Bangladesh’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in the textile and weaving sector increased 11 per cent to $271 million in 2020. Data from the Bangladesh Bank shows, Bangladesh received $271 million as foreign direct investment, in 2020. As per a Textile Today report, South Korea was the largest investor with an investment of $50.32 million followed by Kong $35.11 million, China $25.19, the United Kingdom $14 million, the Netherlands $6.18 million, USA $11 million, the British Virgin Islands $26.46 million, Sri Lanka $22.36 million and India $11 million.

Industry leaders welcomed the foreign investment in the segment. The investments will enable the sector to diversify products and knowledge sharing, said Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA

Hassan also suggested attracting more foreign investment in fabrics manufacturing in woven mostly, while there are opportunities for value-added products

To become self-sufficient in raw materials for high end products, the government should offer an opportunity to attract foreign investors with large volume investment, said Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

The FDI can help the apparel sector attract capital and skilled workforce, added Moazzem. He opined that FDI should come in backward linkage and textile sector also as still we are importing huge amounts of fabrics.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has accused Grasim Industries of abusing its position in the staple fiber market by charging discriminatory prices to customers, denying market access and imposing supplementary obligations on them. However, the regulator has not imposed any monetary penalty on the firm, considering that a fine of Rs 301.61 crore has already been imposed through an order passed in March 2020 with respect to substantially similar conduct.

Besides, the period of contravention in the instant case (2017-18) was in continuation of the period of contravention in the previous case (2012-2017) and thus partly overlapped. The Commission criticized Grasim Industries’ efforts to seek details of VSF consumed from the domestic spinners to provide discount as an attempt to control the entire market by putting conditions upon small players and interfering with their freedom of trade.

In the case of one of the informants, Grasim Industries withdrew all discounts/credit notes, making the supply of VSF costly for it, resulting in the VSF yarn manufactured by it becoming uncompetitive.

In a meeting with leading industry associations, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) advised export-oriented yarn makers not to increase yarn prices further. The association revealed plans to form a committee or arbitration cell shortly, comprising representatives from the textile, terry towel and linen and ready-made garment sectors to fix the upper ceiling price of yarn for the local market.

As per a Financial Express report, the virtual meeting was attended by Faruque Hassan, President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA); AKM Salim Osman, President, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA); Shahdat Hossain Sohel, Chairman, Bangladesh Terry Towel and Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BTTLMEA; Mohammad Ali Khokon, President, BTMA and Tapan Chowdhury, Former President, BTMA

The emergency meeting was convened after the BGMEA, BKMEA and BTTLMEA leaders expressed their concern over the rising trend of yarn prices in the local market for last couple of months.

The Standardization Administration of China has issued a new national standard for clothing and home textile products. The national standard GB/T 40270-2021, Textiles-General technical requirements based on consumer experience was included in China’s No. 7 announcement of the approved national standards list in 2021.It will be effective from December 1, 2021.

The standard was formed on the basis of current production processes and overall technical level, with less consideration for the consumer experience. As per the standard, general safety technical requirements of textile products shall conform to the requirements of GB 18401 or GB 31701 (products for infants and children) and quality requirements of textile products shall conform to the requirements of related claimed product standard.

The standard aims to guide enterprises to pay close attention to consumer demand and develop standardized technology when designing and producing products, according to SGS Global Softlines, a global network with 10 laboratories in China.

From January 23 to 26, 2022, Ispo Munich will once again be held as a physical event at the MesseMünchen exhibition center and will launch several concept innovations.

As per The Spin Off report, the exhibition will focus on industry topics such as sustainability and digitalization as part of a conference stage, but also with exhibition areas. The focus here will be on conference/learning; the offerings in this segment are aimed at ISPO's classic B2B target group.

Under the name "Collaborators Zone", the new B2C2B Hall is also being created, a partially separated and segregated area of Ispo Munich, which will specifically serve to activate and integrate consumers. Consumer experts and (micro-)influencers from the Ispo Group's Collaborators Club–a further development of the Ispo Open Innovation platform–will meet brands and customers with a strong B2C orientation here.

Even though exhibitors will be able to present Special Editions for the first time or offer exclusive sales drops in this area, direct sales of products will not be possible.

A diverse group of denim brands will exhibit at the Liberty Fairs ‘first-ever West Coast trade show.

The first amongst these will be Japanese brand Hiroshi Kato which cuts and sews imported fabric in Los Angeles. The brand also offers washed jeans with four-way stretch Its Spring/Summer 2022 line will feature lighter washes and more bleach-out details, keying into an appetite for vintage styling and worn-in fits.

