The global sewing machine market is growing at five per cent, reveals as study by Research and Markets.com. The study states the market is expected to reach $5.9 billion by 2028, rising at a market growth of 5.7% CAGR during the forecast period.

Based on type, the market is segmented into: electric, computerized and manual. The electric segment acquired the largest revenue share in the sewing machine market in 2021. Based on application, the market is segmented into: industrial, commercial and residential. The residential segment registered a significant revenue share in the sewing machine market in 2021.

The study finds, the apparel segment acquired the largest revenue share in the sewing machine market in 2021.

Based on regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific acquired the largest revenue share in 2021. China and Japan, contribute significantly to market revenue. The growing textile sector in developing countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam is also leading to high demand for sewing machines in the region. One of the most important driving forces for the region's growth is the increasing number of international corporations investing across the region. The availability of low-cost labor and materials throughout the region has helped the region's market income.

George Varghese is Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of Shahi Exports. He has experience of two decades across entrepreneurship, manufacturing, IT/ITES, retail and pharma. Varghese has worked with Himatsingka Seide, Accenture and Titan. In his previous role, he was serving as Head of Human Resources, Global Business Services, First Abu Dhabi Bank. He will now lead the people strategy at Shahi Exports.

Having around 55 factories across India, and with a workforce of nearly 1.25 lakh people, Shahi Exports is one of the most respected apparel export houses in India. It is also known for its employee-friendly policies and initiatives. Established in 1974 Shahi has vertically integrated operations, a diversified product range, and a strong commitment to ethical operations and environmental sustainability. The company operates textile mills to produce woven and knitted fabrics, sourcing high-quality cotton that is further processed into textiles for garments and other products. A significant proportion of the cotton sourced is certified as sustainable either by the Global Organic Textile Standard or the Better Cotton Initiative. Shahi’s textile mills manufacture garments for some of the world’s biggest

brands. An in-house design team and laboratory ensure seamless integration of customers’ needs from fiber to final product.

The Scheme for Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) has been extended till March 31, 2024. After the introduction of GST in 2017, the RoSL (Rebate of State Levies) scheme was replaced by a new scheme, the Rebate of State and Central Taxes Levies (RoSCTL) in March 2019. This scheme is meant for exports of apparel/garments and made-ups and the aim is to boost exports and job creation in the textile sector. 

RoSCTL is a forward-looking and growth-oriented scheme which has provided a stable and predictable policy regime, helping boost exports and employment. The scheme helped improve cost efficiency and the export competitiveness in the international market. 

It has also promoted incubation of start-ups and entrepreneurs in the domain and has also led to a large number of MSMEs joining the apparel export business. Micro, small and medium units in India are being provided an encouraging atmosphere. Their tax burden is being eased. The rate of corporate tax has been reduced to 25 per cent for companies with a turnover of up to Rs 250 crores. The threshold limit for applicability of presumptive taxation of business income has been increased from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crores.

Sportswear company Puma will outfit 12 federations and several medal contenders at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, and provide latest Nitro technology, so they can perform their best. Ever since its foundation in 1948, Puma’s philosophy has been to provide the fastest athletes the fastest products, an attitude summarized in the brand’s motto Forever Faster.

In Eugene, individual Puma athletes, performing in Puma’s footwear technology, include 400m hurdles world-record holder Karsten Warholm, pole vault world-record holder Armand "Mondo" Duplantis, triple Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse, Ukrainian indoor high-jump world champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, triple jumpers Patricia Marmona and Will Claye and many more.

The athletics federations of Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, the British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Switzerland and Trinidad and Tobago will all perform in Puma apparel. 

Track and field is sports and athleticism in its purest form and embedded in the very core of Puma. There are also improved versions of the gold-medal-winning Puma evoSpeed Nitro Elite and several new products for long-distance runners. The evoSpeed Distance Nitro Elite+ 2 spike uses Puma’s proprietary Nitro foam and a Pwrplate for exceptional energy return and is aimed at events ranging from 800m to 10,000m. The Deviate Nitro Elite 2 is even lighter than its predecessors. The futuristic and aggressively designed Fast-R Nitro Elite uses Nitro Elite technology and a Pwrplate to support an efficient run.

