American weekly exports of cotton are up nearly a third from last year. The only thing holding shipments back is logistical chaos, and the difficulty of moving product right now amid high freight rates between Asia and the US.

December contract gained 2.9 per cent on ICE Futures US, bringing October’s gain to 7.5 per cent. The commodity surged 52 per cent this year supported by projections for a second world deficit. Stockpiles at ICE-monitored depots are poised to drop to the lowest level in a year. A large short position held by commercial traders has also kept prices firm, with those participants expected to cover shorts during retreats. Late US harvest, low certified stockpiles and huge demand from China will likely cause a squeeze for December contract.

Prices may climb higher in the next two months. While the US is expected to collect a bigger crop, the harvest is very late. Heavy rains in Southwest Georgia, the second-biggest producer, parts of Alabama and northern Florida will probably prove disruptive, though long lasting damage is unlikely. Consumer demand for cotton apparel is also exceeding supplies. The US is importing more, yet clothing stores are experiencing record low inventories compared to sales.

Taipei Innovative Application Show (TITAS) is being held in Taiwan in November 2021. The month-long event looks forward to creating boundary-free, one-stop-for-all, and totally virtual business opportunities for textile suppliers and global buyers of Taiwan. Some 150 international and domestic exhibitors are participating. Prominent R&D institutions, textile-related associations are anticipated to join the fair.

TITAS focuses on exhibition areas to highlight the diversity and strengths of textile supply chains. The exhibitor hall will feature six categories: fiber and yarn, industrial/home textiles, apparel, trimming and accessories, textile machinery and sewing equipment and other relevant services. The Association and Institute Hall will line up leading textile related associations and institutes as well as their members.

The trend zone will shine the spotlight on three themes: functional applications, sustainability and personal protective equipment. The theme of functional applications will point to end uses such as sports, outdoor and work-from-home products. The theme of sustainability will emphasise on how natural materials bring added values to the products as well as processes that are environmentally friendly. The theme personal protective equipment will look at post-pandemic demands in areas of professional, everyday life, and medical apparel. The events zone will host the new product launch and fashion show videos for exhibitors to present their product highlights and advantages in diverse ways.

The US may suspend benefits to Ethiopia under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). This would threaten Ethiopia’s aspirations to become a light manufacturing hub and dent hard-won economic gains in a nation once a byword for hunger and poverty. Though Ethiopia is not a large global supplier, suspension of its US trade status would be yet another problem on the list for global fashion brands such as The Children’s Place, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein as Covid-19 disrupts manufacturing capacity, ports and supply chains.

Agoa gives sub-Saharan African nations duty-free access to the US if they meet criteria including removing barriers to US trade and progress towards political pluralism. Over the past decade, Ethiopia has spent billions constructing a dozen industrial parks and related infrastructure. Some factories produce goods for fashion giant PVH, owner of the Calvin Klein, Speedo and Tommy Hilfiger labels.

Ethiopia exported about $237m worth of goods duty-free to the US under Agoa in 2020, more than 90 per cent of it textiles and apparel. Now the US is pondering suspending Ethiopia’s duty-free market status, citing abuses and a growing famine in the war-ravaged northern Tigray region. An Agoa suspension may hurt US companies trying to diversify production from Asia by relocating or expanding to Ethiopia.

During January to September 2021, online retail sales of goods in China were up 18.5 per cent year on year. Sale of physical goods were up 15.2 per cent year on year. Among physical goods, retail sales of clothing inched up 15.6 per cent year on year.

In August 2021, retail sales of social consumer goods saw a year-on-year growth of 2.5 per cent, three per cent higher than that of 2019. By consumption type, in August, retail sales of commodity had a year-on-year growth of 3.3 per cent. From January to August, retail sales of commodity were up by 16.5 per cent year-on-year. Retail sales of clothing, foot and head wear and knitted goods were down six per cent year on year in August. From January to August, China’s online retail sales grew 19.7 per cent year on year. In online retail sales of physical commodities, wearing goods increased by 19.4 per cent year on year.

China's garment industry reported higher revenue and profit in the first eight months of 2021. From January to August, the combined operating revenue of 12,520 major garment companies was up 9.6 per cent year on year. Total profits of these companies rose 9.5 per cent from a year earlier while the combined output expanded 12.9 per cent year on year to 15.2 billion pieces.

Indo Rama Synthetics’ total income was Rs 994.27 crores during the second quarter as compared to Rs 695.31 crores during the earlier quarter. Net profit was Rs 52.31 crores for Q2 as against a net profit of Rs 14.22 crores for earlier quarter. Q2 total income was Rs 994.27 crores during the second quarter as compared to Rs 487.31 crores during the same quarter last year. Net profit was Rs 52.31 crores for the second quarter as against Rs 13.81 crores for the same quarter last year. For the six months period in Q2 total income was Rs 1,689.58 crores as compared to Rs 607.57 crores during the previous six month period. Net profit was Rs 66.53 crores for the six month period as against Rs 91.44 crores for the earlier six months.

Indo Rama Synthetics’ fiber manufacturing facility has a combined capacity of 6,05,000 tons per annum, consisting of polyester chips, fibers and filament yarns.

