At least 110 garment factories in Cambodia have been closed in the first nine months of the year leaving over 55,000 workers without jobs.

Ngoy Rith, Undersecretary, Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training said as of early September, 111 factories had closed in the garment, footwear and travel product sectors. He added the number of closures was similar to the first nine months of last year, when 110 factories closed.

Rith said the government had been effective in introducing measures to keep factories open in one of the most important sectors of the Cambodian economy. He added that the global market for garment products had been virtually shut down by the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors.

He said the number of suspended employment contracts was gradually subsiding, noting that the number of garment factories that had frozen work contracts had decreased to 52, which affected the incomes of roughly 14,000 workers.

However, Fa Saly, President, National Trade Union Confederation, said the actual numbers might be higher than the figures released by the labor ministry and that more Cambodian workers were losing their jobs and incomes each day. Saly said even though Cambodia is under the General System of Preferences (GSP) program, which will facilitate imports to the UK starting in January, he was still not optimistic.

He called on the government to seriously address these problems and ensure that the Kingdom’s workforce has good working conditions and more jobs.

C.L.A.S.S. ecohub, the platform empowering responsible fashion and textile business will launch ‘For the Fashion4’ virtual talk on December 01, 2020 on Zoom. The seminar will set new rules and raise the bar in both responsibility and communication. Dignitaries at the talks will include World reknown Supermodel, actress and activist Amber Vallettam Carlo Capasa, Chairman of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Sara Sozzani Maino Deputy Director Vogue Italia, Head of Vogue Talents

C.L.A.S.S. launched C.L.A.S.S. ICON, the annual award bestowing a visionary creative who innovates both in style and responsibility tuning with new sustainable values and, striving to raise consumers’ awareness. “C.L.A.S.S. ICON is more than an award; it highlights the 4th dimension of sustainability bringing together professionals and consumers in a virtuous path.”

In a letter to the shipping ministry, Chittagong Port Authority and Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA), have demanded a withdrawal of the emergency cost recovery surcharge (ECRS) carrier as the apparel sector and other industries are already in jeopardy.

Global retailers are continuing to suspend or cancel work orders, which has created uncertainty for factories and workers, said Mohammed Abdus Salam, first Vice President, BGMEA.

Feeder vessels operating to and from Chittagong port have imposed $75 per laden teu and $37.50 per empty container congestion surcharge since 15 November.

They imposed the surcharge as the ports in Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang have experienced severe congestion in the last couple of weeks, with vessels facing berthing delays of up to 48 hours, causing productivity losses they are trying to recoup via the surcharge.

Ahsanul Huq Chowdhury, Chairman, BSAA, argues that the surcharge is not being collected locally. He said the feeder vessels are realizing the increased amount from mainline operators, which in turn are collecting it as a general rate increase from the global buyers.

World's biggest manufacturer of surgical gloves, Top Glove plans to close over half its factories after a surge in coronavirus cases among workers. The company has seen a huge jump in demand since the start of the pandemic as countries scrambled to stock up on protective equipment, pushing up both its profits and share price.

However, virus outbreaks amongst employees at factories near Kuala Lumpur are forcing the company to shut its operations again. The company recently registered 1.000 new cases of coronavirus and therefore decided to shut 28 factories.

Top Glove operates 47 factories, of which 41 are in Malaysia. Many of its workers hail from Nepal and live in crowded dormitory complexes. The company produces over 70 billion gloves a year and is a major global supplier. In July this, the US has banned imports from two of the company’s subsidiaries over concerns about forced labor.

Most wholesale markets in Gujarat witnessed heavy buying during Diwali from buyers across the country. Textile markets in Ahmedabad and Surat had remained completely closed for almost three months. As a result, textile traders faced acute liquidity crisis as most of their stock remained unsold. They witnessed almost zero demand till August end but from September the market started improving gradually.

The Diwali season came as a blessing for traders as they witnessed heavy demand during the festivities. Many traders recovered their payments ahead of Diwali. Items like rayon fabric are being sold in cash, which is an encouraging sign for the textile sector in Gujarat, says Gaurag Bhagat, President, New Cloth Market and Member, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)

Almost 90 per cent of the over 300 wholesale textile markets in Surat have started functioning, informs Dev Kishan Mangani, Chairman-Textile Committee, South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI)

Mangani expects buying to continue post Diwali in the wake of marriage season as well as Pongal and Christmas festivities. However, everything depends upon COVID-19 situation in Gujarat as well as other parts of the country, he says.

As per Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, RMG exports by the country grew by 4.6 per cent during first four months of current financial year as compared the exports during the corresponding period of last year.

From July-October 2020-21, Pakistan exported about 11,378 thousand dozens of readymade garments valuing $947.419 million as compared to 20,850 thousand dozens valuing $905.243 million exported during the same period of last year.

During the period under review, the country’s knitwear exports grew by 12.30 per cent to 24,425 thousand dozens valuing $1.183 billion as against the exports of 40,837 thousand dozen valuing $1.053 billion during the same period last year

About 149,937 metric tonne of bed wear costing $899.558 million were exported during first four months of current financial year as compared to the export of 166,268 metric ton valuing $818.129 million during the same period last year, it added.

