According to the China customs, in Oct 2020, China's uncombed polyester staple fiber exports decreased by 9.4 per cent year-on-year and 3.9 per centa month-on-month to 74,300 tons.

As per CCF Group, the country’s exports have increased in July, August and September for three consecutive months, and in October, the exports also maintained above 70kt. Currently, the delivery of foreign orders is drawing to a close. In Hangzhou, export offers of siliconized HC re-PSF are at $920-930/mt recently, FOB. However, affected by volatile exchange rate, some previous orders that are concluded see deficits, especially in Guangdong market. Product inventory in plants is relatively low, so some plants control the foreign orders.

In addition, the medium-grade re-PSF from Southeast Asia is offered at 5,000yuan/mt, after-tax ex-works, and its quality is close to that from Jiangyin and Wujiang district. The color is little white, and strength is ordinary.　In Jiangsu, 3D siliconized HC virgin PSF from Southeast Asia is sold at 6,300yuan/mt, after-tax.

HS code 55032000 is synthetic staple fibers, of polyesters, not carded, including virgin PSF and recycled PSF.And the imports from Southeast Asia and African are mainly the recycled PSF.　The following are the changes in recent years.

As per Sportswear International, the 32nd edition of Milano Unica, the international textile trade show scheduled for February 2021, will take place only as a digital event. Its next physical edition is planned for July 2021.

The decision was recently taken by its board of directors in light of the present evolution and to support the value chain’s entrepreneurs internationally in this delicate moment and favor new business modes for those who have difficulties traveling.

After its launch during the 31st edition in September 2020, the new edition of e-Milano Unica Connect, the marketplace of apparel textile and accessories, will be online from January 2021 presenting the s/s 2022 collections.

Milano Unica is now busy building new digital opportunities to increase prospects for international business and relationships offered by the physical trade show. This important challenge will make the organizer meet each other more solid and structured, and welcome visitors to its next July edition presenting the F/W 2022-23 collections, added Massimo Mosiello, GeneralManager, Milano Unica.

As per survey firm Report Linker, the global market for children’s wear is estimated to reach a revised size of $325.9 billion by 2027. It is likely to grow at a CAGR of 3.7 per cent over the analysis period 2020-2027.Girls wear is projected to record a 3.8 per ent CAGR and reach $132.3 billion by the end of the analysis period. The boys wear segment is poised to grow at 2.8 per cent CAGR for the next seven-year period.

The US market for children wear is estimated to reach $68 Billion in 2020. China’s market is forecasted to touch $68.8 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 6.7 per cent over the analysis period 2020 to 2027. Among the other noteworthy markets Japan and Canada, are forecast to grow at 1.1 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively. Within Europe, Germany is forecasted to grow at approximately 1.9 per cent CAGR.

Global market for infant & toddler wear is expected to be dominated by the US, Canada, Japan, China and Europe, which will together grow at 4.1 per cent CAGR. These regional markets will reach a projected size of $68 billion by 2027. China will remain the fastest-growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach $46 billion by the year 2027, while Latin America will expand at a 5.6 per cent CAGR through the analysis period.

The Cotton 2040 coalition aims to include the US Cotton Trust Protocol in Cotton 2040’s CottonUP guide which helps sourcing directors make sustainable decisions. As per a Textile Focus report, the CottonUP guide seeks to address one of the main barriers for companies looking to start sourcing or increase the amount of sustainable cotton. The time and resource required to research and implement the most appropriate sourcing approach for their organisation’s sustainability priorities. The guide highlights the business case and main sourcing options for sustainable cotton, provides guidance on creating a sourcing strategy and on working with suppliers, and shares case studies from companies that have already navigated the complex challenges of sourcing more sustainable cotton.

The guide recognizes the US Cotton Trust Protocol as a sustainable cotton standard alongside BCI, CmiA, Fairtrade, myBMP, Organic and recycled cotton. It helps stakeholders within the cotton sector to navigate the complexity, and better understand the major sustainable cotton standards they could adopt, how they work, and select the best options for their business.

