Cambodian PM Hun Sen has urged China to consider entering a free trade agreement with the Cambodia to spur trade and investment between the two nations. This will help Cambodia diversify its export market, currently dominated by the European Union and the United States. As a member of ASEAN, Cambodia benefits from FTAs signed between the regional organisation and other countries and regions, including Australia and New Zealand, and Hong Kong.

Trade between Cambodia and China reached $5.6 billion last year, a 12 per cent increase from 2017’s $5 billion. However, China’s share of the Kingdom’s export market is still small compared to those of the EU and the US, who jointly account for more than 70 percent of Cambodian exports.

From 1994 to 2016, China invested $14.7 billion in the Kingdom, mostly on four sectors – agriculture and agro-industry, manufacturing, infrastructure, and services and tourism, according to the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC). China also funded the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, which cost $3 billion and now hosts 108 enterprises and companies. In the tourism sector, China recently invested in two big projects, an international resort in Koh Kong province and a five-star hotel and resort in Preah Sihanouk.

Moreover, of the 23 companies investing in the mining industry, 10 are from China. China is also the largest foreign investor in the energy sector in Cambodia, with more than $7.5 billion invested in hydropower plants and about $4 billion in coal-fired power plants.

Sri Lanka earned more than $5 billion from apparel exports in 2018. The aim is to enhance apparel exports especially to countries like India. Exporters feel bilateral FTAs are an ideal tool for market penetration to these countries.

The United Kingdom is considering the continuation of preferential treatment related to the EU GSP scheme for developing countries, including Sri Lanka, even after Brexit. And Sri Lanka hopes Brexit will not result in a disruption of trade with the UK. In addition, the industry in Sri Lanka looks forward to the right business environment, a decisive policy frame work with consistency and predictability on the fiscal regime, a proper trade policy and monetary policy, a shipping policy draft, a new procedure for monitoring of export proceeds, prompt export releases, all directed toward marketing the country’s products.

As of now the industry faces issues like ad hoc policies, a lack of consultative processes, no advance notice on cost increases, inability to adjust existing contractual obligations to new cost structures, and non-recognition of the importance of credit facilities given to buyers to sustain market access. Sri Lankan apparel exporters want their country to negotiate for sector-specific liberalisation through the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement.

Sri Lankan apparel exporters want greater access to the Indian market. Sri Lanka’s apparel industry is fully committed to a comprehensive trade relationship with India. The industry is heavily dependent on India, not only for inputs such as fiber, yarn, and fabric, but on finished products too. Both countries share a rich textile tradition. Large Indian companies can encourage Sri Lankan companies to be part of their supply and value chains.

Sri Lanka is a garment making hub. A scenario where Sri Lanka sources from India and manufactures apparel and garments for the rest of the world could lead to a win-win situation for both countries. Sri Lanka has been urged to make use of fully-funded training opportunities in India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation program, in which a number of slots is earmarked for textile related subjects.

India is one of Sri Lanka’s largest trade partners globally. Sri Lanka is among the top ten countries which import cotton fabrics from India. India has become a focal point for the fashion industry as its middle class consumer base grows and manufacturing sector strengthens. Fashion players are redoubling their efforts in this highly fragmented and challenging market, where an educated and tech savvy demographic rub shoulders with the poor and upwardly mobile.

Kornit has introduced the Atlas a digital textile printing machine which can typically deliver 3,50,000 impressions a year and is suitable for highly productive garment decorators, mid to large size screen printers and other businesses looking to innovate.

The press comes with new recirculating print heads and comes with a newly developed ink, NeoPigment, which is capable of meeting retail standards for product quality and durability. The Atlas is the best and cost-efficient direct-to-garment printing technology for high-quantity and high-quality production requirements. It has been designed in a modular and future-ready way, driving quick and easy implementation of new developments in future.

Kornit delivered the Atlas on the collective feedback of thousands of Kornit systems’ operators and on the experience collected from hundreds of millions of printed garments. The new press comes ready for the manufacturer’s future releases of its cloud-based business intelligence, productivity analytics and optimisation software platforms, scheduled to be released in the second half of 2019. This will allow for easy future network connectivity required to support fleet management and optimization of global multi-systems and multi-site enterprises.

Kornit remains focused on constantly introducing technology that allows the industry’s leading brands to better connect with their customers and to adapt to the rapid changes in consumer preferences.

As per the development strategy of Tajikistan industry for the period until 2030, the country plans to establish a full cycle of processing of cotton produced in the country by 2025. The specialised departments have reported a significant increase in exports of textile materials and products in 2018. However, export statistics indicate that more than 70 per cent of this amount depends on the sale of raw cotton fiber abroad.

Last year, Tajikistan exported textile materials and products worth $226.45 million, registering an increase of 24.6 per cent compared to 2017. Of this around $1,653 million was generated from the sale of cotton fiber an increase of 36.6 per cent.

