H&M is partnering with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to launch a men’s denim collection under the Jeans Redesign banner, “inspired by natural simplicity.

The collection includes three jeans styles, two jackets, an overshirt, tote bag and bucket that rethink the design and production of denim products, furthering the company’s aim of becoming fully circular in all our processes. The denim fabric used throughout is made from a mix of organic cotton, up to 35 per cent recycled cotton (from post-consumer waste), and dyes that considerably reduce water waste and energy consumption compared to conventional alternatives.

The company also used the Screened Chemistry method for selecting safer chemicals. Only low-impact finishes were used. And no conventional plating was used on the metal trims, thereby reducing the environmental impact. Additionally, the company used Tencel threads so the products can be recycled easily at the end of their life.

The pandemic has left a permanent scar on the fashion industry with revenues expected to drop by over one-third or equivalent of up to $640 billion in lost sales, says a Boston Consulting Group report. Around 81 per cent of US consumers expect the pandemic to lead to a recession and plan to curtail their fashion expenses this year. Forty per cent expect brands to offer discounts or other promotions once stores reopen. The BCG report says, consumers are expected to shop more for casualwear, activewear, home categories, and beauty products with preference for shopping through digital and social media channels. To grab the attention of these consumers, brands need to strengthen their online presence and focus on customization, community-building and superior online-shopping interfaces and deliveries.

With growing economic uncertainties, customers are expected to shop for either lower-priced goods or premium products that provide more value than they did previously. They will favor brands offering sustainable products. Hence, brands should focus on right-sizing operations, including rethinking sales channels to address shifting preferences and behaviors.

Reorganize retail partnerships and adjust costs

Brands must reorganize their wholesale and retail partnerships and update their sales channels. They should strengthen their partner ships with multibrand platforms, such as Asos and Zalando and e-commerce giants like Amazon and Alibaba’s TMall. Retailers should close their low-performing stores. Adjust the cost of sold goods, rent, personnel, marketing etc by consolidating materials sources and suppliers and being more vigilant about the timing and management of markdowns. They can offset online marketing costs by decreasing budgets for large-scale events and above-the-line costs.

Maintain agile inventory

Brands and suppliers should maintain an agile inventory to minimize losses caused due to order cancellations and other adjustments. They should undertake a zero-based organization redesign to make their operating model leaner and more agile. A bionic operating model can give them an opportunity to digitize their product development and supply chain to them more agile and effective.

They should build their capabilities and processes by adopting advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). This will help them to codify data from all sales channels and consolidate it onto a single analytics platform to improve decisions on planning, buying, promotions, markdowns, and in-season inventory management.

Readjust product portfolio and pricing

The study suggests brands should readjust their product portfolio and pricing strategies according to customers’ requirements. Pursue mergers and acquisitions to expand operations and increase scale and market share. This will also help them to integrate across the supply chain into production or last-mile delivery; buy adjacent products or capabilities in order to diversify their product portfolios; or buy AI or digital startups. They should adopt new business practices to continue giving customers what they want. These strategies will help them to emerge stronger from the current crisis.

Despite minor disruptions in Q1, outlook for the Indian textile sector for the remainder of fiscal 2021-22 remains bright as revenues are likely to increase with improving operation margins due to strong demand, says latest India Ratings and Research report. Domestic demand and exports is likely to sustain in the remaining months of FY22, leading to improved YoY sales volumes. The outlook for remainder of FY22 is likely to remain stable as profitability is likely to improve. Operating cash flows will improve despite an increase in working capital requirement on the back of higher sales volumes and increased capital expenditure.

The ratings have already factored in the benefits of integrated business operations, healthy balance sheet liquidity and operating efficiencies over FY22. Sector players in the ‘IND A’ and above rating categories have been resilient to COVID-19-led disruptions on account of adequate-to-superior liquidity profile. Supported by strong operating cash flows in H1 FY22, Ind-Ra-rated portfolio witnessed an improvement in both liquidity and credit metrics. This led to the agency changing their rating Outlook to Stable from Negative on the small and mid-sized commodity pure-plays.