To mark the completion of one year of Fashion Pact, fast fashion brand Mango aims to focus on protecting the industry against climate change and also protecting the oceans. Mango had signed the United Nations Fashion Industry Charter in October. The charter lays down 16 principles to reduce industry’s impact on climate change. These principles aim to reduce greenhouse gases in the industry by 30 per cent by 2030. For this, Mango is conducting a detailed study of its carbon footprint, which will allow it to establish certain Science-Based Targets (SBTs) throughout 2021 and draft the corresponding plan to reduce its emissions.

Mango also aims to increase the proportion of sustainable fibers in its collections. The brand aims to use 100 per cent sustainable cotton in its garments by 2025. The company also plans to increase the use of recycled polyester to 50 per cent and that of cellulose fibers to 100 per cent by 2030.

To protect its Oceans, Mango has recently initiated a project to replace the plastic bags in its packaging with paper bags. The project involves eliminating approximately 160 million plastic bags per year.

Better Cotton Initiative has unveiled the ‘Cotton Sustainability Digital Series for 2021’ that includes an online conference on global cotton sustainability, reports Textile Focus. It will also include a debate on ‘What will 2030 look like and how do we respond as brands, manufacturers, NGOs and citizens?’ on January 19, 2021. The debate would discuss the developments in sustainability that are transforming the world around us and the apparel and garment industry. Participants in this debate will look at how companies that implement sustainability have proved to be more resilient in 2020 and better build back, being the businesses that our future needs.

The month-long series will feature business executives and practitioners. It will investigate the whole supply chain of cotton. Workshops at the series will concentrate on issues like climate action, today’s creativity and social sustainability.

India’s textiles sales dropped 51 per cent from 130.9 to 56.4 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year, compared to the corresponding quarter of the last fiscal, reveals Wazir Textile Index done by Wazir Advisors. Arvind, Vardhman Textiles, Welspun India, Trident, Raymond, KPR Mill, Filatex, RSWM, Sutlej Textiles, Nahar Spinners emerged the top 10 players during the quarter.

Among these, Arvind’s sales declined 72 per cent from Rs 1,742 in Q1 FY20 to Rs 493 crore in Q1 FY21; Vardhman Textiles’ declined 51 per cent from Rs 1, 558 crore to Rs 771 crore while those of Welspun India dropped 16 per cent from Rs 1,435 crore in Q1 FY 20 to Rs 1,202 crore in Q1 FY21.

Declining EBITDA margins

EBITDA margins of the top 10 players declined almost 88 per cent from 96.6 to 11.9 during the quarter. Arvind’ s EBITDA margins dropped from 9 per cent in Q1 FY20 to -6 per cent in Q1 FY 21; Vardhaman’s dropped from 15 per cent to -1 per cent while that of Welspun India from 24 per cent in Q1 FY 20 to the corresponding quarter of current fiscal.

Raw material and manpower costs of all top 10 players increased 60 per cent and 31 per cent respectively. Of these, Arvind’s percentage of raw material costs to total sales declined 46 per cent in FY 21. Similarly, the percentage of raw materials costs to sales for Vardhaman Textiles increased from 53 per cent to 55 per cent while Welspun India saw a drop from 48 to 39 per cent. Average raw material costs of all top 10 companies decreased 4.3 percentage points in the first quarter of the current financial year as compared to that in corresponding quarter last fiscal.

Rising employee costs

The average employee cost of all 10 players increased 6.6 percentage point during the quarter compared to same quarter last fiscal. Arvind’s employee cost jumped from 12 per cent to 25 per cent. For Vardhman Textiles’ cost increased from 9 to 16 per cent while for Welspun India saw an increase from 9 per cent to 12 per cent.

Other expenses increased by 7.2 percentage points during on an average for all 10 companies in the quarter. The Average Industrial Production (IIP) Index for apparels decreased by 51 per cent in Q1 FY21 as compared to Q1 FY20 while the IIP Index for textiles declined 75 per cent. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) Index for apparels remained constant during the first quarter of FY21 while that of textiles declined by 3 per cent.

Exports register a drop

The economic slowdown induced by COVID-19 outbreak led to a 56 per cent decline in textile and apparel exports in Q1FY 21 compared to Q1 FY20. Filament witnessed the biggest decline of 67 per cent in textile exports while apparel exports dropped 65 per cent. US had the highest 31 per cent share in textile and apparel exports. However, its share declined 3 per cent from 34 per cent in Q1 FY20. It was followed by EU-28 and UAE with 26 per cent and 23 per cent shares respectively. Combined together these three regions had 56 per cent share in India’s textile and apparel exports during the quarter.