The increase in raw cotton exports continues against the backdrop of statements by relevant government departments and a full-cycle domestic fiber processing program. Until mid-2000, cotton was considered one of the two main export articles from Tajikistan (along with aluminum). In the 1980s, about 800,000 tons of cotton was harvested annually in Soviet Tajikistan.

India may relax the 30 per cent local sourcing norm in the single-brand retail sector. The aim is to attract big foreign players. Big single-brand retail firms may also be permitted to open online stores before setting up brick-and-mortar shops.

Currently, online sale by a single-brand retail player is allowed only after opening of physical outlets. Single-brand foreign retailers may be allowed to adjust the incremental sourcing of goods from India for global operations during the initial ten years from the current five years against the mandatory sourcing requirement of 30 per cent of purchases from India.

The relaxation, however, would be subject to a condition that a foreign entity would have to bring foreign direct investment in excess of $200 million within the first two or three years. During April to June 2018, FDI in India grew by 23 per cent.

In January 2018, India allowed 100 per cent FDI in the sector, permitting foreign players in single-brand retail trade to set up their own shops in India without approval. The mandatory local sourcing requirement of 30 per cent was relaxed. A foreign retailer was allowed credit from an incremental increase in sourcing for its global operations from India toward the mandatory 30 per cent local sourcing requirement for its business in the country.

In a presentation at the Texworld USA exhibition here in New York, CNTAC executive Yan Yan said the industry will continue with its squeeze on environmental transgressions in the textile sector as the country’s exports of textile and clothing now account for 36 per cent of all global trade worth an estimated $2.7 trillion in 2017. These are all part of China’s 13th Five-Year plan which runs from 2016-2020.

Rather than actively encouraging own companies to join and take up global textile apparel initiatives such as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition or fully backing the likes of the ZDHC, China has set up its own Textile Sustainable Manufacturing Coalition (TSMC), whose goals include the stewardship of chemicals, water and carbon to 2020, with a new ‘circular’ stewardship goal added. Several textile firms, chemical companies, leather companies, a certification company and one bio-technology enterprise are members of this coalition.

China dominates US imports of cotton and manmade fiber nightwear and pajamas. China holds a 55.8 per cent share of the US market with a nine per cent share increase for the year through October. The next six major suppliers are all from volume-oriented and low-cost production Asian countries.

Cambodia, the number second supplier of intimates to the US, holds 4.25 per cent market share, with its share rising. Vietnam’s market share jumped 23.65 per cent to grab an 11.51 per cent market share. India’s market share increased 5.34 per cent in the period to 5.38 per cent. Bangladesh posted a 32.37 per cent increase to hold a 3.77 per cent market share in US imports, while Indonesia increased its market share by 10.67 per cent to 2.9 per cent on imports and Sri Lanka posted a 15.29 per cent hike to a market share of 1.9 per cent on imports.

The western hemisphere held a significant 25.38 per cent market share of underwear imports, a decline of 2.59 per cent in the period. The pull for manufacturing in the region comes from most of those imports benefiting from duty-free status under the North American and Central American Free Trade Agreements, and the speed-to-market and order-replenishment capabilities.

For the third quarter Burberry’s like-for-like sales inched up one per cent. Reported retail revenue dropped one per cent and on a currency-neutral basis, it was down two per cent. During the quarter, sales in China were up in the mid-single-digits.

The company is continuing to shift consumer perceptions of the brand, driving increases in digital engagement and endorsement from key influencers. It is building brand heat through its festive campaign, Vivienne Westwood collaboration and B-series product drops.

The company is still in the first phase of its multi-year plan to transform and reposition Burberry. It is transitioning from the straight see-now, buy-now model to a more nuanced approach. It has used the monthly B-series to generate a continuous flow of limited-edition products and keep consumers coming back for more. Sold predominantly through social media, these collections resonated strongly with new and younger customers and have been endorsed by key influencers around the world. In China, the B Series was recognised as 2018's most exciting luxury campaign on WeChat.

The collection with Vivienne Westwood also saw strong global demand and attracted exceptionally high traffic to its digital platform. Burberry’s social media presence is growing, with more than a million additional followers across Instagram and WeChat.

The upcoming Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics to be held from March 12 to 14, 2019, will see larger product zones and country pavilions – proving the fair’s growing recognition from worldwide suppliers who view these zones as gateways to the apparel market. Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is a global flagship for apparel sourcing. Exhibitors and visitors alike will benefit from product zones with clear themes, from high-end wool to original designs, as the one-stop locations aim to make it easy for visitors to locate more potential business partners.

Verve for Design, a product zone for original designs from all over the world, will see an increase in floor space this year and four new international exhibitors joining the zone. Verve for Design enjoys increased popularity among worldwide exhibitors who view Shanghai as a prime business platform.

The Milano Unica Pavilion will feature high-quality Italian exhibitors and has increased in size. Turkey zone will include more suppliers and new exhibitors. Bunyem will display jacquard and plain fabrics for women’s wear. Kotonteks has fancy woven fabrics for women’s wear. Ramnur will offer jacquard and brocade. Unlu Transfer will bring digital printed, coated, foiled and embossed fabrics.