The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has once again appealed to the US government to grant duty-free access for garments made from cotton imported from the United States.

The BGMEA's request for duty-free access to US cotton is driven by the aim to strengthen the garment sector in Bangladesh, which plays a vital role in the country's economy. By securing duty-free access, Bangladeshi RMG exporters could benefit from reduced production costs and increased competitiveness in the international market. Additionally, US cotton growers would have a guaranteed market for their products, fostering bilateral trade relations between the two countries.

According to trade data, in recent years, the volume of cotton imports from the United States has shown a significant increase. However, it is worth noting that Bangladesh also imports cotton from other countries to meet its manufacturing needs. In addition to the United States, Bangladesh imports cotton from various other countries, including but not limited to India, China, Brazil, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

While the appeal for duty-free access to US cotton is a step towards strengthening the garment sector, there are other challenges that the industry faces, including improving working conditions, ensuring worker safety, and complying with international labor standards.

However, the sector also presents opportunities for Bangladesh to move up the value chain by diversifying its product range, investing in technological advancements, and focusing on sustainable practices.

The outcome of the BGMEA's appeal to the US government remains uncertain. However, the request signifies the continued efforts of Bangladesh to strengthen its garment sector and foster mutually beneficial trade relations with the United States.

Despite the prevailing challenges and amidst these economic uncertainties, the textile yarns market is projected to reach $20.2 billion by 2030, demonstrating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% during the period from 2022 to 2030, according to a recent report by Reportlinker.com, titled "Global Textile Yarns Industry".

The textile yarns industry demonstrates potential for growth, driven by factors such as the artificial segment's expansion and the ongoing recovery in the natural segment.

The report identifies the manmade (artificial) segment as a significant driver of this growth, expected to record a CAGR of 6% and reach a value of $12.5 billion by the end of the analysis period. The natural segment also exhibits promising growth, with a readjusted CAGR of 5.2% over the next eight years, The United States market for textile yarns is estimated at $3.5 billion in 2022, indicating a considerable market presence. However, it is China, the world's second-largest economy that is expected to demonstrate substantial growth, with a forecasted market size of $4.4 billion by 2030. China is anticipated to achieve a CAGR of 9.3% during the analysis period, signaling its potential dominance in the textile yarns market.

Other noteworthy geographic markets include Japan and Canada, each projected to grow at rates of 3.3% and 4.5% respectively, over the period from 2022 to 2030. Germany, within Europe, is expected to achieve a CAGR of approximately 4.1%.

As the global economy grapples with various issues, including inflation, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions, the textile yarns market presents a positive outlook.

The industry's growth trajectory, particularly in China, offers a ray of hope for investors, manufacturers, and consumers alike.

Central America's second-hand or used clothing industry is experiencing a boost due to the growing demand for affordable clothing among the majority of the population with limited resources and the global trend towards recycling and reusing garments.

“Central America has become a market for second-hand textiles from countries such as the United States, Canada, the European Union, China, and South Korea”, according to a report titled "Reuse before throwing away" by the U.S. consulting firm Garson & Shaw.

The report presented in Costa Rica revealed that over four million tons of used clothing is traded annually, with the used clothing industry in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua growing by $274 million between 2011 and 2021.

The report estimates that the used clothing sector will provide over three million jobs in the four Central American countries by the early 2040s and generate nearly $200 million in profits through taxes. Nicaragua experienced the fastest and most significant growth in this industry, with 80% of its population purchasing used clothing or footwear. In 2021, Nicaragua imported 52,500 tons of used clothing, ranking 19th among the world's largest importers. The benefit through taxes for the state was $23.7 million in that year alone, and the industry is expected to account for 1% of the national GDP.

Guatemala is another country with a high need for affordable clothing, and demand for used textiles remains strong. In 2021, the country imported 130,000 tons of used clothing, ranking as the ninth-largest importer of these products in the world. The benefit through taxes for the state amounted to $40.2 million in that year, and imports have grown by 10% since 2017.

Honduras imported 66,000 tons of second-hand clothing in 2021, ranking 17th among the world's largest importers. The tax benefits delivered to the state by the used clothing industry amounted to $34.1 million in that year, representing 1.6% of Honduras' GDP.

El Salvador imported 35,000 tons of used clothing in 2021, ranking 23rd in terms of imports worldwide. The second-hand textile industry accounts for 1.4% of the national GDP, and the government collected $16 million in taxes through this industry.

