Apparel exports from Mexico and Canada to the US declined during Jan-Feb ’19. US imports from these countries declined by 9.37 per cent and valued at $589 million against $649.92 million in the same period of prior year. The decline from Mexico was 10.28 per cent as export plunged to $498.62 million in the first two months of this year as compared to $555.62 million in the corresponding period last year.

On the other hand, Canada’s exports to the US fell by 4.11 per cent and clocked in $90.41 million as compared to $ 94.29 million in the same period of 2018. The fall in exports from Mexico and Canada was witnessed despite the close proximity of these countries with the USA.

On contrary, the US’ worldwide imports surged 5.12 per cent which signals a rising demand in the US apparel market. Amidst this demand, downturning export of Mexico and Canada is a worry as NAFTA agreement is still alive but is not helping these countries to gain a good chunk in the US apparel.

Karl Mayer will present state-of-the art technology and best-of-textile solutions for warp knitting, warp preparation and technical textiles at ITMA in Barcelona. The event, to be held from June 20-26, 2019 will include flexible, trendsetting machines with excellent cost: benefit ratios for use in warp knitting, innovations in warp sampling and direct warping for the warp preparation sector, a completely new machine for composite materials, and new products of the software trendsetter of the industry, KM.ON.

The ‘Future in Textiles’ forum will showcase well-thought-out textile solutions for modern living and highlight the most important trends of our times – digitisation and sustainability. Karl Mayer’s presentation will also include innovative warp preparation technology for processing high-quality yarns and display of exciting fabrics.

Karl Mayer, with its innovations, will forge a link from machine building, through applications, textiles and yarns, to the world of digitisation The company, with its holistic approach, will meet the demands of upheavals of our time. Its offers will make its buyers more confident of their future.

"Technology leaders such as Amazon, Deliveroo, Netflix, and Uber Technologies have raised customer expectations of speed and convenience. Amazon, through Prime offering, has created a system of same day delivery. Customers can now expect to get a taxi, watch a film, or receive a meal almost instantaneously and to make a choice based on an easy-to-assess interface or app."

Technology leaders such as Amazon, Deliveroo, Netflix, and Uber Technologies have raised customer expectations of speed and convenience. Amazon, through Prime offering, has created a system of same day delivery. Customers can now expect to get a taxi, watch a film, or receive a meal almost instantaneously and to make a choice based on an easy-to-assess interface or app.

However, fashion companies have failed to streamline customer decision process. They often struggle to shop based on their ideas, desires, or inspirations.

Customers inspired by external sources

One reason for fragmentation is change in the way consumers get inspired. A 2017 survey revealed, consumers are more likely to be inspired by external sources such as influencers, friends, and TV than by the brand or retailer. Around 41 per cent respondents relied on influencers and bloggers, compared to 20 per cent who put their faith in store employees.

This increasingly diverse nature of inspiration removes the direct connection between the idea and the item. Instead, consumers should seek the product they are looking for based on best guess of the right brand, description, season, or retailer. The key concern arises when the product is available for purchase before it is identified by the consumer. This frustrates his instant-gratification impulse, eliminating the opportunity to sell the product.

Cumbersome mobile sales process a concern

The average sales-conversion rates on desktop devices are around 3.2 per cent, while its 0.9 per cent on mobile devices. Reason: mobile consumer journey is not yet streamlined or compelling enough to inspire a purchase. Often, products are difficult to view on a small screen, or the checkout process is cumbersome and contains too many steps. In any case, the experience is not as seamless as it needs to be. This is a serious challenge for the fashion industry, especially given the relentless migration from desktop to mobile channels.

Emerging technologies help identify products

Some emerging technologies aid product identification, Social network, 21 Buttons, is designed to increase “shoppability” by enabling influencers to share shopping links to items they wear in posts. WeChat users are linked from blog posts directly to brands’ mini e-commerce sites, allowing them to purchase in one place without leaving the Chinese “mega-app.”

Visual search can be a particularly interesting proposition for the fashion industry in future. For instance, Screenshop enables users to take a screenshot or picture of “tops, skirts, shoes, etc,” and then shop similar items straight from their phones. Israeli company Syte.ai has also developed a visual tool serving some of the big high-street fashion names as clients.

Tools to drive sales

Larger fashion players and retailers are either developing tools in house or partnering with technology companies. ASOS, for example, has developed a Style Match search tool, and the company expects visual search to help drive a sales growth of 30 to 35 percent. eBay has launched an app that allows users to find items based on photos.

Amazon uses artificial intelligence to help people shop. Its Echo Look functionality can learn about an individual’s style and make recommendations based on what it sees. While many players are innovating in this space, no single player has captured mass customer adoption. 2019 will see clear signals of both how these tools will integrate into the day-to-day shopping experience for the average fashion consumer and which ones will succeed.

In its review of flammability standards for clothing textiles, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has proposed inclusion of spandex to the list of fabrics exempt from testing under the flammability standard. The agency is currently reviewing the dry cleaning procedure specified as part of the process for refurbishing plain and raised textile fabrics. The existing procedure calls for the solvent perchloroethylene which is one of the first 10 substances subject to risk evaluation under the reformed TSCA.

The CPSC is also reviewing the testing burden and cost of performing this dry cleaning procedure, and has asked for information on potential alternatives. General recommendations for how the agency can reduce the cost of testing requirements associated with it flammability standard for clothing textiles are also being accepted.

Jeanologia, leader in the development of sustainable and efficient technology, will present its new technological production model at Bangladesh Denim Expo. Capable of simplifying and streamlining workflow ‘from lab to bulk’, this innovative model is based on simplicity, efficiency, reproducibility. The process starts by selecting the correct fabric using the Light Sensitive Fabric Test. From there starts the design process using e-Mark 5, the most advanced laser design software; for the production to be completed with laser, G2 ozone and e-Flow. And lastly, it measures the environmental impact of the garment with the help of the EIM software.

Jeanologia, through this method, brings together software and hardware, facilitating the production process for businesses in Bangladesh. It integrates the whole technological process at one site allowing greater efficiency, obtaining a product that is fashionable as well as being ethical and environmentally responsible.

Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS) will rebrand as Impressions Expo, beginning with its first trade show of the year set for January 2020 in Long Beach, California. Owned and operated by Emerald Expositions, ISS is dedicated to the imprinted and decorated apparel industry comprising five annual shows in different regions of the U.S.

The show’s new name is meant to further align the brand with Impressions magazine, a B2B publication servicing the decorated apparel industry. All events under the new Impressions Expo name will continue to feature the same product categories, yet under a name that now encompasses the entirety of the decorated apparel industry, from raw goods and fabrics to the finished packaged product.

Screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-garment printing, heat transfers and promotional products are a few of the product categories the trade show serves.

Attendees will notice the first design changes taking effect at Impressions Expo – Long Beach’s pre-show registration, opening the end of August. ImpressionsExpo.com, the show’s new website, will also be launching soon.

GHCL, India’s leading chemical and textile company, posted a net revenue of Rs 3,385 crore in the year ended March 2019, registering a growth of 16 per cent compared to net revenue of Rs 2,917 crore in the previous financial year. Earnings before interest, depreciation and taxation (EBIDTA) grew by 21 per cent to Rs 784 crore as against Rs 649 crore in FY 2017-18.

During the 12-month period, profit before tax grew by 30 per cent to Rs 541 crore from Rs 415 crore in FY18. Business segment-wise, GHCL’s Home Textiles business grew by 15 per cent to Rs 1,202 crore in FY19 as compared to Rs 1,046 crore in FY18. While its Inorganics Chemicals division grew by 17 per cent to Rs 2,182 crore in FY19 as compared to Rs 1,872 crore in FY18.

For the fourth quarter (Q4) of FY19, the company’s net revenue grew by 26 per cent to Rs 915 crore as compared to Rs 726 crore in the corresponding quarter ended March 31, 2018. EBIDTA grew by 31 per cent to Rs 241 crore as against Rs 185 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Net profit, i.e. profit after tax, grew by 44 per cent to Rs 119 crore as against Rs 82 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Textile traders in Bhilwara have demanded minimal GST taxes for all raw clothing categories including textile, polyester yarn, wool and other materials. Further, textile traders have also sought tax sops for entities engaged in the business for more than 20 years. Ambaji Textile Market Association has recommended a uniform 5 percent rate for cloth textiles and yarns.

Bhilwara produces almost 40-45 per cent of the total yarn manufactured in India. But after GST was introduced, cloth is taxed at 5 per cent whereas yarn is taxed at 12 percent. Input credit is also not available to the businesses. Traders have also sought subsidies in their electricity bills as the power supply situation in the city is quite bleak. They want assurances from both the centre and states that their issues will be looked into.

Retailers squeeze their suppliers in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Myanmar and Pakistan so hard financially that suppliers cut costs in ways that exacerbate workplace abuses and heighten brands’ exposure to human rights risks, says Human Rights Watch.

Suppliers across Asia face relentless pressure from international retailers to meet an enormous demand for poorly forecast garment orders. Companies do not adjust pricing for local wage increases, shortening the due dates for shipments, and delaying payments to suppliers — all of which worsen labor abuses in factories. Among other pressures, retailers also impose unfair penalties for missed production deadlines.

Brands try to drive down the price without accurately costing for labor and social compliance. It takes a toll on workers because factories begin to make them work excessive overtime. In 2018, nearly 40 per cent of retailers were late to pay their suppliers and 60 per cent of suppliers were not given incentives to comply with their buyers’ public labor standards. Brands push suppliers for low prices, short lead times, and maximum flexibility. In order to drive down costs and meet short deadlines, suppliers hide excessive overtime hours, suppress wages, and employ child labor, among other strategies that increase human rights risks.

In 2018, China's viscose staple fiber production capacity increased by nearly 7,00,000 tons. Due to the increase of production capacity, supply in the viscose staple fiber market is exceeding demand, leading to a fall in price.

From January to March 2019, the production of viscose staple fibers was about 9,50,000 tons, and the inventory in the first quarter was about 4,00,000 tons. From January to March 2019, the market price of viscose staple fibers fell by 12.73 per cent. Viscose staple fibers are experiencing a great shock of energy and price rebalancing after the full release of production capacity.

The viscose staple fiber market price in China is expected to rebound in the second quarter of 2019. Viscose staple fibers factories need to adjust their start-up rate reasonably. Downstream yarn factories can also actively participate in the market. In this way, the viscose staple fiber industry is expected to step out of the deep loss situation. Viscose staple fiber production in China has managed to offset the year-on-year drop in polyester and acrylic staple fiber production. But polyester staple fiber production still makes up the bulk of overall staple fiber production in China. Acrylic staple fiber production is expected to account for 4.4 per cent of total staple fiber production in China.