Global consultancy Research and Markets has pegged an estimated $27.89 billion in 2022 for India's sports equipment, footwear and apparel market and by 2027 it is expected to reach $40.64 billion growing at a CAGR of 7.82 per cent.

Growth drivers

So, what is driving this healthy growth? For a start, the two years of working from home has raised awareness levels about sports and fitness significantly. Even the average urban couch potato has risen to attempt at a fitter lifestyle. Secondly, awareness has benefitted as India sees more organized community activities and sports events. Growing access to online retail platforms has exposed the Indian consumer to trendy athleisure and accessories that look good and promise to be comfortable.

However, while the change is more visible in adults market, the kids market does not show the same enthusiastic growth as Indian kids seem more inclined towards video games rather than real ones. Indian retailers vouch this fact as they state despite life returning to normal, fervent festive clothing and occasion wear sales between September and December 2022, athleisure and sportswear held their ground.

In fact it is quite the trend to mix a piece of athleisure wear with formal clothing, particularly footwear. As Venu Nair, MD and CEO Shoppers Stop points out, India’s casual wear space has really expanded and will continue do so in the foreseeable future as the casualization of attire continues in India’s post-Covid life. He feels, Indians now see no reason to look casually smart and feel wonderfully comfortable all at once. Shoppers Stop has witnessed that despite festive and wedding season purchases, athleisure and sportswear just kept selling.

Jubi Samuel, Senior Director, Myntra’s sports division says, more brands are designing and producing trendy and comfortable wear, being inclusive with sizes and creating lines of wear anywhere and every day kind of clothing. And tapping the lucrative market, Bollywood sar Akshay Kumar recently launched his leisure line of T-shirts, sweat shirts and caps called Force IX. Retailed online exclusively through Myntra, the brand targets consumers looking for trendy street and casual wear. Experts say, with a young population with higher disposable income, athleisure and sportswear will have a good run ahead.

Global trend also simila

Data from research company SkyQuest shows, globally, the athleisure and sportswear market is expected to reach $548 billion by 2028 from $326 billion in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 8.4 per cent, slightly higher than the Indian CAGR. Athleisure is a popular category because it appeals to several broad trends, such as the global shift toward consumers wearing more casual attire, the desire for comfortable clothing, and the increase in athletic activity among health-conscious consumers who need performance clothing for these activities.

Sales of athleisure and sportswear have received a robust boost from online retail platforms that continue to be the largest distribution channels for this category. The online distribution segment witnessed a 16.3 per cent surge in sales in 2021 and experts feel this will continue for the forecasted period between 2021 and 2028. The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to develop significantly as concerns about leading healthy lives among people increases. Additionally, the region’s athleisure market growth is growing due to increased foreign brand penetration, rising disposable income, and a desire for better lifestyles. The North American region is anticipated to have a significant market share due to rising health and fitness concerns.

International Textile Manufactures Federation (ITMF), Zurich, which conducts a survey on cotton contamination every two years, revealed a decrease in contamination and stickiness in raw cotton in its 2022 report. The report covers 104 spinning mills across 21 countries and evaluates 78 different cotton growths. Contamination is one of the critical issues for spinners to maintain first grade yarn quality because it causes the breakages in the warping, sizing, and weaving results in tile defective packages as well as faults in the fabric thus lowering the efficiency means increased cost of production.

Additionally, farmer's income can be increased by at least 10 per cent only by controlling contamination factors. The difference of 10 to 14 per cent in prices of ‘A’ index cotton and Grade-3 cotton can be reduced and a substantial increase in cotton value can also be achieved by controlling contamination alone. Sticky cotton can reduce cotton gin output (in bales/hr) by up to 25 per cent. At the textile mill, stickiness means reduced processing efficiency, lower yarn quality, excessive wear and increased maintenance of machinery may occur even with slightly sticky cotton.

Drop in contaminated cotton supplies

The level of cottons moderately or seriously contaminated as perceived by the spinning mills from around the world decreased 25 per cent in 2019 and further 22 per cent in 2022. Almost 6 per cent of all evaluated cotton were seriously contaminated by some sort of foreign matter whereas 16 per cent were only moderately contaminated. Another 5 per cent of all processed cottons were moderately or seriously contaminated by ‘tar’ and 43 per cent were moderately or seriously contaminated by organic matter such as, leaves, feathers, paper, leather, etc. Other serious contaminants are strings made of plastic film which was 31 per cent, fabrics made of plastic film 39 per cent and, strings made of woven plastic 30 per cent.

