Future Fabrics Expo was held in UK from January 24 to 26, 2019. The show highlighted the need for a more varied approach to material selection and manufacture, as current global fiber demand lacks in diversity. In order to inspire a broader textile fiber matrix, Future Fabrics Expo presented a carefully curated range of natural and manmade fibers and fabrics ranging from protein and cellulose-based natural fibers to manmade fibers derived from natural and synthetic polymers.

Organic cotton fabrics featured strongly. JJR Spin Textiles, based in India, showcased an eye-catching range of fabrics combining hand woven tweeds, stripes and checks, hand and machine embroideries and jacquards. The company uses handloom and manual techniques for some of its range to ensure that traditional techniques and skills are preserved. In addition, this approach offers more flexibility in terms of how many colors can be used as well as combining different yarn compositions and thickness.

Material recyclability and biodegradability was featured in a dedicated display, highlighting the urgent need to develop alternatives to single-use plastic packaging and pushing innovation on plastic waste recycling.

In line with the industry’s growing interest in cleaner and healthier materials, the dedicated innovation hub featured a variety of emerging bio-based materials made from agricultural food waste, mushroom mycelium, algae and wild rubber from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.

If the ongoing trade war is not resolved soon, mills in China could move away from US cotton permanently and toward Brazilian or West African cotton. The US cotton industry enjoyed a 46 per cent share of all imports going into China. But that changed when China issued a 25 per cent tariff on US cotton in retaliation for tariffs placed on Chinese goods by the US.

China accounts for one-third of total global mill use for cotton. For the 2018-2019 marketing year, China may increase its imports by at least seven million bales or higher to meet its mill needs and were it not for the tariffs, the US could have been in a strong position to cater to the demand. However, China is still seen as a key market for US cotton and the US will promote the benefits of its cotton. Chinese mills like US cotton for its quality, its consistency and its low contamination. China is the US’ most efficient market to ship to in the world so it keeps costs down.

China produced roughly 26 million bales last year, leaving a gap of 15 million bales where it turned to imports and stocks to meet the shortfall.

Invista has developed new products featuring EcoMade Technology. EcoMade technology is a key part of the company’s vision, in which product sustainability is a critical component. EcoMade technology is available in staple and filament forms, so that almost all fabric types and textile end-use can be served. This makes them easy to be adopted as performance fabrics in the active outdoor space.

EcoMade gives new life to recycled resources by transforming them into fibers through a controlled process. This means less waste is going into landfills, which appeals to millennials and environmentally-conscious consumers. Coolmax EcoMade fiber and Thermolite EcoMade fiber and insulation are made from certified amounts of recycled resources such as plastic bottles and are designed to offer the active/outdoor apparel industry a more sustainable alternative to virgin fibers.

EcoMade technology is available for Lycra T400 and Lycra Dual Comfort technologies as well as for Coolmax and Thermolite brand names. Thermolite T-Down EcoMade insulation is a sustainable alternative to down feathers at a lower cost that is GRS certified and made with recycled fibers. This insulation is designed to deliver lightweight warmth to cold weather outerwear, sleeping bags and accessories.

Invista has made a significant investment to develop differentiated recycled fibers that offer the same features, benefits, and quality as their virgin polymer equivalent, but will meet consumer expectations for more environmentally responsible products.

Digital fashion solution company Sharecloth has released a report on the amount of wasted clothing produced by the fashion industry. One of the main focus of the report is the burning of unsold clothing by major brands. In 2017, H&M incinerated 15 tons of clothing while last year Burberry burnt products instead of selling them at a lower cost.

The report also claims companies which destroy their dead stock will almost never acknowledge this publicly. The report contains many figures on the extent of the problem with the current trend of fast fashion. The global fashion industry produces 150 billion garments a year, which equates to about 20 pieces per person.

More than 50 per cent of fast fashion produced is disposed in under a year. Also offered is a warning to the fashion industry, that by 2030, fashion brands will see a profit reduction of $52 billion if it continues operating the way it currently does. This it says is due to scarce resources, higher labor costs and overproduction. As to why companies overproduce clothes, one reason is fast fashion but other reasons are growing demand for clothing and also unit cost, with bigger orders equaling lower price per piece.

