São Paulo, Brazil hosts the São Paulo Fashion Week twice a year, showcasing a variety of clothing styles. It is the most prominent fashion event in Latin America and one of the emerging fashion weeks in the world, apart from the Big Four of New York, London, Paris, and Milan, which have dominated the fashion scene since the 1990s.

Türkiye is the second largest textile producer in the EU and fifth globally. The country is the world's largest producer of denim, fourth largest supplier of home textiles, fabrics and denim fabrics, and the fifth largest producer of yarns. Textile is the second largest industry in Türkiye in terms of production with total production value of $82.4 billion, including the apparel sector. 

However, the country’s large textile industry is struggling with multiple challenges, including weak demand from its main export markets, lower capacity usage and loss of competitiveness, with sector representatives calling for government action. Employment in the sector is declining, while capacity utilization rate across the industry has fallen to 70 per cent.

A struggling industry

Ahmet Öksüz, President of the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association (İTHİB) stated the industry posted a trade deficit last year. It was the net importer in 2022. Öksüz says, contraction in the main export markets is causing serious problems for local textile companies, Öksüz says, dumped imports of textile products are eroding local competitiveness. Turkish products are high quality and therefore, cannot compete with cheap products from countries like Uzbekistan. The government needs to provide the sector with some protective measures to prevent job losses and rendering billions of US dollars-worth of investments idle. 

Big manufacturers go bust

The first time the writing appeared on the wall for the textile sector was during the global financial crash of 2008. Established manufacturers were queued up by banks for closure as surmounting debts rendered them un-payable. In recent years, important manufacturers such as Emek Kumaş, Kale İplik and Üçyıldız Tekstil have been foreclosed by banks. 

One after the other, well-established companies are announcing their bankruptcies. These include those operating for many years. In 2008, during the global crisis, many textile enterprises were closed the companies were seized by banks in return for their debts. Experts explain a similar situation will not occur in the coming period but businesses that fail to overcome their problems will continue to close down. For example, Emek Global Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi, Emek Kumaş Dış Ticaret İnşaat ve Sanayi A.Ş. and Emekteks Dış Ticaret Limited Şirketi under Emek Group, whose foundation dates back to 1957, have requested concordat. Tekirdağ Commercial Court of First Instance granted three-month temporary respite for the companies and appointed a commissioner for the supervision of company activities. 

Türkiye textile industry, which is among the world’s largest textile exporters, experienced a 13.6 per cent decrease in the first half of the year. In the January-June period of 2023, Turkish textile and raw materials sector exports, which were valued at $5.9 billion, decreased 22.1 per cent to $ 953 million in June 2023 and declined 6.9 per cent compared to the previous month and by 22.1 per cent compared to June 2022. 

EU countries maintained their first place in the exports of textile and raw materials in the January-June period of 2023. In this period, exports to 27 EU countries decreased by 22.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2022 and amounted to $2.4 billion. The second country group with the highest exports of textile and raw materials was African countries. Exports to African countries declined by 18.9 per cent in this period and were recorded at $ 622 million.

In a significant move towards climate protection and energy security, the Lenzing Group has signed a 15-year supply contract with Austrian electricity producer WLK energy for the purchase of around 13 megawatts of wind power. This deal will commence in the first quarter of 2025, upon completion of the Engelhartstetten wind farm, a joint project involving several partners, including WLK energy.

With a total output of 45 megawatts, the Engelhartstetten wind farm will generate enough electricity to power approximately 10,000 households in Austria annually. Lenzing's share of 13 megawatts will directly cater to the energy needs of its Upper Austria site. The groundbreaking ceremony for the wind farm is scheduled for November 9, 2023.

This wind power supply agreement aligns with Lenzing's commitment to sustainability and long-term energy stability. "The generation of renewable electrical energy from wind and solar power and from biomass is a cornerstone of our corporate strategy and the basis for long-term commercial success," stated Christian Skilich, member of the Management Board of the Lenzing Group.

Lenzing has been actively pursuing carbon reduction goals. In 2019, the company pledged to cut its CO2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This commitment has been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative. 

In 2022, Lenzing collaborated with Verbund to establish Upper Austria's largest open-space photovoltaic plant and signed an additional electricity supply contract for photovoltaic energy with green electricity producers Enery and Energie Steiermark.

Lenzing's partnership with WLK energy demonstrates the company's dedication to environmental responsibility and its determination to secure a sustainable energy future.

Indian Textile industry

The Indian textile industry faces several challenges, including a fragmented supply chain, limited quality training, and a reliance on traditional labor-intensive technologies. These obstacles hinder the sector's growth and limit its ability to capitalize on its export potential.

Addressing these challenges requires a multi-pronged approach. First, the government needs to streamline the supply chain by enhancing coordination and resource utilization among MSMEs. Second, investments in quality training programs should be expanded to reach the unorganized sector, which currently accounts for 95% of the industry. 

Finally, the adoption of modern technologies is crucial to improve productivity, reduce environmental impact, and enhance India's textile brand image.

Embracing sustainability and circularity practices, along with focusing on emerging segments like technical textiles, will further bolster the sector's growth and propel India into a global leader in the textile industry.

Textile Industry Experts to Gather for Informative Discussions

The Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) will host the Philippine Textile Congress from November 7 to November 24, 2023. The congress will feature a series of informative talks and lectures presented by distinguished figures and textile industry experts, both from the Philippines and around the globe.

AATCC, the leading authority on textile testing and standards, will be presenting on the importance of proficiency textile testing. 