The 10 most contaminated cotton descriptions considered for the survey originated in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Togo and coastal Tanzania. The 10 least contaminated raw cottons were produced in Spain, China (Anhui, Shandong), Australia, US (Memphis territory, Pima, Arizona, South-Eastern) and Mexico (Juarez).

Less stickiness in farmed cotton

The presence of sticky cotton as perceived by spinning mills has been decreasing for almost 10 years, from 23 per cent in 2013 to 12 per cent in 2022 and remains at the lowest level since 1989. The 10 descriptions that were most affected by stickiness originated in Afghanistan, the US (Pima, Arizona), Tajikistan, Cameroon, Brazil, Argentina, India , Sudan and Zimbabwe. On the other end of the range, cotton from Pakistan, China (Shandong, Anhui, Hebei), Greece, South Africa, Mozambique, the US (Memphis Territory) and Uganda were not or hardly affected by stickiness.

Seed-coat fragments still an issue

The appearance of seed-coat fragments in cotton growths remains an issue for spinners around the world. Almost 33 per cent of all cotton growth consumed contained moderate or significant amounts of seed-coat fragments The most affected by seed-coat fragments originated from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, coastal Tanzania, Egypt, Türkiye and Togo. The 10 cotton growth with least presence of seed-coat fragments are: Sudan Cameroon, Australia, Greece, Spain, China (Shandong, Hebei, Anhui), and Mexico.

High trash content increases processing losses and lowers the quality of output of yarns. Stains in cotton adversely further affect the dyeing process. Poor quality cotton in terms of its physical properties not only raises the processing costs at the initial input and intermediate stages but also reduces the output and quality of the final textiles, yarns, fabrics and apparels.

Spring Fair, the leading UK marketplace for wholesale Home, Gift, and Fashion returns to the NEC Birmingham from February 5th to 8th, 2023.

With the support of independent retailers, multiples, and up-and-coming new talent, the fair offers cross-buying opportunities for retailers and showcases thousands of new products.

Highlights and Features

At the New Product Showcase, buyers can discover the latest designs and launches. In the Sustainability Showcase, visitors can learn about sustainable products and meet experts from Products of Change. The Inspiring Retail Stage features over 40 speakers sharing market intelligence, trends, and valuable industry information. Theo Paphitis and The Style Sisters will be among the speakers. The fair also hosts the #SBS Village, dedicated to supporting start-up businesses.

Home

The Spring Fair 2023 will feature a variety of home and outdoor lifestyle brands such as Coach House, Kaemingk, and Hill Interiors, as well as housewares from Apollo Housewares, T&G Woodware Ltd, and Blue Stem Group. The event will also introduce Pure Table Top, showcasing beautiful tablewares from brands such as Joules and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. The Everyday sector in Hall 1 offers affordable items from Avron, Hovemint, and 151 Products.

Gift

The Gift sector at Spring Fair showcases an array of contemporary and personalised gifts from top brands. The Beauty & Wellbeing sector features the most sought-after pampering products that are ethically made and sourced. The Greetings & Stationery sector features the most creative cards and stationery from leading exhibitors. The Christmas, Floral & Seasonal Decorations sector brings the festive season to life. The Party & Celebrations sector is filled with joy-bringing decorations and costumes for every occasion. Kids, Toys and Play offers the finest children's toys, gadgets, and craft gifts.

Fashion

The UK's Moda fashion trade show is an important destination for retailers, with collections from over 300 UK and international brands, four clearly defined sectors: Womenswear, Footwear, Fashion Accessories, and Jewellery & Watch. Moda presents the latest collections from leading women's wear labels, sought-after footwear brands, handbags, and jewelry from well-known brands. J&W, with over 100 exhibitors, is the biggest returning jewelry showcase in the UK, offering fine jewelry, silver jewelry, fashion jewelry, and more. A dedicated area for jewelry creation is also available.

Moda Stage

Moda Stage features inspirational catwalk shows, seminars, workshops, and awards, offering free trend inspiration and business insights. The Moda Catwalk, at 11am, 1pm, and 2.30pm each day, showcases the latest womenswear, footwear, and accessories. The latest trends including Sundial, The Vibe, Electric, and Different Angles, are presented through styled outfits from Saloos, Jayley Collection, Lighthouse Clothing, and footwear headline sponsor Lunar. The Moda Catwalk is a must-see for buyers.