The unisex label Harri Penny will showcase its Spring 2022 line consisting of workwear-inspired ready-to-wear styles constructed mostly from denim. The designer has sought to create comfortable, practical silhouettes to give wearers the confidence to take on life post-pandemic.

The brainchild of Pakistan-based vertical denim manufacturer Artistic Milliners, Rising Sun’s line of men’s and women’s denim is cut and sewn at its Santa Ana, Calif. facility. The Heroes Motors denim label puts a new spin on old-school styling. The line’s denim is awash with distressing, paint splatters, shiny waxing, patchwork and other rugged and eye-catching design flourishes. The range is complemented by a range of denim jackets, vests, T-shirts and pullovers replete with vintage patches, embroidery and screen prints.

Edwin USA, the in-house denim line managed by sustainable L.A. denim manufacturer Saitex USA acts as a testing ground for the manufacturer’s newest production innovations, like fabrics crafted at its newly-opened Vietnam mill. Edwin USA also plays with inventive, cutting-edge styling inspired by heritage denim as well as contemporary trends.

Sourcing at Magic at Las Vegas will give fashion businesses, brands, and sourcing professionals the opportunity to connect and collaborate with an international community of global manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers.

As per Textile Today, the four day exhibition at Las Vegas Convention Centre in Nevada will be attended by Bangladeshi readymade garment (RMG) factories and exporters. The show will end on 11 August.

This Expo will bring in the participation of more than 800 companies. The buyers will come across the following range, furnishing accessories, athletic footwear, carry bags, bamboo fabric, beads and sequins, bedroom textiles, belts and bags, buckles, clips and hooks, blended fabric, carpets and rugs, children apparel, casual shirts, party wear, bridal dress, menswear, embroideries, denim fabric, fashionable footwear, lingerie, maternity dresses, leather goods, swimwear, hosiery wear, yarns, zippers.

According to Fernando Pimentel, President, Abit (Brazalian Textile and Apparel Industry Association) there was an increase of 36 per cent in Brazil’s textile production between January and May 2021, compared to the same period in 2020. Pimentel also highlighted the growth in clothing production, as well as in commerce and especially in jobs.

The executive also highlighted other important points about the current scenario and the impacts of changes in the world as of 2020: the more expressive recovery of the textile sector, which in 2020 can maintain its production with protection items, including masks, and the fact that the sector has not yet returned to the numbers before the pandemic, but the perspective is positive for it to grow again this year.

When it comes to clothing, the segment shows recovery from the worst moment of the pandemic, in April 2020, when the trade was closed. From the time, when there was an 81 per cent drop in sales revenues, they are expected to grow by 121 per cent during the same period in 2021, he added.

In 2021, textile production is expected to grow by 7.4 per cent, reaching 2 million tonne produced. As for revenue, a 9.2 per cent increase is expected in relation to 2020, reaching R$57.5 billion, Pimental added.

In the first four months of 2021, Sri Lanka’s textile and garment export revenues increased 28.7 per cent year-on-year to $ 1,699 million, show statistics released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The country’s textile exports increased by 41.2 per cent to $ 98.9 million and clothing exports increased 27.3 per cent to $ 1,556 million.

As per the report ‘External Sector Performance-April 2021’ exports of other textile products increased 59 per cent to $44.5 million. Textile and garment exports accounted for 57.62 per cent of all industrial exports from Sri Lanka over the four months.

From January to April 2021, Sri Lanka’s textile and textile imports also increased by 22.1 per cent to $ 938.6 million, and clothing and accessories imports decreased 12.2 per cent to $ 74.9 million. In April 2021, Sri Lanka’s textile and clothing export revenues increased by 461.2 per cent to $ 366 million, compared to $ 65.2 million in exports for the same month in 2020. Expenditure on on textiles and textile products surged by 55.5 per cent year-on-year. Import of clothing and accessories increased 57.8 per cent to $ 19.2 million to $ 228.4 million.

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has upheld the passing of the infrastructure bill by the US Senate. The council believes this will provide funds worth billions of orders to revitalize the nation’s roads, bridges and railways and help reconstitute a domestic supply chain for personal protective equipment (PPE).

The bill also includes a version of the Make PPE in America Act, legislation co-sponsored by Senator Rob Portman and Senator Gary Peters. It ensures all PPE purchased by the Departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs are Berry Amendment-compliant; guarantees long-term contracts to US manufacturers; and creates a tiered preference for PPE made in the Western Hemisphere by its free trade partners using US components, after domestic manufacturing capacity has been maximized.

Last year, NCTO members retooled their production chains in response the nation’s need for PPE and other medical products. It will continue to urge the government to purchase Berry-compliant products containing 100 per cent domestic content for PPE to help bolster the full US production chain in the future, says Kim Glas, President and CEO.