Garment Show of India will be held in Noida from July 27 to 29, 2022. The event will bring together over 1,000 brands, retailers, wholesalers, and retail chains and will feature over 200 readymade garment manufacturers from across India. More than 10,000 visitors are expected to visit the show from Delhi, NCR, Meerut, Hyderabad, Trichy, Madurai, Chennai and Bangalore. This will include manufacturers, brands, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, agents, e-commerce companies and retail chains engaged in the active wear/intimate/sports/yoga/fitness segments. Apart from readymade garments the event will also feature home textiles, fashion accessories, luggage, ethnic and western wear.

The trade show is organised by Delhi-based media and events business Saina Events.  Along with exhibitor booths, the trade show will feature one-on-one networking opportunities designed to help manufacturers to link up with retailers to expand their distribution network. Trend forecasting and knowledge sharing will also be facilitated. Creating a comprehensive platform, the sourcing show will connect the entire manufacturing and supply chain by bringing together the best manufacturers of apparel products and serious buyers for all types of garments from across India. The exhibition is focused on transforming North India into an effective sourcing base for all types of garments.

International Apparel and Textile Fair will be held in Dubai from November 28 to 30, 2022. The event will showcase clothing, accessories and more from global manufacturers, including India. The event has opened exhibitor registration and has scheduled over 100 exhibitors. The trade show will bring together buyers, retailers, and wholesalers from the Middle East and the North Africa region are looking to source apparel to retail in international markets. Over 3,000 buyers from the Mena region will browse a wide selection of apparel, textiles, accessories, home ware, footwear, leather goods, jute products, handbags, machinery, and more. With the apparel retail market growing swiftly in the Gulf region, there exists significant opportunities for businesses to establish themselves as leading sourcing brands in the region. The three-day bi-annual trade show will feature networking opportunities for brands with buyers from countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain, among others. 

Designers and industry professionals are flocking to Dubai, which is fast making its mark on the industry. Dubai has become an important centre, with  a very interesting energy and a very strong creative vibe. Fashion with a conscience is a priority for a lot of brands in Dubai. Dubai is also making waves in interior design. For many designers Dubai acts as a creative inspiration for their work since Dubai is a melting pot in the Middle East and the Gulf and both designers and Dubai love elaborate things and artistic things.

In June 2022, Vietnamese cotton imports dropped by 35 per cent year-on-year and 22 per cent month-on-month. Vietnamese yarn imports moved down one per cent year-on-year and 10 per cent month-on-month and exports dropped by 23 per cent year-on-year and three per cent month-on-month, states at CCF Group report. 

Fabric imports decreased six per cent year-on-year and 18 per cent  month-on-month. Vietnamese textiles and apparel exports moved up by 17 per cent year-on-year and 13 per cent month-on-month. The export value was second only to the highest level in January 2022, the second highest in the first half of 2022.

Vietnam’ cotton imports in June were down 35 per cent over the same period last year and 22 per cent from the previous month. The US was the main source of Vietnam’s cotton imports, accounting for 57 per cent of the total imports, followed by Brazil and Australia, accounting for 17 per cent and nine per cent respectively.

In conclusion, Vietnamese textile and apparel exports in June increased for four consecutive months, which were second only to the highest level in the first half of 2022, but its cotton imports, yarn imports and grey fabric imports all decreased year-on-year and month-on-month.

India’s exports of textiles and handicrafts were at an all-time high last financial year. Demand for Indian textiles in the domestic and overseas markets is high. Especially after the pandemic, one sector under textiles which has really got a boost is home textiles. The seven mega textile parks that were launched are aimed at reducing the high logistics costs as well as the fragmented value chain which obtains now.

Most of India’s major exporting destinations like the US and EU are opting for a China plus one strategy, which will prove to be beneficial for India since the cost of labor is low in India as compared to that in neighboring countries.