Spring Fair, as ‘shop for sops” has supported the retail industry for over 70 years and now encompasses the UK’s longest running fashion buying show Moda, offering retailers unmissable cross-buying opportunities across home, gift and fashion, and access to up-and-coming new design talent and hundreds of exciting brands which exhibit exclusively at Spring Fair.

Nicola Meadows, Portfolio Director at Spring & Autumn Fair says; “I am delighted to be back at Spring Fair in my new role as Portfolio Director with thousands of inspirational brands filling the halls with the latest best-selling products”.

With newness and sustainability at the forefront, Spring Fair 2023 is set to offer a vibrant showcase for retailers and buyers alike. “This year’s Spring Fair is set to offer retailers a truly international and vibrant showcase with newness and sustainability top of the agenda”, concludes Nicola

Paris-based Kering Group has appointed Raffaella Cornaggia as the CEO of its newly-formed Kering Beauté division. Cornaggia will be reporting to Jean-François Palus, Kering's Group Managing Director, and will join the Group's Executive Committee. Her role will involve developing beauty expertise for Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Pomellato and Qeelin.

With over 25 years of experience in the beauty industry, Cornaggia has worked in various roles at L'Oréal, Chanel Parfums Beauté, Estée Lauder, and MAC Cosmetics. She has a proven track record of developing beauty brands on a global scale, which is why Kering sees her as the ideal candidate to lead the Kering Beauté division.

The creation of Kering Beauté will enable the Group to support its brands in developing the beauty category, which aligns with the Group's strategy and market positioning. The aim is to create value for the Group and its brands, leveraging the unique identity of each brand.

Kering is a luxury group that manages the development of several renowned houses in fashion, leather goods, and jewelry, including Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen, and Pomellato. The Group places creativity at the heart of its strategy, empowering its houses to set new limits in creative expression while ensuring sustainable and responsible luxury.

Pure London, the UK's leading trade fashion buying event, is set to showcase a range of international accessory specialists at Olympia London on 12th-14th February 2023.

The event will feature collections from Landa Bags, Siloa & Mook, Alex Max, Bulaggi, Big Metal, Cotswold Knit, COTI, and Pretty Little Props, among others. The event will also showcase a diverse collection of South African footwear and accessory brands, including Burgundy Collective, Saint & Summer, Fathima Khan Luxury, and more.

According to Gloria Sandrucci, Event Director at Pure London, the event will present brands that lead in sustainability, craftsmanship, and design, capturing the tone of the industry in a compelling showcase.

The Cellulose Fibres Conference 2023 will take place on 8th and 9th March in Cologne and online, bringing together international experts to discuss hot topics in the cellulose fibre industry.

The two-day event will provide an in-depth look into the latest developments in the cellulose fibre sector and feature innovative start-ups, technologies, and novel fibre applications, with a special focus on the textile sector and its shift towards circular economy.

The conference will cover topics from fibre production to recycling, policy, and market trends, with seven sessions covering various aspects of the industry.

The highlight of the conference will be the “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2023” award, sponsored by GIG Karasek. Lenzing and LIST Technology are the gold sponsors of the event, while DIENES Apparatebau and Kelheim Fibres are supporting as bronze sponsors.

Trident’s ebitda margin for the third quarter was 17 per cent. The company’s net debt to equity improved in December 2022 from March 2022.

The company has implemented a business-wise federal structure which enables entrepreneurial, agile, and empowered leadership. Further, the textile business has been bifurcated into three individual segments - yarn, towels and bedsheets-- which have enabled the businesses to focus on their respective strengths and efficient optimization of resources.

Trident had earlier announced a capex for capacity addition in yarn, towels, bedsheets and the chemical business for which the projects are under different development and implementation stages. Some 1,93,344 spindles in the yarns segment will be added along with 42 looms in the towels segment and a capacity of 90,000 meters per day in the bedsheets segment.

Based at Ludhiana, Trident is a vertically integrated textile (yarn, towel and bedsheet) and paper (wheat straw-based) manufacturer. Trident’s towel, yarn, bed sheets, and paper businesses have earned global recognition. Trident is one of the largest players in home textiles in India. Supplying national, captive, and retailer-owned brands, the organization is highly decorated with awards from its customers, vendors, and various government entities in recognition of advancing the highest standards in product quality, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

The 36th edition of Milano Unica, the Italian trade show for high-end fashion textiles and accessories, saw a positive balance in terms of visitor attendance, particularly from abroad. The show drew in a total of 5,304 visitors, an increase of 47.5% from the February 2022 edition, including 1,500 international visitors (+105%) and 3,804 Italian visitors (+33%).