India’s leading power dressing brand from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, Van Heusen has collaborated with Color Threads Inc to launch inStem’s ‘G-Fab’ Technology in India. Through this collaboration Van Heusen aims to launch a premium quality Made-in-India mask and athleisure clothing powered by G99+ antiviral™ to meet the current demands of the new-age consumer. The mask and athleisure products are manufactured using the ‘G-Fab Technology’ licensed from inStem; an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology and further developed by Color Threads Inc. The technology has been developed at Dr Praveen Kumar Vemula’s lab at inStem.

inStem is the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. The current situation augers the need to emphasize on ‘Make in India’, and supporting the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative of Government of India.

Color Threads is an incubatee at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP). C-CAMP an initiative supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India is an enabler or catalyst of cutting-edge research and innovation in India

Van Heusen Mask powered by G99+ antiviral™ is manufactured using inStem’s Germicidal fabric technology which reduces >90% and 99.99% of **SARS-CoV-2 virus infectivity in 5 and 15 minutes, respectively. When the virus comes in contact with the fabric, the treatment reduces the viral load of SARS-CoV-2, which is tested under lab conditions as per modified ISO 18184 protocol at an independent biotechnology research laboratory, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. The mask is washable and reusable up to 30 washes subject to wash care instructions being followed.

Leading Bangladesh apparel companies including Mahmud Group. Laila Group, Intimate Apparels, Utah Group and Pakiza Knit Composite have registered themselves on the ASW Marketplace. Organized under the umbrella of Apparel Sourcing Week, the marketplace allows buyers and sellers to interact, exchange ideas and share concerns.

One of the most successful textile manufacturers in the Bangladesh, the Mahmud Group has a versatile production chain to cater to flexible orders in shorter lead-time. Mahmud Jeans (MJL) - a sister concern of Mahmud Group - is one of the leading garments manufacturer and exporter of readymade garments. It’s designed and installed with state-of-the-art equipment and is a 100 per cent compliant well-equipped garments manufacturer of Bangladesh.

Having two production facilities, the Laila Group initially started as a readymade garment manufacturer with eight lines in 2005, and now has 21 production lines. This progressive and product development-oriented company has a monthly production capacity of 0.8 million. Laila firmly stands on an annual turnover of US $48 million based on an annual output of 12 million pieces.

Utah Group is a vertically integrated manufacturer offering 2.7 million fine knit apparels, and 1.5 million woven tops and bottoms in a month. Started in 1984, the group has since grown and expanded into an enterprise employing 14,000 individuals and providing high quality garments to multiple countries around the globe. It aims to make a difference in the community, the environment and the industry by creating a sustainable model which can take Bangladesh to the next level.

One of the major players in knit manufacturing, Pakiza Knit Composite s product categories include T-shirts, tank tops, polo T-shirts, pyjamas, leggings and knitted kidswear. In less than five years of its establishment, the Pakiza Group is today synonymous with quality and timely production, working with clients like NKD, Otto, Pep&Co, OVS, Peacocks, NewYorker and LC Waikiki, etc.

According to estimates by Jefferies Global Research, China’s share of global personal luxury goods expenditure has skyrocketed this year, right after the end of the pandemic’s first wave.

The share grew from 38-39 per cent of the global market in 2019 to 80-85 per cent in 2020. The figures are explained by China’s rapid recovery once the lockdown was lifted - the country hasn’t been hit by a second epidemic wave, unlike the rest of the world - and by the travel restrictions that forced Chinese consumers to spend domestically rather than abroad.

In the next five years, China expects a slight decrease in this 80 per cent share, but it is evident that it won’t return to the 38 per cent share of 2019. Luxury expenditure in China will continue to account for 55 to 60 per cent of the global market, said Flavio Cereda-Parini, Managing Director, Jefferies.

These forecasts diverge slightly from those recently published in the 2020 annual luxury market report by consulting firm Bain & Co., which predicted that Chinese domestic consumption in 2025 will account for 26-28 per cent of the global luxury market, compared to 11% in 2019 and 20 per cent in 2020.