The used clothing industry in Central America is proving to be a vital contributor to the economy, providing affordable clothing to the majority of the population with limited resources, creating jobs, and generating significant tax revenues for the governments of these countries.

Cambodia's textile and apparel industry needs to align its product mix with international sourcing trends, diversify its market mix, and reduce its import dependency by backward integration, according to the government's Industrial Transformation Map for Textile and Apparel Industry 2023-2027.

The map, based on an evaluation of the global and Cambodian textile and apparel sector, aims to build a competitive industry with an increased focus on value addition, sustainability, technology adoption, skills, and entrepreneurship.

The government report identified four levers, including skilling and productivity, technology and sustainability, infrastructure, and governance. The development strategy aims to strengthen human resources, improve working conditions, promote domestic and foreign investments, and attract investment in supportive industries.

The transformation map identified that trade developments and internal factors such as rising wages and limited focus on sustainability parameters pose challenges to the industry. To address these challenges, the report suggests aligning the product mix with international sourcing trends, diversifying the market mix, encouraging backward integration for the manufacturing of finished fabrics and yarn, and policy reforms to improve the business environment.

The textile industry in India is facing a significant challenge as the demand for imported cotton surges due to a scarcity of domestic supply. Indian spinners have taken action by placing orders for a substantial quantity of 2.50 lakh bales from Australia, which will enjoy exemption from import duties. It is anticipated that this stock will arrive in India within the next three months.

To address the limited domestic supply, numerous textile firms are exploring the option of importing cotton from African countries. The central government has introduced a scheme that provides a reduced import duty for cotton imports from underdeveloped nations, prompting many businesses to consider this alternative.

Despite the estimated cotton crop in India exceeding 340 lakh bales, the arrivals have been slow this year. This can be attributed to many farmers choosing to withhold their entire crop in the hopes of securing better prices. Consequently, the rise in demand for imported cotton highlights the textile industry's need to bridge the supply gap resulting from reduced arrivals in the domestic market. As spinners turn to alternative sources for cotton procurement, the industry's overall dynamics remain to be seen.

The growing demand for imported cotton poses challenges to the competitiveness of domestic cotton in terms of price and availability. This shift could potentially lead to a decline in demand for domestic cotton.

Furthermore, the increased reliance on imported cotton may bring about a shift in India's position in the global cotton market. As the textile industry diversifies its sources of cotton procurement, it could impact the country's cotton export potential and its standing among other cotton-producing nations.

These developments reflect the complex dynamics and challenges faced by the Indian textile industry as it seeks to navigate the scarcity of domestic cotton and meet the growing demand for textiles.

Top five companies included in the index contribute to almost 80 percent of the total sales generated by all 17 companies, reveals The Savigny Luxury Index (SLI).

LVMH, the leading luxury goods conglomerate, has played a pivotal role in saving the industry from decline through its strategic initiatives. However, the entry of major players like Kering (formerly known as PPR) has disrupted LVMH's dominance and reshaped the landscape of luxury conglomerates.

Among these conglomerates, LVMH stands out with a significant market share, accounting for 42 percent of SLI revenue, 45 percent of SLI enterprise value, and owning 75 out of the 190 brands covered by the index. In terms of acquisitions, LVMH has been the most active, completing 140 deals since 2000, surpassing its closest competitor, Kering, by a considerable margin.

The pursuit of scale in the luxury industry is primarily driven by profitability. The top five companies in the SLI, all with turnovers exceeding €10 billion, achieved an average EBITDA margin of 31.2 percent in the previous year. In contrast, the remaining SLI companies averaged a margin of 20.6 percent.

For conglomerates like Kering and LVMH, owning multiple brands has proven advantageous. Leveraging the power of one brand to negotiate favorable placements for others and reallocating management resources as needed contribute to their success. Although diversifying risk and capitalizing on fresh brands can be beneficial, flagship brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci continue to be the primary drivers of profits for these groups.

LVMH's expansion into the watches and jewelry sector began in the late 1990s through acquisitions and joint ventures. Despite losing some acquisition battles with Richemont, LVMH's strategic vision and resources enabled the company to significantly enhance the performance of the acquired brands. Notably, LVMH's acquisition of Tiffany for $15.8 billion propelled its watches and jewelry division to the second position in the industry, trailing only behind Richemont.

Speculation regarding a potential merger between Richemont and Kering, which could challenge LVMH's dominance, has circulated. However, even if such a merger were to occur, the combined entity would still be half the size of LVMH in terms of turnover.

