Zipper and fastening products manufacturer YKK has launched a new business policy ‘Sustainable Growth under the New Normal’ that emphasizes on digitalization, sustainability, and diversity. As per Textile World, YKK has created a new, enhanced R&D division called the Technology Innovation Center (TIC) that will focus on developing entirely new technologies, materials, and new business. The company will invest 2.5 billion yen in this division to establish a Digital Business Planning Department. The company also plans to enhance its collaboration with customers through partnerships with digital platforms.

Over the next four years, YKK will invest an additional 2.5 billion yen in sustainability initiatives such as eco-friendly product development, solar power generation, and energy-saving measures. Additionally, YKK will continue to focus on human rights and diversity, the fifth pillar of its Sustainability Vision 2050. Under the plan, the company has committed to becoming more diverse and inclusive and improving work environments throughout its supply chains, and will continue to implement the YKK Global Criteria of Compliance audit, a comprehensive standard based on the ISO26000 guidelines.

Uster has introduced a new fabric inspection system known as Q-Bar 2. The system monitors the fabric additionally at the earliest point with automatic, in-line inspection. Q-Bar 2 is best described as a formation monitoring system, because of its ingenious positioning directly at the interface of warp and weft threads. That allows rapid response as soon as a defect appears, avoiding long-running or repeating faults. Alarm and stop signals alert the operator to correct problems immediately – and early detection reduces second quality and material loss, as well as minimizing the need for post-production checks.

Uster Q-Bar 2 provides different algorithms to identify specific defects and their causes. This inbuilt knowledge can prevent defects within the weft insertion cycle.

Its enhanced detection position in the fabric formation zone means the warp is monitored even before it is traversed by the weft – a truly unique benefit. It allows detection of incorrect warp positions, missing warp, loose warp ends and even pattern irregularities.

By monitoring each inserted weft in the formation area, Q-Bar 2 primes users to react to weft irregularities at the earliest possible stage. At this point, it can detect weft-related defects such as double picks, broken weft or slubs and loops.

Alan Wheeler, Director, The Textile Recycling Association (TRA) has urged the sector to reduce consumption of new clothes. He spoke on the eve resources charity WRAP formally unveiling its voluntary Textiles 2030 on April 26. Textile 2030 vision aims to slash the impact that textiles have on the environment over the next decade. To achieve this, the sector needs to collect more used textiles, without losing financial viability of the industry.

Instead of supporting jobs in textile production, governments need to support new jobs in the textile recycling industry, added Wheeler. New production houses need to use recycled fibers in their new textile products, he added. The Textiles 2030 comes after WRAP’s SCAP 2020 program missed its target for waste reduction.

While targets were met for reducing water consumption and carbon, the amount of textile waste being sent to landfill or incineration fell by 4 per cent since the 2012 launch, WRAP said, against a target of 15 per cent.

T-shirt imports by the US declined by 10.70 per cent to $ 2.92 billion in the January-February ’21 period from $3.27 billion in the corresponding period of 2020. As per Apparel Resources, import volumes declined 8.04 per cent to 83.68 million dozen during the period.

All major apparel shippers recorded a dip value-wise in T-shirt exports to the US, except China. China’s exports grew 5.37 per cent Y-o-Y to $ 403.87 million. It exported 13.51 million dozen T-shirts, a 17.58 per cent yearly growth. Bangladesh’s exports grew 2.87 per cent on a yearly basis to 5.35 million dozen, which valued $ 129.10 million and declined by 3.52 per cent in the January-February ’21 period.

India’s exports declined both in terms of quantity and value. The country clocked $ 140.42 million in January.-February. ’21 to ship 4.21 million dozen of T-shirts and noted a marginal drop of 0.06 per cent on Y-o-Y basis during the period.

Eighteen major brands including Boohoo, Asos, Primark, Next, M&S, Primark, and John Lewis have joined Textile 2030 Scheme that aims to reduce the sector's significant environmental footprint over the coming decade. The initiative launched by waste charity WRAP, commits fashion retailers to halving their carbon emissions by the end of the decade and reducing the aggregate water footprint of their products by 30 per cent.

Alongside pledges to reduce water use and cut carbon emissions, signatories have also committed to using more recycled materials in their products and to pilot and implement business models centred around the reuse of old clothes. The national scheme is set to join a global network of initiatives geared at reducing the environmental impact of clothing around the world dubbed the Textiles Action Network, WRAP said.

MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee held an evidence session today to discuss how the scheme can put the UK fashion industry on a pathway to net zero emissions while incorporating greater circularity across business models. The session also investigated how the planned Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for the textiles industry could be designed to support the initiative and incentivize sustainable design within the fashion industry.

Puma Q1 sales grew 25.8 per cent currency adjusted (ca) to € 1,549 million. Its gross margin grew by 48.5 per cent while operating expenses (OPEX) increase by only 8.6 per cent. Wholesale business increased by 24.3 per cent (ca) to € 1,202.0 million, despite lockdown-related store closures in several markets and supply chain constraints in North America. The Direct to Consumer business (DTC), which includes owned and operated retail stores as well as e-commerce, increased by 31.3 per cent (ca) to € 346.8 million, driven by strong growth in e-commerce of 74.9 per cent (ca).

During the quarter Puma launched the She Moves Us communication platform to celebrate women. It also unveiled the Only See Great brand campaign to spark optimism and self-belief. Alonwith Neymar Jr, the brand launched a new Creativity collection, featuring the Future Z 1.1 football boot as well as shorts, training accessories and off-pitch apparel. Its new Re:Gen collection regenerates textile industry waste into new products.

Mulberry expects to report a small underlying profit before tax for the 12 months to the end of last month (FY21). As per Fashion Network, the company expects FY 21 revenue to be lower than the previous year. However, it will also reduce its losses as customers have remained loyal to the brand during the pandemic period.

The group has recorded strong growth in its Asian markets while its digital sales have also accelerated. Its improved margins due to lower markdown sales suggest that other markets may also improve on easing of the lockdown restrictions. Mulberry is a luxury fashion company founded in the United Kingdom in 1971, known internationally for its leather goods. Mulberry has stores throughout the UK and all over the world including Europe, the US, Australia and Asia. It has registered offices in Somerset, London and New York City. Mulberry continues to make designer leather goods at its original Somerset factory, called The Rookery.

Kornit Digital has launched its new Max technology in printing, establishing a new standard for on-demand fashion and apparel production. The Max technology surpasses industry norms for retail quality on multiple fabric types with previously unattainable print applications. One of its key features is XDi which delivers revolutionary 3D capabilities for new, high-density graphic decoration that can simulate embroidery, vinyl, and heat transfer in a single, waste-free digital process. The new XDi, which is based on Kornit’s patents, allows fulfillers and brands to expand their offerings to include new-to-market, innovative decorations without the inefficiencies and cost of operating analog technologies.

Kornit also launched the ActiveLoad Automation technology, a new robotic system to significantly ease the burden of manual and labor-intensive media handling in the textile decoration industry. The new technology ensures continuous production and consistency, while decreasing human error and fatigue, regardless of employee experience and training, for ultimate results and best operational efficiency.

Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) is scheduled from May 31 to June 4, at Carriageworks and other select venues throughout Sydney. Around two dozen designers, dubbed the ‘2021 Changemakers.’ will participate in the official AAFW event in various capacities.The event will include shows, presentations, trade showrooms, virtual content and programming with highlights including the return of Romance Was Born show, Afterpay’s ‘Future of Fashion’ Runway presenting the first collective showcase and the Indigenous Fashion Projects featuring the collections of leading First Nations designers.

Runway shows will be complemented by trade showrooms, The Suites, which will host AAFW’s visiting buyers and media, and will feature a curated selection of Australian designers. AAFW will also launch AFC Virtual on ORDRE, a luxury online wholesale portal, designed to increase trade outcomes for Australian fashion designers.

Additional conversations and special events at the Fashion Week include Nicky and Simone Zimmermann in talk with Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edwina McCann.

London-based global information provider IHS Markit has, said prolonged COVID-19 surge has negatively affected India's economic outlook. According to Statistics from National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency of India, electronic manufacturing is among the hard-hit sectors in the country

Canalys, a global IT analyst firm, predicts smartphone shipments to plunge during the second quarter in the Indian market due to the worsening pandemic situation. Chinese textiles enterprises expect a huge rise in international orders, making factories working in full swing. However, analysts believe the flow of textile orders from India should be temporary, as textile industry is labor-intensive. Labor costs in China have been rising over a number of years and many such factories have been transferred to Southeast Asia.

Normally, India is a processor on the API supply chain between China and the final destinations in Europe and the US. But buyers are seeking to skip India on the supply chain due to its serious epidemic outbreak. A manager with an API exporting company based in East China's Shandong Province, added that the orders directly from the third countries are increasing in the past two weeks by around 10 percent after India's epidemic, including countries in Europe, South America and Southeast Asia.