The Sri Lankan National Chamber of Exporters has appreciated its apparel sector for contributing 44 per cent to Sri Lanka’s exports revenue and providing employment opportunities to a large labor force in rural and urban areas of the country.

According to the Chamber, the sector’s direct and indirect employment has contributed to uplifting living standards, conforming to globally renowned ethical and good manufacturing practices (GMP). This has earned it the sobriquet ‘Garments without Guilt’ while catering to many internationally reputed brands.

The enterprises export their products to discerning markets led by the US, EU and the Far East. With the COVID-19 pandemic, both large and SME exporters adapted their product portfolios to match a wide range of special protective apparels that were urgently needed by consumers. This earned them confidence and reputation among buyers for being able to change-up production during challenging times.

The COVID-19 preventive measures taken by Sri Lanka helped minimize the effects caused by the pandemic. Effective polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and contact-tracing mechanisms have supported the dedicated medical personnel, healthcare workers, and the Tri-Forces to manage the pandemic efficiently. It is commendable to note the leadership provided by the President and his dedicated team of officials to keep our country safe in the best possible manner.

Held between September 13-25, 2020 Intimate fashion tradeshow Curve’s new digital edition Curve Connect was attended by Brazalian brands like Daniela Tombini and Mari M.

The companies closed deals worth $17.5 thousand during the event. The brands participated in Curve Connect with the support of Texbrasil (Brazilian Textile and Fashion Industry Internationalization Program) – the result of a partnership between Abit (Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association) and Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency).

This was the first edition of the Daniela Tombini at the tradeshow. According to Edurado Tombino, Operations Director, the digital edition helped the brand to add the best in technology and bring business and people together. The brand was able to get initial orders from other countries, like Canada. It is also working with a few interested American customers.

A de facto Saudi ban on Turkish goods has hit global fashion brands in the latest sign of the escalating rivalry between the regional powers. However, Mango, which has almost 50 stores in Saudi Arabia, has played down the impact of the restrictions. According to the brand, this does not represent a big problem as the production is diversified and flexible, and it is confident of continuing with business under normal circumstances in Saudi Arabia.

Sweden’s H&M opined it was too early to comment on the most recently communicated trade restrictions and its significance for our business. Britain’s Marks and Spencer and Spain’s Inditex, which also source some of their products from Turkey and have stores in Saudi Arabia, declined to comment.

Boohoo, a UK-based online retailer that seeks to expand in the Middle East, is working to establish whether its Turkish-made garments would be affected, Saudi Arabia recently banned all imports for made in Turkey products. Turkish products have faced long delays at Saudi customs over the past month. The problems have been viewed by businesses as an attempt by Riyadh and its close ally the United Arab Emirates to punish Ankara for what they deem to be its destabilizing interventions in the Arab world.

According to Cushman & Wakefield, the average monthly rentals in Delhi's upscale retail locations of Khan market, South Extension and Connaught Place declined by 14 per cent year-on-year during the July-September period.

According to the data, rentals in malls were stable during the period. At present, malls in South Delhi commands per sq ft monthly rentals of Rs 600, West Delhi Rs 325, Gurugram Rs 350, Noida Rs 250, Greater Noida Rs 125 and Ghaziabad Rs 200.

The consultant noted that key high streets across most cities had become strong F&B (food and beverage) destinations along with other retailer categories across apparel and accessories segments. With most retail businesses being start-ups, they faced working capital challenges and found real estate costs as a big burden.

The consultant said that exits across retail segments were seen and it created new vacancy in the high street locations. With most retailers shelving their expansion plans for the next 6-12 months, new demand was also quite limited.

In such an unprecedented situation, landlords in high streets had to offer lower rents to new space enquiries as active retailers were negotiating hard, Sharma said. In some cases, landlords offered to reduce rents for a short time period or gave rent abatement support. Revenue sharing arrangements as suggested by retailers were also supported by landlords to ensure that retailers stay afloat.

At a recent webinar, Cotton Development Board (CDB), an autonomous body and responsible for the cotton industry of Bangladesh, announced plans to enhance the production of raw cotton to 20 lakh bales by 2041from the current annual production of 1.71 lakh bales.

CPB plans to achieve this target by improving cotton production acreage up to two lakh hectares which is now only 44,000 hectares and raising per hectare production up to 10 bales instead of 6.15 bales, annually imports some 71 lakh bales cotton from abroad at a cost of over Taka 30,000 crore.

The webinar was attended by dignitaries like Kai Hughes, Executive Director, International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC); Robert D Simpson, FAO Representative, Bangladesh; SM Bakhtiar, Executive Chairman, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Al Sayeed Negom, Professor, Cotton Research Institute in Egypt and Keshob Kanti, Head-Information, ICAC.

