The first operational investment company dedicated to African heritage emerging brands, Birimian and Trail, the European asset management firm scaling up successful and promising entrepreneurs, have teamed up to support African fashion houses and premium emerging brands.

In its first phase the alliance will focus on an investment by Trail in Birimian’s dedicated investment vehicle. This financing will support Birimian’s ongoing investments in African brands, focused on building capacity and supporting brand development. The second phase will involve the creation of a long-term investment company co-managed by Birimian and Trail, “Birimian X Trail”, which will invest at least €5 million each year in a carefully selected portfolio of brands. The first close of this investment company is expected by year end.

Birimian and Trail’s partnership also offers an innovative alternative to the traditional private equity model, designed to support long term brand development. The new model will create increased value within African fashion – benefitting designers, investors and textile manufacturers alike.

Cone Denim® plans to launch a new US grown hemp denim collection at the Kingpins Amsterdam Show from April 20-21, 2022.

As per a Textile World report, to be launched in collaboration with expert hemp processing innovator, BastCore, Cone Denim’s US Hemp Collection includes a range of fabrics featuring classic 3×1 and comfort stretch to modern workwear constructions. The collection further expands upon Cone’s sustainability and traceability practices, driving the future of the industry. The proximity of the hemp, indigo, and cotton crops in the U.S. to the company’s mills in Mexico is also key in creating the smallest environmental impact and footprint possible.

Steve Maggard, President, Cone Denim says, BastCore’s innovation of American hemp opens great opportunities to create sustainable denims made from US sourced agriculture products located in close proximity to Cone’s manufacturing operations in Mexico.

An Italian Pavilion of 17 machinery manufacturers will be organized by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, and the Italian Trade Agency at Techtextil North America in Atlanta from May 17-19.

  The ACIMIT companies to participate in the exhibition include 4M Plants, Aeris, Arioli, Computer House, Fadis, Flainox, Guarneri Technology, Ima, Kairos Engineering, MCS, Ramina, Siltex, Stalam, Testa and Willy.  

US textile sales exceeded $64 billion in 2020, with approximately 300,000 workers and about 15,000 companies. The industry’s strength lies in both cotton and manmade fibres, and a wide variety of yarns and fabrics, says ACIMIT

  From January-September 2021, Italy’s sales to the US surged by 74 per cent in value to €93 million compared to the same period of the previous year.

Men’s fashion label Jack & Jones plans to increase the use of Tencel in its collection. As per Carved in Blue report, the brand is among the first to use carbon-zero Tencel ™ Lyocell. For these fibers, Lenzing first reduces the environmental footprint as much as possible, and then offsets the impact that cannot be avoided. The result is a raw material with a net-zero carbon footprint.  

These carbon neutral fibers are being used in a new range of Jack & Jones jeans. For the Tim Original CJ 415 and Tim Original CJ 515, 38 percent carbon-zero TENCEL™ is blended with cotton and recycled elastane.  

Mikkel Hochrein Albrektsen, Creative Buying Manager, Jack & Jones – Jeans Intelligence, says, The Tencel™ lyocell fiber adds comfort without compromising on the look. The carbon-zero initiative by Lenzing is helps us give back what we take from the environment.

A leading fashion house, G3+ Fashion has ventured into the casual wear segment - helping customers get everything they need to complete or reinvent their wardrobe from a single destination.

One of the leading players in the fashion industry, G3+ Fashion not only houses a plethora of exceptional readymade outfits, but also creates customized  pieces tailored to suit a customer’s specific requirements. Incorporating the plushest fabrics and magnificent designs, all its apparels are designed to seamlessly blend comfort with glamour. Through its Video Shopping feature, G3+ Fashion connects both its local and global customers with trained sales professionals, who guide them in finding the perfect ensembles with precision. 

 G3+ Fashion also offers an exclusive ‘G3+ Video Shopping’ facility  which allows local as well as global customers to browse through all their collections live from the convenience and safety of their own homes, via video calling platforms such as FaceTime, Skype, and WhatsApp. This unique feature was started to banish the scepticism about online shopping from the minds of shoppers, by providing them with a virtual in-store experience that goes above and beyond the realms of ordinary online shopping. 

Bangladesh’s RMG exports increased 24 per cent to $4.21 billion during the July-February period of FY2021-22. As per a Textile Today report, Bangladesh has been reporting a significant improvement in garment exports since the outbreak of COVID-19. The country’s exports to the US, UK, Canada and the European Union (EU) have been surging while exports to new markets are also recording a growth of over 10 per cent.

Export Promotion Bureau’s (EPB) stats show, Bangladeshi entrepreneurs exported garments worth $4.21 billion to new markets during the eight-month period. Their exports amounted to BDT 38,290 crore in domestic currency while export earnings surged 23.61 percent ahead of the same period of the previous financial year. Mohammad Hatem, Executive President, BKMEA says, Bangladesh is emerging as the most preferred garment supplier amongst other apparel exporting countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar etc.

In the first eight months of the current financial year, Bangladesh exported RMG products worth $ 27.49 billion. Of these, 13.65 billion worth of products were exported to the EU countries, 5.77 billion to the US, 2.93 billion to the UK and 0.82 billion to Canada. Among the new markets, exports to Japan totaled $730 million during July-February FY2021-22 while garments worth $560 million were exported to Australia.

Russia’s RMG imports increased 35.30 per cent to $480 million in the first eight months of the current financial year.

India and the European Union a comprehensive FTA deal to raise bilateral trade to over $220 billion in five years. Trade negotiations between the two nations halted in 2013 over the movement of Indian professionals and high Indian tariffs on European farm produce. The India-EU FTA will make it easier for both countries to negotiate for a comprehensive trade deal within this framework, says Ajay Sahai, Director General & CEO, Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO).  

 On April 2, Piyush Goyal, Commerce Minister said, India plans to sign new FTAs with the UK, Canada, Israel, Gulf Cooperation Council, and the EU. It recently signed the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). According to him, the India-EU FTA will double bilateral trade between the two partners from the existing $110 billion.

  The India-UK FTA may materialize happen before the EU deal as UK does not wish to resort to interim deal. The current value of bilateral India-UK trade is $50 billion. Negotiations on this FTA are set to start before the end of the year.

Bangladesh Denim Expo plans to organize a physical edition after a two-year gap in the International Convention City, Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka from May 10-11, 2022. As per Spin Off report, the 12th edition of the show will focus on the theme ‘Beyond Business.’  It will show industry players new opportunities to be successful while offering sustainable solutions.

Scheduled to host 79 exhibitors, the show will include both local and international participants showcasing their latest fabrics, garments, threads, machinery, finishing equipment and accessories. They will represent the Bangladesh denim industry that considers itself the second-largest denim exporter to Europe and the third largest one to the US.

Worth around $5.75 million in 2021, the branded bags and accessories market is expected to reach $14.5 billion by 2024.The market was traditionally dominated by brands such as Hidesign, Da Milano, Baggit, Lavie, Michael Kors and Burbeery. However, lately, it is seeing the emergence of many new-age brands such as as Zouk, Hamelin, Miraggio and Arture.

Brands launch expansion plans

Of the above mentioned, brand Zouk was launched in 2016. It offers 150 SKUs in categories like laptop bags, office bags, handbags, sling bags, hobo bags, tote bags and wallets. This year, the brand plans to add backpacks as a new category. The designs of these backpacks will be primarily inspired from Indian motifs, prints and fabrics. They will target women in the age group of 20-45 years. Currently selling its products on marketplaces such as Amazon, Myntra and Ajio, Zouk also plans to explore offline retail this year. It aims to become a Rs 100 crore brand by the next financial year, says Pradeep Krishnakumar, Co-Founder and COO.

Launched in October 2019, Miraggio targets millennial and Gen Z women. The brand offers a wide range of handbags, crossbody bags, shoulder bags, tote bags, and clutches on its own website as well as on fashion marketplaces such as Myntra and Nykaa Fashion. It also offers sunglasses, jewelry, and small leather goods. By the end of this year, it plans to grow to more than 500 SKUs, adds Mohit Jain, Founder. It also plans to open retail stores and kiosks at airports in India this year.

Earlier focused on wallets and bags, Hamelin now also sells planter wraps and desk accessories. The brand plans to expand its home décor products portfolio this month. It uses a variety of materials such as tweed, jute, jacquard, ikat and khadi to create its products, says Madhumita N, Founder and CEO. Its bestselling products include sling bags and wallets at an average price point of Rs 1,500.

Currently selling card cases, wallets, travel accessories, sling bags and belts, brand Arture plans to foray into the backpacks category this year, followed by footwear in the coming years. The brand designs its products with a focus on functionality and minimalism. They are both sustainable and vegan, adds Shivani Patel, Founder, CEO and Creative Director

Strengthening customer profile for growth

While all these brands are growing in terms of profits, expansion is a big problem for them, says Sameer Amte, Managing Director and Lead (Retail), Accenture India. To expand their offerings, these brands need to cement their current position, customer profile, branding and packaging. Kapil Makhija, CEO, Unicommerce adds, these brands need to make their business profitable and scalable despite lack of funding. They need to focus on profitability, adoption of advanced data and analytics capabilities, omnichannel experience, and an agile, customer-centric supply chain, says Amte.

Fast fashion retailer Mango plans to open about 40 US stores by the end of 2024, part of a global expansion that includes Europe and India. Last year, the company operated 2,447 stores worldwide, up about 10 percent from 2020. Currently in the US, Mango has six locations.

After two years of explosive e-commerce growth, a number brands and retailers are now investing again in their physical footprints. So far this year, 3,882 new stores are on track to open in the US, already higher than last year, according to Coresight Research.

By offering a number of different touchpoints, from online to offline to wholesale partners, Mango is keeping its customers close to the brand, said chief executive Toni Ruiz.

Mango’s retail expansion in the US will begin with a new 2,100-square-foot flagship store in New York, on Fifth Avenue. The location will open its doors in May. Next up, the retailer is eyeing Florida, reaching cities such as Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Boca Raton. And after that, the West: Texas, Arizona, Nevada and finally California. By 2024, Mango will have 40 new stores in the US, with the goal of the US being a top-five market for the retailer; it’s currently a top 10 market, the company said.

This year, Mango is also planning to open 10 new stores in India and 20 in France. A number of these new locations will feature a new Mediterranean-inspired store concept, featuring warm tones inside the store and highlighting natural materials such as wood, ceramic and leather.

Mango’s stores will also enable a more seamless online-offline shopping experience, such as click-and-collect and being able to order e-commerce products as part of the brick-and-mortar shopping journey. Improving data collection on customer behavior, too, will better enable Mango to offer personalized service to shoppers.