Production in Azerbaijan clothing industry increased by 32 percent during the period of January-August 2020. During the period, production in textile, clothes, leather and footwear industries amounted to AZN 314.6 million. Thus, there was an increased in production of clothing by 32 percent, and in textile industry by 4.7 percent, compared to the same period of 2019.

In the meantime, production in leather and footwear industries decreased by 6.3 percent. Moreover, imports of air conditions to Azerbaijan decreased by 30.6 percent and amounted to 123,700 units during the reporting period. The total cost of air conditioners imported to the country amounted to $29.5 million. Likewise, some 361,700 units of computing machines, blocks and installation, which is by 22.8 percent more compared to the same period of 2019, were imported to Azerbaijan during the reporting period. The cost is estimated at $71.5 million.

In addition, 91,234 washing machines, with a decrease by 9 percent, worth $17.3 million were imported to the country during the period of January-August 2020. Furthermore, 132,300 tons of plastic and plastic products worth $225.7 million were imported to the country during the first eight months of 2020.

Amazon, the Seattle-based ecommerce giant, has infused fresh capital to the tune of Rs 1,125 crore into one of its India units — Amazon Seller Services.

The fresh infusion will provide more ammunition to Amazon to compete aggressively against Walmart-owned Flipkart and billionaire Mukesh Ambani-run Reliance Industries' JioMart in the upcoming festive season.

Amazon Corporate Holdings, Singapore, and Amazon.com Inc, Mauritius, have pumped in Rs 1,125 crore into Amazon Seller Services, regulatory documents sourced by business intelligence platform Tofler showed. Amazon Seller Services allotted equity shares to these entities for the said transaction on September 17, 2020.

In June this year, it had pumped in fresh capital to the tune of Rs 2,310 crore into Amazon Seller Services. In January, Founder Jeff Bezos had announced $1 billion (over Rs 7,000 crore) investment in India to help bring small and medium businesses online. Previously, the online retail giant had committed $5.5 billion investments in India, one of Amazon's most important markets outside of the US, and a key growth driver.

As per an Intel Asia report, Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced the country’s textile and garment exports to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) are about to exceed the trigger level, or the total amount subject to preferential tariffs allowed into the EAEU markets for this year. Vietnam’s dresses, skirts and other female clothing exports to the EAEU from January to July this year reached 79.4 percent of the quota, or the trigger level set for 2020.

As per the agreement’s Article 2.10 safeguard measures for 12 Vietnamese product lines for export, textiles and garments will be subject to safeguard measures while being shipped to the EAEU. Depending on the export volume that exceeds the trigger level, local textile-garment products will not be entitled to preferential taxes and will be imposed Most Favoured Nation import duties for a period from six to nine months.

The trade agreement came into force on October 5, 2016, enabling local enterprises and the EAEU, consisting of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgysstan, to take advantage of trade and investment incentives and accelerate cooperation over the economy, trade and investment.

According to data from the general Department of Vietnam Customs, Vietnamese products enjoying preferential tariffs under the pact chiefly comprise textile-garments, footwear, seafood, agro items, phones and accessories.

New York City-based designer and founder of Pyer Moss, Kerby Jean-Raymond will be the new Vice President -Creative Direction at Reebok. He will provide creative leadership and work closely with the brand’s product, global marketing and development organizations to ensure consistency across all areas. Jean-Raymond will also be at the forefront of the brand’s Product With Purpose program, which is part of its commitment to United Against Racism. The program will launch in 2021 and the first products by Jean-Raymond will release in 2022. In addition, he will serve on the Reebok senior leadership team and report to president Matt O’Toole.

Jean-Raymond started working with Reebok in 2017 after meeting Damion Presson, Director-Entertainment Marketing. He was hired to support the launch of a shoe at the time called the ‘DMX Fusion. Reebok and Jean-Raymond have worked together for four years on the Reebok by Pyer Moss collection, a popular footwear line. Their work together led to Jean-Raymond winning Footwear News’ 2018 Collaboration of the Year Award and the 2019 FNAA Person of the Year Award. He took home the CFDA Award for Menswear Designer of the Year and Designer of the Year from Harlem Fashion Row this year.

Last year, he was named artistic director of Reebok Studies, a new division created to foster emerging talent, and this year launched with Kering, Your Friends in New York, a fashion, culture, wellness and philanthropy platform to foster the next generation of innovators.

Sustainability and innovation will be in focus at the AW22 season of Copenhagen Fashion Week that will host over 35 celebrated brands, including emerging talents like A Roege Hove and (di)vision. These will showcase alongside internationally renowned Nordic brands including Ganni, Stine Goya, Holzweiler, Saks Potts and Marimekko.

Return of the industry veterans

The upcoming edition will also mark a return of industry veterans like Martin Asbjørn and Wood Wood alongwith Jade Cropper, the winner of this season's Talent Slot. Poetism by Tobias Birk Neilsen, Fassbender and Tommorrow Denim will present their collections at the third season of the Zalando Sustainability Award with the winner being announced during the AW22 edition. Majority of the scheduled brands will showcase their collections both physically and online. Live streams of all their showcases will be available via Copenhagenfashionweek.com or through the fashion week’sYouTube Channel.

The Zalando Sustainability Award will boast of many innovative and inspiring finalists like Poetism by Tobias Birk Nielsen, Fassbender and Tomorrow Denim. Each finalist will showcase in the official Zalando venue. The winner will be announced at a ceremony during AW22.

Supporting emerging talent

The Talent Slot award, Jade Cropper, will showcase her collections that challenge conventional notions of female beauty, through her eponymous brand. She will demonstrate her signature deconstructed designs created using sustainable materials and handmade prints.

Julie Gilhart, CDO of Tomorrow Ltd & President, Tomorrow Projects, will continue to focus on supporting young voice as the event’s Talent mentor. She will offer a mentorship program to Jade Cropper as part of Copenhagen Fashion Week's focus on supporting young voices,

Menswear legends in focus

Copenhagen Fashion Week AW22 will host a carefully selected list of visionaries in the menswear sector like Schnayderman's and (di)vision. It will also host established names such as Henrik Vibskov, Soulland, Wood Wood, Martin Asbjørn and Samsøe Samsøe who will not only showcase their menswear collection but also focus on womenswear.

Curated by a committee of Nordic and international signatories, the AW22 schedule of Copenhagen Fashion Week will host international members representing various sectors of the creative industry. Some of the reputed members of the show Committee will include Laird Borrelli-Persson, Archive Editor, Vogue.com; Ida Petersson, Fashion Buying Director, Browns Fashion; Christopher J Morency, Editorial Director, Highsnobiety; Dio Kurazawa, Co-Founder, Bear Scouts; Julie Gilhart, CDO, Tomorrow Ltd & President, Tomorrow Projects.

It’s been a year since the denim supply chain has been facing logistical and financial challenges like congested ports, factory shutdowns and tight shipping capacity. Adding to its woes, cotton prices have reached record breaking levels, forcing companies to reorganize operations, as per Mark Ix, Director-Marketing, North America, Advance Denim. According to retail intelligence platform Edited, price inflation has affected the denim category the most as cotton makes up over 90 per cent of the raw materials used to make denims. It has also led to stocks of Kontoor Brands falling 6 per cent as investors feared margin erosion.

Not just cotton, prices of dyes too have increased 80 per cent alongwith the prices of other raw materials, says lx. To keep costs low, the China-based denim mill negotiates rates with suppliers on current order positions. However, the mill continues to get quotes from spinning mills based on the current cotton prices.

Price rise impacts larger denim brands

The price rise is impacting orders for larger brands. As Chip Bergh, President and CEO, Levi Strauss & Co explained, his brand is collaborating with partners to make purchases at optimal time for both parties. The company has negotiated most of its product costs through the first half of 2022 at very low single-digit inflation. In the second half it anticipates a mid-single digit increase in cost of goods sold, which it will offset with the pricing actions it has already taken.

However, anticipating a dip in pricing is especially challenging in the current climate as all inputs are in an inflationary mode, explains lx. But, Levi’s remains nimble despite its huge size. The brand refashioned its stores into mini-distribution centers at the start of the pandemic allowing it to ship from retail locations. The brand also reduced its markdowns and increased prices by 5 per cent in Q2 across all geographies and channels, leading to 1 per cent increase in gross margins, reveals Harmit Singh, Executive Vice President and CFO, Levi Strauss & Co. Following suit, other brands too slowed their discounts. This may help them offset the increase in cotton prices. Guess and Lee have reduced promotions to boost bottom lines.

