Bangladesh textile manufacturers are losing business due to illegal yarn and fabrics imports and the misuse of bonded warehouse facility. Huge quantities of dresses including saris, three-pieces and other shirting clothes are entering Bangladesh illegally through border markets from neighboring countries. Spinning and weaving mills are sitting on stockpiles of yarn due to lack of demand. Operations in more than 40 per cent of the spinning and weaving mills have remained suspended. High interest rate of bank loans and increased price of gas are also cutting the competitiveness of the sector.

Falling yarn prices have hit spinners in Bangladesh. The country has a target of reaching $50 billion in textile exports by 2021. The size of the domestic fabric market is seven to eight billion meters. Local producers can supply only three to four billion meters and the rest of the demand is met by smuggled fabrics and bonded warehouse fabrics. Some businesses import 80 and 60 counts yarn, declaring those as 30 counts of yarn. Some businesses are said to be importing yarns and fabrics under the bonded warehouse facility and later on selling the duty-free items in the open market at low prices.

Footwear brand Vans is expected to play a leading role at VF Corp after it spins off its denim business in May. Vans is seen by VF Corp as sustaining a mid 20 per cent operating margin. VF Corp will separate its denim brands, which includes Lee and Wrangler, from its other outdoor, active and working brands.

Vans is a US footwear brand that opened in 1966 and is known for its iconic waffle patterned sole. Vans shoes are available in a wide variety of cuts. It is rooted in the heart of skate culture and street inspired footwear. From the classic low cut shoe through to hi-top designs and the no fuss slip-on, Vans offers a range of footwear including the classic skate shoe. In addition there are socks, fashion T-shirts, backpacks, sunglasses, hats, wallets, belts, board shorts and beanies. Vans owns and operates more than 450 retail locations around the world. The brand promotes the action sports lifestyle, youth culture and creative self-expression through the support of athletes, musicians and artists.

VF Corporation is an international apparel and footwear company. From 2011 to 2015 the corporation added more than 500 sites to its global operations – a 40 per cent increase driven mainly by retail store expansion.

Raymond and Reliance have launched a range of eco-friendly fabrics named Ecovera. Ecovera is manufactured using RElan Green Gold, a technology from Reliance Industries. Green Gold is the greenest fiber in the world. RElan Green Gold is made by recycling post-consumer waste PET bottles, using biofuels and energy-efficient processes. Raymond’s Ecovera, powered by R Elan, will redeem almost a million PET bottles from landfills. Green Gold is a perfect choice to produce fabrics that have multiple qualities with superior handle and luster. R Elan Green Gold is a technology with globally supreme eco-credentials and specially engineered to fulfil consumer requirement for sustainable fashion. Green Gold is one of the eco-friendliest raw materials for the fashion industry and is supporting major brands to achieve their environmental commitments.

The Ecovera range will soon hit 1500 stores across 700 cities. Raymond is known for innovations in manufacturing top quality fabrics using both natural and manmade fibers. The use of RElan Green Gold is also a step towards making Raymond a sustainable and environment-friendly organisation. Reliance is India’s largest private sector company. Its activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail and digital services.

Karl Mayer will showcase warp-knitted textiles at Techtextil 2019 in Frankfurt. The brand will showcase products with integrated electrical conductivity and shaping characteristics from the new Textile Makerspace platform, an extremely efficient textile solution for protecting buildings, and a completely new generation of warp-knitted spacer textiles.

Karl Mayer is also inviting people to attend an in-house show, to be held at the same time as the fair, at its headquarters in nearby Obertshausen. This event will premiere a new nonwovens machine for the visitors. The manufacturer has grouped all its digital solutions under the KM.ON brand, and will showcase this system at the Techtextil.

Karl Mayer has grouped together all its activities relating to the use of new technologies and innovative products under the concept of Rapid Ile. They form part of the Ile Makerspace system, a platform that offers the space to try things out, develop new products and think outside the box.

To be held from June 11-14, 2019, Pitti Uomo will offer fashion fans the chance to check out the latest styles and designs as brands showcase new collections coming in from Europe, the US and Asia.

This year’s sees the event exploring the Pitti “Special Click” – a concept inspired by the way ideas and creativity “click” into place.