Chic held in China from October 9 to 11, 2021 is one of the country’s most important platform for fashion and lifestyle. The latest edition welcomed over 20,000 trade visitors and almost 500 brands presented their collections from all fashion segments, from women’s wear to menswear and children’s wear to streetwear styles, fashionable accessories, shoes and bags.

There were comprehensive matchmaking events with industry giants such as Walmart, Shein etc. Thanks to the match making events manufacturers could make contact with more than a dozen exhibitors and find satisfying partners to match their business needs. Matchmaking promoted better integration of Chinese customized brands into the industrial chain. The flexibility of China´s garment manufacturing industry is growing visibly. Initially only some small factories showed flexibility. But now some 500 manufacturers fully implement flexible production lines, which was also reflected in the Chic exhibition.

As a trend hotspot for the Chinese sales market, Chic highlighted important developments, with particular focus on sustainability. Selected trade visitors were very well prepared and raised targeted questions, allowing for a very professional discussion and subsequent sincere business talks. Professional area planning and design maximized efficiency. Chic has poised itself as the place to be for the fashion business of the future.

Sourcing at Magic will take place in US city Las Vegas, February 13 to 16, 2022, and August 7 to 10, 2022. Committed to the evolution of the fashion supply chain, Sourcing at Magic’s 2022 events will provide access to new and innovative supply chain solutions, sustainable resources, cutting-edge fashion technology focused on retail solutions, networking, and extended visibility into the industry’s most critical global issues.

In its second edition as a hybrid event, the 2022 editions will once again offer both physical and digital shopping and showcasing opportunities, featuring exhibitors from both well-known and new interest regions for apparel and footwear manufacturing, textiles, and supply chain solutions. In addition to physical booth space and digital representation, suppliers who are unable to attend the event in-person will be able to showcase physical samples within a dedicated shared space on the event floor, with an opportunity for buyers to directly connect with the supplier via video conferencing. First introduced at the August 2021 edition, this hybrid approach of physical sampling combined with digital connection not only helps to bridge globalized commerce and connections, but it also supports continued market presence despite ongoing international travel disruptions and allows participating suppliers new and inventive ways to engage with the onsite community in a productive manner.

Exports of spandex from China were up 32 per cent from January to September 2021, compared to 2019 exports were up 29 per cent says a CCF Group report. Turkey remained the biggest export destination. Exports of spandex to Turkey, South Korea, Taiwan and Egypt accounted for 40 per cent of total exports. And Chinese spandex exports to Columbia, Turkey, Bangladesh, Taiwan and India rose 63 to 134 per cent from January to September 2021.

Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Chongqing, Henan and Shandong are major export suppliers of Chinese spandex. The global spandex market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of more than eight per cent from 2016 to 2023. It is also commonly known as elastane. Technology advancement with moisture management properties coupled with performance efficiency is likely to benefit elastane market growth.

Factors such as superior elasticity, regaining original shape, durability, lightweight, resistance to UV light are likely to favor spandex market demand. Spandex is used in textile manufacturing applications such as leggings, gloves, cycling jerseys and competitive swimwear. Strenuous movements are involved in active sports that may require garment stretch. This stretch can result in movement restriction for the wearer. This can be overcome by using spandex material.

Jonathan Akeroyd is the new CEO of Burberry. He is an experienced leader with a strong track record in building global luxury fashion brands and driving profitable growth. Jonathan was previously Chief Executive Officer of Alexander McQueen, when he led a turnaround of the British luxury brand and laid the foundation for global expansion. He has also held a number of senior fashion roles at luxury department store Harrods.

As pandemics effects ease and Burberry’s boutiques open fully, particularly in international travel hubs, Akeroyd’s years of experience should give him a deep understanding of the needs of the retail business as well as overseeing the brand’s creative development.

The fusion Burberry has been pursuing between social media celebrities and blockchain, including the launch of NFTs in the gaming world, is likely to continue under his watch. Burberry’s ultra-savvy marketing drives are helping the company win new style-hungry customers across the world, desperate to get their hands on a slice of the brand and willing to pay full price for the privilege. It won’t be easy sailing, though, for the new CEO. With new Covid-19 variants still disrupting economies around the world, there is still uncertainty ahead.

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories has resumed production of finished goods utilizing its specialized recombinant spider silk in Vietnam. Safety protocols and restrictions put in place at the onset of the COVID-19 in Vietnam had led to closures and slowdowns of many businesses throughout the country. These restrictions delayed operational growth, and led to slowdowns at yarn spinners and weavers, which limited Kraig’s ability to convert its raw silk into finished fabrics and garments.

As these restrictions are lifting, Kraig Labs is ready to scale-up silkworm production with scheduled delivery and installation of new quality control lab equipment. With the re-opening of textile mills and yarn spinners, Kraig Labs is now resuming work to produce the custom yarns and spider silk fabrics for the launch of SpydaSilk apparel, a joint development partnership with Kings Golden Harvest.

Kraig Biocraft is a biotechnology company focused on development and commercialization of spider silk. In coming weeks, the company expects to receive and install several pieces of lab equipment delayed due to lockdowns. Most critically, with re-opening, Kraig can once again work with textile mills to weave its silk into finished fabrics for the first garments for SpydaSilk and to supply materials to the numerous other brands eager to incorporate spider silk into their products.