June-quarter same-store sale of Burberry grew 4 per cent mainly on account of the creative designs of its new creative director Riccardo Tisci. As per the company, Tisci’s designs received an “excellent” response and his collections delivered a strong double-digit percentage growth compared to prior-year equivalent collections. The company has increased the proportion of Tisci’s collections in its mainline stores by around 50 percent.

Burberry’s adept use of social media also helped the brand to recover its business with celebrity influencers such as Rihanna and Irina Shayk continuing to expand the brand’s reach and drive engagement with consumers.

Meanwhile, the brand reconfigured 23 of its stores to its new creative vision, which led to the brand reducing its selling space by 2 per cent by closing its non-strategic sites. Of 38 smaller stores selected for closure, nine have been already shuttered and in the wholesale space, Burberry is continuing to rationalise space in non-luxury US resellers.

Backed by leading retailers such as Gap, H&M, Lee; the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has launched new circular principles for denim design. These guidelines set minimum standards for recyclability, durability, material health, and traceability of a pair of jeans, in a bid to curb the outsize environmental cost of denim production.

The guidelines were developed by 40 denim experts from academia, fashion brands, retailers, manufacturers, collectors, sorters, and NGOs. Around 15 fashion retailers have already promised to abide by the guidelines. These include: Arvind, Bestseller, Boyish Jeans, C&A, GAP, Hirdaramani, H&M Group, HNST, Kipas, Lee, Mud Jeans, Outerknown, Reformation, Sai-Tex, and Tommy Hilfiger.

As per Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the first pairs of jeans produced in line with the guidelines are expected to hit shops in 2020. Bearing the Jeans Redesign Logo, these jeans will be able to withstand at least 30 washes, feature labels with clear information on product care, be made with at least 98 per cent plant-based fibres from organic or regenerative farming methods, and design out metal rivets to improve recyclability. However, it is unclear whether the guidelines will be applied to the entire ranges of participating fashion companies, or restricted to specialist ranges.

Kenya has announced plans to start commercial production of Bt cotton. The country will release Bt cotton seeds at 1,000 demonstration sites in all parts of cotton growing areas by November. The hybrid variety will then be registered by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service.

A final report on second National Performance Trials will be submitted to National Performance Trials Committee by September 2019. The process will be further approved by National Biosafety Authority (NBA) for environmental release and placement on the market.

Kenya’s Vision 2030 has identified cotton as a key sub-sector with the potential to benefit eight million people in the drier areas of the country. The country has the potential to produce 260,000 bales of cotton if area under cultivation was increased.

American company Alkhemist is making garments out of hemp. Hemp is a non-psychoactive cousin of marijuana. The company has launched a women’s collection of hemp-infused tees, jeans and trucker jackets and comfy hemp leisurewear. In jeans, some hemp content varies between 6 to 50 per cent. But hemp is going to be a regular staple in the company’s everyday apparel composition. The company grows the cannabis. After the flowers are extracted for medicinal and recreational use, the leaves and stems are collected and processed to produce fabric.

Women wear have summer bell bottom wide flare, shorts, the skinny and the cargo. Because this is a hemp lifestyle, it’s a capsule collection based. A range for men, children and even babies in the offing with hemp diapers, which will be naturally antimicrobial and anti-odor.

Alkhemist is not only cultivating new cannabis products but is innovating with the future of denim and apparel by merging the two worlds as a vertically integrated operator in the legal cannabis sector. The brand hopes to encourage a socially conscious hemp lifestyle. It’s advocating a whole hemp lifestyle - hemp paper straws, hemp plastic and more.

Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco), has increased producer price of the commodity by 54 per cent to cushion growers from rising inflation. Government initially pegged the producer price of raw cotton at $1,95 per kilogramme, but prevailing high inflationary pressures have made the upward review necessary. According to Cotton Producers and Marketers Association Chairman Steward Mubonderi, this move will benefit farmers who have a late crop especially those in Chiredzi. However, to avail this benefit, the farmers need to deliver their crop early.

ZimStats’ latest figures indicate that Zimbabwe’s inflation rose to triple digit levels last month, with annual rate hitting 175.7 percent in June from 97.9 percent in May. Cottco will continue partly paying the farmers in US dollars. The company administers the Presidential Free Inputs Scheme, a state funded program meant to increase production. Nearly 400 000 farmers get assistance under the program.

