A retailer of sports and outdoor wear, JD Sports Fashion Plc’srevenue increased to £8.563 billion from £6.167 billion, with gross profit increasing to 49.1 per cent from 48 per cent.

The company’s profit before tax increased to £654.7 million from £324 million in the previous year, during the 52-weeks ending January 29, 2022.

The Sports Fashion retail chains in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, as well as North America, delivered strong results in the previous year, though Europe and Asia-Pacific were challenging.

Outdoorwear garments returned to profitability thanks to increased demand for vacations, with a profit before tax and exceptional items of £25.9 million.

The result demonstrates the company’s capacity for growth in both existing and new markets, and the strength of its global proposition and consumer engagement in store and online, says Helen Ashton, Interim Chair, JD Sports.

H&M has shut its flagship Shanghai store, as consumer demand has slumped in the city amid COVID-19 lockdowns and the fast-fashion is facing a backlash for continuing to use Xinjiang cotton.

The world's second-biggest fast-fashion retailer entered China in 2007 with the opening of the Shanghai flagship store and rapidly expanded. It had more than 500 stores in mainland China early last year but its website currently only lists 376, including the flagship Shanghai store.

Although nearly a month has passed since Shanghai lifted a strict two-month lockdown, consumers have yet to return to malls in significant numbers.

Chinese consumers have also beat a retreat from its products after a letter in which H&M expressed concerns about allegations of forced labour in the Xinjiang region came to light in 2021.

Other brands that publicly disavowed Xinjiang cotton such as Inditex's Zara, Nike and Adidas have also suffered with Chinese netizens calling for boycotts and Chinese celebrities refusing to work with them.

But the backlash against H&M, the first foreign retailer to express concerns, has been particularly harsh. Unlike other brands, its products remain unavailable on major Chinese e-commerce sites such as Tmall and JD.com.

World’s largest supplier of collegiate fan apparel, HanesBrands (HBI) has entered into a new primary apparel partnership with the University of Southern California (USC).

The 10-year agreement gives HBI exclusive rights in the mass and mid-tier retail channels to develop consumer-driven collections of fan apparel that will expand the University’s retail footprint.

The agreement is in addition to USC’s existing relationship with Nike, which is the official outfitter of the 21 varsity Trojan sports and provider of fan merchandise.

HBI, which owns the iconic Champion and Hanes brands, as well as the eco-forward Alternative Apparel brand, will design, manufacture and distribute an expansive collection of men’s, women’s, unisex, youth, infant and toddler fan apparel. HBI will create special activations and enhanced retail presentations beginning in January 2023.

The company brings in-house design expertise, manufacturing proficiency and a commitment to responsible, transparent manufacturing with a focus on people, planet and product.

Apparel brands from across the world plan to divert orders from Sri Lanka and are seeking discounts from Indian exporters to de-risk supplies from disruptions amid the political and economic crisis in the island nation.

The brands are asking for lower prices as key buyers US and Europe are facing high inflation, NarendraGoenka, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council, says, garment exporters plans to reduce prices by 5 per cent to bag from global brands. Our margins are already and a further reduction in prices will have more impact, he adds.

Supplies from Sri Lanka are cheaper and industry insiders said its exporters have the order book full, but their customers have started shifting orders elsewhere. Lanka exports $5.42 billion worth of garments annually.

Fashion retailers in Shanghai are stuck with piles of unsold inventory even a month after Shanghai lifted its strict COVID-19 lockdowns as cautious consumers are staying away from the commercial hub's glitzy shopping districts.

Curbs to stop the virus in Shanghai, China's fashion capital, ground the city to a halt in April and May, leaving clothing and beauty product displays in stores untouched and containers of imported apparel stranded at port.

The city's re-opening this month saw a flood of goods ship from warehouses to store shelves already laden with merchandise unsold during two months of lockdown. Normally around a fifth of all imported goods coming into China pass through Shanghai's port.

Days after COVID-19 curbs eased, large sales signs went up across Shanghai, with retailers from Lululemon to Victoria's Secret offering discounts to lure shoppers.