Levi's, the renowned denim brand, continues to prioritize sustainability with its latest Spring/Summer 2023 men's and women's collection, showcasing the use of plant-based dyes and organic cotton as the primary drivers of eco-friendly fashion.

This collection is a part of Levi's WellThread initiative, which aims to foster sustainable practices throughout the fashion industry.

The organic cotton utilized in the WellThread collection is sourced from Levi's own WellThread Transitional Cotton program, which was launched in 2020. This program works closely with small shareholder farmers in India, assisting them in transitioning their fields to an organic production system. By committing to purchasing the transitional cotton crop from these farmers, Levi's mitigates their financial risks during the shift to organic farming.

In addition to organic cotton, the Spring/Summer '23 collection introduces plant-based black pigment as a noteworthy innovation. The collection employs BioBlack TX, a 100 percent bio-based pigment developed by Nature Coatings. This black pigment is derived from upcycled wood waste that would otherwise be discarded or burned, serving as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-derived carbon black, which relies on fossil fuel combustion. Moreover, BioBlack TX is manufactured using a closed-loop system, further minimizing its environmental impact.

Levi's WellThread has consistently championed the use of plant-based dyes, and the Spring/Summer '23 collection is no exception. In 2021, the brand incorporated fabrics dyed with Stony Creek Colors' plant-based dyes, solidifying its commitment to environmentally friendly practices.

The WellThread collection goes beyond material choices. Levi's embraces sustainable design innovation throughout the production process. The garments are manufactured in facilities that employ water recycling systems, while the wash formulas used in the line are meticulously developed to minimize chemical usage and reduce energy and water consumption.

The WellThread collection is an attempt to show Levi's commitment to research and development, aiming to scale and share new sustainable processes and resources with the world.

US lawmakers have launched an inquiry into major apparel companies, including Adidas, Nike, and Shein, over possible connections to forced labor in China during their product manufacturing.

The House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to the leaders of Shein, Nike, and adidas, confronting them about the sourcing of materials and labor from China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region. The letters cited witness testimonies alleging that Nike and adidas may be using materials from Xinjiang, which would violate US law.

The lawmakers have given Nike and adidas the opportunity to respond to these "serious allegations" and provide evidence of compliance with the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a law passed with bipartisan support in 2021. They have also reached out to fashion companies Shein and Temu to ensure their adherence to US supply chain laws. The deadline for responses from the companies is set for May 16th.

In response to controversies, Nike has expressed concern about reports of forced labor in Xinjiang, while Adidas stated in 2019 that it had no contractual relationship with any Xinjiang supplier. However, neither company has formally responded to the recent letters from US lawmakers.

The investigation highlights the growing scrutiny on companies with supply chains connected to Xinjiang and the need for greater transparency and accountability to ensure compliance with human rights standards.

Sustainability in the fashion sector is decades old now. It started when apparel companies began to introduce environmental practices into their businesses in the late 1980s. It's part of the movements creating more awareness on numerous environmental problems since the 1960s. The movement started gaining momentum as disastrous events in the textile and apparel industry impacted the world, consumers and businesses alike, and contributed to the rise of sustainable fashion over the last 30 years. The catastrophic event in Dhaka’s Rana Plaza in 2013 was perhaps the watershed moment after which sustainability in fashion was no longer just on paper and in seminars. The world watched in horror as 1,134 workers lost their lives and another 2,500 sustained damaging injuries. Consumers in developed countries were riddled with guilt as they now came to know the details of the provenance of their garments.

Sustainability and ethics-driven consumers

The evolved consumer of the 2020s is perhaps the most heightened in their consciousness of what climate change means, how the wasteful consumption culture is degrading the planet continuously with business models like fast fashion – easy come, easy go, and enormously wasteful and damaging. The indulgent ‘selfi-moments’ social influencers are no longer icons of style and trend as they are being edged out by social influencers who understand what environmental consciousness is and have changed the narrative to ‘less is more’.

From pre-loved fashion items going on sale to increasing the longevity of clothing and accessories, ethical consumption is gaining grounds. It is just not about wasteful consumption but also the use of material that does not deplete the Earth’s natural resources and working and living conditions of people who produce textiles and garments. What may have been seen as socialistic and utopian philosophy in the past is now a living reality that the fashion industry worldwide has picked up on and working to change their working models and narratives.

