The European Union and China will strengthen their trade relationship and work toward opening up China’s economy for foreign investors. On surrendering intellectual property to gain access to China’s market, both sides have agreed there should not be a forced transfer of technology. The EU and China have agreed to a joint study on improving the inter-connectedness of rail systems. Both have also stressed a shared commitment to a rules-based system.

The EU has grown increasingly concerned about Chinese state-led companies buying key European assets while the level of market openness is not reciprocated in China. Politicians and businesses in the EU and the United States have criticized China for forcing foreign companies to hand over intellectual property in order to gain access to China’s economy — which is the second largest in the world.

The EU is China’s biggest trading partner. China is the bloc’s second-biggest trading partner, coming in only after the US. The US seemed to be the protectionist elephant in the room throughout the EU’s negotiation process with the Chinese. The US, by virtue of its heavy tariffs, has more muscle and may yet extract more in the way of hard concessions from China than the EU, which has mainly won more in political commitments.

Globally, there has been an increase in online sales of knitwear products. Knitwear products are a major segment of the fashion industry. The e-commerce fashion industry in the US and Europe is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.8 per cent and 8.7 per cent between 2017 and 2022. The e-commerce fashion industry in China is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.1 per cent between 2017 and 2022.

In terms of product type, knitwear is classified into innerwear, T-shirts and shirts, sweaters and jackets, sweatshirts and hoodies, shorts and trousers, evening dresses, suits and leggings, and accessories. Based on material type, the market is classified into natural, synthetic, and blended. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into outerwear, innerwear, sportswear and others. Based on consumer group, the market is segmented into men, women, and children.

Technology advances are expected to influence the expansion of the global knitwear market. The global knitwear industry ecosystem analysis includes a value chain analysis of the global knitwear industry including natural, blended, and synthetic fabric suppliers, textile companies spanning knitwear fabric and knitwear manufacturers, knitwear products distributors and export channels, and various retail outlets including department stores, specialty stores, discount chains, and mass merchandise chains.

Dubai’s textile industry is adopting innovative technology solutions. A manufacturing plant is being set up to make pellets from old clothes that are broken down into raw material. The plant will break down old clothes with polyester and cotton fiber through a recycling process to create PET pellets. These pellets are then used to manufacture new fabric that is then put back into the supply chain for a variety of uses including the fashion industry. The technology is already being used by high-end retailers such as H&M for whom a Japanese company is making clothing by dissolving polyester fiber from used clothing, purifying it and then turning it into a polyester resin that can be used again as raw material for polyester. Innovative technologies can be the answer to a greener footprint within the hydrocarbon dependent textile industry. The commercial benefits of the manufacturing process will save the textile industry millions of dollars every year as it weans its dependence away from the hydrocarbon industry.

In the UAE, textile industry is the country’s largest trading sector after oil. UAE’s textile exports cover more than 90 countries in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Europe.

Clouver from Bullmer is a product for knife, laser, plasma, and waterjet cutting that makes processes more transparent and production more efficient. Bullmer is a machine manufacturer from Germany. With Clouver which links production with its digital image production processes can be analyzed in detail, hidden production costs can be identified, and bottlenecks can be detected at an early stage. Clouver also provides an indicator for detecting and correcting drops in productivity due to production performance or scrap. This solution also provides the basis for condition-based maintenance. With Clouver machine operators see the operating and maintenance status of their machine, plant managers have an overview of the entire production area from their office, and decision-makers receive reliable, compact information that helps them with strategic decisions. Everyone gets the information that they need for their work in a clearly arranged form.

One component of Clouver that saves money is the maintenance monitor. Based on operating hours, oil levels, or other criteria, the monitor determines when the next planned maintenance should be performed. Maintenance and repairs can thus be planned more easily and inexpensively than with rigid maintenance intervals. Use-based maintenance helps to avoid unplanned downtime. Machine builders can also use Clouver to compare machines of the same type and to optimize service on the basis of a pool of experience.

Burberry is undergoing a major transformation, with a new designer, a new focus on ultra-luxury, a new logo and a change to the way it drops its product. The company has seen the successful launch of its new go-to-market model with social selling innovation contributing to building brand heat. Most discussions to evolve its wholesale distribution are now complete and the required changes to its third-party distribution network are expected to accelerate in the second half of the year. The brand’s strategic focus is on igniting brand heat — starting with influencers and key opinion leaders, which will cascade to all consumers.