ISPO Textrends will be held in Germany, February 3 to 6, 2019. This is a platform for designers and product managers to discover the latest fabrics, fibers, trims, and accessories for sports, and outdoor apparel. It will cover a host of topics from digitalisation, micro factories to the dawning of a new era in sustainability.

With micro factory becoming a more prominent feature in the industry, a session will show that a fully integrated, fully automated and adaptable workflow process from design concept to finished garment is possible with digital technology.

A textile trend consultant will share ISPO Textrends’ mega trends, color palettes and textile trend directions daily, which connects to the latest developments for fall/winter ’20/’21. There will also be a discussion of a borderless sports industry.

A view on the social and economic developments of the next decade and its impact on the industry will be another topic. The textiles chain is changing, driven by the demand of consumers, as transparency and traceability, to a renewed waste-less, recycled and reuse attitude, come to the forefront. A smart approach to textiles is also happening, from innovative sustainable solutions to artificial intelligence, illustrating how new technology can be introduced into the entire textile chain.

Apparel Sourcing Week will be held in Bangalore from March 15 to 16, 2019. It will break the glass barrier on a key doubt that many manufacturers in Bangladesh are having. Is the Indian retailer/brand prepared for international sourcing?

The event will create an opportunity for discussion on a mature platform to enhance the future potential of mutual trade between natural partners – India and Bangladesh.

Besides being among the fastest growing retail markets of the world, India is also home to the best sourcing professionals in the global apparel network. All key positions in buying and sourcing are being handled by people who have years of experience in international business. These experts have brought in systems that are supporting a smooth transition from an unorganised buying/sourcing module to a very professional approach to the process.

H&M’s India office is buying huge quantities of undergarments from Bangladesh for its India stores. The Swedish global fashion giant which has committed Rs 700 crores towards FDI in India has 31 stores in India and last year H&M, which is also available online, did a business of Rs 940 crores in India. Indian retailers are aggressively increasing their sourcing from Bangladesh and many others are seeking the right partners to work with.

Xinao Textiles, based in China, has opened in Italy. This will be not only a commercial facility but a development and production center crucial for strengthening its position in Europe. The company will be a benchmark for Italian and European textile market, guaranteeing rapid manufacturing times and products in line with its taste and demands. The aim is to become the collector of the European fashion market’s ideas and trends, to interpret its taste and needs and offer a rapid, competitive service.

The subsidiary is located in a part of Italy that is an international wool yarn center. Xinao will integrate itself with the local textile services industry to create a product with Italian taste and high added value. Xinao Textiles, founded in 1991, is one of the world leaders in the worsted wool spinning industry. About 80 per cent of its market is external knitwear and 20 per cent circular knits and socks. The secret of its success lies in its totally integrated production chain: from its own farm in Australia, which supplies part of its wool requirements, to all combing, treatment, dyeing and spinning stages. Meticulous selection of raw materials means it is now a leader in fine and extra-fine yarns, manufacturing a product with international appeal.

The autumn/winter edition of Asia’s biggest apparel show, the India International Garment Fair (IIGF) 2019 took place from January 16-18, 2019 at Expo Mart, Greater Noida. The three day fair, presented latest innovations in women’s wear, men’s wear, ki’ds wear, bags, fashion accessories etc. Exhibitors included leading apparel companies from across India.

Optimism in the air

The general mood among exhibitors was positive with most expecting business to pick up in the coming months. “Old time business system has gone and we are looking for new ventures and methods of approaching customers to sell our products,” explained Kaushik Pandya, a visitor. “Overall, exports grew 36 per cent. We grew from about $3.1 billion to $3.7 billion, an encouraging growth indeed,” opined Rahul Mehta, President, CMAI. “There are issues and obstacles related to cooperation between the government and the industry but we look forward to better performance in coming quarters,” he added.

Rooting for GST

Talking about GST refunds, Mehta said, “Investments in an economy do not decline on GST reduction or taxation, rather increase in taxes adversely impacts the taxes. GST has been introduced fairly smoothly. It is still evolving and the government is taking steps to correct mistakes or reroute their paths.” He emphasized the government should refund GST immediately as capital is blocked. Vasant Kumar of YKF brand also agreed GST has made things transparent.

Rigid policies need of hour

Another topic of discussion at the fair was the US-China trade war. Speaking about it Kumar said both countries have negotiated as US cannot survive without China. Only India felt neglected as the benefit that should have been given to India has been taken away by Vietnam and Bangladesh. There have to be rigid policies irrespective of the government only then we can move ahead.”

"To discover how satisfied professionals working within the fashion industry are with their jobs, Business of Fashion surveyed over 1,400 fashion professionals and further analysed a sample set of 418 respondents — working in the UK, the US, France, Italy and Germany. The survey showed, majority of fashion industry is satisfied with their jobs, with 54 per cent respondents classifying themselves as such. Indeed, in line with these statistics, almost a fifth of individuals working in the industry — a full 19 per cent — are very satisfied with their job. However, over 20 per cent of those surveyed were actively dissatisfied with their employment, with 7 percent identifying as very unsatisfied with their role."

To discover how satisfied professionals working within the fashion industry are with their jobs, Business of Fashion surveyed over 1,400 fashion professionals and further analysed a sample set of 418 respondents — working in the UK, the US, France, Italy and Germany.

The survey showed, majority of fashion industry is satisfied with their jobs, with 54 per cent respondents classifying themselves as such. Indeed, in line with these statistics, almost a fifth of individuals working in the industry — a full 19 per cent — are very satisfied with their job. However, over 20 per cent of those surveyed were actively dissatisfied with their employment, with 7 percent identifying as very unsatisfied with their role.

UK professionals the most satisfied, Germany, the least

Given the UK’s bleak economic outlook under Brexit uncertainty, it is perhaps surprising that professionals in the country are the most satisfied with their roles out of the five geographies analysed. With 57 per cent respondents satisfied or very satisfied, the UK narrowly beat out the Italian and French industries, who scored satisfaction rates of 56 and 55 per cent respectively. Seemingly, London continues its tradition of flourishing in crisis.

On the other side of spectrum, surprisingly given how robust its economy has been, analysing the data through a geographic lens identifies fashion professionals in Germany as the least happy among those surveyed.

US professionals note polarised experiences

The survey indicated, fashion professionals in the US have the most polarised working experience, with 51 per cent satisfied and 30 per cent unsatisfied in their roles. In terms of job satisfaction in fashion, the land of the free and the home of the brave is divided between the haves and have nots. Indeed, despite having the highest dissatisfaction rating in the survey, American entrepreneurs and business owners scored the highest satisfaction rating of any demographic cohort.

Beginners, senior professionals report most satisfaction

The data by level of seniority indicates some interesting trends. Those at the start and zenith of their careers are notably happier at work. At the top, over 74 per cent of entrepreneurs and business owners would classify themselves as satisfied with their roles, with just 2 per cent stating they were very unsatisfied with their jobs. Similarly, 59 per cent of chief executives described themselves as satisfied or very satisfied.

Interestingly, despite accepted wisdom that individuals at the beginning of the career ladder suffer the most in fashion, the results of the survey indicate that middle and senior management find their employment significantly less satisfying than their juniors. Respectively, 29 per cent and 27 per cent of middle management and senior manager respondents stated they were unsatisfied with their current role, compared to just 16 per cent of interns.

For those looking for most nurturing and fulfilling environments to begin their careers in fashion, the rising specter of Brexit may complicate matters. The industry’s happiest interns are those working in the United Kingdom, while France’s entry-level and junior professionals are the most satisfied globally.

The next edition of Copenhagen fashion show, CIFF, will extend over a 60,000-sq. mt.area and host around 2,000 exhibitors. The show is scheduled from January 30 to February 1 at the Bella Centre. Of the total exhibitors, 250 will exhibit at CIFF Youth, nearly 500 in the showrooms adjoining the show, reserved for labels which receive buyers by appointment during their sales campaign, and over 1,000 will exhibit at CIFF proper, featuring womenswear, menswear, urbanwear, footwear and accessories labels, ranging from affordable to premium brands.

CIFF Kids, the show’s childrenswear counterpart will move to the Bella Centre and join the main CIFF event. The show, now rechristened CIFF Youth, is well-established in the European childrenswear scene, and creates new synergies by being held together with the adult event. For this season, CIFF Youth will have its own separate entrance and space, but by next summer the boundaries are expected to disappear.