, read the statement.

These audits involved site visits to facilities in the region and independent interviews with randomly selected Uygur workers. In every instance, the audits found no evidence of forced labor or coercion. Further, the Changji Esquel facility is highly automated and technologically advanced, and it requires highly skilled workers - the opposite of a business model reliant on underpaid labor, it continued.

Bluesign has revised its chemical substances list. As per Textile World, the revision incorporates new scientific knowledge on the toxicological and ecological profile of substances, new legal classification of chemical substances, new legal consumer safety limits, revised risk assessments based on the Bluesign® Criteria for chemical assessment, feedback from experts of the Chemical Expert Group (CEG) as well as new analytical standards.

The revision covers all updates to the restrictions for chemical substances published in BSSL (bluesign system substances list); BSBL (bluesign system black limits); and bluesign RSL. The bluesign system substances list (BSSL) specifies limits for chemical substances in articles (consumer safety limits). The compilation of substances in the BSBL includes all substances for which a precautionary hazard-based threshold limit is defined.

The bluesign RSL is an extract of the BSSL and contains consumer safety limits and recommended testing methods for the most important and legally restricted substances in textile and leather articles and accessories.

2021 revisions include stringent restriction on free aniline content in chemical products; aniline reduced indigo mandatory for bluesign® Approved indigo types and restriction of aniline in other dyes and auxiliaries with a limit of 500 mg/kg.

The revised BSBL is valid for all new bluesign Finder registrations from July 1st, 2021. For already existing bluesign Approved chemicals, a transition period until July 1, 2022 is valid to comply with the revised sections.

In a recent meeting with the ambassador of Switzerland in Bangladesh, Faruque Hassan, President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) the latter sought 10 year extension to the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme under its GSP program from Switzerland. Extension would make Bangladesh’s transition to a developing economic smoother.

The meeting discussed issues pertinent to the readymade garment industry in Bangladesh, and its progress in the social and environmental sustainability. The BGMEA chief applauded Swiss envoy for the transformation the industry has made over the past years.

The participants also highlighted the future potential of the industry and the need for industry up-grading particularly in skills and efficiency enhancement, technological expertise, and diversification of products (especially non-cotton). The BGMEA sought support from the embassy of Switzerland on the need for unified code of conduct for social audits and collaboration to promote the untold stories of the industry’s transformation.

The potential of foreign investment in non-cotton and technical textiles, light engineering sector and high end apparel items was encouraged. The Swiss ambassador expressed her satisfaction about the progress of the industry in the area of sustainable manufacturing and assured the support from the Swiss government.