Aero Club, which sells footwear, apparel and accessories under the Woodland brand, is being forced to rationalize its store count/expenses. However, it will expand its online business at the same time.

The company currently has an exclusive retail chain of over 600 stores in a CO-CO (company owned, company operated) model.

The company is also renegotiating rentals for its existing stores. At the same time, to compensate, Aero Club is expanding its online business.

Due to the lockdown customers were not stepping out to shop and were turning to online platforms. This trend helped the company register 40-50 percent growth in online sales. Post-lockdown, Aero Club has witnessed momentum picking up for both apparel and footwear.

Aero Club plans to expand its online business to reach out to the masses with its range, over and above the key styles offered by e-commerce partners. It has started seeing demand reviving for both apparel and footwear. Singh feels the festive season will help it achieve at least 40 percent of its FY21 revenue target.

The company closed FY20 with almost Rs 1,300 crore in revenue as against Rs 1,250 crore for FY19. Almost 60 percent of the turnover came from footwear and the rest from apparel and accessories.

With the ban on Chinese products reducing import of Chinese circular knitted polyester cloth to 200 tons, Surat –based manufacturers are gearing up to produce the fabric, used in the T-shirts for IPL players, in their facilities. There are 150 manufacturers of circular knitted polyester fabrics in the city who have about 3,000 machines. Labor cost in creating these fabrics is only 50 paise per meter as compared to normal fabrics, and the demand in the local market is very high. Polyester fabrics made by circular knitting industry are in demand for its multipurpose uses, including the making of shoes, suitcases, baby frocks, swimming costumes, leggings and T-shirts.

Before the pandemic, Surat imported 800 tons of polyester knitted fabrics from China, which has now reduced to 200 ton. In comparison, Surat manufacturers produce more than Rs 5.5 crore worth of textiles at an estimated 4.5 lakh kg per day. About 80 per cent of this fabric that is used across the country is produced in Surat, while 20 per cent of the fabrics are exported to Arab countries.

United Sewing Automation Inc (USA) has reported excellent results for the testing of its American-sourced and manufactured face masks in an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, reports the Textile World. These American-sourced and manufactured masks now comply with the Berry Amendment and qualify for Department of Defense contracts.

America’s reliance on imported PPE has caused supply chain issues. In addition, the country has been flooded with cheap, imported, inferior-quality face masks that do not provide adequate protection to fight the spread of COVID-19. In response, USA’s ownership team has invested in automated equipment to manufacture American-made medical grade masks that provide proper protection for Americans.

Made from high-quality, US-sourced materials, these face masks feature a three-ply design with a built-in adjustable nose bridge and ear loops made of nylon and Spandex, providing a better fit than traditional disposable masks. USA’s ownership team has many years of experience in the textile and apparel industry and aims to bring apparel manufacturing back to Mount Airy, NC through automation. The company recently installed high-tech ultrasonic welding machines and automated production equipment capable of producing over 1,000,000 facemasks per week, with the ability to expand to meet market demand.

Organizers of Paris fashion trade show Tranoï have cancelled the upcoming edition scheduled to be held during Paris Fashion Week from October 2 to 5, reports Sportswear International. Instead, Tranoï has launched a digital platform, Tranoï Link, which has registered 250 concept and department stores from around the globe including renowned names such as Galeries Lafayette, United Arrows, Biffi, Lane Crawford and Nitty Gritty.

It will showcase 60 ready-to-wear and accessories brands including emerging designers and international brands such as Coralie Marabelle from France, YanJiang Studio from Switzerland, Alufai from Taïwan and Orange Culture from Nigeria among others.

Tranoï Link offers fashion brands their own B2B site where they can promote their collections and share news with the audience. Buyers can search for products for current or upcoming seasons, discover brand innovations such as drops and collaborations and get ideas from weekly fashion editorials and advice.

Textile manufacturers and exporters in Tirupur plan to decentralize by setting up textile parks in other districts. Manufacturers say, this would cut production costs by about 10 per cent. The first such park will be set up by the Tirupur Exporters’ and Manufacturers’ Association (TEMA) in Vedaranyam taluk of Nagapattinam. TEMA will set up similar parks in Ramanathapuram, Tiruvannamalai, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Tuticorin districts in future.

The Vedaranyam Textile Park would be spread over 50 acre and set up at a cost of Rs 120 crore, of which 67 per cent would be central and state government subsidies. Around 36 exporters and manufacturers would set up their units in this park, which would employ 7,000 people. The park will have cutting, sewing, packing and dispatching units. A skill development centre for workers and creche for their children will also be set up. The project has been approved by the state government and it will commence in December.

According to Banupriya Sentilkumar, the project will help the industry save 10 per cent of accommodation and transport costs of workers.

