Karl Mayer launched Greendye, an innovative technology for producing denim fabrics with minimised ecological footprint at ITMA 2019

This nitrogen-based technology ensures less environmental impact and more efficiency during indigo dyeing. With its high concentration in the dye bath and under nitrogen atmosphere, the dye diffuses and migrates more intensely into the fibre than in case of conventional comparable procedures. The yarn can absorb three times more dye in a dye vat. In this way, it is possible to reduce the number and length of vats, with positive effects for the environment. The chemical consumption can be reduced considerably, a minus of 50 per cent is possible when using hydrosulphite and caustic soda, and there is also less yarn waste. Moreover, due to the good fixation of the dyestuff on the fibre, considerably less water is required during the washing process.

Karl Mayer took over the patents for the innovative indigo dyeing technology from Master in 2018. The company then carried out extensive work for the further development and fine tuning of this technology. One of the milestones in this development was the operation of a pilot machine at the Denim Competence Center in Mezzolombardo, Italy, at the beginning of this year. The dyeing system maps the industrial production process at a scale of 1:10 and it has already supplied the first warp beams.

Vietnam’s cotton imports in May 2019 increased by 2.8 per cent month on month.

The country’s cotton imports, from January to May 2019, had declined by 2 per cent year on year.

The major cotton supplier for Vietnam was the US. Cotton imports from the US hit a new high in the recent four years. In January to May, Vietnam’s imports of US cotton increased by 18.01 per cent from the same period of last year. Its imports of Indian cotton declined by 43.12 per cent. Cotton imports from Brazil also declined by 23.97 per cent while those from Australia increased by 54.75 per cent. Vietnam’s cotton imports from the US may remain large in July.

Vietnam’s domestic production of cotton crop meets only one per cent of domestic demand. The country needs over 5,00,000 tons of cotton to satisfy the needs of its garment and textile manufacturers. Vietnam’s apparel industry is growing rapidly. With an export grow rate of 20 per cent each year, Vietnam is expected to generate a turnover of 40 billion dollars in 2020.

UK-based maternity-wear specialist Seraphine has reported soaring sales and profits for the 12 months up to March 2019 despite huge challenges in UK fashion retail at present. The 17-year-old company’s Ebitda profits rose by 35 per cent to £3.2 million in the period, which easily outstripped the still-impressive 25 per cent surge in turnover up to £22 million for the financial year.

Seraphine’s online sales now make up for 65 per cent of the company's total turnover with much of its e-commerce revenue coming from abroad. It's clothing isn't expensive with middle-market pricing. The brand’s dresses retail for around £49 up to £149 while its jeans are priced between £50 and £60.

The brand’s on-trend and practical designs have made it popular amongst major-league celebrity clients. These include the Duchess of Cambridge, Anne Hathaway, Mila Kunis, Karolina Kurkova, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Gwen Stephani, Kate Hudson and Marion Cotillard, etc.

The brand exports 70 per cent of its produced clothes, with 40 per cent going to mainland Europe.

The brand also plans to open new stores both at home and abroad. It currently has four stores in London, one in Leeds, two in Paris (the latest one opening only last October) and one each in NY, Dubai, and Hong Kong. It recently launched its first Indian store in Delhi.

Contemporary womenswear show Scoop, to be held at the iconic Saatchi Gallery from July 21- 23, 2019, has launched its SS20 Campaign: ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’. The vibrant artwork, designed by Ratti S.p.A.Como, pays homage to this year’s fabulous Met Gala in New York.

The campaign explores the trajectory of camp from the fringe towards popular culture. Using the courts of 17th-Century France and the history of the word ‘camp’ as a starting point for the artwork, it will adapt the theme for its ‘Scoop in the Summer’ design which will feature across the show on posters, show bags, catalogues, and Scoop scarves created by Ratti S.p.A. Como

Scoop is renowned internationally for its exclusive presentation and expertly curated edit of fashion designers and labels from Britain and the rest of the world, many of whom select the show as their launch pad. The show welcomes premium department stores from across the globe including Harvey Nichols, Brown Thomas, John Lewis, Voisins,Galeries Lafayette, Beymen and Le Bon Marche as well as independent boutiques such as Aria Boutique, Found, Iris Fashion, Jules B, and Sue Parkinson.

Première Vision Paris will be held September 17 to 19, 2019.

It will present the new materials and creative stimuli for the autumn/winter 2020-21 season. This major event for all fashion industry players brings together, twice a year, the six principal activities in the upstream sector: yarns, fabrics, leathers, designs, accessories and clothing. The September 2019 edition is particularly interested in how clothes are used to protect against the elements. This concept encompasses, for example, insulation, with the development of thermo-active materials, fabrics and fibers equipped with nanotechnologies, and intelligent augmented protection.

