A global textile and apparel (T&A) industry alliance that was formed to tackle issues relating to microplastics has completed the next phase of its project to develop a harmonised industry standard for the supply chain. The Cross Industry Agreement (CIA) has revealed the results of a fibre fragmentation trial that has been carried out in advance of establishing a CEN Standard (from the European Committee for Standardization). Once confirmed, the standard will also become an ISO standard under the Vienna Agreement, providing apparel manufacturers and policy makers with a vital tool as part of wider work to reduce microfiber shedding into the environment.

The microfiber shedding test method was developed thanks to the joint efforts and cooperation of experts from 28 European, American and Asian organisations; the result was handed over to CEN in 2020. Since then, representatives from the CIA have been working with CEN to fine tune details in order to meet the requirements for a CEN Standard. To verify the reproducibility of the method, the partners have carried out a round robin trial (RRT to determine if the method could be replicated in different laboratories and produce similar results. 10 organisations participated in the RRT, which was co-ordinated by the CIA, sending fabric samples to all of the laboratories involved and then collecting and analysing the data.

The results from the RRT show statistically significant consistency, both within and between participating laboratories, which demonstrates that the method is both repeatable in the same setting and reproducible in other laboratories.

A professional football club based, Paris St Germain has signed a two-year partnership deal with fashion house Christian Dior.

As per this deal, Dior would design PSG’s official wardrobe. This is the first time Dior had signed a deal in this way with a sports club.

Kim Jones, Artistic Director, Dior -Men's collections, has designed a series of new creations for the PSG team for the next two seasons. Until the Dior deal, PSG had a clothing partnership with Germany's Hugo Boss.

PSG has one of the most potent attacking forces in club soccer, with new signing Lionel Messi linking up with Brazil's Neymar and French striker KylianMbappe.

A six-times winner of the Ballon d'Or, Messi joined from Barcelona and made his Ligue 1 debut late last month.

Christian Dior SE, commonly known as Dior, is a French luxury fashion house controlled and chaired by French businessman Bernard Arnault, who also heads LVMH, the world's largest luxury group.. The company was founded in 1946 by French fashion designer Christian Dior, who was originally from Normandy. This brand just sells shoes and clothing and can only be bought in Dior stores. Haute couture is under the Christian Dior Couture division. PietroBeccari has been the CEO of Christian Dior Couture since 2018.

Bangladesh’s apparel export to the United States in January-July of 2021 grew by 28.04 per cent to $3.7 billion from $2.89 billion in the same period of 2020, according to the US Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel data.

In July 2021, Bangladesh’s RMG exports to the US market increased by 35.2 per cent while Vietnam, the main competitor of Bangladesh in the area of business, witnessed a 1.3-per cent negative growth in the market.

Bangladesh’s apparel export to the US in July, this year, grew by $148.41 million to $569.89 million from $421.48 million in the same month of 2020.

Bangladesh’s RMG exports to the US is expected to exceed the pre-pandemic level in the current year as the orders are increasing, says MdShahidullahAzim, Vice-President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). He hoped that the export growth to the US market would continue in the coming months as the business activities have become normal in the destination.

MohammadHatem, First Vice-President, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), adds, Bangladesh’s knitwear exports are growing fast and these are likely to to grow more if the prices of yarns remained stable.

Meanwhile US’ RMG imports from Vietnam fell by $16.80 million in July, 2021, to $1.26 billion from $1.27 billion in the same month of 2020. Vietnam’s RMG exports to the US in January-July of 2021 grew by 20.45 per cent to $8.07 billion from $6.93 billion in the same period of 2020.

India’s textiles and garments exports to US, EU, and UK are expected to increase by 33 percent this fiscal year, saysUpendra Prasad Singh, Secretary, Union Ministry of Textiles.

Singh asserts, multiple factors will boost India’s exports, with many prominent brands seeking for alternatives to China and India being one of the key options, and that government policies, particularly RoSCTL and RoDTEP, would assist exporters this year.

Textile and clothing exports from India will reach $100 billion, from $33 billion now, says PiyushGoyal, Textile Minister. He urged stakeholders to collectively look at achieving $44 billion exports in 2021-2022 for textiles and apparel, including handicrafts.

Goyaladds, the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Textiles and the Mega Investments in Textile Parks Scheme are nearing completion. Some states have expressed interest in the park idea, and business should concentrate on economies of scale.

T. Rajkumar, Chairman, Confederation of Indian Textile Business, states, the textiles industry had performed well across the value chain in the previous year.

Welspun India has received USFDA 510(k) approval for its 3 ply surgical masks. Certified by BIS and CE, these masks from Welspun India have received all required certifications to supply to global markets including critical medical uses. Welspun’s 3 ply surgical masks are made with 100 per cent polypropylene and offer 98 per cent protection against bacterial load. Similarly, the company’s WN-95 FFP 2 respiratory masks are CE certified, and can be exported to all global markets including Europe, AsiaPacific, Middle East, and Africa, etc.

The CE marking implies conformity of the goods with European standards of health, safety, and environmental protection, while the US FDA 510K clearance reflects that product adheres to all the required safety and quality standards. Following the latest clearances, both masks can be supplied in the international market. Welspun had earlier also gained CE certification for a Half Face Respirator with Valve for increased COVID-19 protection, which was also tested and verified by an international agency.