Launched in 2015, the programme has helped the resuscitation of the industry with output growing from 28 000 tonnes, the lowest in nearly two decades, to 143 000 tonne last year. About 90 percent of the production was funded by Cottco.

"Stäubli presented a wide range of its latest textile machinery at its two booths at ITMA 2019. Additionally, Stäubli solutions for frame and Jacquard weaving were also seen at other booths throughout the weaving hall. Visitors to these booths learned about Stäubli’s vision for Industry 4.0 and how this development offers a chance to intensify customer and partner relationships. They also learned how Stäubli’s machinery and systems can boost their mill’s weaving performance and overall efficiency."

Stäubli presented a wide range of its latest textile machinery at its two booths at ITMA 2019. Additionally, Stäubli solutions for frame and Jacquard weaving were also seen at other booths throughout the weaving hall. Visitors to these booths learned about Stäubli’s vision for Industry 4.0 and how this development offers a chance to intensify customer and partner relationships. They also learned how Stäubli’s machinery and systems can boost their mill’s weaving performance and overall efficiency. Stäubli machinery represents a long-lasting valuable investment offering an attractive ROI due to the extended service life of the equipment, long-term spare parts availability, and swift and comprehensive worldwide service.

The major Staubli products exhibited include:

New TIEPRO warp tying machine: This new machine features extremely fine mechanical precision supported by high-performance digital technology. Weavers profit from the unique yarn separation process, the auto-reverse function, and automatic double-end detection.

SAFIR S60 automatic drawing-in system with Active Warp Control: This exclusive yarn-repeat management system, known as AWC, is an ingenious technology that makes for more first-quality output and boosts the overall productivity of the weaving department.

New S1792 cam motion for air-jet applications: This high-speed cam motion features 10 levers and uses the new e32/e33 harness motion for even higher performance.

NOEMI: The entire LX/LXL/LXXL series of Jacquard machines for flat, terry, and velvet fabrics is now equipped with NOEMI, a new electronics concept. This compact, reliable, and suited to very large format machinery concept meets the requirements for high-speed weaving and handling the very high number of hooks to be lifted.

NEW N4L Name Selvedge Jacquard machine: This machine for name selvedge weaving offers easy positioning over the whole reed width, re-engineered quick links for quick style changes, and robust construction with Jacquard heads protected by aluminium beams. It is an ideal machine for weavers and haute couture brands to protect their valuable woven fabrics.

ALPHA 500 Series: With its Schönherr carpet systems, Stäubli showed a machine featuring two LX2493 carpet Jacquard heads, a new model of the UNIVAL 500 series of frame shedding machines handling 6 pile colors, a 4+4 weft selector, and various other interesting options. In a dedicated room, visitors observed how innovation, automation, and digitization support increased carpet output. The exhibit was completed by a carpet slider which allowed visitors to explore the many design possibilities offered by the flexibility of ALPHA machines. Visitors could also touch and feel a variety of carpet qualities, including a high-density carpet displaying a very sharp image of the Sagrada Familia cathedral with more than 4 million points/m2.

TF weaving system for technical fabrics: The Stäubli TF weaving system was set up in another dedicated area where the collection of technical carpet samples illustrated the broad range of possibilities this system offers in weaving ultra-complex fabrics.

D4S automatic toe-closing device: Visitors to Stäubli’s booth in the knitting hall watched this revolutionary device rapidly sew perfectly smooth seams to close the toes of high-quality sports socks. The D4S drastically reduces sock manufacturing time.

With its two booths, Stäubli provided a broad overview of its range of solutions for future-oriented weaving mills and sock knitters. These solutions are fully in line with the company’s vision of converting high-tech mechatronics into attractive products, services, and solutions that meet customers’ requirements. Stäubli has been living out its vision of innovation for 127 years and makes its passion for fast moving technology a reality every day.

Intertextile Pavilion Shenzhen will move to the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center – the world’s largest exhibition venue – and as the fair prepares to upgrade to a larger space, this year’s exhibitors discussed the benefits of exhibiting in Shenzhen.

