Entrepreneurs, industry associations and societies can be the main promoters of Tamil Nadu’s mini textile park scheme.

The proposed mini textile park must have a minimum of three textile manufacturing units to be set up in a minimum area of two acres.The project cost now covers common infrastructure, buildings for common facilities and factory buildings for production purposes and plant and machinery.

The facilities include a testing laboratory, a design center, a training centre, trade center, warehousing facility, raw material depot, creches, canteen, workers’ hostels and offices.Common infrastructure like roads, street lights, compound walls, drainage, water supply, electric supply including captive power plant, effluent treatment plant and telecommunications have also been brought under the eligible project cost.

The project cost must not include the cost of the land. Fifty per cent of the project cost, or Rs. 2.5 crore, whichever is less, will be provided as grant.

Tamil Nadu hopes to have nearly 100 mini textile parks. The mini textile park scheme was launched in 2016. But there were no takers as the subsidy of Rs2.5 crores was given only for development of common infrastructure at the parks. This condition was modified and the subsidy could be used for any purpose - plant and machinery.

The textile dye market is growing at six per cent a year. The increased demand in the apparel industry is expected to propel the textile dye market.

The Asia-Pacific is the largest region in the textile dye market while North America is expected to be the fastest growing region. The garment industry has a significant raw material base that includes all types of natural and synthetic fiber dyes, which has helped it achieve global prominence.

New technology is a key trend gaining popularity in the textile dyes market. The textile dyes sector is constantly innovating and adopting new advanced dyeing technologies to become a more sustainable industry.The use of nanotechnology to create more scientific clothing, such as fire-repellent, self-cleaning and water-repellent clothes, has resulted in significant advancements in the textile industry.

Major companies operating in the textile dyes sector are focused on new technologies to sustain their position in the market.In recent times, waterless smart dyeing technology is being adopted by most textile dyeing companies.Rapidly evolving fashion trends are prompting manufacturers to include new color combinations and designs, pivoting sales.The market posted impressive gains over the last five years.

Manufacturers are expected to primarily focus on Asian markets, with prominent countries such as India and China emerging as lucrative growth hubs.

Itema is exhibiting at Sitex, Surat, January 7 to 9, 2023.

Itema is a provider of advanced weaving solutions, including weaving machines, OEM spare parts and integrated services. Over the last year Itema installed many weaving machines in the textile mills of Surat.

Itema is by far the leading supplier of rapier weaving technology to Surat thanks to the excellent versatility and the superior textile mastery of its rapier machines which allow Surat weavers to produce fancy, sophisticated and fashionable saris and women’s dress fabrics. The impressive number of Itema rapier R9500 and R9000 family models installed in Surat mills testifies to the fact that Itema weaving technology is preferred by weavers to produce fabrics made with different yarns and weaving patterns.

Itema is showcasing at Sitex a rapier R9500-2 weaving machine, with a weaving width of 3800 mm and equipped with a Stäubli LXM 5376 hook jacquard shedding machine. The machine on display can weave a fabric traditionally produced in the mills of the region and is configured to meet local weavers’ production needs.

Sitex is the occasion to discover more about the company’s technological solutions to produce carbon tape and fiber, fiberglass, coatings fabrics, filter fabrics, just to name a few.

The value of textile and garment exports from Pakistan decreased by five per cent from July 2022 to November 2022.

Category-wise, knitwear exports rose by two per cent year on year during the period under review while exports of non-knit readymade garments were up one per cent. As for textiles, exports of cotton yarn decreased by 34 per cent while exports of cotton fabric fell four per cent. Bed wear exports declined by 13 per cent.

On the import front, synthetic fiber imports decreased by 37 per cent year on year while imports of synthetic and artificial silk yarn dropped by 23 per cent million during the same period. Meanwhile, the value of textile machinery imports by Pakistan in the same period decreased significantly by 41 per cent year on year, showing a drop in new investments.

In the earlier fiscal, textile and garment exports from Pakistan increased by 25 per cent. Pakistan’s textile exports plunged by 19 percent in November 2022 as compared to the corresponding period last year.

At a time when the country is faced with immense economic challenges and looking toward the IMF and friendly countries for inflows of dollars to meet its external liabilities, the continuous fall in textile exports is alarming and expected to add to its economic woes.

From January 2022 to November 2022 India’s apparel exports to the UAE have fallen by 36 per cent on a year on year basis.

Obviously the free trade agreement with the UAE isn’t proving much fruitful for the Indian apparel export sector.The UAE has also slipped to third rank in top Indian apparel export destinations’ tally, while the UK has gone up to the second rank – thanks to the latter’s positive sourcing from India.