Knitwear exporters in Tirupur have urged the Central government to hasten the reimbursement of the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (ROSCTL) to get rid of issues like COVID-19, non-availability of containers and ships to export the finished products and the economic slowdown. As per a KNN India report, popularly known as embedded taxes like cess on power, tariff on petro products and tax on transport, ROSCTL is offered to the micro, small and medium enterprises in the form of scrips.

Companies can sell these scrips in the market or pawn it as surety in banks and mobilize some funds for meeting their urgent financial commitments, says S Sakthivel, Executive Secretary, Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA). Raja M Shanmugham, President, TEA adds, impacted by the second COVID-19 wave, the knitwear exports sector in Thirupur is struggling to meet statutory financial commitments every month. Between January 1, 2021 and August 31, 2021, India exported ready garments worth Rs 75,250 crore and the ROSCTL worth Rs 3,750 crore is pending on these exports, adds Shanmugham.

Kolkata-based personal protective equipment (PPE) maker — Mallcom (India) plans to set up a large unit in Bengal to manufacture PPE kits. The company already has manufacturing units in Kolkata, Haridwar and Ahmedabad. These units manufacture both industrial safety gear such as gloves, helmet, suits, shoes as well as medical gear such as masks and disposable protective covers.

Mallcom India plans to set up a facility for protective gears at Ghatakpukur. The facility will be set with an investment of Rs 50 crore. The plant is expected to be commissioned by April 2022, says Ajay Kumar Mall, Managing Director, Mallcom (India). In 2020-21, the company posted consolidated revenue of Rs 320 crore with exports contributing around two-third of the business. It estimates to clock a business of Rs 500 crore over the next couple of years. Mall believes, the changes to the occupational health and safety standards in India will give an impetus to organized players in the domestic PPE market. Mallcom will benefit from this as it complies with the standards both in India and overseas, he adds.

Gokuldas Exports has commenced commercial production at its new manufacturing unit in Tumkur, Karnataka. The unit will add about 4.5 per cent to its current capacity. The company currently operates at peak utilization levels and has a robust order book for the next six months. It plans to spend Rs 120 crore over the next two years to generate incremental revenue worth Rs 450 crore. The company also aims to augment its capacity over the near term, to meet demands and clear production backlog from the first quarter of FY2021-22. As per the annual report, the company anticipates substantial revenue growth in FY2021-22 in line with these trends.

Indian textile exports are at the threshold of a strong growth on the back of a vibrant retail stores and e-commerce demand in key markets like the US and Europe. India’s share in global apparel trade has so far been small. It can now look for more growth opportunities with large brands realigning their supply chain to de-risk from the effect of COVID-19, and looking at a more balanced approach for sourcing.

The Indian government has also extended the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) up to FY2023-24, to provide clarity to exporters and push for growth in the sector over a longer-term period. The Production-Linked incentive (PLI) scheme could boost also growth in the industry.

Egypt's clothing trade has improved significantly and exceeds EGP 300 billion annually. Mohamed Abdel Salem, Chairperson, Ready-Made Garments Chamber, Federation of Egyptian Industries attributes this to the decline in imports due to decree No. 42 which obligated importers to register with the General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOEIC). Also, a protocol of cooperation has been signed recently between the Ready-Made Garments Chamber and Gahez Digital Marketing

These factors helped local companies to improve their products and manufacture high-quality clothing to cater to the needs of the market, Salem adds. The Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI) is one of the country’s largest employers’ associations, with 20 industrial chambers as members, representing over 60,000 industrial enterprises out of which more than 90 per cent belong to the private sector accounting for more than 7 million workers and 20 per cent of the national economy.

The government is likely to approve Commerce and Industry Ministry’s proposal to extend the Indian Footwear Leather and Accessories Development Program (IFLADP) till 2025-26 with Rs 1,700 crore investments. Aimed at boosting leather production, exports, and create new jobs, the program would involve six components — Sustainable Technology and Environmental Promotion with a proposed outlay Rs 500 crore; integrated development of the leather sector with an outlay Rs 500 crore; establishment of institutional facilities with Rs 200 crore; Development of mega leather footwear and accessories cluster with Rs 300 crore; promotion of Indian brands in the leather and footwear sector with Rs 100 crore; and development of design studios with Rs 100 crore.

Under the 'Sustainable Technology and Environmental Promotion' component, the program would provide assistance for setting up a common effluent treatment plant; and under the Integrated Development of the Leather Sector, it would undertake modernization/capacity expansion/ technology up-gradation projects. Similarly the 'Establishment of Institutional Facilities' component, support could be provided for setting up of new infrastructure and upgradation of requisite infra of the existing campuses of Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI).

Under the 'Mega Leather Footwear and Accessories Cluster Development' sub-scheme, graded assistance is proposed for land development, social infrastructure, production facilities, and R&D (research and development) support. For brand promotion, support could be provided to promote at least 10 Indian brands in the international market. Further, under the component of 'Development of Design Studios', assistance could be given to develop 10 studios.