The Sustainable Apparel Coalition has launched Higg Co, a for profit tech spin that will develop Higg Index technology and make it available for all Higg Index customers. Higg Co. will improve and enhance the experience of using the Higg Index and deliver technology for the robust Higg product roadmap ahead.

The Higg Index is a suite of sustainability assessment tools used globally by brands, retailers and manufacturers to measure the environmental and social performance of a company or product. SAC will focus on bringing members together to learn from each other and drive performance improvement, as well as focus on the Higg Index Product Roadmap, including developing questions and content in the self-assessments and verified assessments in the Higg Index suite of tools. The SAC will also manage the Higg Index Verification Program.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which had estimated the Indian cotton production estimate for the 2018-19 crop year at 345 lakh bales has now lowered its latest estimate by 20 lakh bales to 325 lakh bales. The USDA made this reduction in its latest estimate, released on May 10, 2019 after extensive deliberations with the Cotton Association of India (CAI) and also after considering all aspects and the prevailing situation in India. CAI’s April estimate for the 2018-19 season has placed the Indian cotton crop at 321 lakh bales. The cotton body has reduced its production estimate for 2018-19 crop year, beginning October 1, 2018, to 315 lakh bales, lower by 6 lakh bales, compared to its previous estimate of 321 lakh bales released last month.

The cotton crop estimate released by the CAI for Maharashtra is lower by 2 lakh bales compared to its previous estimate made last month while the cotton crop estimates for the North Zone, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, now made by the CAI, are lower by 1 lakh bales each compared to the previous month estimate. Water scarcity in some states and uprooting of cotton plants by farmers in about 70-80 per cent area without waiting for 3rd and 4th pickings are the main reasons for reduction in the cotton crop this year.

TexSelect (previously called Texprint) will select, mentor and promote the UK’s most talented newly graduated textile designers for the last time as the organisation plans to close its operations this year. Over the last 50 years, TexSelect has interviewed over 10,000 young textile designers and supported more than 1,250 of them to develop their careers and launch into the industry. But as the industry changes and sponsorship budgets shrink, TexSelect has found it tough in recent years to raise the funds required. At the same time, many members of its loyal and long-serving management team are retiring.

TexSelect’s presence at Première Vision Paris this September will also be its last trip to the international textiles fair, which has given outstanding support to the charity over many years. Its London Preview will be held at Chelsea College of Arts in July, with the exhibition showcasing the work of this year’s cohort of selected designers from July, 10-11, 2019.

Rwanda has signed partnership deal with a Chinese garment firm, China’s Pink Mango C&D, to set up a modern garment factory in the Kigali Special Economic zone to produce garments for both the domestic and export markets. Pink Mango C&D is expected generate cumulative export earnings of $20million over the next five years and provide 7,500 jobs to Rwandans by the fifth year. Furthermore, the company will build capacity and skills transfer to 500 workers of local garment cooperatives who will also benefit from some of their supply contracts through an outsourcing model.

Pink Mango C&D establishment will support the construction of a garment industry ecosystem attracting other players in dyeing, knitting and weaving as well as accessories suppliers to open up shop in Rwanda hence it is indeed an exciting addition to this growing industry. The firm's decision was attracted by Rwanda's conducive business environment, and its investor facilitation. The government of Rwanda provides tax incentives, affordable utility services, and land accessibility, among others.

China’s C&H Garments was the first player to invest in the Rwanda’s manufacturing. It entered the market in 2014 and currently produces police and military uniforms, immigration department and schools. The firm also employs more than 1,000 people, arguably one of the largest private sector employers in the country.

Ijaz A. Khokhar, Chief Coordinator of Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) has urged the government to set up sector wise, central, provincial and regional level task forces to boost exports in the sector. He advised the government to take effective steps for making the value-added textile industry competitive and vibrant in International market. According to him, the value-added garments sector was showing considerable growth as it exported $6 billion products and was a major tax payer.

Khokhar says, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) opened not only fundamentals of industrial cooperation between the two friendly countries but also had paved the way for new vistas of economic stability, industrial growth and development in Pakistan. He therefore urged upon the Chinese government to simplify the visa process particularly for the business community adding that Chinese Embassy in Pakistan should grant multiple visas to Pakistani businessmen.

Kering has published its new animal welfare standards in order to ensure and verify the humane treatment of animals across the Group’s supply chains. The Kering Animal Welfare Standards are the first-ever set of full standards covering animal welfare for luxury and fashion and aim to drive positive change in industry practices, and beyond.

