A new research brief by the International Labor Organization (ILO) shows, the pandemic has accelerated so-called ‘shift to thrift’ among developed market consumers. Resale markets in Europe and America are on the rise with young generation showing growing preference for second-hand clothing.

Nevertheless, there is still considerable uncertainty about the future of these alternative consumption models, particularly when their environmental credentials are more closely scrutinized, notes the brief, titled ‘The post-COVID-19 garment industry in Asia. Growing demand for customization is increasing manufacturers’ efficiency and profit margins as they use algorithmic fitting for customers and 3D weaving. These new models also reduce losses due to inventory mismanagement that result in markdowns and stockouts.

Yet, the dominant garment industry model remains linear as the pace of sustainability progress in the fashion industry is slow. In addition, the pre-pandemic projections of rapid income growth among Asia’s 4.3 billion consumers and 4-5 per cent annual global growth in new garment sales are likely to far outstrip increases in garment reuse and resale, the report observes.

Data reveals a persistent ‘gap between intention and action on sustainability initiaitves. . Though their concerns about labor rights and environmental costs in garment supply chains have been growing, there is a general reluctance amongst them to pay for better social and environmental standards for garments that are produced with such costs internalized, the report adds.

The bankruptcy of Global Brands Group (GBG) Holding’s American subsidiary has created tensions amongst Bangladeshi ready-made garment (RMG) manufacturers who supplied their garments to the apparel and footwear wholesaler. As per a Dhaka Tribune report, GBG USA sourced apparels from at least 10 Bangladeshi factories with payments to several of these factories still pending.

The North American division of GBG Holding recently filed for chapter 11 protection in the US Bankruptcy Court of New York, putting its apparel and footwear brands up for sale with help from a $16 million bankruptcy loan, reports the Wall Street Journal. GBG also sourced garments from Li and Fung, another subsidiary of Fung Group and Rising Group, a Mirpur-based BGMEA-listed apparel factory. GBG USA had also ordered products worth $2.4 million in late 2019 from Denim Expert, a Chittagong-based apparel factory. The company had managed to ship the products before the outbreak of COVID-19. But GBG USA delayed taking the products when the pandemic hit the US. Mostafiz Uddin, Managing Director, Denim Expert, says the company’s bankruptcy negatively impacts its supplier factories.

Garware Synthetics’ net profit declined 64.18 per cent to Rs 0.5,556 crore in Q1FY 2021-22 that ended June 30, 2021 as against 0.1,552 crore in Q4 FY20-21 that ended March 31, 2021. The company reported total income of Rs.2.26 crore during the Q1 FY2021-22 quarter ended June 30, 2021 as compared to Rs.2.74 crore during the Q4 FY20-21 ended March 31, 2021.

The company has reported EPS of Rs.0.10 for the period ended June 30, 2021 as compared to Rs.0.27 for the period ended March 31, 2021. Garware Synthetic’s net profit grew by 220.35 per cent to Rs 0.0556 crore in Q1 FY2021-22 as compared to Rs 0.0462 crore in Q1 FY2020-21.

The company’s income grew by 246.36 per cent to Rs 2.26 crore in Q1 FY2021-22 as against Rs 0.6525 crore in Q1 FY2020-21. The company has reported EPS of Rs.0.10 for the period ended June 30, 2021 as compared to Rs.(0.08) for the period ended June 30, 2020.

Denim mill Cone Denim is using the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) tool to enable customers to access Life Cycle Assessment and comparison data for details on specific materials used in the mill’s fabrics. The mill has developed custom materials in the MSI tool for its full Spring/Summer 2022 fabric collection, and is among the first to offer this type of accessible, verified transparency to its customers.

As per Sourcing Journal, Cone Denim is a longtime champion of the Higg MSI as well as other tools in the Higg Index product suite, including the Higg Environmental Module (FEM), which provides insight on the environmental performance of individual facilities, and Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FSLM), which promotes safe and fair social and labor conditions. Earlier this year, Cone Denim’s parent company Elevate Textiles formally joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition to contribute data and resources to further support the Higg Index.

The new functionality is one part of the denim mill’s ongoing commitment to using more sustainable materials. In April, Elevate Textiles released its 2021 sustainability report highlighting that it has already reached 68 percent sustainably sourced cotton usage. By 2025, it aims to achieve 80 percent sustainably sourced cotton and 50 percent recycled polyester content.

The Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP) expects the country’s garment exports will fall below $1.4 billion projection for the year with disruptions caused by pandemic-induced lockdowns and shipping space constraints. Robert Young, President, FOBAP said, Philippines’ garment exports are expected to be lower than $1.2 to $1.4 billion target for this year as exporters are facing order cancellations amid disruptions due to lockdowns.

All manufacturing activities by exporting locators in the Freeport Area of Bataan have been ordered to halt operations during the ECQ given the surge in coronavirus cases, said Young. While garment exporters located in Philippine Economic Zone Authority zones and factory suppliers in Clark and Laguna are operational, their productivity is affected by the lack of transport, curfew and other restrictions, he added. Garment exporters are also facing other challenges such as the lack of shipping space, Young added.

Bio-garmenting is the new thing for the climate conscious consumer. Researchers, designers alike are constantly looking for new sustainable fabrics, processes to reduce the carbon footprint of garments. Now, Canadian-Iranian designer, Roya Aghighi has made a stunning invention, developing textiles with algae, which turn the surrounding carbon dioxide in the air to oxygen through the process of photosynthesis, reports Business World.

Indeed, Aghighi’s apparels show the way how textiles can be made, with living, photosynthetic cells. Still at laboratory stage, if this works out and reaches the market, one can look forward to a line of sustainable bio-couture for the eco conscious consumers.

Sustainability goals with carbon neutral clothing

A scenario where ones favourite dress lasts for two months only if it’s watered every week and put in the sunlight for atleast 7-8 hours a day. And to dispose the dress one simply needs to compost it and return it back to the soil without pushing it to a landfill or dumping in an incinerator that lead to fumes that raises the AQI of your city.

A 2017 Accenture survey had revealed 33 per cent consumers would buy more if they knew the manufacturer’s name. Indeed carbon-neutral apparel is perhaps the best way of reaching sustainability goals for brands. Carbon-neutrality encompasses strict benchmarks related to effluence free manufacturing, fertilizer free crop cultivation and 100 per cent water recycling to conserve ground water levels and most importantly, the tenets of buy, conserve and compost.

Stats and studies reveal, the global apparel industry emits 3.2 billion tons of CO2 annually, or 10 per cent of the global carbon emissions and more than 20 per cent of wastewater in addition to 93 million meters of textile waste. What’s more it takes over 70 million barrels of oil to produce all the global consumption of polyester fibres which constitute around 65 per cent of all clothing manufactured in factories with weak carbon footprint management systems.

While bio-couture, which involves sourcing alternative textiles from wood, fruit, bamboo, algae is the way forward, it may be costly for a mass-premium offering. And it’s yet to achieve critical mass in terms of pricing, mass production, evolved supply chains. However, given the right push, bio-couture will definitely achieve its moment of glory.

With the world focusing on reducing CO2e emissions to 45 per cent by 2030, and 0 per cent by 2045 perhaps it’s time to look for alternative ways of manufacturing. Much like handloom India could show the way with a huge manpower of skilled weavers, artisans and growers abounding in almost each village. Coupled with urban exfiltration and genealogical skills, India can easily lead the charge of carbon neutrality. Meanwhile designers like Roya Aghighi need to test their invention in the Indian market to stay relevant.

With higher precautionary measures in place, CHIC Shanghai scheduled from August 25 to 27, 2021 is now being postponed to October 9 to 11, 2021. Almost 500 brands will be present their range at the Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. “As the most important meeting place for the fashion industry in China, the safety of all exhibitors and visitors of CHIC is our top priority. For this reason, we have decided to postpone the next edition of CHIC in Shanghai to October in order to support the measures to combat the pandemic and enable all stakeholders to participate safely and efficiently,” said Chen Dapeng, President of China National Garment Association and CHIC - China International Fashion Fair.

The fair has been taking place physically again from July 2020, in compliance with strict safety and hygiene regulations. Various digital platforms are being set up in parallel. Among the brands lined up for the upcoming fair are: JINTIANSHI (menswear), VINI Bespoke (menswear), Zaijiu (womenswear), Jiebeidi (womenswear), COFNA (childrenswear), Laura Vita (shoes), Hattershub (headwear), MANNYLONQ (CHIC-Young Blood) and Dragon Heart (CHIC-Young Blood) and exciting up-and-coming designers such as KIMUSSO, Yujiantian and Wuma.

The fair expects 60,000 visitors. In the works are seminars and workshops on topics such as recognition and new opportunities of new retail in AI Fashion; 2021 Maker of Silk Road & Innovation of Design Infinity -- The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition of China Textile & Apparel SME.

The Chinese market continues to grow with, retail sales of consumer goods increasing by 23 per cent in the first half of the year, and Q@ growth of 13.9 per cent. The trend towards “premiumization” in the fashion market is being fuelled by China's growing middle class, which will make up 65 per cent of households by 2027. High-quality niche brands are particularly popular with young, fashion-conscious consumers.

Meanwhile CHIC has developed special solutions for digital participation via the CHIC digital platforms, as well as a range of innovative hybrid options that combine digital communication and product presentation. Individual business needs are matched via CHIC ́s digital tools and social media networks, efficient business talks are being coordinated using CHIC’s broad network in the industry.

CHIC Shanghai presents the entire selection of fashion segments in clearly structured, curated exhibition areas, from women's fashion, men's fashion, children's clothing, shoes, bags and accessories to designer collections. After CHIC Shanghai in October, the next edition of CHIC will take place from November 3- 5, 2021 in the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen.

ManojPatodia, Chairman, Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) believes, Prime Minister NarendraModi’s emphasis on four points to increase exports – increase in manufacturing, reduction in transport and logistics cost, government walking shoulder to shoulder with the exporters and expansion of international markets for domestic goods – will help achieve the goals of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Patodia also states that PM’s“personal intervention will ensure that all the Indian Missions abroad will actively participate along with the Export Promotion Councils in ensuring that the target set for each importing country is achieved by promoting India’s products with the overseas buyers.

As pointed out by some of the ambassadors of Indian Missions abroad, the acute shortage of containers and the need for greater focus on logistics development were emerging as major challenges. Patodia urged the Government to step in urgently to address the issue of container shortages faced by the exporters which is turning out to be very serious day by day.

The chairman also appealed to the government to include textiles in the priority list while negotiating FTAs with UK, Canada, Australia and the EU

Chinese cotton industry is moving ahead with plans to form a fairer and more transparent international industry standard-setting platform to replace the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), a Switzerland-based nongovernmental organization, as the latter failed to facilitate the positive and sound development of the global cotton supply chain.

The BCI, which had been the leader in the global cotton industry, has been under heavy fire both in China and abroad for its baseless "force labor" claims against cotton from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and is losing membership and leadership in the global industry.

In the latest development, US brand Levi Strauss was standing down from the BCI's leadership amid debate over the group's response to "alleged human rights abuses" in Xinjiang's cotton industry, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The US firm's reported move came after the BCI and H&M sparked widespread anger in China over their baseless claims against Xinjiang cotton. Meanwhile, several other large international fashion brands, including FILA and MUJI, expressed their strong support for Xinjiang cotton in defiance of BCI's claim.

Chinese industry experts said Levi's move is in line with expectation since the BCI's illusion over Xinjiang cotton not only damaged its own industry reputation but also bring about risks of uncertainty to the global textile supply chain, in which Xinjiang cotton holds a significant share.

The weakened BCI has created an opportunity for the Chinese industry to establish a new coalition for quality evaluation, say experts.

Denim education program Transformers ED is focusing on the Pakistan denim industry in its next schedule. Being held from September 14-16, the denim education program will provide three days of comprehensive information on the denim supply chain geared toward students in the region who are entering the fashion industry. The event will be organized in collaboration with two of Pakistan’s vertically integrated denim companies, Crescent Bahuman and Diamond Denim by Sapphire Group.

The English-speaking program is taking place online, reports Sourcing Journal. It features presentations and panels focused on denim production, what makes a responsible denim supply chain, logistics for successful textile recycling and circular business models, and creative branding and denim trends. The program has a new theme every day starting with ‘Technology Day,’ which homes in on the first step in the supply chain from fibers to dyeing. Topics include natural, man-made cellulosic, and synthetic fibers and chemical management in fabric production.

‘Sustainability and Responsibility Day’ covers the latest textile recycling developments, Cradle to Cradle approaches, social responsibility and a special presentation from the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) and the Conscious Fashion Campaign on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ‘Design and Trends Day’ features tips for conducting research and finding the best sources of inspiration, and the evolution of denim trends.