475 international companies showcased their collections for the Spring/Summer 2024 season at the Fiera Milano Rho, which were met with great enthusiasm by the visitors. The most important export markets for Made-in-Italy textiles recorded significant increases, including Korea, Japan (+423%), the USA (+143%), Great Britain (+77%), Germany (+67%), and France (+32%).

Made in Italy to aim excellence through increased responsibility, traceability

President Alessandro Barberis Canonico commented on the successful edition, saying, “It is a great satisfaction to observe that the exhibitors emphasized the qualitative contribution not only of the services offered, but also of the qualified selection of visitors. The decision to address the topic of traceability during the opening ceremony helped us to highlight that today, the product can no longer be supported only by creativity, but requires a guarantee of excellence through increased responsibility, understood as transparency, authenticity, reliability, and immutability, as well as the expression of the values of social and environmental ethics and Made in Italy production.”

Sergio Tamborini, President of Sistema Moda Italia, was impressed by the outcome of the show and said, “This edition of Milano Unica is definitely positive for the significant attendance and presence of buyers and industry operators, with an important share from abroad. But it is particularly on the product front that we can see important steps forward in terms of high quality going hand in hand with sustainability.”

Role of Italian Trade Agency highlighted

Institutional greetings were given by Luca Palermo, CEO of Fiera Milano; Carlo Capasa, President of the National Chamber of Fashion; Ercole Botto Poala, President of Confindustria Moda, and Maurizio Forte, Director of the Office for Promotion of Made-in-Italy Products at the Italian Trade Agency ITA. Massimo Mosiello, General Manager, concluded the show by acknowledging the contributions of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency ITA, saying, “None of this would have been possible without the invaluable contribution of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency ITA, which have supported us since the first edition.”

Curve New York is a three-day event taking place at the Javits Center in New York, starting from February 5th to 7th 2023.

The show will bring together over 150 lingerie, swimwear, sportswear, and intimate apparel brands, connecting them with buyers, press, and industry influencers. The attendees will have educational sessions on sales and profitability led by experts Larisa Olson, Shelly Domenech, and Debbie Donelle.

The show will also host Fit Bootcamps conducted by Elomi, Freya, Fantasie, and Goddess, and a roundtable discussion on the introduction of men's lingerie in stores, led by Kimmay Caldwell and Roman Sipe of Menagerie.

The event will showcase some of the latest lingerie trends, such as the sheer revolution, where innovations in textiles have resulted in more comfortable and durable see-through nylons, bodysuits, and shapewear, with sports bras even doubling as outerwear. Another trend is elevated style for men and non-women, with innovative brands like Daringly, Skivvies, Tani USA, and Flakes pushing the boundaries in men's underwear with technologically-enhanced, ultra-soft fabrics. The trend of pleasure dressing at home, which has seen consumers deepen their relationships with themselves and dress up for their own enjoyment, will also be featured, with brands like Anita, Aspen Dream, Andine, Calida, and Arlotta showcasing their best work-from-home wear.

Another highlight of the show is dopamine dressing, where brands are bringing out their boldest and brightest colors to boost one's mood. Brands like Kixies, Happy Undies, Thistle and Spire, and Wrapped up by VP are leading the way with mood-boosting designs. The trend of runway-ready lingerie hitting the streets will also be evident, with brands like Entos, Hauty, Coquette, and MADIVA showcasing their innerwear ready to be worn out on the town.

Curve, hosted by Comexposium, is the leading platform for intimate apparel and swimwear in North America

Fashion Designer, Perfumer Paco Rabanne Dies At 88.

Paco Rabanne, born Francisco Rabaneda-Cuervo, was a Spanish fashion designer known for his eclectic and often unwearable designs.

Nicknamed "Wacko Paco" in the 1960s, Rabanne later became famous for his globally popular line of fragrances. He dressed famous figures such as Lady Gaga, Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot, and Francoise Hardy and was a co-creator of the 1960s space-age movement in fashion.

Rabanne studied architecture at the Beaux-Arts university in Paris and began his career creating accessories that caught the attention of famous designers like Christian Dior and Yves Saint-Laurent. In 1968, Rabanne signed a deal with the Barcelona-based Puig family, which marked his entry into perfumes.

Rabanne was known for his provocations and eccentric beliefs, including claims of multiple lives, 78,000 years of age, and predictions of Paris' destruction based on the writings of Nostradamus. He was described as a futurist, couturier, mystic, madman, and many more.