The Kering Animal Welfare Standards cover all species around the world that are part of the Group’s supply chains. The first phase of the standards include detailed requirements for the treatment of cattle, calves, sheep and goats throughout their entire lives, as well as guidelines for abattoirs. Developed over three years with input from animal welfare experts, farmers and herders, scientists and NGOs, the standards are based on the latest scientific research as well as legislation, comparative standards, best management practices and guidelines from different sectors.

Kering’s Standards feature a number of requirements for animal management that would significantly improve the welfare of animals in countries around the world if they were adopted by the industry more broadly. Kering has been piloting these standards on the ground with farms in different regions and will continue to work closely with the farmers to support further implementation.

The standards are structured in Bronze, Silver and Gold tiers to provide clear guidance on critical compliance and with the expectation that the Group’s suppliers will make continuous improvements. At the Bronze entry level the Standards reflect minimum requirements, which equal, and in some cases go beyond, European legislation.

As per industry estimate India’s use of man-made fibre in fabric blends has increased to 45 per cent over the last few months from 40 per cent earlier. However, India is far below the global average of man-made fibre use of 70 per cent in blended fabrics. India is gradually catching up with the global trend of a bigger share of man-made fibres than natural fibres in textile blends. The preference of consumers is moving from cotton to man-made fibres like polyester, given the increasing demand for casual-wear and sports-wear. The decreasing acreage of cotton cultivation in the country is also contributing towards the shift.

Some spinning mills in the South Indian states including Tamil Nadu have started using manmade fibre again after a wide gap of several years. Traditionally, they were using manmade fibre but had shifted to cotton about a decade ago. They have again switched to manmade fibre as it is abundantly available and substantially cheaper than cotton.

Evonik has developed a new generation of fibers P84® – which fulfill the demand of the industry. The new product offers improved mechanical stability at permanent operating temperature. This high tech fiber has a unique multi-lobal cross section which ensures the highest level of filtration efficiency. Because of its excellent physical and chemical properties, P84® high performance fibers are used in a variety of applications. The spectrum reaches from filter materials for high temperature filtration, protective clothing, sealing applications for spacecraft to a number of other high temperature applications, e.g. insulating panels for thermal insulation.

In high temperature filtration processes filter materials made of P84® fibers maintain a higher permeability at constant pressure drop through the entire life cycle. This leads to lower dust emissions and minimised energy costs. For example, more than 150 cement kiln applications are using P84® based filter materials. The energy saving of these optimised filters reduce the CO2 emissions by approximately 60,000 metric tons per year.

Evonik is the worldwide leader of chemical resistant, thermostable and non-flammable polyimide fibers. These fibers are produced at the chemical plant in Lenzing, Upper Austria and further processed and customised in the neighboring production plant in Schörfling am Attersee.

C.L.A.S.S. will have a special place fully dedicated to its smart innovation within the "Design Studio" at the next edition of Copenhagen Fashion Summit. The Design Studio is specifically designed to present a unique curation of sustainable solutions across a number of researched design challenges displayed together in one space alongside tangible garment prototypes.

It is specifically tailored to the needs of creative directors and designers, equipping them with the necessary tools to translate words into action. C.L.A.S.S is the perfect place to take a wider view on the range of smart innovation materials, becoming also more aware of the importance of a switch to circular economy.

Textile innovator Devan Chemicals launched two new technologies at the Techtextil show in Frankfurt. These are: Bio-flam, a bio-based flame retardant product and Odour Breakdown, a wash durable, non-biocidal odour control solution.

Bio-based FR treatments, like Bio-flam, are made from renewable, vegetable sources and enable the FR treated products to be biodegradable. Its active components are 100 per cent halogen- and heavy metal-free. Bio-flam P307 is the first introduction in the new Devan BIO-FR family, is biodegradable and developed to be used on 100 per cent cotton or cotton/viscose mixtures, in order to create an ecological concept, safe for people and planet, whatever might happen.

Bio-flam P 307 is developed for mattress ticking to pass EN 597 1&2. The company’s researchers are developing other bio-based products for other market segments and for other fire standards.

Devan’s Odour Breakdown captures and neutralises these mal odours produced by the bacteria. It is a wash-durable, non-biocidal odour control solution and has different application levels. This technology contains Devan’s Moov & Cool technology which helps in cooling during the sports activities.