The European Union has said, implementation of the Annan report will be crucial for Myanmar to retain its trade privileges. The report seeks to address a broad range of structural issues that are impediments to the peace and prosperity of Rakhine. Several of its recommendations focus on citizenship verification, rights and equality before the law, documentation, the situation of the internally displaced and freedom of movement. So far, the government has not published any details about which of the recommendations have been put into practice.

The EU is at a stage of enhanced monitoring during which the bloc will decide whether to launch a withdrawal process of the trade privileges it has offered Myanmar. A formal withdrawal process will include a six-month review period for Myanmar to demonstrate progress.

The GSP regulations stipulate that preferential treatment may be withdrawn if Myanmar is found to have systematically violated the principles laid down in the international conventions on human and labour rights, including those on preventing/ punishing the crime of genocide and elimination of racial discrimination.

The Chinese State Council has announced plans to lower tariffs on some of its consumer goods ranging from computers to textile products due to pressure from trade partners. An official statement stated, tariffs under category one will be lowered to 13 per cent from the earlier 15 per cent while those under category two will be lowered to 20 per cent from 25 per cent. This adjustment will take effect on April 9, 2019.

Products under category one include consumer products like books, magazines, computers, video camera, food, beverage, furniture, qualified drugs, among others. The items under category two are sporting goods (exclude golf balls and equipments), fishing products, textile products and bikes. The move is been seen as Beijing’s efforts in response to major trade partners challenging its trade practises.

While China and the US have slapped tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, the European Union plans to take China to task for alleged unfair trade policies.

About a quarter of foreign luxury brands in Brazil have fled the country over the past three years. Though the Brazilian luxury market grew 7.8 per cent in 2018, the sector shrank 23 per cent between 2016 and 2017. Versace is by no means the only high-end company to pull the plug on Brazil. Kiehl’s—a cosmetics store controlled by L’Oréal—deactivated its online store at the end of March. Other players, such as Ralph Lauren (clothing), Kate Spade (accessories), Vacheron Constantin (watches), Ladurée (pastries), and Lush (cosmetics) have also taken a pass on Brazil.

Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy, remains one of the most expensive countries to buy imported goods. Zara is more expensive in Brazil than anywhere else in the world reveals a comparison of 22 items in 44 countries. On an average, Brazilians pay 18 per cent more than American customers. In 2014, luxury apparel goods prices in Brazil were, on an average, 33 per cent higher than in the US. Brazil’s tax framework is much to blame. High import taxes, different rules in each of the 27 states, and severe infrastructure and logistics bottlenecks also make selling imported goods in Brazil a daunting task. Brazil’s high tax burden, prolonged recession and political instability are cited as factors which make it impossible to continue investing and turning a profit.

Appreciating the Italian leather industry, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has sought Italy’s support to develop its leather industry. The Prime Minister recently met the newly appointed Italy’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Enrico Nunziata. Welcoming the ambassador, Hasina assured him of complete support in performing his duties. She also emphasised on enhancing the trade relations between the two countries.

In return, Nunziata assured Bangladesh of his commitment to increase relations between chambers of commerce of both the countries. The country, in its bid to improve cooperation with Bangladesh, has formed a parliamentary group. It also plans to set up training centers in Bangladesh for textile and other technologies.

Denimsandjeans has launched an app that brings buyers and suppliers in the denim and sportswear supply chain together. Developed to bridge the gap between both sides of the supply chain, the app aims at reducing the cost and time of sourcing and marketing. The unique sourcing platform enables suppliers or manufacturers to showcase their products to buyers and for both to interact with each other. The app has features that allow suppliers to create their own showrooms along with the tools for one-to-one interaction with buyers as well as for better networking among the community.

The app already features products from denim companies such as Raymonds, Prosperity, Crescent and Anubha. For now, the users can download the app on iPhone and a release for Android devices is due to be available shortly.

Denimsandjeans provides a single platform to the global denim industry, be it manufacturers, buyers, suppliers or traders to showcase and explore innovations in denim. It brought together major stakeholders in the supply chain. India is the second largest manufacturer of denim fabrics after China and the second biggest consumer of denim apparel globally. The country, with immense potential, is expected to grow at a fast pace in the coming years.