The 27th edition of Asia’s leading international trade fair for home and contract textiles Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles-Autumn Edition will host over 800 exhibitors from August 25-27, 2021.

This year the fair will be held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, Yarn Expo Autumn, PH Value and CHIC at the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

To better cater to the needs of those who cannot travel to Shanghai, last year’s successful online buyer service returns again in 2021. Livestream presentations specific to product categories will be conducted each day of the fair, with online buyers able to communicate dynamically with the exhibitors, or follow up with them after the fair. An online matching program will also be offered again with buyers able to arrange virtual meetings with their desired exhibitors during and after the fair.

For those buyers able to attend the fair in-person, a VIP buyer program a free business matching service is offered.

According to the consumer tracker released by Deloitte, sales of FMCG companies, including those selling packaged foods, daily use items, electronics and apparel, have recovered faster in July 2021 than the year-ago period.

Deloitte has been tracking consumers’ mood across major global markets since the onset of the pandemic. In its latest report, it surveyed Indian respondents till June 30, covering the second COVID-19 wave.

According to the report, the pace of vaccination has uplifted the consumer sentiment as witnessed from a slight increase in discretionary spends after easing of restrictions in June.

Working from home has helped employees save significantly on transport and employers on rent, the report says. As restrictions ease, consumers plan to spend more on discretionary items such as clothing, footwear and electronics, it adds.

The present steadiness in sales leading to recovery can be attributed to pent-up demand from consumers. People are escaping to tourist destinations and malls to take the much-needed break from confinement. Adding to the demand recovery, the coming festive months will be very crucial for malls, opines Abhishek Bansal, Executive Director, Pacific Group, which operates malls in the national capital region.

World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and American brand Levi Strauss & Co have joined hands to make lower interest rates available to suppliers that succeed in meeting the brand's climate commitments. The initiative is a part of IFC and Levi Strauss & Co’s (LS&Co) Partnership for Cleaner Textiles (PaCT) and IFC's Global Trade Supplier Finance (GTSF) program that offers working capital, such as trade financing, at lower rates to suppliers in compliance with environmental and social standards.

IFC and LS&Co launched their global PaCT partnership in 2019 to support participating suppliers and mills to identify and implement actions to improve water and energy efficiency and increase their use of renewable energy.

The program provides in-depth assistance to around 40 LS&Co suppliers across countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Mexico, Turkey, Egypt and Vietnam, while also providing ‘lighter touch’ support to other strategic suppliers that are developing action plans for reducing their carbon footprints.

Supported by 18.6 per cent higher than expected sales for the 11 weeks leading upto July 17, UK multinational clothing, shoes and household goods retailer Next has raised its full-year sales guidance from 3 per cent to 6 per cent. As per reports, the company estimates its pre-tax profit for 2010 to be £ 750 million.

Rise in sales is attributed to the stagnated demand for adult clothing growing due to few purchases made by consumers in the last 18 months. Fewer vacations abroad also spurred domestic spending in the UK as consumer savings increased significantly compared to last year.

In the last 11 weeks, UK sales performance in all Next divisions has improved with the opening of stores. The performance in its Label division improved by 64 per cent while overseas online business surged by 61 per cent.

For the full year, Next projects surplus cash to reach £ 240 million. The company has also decided to reimburse the government for a £ 29 million bailout.

World’s largest provider of sustainability ratings, EcoVadis has awarded leading sustainable specialty fibers supplier, the Lenzing Group with Platinum status in CSR rating. The assessment comprehensively covers the four main CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) practices; the environment, fair working conditions and human rights, as well as ethics and sustainable procurement.

In previous three years, Lenzing had received outstanding ratings in all categories, and was awarded Gold status in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The group’s ambitious climate targets form an essential part of its strategy and responsibility to future generations. In 2019, Lenzing became the world’s first fiber manufacturer to commit to reducing CO2 emissions per ton of product by 50 per cent by 2030, and even becoming climate-neutral by 2050. In its ratings, EcoVadis also highlighted the scientific validation of Lenzing’s climate targets by the Science Based Targets Initiative. In addition, Lenzing also focused on the group’s responsible procurement of raw materials – according to social and ecological aspects.

Since its inception in 2007, EcoVadis has become the world’s largest and most trusted provider of corporate sustainability ratings, creating a global network of more than 75,000 rated companies in 160 countries worldwide. It also provides information and tools that help to increase transparency within global supply chains. The methodological framework assesses companies’ policies, measures and activities, as well as their published reports, in relation to the environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Industry Minister, Bihar has announced plans to set up textile units in the state and unveil a textile policy soon. Hussain says, over the years, Bihar’s workforce has transformed from unskilled to skilled. The state provides around 70 per cent workers to various garment clusters at cheap rates. He emphasized on the strategic location of the state for both domestic trade and exports, including to South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. Most districts in the state were connected by roads and other networks with adjoining states, he added.