The CDB, which was first formed by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on December 14 in 1972, is working to enhance cotton cultivation on agro-forest land, saline, char and hilly areas across the country.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the establishment of footwear, garment, and leather processing factories in Kano and Abia states, through a PPP worth N5.08 billion, in a bid to revive its production.

These factories will help the Nigerian government create will create 1,290 direct employment and 3,000 indirect employment on operational. The factories will be established in partnership with Erojim Investment and its technical partners, Poly Technologies of China.

The PPP arrangement will help the government establish world-class factories using the most modern technology and quality inputs to produce high-quality shoes, garments, and leather products to meet the demand of NCS and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), whose personnel wear uniforms and make use of other accessories.

In a smart response to the pandemic, Supima staged its annual celebration Design Lab entirely online as the organization looked forward to its next participation at this month’s Hyères Festival.

For 2020, Supima Design Lab featured a wide selection of ideas and creations, showcased in a 20-minute video on Supima.com.

The Supima Design Competition enabled all six finalists to show their ideas before a virtual French garden, La Notre, with a white tech topiary. Led by this year’s winner Amanda Forastieri, all finalists attend fashion and design schools in the United States, from Parsons School of Design to FIT.

Next ten young designers from Hyères showed ideas, ranging from Katarzyna Cichy’s enveloping all-white jumpsuit to Andrea Grossi’s remarkable biker jacket and pants printed in the shape of a human torso and finished with the designer’s name in gothic script alongside intense illustrations.

Finally, the event featured a curated pick of designers: Lutz Huelle, Thierry Colson, Dice Kayek, Jean Paul Knott and On Aura Tout Vu.

The current situation with respect to the corona pandemic and the associated international travel restrictions have caused Messe Frankfurt to postpone the next Heimtextil, the world’s biggest trade fair for home and contract textiles, from the planned dates in January until May 04-07, 2021.

Heimtextil 2021 will share the fairgrounds with Techtextil, the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, and Texprocess, the leading international trade fair for processing textile and flexible materials. The two trade fairs are held every two years in May and, together with Heimtextil, offer the opportunity to present the entire textile value chain at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre from 4 to 7 May 2021.

Heimtextil is the biggest international trade fair for home and contract textiles. The first trade fair of the year for its sector, it is a climate and trend barometer for the new business year.

HanesBrands, has announced new, wide-ranging 2030 global sustainability goals that include a commitment to setting science-based environmental targets, a goal of improving the lives of at least 10 million people, and addressing the use of plastics and sustainable raw materials in products and packaging.

The goals were launched via a new sustainability website, www.HBISustains.com , designed to increase company transparency and reporting on key metrics, including diversity, human rights benchmarks and risk assessments for investors.

According to these goals, the company aims to improve the lives of at least 10 million people through health and wellness programs, diversity and inclusion initiatives, improved workplace quality, and philanthropic efforts that improve local communities by 2030.

It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 per cent to align with science-based targets, reduce water use by 25 percent, use 100 per cent renewable electricity in company-owned operations, and bring landfill waste to zero.

At an even quicker pace, HanesBrands will eliminate all single-use plastics and reduce packaging weight by 25% while also moving to 100% recycled polyester and sustainably sourced cotton.

As part of the company’s 2030 goals, HanesBrands has signed the Science Based Targets Call-to-Action Commitment Letter, pledging the company to develop science-based targets by 2022.

The company also is building on its long history of employee volunteerism, which provides ample opportunities for its employees to give back to their communities. Through its 2030 goals, HanesBrands is encouraging its 63,000 employees in more than 40 countries to become actively engaged in their communities by volunteering their time.

Kornit Digital, a worldwide market leader in digital textile printing technology, will join the 2020 Innovate Textile & Apparel Virtual Trade Show, WTiN’s annual global exhibition highlighting the true innovators in technology, production, and value chain leadership for the textile and apparel industry.

For this year’s event, Kornit will exhibit its latest capabilities for digital direct-to-garment and roll-to-roll production, including the only single-step process for delivering durable, retail-quality impressions on multiple fabrics within minutes.

Visitors will find opportunities to learn more about Kornit’s portfolio of industry-leading DTG systems, Kornit Presto, Kornit’s new Softener solution Kornit’s range of available pallets and Kornit’s acquisition of Custom Gateway

In addition to sharing diverse customer testimonials, Kornit will be hosting live consultations with system experts, to answer all questions and present Kornit’s value proposition for ongoing business needs. The company will also be leading a seminar presentation during the event.