The 2019 edition of the fair, held from July 4 to 6, 2019 featured 1,065 international exhibitors from 11 countries and regions. It welcomed 17,745 visitors from 46 countries and regions. Exhibitors reported successful business outcomes in the promising South China market, thanks to the fair’s high buyer quality and location. After already expanding by one hall this year, venue and date changes are planned for the next edition in 2020 to further accommodate the fair’s consistent growth.

Intertextile Pavilion Shenzhen offers an ideal place to meet and network with potential clients. At this year’s fair, exhibitors noted good potential from the visitors they met, with high demand for mid- to high-end ladieswear fabrics. With the fair conveniently located nearby local garment manufacturers, some overseas exhibitors noted that they use the fair as a way to promote their brand in the China market. Meanwhile, the focused nature of the fair enabled trade buyers to meet their sourcing targets, and they reported their satisfaction with the quality of the products on offer.

Cotton planted acreage in the US is down about three per cent from last year. While pima acreage increased 10 per cent, upland acreage decreased three per cent. A total of 96 per cent of American cotton acreage has been planted, which is slightly more than last year for that date. Quality also appears to be a bit better than last year, with 50 per cent of the total acreage being rated as good to excellent.

Compared to previous year, five states planted fewer upland cotton acres in 2019, including California. Upland cotton planted area is a record low in California. In California, planting started a little behind schedule due to rain and cooler spring temperatures. Weather conditions in May slowed crop progress and led to concerns of high insect pressure. Some farmers switched from upland to pima.

Last year, California growers planted 2,11,000 acres of pima cotton, harvesting a total of 210,000 acres. This year growers planted 2,40,000 acres of pima, an increase of nearly 14 per cent. Altogether California cotton growers have planted 2,80,000 acres for the 2019 crop. The total amount of biotechnology varieties that have been planted this year are 89 per cent, compared to 81 per cent in 2018. Of that total, ten per cent are insect resistant, 38 per cent are herbicide resistant and 41 per cent are stacked gene varieties.

The Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada (ATSC) 2019 show will introduce a number of new country pavilions at this year’s event to meet the needs of its expected 5,000 attendees. It will also feature a first-of-its-kind Testex Certified Factory Pavilion. ATSC — which returns for the fourth year from August 19 to 21 in Toronto and August 23 in Montreal — is the industry’s go-to event, experiencing year-over-year growth and featuring hundreds of factories from around the globe through world-class conference sessions and unmatched networking opportunities.

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority will feature some of its region’s top, adaptable textile and ready-made garment producers in the new Ghana Pavilion. An overview of the resources and benefits of partnering with Ghana-based suppliers and factories will be presented on the opening day as part of a panel discussion featuring Ghanaian government and private officials.

The Peru Pavilion will offer an opportunity to experience unique Peruvian textiles and apparel first-hand. In addition to visiting the Peru Pavilion, ATSC attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the benefits of sourcing from Peru in a Latin American panel discussion held during the trade show.

The delegation of Turkish exhibitors includes Abiteks and sister company Gaia-Sourcing.com, supplier to brands such as O’neill, Espirit, Laurel, Bogner Jeans, S.Oliver and many others. The Tureks Group will unveil their latest capabilities to the buyers in attendance.

The Swiss textile testing and certification organisation Testex will return to the show with a 10-booth pavilion as part of the first Testex Certified Factory Pavilion. The pavilion will feature a variety of textile mills and apparel factories for both knit and woven products.

Amid rising trade tensions, American importers of sports goods, toys, stationery, cables and electronics parts are turning to Indian sellers of these goods as Chinese products become expensive due to the US-China trade war. The US is planning to replace Chinese exports with Indian products in at least seven product lines including vulcanised rubber, footwear and kitchen accessories. India exported these items worth $1.5 billion in FY19 to the US, and the industry is keen to ramp up capacity to meet the potential demand.

India has a scope to increase its exports by 25 per cent since inquiries have increased since the US’ announcement to impose a 25 per cent duty on some Chinese products. In case of footwear, an American importer wants one million pairs annually.

The department of commerce has already identified 203 products where exports to the US could be increased by replacing Chinese exports as it already has market access for these items and is a competitor of China.