Burberry has been deploying strategies to cut down under-performing retail locations. In the last eight months the British luxury fashion house closed four stores in Shanghai, China’s commercial capital, in its efforts to bring down costs and as part of a global restructuring effort. But while the early signs are encouraging, transitioning the product offer, evolving its distribution, changing wider consumer perception and seeing this translate into positive business performance will take time. The company’s switch to regular monthly drops via its B Series has got off to a good start too.

The broader luxury industry faces the prospect of slowing economic growth globally and weaker demand from Chinese consumers.

Bangladesh textile manufacturers are losing business due to illegal yarn and fabrics imports and the misuse of bonded warehouse facility. Huge quantities of dresses including saris, three-pieces and other shirting clothes are entering Bangladesh illegally through border markets from neighboring countries. Spinning and weaving mills are sitting on stockpiles of yarn due to lack of demand. Operations in more than 40 per cent of the spinning and weaving mills have remained suspended. High interest rate of bank loans and increased price of gas are also cutting the competitiveness of the sector.

Falling yarn prices have hit spinners in Bangladesh. The country has a target of reaching $50 billion in textile exports by 2021. The size of the domestic fabric market is seven to eight billion meters. Local producers can supply only three to four billion meters and the rest of the demand is met by smuggled fabrics and bonded warehouse fabrics. Some businesses import 80 and 60 counts yarn, declaring those as 30 counts of yarn. Some businesses are said to be importing yarns and fabrics under the bonded warehouse facility and later on selling the duty-free items in the open market at low prices.

Footwear brand Vans is expected to play a leading role at VF Corp after it spins off its denim business in May. Vans is seen by VF Corp as sustaining a mid 20 per cent operating margin. VF Corp will separate its denim brands, which includes Lee and Wrangler, from its other outdoor, active and working brands.

Vans is a US footwear brand that opened in 1966 and is known for its iconic waffle patterned sole. Vans shoes are available in a wide variety of cuts. It is rooted in the heart of skate culture and street inspired footwear. From the classic low cut shoe through to hi-top designs and the no fuss slip-on, Vans offers a range of footwear including the classic skate shoe. In addition there are socks, fashion T-shirts, backpacks, sunglasses, hats, wallets, belts, board shorts and beanies. Vans owns and operates more than 450 retail locations around the world. The brand promotes the action sports lifestyle, youth culture and creative self-expression through the support of athletes, musicians and artists.

VF Corporation is an international apparel and footwear company. From 2011 to 2015 the corporation added more than 500 sites to its global operations – a 40 per cent increase driven mainly by retail store expansion.

Raymond and Reliance have launched a range of eco-friendly fabrics named Ecovera. Ecovera is manufactured using RElan Green Gold, a technology from Reliance Industries. Green Gold is the greenest fiber in the world. RElan Green Gold is made by recycling post-consumer waste PET bottles, using biofuels and energy-efficient processes. Raymond’s Ecovera, powered by R Elan, will redeem almost a million PET bottles from landfills. Green Gold is a perfect choice to produce fabrics that have multiple qualities with superior handle and luster. R Elan Green Gold is a technology with globally supreme eco-credentials and specially engineered to fulfil consumer requirement for sustainable fashion. Green Gold is one of the eco-friendliest raw materials for the fashion industry and is supporting major brands to achieve their environmental commitments.

The Ecovera range will soon hit 1500 stores across 700 cities. Raymond is known for innovations in manufacturing top quality fabrics using both natural and manmade fibers. The use of RElan Green Gold is also a step towards making Raymond a sustainable and environment-friendly organisation. Reliance is India’s largest private sector company. Its activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail and digital services.

Karl Mayer will showcase warp-knitted textiles at Techtextil 2019 in Frankfurt. The brand will showcase products with integrated electrical conductivity and shaping characteristics from the new Textile Makerspace platform, an extremely efficient textile solution for protecting buildings, and a completely new generation of warp-knitted spacer textiles.

Karl Mayer is also inviting people to attend an in-house show, to be held at the same time as the fair, at its headquarters in nearby Obertshausen. This event will premiere a new nonwovens machine for the visitors. The manufacturer has grouped all its digital solutions under the KM.ON brand, and will showcase this system at the Techtextil.

Karl Mayer has grouped together all its activities relating to the use of new technologies and innovative products under the concept of Rapid Ile. They form part of the Ile Makerspace system, a platform that offers the space to try things out, develop new products and think outside the box.

To be held from June 11-14, 2019, Pitti Uomo will offer fashion fans the chance to check out the latest styles and designs as brands showcase new collections coming in from Europe, the US and Asia.

This year’s sees the event exploring the Pitti “Special Click” – a concept inspired by the way ideas and creativity “click” into place.