However, Indian exporters face price pressures. Global apparel brands are negotiating hard with Indian exporters as cotton prices have fallen 15 per cent and the rupee has depreciated against the dollar. They want Indian apparel exporters to supply garments at the pre-covid level prices. The impending recessionary pressure in the US and Europe is forcing global brands to negotiate hard with Indian exporters, who have now started looking at other countries like Japan, Australia and Latin America for developing new markets for Indian apparels.

Adidas has launched a collection in collaboration with Beyoncé’s Ivy Park, called Ivytopia, the new drop includes fashion styles, performance gear, footwear, and accessories available in inclusive and gender-neutral sizing. Moreover, the drop includes children’s wear. In particular, the collection features swimwear and modern silhouettes created with everybody in mind. Design details include floral-inspired prints, bold crystal prints, futuristic details and shapes to evoke another worldly experience. It also includes textiles like printed power mesh, metallic spandex, stretch twills, and French terry that speak to Ivy Park’s love of athleticism and fashion, amplified through lines and cuts that are abstract yet flattering. 

Accessories for the collection mirror the apparel’s inspiration and include a five-panel wide brim hat, a reversible IVP bucket hat, as well as a tote that is oversized and multi-functional with removable exterior pouch pockets. Also included is a three-pack assortment of socks in line with the collection’s color palette. 

Rounding out the collection is footwear styles including the iconic Stan Smith, which has been re-worked with a bold and slightly futuristic look. Additionally, there are both a new iteration of the Savage sneaker and the Ultra Boost in engineered knit which provides a light touch through design and feel.

The European fashion industry seems to be going back to nature as fabrics made from plant-based materials are set to dominate most collections in autumn/winter 2022-23 season. A report titled ‘Survey of the European fabric fairs for autumn/winter 2022-23,’ by the global business information company Textiles Intelligence reveals, fibers extracted from banana, pineapple and agricultural waste will become especially popular during the season.

Performance fabrics to gain popularity 

Fabrics for A/W2022/23 will focus on environmental sustainability as manufacturers will introduce collections made from fabrics combining performance with value. Fashion producers will also introduce collections made from artificial leathers, linen and fabrics made using fibres derived from plant waste. Zurich-based fabric producer Bananatex will launch a range of biodegradable and tear-resistant fabrics made using fibres derived from Abacá, a species of banana plant. Extremely durable, these Abacá fibres are mostly used to make shipping ropes. Grown by local farmers in Philippine highlands, these fibers can be found in the country’s sustainably managed forests

To use these abaca fibers derived fabrics in its accessories, apparel and footwear collections, Bananatex is collaborating with major apparel brands like the H&M. Launched in 2018, the company is relatively young compared to contemporaries like the Madrid, Span-based Pyratex that has developed a fabric made using agricultural waste derived from banana cultivation.

Stabilizing oil in the Himalayan regions

Pyratex has launched Element I, a plant-based fabric made using fibres extracted from the stalks of wild giant stinging nettle plants. Naturally strong and breathable, these fabrics are durable and comfortable to wear. Originating in the Napalese Himalayas, Nettle plants and their stalks are harvested annually to promote root growth and stabilize the soil, especially in the mountainous Himalayan regions.

Based in Illinois, US, Natural Fiber Welding is the first company to produce plant-based artificial leather at scale .The company launched Mirum, an artificial leather made with biopolymers derived from agricultural by-products. Artificial leathers are traditionally made using polymers such as polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).  However, Mirum fibers are derived from natural fillers, including coconut husk fibre, cork powder, natural rubber, rice husk fibre, and vegetable oil.

Focus on linen fabrics

A/W 2022-23 season will also focus on the linen fabrics. Manufacturers will explore the fibers’ thermo-regulating properties and make it suitable for various applications.  Consumers will also continue to source more linen boosting demand during the A/W 2022-23 season, says the Confédération Européenne du Lin et du Chanvre (CELC--European Confederation of Flax and Hemp).