Even online retailers have struggled to clear a glut caused by lockdowns and supply interruptions. Josh Gardner, Founder and CEO-China, Kung Fu Data, which manages online stores for 10 fashion brands said, in April, May on platforms, there wasn't a T-shirt to be found, we were sold out of summer stock and so was everyone else, there was just no product, he added.

China is a major market for personal luxury goods companies with sales reaching $74.4 billion in 2021, according to Bain.

During "618" – a major shopping event in China from May 31 to June 20 - across the main e-commerce sites, such as Tmall and JD.com, were flat year-on-year. In the event's opening week, data from Tmall showed men's wear sales had dropped 22 per cent and women's wear was down 4 per cent , although activewear sales rose 26%, possibly due to an increased focus on fitness during the lockdown.

For now, some retailers are warehousing inventory and ordering less for the fourth quarter when they will try to clear existing stock through November's Singles' Day.

American Eagle Outfitters is exiting the China market, and has officially closed its Tmall store. The American retailer is taking a ‘temporary break as per its recent announcement on its official WeChat account.

Chinese customers can still buy American Eagle and Aerie products on the company’s official website, but all orders will be shipped from the United States.

The potential exit of American Eagle Outfitters demonstrates that the Chinese market is becoming increasingly difficult as domestic brands offer items at a lower price point and at a faster pace than international fast-fashion players.

Known for its denim and accessible casualwear products, the American retailer has shifted its focus onto the Indian market this year, with plans to open 50 stores in partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail.

ITMF will hold the physical edition of its annual conference after a gap of three years from September 18-20, 2022 in Davos, Switzerland. The event will be hosted by Swiss Textiles and Swiss Textile Machinery. The theme will be: Climate Change and a Sustainable Global Textile Value Chain. It will focus on the short and mid-term challenges faced by global industry leaders owing to the pandemic and supply chain disruptions.

Addressing climate change

The conference will not just address these challenges but also decipher learning from them. It will address the issue of climate change besides identifying solutions for sustainable textile production, and new market opportunities. The conference will serve as a platform for industry leaders to exchange manufacturing strategies and production models ideas. They will share their production expertise and future vision at the event.

The keynote address will be by David Bossart, CEO, Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, a renowned philosopher, futurist, retail and consumer analyst with over 22 years experience. He will speak on the topic: Between cheap, aspirational, and sustainable - textile manufacturing in a fully disruptive and interconnected world.

Focus on startups

The event will also host six start-ups who will share their innovations in the sector and business models. The sessions will help identify new solutions for converting challenges into opportunities.

Honoring excellence

ITMF will also organize the ITMF Awards 2022 to honor companies and individuals for their outstanding achievements in the sector. This year, the awards will be given in two categories: Innovation & Sustainability and International Cooperation.

Business navigation strategies

Introduced for the first time in 2019 in Porto, Portugal, The World Café will allow delegates to discuss in small groups their business navigation strategies. The results of these discussions will be shared among participants at the end of the event. The event will also provide opportunities to discuss the current state of the industry and a way out of the situation.

From June 21, the US government has passed a new law to prevent import of goods made by forced labor in China’s Xinjiang, reports Human Rights Watch. Known as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), the law enables US authorities to block imports of goods made by forced labor in China. It prevents Chinese authorities from committing atrocities against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in northwest Xinjiang region by preventing them from exporting these goods to the US.

Jim Wormington, Senior Researcher and Advocate for Social Accountability, Human Rights Watch warns, companies engaged in doing business with Xinjiang should immediately cut links with the region, else their goods might be detained at US borders.

Transparency over suppliers needed

On June 13, The US Customs and Border Protection Agency issued guidelines on the implementation of the law. These emphasize, importers need to be transparent about their supply chains right down to raw material suppliers. Companies importing goods from other countries also need to monitor their supply chain to avoid links with China. For products identified as being made partly or wholly in Xinjiang, importers need to provide evidence of them being free from forced labor.

