According to the 2021 Annual Report released by GOTS, there was a significant increase in the number of certified facilities in 2021 despite continued COVID constraints.

According to the report, the number of GOTS certified facilities increased by 19 per cent in 2021 with Certification Bodies (CBs) reporting 12,338 facilities in 79 countries. The additional CBs are helping meet an ever-increasing demand for certification. The rise in certifications also allowed GOTS to expand internally, adding Representatives as well as colleagues with expertise in Standard Development and Implementation, Quality Assurance, Communication, and IT. Visits to the GOTS website jumped 43 per cent from 2020 and GOTS’s following on social media expanded significantly, gaining 57 per cent across platforms.

The report further chronicles the implementation of the most recent update to the standard document, GOTS version 6.0, and the release of ‘Conditions for the Use of GOTS Signs (CUGS)’, which outlines the rules for using the GOTS logo and labeling and updates to GOTS Scope and Transaction Certification policies which are a crucial part of the certification process.

Cornell University has launched n new study on alternative models for social protection for garment workers.

Undertaken by the New Conversations Project at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the project lays out the key elements for a global severance fund, namely the need for it to be legally binding and to feature detailed obligations on brands and employers regarding the provision of severance. The fund should not replace the need for government social protection schemes, but rather incentivise the strengthening of such schemes. The findings support the proposal for an enforceable agreement put forward by the Pay Your Workers-Respect Labour Rights (Pay Your Workers) campaign, which is backed by dozens of garment worker unions in major apparel producing countries, as well as labour rights organisations including Clean Clothes Campaign and Worker Rights Consortium.

Both the Cornell research and the Pay Your Workers campaign emphasise the current lack of adequate social protection systems in major apparel production countries, and the responsibility brands have towards workers in their supply chains. Cases of severance theft have grown exponentially during the pandemic, with Worker Rights Consortium estimating that over half a billion dollars in severance has been stolen from garment workers since the pandemic began. Brand inaction has left millions of workers struggling to survive. The Cornell research confirms the need for brands to pay into a binding global severance fund to ensure that workers whose factories close or who are laid off en masse receive their full legally mandated severance when their employer fails to pay.

Thirty of the industry’s largest listed companies are expected to fall short of social and environmental targets mentioned in the Paris climate agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals, says a Business of Fashion report. The industry is wildly underperforming despite few front runners taking small steps to achieve environmental sustainability, says Sarah Kent, Chief Sustainability Correspondent, The Business of Fashion.

The second annual report by the online publication ‘Business of Fashion Sustainable Index 2022’, analyzed publicly-disclosed information of companies in three categories - luxury, sportswear and high street fashion. Puma emerges a leader in the report with a score of 49 points out of 100, followed by Kering, which continued to lead rankings of luxury players. It is followed by new additions to the list Levi Strauss, H&M Group and Burberry.

Kent adds, the industry is not seeing the big transformational leaps that we really do need to see over the next 8 years, adds Kent. This would lead to companies losing their cultural relevance and destroying long-term value, claims the report. The companies scored highest points for progress in reducing emissions amongst the six topics including workers’ rights and materials. Dragging down the overall scores was the enlarged scope of this year's report, which doubled the number of companies from last year's 15.

In Q4FY’22 Indo Count Industries acquired the GHCL home textile business making it the largest global bed linen manufacturer. The company was able to meet FY22 volume guidance of 75 million meters despite challenges and high inflation affecting discretionary purchases. Sales volume in FY22 was 75.8 million metres, and Q4FY22 sales volume was 17.6 million metres. Revenue during the quarter grew 17 per cent, while EBITDA grew 39 per cent and PAT grew 44 per cent due to better raw material hedging and higher contribution from value added products.

The company announced new Capex plans to enhance spinning capacity at subsidiary PSML. The proposed capex will be towards additional spinning capacity of 68,000 spindles. In the first phase of the project, the company will invest Rs 98 crore to add 24,192 spindles by December 2022. In the second phase, the company will invest Rs 172 crore to add 43,776 spindles by March 2023. In all, the company will invest Rs 270 crore in the project.

India's textile exports are unlikely to achieve its previous year’s figures of $40 billion owing to rising raw material prices, says Naren Goenka, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC). The rise cannot be passed on to the consumers as it is around 125 per cent, Goenka says. The rise is more concentrated in Western countries whose consumers are buying more essentials, he adds.

Many cotton spinning mills in South India have shut down due to availability and price issues. Cotton prices increased to Rs 90,000 per candy in March 2021, owing to 11 per cent import duty levied on the raw material. Union Minister Piyush Goyal has cautioned export should not be at the cost of the domestic industry, which is the largest generator of employment in the country.

The government plans to launch the second Production-Linked Incentive Scheme for the textile amid the rise in cotton prices and mills in southern India. In March, the government had issued a notification to set up textile parks under the PM MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) scheme, to create an integrated textiles value chain right from spinning, weaving, processing, dyeing and printing to garment manufacturing at one location. The scheme aims to generate one lakh direct and two lakh indirect jobs per park. The Centre is planning to set up seven MITRA parks with a total outlay of Rs 4,445 crore.

Italian premium denim manufacturer Candiani and specialized manufacturer of cellulosic fibers, the Lenzing Group have collaborated to sensitize consumers and industry leaders on the growing need to be sustainable and adopt fabrics made from alternative fibers like hemp. As per a Spin Off report, the collaboration has taken off with the launch of a limited edition collection of 50 shirts made with Coreva stretch denim fabric containing an innovative variant of Tencel made from hemp fibers. The collection was launched inside the Candiani store in Corso di Porta Ticinese in Milan.

The project enables Lenzing to develop new sustainable fibers, says Carlo Covini, Project Manager-Marketing Textiles The brand has been launching different fiber solutions to boost sustainability in the apparel market and embrace a circular business model. Few years ago, it launched the Tencel X Refibra technology to upcycle cotton and wood scraps and convert them into a new material.

Meeting production standards

A year ago, Lenzing also launched the Orange Fiber & Tencel Limited Edition initiative that involves recycling orange peel to produce new Tencel fibers. Looking to produce these fibers at industrial scale, the brand purifies each raw material and prepares to meet production standards, adds Covini. Candiani has also been involved in similar initiatives. Winner of the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award in 2019, the company developed Coreva, a plant-based yarn made from natural rubber for making stretch biodegradable denims.

Made with about 20 per cent limited edition Tencel Hemp fibers, the new denim shirts contain 68 per cent organic cotton and 2 per cent Coreva fibers. They are sold at €185 a piece at the same price of a Candiani Coreva denim shirt. Covini says, the new range of shirts helps them measure the reactions of customers and explain the characteristics of their products.

Though hemp can be grown easily and requires little water and no chemicals and pesticides, it is not a completely sustainable material. To make the fiber more sustainable, Candiani added a supernatural stretch to make the fiber super soft.

India’s cotton yarn exports decreased 2.15 per cent Y-o-Y but increased by 4.50 per cent M-o-M to 95,200 tons in March 2022.

Bangladesh tops yarn imports from India

As per a CCF Group report, Bangladesh remained the largest importer of Indian cotton yarn with imports remaining constant at 49 per cent from last year followed by China whose imports declined 81.37 per cent Y-o-Y but increased 35.40 per cent M-o-M to 5,994 tons. China accounted for 6 per cent of Indian cotton yarn market in 2022. Egypt and Portugal emerged the third and fourth largest importers of cotton yarn with 6 per cent and 4 per cent of imports, Turkey accounted for 4 per cent yarn imports while the imports by other countries accounted for less than 4 per cent. The export share of most countries either remained flat or declined as compared to February 2022.

Exports to China decline

In March 2022, China’s yarn imports from India remained significantly lower than the same period last year and month. The largest increases were seen by Gautemala whose imports increased 104.88 per cent Y-o-Y. In March 2022, exports of all four mainstream Indian cotton yarns to China dropped year-on-year and month-on-month. India mainly exported carded C8-25S/1 varieties of cotton to China accounting for 61.15 per cent exports totaling 3,665.27 tons in volume.

Overall, India’s cotton yarn exports declined Y-o-Y in March 2022 but increased M-o-M during the period. Importers included Bangladesh, China and Egypt. Exports to China dropped Y-o-Y but increased M-o-M. Exports of all four main yarn varieties to China declined Y-o-Y with the carded C8=25S/1 variety recording the largest export growth.

Carvico and Jersey Lomellina will exhibit at the Outdoor Retailer exhibition to be held from June 09 to 11.

. The two Italian producers of stretch performance fabrics, respectively warp knitted and circular knitted will exhibit their products at the biggest trade fair of the outdoor market in North America, an event which every year attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.

Outdoor Retailer offers Carvico and Jersey Lomellina the opportunity to display the high-tech features and high quality of their 100 per cent Made in Italy fabrics. Their products are simply unique, designed for high performance, trendy and comfortable sportswear, mixing technology and sustainability.

Carvico warp knitted fabrics to be displayed at the fair include the n Revolutional Eco and Norway. both made of ECONYL®, a 100 per cent regenerated Nylon 100 per cent yarn from pre- and post consumer waste materials, Sydney Eco, made from a yarn derived from PET bottles, Revolutional Teddy, Vuelta, Artica, Colorado, Tokyo and Aosta.

Among Jersey Lomellina circular knitted fabrics on display at Outdoor Retrailer will be Renew Waffle, an eco-sustainable fabric made of ECONYL®; 3D, 3D medium and 3D brushed; Ireland and Nair Melange.

Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA signed a deal with Varun Vaid, Business Director, Wazir Advisors to launch a study on ‘Fiber Diversification of Non-Cotton Textile and Apparel for Bangladesh in the global market’. The study aims to identify potential scope for non-cotton textile and apparel by Bangladesh in the global apparel market and formulate a strategy to develop the country's overall competitiveness and strengths in the area.

It will identify key challenges for Bangladesh to capture a significant pie of non-cotton apparel market. The study will also analyze non-cotton product categories for their complexities, resources and trade volumes while economic, demand and sustainability rationale of non-cotton apparel will be looked upon.

It will assess the competitiveness of products, technologies, skill, cost and availability of other resources besides identifying challenges restricting Bangladesh's growth as a non-cotton products supplier.

A roadmap for manufacturers, investors, policymakers, development partners and other influencers will be developed detailing approach and ways to establish a strong presence in non-cotton textile and apparel market.

The government plans to launch the second edition of the PLI (Production Incentives Linked) scheme for the textile industry, mainly in the garment and apparel segment. PLI 2.0 will promote khadi along with man-made fibers and technical textiles with a budgetary allocation of Rs 4,000 crore. The Ministry of Textiles aims to complete approval and cabinet process for the scheme by August-September, and implement the scheme by October.

Designed to make India a garment hub, the new PLI scheme urges 64 garment companies to complete investment process under the old scheme in the next two years Sandeep Jain, Director, TradeSwift says, the government gives special importance to this sector, as textile has been the biggest employer in India.