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the United Arab Emirates was signed in May 2022 and it was speculated that India’s trade with the MiddleEast would get a boost.However, exports of other industries than textile and apparel such as gems, jewellery, sugar confectionery, cereals, and electrical machinery have noted a significant rise in the UAE market after the implementation of the CEPA. Even in the first eight-month period of fiscal year 2023– which was precisely the period of CEPA’s implementation – India’s apparel exports to the UAE market plunged by a whopping 42 per cent.

The fall in the UAE market has proved to be a headwind for Indian exporters who are performing well in other parts of the world.Till November 2022, India’s apparel exports to the global market grew by 11 per cent.

Odlo’s X-Alp ski touring outfit extends the brand’s expertise in seamless knitted base layers to ski outerwear for the first time.

The PFC-free, waterproof and windproof jacket consists of a knitted outer fabric that is extremely elastic in all directions thanks to its construction and is supported by a waterproof and highly breathable elastic membrane. The particularly quiet and soft hardshell material weighs only 120gsm and can be packed smaller than conventional hardshells. Zoned functions knitted into the face fabric provide further weight reduction, enhanced breathability and – combined with the underlaid waterproof membrane – a unique visual effect.

The new Performance Knit collection has been purposefully designed to bring the next generation of ski touring apparel to the growing number of everyday athletes taking to backcountry sport.

Odlo, based in Switzerland, has long been trusted as an expert in seamless base layer knitting and it now extends this craftsmanship through to ski outerwear. With the X-Alp Performance Knit 3L jacket and pants Odlo has employed innovative warp knitting and waterproof membrane technologies to deliver new levels of comfort and freedom of movement, while still delivering 3L protection from the elements.

This enhanced performance experience, combined with a distinctive design, sets these pieces apart from what’s come before.

Recycled nylon Sensil EcoCare is available in a wide variety of fibers and yarns for circular knit, warp knit, seamless and woven applications.

Sensil EcoCare is made from post-industrial recycled nylon 6.6 using a highly efficient recycling method that requires less energy, water and chemicals and generates a smaller carbon footprint than other recycling procedures.

The process retains the properties of virgin fibers for fine denier, high quality yarns. Sensil EcoCare is suitable for activewear, intimates, socks, hosiery, ready-to-wear, workwear, light industrial, medical and military end uses. It’s made by the North American company Nilit and is made completely from US materials. Adding the recycled nylon 6.6 to the Sensil EcoCare range of products helps Nilit respond effectively to the many US brands, retailers, and government agencies who prefer locally produced, environmentally responsible fabrics. Whether for compliance, supply chain management or sustainability, this latest addition to

Nilit’s Sensil portfolio is highly relevant for the entire textile and apparel industry in the United States.The increased use of recycled inputs is a significant aspect of Nilit’s sustainability strategy. Recycling is something that strongly resonates with conscious consumers. In addition, the US consumer truly appreciates products that are manufactured at home.

A series of fashion events will take place in Paris in the first quarter of 2023 aimed at fashionistas, trendsetters, designers or buyers.

Who’s Next will be held January 21 to 23. This fashion show was created in 1994 and is dedicated to ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories. Tranoi, to be held January 19 to 22, is a men’s fashion show and known for valuing creators and designers with an original stylistic proposal. It will welcome some 70 exhibitors of about fifteen nationalities. Independent trade show Man/Woman, January 20 to 22, will bring together around a hundred contemporary labels as well as some 20 Japanese brands. This ten-year-old fair offers a limited range of human-sized brands in the form of showrooms.

Fabric fair Texworld Evolution, from February 6 to 8,run since 2002, focuses on sourcing textiles for clothing and accessories. Some 450 exhibitors from some 15 countries are expected, including nearly 250 Chinese companies and Indian embroiderers and weavers, marking the return of Asian professionals to the show after two years of pandemic.

Première Vision Paris, February 7 to 9, an international meeting place for textile professionals, launched in 1973, will bring together more than 1,200 exhibitors from 44 countries working in various sourcing areas, from fibers to furnishing fabrics, leather, textile designs, clothing and accessories.

Year 2022 was the worst for Hong Kong, the already politically-charged South East Asian metropolis faced with a raging fifth wave of Covid-19 infections, stifling pandemic curbs, business closures, recession and falling home and stock prices. Known to be the priciest retail area in the world, Russell Street in Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon were veritable paradise for luxury shoppers, particularly from mainland China. From Hermès to Chanel, from Tiffany’s to Harry Winston, from Patek Philippe to Vacheron Constantin, Hong Kong’s luxury streets had them all.

Today, these areas are witnessing the departure of the famous names to be replaced by supermarkets, fast food restaurants and large dollar shops as Hong Kong has fallen from grace. Retail, along with commercial and residential spaces took a big hit and prices tumbled like never before. According to Cushman & Wakefield, a firm that tracks luxury retail space rents across the world, Hong Kong has been replaced by New York as the priciest.

Are heydays over for the city?

The metropolis will be among the region’s worst performers, overtaken by others that opened up earlier. Singapore, whose economy grew 4.4 per cent in the third quarter compared with the same period last year, upgraded its GDP forecast for the year to 3 to 4 per cent growth. Recently, Hong Kong downgraded its full-year economic forecast from between 0.5 per cent growth and 0.5 per cent contraction to a 3.2 per cent drop amid an ongoing recession. This was despite the second round of a consumption voucher scheme to boost the economy, which cost the government HK$68.1 billion (US$8.7 billion).GDP fell by 4.5 per cent in the third quarter from a year earlier, following a 1.3 per cent decline in the preceding quarter, while real GDP for January to September dropped by 3.3 per cent compared with the same period the previous year.

The city was also hit by global recession and incessant lockdowns in different parts of mainland China, which dealt a blow to production and Hong Kong exports. Retail outlets in Russell Street and TST now cater to the daily needs of Hong Kong residents and citizens rather than luxury goods shoppers from mainland China.

The tide started turning since 2014 when Hong Kong saw the beginning of the decline of mainland Chinese luxury customers. The pandemic isolated Hong Kong and luxury brands didn’t see any reason to linger when mainland China, poised to overtake the USA as the world’s largest luxury market, had the ideal place, Hainan, to invest and retail. Since 2021, the luxury brand exodus has been very evident and local experts predict that they are unlikely to return, signaling the end of heydays of luxury for this major international hub of South East Asia. Regional experts say that not only has Hainan gained but also to an extent Singapore, which handled Covid better and opened up earlier. Speaking to a leading local daily, senior economist Gary Ng Cheuk-yan from Natixis Corporate and Investment Bank said “Talent and investors had stayed away too, put off by stringent pandemic restrictions which “severely undermined Hong Kong’s competitiveness”.

Border reopening in 2023 brings hope

As mainland China and Hong Kong reopens borders, 2023 brings a ray of hope to Hong Kong’s luxury retail. Kowloon’s Harbour City, the biggest mall in Hong Kong has already reopened 70 shops that include Chanel, Miu Miu and Prada. Hong Kong does have the legacy of being the greatest luxury shopping destination in South and Far East Asia and can’t be written off yet.

Big data is the boon the fashion sector has been bestowed with. The primary aim is to identify customer segment through the analysis of customer preferences worldwide and provide insights into the changes in mindset with culture. With this, fashion retailers can target a wider audience for their designs, thus, bringing more potential for outreach and revenue. Big data can also drive one-to-one engagement with shoppers. With nearly 1 in 3 people making purchases online, many fashion companies have personalized their e-commerce journeys. Brands have been able to offer customers what they want and when they want it to cultivate loyalty.

From subjective to informed decision making

Indeed the global fashion sector is huge but more often than not decisions were and are still made subjectively, with a large risk of hit or miss. As per Ellen McArthur Foundation, this style of operating is the reason for substantial wastage – more than $500 billion of value goes down the drain every year due to underutilization of clothing and lack of recycling methods. For a while now, the fashion industry has been labeled ‘acting on gut feelings’ based on assumptions, poor market knowledge and understanding of customers spread across geographic markets.

Every year 25 per cent of online fashion retailers miss the opportunity of better margins simply because they lack in crunching big data and make informed decisions. In a world where fast fashion rules, assumptions based on feelings lead to 70 day or more gaps that make their products obsolete when hitting shelves. Well, things can change as sophisticated means of managing big data are available to help the sector make decisions based on insights that other industries are using to their advantage.

Fashion can no longer ignore efficiencies

Data generation is growing in quantum leaps and bounds. Today, 463 exabytes of data are being generated and the global cloud will have capacity to host 200 zettabytes of data by 2025, creating the ultimate goldmine of business information that industries worldwide need, fashion being no exception. Seizing descriptive analytics to their full potential will encompass determining the best marketing strategies, making much more accurate product recommendations to customers, or making pre-market launch product tests easier, better manage inventory levels and ultimately driving sales and profits. As per Valeriia Povergo, Founder, Dream Dress, a fashion tech start-up that enables fashion consumers to define the right fit without over-ordering says, data is critical for retail decision-making, and every solution revolves around it. Dream Dress integrates via API, and the data it generates will assist customers in matching the product search and directing them toward models that suit them. For retailers, it will be extremely beneficial because it will result in receiving the correct order and reducing the number of returns.

Accessible data benefits all

Acquired data helps brands and retailers understand what the customer wants, where and when and how customers undertake buying journeys which can be different across geographic markets, cultural sensitivities and sub-segments within a segment. The analysis will help design a more comprehensive customer experience that leads to engagement, loyalty and better sales. To speed up decision making, AI product discovery platforms provide analysed data upon which decisions can be made immediately. Amazon and Zolando provide personalized search options to customize offerings for individual customers. Leveraging big data is not a passing fad to dabble in but a robust business tool that will make all the difference for a brand’s or a retailer’s success from here on.