A report released by Conab (Brazil’s National Company for Food Supply) estimates 0.11 per cent decline in area under cotton cultivation in Brazil in the 2020-21 season compared to that reported in July. Productivity is estimated to rise 0.04 per cent compared to that reported in July, to 1,714 kilograms/hectare. The Brazilian output is currently estimated at 2.341 million tons, stable compared to that previously reported, but 22 per cent lower than that in the previous season.

Domestic cotton consumption is estimated to reach 715,000 tonne while exports in 2021 are now forecast to decline by 1.2 per cent to 2.1 million tonne. Ending stocks in the current season are estimated to decline by 6.9 per cent than that reported in July to 1.29 million tonne and 26.8 per cent below that last season. In July, Brazil’s cotton exports declined 39 per cent to 61,400 tonne from June and 20.6 per cent from July 2020, according to data from Secex, the secretariat of foreign trade.

The CEPEA/ESALQ Index for cotton in Brazil surged by 4.6 per cent during the first fortnight of August spanning from July 30 and August 13. The index closed at its highest price level since May 18, 2021 at 5.1915 BRL/pound on August 13. During the fortnight, Brazilian cotton farmers focused on the harvesting and processing cotton and completing pending contracts. Taking advantage of the price levels, many sellers closed new deals for further delivery – to both the domestic and the international markets – for the cotton from the 2021-22 and the 2022-23 seasons, says Sao Paulo-based Center for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics (CEPEA) in its latest fortnightly report on the Brazilian cotton market.

Denim brand Levi’s is partnering four-time Grand Slam singles champion and activist Naomi Osaka to launch a limited-edition collection made of vintage or upcyled denim. As per a Sourcing Journal report, Osaka has designed four distinct denim pieces that capture her sporty yet feminine style as well as her Japanese heritage.

The collection includes two styles of shorts: a vintage 501 jean short embellished with Y2K-worthy crystal fringe cascading down the sides, and a knee-grazing long short with lace-up details on the back made from pairs of upcycled men’s jeans. The lace-up theme is replicated in a denim bustier made from reworked Levi’s Trucker jackets. The bustier features the classic lines, flap pockets and shank buttons of the iconic Type III Trucker jacket, only in the shape and cut of a traditional corset-style bustier with a lace-up back.

The collection is secured by a denim kimono with a matching denim obi belt. The Levi’s x Naomi Osaka collection will be launched on August 24 in the US exclusively on the Levi’s App.

The Sri Lankan Apparel Exporters Association (SLAEA) has launched a new website and logo to increase supply chain transparency and emphasize on its ethical practices to attract buyers and increase standards in order to improve the industry’s brand image. As Aroon Hirdaramani, Chairman says, the new website highlights the association’s capabilities in sustainability, technology, and its strategic relevance as a worldwide sourcing destination. He added, the new logo and website will significantly aid SLAEA’s industry’s marketing efforts.

The logo represents the teardrop shape of Sri Lanka, the female workforce of the industry and a pearl to signify the island’s identity as the pearl of the Indian Ocean. SLAEA will use the website to project the whole industry on one platform in which buyers and investors can easily access.

The Sri Lankan Apparel Exporters Association (SLAEA) is the pioneer association representing the country’s apparel exporters. The association’s membership accounts for over 70 per cent of the country’s apparel exports.

Ratingen-based fashion group Esprit aims to offer 100 per cent sustainable clothing within the next two years. The group has just published a booklet in which it highlights its ecological corporate goals. A Spin off reports says, Esprit currently makes over 60 per cent of its Ecollection with sustainable materials. The company pays special attention to the integration of resource-saving as well as recycled materials. Its production processes focus on water- and energy-saving techniques without the use of chemicals.

Esprit’s collections are mostly made from cotton grown according to organic standards, i.e. without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. However, the group also uses certified recycled cotton and Better Cotton. Other materials by the group used include linen, which is 100 per cent biodegradable and water-saving, Tencel from Lenzing, made from lyocell based on the eucalyptus plant, and Lenzing's Ecovero, the viscose fiber certified with the EU eco-label, which is obtained from wood that in turn comes from environmentally friendly managed forests.

Oscar Rieg Plaza is the new CEO of American Silk Mills. In this role, Rieg Plaza will be responsible for parent company Sutlej Textiles and the company’s home textiles division.

Former vice president of sales at Covington Fabrics, Rieg-Plaza was earlier also the owner of Barcelona Sales. At American Silk Mills, he will join the leadership team of Jeff Smith Senior Executive Vice President- Sales and Marketing and Kena Hohenour, Director-Design and Merchandising.

With a presence in over 60 countries, Sutlej Textiles currently serves a global clientele with its eco-friendly and sustainable manufacturing practices that have enabled the company to achieve the Global Recycle Standard.

Founded in 1896, American Silk Mills specializes in designing and distributing textiles to customers across residential, contract, transportation, and specialty markets. The company’s products include fine jacquard textiles, high-quality silks, a variety of luxurious velvets and Sensuede, an eco-friendly synthetic suede.

Driven by a robust growth in Vietnam’s cotton yarn and product exports, Vietnam’s cotton consumption in 2020/21 is projected to reach to a record 7.3 million bales, according to the latest report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As per a Grain Central report, yarn exports from Vietnam in 2020/21 have already exceeded the previous year’s record by more than 10 per cent through the first 11 months of the marketing year.

Most exports have been driven by a demand from China with exports to country accounting to 6o per cent of Vietnam’s total cotton lint consumption. China’s August to June imports of Vietnamese cotton yarn were a record and equal to roughly 4 million bales of cotton lint consumption. US imports from Vietnam were a record in the first 11 months at more than $5 billion. The country mostly imported knitted cotton sweaters, pullovers, and other similar articles of clothing which accounted for roughly 30 percent of the total value of US cotton product imports from Vietnam.

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is setting up 10 more design resource centers to help the handloom sector. These are being set up at weavers' service centres in Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kannur, Indore, Nagpur, Meerut, Bhagalpur and Panipat. They would enable weavers, exporters, manufacturers and designers to access design repositories for sample/product improvisation and development.

NIFT has already established such centers at the weavers' service centers in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneshwar, Guwahati, Jaipur and Varanasi. Each of these centers has accumulated a large number of designs and sample over the years.

Set up in 1986, NIFT is the pioneering institute of fashion education in the country and has been in the vanguard of providing professional human resource to the textile and apparel industry. It was made a statutory institute in 2006 by an Act of the Indian Parliament with the President of India as ‘Visitor’ and has full fledged campuses all across the country. Over the years NIFT has also been working as a knowledge service provider to the Union and State governments in the area of design development and positioning of handlooms and handicrafts.

US-based fashion e-commerce company Popshowroom highlighted the importance of innovation and technology to drive the fashion business at the renowned sourcing show, Magic.As per an Apparel Resources report, the company aims to inspire the show visitors to re-embrace the vibrancy of life and be energetic and casual. The company’s teams are in a process to build a brand that offers customized fashion to its global customers.

Popshowroom had set up its algorithm centre in May this year, in Nanjing, China, a city well known for its apparel manufacturing and efficient logistic system in its efforts towards integrating innovation and technology with the company’s business model.

The company is working towards creating a digital one-stop supply chain solution to upgrade apparel manufacturing, Pine You, Head-Product and Technology, says, the company uses technologies to minimize its cost at each production stage. It is currently developing an advanced technology in collaboration with experts in Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing.

Terry towel manufacturers and exporters in Bangladesh are urging the government to ease yarn import rules through land ports, as the prices of this basic raw material have increased in local markets. M Shahadat Hossain Sohel, Chairman, The Bangladesh Terry Towel & Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BTTLMEA, said, the association currently has a lot of work orders from international retailers and brands and needs yarn at competitive prices. As per a Daily report, Sohel has urged the government to give factory owners who do not have bond licences, an opportunity to import yarn at a concessional rate so that they could be more competitive in the international markets. BTTLMEA also urged the government to allow import of yarn from India through major land ports, such as that of Bhomra and Sonamasjid.

It urged the government to improve the infrastructure in these land ports and facilitate warehouses and storage of raw materials like cotton, yarn and fabrics for the apparel industry. BTTLMEA also demanded partial shipment facility through the land ports, including the one in Benapole.

Monsoor Ahmed, CEO, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), said Bangladesh should not depend on one or two sources for importing cotton, yarn and fabrics as any disruption could hinder the sector's overall supply at any time without any prior notice. He said allowing partial shipments through the land ports would not be wise as it would open up scopes for irregularities

Pakistan’s textile and clothing exports increased 22.94 per cent to $15.4 billion in FY2020-21 as compared to $12.526 billion in the previous year, shows the latest data by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Most of this growth was fueled by the expansion in export of value-added sectors. In addition, in the last financial year export-oriented industries remained closed due to COVID-19 lockdown and cancellation of orders from global buyers, which also contributed to the steep rise of exports.

In FY21, Pakistan’s RMG exports increased 18.83 per cent to $3.032 billion in FY21 as compared to $2.552 billion in the previous year. Exports of home textiles increased 28.87 per cent to $2.771 billion this year compared to $2.150 billion in the previous year. Towel exports grew 31.81 per cent to 937.536 million in FY21 in comparison to $711.265 million in the previous year. Export of leather-based clothes increased 14.02 per cent while leather-based gloves surged 22.26 per cent. Exports of uncooked leather-based declined by over 12.04 per cent. Export of cotton materials grew 4.98 per cent in FY21 to $1.921billion, whereas the export of cotton yarn increased by 3.26 per cent to $1.016 billion on a year on year basis.

The exports of tents, canvas and tarpaulin went up by 12.10 per cent, while those of artwork, silk and artificial textile surged by 17.68 per cent and that of made up articles, excluding towels and mattress increased by 28.08 per cent.