Europe’s Institute of Entrepreneurship Development cites that 85 per cent of consumers today are conscious of the effect their behavior has on the planet and 34 per cent are willing to spend more to support sustainable and ethical consumerism with their product choices. The Horizon programme run by the EU is about supporting young European entrepreneurs to build in sustainability and ethical sourcing as one of their businesses’ key pillars.

Consumers in a dilemma

In February 2023, Deloitte Netherlands published a report titled ‘Conscious Consumerism’. The report analysed the ground reality by interviewing over 2000 Dutch adults 18 years and above. The most important finding was the dilemma between being an ethical consumer and surviving Europe’s worst recession in decades wherein substantial lifestyle sacrifices were being made as food, utility and other items kept escalating in prices. This situation in Netherlands is reflective of what’s going on in most parts of Western societies who had typically been the flag bearer of conscious consumerism. Chinese fast-fashion app has recorded phenomenal success in the last few years and is a contradiction to what the conscious consumer stands for.

Fashion has to find a middle ground

As the recession continues worldwide, particularly in the larger Western economies, it doesn’t look like fast fashion will cease anytime soon. However, as Gen Z is spearheading the conscious consumer movement and are willing to purchase pre-loved clothing as well as repair old ones and most importantly read labels to understand the provenance of fashion items, the sector is already making massive changes through innovation, technology and the digital world. Being seen as a fashion brand that mirrors the consumers’ consciousness is going to make brands continue doing business rather than short term goals of making profits.

Morgan Stanley has declared South Koreans to be the world’s biggest spender on luxury. From pristine calf-leather Italian Prada bags or classic, checkered British Burberry trench coats, South Koreans are connoisseurs of luxury and outspend the Chinese and American luxury buyers per capita by $ 55. South Koreans per capita spend on luxury was $325, compared to $285 by Americans and $55 by the Chinese. Total spending on personal luxury goods by South Koreans year-on-year grew around 24 per cent to $16.8 billion at the end of fiscal year 2022-23.

Morgan Stanley analysts explained the demand for luxury goods among South Korean buyers is driven both by an increase in purchasing power as well as a desire to outwardly exhibit social standing. Noted luxury houses have tapped Korean icons to further catalyze demand as appearance and financial success can resonate more with consumers in South Korea than in most other countries. No wonder then most major Korean celebrities are brand ambassadors of leading luxury houses. Fendi is represented by actor Lee Min-Ho, Chanel by rapper G-Dragon and Tiffany & Co. made Blackpink singer Rose the face of its HardWear collection. Other key brands endorsed by South Korean celebrities include Celine, Prada, Chaumet, MAC, Calvin Klein, and Bulgari.

Luxury brands flex muscles

The best of the best international luxury brands are displaying their might over each other for the coveted South Korean luxury market and the important tourist attractions their battleground as collections are being staged for international audiences. For example, French luxury brand Dior presented its Fall/Winter 2022 Women’s Collection at Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul last April. It has been 15 years since Dior’s 60th anniversary Asia Pacific fashion show at Seoul Olympic Park in 2007. Louis Vuitton staged its first-ever pre-fall fashion collection at Some Sevit floating islands on Seoul’s Han River and for the first time in South Korea, women’s wear creative director Nicolas Ghesquière opened the show in person.

Clearly, South Korea is of great importance to the LVMH Group, the operator of multiple fashion and jewelry brands such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Tiffany & Co., logged record sales in South Korea last year, following a slew of price hikes for its flagship products amid the country's increased spending on luxury goods. As per Louis Vuitton Korea, the Korean subsidiary of LVMH's Louis Vuitton, the company's sales last year was $1.2 billion, up 15 per cent from 2021. The brand's operating profits also saw a significant increase, recording a 38 per cent jump from the year before, with 417 billion won.

Christian Dior Couture Korea's sales last year also increased by 52 per cent on-year to 929 billion won, while its operating profits increased by 53 per cent to 323 billion won. Not to be outdone, Kering Group’s Gucci has organised an exclusive show at the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace but for unfortunate events that escalated over a photo shoot by a fashion magazine, the show had been postponed and later after another crisis, postponed the second time. No matter what, acknowledging the importance of this market, Gucci insists on going through with the event at the palace.

More luxury brands are entering South Korea directly as the domestic luxury market expands. French luxury brand Celine entered the Korean market directly as has Thom Browne by establishing a Korean subsidiary, Thom Browne Korea. LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Fendi, and Kering, which owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta, are traditional rivals in the luxury market, ranking first and second in sales.