In the spotlight is sportswear, its influence on collections and the development of accompanying technological innovations and technical materials. It will bring together 80 exhibiting weavers. Nearly 700 exhibitors specialised in sports and technical materials can be found at the show. This complete panorama comprises spinners, weavers, knitters, tanners, accessory makers, textile designers and fashion manufacturers.

Sportswear has entered into consumer habits and is synonymous with comfort and technical expertise as well as style and creativity. And France is no exception. French consumers wear trendy sports clothes. This growing phenomenon has had a significant influence on the industry and on those who design and produce clothing and accessories, whether fashion brands using technical materials for their ready-to-wear collections or sports brands developing lifestyle lines.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) won two “Global Innovation Awards” at TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo 2019(TechConnect), held in the United States. The two PolyU winning innovations include New Antibiotic Drug Candidates and Seeded Sonochemical Coatings.

The PolyU delegation showcased 21 technologies this year. The delegation also explored product development and co-operation opportunities with industry end-users, multi-national companies and academic institutions for applying the innovations for the benefits of the world.

TechConnect receives over 600 submissions every year, from global top tier universities and national laboratories such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sandia National Laboratories, Argonne National Laboratoryand EPFL-LPAC etc. The Innovation Awards are bestowed on the top 15 per cent technologies submitted. This year, 30 global awards were presented for non-US-federal-funded innovations across the world, while another 59 national awards were granted to innovations with US federal funding.

Over the years, the TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo has connected top applied research and early-stage innovations from universities, laboratories, and start-ups with industry end-users and prospectors.

According to Fredrik Ivarsson, an analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux, global apparel retailer H&M’s net sales in the second quarter spanning March 1, 2019-May 31, 2019 increased by 11 per cent to amount to SEK 57,474 million. In local currencies, its net sales increased by 6 per cent, which is in line with expectations. However, the brand’s growth slowed down to 5.5 per cent in April and May as against 7 per cent registered in March 2019.

H&M, the world’s second-biggest fashion retailer, currently has over 4,500 stores in 62 countries. The brand will continue to add one store every month. It sources its products from more than 200 apparel and accessories manufacturing companies.

Snapdeal will sell Miniso products on its platform.

This will cover beauty, baby care, home furnishing, stationery, mobile accessories, and decor. Miniso is a Japanese value retailer. Miniso entered India in 2017. It is known for low-cost products such as mobile phone accessories, handbags, storage boxes, stationery, perfumes etc. As a result it has opened in India’s top cities, and Tier II markets such as Jalandhar, Kanpur, Howrah etc. Miniso now plans to grow online, increase its supplies from India to be able to supply them to global markets, and grow its owned and franchised stores. Going forward it will invest in India from retail to sourcing. The company has tied up with Noida-based Achhacart, a B-to-B online distributor that will supply the retailer’s goods to other e-commerce websites such as Paytm Mall, Amazon, and Flipkart functioning as a re-seller.

Miniso updates products every seven days and targets intelligent consumer product chains. Worldwide Miniso is in some 2600 stores in 60 countries including India, Indonesia, South Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States. Miniso strives to provide consumers with smarter, simpler and stylish products. It takes product structure optimization and product management as its priority, with designs from Japan, Korea, Sweden, Denmark, Singapore, Malaysia and China.

Zara Vietnam’s revenue in 2018 increased by six times to reached US$73 million over its 2017 figure. During three years of its operations, Zara Vietnam achieved a revenue of US$128 million. Its competitor H&M, which runs seven Vietnam stores, reportedly achieved a revenue of $33 million last year, double that of its first year in the country.

Along with three other Inditex’s brands, Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear and Stradivarius, Zara is distributed by Indonesia’s Mitra Adiperkasa Group.

According to Mitra Adiperkasa’s financial report, Vietnam is Zara’s second-largest market after Indonesia. The company’s revenues in Vietnam last year almost doubled to its previous year’s figure and four times higher than its sales in Thailand.

Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Wuyi University are working together on research and development of green and healthy textile materials over a span of three years.

The collaboration is expected to further the development of next generation green and healthy fabrics. The collaboration aims to facilitate experts from the two universities to innovate dyeing and finishing technologies for fabrics so as to address the health and environmental concerns associated with manmade fibers and their chemical processes. As textiles are good substrates for exponential bacterial growth and microbial proliferation under appropriate moisture, nutrients, and temperature conditions, the research will also study the ingredients and methodologies to enhance the antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal performances in textiles.

As one of the world’s largest textile and garment production and consumption regions, the mainland’s growing demand for green and healthy textiles has created a huge market potential for antibacterial and mildew resistant textiles. Such cooperation platforms will accelerate innovation, new technology development and commercial applications of R and D in the region.

Hong Kong Polytechnic University has a proven record of translating impactful research results into applicable technologies and solutions to benefit society and humankind. It has research strength in textile technology for smart materials, textile-based wearable electronics and biomedical textiles.