The Lycra Company exhibited its latest products designed to meet consumer needs at Intertextile Shanghai, held from September 23 to 5. The company showcases new Lycra Anti-Slip fiber technology alongwith other well-received technologies such as Lycra FitSense technology, Lycra MyFit fiber and Coolmax freshFX technology

Lycra Anti-Slip fiber technology is an exceptional denim seam slippage solution for applications in single core spandex fabrics that require durable stretch and good recovery power. Designed to help prevent seam slippage and improve garment quality and yield, this patent pending fiber helps maintain garment appearance wash after wash and wear after wear.

Lycra FitSense technology is a patented, water-based dispersion that features the same molecules as LYCRA fiber, but in liquid form. This revolutionary innovation provides lightweight, targeted support across a range of garment types. It also helps streamline garment manufacturing through the potential elimination of double-layers and extra seams and offers unlimited design possibilities for brands and retailers.

Lycra MyFit fiber is a patent-pending, fiber technology engineered with a polymer designed to deliver improved comfort and fit. It gives greater shape tolerance and a customized fit experience for a differing range of body shapes. Ultimately, it gives brands and retailers the potential to higher customer satisfaction, minimize returns, reduce SKUs and costs by undercutting patterns.

FDI projects in Vietnam's textile industry in the first eight months of 2020 declined 86.3 per cent to a value of $19.54 billion. According to Le Tien Truong, CEO, Vinatex, FDI inflow into the country’s textile sector is unlikely to pick up in the near future. However, experts expect a bright outlook for Vietnam once the pandemic is controlled.

Vu Duc Giang, Chairman, Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association one of the strongest candidates to takeover FDI investment in textile as traditionally large producers such as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan have seen reduced output in recent years. Trade deals including the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) continue to make Vietnam an attractive destination for investors.

In addition, the country's success in fighting off the novel coronavirus may encourage investment. Having more FDI projects also means faster and stronger localization of textile productions as the country must stay on course with product origin commitments.

Kelheim Fibers has been selected among the finalist for Sustainability Heroes Award in the ‘Sustainable Innovation’ category reports Textile World. The company has been honored for its pioneering efforts in sustainability. The award will be presented by DQS - German Association for Sustainability and DGQ-German Association for Quality.

As against other plant-based fibers, viscose fibers can be modified and functionalized during the production process. They can be adapted to meet the exact requirements of the single components of a hygiene product in terms of their liquid management properties and match the performance of synthetic fibers.

Today, environmentally conscious consumers are often compelled to decide between feeling safe and a clear conscience. Kelheim Fibers aims to balance both by combining sustainably manufactured and completely biodegradable fibers with the technical performance of synthetic fibers. The company aims to reduce the use of crude-oil-based plastics in single-use products and their negative impact on the environment.

Launched a year ago, Huntsman Textile Effects’ all-in-one ErioponE3-Save textile auxiliary for polyester process has helped save more than 130 million liters of water, reports Innovation in Textiles. Textile auxiliary eliminates the need for separate pre-scouring, allowing pre-scouring, dyeing and reduction clearing to be combined in a single bath. Mills that use ErioponE3-Save can shorten the polyester dyeing process and save water, energy and cost.

Dae Young Textile Vietnam Co, an early adopter of the Eriopon E3 Save technology was able to reduce its process time by over 20 per cent and water consumption by over 50 per cent through this technology which also enabled its save 30 per cent annual costs..

The unique polymer technology of Eriopon E3-Save promotes controlled exhaustion to ensure right first-time level dyeing. It extracts oil and oil-based impurities from the fiber during processing and displays a high affinity to disperse dyes, enabling the rapid removal of unfixed surface dyes from the fiber during reduction clearing. The technology also enhances reproducibility and improves wet- and rub-fastness, the company concludes.

Both Techtexil and Texprocess have announced a variety of changes in their upcoming editions including supplementary digital features, a comprehensive hygiene and safety concept, and a move to new exhibition halls. The two events will be co-held in Frankfurt am Main from May 4 to 7, 2021. The fairs are being planned on the basis of Messe Frankfurt’s current hygiene and safety concept. They will further sharpen visitor profiles with reoriented communication measures.

In the first stage, both events will be given new subtitles. Techtextil will be promoted with the subtitle ‘Performance. Function. Future’ while Texprocess will be promoted with ‘Technology. Efficiency. Progress’. In 2021, both shows will move to the western section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre and occupy Halls 8, 9, 11 and 12.

In addition to the exhibitor presentations at Techtextil and Texprocess, the two exhibitions will be supplemented by a variety of events, highlight themes and special features. Apart from the physical events, the two fairs will emphasize on complementary digital features for exhibitors and visitors. These include live streams from conferences, new digital presentation options for exhibitors and opportunities for digital matchmaking between exhibitors and visitors.