No audits and certifications in Xinjiang

A multiagency group, the federal Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force issued additional guidelines on the law’s implementation. These include: banning brands, retailers, industry organizations and multi-stakeholder initiatives from conducting and commissioning audits and certifications in Xinjiang.

For effective implementation these laws, US customs officials need to correctly identify products made in Xinjiang amongst numerous other goods imported by the US, says Human Rights Watch. Customs officers also need to identify sectors at risks of being subjected to forced labor, and request information on suppliers. They should publish this data on their websites every monthly.

Penalize violators

Financial penalties should also be imposed on companies for importing goods made by forced labor in China. The US government should implement the Trafficking Victims Protect Act to punish corporations and company leaders engaging in business with forced labor perpetrators.

How effectively the US government implements the new law will be monitored by companies, says Wormington. The government should implement the law strictly and prevent import of goods made with forced labor, says Human Rights Watch. The UFLPA Act will help them in achieving this, it assures.

Luxury has just become more expensive, says a new report by Edited. Prices of luxury fashion products have surged 7 per cent above 2020 and 25 per cent above 2019, the report analyzes. They are currently at a four-year low though there’s less than 1 per cent year-on-year difference from last year.

Women’s outwear dominates price-rise

Prices of women’s outerwear have surged most during the three-year period increasing 20 per cent over 2019 to $3,395.12 on average. Products like Dolce & Gabbana’s Jacquard coat with embroidery are retailing at $66,000 now; these are followed by menswear retailing at $3,053.94.

Known for denoting a women’s status symbol, handbags are retailing 20 per cent higher than 2019. The highest prices are being commanded by Louis Vuitton followed by City Steamer and Capucines BB bags. These handbags and outwear have traditionally been more expensive than other products as they are delicately designed and made from expensive materials including animal fur. Though, the industry is largely going fur-free, a few brands continue to include fur in their collections, making their items more expensive. However, this is set to change with Italian brand Fendi opting for animal and plastic-free, lab-grown fur. The brand believes this can help restructure the prices of fur products across the globe.

Rising prices of affordable designer items

The prices of not just luxury but also affordable items from designer brands have also increased in the last few months. In women’s wear, price of trainers have increased 2 per cent while for men it has grown 10 per cent since 2019. Once again, the highest prices are being commanded by Louis Vuitton with its Luxembourg Samothrac e and Aftergame trainers recording the highest online price increase.

Prices for men’s T-shirts have gone up 55 per cent over 2019 while those of women’s T-shirts have grown 15 per cent. A Balenciaga cotton logo T-shirt that retailed at $595 years ago currently retails at $650 with Demna Gvasalia being considered one of the most high-profile designers currently.

However, the price hike isn’t discouraging customers. While consumer spending halted for some time due to fresh lockdowns in China and the Russia-Ukraine war, US sales of brands like Prada were strong enough to offset losses.

Rely on available data

As per the latest data from Edited, so far in 2022, luxury retail has surged 21 per cent over 2019. Prices will continue to rise despite the economic fallout triggered by Russia-Ukraine war and rising oil prices, says the report. With added sanctions across other nations, the war could lead to a decline in globalization and invite sanctions on more nations, adding to the strain on the supply chain. To avoid passing these costs onto customers and keeping their margins sustainable, retailers need to keep a close watch on available data.

Itema, the leading Italian manufacturer of advanced weaving solutions, including weaving machines, spare parts, and integrated services, will showcase the most comprehensive weaving portfolio in the market to weave technical fabrics at Techtextil, from June 21 to 24in Frankfurt, Germany. lications.

Thanks to this forward-looking choice, Itematech offers nowadays the most complete weaving machines portfolio to weave technical fabrics, ranging from Negative and Positive rapier, to Monorapier for carbon fiber and fancy styles, Airjet and the legendary Projectile.

Itematech representatives will be on site to present in detail all the Itematech weaving solutions and the widest range of fabrics that it is possible to successfully weaving thanks to the Itematech technology.

Particularly, Techtextil is the perfect occasion to discover more about the new entries in the portfolio, that along with the rapier R9500-2, the airjet A9500-2 and the projectile P7300HP make up the range of Itematech weaving machines: