Mumbai is set to host its maiden Denim Show from May 12 to 14, 2022 at the newly launched Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC). Denim has emerged as one of the fastest segments to recover from the pandemic with a growth of 12 per cent CAGR this year, says Gagandep Singh, Secretary General, Denim Manufacturer Association. Currently the second largest producer of denim fabric after China, India produces 6 billion meters per annum and approximately 150 million meters capacity per annum of denim fabrics annually, adds Singh. The Indian denim industry has evolved significantly with ever changing fashion trends making its way into other utility-driven products.

The first ever Denim show being hosted in Mumbai aims to attract India’s denim mills and leading brands under one roof to tap opportunities through the versatility of denim - the fashion statement of future.

Going back to vintage fabrics and shades

The denim industry is going through a huge transformation in terms of fits and fabrics with the women opting for more relaxed and flared fabrics while men’s denims going for stretch fabrics with clean and basic washes. Both segments are opting for hand-crafted denims, creating a greater need for superior spinning techniques, finer counts and blends. And for the last few seasons, the demand is more for overdyed, tinted and colored jeans.

Traditionally dominated by faux knit fabrics, the domestic denim market is slowly moving towards more classic and authentic denims to counter recent cost escalations. According to one of India’s top denim fabric manufacturer LNJ Denim, the industry is going back to vintage and versatile pure indigo shades with emphasis on clean and mild washes, raw look for basics and distressed and bleached denims for all genders and age groups.

Adopting circularity in production

Denim mills like Raymond UCO are adopting circular production processes to create more responsible fabrics. Raymond for example, is developing high-quality denim fabrics form recycled polyester from ocean-bound plastics and Blu 2.0: a unique indigo dyeing process. The brand recycles ocean-bound plastics into fibers and blends them with cotton to weave sustainable denims. This reduces freshwater consumption and effluent load in the dyeing process by about 85 per cent. It also encourages use eco-friendly dyes like natural indigo to reduce dependence on synthetic chemicals. Raymond has also curated a special denim collection which is environment-friendly and offers ultimate comfort, breathability and moisture management. This collection will be displayed at the upcoming Denim Show.

Sudhir Deorukhkar, Head-Marketing says, these small steps towards creating more responsible denim fabrics will help the brand reduce gap between fashion and sustainability. Ashish Bhatnagar, Marketing Head, LNJ Denim points out, persistent focus across stages of fabric making has made sustainability a habit for the brand. It will display functional, sustainable and superior hand-feel denim fabrics made through various blends, spinning as well as finish innovations at the three-day Mumbai Show.

Highlighting industry processes

Innovative, fashionable, sustainable, the Denim Show will highlight industry process during the three days. The event will be attended by leading brands including: Hyosung India, Jindal Worldwide, Arvind, Ginni International, Raymond UCO Denim, Bhaskar Denim, LNJ Denim, Oswal Denims, KG Denim, Nandan Denim, and Ashima Group, etc. It’s being jointly organized by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India and Mex Exhibitions under the umbrella of Gartex Texprocess India. The show will also cover latest developments in textile, garment machinery and screen printing industry. The aim is to garner new investments and showcase latest developments in the market.

After shrinking 22 per cent to $1.3 trillion in 2020 from $1.6 trillion in 2019, global apparel market recovered to reach $ 1.5 trillion in 2021. As per Wazir Advisors’ annual report ‘Indian Textile and Apparel Industry 2022’, the market is expected to grow at 4 per cent CAGR from 2019-2025 to reach approximately $2 trillion in 2025. In 2020, global textile and apparel trade declined 8 per cent to S$ 774 billion from 2019. Growing at 3 per cent CAGR, trade is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2025.

China leads global exports in 2020

China emerged the largest exporter of textiles and apparels in 2020 with a 38 per cent global share. The second largest textile and apparel exporter was Vietnam. The US was the largest exporter of natural fibers in 2020 with a market share of 30 per cent while China led manmade staple fibre, MMF spun yarn and MMF filament yarn exports with a market share of 17 per cent, 36 per cent and 35 per cent, respectively.

China also emerged the leading exporter of knitted and woven fabrics, apparel and home textiles in 2020; followed by Bangladesh and Vietnam as the second and third largest apparel exporters.

India’s T&A exports to reach $60 billion

From $31 billion in 2020-21, India’s textile and apparel exports are expected to grow 28 per cent to $ 40 billion in 2021-22, the report predicts. Exports are expected to grow further at 11 per cent CAGR to touch $60 billion in 2025-26. A leading textile exporter, India was amongst the top five exporters – of natural yarn and fiber, MMF spun yarn, filament yarn, woven fabric and home textiles during the year. However, it lagged in MMF staple fibers, knitted fabric and apparels.

India was the largest exporter of staple fibers with a share of 71 per cent in 2020-21.It also exported yarns worth $4,329 million during the year. Export of spun yarn declined at a CAGR of 4 per cent while that of filament yarn declined at 8 per cent.

T&A imports to grow 10 per cent CAGR

India’s T&A imports are expected to grow to $8.2 billion in 2021-22 and further to $12 billion by 2025-26. India’s fiber imports declined 4 per cent CAGR to $1 billion in 2020-21. Imports of natural fibers declined though manmade staple fiber imports increased marginally.

India’s yarn imports grew to $1,254 million in 2020-21. Import of certain yarns like manmade spun yarn, VFY and PFY grew substantially while imports of cotton and nylon yarns declined to a large extent. India’s imports of total woven fabric declined 4 per cent CAGR during the year while knitted imports fabric increased 4 per cent CAGR during the period.

However, India’s garment exports declined 6 per cent CAGR to $12,290 million during 2020-21. Exports of made-ups grew at 3 per cent CAGR to reach $7,444 million. India imported garments worth $881 million and $967 million worth of made ups during the year.

Technical textiles export grow

India’s technical textiles market grew at a 10 per cent CAGR in 2019-20. However, the COVID-19 outbreak caused a 12 per cent decline in the market in 2020-21. India’s technical textiles exports grew at 9 per cent CAGR to reach approximately $ 2,370 million during 2020-21. Imports of the same grew to $ 1,395 million during the year.

With commercial ties with both countries, Turkey is experiencing numerous disruptions due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In 2021, Turkey’s foreign trade with Russia was worth $32.5 billion, of which, $27.5 billion was generated from imports, primarily natural gas. Similarly imports from Ukraine exceeded $2 billion and exports totaled over $4 billion.

Representing 4.43 per cent of the total world trade, the Turkish textile industry emerged as the fifth largest exporter in 2020. Its operations were mainly affected by the war as many orders of both textile and ready-to-wear garments are cancelled. Seref Fayat, President, TOBB Turkey Garment and Apparel Industry Councils Assembly points out, orders worth approximately $200 million were cancelled including goods already produced.

Russia, Ukraine important export destinations

In the first two months of 2022, Turkish ready-to-wear and apparel industry exported goods worth $3.4 billion. Data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) shows, ready-to-wear and apparel exports to Russia amounted to $286.5 million in 2021 while exports of textiles and raw materials amounted to an average of $298 million. Russia emerged the second largest export destination after Germany with a 7.7 per cent share in 2021, points out Mustafa Senocak, President, Istanbul Leather and Leather Products Exporters’ Association (IDMIB).

Turkey exported approximately $173 million worth of ready-to-wear and apparels, $115 million worth of textiles and raw materials to Ukraine in 2021. It signed an FTA with Ukraine during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the country on February 3, 2022.

Ukraine poses strong competition to Turkey

Ukraine exports around 80 per cent of its textile products. With 2,500 textile production workshops/factories, the country can become a strong competitor to Turkey. It has over 500 fabric production factories employing more than 16,000 people. All major fashion brands including Adidas, Hugo Boss, Marks & Spencer, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara have production centers in Ukraine. The first three product groups that Turkey imports the most from Ukraine are light rubberized knitted fabrics, knitted sweaters and non-knitted men’s suits, according to the 2019 reports.

Russia introduces new policies to boost production

In 2021, Turkey’s foreign trade with Russia was worth $32.5 billion, of which products worth $27.5 billion were imported from Russia, primarily natural gas. In 2020, Russia exported ready-to-wear garments worth approximately $30.5 billion. Of this, women’s clothing made up the biggest part of $16.6 billion while the rest belonged to men’s and children’s clothing. The most imported product groups included non-knitted women’s suits, women’s non-knitted coats, and knitted sweaters.

To boost textile and apparel production, Russia has introduced new policies. The country has around 40 large and 2,000 medium-sized textile enterprises in Ivanova. Moreover four Turkish companies operate in the region. However, employment in Russia’s textile sector has declined to 85.2,000 from 749,000 in 2000. The ongoing war has made Turkey’s textile and clothing market uncertain with manufacturers seeking to diversify with minimum losses.

Sharad Amalean, Chairman of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), says, the global apparel industry will reach $2.2 trillion by 2025.

With sharp price points and constant pursuit of cost efficiencies, the apparel industry currently faces competing priorities, Amalean adds. The pandemic has brought these aspects even more sharply into focus; brands and companies have increased their vigilance on the social, environmental, governance and ethical aspects of manufacturing. Only those that take a holistic view of their production and eco-system will thrive while those with scant respect for ethics, the environment and social responsibility will not find favour with customers.

Having built a reputation of being a sustainable and ethical manufacturing destination, Sri Lanka is well placed to thrive in this evolutionary phase. The Sri Lankan apparel industry is on track to achieve its revenue target of $8 billion by 2025, adds Amalean

Through this edition of the Maroc In Mode (MIM) trade show, organizer AMITH aims to embrace environmental issues by defining sustainability in the Moroccan context through a continuous commitment International trade show of the textile and garment industry. The trade show will be held on March 30 and 31, 2022 at the the El Jadida International Exhibition Center, near Casablanca, Morocco.

Organized by the Moroccan Association of Textile and Garment Industries (Association Marocaine des Industries du textile et de l’Habillement – AMITH), the trade show is a platform for professional meetings offering a diverse and inclusive experience.

The upcoming edition will be identified with an umbrella theme and the expression - “Dayem”, a word that in Arabic language means “sustainable”, conveying how the approach to environmental, social and economic sustainability is becoming a key aspect for the industry.

For this edition, the show will also focus on a wider range of themes and will also include, along with sustainability, innovation. It will also expand its offer and will present the different categories of players within the textile value chain and will present the fabrics, manufacturing, home textiles, accessories innovation, machinery and services categories.

The Woolmark Company has announced the prize winners for the Woolmark Performance Challenge 2021/22. As per a Fashion Network report, the company selected 12 most promising ideas as finalists from over 400 global entries before judges selected the winners for each category. Claimed to be the “preeminent ideas platform for the sports and performance market”, this year, the Woolmark Performance Challenge partnered with two brands for the first time: Swiss running specialist On, and Italian skiwear firm Salewa.

Caroline Schinle from Albstadt-Sigmaringen University was awarded an internship with On while Harleen Kaur from the Pearl Academy bagged a new Research Opportunity award. Kaur’s submission identified a gap in the market to address the needs of pregnant and post-partum runners, creating activewear that works with, rather than against, the changing body. The idea supports both the mother and foetus in the correct areas, providing coolness when the body temperature rises, and monitoring the baby’s health using a foetal heart rate monitor.

Meanwhile, Dan Winegar from the University of Oregon was selected by Salewa for an internship for his idea that automatically adjusts insulation thickness to maintain comfort during and after exercise. The resultant 3D flexible fabrics can change from insulating to cooling modes depending on the levels of skier activity.

Additionally, IED Milano student Francesco Matera was the €10,000 Woolmark Research Bursary recipient, envisioning a garment that acts like a second skin, adapting to the body in motion. His design uses strategically placed zones of high compression using elastane in seamless knitted garments to support and manipulate the wearer’s muscles and limbs during exercise.

Global leader in antimicrobial, anti-odor, anti-pilling, and water repellent technologies, Sciessenthas bagged GOTS Certification for its NOBO anti-odor technology.

A worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, GOTSis backed by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.

As per a Knitting Industry report, the GOTS certificateapproves NOBO’s chemistry formulation while its production processes as meeting the required ecological and social global sustainability criteria. It also acknowledges NOBO as an ecologically and socially responsible product with no adverse effects to the ecosystem or biodiversity throughout its lifecycle.

Specifically formulated to reduce odor in natural and synthetic fabrics, NOBO adsorbs compounds responsible for body odor without the use of an antimicrobial.

In addition to being GOTS certified, NOBO is also bluesign approved and listed on the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation ZDHC Gateway, complying with ZDHC Level 3 requirement.

Homegrown weekend-wear brand Harbour 9 recently unveiled its thoughtfully designed range of women's apparel line. Ideal all the ladies who love to present their tastefully styled, gracefully groomed, naturally charming, and confident personality, the range ensures a perfect balance between fun and classics

Its clothes are manufactured completely in India, right from sourcing the materials to the final product. The new range meets the contemporary lifestyle trend of women. The products are priced consciously. Harbour 9 also believes in reducing the negative impact on the environment through their eco-friendly practices.

Manoj Jain, Director, Harbour 9 says, the new exclusive line of women’s apparel is. custom-made to fit across sizes, The range is in line with the contemporary lifestyle taste of modern women.

Garment Corporation 10 is ramping up its production capacity to meet buyers’ demands, says Than Duc Viet, General Director. As per a Vietnam.net report, the company has been flexible in implementing its business strategies, so the orders it has received are enough for the firm to implement until the end of this June. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the prospect of the garment market remains bright.

As local textile-garment firms have gained experience in responding to Covid, they now can facilitate production and adapt to the COVID situation concurrently.

Le Tien Truong, Board Chairman, Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), says, the group is set to o achieve its growth rate of over 8 per cent this year. To obtain sustainable development in 2022, Vinatex aims to focus on speeding up digital transformation and continue to develop its supply capacity for the hosiery sector.

In 2022, VITAS forecast that local textile-garment firms will continue to face a host of challenges, including logistics costs rising threefold against the average figure recorded over the past five years; disadvantages in terms of exchange rates that left Vietnamese textile-garment items less competitive than those of its rivals; and labor imbalance.

Further, these firms in the field have to face other obstacles such as the competition from major rivals including China, India, Bangladesh and the market share of the sector.

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade showed that the textile-garment sector exported US$39 billion worth of goods in 2021, rising 11.2 per cent year-on-year, but its market share made no progress.

New York-based specialty athletic retailer Foot Locker has appointed Samantha Lomow as its first president, global brands.

In the new role, Lomov will oversee Foot Locker’s global brand portfolio and operating divisions across North America, EMEA, and APAC. As per Fashion Network, she will equally work closely as part of the executive team to advance the company’s long-term strategies for continued innovation, growth, and profitability.

Lomow officially took on the position on Friday. She will report directly to Frank Bracken, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

She joins the company from Hasbro, Inc., where she served as president, branded entertainment, bringing over 25 years of global brand innovation, strategy, and business transformation experience across consumer products, entertainment, and licensing.

She also sits on the board of managers of Claire’s Holdings LLC, serving as chair of the nomination, governance and ESG committee and as a member of the audit committee.