The presentation will focus on Proficiency Testing Programs and Schemes relevant to the textile industry. The presentation will also cover the definition of proficiency testing and its importance for textile laboratories, the advantages of Proficiency Testing in terms of compliance, performance, and customer relations for textile laboratories, and the key features and benefits of the AATCC Proficiency Testing Program.

The Philippine Textile Congress is a platform for researchers, students, creatives, industry partners, and textile experts to converge, converse and collaborate to spur innovation in Philippine textiles.

ITMA ASIA + CITME, the leading textile machinery exhibition in Asia, is set to return for its 9th edition from October 14 to 18, 2024, at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai. 

This marquee event, a joint collaboration between CEMATEX, the China Textile Machinery Association, and the Japan Textile Machinery Association, brings together the global expertise of ITMA with the deep-rooted industry knowledge of CITME, China's top textile event.

ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024 will serve as the premier business platform for textile machinery manufacturers in Asia, providing them with an unparalleled opportunity to showcase their latest innovations and advancements to a global audience of potential buyers seeking cutting-edge solutions. The exhibition will feature a comprehensive range of textile machinery, from fiber preparation and spinning to weaving, knitting, and finishing, catering to the diverse needs of the entire textile industry value chain.

With strong support from prominent international and regional industry associations, including the Korea Textile Machinery Association and the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry, ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024 is poised to attract a record-breaking number of exhibitors and attendees, fostering a vibrant environment for knowledge exchange, business partnerships, and industry growth.

In a strategic move towards sustainability and energy autonomy, the Lenzing Group, a prominent global supplier of specialty fibers, has finalized a 15-year supply contract with Austrian electricity producer WLK energy. 

The deal encompasses the purchase of approximately 13 megawatts of wind power from a new wind farm in Engelhartstetten, starting from the first quarter of 2025. This initiative reinforces Lenzing's dedication to climate protection and the broader energy transition while securing a long-term investment in a stable and diverse electricity supply.

The collaborative project involves WLK energy and features the construction of an 11-turbine wind farm with a total output of 45 megawatts. Lenzing's share, exclusively catering to its Upper Austria site, mirrors the annual electricity needs of approximately 10,000 households in Austria. The groundbreaking ceremony, scheduled for November 9, 2023, underscores the company's commitment to renewable energy.

Christian Skilich, a member of the Lenzing Group's Management Board, emphasizes the significance of renewable energy in their corporate strategy. This move aligns with Lenzing's goal, set in 2019, to reduce CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, recognized by the Science Based Targets Initiative. 

The Engelhartstetten wind farm underscores Lenzing's commitment to decarbonization, fostering independence from the global energy market, and ensuring long-term commercial success.

AATCC, a pivotal authority in textile testing and standards, is set to address the 2023 Philippine Textile Congress on November 15, with Garry Atkinson, a Senior Technical Associate at AATCC, as a distinguished guest speaker. 

Atkinson's presentation, "Proficiency Testing for Textiles: Key Insights for Ensuring Accurate Textile Testing Laboratory Results," will headline Session 6: Textile Standards and Testing during the Congress, a comprehensive event featuring expert talks spanning November 7 to November 24.

The focus of Atkinson's discourse lies in illuminating the significance of proficiency testing (PT) in guaranteeing precise execution of textile test methods by industry players and laboratories. The presentation will delve into the AATCC PT Program for Textiles, spotlighting its tailored design to augment the performance of textile laboratories and showcase their competency to customers and accrediting bodies. 

By elucidating the definition and importance of proficiency testing, Atkinson aims to underscore the advantages it offers in terms of compliance, performance, and customer relations for textile laboratories. The talk will further explore the broader role of AATCC in fostering global connections within the textile community to propel innovation, knowledge, and sustainability. 

Attendees can anticipate gaining insights into AATCC Membership Benefits and the streamlined process of becoming a member, further enhancing their engagement with this indispensable industry authority.

Leading sportswear manufacturer Bowker Asia has achieved impressive results following the implementation of Coats Digital's FastReactPlan solution. The company has increased production efficiency by 3%, improved plan accuracy by 10%, and realized a further 10% improvement in on-time delivery performance (OTDP).

FastReactPlan has enabled Bowker to centralize its planning and scheduling information into a single, unified system, providing real-time visibility into overall production capacity, standardized PO, color, size, and delivery level. This has streamlined cross-team collaboration, improved decision-making, and helped the company to take on more complex and varied orders.

Bowker now has the ability to view capacity plans from multiple perspectives and select the most optimal plan based on factors such as cost, efficiency, and delivery time. FastReactPlan has also helped the company to achieve an optimum capacity utilization rate and effectively manage a longer-term forward-looking plan.

Boutique Living, a leading home textiles and linens brand, has introduced the Caressa Collection, a luxurious blend of TENCEL™ branded fibers and cotton. The collection is designed to enhance sleep quality with unmatched levels of softness, comfort, and a range of positive wellness effects.

TENCEL™ fibers are extracted from the eucalyptus tree and are known for their natural goodness, including their ability to regulate temperature and moisture, promote healthy skin, and resist bacteria. When blended with cotton, TENCEL™ fibers create bed linens that are softer, more durable, and more breathable than traditional cotton linens.

The Caressa Collection features a diverse range of understated designs inspired by global design sensibilities and the timeless charm of American homes. The bed sheet sets offer a classic, enduring look that transcends trends, and the Dohars embody superior softness and style.