Tapping low-cost fibers

Meanwhile brands like Advance Denim are tapping low cost fibers to offset the rise in cotton prices. However, this may prove to be a step backward in terms of sustainability. To bring the denim industry out of current mess, companies must continue to focus on sustainability, affirms a 2020 study by trend forecasting company WGSN. The Edited report shows, rise in material costs has actually unveiled opportunities for the industry to shift to other eco-friendly fibers like hemp, Lyocell and Tencel. This may end denim’s long dependence on cotton.

Many mills have been looking into blends with recycled and alternative fibers for the last few years to reduce the impact of cotton price rises. However, cotton will continue to remain important in the denim industry despite its widening menu of fibers, adds Aman Tata, Director, Naveena Denim Mills.

The 5th ITMF Corona Survey conducted by ITMF amongst 216 companies across the world states, integrated manufacturers are coping better with the negative effects of the pandemic than other segments. Conducted between September 5-25, 2020 the survey looked at different segments of the textile value chain. It observed that the finisher/printer segment expects a 30 per cent reduction in turnover than the other segments like chemicals, dyes and auxiliary materials suppliers.

The Corona-pandemic has proven in a brutal way how important digital capabilities are when physical interactions with suppliers or customers are impossible or restricted. Around 21 per cent of all companies hoped to improve their digital capabilities while 18 per cent opined that reducing the dependency on few customers is important followed by 17 per cent who viewed broadening products on offers and strengthening balance sheet as being the crucial factors for future success. While 15 per cent of the respondents opined that changing the products on offer is necessary, 10 per cent believed that reducing the dependency on few suppliers is important.

India’s cotton exports have gained momentum with Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) selling around 5 million bales in the past two months. Cotton traders say, there is huge demand for organic cotton from Bangladesh though demand for traditional cotton has declined by 10 per cent due to heavy rains. This demand is likely to revive as higher moisture levels in soil help farmers increase production during later pickings.

CCI held nearly a third of the cotton that arrived in the country during the 2019-20 (October-September) season. However, it refused to sell cotton at a loss and carried almost all of the stock in May. The corporation started selling at a loss since June which helped it liquidate close to 50 per cent of its stocks.

It currently sells cotton at Rs 38,200 per candy of 356 kg each. Small traders and brokers have alleged that its discount scheme on bulk purchases has helped only the big companies and traders, who have benefited by selling this cheap cotton in domestic and export markets.

At present, cotton prices are ruling much below the minimum support price (MSP), which has been fixed at Rs 5825/quintal. Private traders are likely to stay away from buying cotton when arrivals gather pace from the end of October. CCI is all set to purchase cotton in the north while it will begin preparations from October 1 for MSP operations in southern India.

As per reports, fashion brand Esprit Holdings has terminated its agreement to continue operating in Mainland China from July-end due to material breach of terms by contract partner. The brand retreated from its entire retail business in Asia at the end of June. However, Mainland China was supposed to be an exception and operated under a joint venture

Esprit’s withdrawal from Asia is a part of its latest restructuring efforts, which have only been made more urgent by the pandemic. Based both in Hong Kong and main market of Germany, the brand recorded another net loss of HK$3.992 billion for the financial year ending in June, worsening from a HK$2.144 billion net loss a year earlier. Bottomlines deteriorated largely from an exceptional loss of HK$2.34 billion, including those latest store closures and a 24 per cent drop in its revenue to HK$9.874 billion, back to the level of 2002.

The brand has been under a protective shield process, or a Chapter 11-type restructuring, in Germany, to reduce costs mainly through slashing head count and closing stores. It expects the entire process to be completed by the end of October.

To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, Lenzing launched carbon-zero Tencel™ branded fibers. For this launch Lenzing first lowered the carbon footprint by 65 to 80 per cent compared to conventional lyocell and modal fibers. What cannot be eliminated is offset to reach net zero.

The company hosted a webinar on September 22 during Climate Week NYC. During the launch, moderator Kerry Bannigan from SDG Media Zone pointed to a United Nations projection focused towards Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action tht could bring an economic boost of $26 trillion globally. She appreciated Lenzing for its leadership and collaboration to achieve the global goals, and particularly its investments in reducing CO2 emissions.

Tencel™ Lyocell, the fundamental key sustainable material in the shoe makes it light and breezy, it’s got a beautiful cooling sensation, a great aesthetic and slightly silky texture, said Jad Finck from Allbirds