Most workers who had returned to the state after the COVID-19 outbreak are demanding a decentralized industrial setup to enable them to work from their native state, Hussain added.

Gap has launched a new integrated Rewards Program across the US and Puerto Rico. Called ‘One Membership. Four Brands’, the new program will simplify and streamline how members can earn and redeem their rewards within Gap’s four brands by combining the previous credit card and loyalty programs under Navyist Rewards, Gap Good Rewards, Banana Republic Rewards and Athleta Rewards.

The new program will make it easier for both card members and rewards members to earn points, enable them to redeem their rewards faster and create opportunities to give back by donating to one of our five charitable funds. Rewards members receive special perks, bonuses, and brand exclusive benefits when they join. As a part of the program, members can shop across all four brands and no matter which brand they enrolled in or how they spend, all of their points will be in one place.

The enhanced program will allow cardmembers to earn 5 points for every $1 spent across our family of brands and Rewards members to earn 1 point for every $1 spent. Members will be able to redeem rewards in $1 (or 100 point) increments, rather than 500 point increments as in the old program, allowing for faster accumulation of rewards and quicker redemption.

Another key feature of the program is the Do Good component, which gives customers the ability to give back by donating their points to one of five funds that support the brand and company’s core values Gap, Inc. has committed to match up to $1 million in member donations to these causes, amplifying the impact of the five Do Good funds.

Global lifestyle apparel company with a portfolio led by two of the world’s most iconic consumer brands, Wrangler® and Lee®, Kontoor Brands has appointed Mame Annan-Brown new Executive Vice President, Global Communications and Public Affairs, effective August 11, 2021.

Annan-Brown will be responsible for all aspects of global corporate communications – developing, leading and executing a cohesive internal and external communications strategy. This includes oversight of message development, media relations, owned and digital content creation as well as employee relations and engagement. She also will lead government affairs strategies to achieve positive outcomes, developing Kontoor’s position on key legislative and regulatory issues. Additionally, she will serve as a representative and advocate for Kontoor’s interest among government agencies and other select associations. As a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team, Annan-Brown will report to Kontoor’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Baxter.

Annan-Brown was earlier employed with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as the Head of External Relations since 2018. Prior to that, she was Head of Communications, IFC Asset Management Company (AMC); Chief Communications Officer, Results for Development Institute (R4D); Director-Marketing & Communications, United to End Genocide and Vice President, Investment Bank-Marketing & Communications, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Lectra has signed an agreement to acquire the entire capital and voting rights of the French company Neteven. As per Textile Focus, Neteven offers Lectra an innovative service based on a SaaS platform, which enables brands effectively monitor the distribution of their products on the world’s largest online marketplaces.

The SaaS platform centralizes the product catalog and information on stock levels, sales prices and orders, in order to automate and facilitate distribution on online marketplaces. This saves the customers’ time while they manage their distribution channels and gain greater local and international visibility of their products in order to reach more consumers. Neteven’s technological and services expertise helps brands optimize their e-commerce strategy.

Neteven is the perfect complement to the other solutions recently acquired by Lectra, Kubix Link (product lifecycle management and product information management – PLM, PIM) and Retviews (competitive intelligence and trend analysis). The combination of the three offers will enable Lectra to provide an even more comprehensive response to its fashion customers’ needs.

The transaction involves the acquisition of 80 per cent of Neteven rights for €12.6 million. The remaining capital and voting rights will be acquired in June 2025, for an amount between 0.6 to 0.9 times 2024 recurring revenues.

At an event hosted by Remake and the Garment Worker Center, Reformation joined denim manufacturer Saitex in championing the proposed Garment Worker Protection Act (SB62). As per Sourcing Journal, the act eliminates the controversial piece-rate payment model, provides more stringent safeguards against worker wage theft, and holds brands responsible for damaging practices perpetuated across their supply chains.

It seeks a level playing field, ensuring workers are not paid less than state or county-mandated minimum wage laws stipulate. In Los Angeles, that rate is $15 per hour. However, some advocacy groups claim the bill could harm American brands and California’s garment sector as a whole. California’s Chamber of Commerce included claims the Act would significantly increase burden on employers, and could ultimately encourage them to contract with manufacturers outside of the state.

Meanwhile, the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) has opposed SB62 in its current form, citing certain aspects of the bill that it believes are unfair to those that manufacture stateside.