Domestic demand to remain vulnerable

Though domestic demand is likely to improve from H2 FY22, onwards, it would still remain vulnerable to further restrictions. Also, demand from spinning mills seems to be recovering during festivities. Segments such as cotton yarn and fabrics witnessed a higher YoY demand from downstream players during H1 FY22. The demand for woven fabric and apparel is likely to improve with the opening of retail shops and malls from H2 FY22.

Textile exports in the cotton and yarn segment improved during H1 FY22 with cotton yarn volumes increasing by over 45 per cent during M4 FY22 over FY20 and FY21. Export volumes are expected to remain higher for FY22 owing to the increasing demand for Indian yarn. Fabric and apparel exports are likely to sustain with the unlocking of economic activities and the adoption of China Plus One strategy by importing countries.

Exports to show moderate growth

Apparel and fabric exports increased by 87 per cent and 108 per cent, respectively during FY21 due to low base effect and reached pre-COVID levels. The agency expects these exports to improve moderately in H2 FY22 due to accelerated vaccination and China Plus One sourcing strategy. Exports are likely to improve from FY23 onwards. Demand will get a boost with ongoing impact of sourcing restriction on China (Xinjiang) cotton, predicts Ind-Ra.

Taiwanese enterprises have been increasingly investing in Vietnam’s garment-textile and footwear industries in recent years to take advantage of the opportunities offered by free trade agreements (FTAs) that the latter has signed. Typically, they have been investing in the country's Southern Key Economic Region comprising Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai key due to market-related advantages and supporting industries.

Wang Wen-yuan, chairman of Taiwan’s Chinese National Federation of Industries, said Vietnam is an investment destination Taiwan targets in its development strategy and it wants to invest in garment-textile, footwear and supporting industries.

The Hung Nghiep Formosa Dong Nai Textile, which was incorporated in 2001 and has investment worth $1.6 billion, says Vietnam offers affordable, skilled labour and benefits from its FTAs, according to a Vietnamese media report.

Polytex Far Eastern Viet Nam has a plant to manufacture feedstock like cotton and polyester yarn in Binh Duong's Bau Bang Industrial Zone. Over $274 million has been invested in its first phase, and the total registered investment is $760 million.

Another Taiwanese giant, Tainan Spinning Company., has increased its investment in its Long Thai Tu Spinning Factory at the Long Khanh Industrial Zone in Dong Nai to $100 million.

Marks & Spencer has started selling an independent eco-fashion brand on its website as part of a plan to reinvigorate its struggling clothing arm.

The Nobody’s Child label bills itself as an antidote to a damaging fast-fashion industry and makes its £35 floaty minidresses and teadresses out of recycled polyester and sustainably sourced viscose. The brand was founded five years ago by Andrew Xeni, an entrepreneur whose family have a background in clothing manufacturing. The company’s backers include the New Look founder, Tom Singh.

The decision to stock outside brands is a departure for M&S, which is still the country’s biggest clothing retailer. In May, Steve Rowe, the company’s chief executive, said it would stock guest brands both online and in its largest stores as part of plan to broaden its appeal and boost online growth. In the summer M&S lost out to rival Next in the battle to operate the lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret in the UK.

The organizers of the leading swimwear, beachwear and athleisure fabrics show MarediModa, have taken action to switch the location of the upcoming show, due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The forthcoming edition of MarediModa, scheduled from November 03-05, 2020, will now be held at Villa Erba, Cernobbio, on the shores of the beautiful Lake Como in Northern Italy.

MarediModa has proved to be extreme reactive and flexible to design a trade show for exhibitors and visitors in respect of every safety major. For this edition it has abandoned the extraordinary Palais des Festivals, which has been accompanying it all these years and has chosen an equally fascinating venue.

For the first time in its history, MarediModa, the tradeshow of fabrics and accessories for beachwear, underwear and athleisure, is held in Italy, at Villa Erba on the Como Lake, in one of the most evocative location of our country and setting of important international events, the organisers said in a statement

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have pledged to develop synergies in the textile and apparel sectors of Bangladesh and India.

The pledge was made during a virtual conference, entitled "India-Bangladesh Virtual Conference on Textiles and Apparel Sector."

Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi said,Bangladesh has been the biggest ally of India and with improvement in policies and infrastructure under the current government the country can leverage trade facilities. It can collaborate in the spinning, weaving and dyeing are sub-sectors to develop and grow according to the evolving needs of the consumer

Indian Textile Minister Smriti Zubin Irani said, to facilitate reduced lead time between the trade of the two nations, India will engage with its counterparts in Bangladesh, involving the Ministry of Infrastructure and other relevant stakeholders. Additionally, any existing issues that have been highlighted by its counterparts through this platform will be identified and discussed in our future engagements.”

She also highlighted the Indian government’s provision for technical textiles and the diversification of jute products, requesting her Bangladesh counterpart’s expert aid to this end.

American Apparel & Footwear Association President and CEO Steve Lamar welcomed the passage of legislation by the US Senate that would extend the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) . The program provides textile and apparel trade preferences to Caribbean countries; however, it is currently scheduled to expire today. The bill would extend the program to 30 September 2030.

AAFA is a strong supporter CBTPA and has been calling for the renewal of the program for some time. In April, AAFA sent a letter to Congress emphasizing the importance of the program. On 28 August, AAFA led a group of associations in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, calling for him to convey support for the program in conversations with Congress. Today’s action followed a similar letter by that group of associations to every Senator urging CBTPA’s speedy renewal.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is the national trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, and their suppliers, which compete in the global market. Representing more than 1000 world famous name brands, AAFA is a trusted public policy and political voice of the apparel and footwear industry, its management and shareholders, its nearly four million U.S. workers, and its contribution of more than $400 billion in annual U.S. retail sales.

Two survey findings suggest, there is a change in the way manufacturing executives have shifted their focus from low costs and lean inventory, to stability and resilience in global supply chain. One survey was conducted by law firm Foley & Lardner LLP. Titled ‘Global Supply Chain Disruption and Future Strategies Survey Report’, the survey interviewed 150 manufacturing companies about general trends in supply chain management.

The second survey, ‘Accelerating Trends: Assessing the Supply Chain in a Post-Pandemic World’ looked specifically at a shift in supply chains away from China as well as how companies are using new technologies to improve efficiency. Seventy per cent respondents agree with COVID-19, companies will reduce their focus on sourcing from the lowest-cost supplier and 62 per cent expect the focus on just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing models will also decrease.

As per the survey, manufacturing executives are taking prudent steps to manage risk in their supply chains, with strengthening relationships and increasing transparency with suppliers and buyers as the top strategy identified by survey respondents. In addition, the 92 per cent of them are taking at least some action to create more visibility within their supply chains, including requiring more information on suppliers’ own risk management and continuity strategies.

The Foley report also analyzes the extent to which COVID-19 has accelerated the movement of production and sourcing away from China. Of the survey respondents who have operated in the country, 59 per cent have either already withdrawn operations, are in the process of doing so, or are considering it.

The Accelerating Trends report analyzes the key costs, benefits, and risks to consider in several regions that present alternatives to China. According to the survey findings, the result of this analysis has increasingly led companies to move supply chains closer to home to either US, Mexico or Canada

The Accelerating Trends report also identifies eight specific areas that may see greater investments and provides guidance on how they stack up against each other in terms of resilience, cost, and maturity.

As per reports, Euratex has welcomed EU’s initiative to address the impact of foreign subsidies on the internal market. The organization has called for a comprehensive instrument which guarantees level playing field, but it is not protectionist and does not discourage foreign investment. The European textiles and clothing industry (T&C) has complex value chains and is inter-dependent on many other sectors. The absence of a level playing field and fair reciprocity between EU and third country competitors on EU internal market, is a concern.

The distortive effects of subsidies provided by non-EU governments have jeopardized the competitiveness of many EU T&C companies. These foreign subsidies could distort the internal market, specifically the general market activity of economic operators in the EU, the acquisitions of EU undertakings, public procurement procedures and access to EU funding. The commission proposes to create a new legal instrument to address these challenges.

Euratex opines that the EU proposal needs to be as comprehensive as possible, both in its scope and in the redressive measures it proposes. The new legal instrument should take into account provisions already available in e.g. EU competition law, Trade Defence Instruments (TDIs) and the International Procurement Instrument.