The country also earned $195.662 million by exporting other textile materials as compared to $126.810 million earned during same period of last year

Export of other textile materials increased by 54.30 per cent in last four months of current financial year as against the export during the same period last year.

PVH Corp has appointed Allison Peterson, Chief Customer Officer, Best Buy Co, and George Cheeks, President and CEO, CBS Entertainment Group, to its Board of Directors. The company believes their deep experience in successfully navigating consumer disruption will help PVH evolve as one of the world’s largest apparel companies. Having a proven track record of delivering strong consumer engagement fueled by strategic marketing, cross-channel experiences and brand positioning, Peterson will be responsible for the customer strategy, consumer insights and research, experience design and membership/loyalty for Best uy. She will help the company to build its digital presence to align with new consumer behaviors. She has earlier worked with major retail corporations like Target Corp and Best Buy where she held several leadership postions including Chief Marketing Officer and President of E-Commerce.

With over 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, George has a deep understanding of how an iconic brand grows with its audience in the context of changing distribution, culture, lifestyles and preferences. Currently engaged with the CBS Group, he has previously served in various senior executive positions at NBC Universal. Most recently, he was Vice Chairman, NBC Universal Content Studios.

Both appointments will be effective from January 26 and March 22, 2021, respectively. PVH also plans to appoint Stefan Larsson, President PVH Corp., to the Board as part of its previously announced CEO succession plan.

LVMH has promoted board member Anne de Vergeron as the new CEO of fashion house Repossi. An experienced investment banker, De Vergeron joined Repossi four years ago, when LVMH bought its first stake in 2016. In May 2019, LVMH acquired majority control on Repossi. Founded in Turin in 1950, the house has been guided for the past decade by Gaia Repossi, the fourth generation of the family. It now plans to roll out own e-commerce platform in February. The online platform will have 30 signature; statement pieces whose prices will range from €600 for ringsto €30,000 for some pavé versions. The fashion house will reserve its more precious items of jewelry for its physical stores.

Repossi has already been retailing online with few e-tailers, albeit with limited selections: Dover Street Market; Net-A-Porter; Matches and the websites of Selfridges, Saks and Bergdorf Goodman. The brand remains resolutely design forward. It has collaborated with Flavin Judd of the Donald Judd Foundation to revamp the brand’s historic boutique in Monaco. It has two flagships – Paris and Monaco – and four other shop-in-shops.

Worldwide, Repossi sells with 50 stockist having reduced its distribution during the pandemic to focus less on wholesale.

Indigo knitwear is addressing consumers’ needs for flexible denims by expanding into loungewear, casualwear, sportswear and workwear categories. Adriano Goldschmied, Founder, Genius Group says, Indigo knits stand in a much stronger position today and competes with traditional denim in consumer wardrobes. Genius Group started using indigo dye knits in 1980s and launched the first AG collection in 1990s in Italy.

Carme Santacruz, Creative and Denim Designer, Jeanologia, believes indigo knits can be the way forward for denim in a lockdown world where comfort and coziness drive new essentials. According to him, the new sustainable and technological versions of indigo knit help reduce environmental footprint in the garment finishing stages.

Lucia Rosin, Founder and Head-Design, Meidea views indigo knits to be a fundamental part of denim’s future as it gives shape, through technology and sustainability, to a wider expression of products that help live better. Patrick Silva Szatkowski, Marketing Department, Santoni Spa believes knitted fabrics not only possess stretch properties and provide freedom of movement, but also are highly breathable.

Gurgaon-based entrepreneurs Kapil Kamra, Ashish Tanwar and Wesley Brono have launched a new firm to fulfill the sourcing needs of export houses and leading buying agencies. Called Common Sourcing Solution, a range of fabrics like rayon with pigment, reactive, discharge prints and yarn dyed, 100 per cent cotton with/without spandex within category of solid, prints yarn dyed for both shirt weight and bottom weight, 100 per cent silk and silk cotton in solid and prints, single jersey, double jersey, interlock, fleece, rib, polar fleece, knitted denim or fabrics with special finishes.

With a deep understanding of products as well as working of all stakeholders of the industry, the firm caters to the fabric sourcing needs of garment manufacturing industry. It offers win-win solution to its clients through its low cost, good quality and timely delivery. The firm has multiple resources in China that will help it to procure best negotiated prices from China and help exporters to get one-point solution.

Founder Kapil Kamra is a B Tech, Fashion and Apparels from The Technological Institute of Textile and Sciences (TIT). He has rich experience of working as a fabric manager with Asmara Group, Triburg, Newtimes Group of Companies and Nahar Fabrics.

Similarly, Ashish Tanwar also from TIT has experience of working with Orient Craft and Maral Overseas. On the other hand, Wesley Brono holds a diploma in textile technology and has worked with Li & Fung and Fab India.