Chris Lucas is chairman of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA).

He currently serves as a senior directorat American Eagle Outfitters, supporting AEO’s business and strategy from the regulatory, compliance, and governance perspective. He has a doctorate from the George Washington University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia. He will utilize his experience in the retail apparel industry, and his success navigating global supply chain, transportation, trade, and manufacturing challenges, to meaningfully advance USFIA's advocacy and leadership.

Chris Lucas takes over as chairman from Anna Walker. She was in that position since July 2020 and under her leadership over the past two and a half years, USFIA confronted the uncertainty of Covid and global disruption. Her leadership and experience in public policy focused USFIA’s advocacy and activities to offer members -- and the fashion industry -- the information needed to successfully navigate the new normal of the past few years.

USFIA provides members with the intelligence, resources, and solutions needed to address the business and challenges of the fashion industry. It is committed to providing global brands and retailers with reliable, business-forward guidance on how to achieve strategic solutions to trade and compliance challenges.

USFIA represents textile and apparel brands, retailers, importers, and wholesalers based in the United States.

Pakistan’s textile exports declined 16 per cent in December 2022. Coupled with the decline in value terms, volumetric sales abroad were also reduced.

Textile is Pakistan’s top foreign exchange earner and occupies over a three-fifth share in the country’s total exports.This has been the third month in a row that the country’s textile exports have declined. In October 2022, textile exports declined 15 percent and in November 2022 18 percent. Exports of all categories of textiles including cotton cloth, cotton yarn, knitwear, bedwear, and towels have shrunk sizably. In December 2022, cotton cloth exports dipped by 14 percent compared to December 2021, while over the previous month’s exports they increased by five percent.

Likewise, over the corresponding month of last year, exports of knitwear in December 2022 declined by 19 percent, bedwear fell by 17 percent, towels by 14 percent, readymade garments by seven percent and cotton yarn by 50 percent. In the first half of this fiscal year total textile exports were down by seven percent over the same period of last year’s exports. In December 2022, the economy imported 57 percent less machinery as against December 2021.

Syria aims at exporting high-quality textile products to foreign markets.

One way of doing this is through textile fairs where businessmen of different Arab nationalities are invited. The fair pavilions are spread over several thousand square meters where clothes for men, children, and women are exhibited.

The main objective is to recover the nation’s exports affected by the war since 2011.The Syrian Textile and Garment Exporters Association was established in 2005 by prime industrialists and exporters. This represents more than 180 major Syrian companies involved in textile and garment production.

The aim is to upgrade Syrian exports and explore new markets, assist manufacturers to improve their marketing competency, facilitate links between international importers and association members, build cooperation with similar regional and international associations, tailor production to suit the requirements of international and regional markets and develop the capability to compete locally, regionally and internationally.

Syria has experienced and skilled workmanship and has a strategic geographical location in the heart of the Middle East. Syria has entered into a new phase of trade and investment cooperation with countries. Syria has export potential in a significant number of agricultural and industrial sectors.

The Syrian textile industry has witnessed a recovery during the last few years.

Terrot is developing a new needle selection technology. This company makes electronic and mechanic-controlled circular knitting machines.

Terrot’s computer controlled circular knitting machine was developed for knitting electronic-jacquard transfer relief for fashion textiles with three-way technology. This allows various pattern styles on both sides of the fabric, making the machine extremely flexible with regard to different fashion applications and bonds. Usual knitting structures, either one or more colors, are possible. The high-grade knitting structures as double face, jacquard and relief represent the real strength of the machine. Through special transfer technology demanding hole and structure patterns can be realized quickly and without any major effort.

Innovations have a long tradition at Terrot. The company’s goal is to seize current market trends and to realize them as innovative products. Quality, a maximum degree of efficiency and a high cost-performanceratio are always in the foreground at the development and the engineering of its machines. Terrot’s advantage through experience, technical knowhow, expertise and commitment is shown in its everyday performance. Terrot presents high quality, extremely long lasting and user-friendly solutions to the market. So customers are assured of an increase in productivity, development of new markets and thus a guarantee of their own business success.

Pakistan will boost garment exports through setting up 1000 stitching units.

These will utilize surplus yarn and fabric in production of garments and other value added textile products. Each of the units is expected to give employment to 700 workers. All in all these 1000 units will have the potential to provide total employment to around a million people and make for additional exports of $ 210 billion.

Pakistan expects total textile exports to reach $50 billion in the next five years. Pakistan is also enhancing cooperation with Bangladesh in garment manufacturing. Both sides have proposed an exchange of delegations, especially young entrepreneurs, who can learn from each other about modern techniques. Both the sides have agreed to continue with more interactive sessions ahead in the larger interest of the value added garment sectors of the two countries.

Pakistan feels there is a lot to be learnt from Bangladesh in terms of supporting garment manufacturers and exporters by providing facilities like bonded warehouses, duty free imports of raw materials, setting up of dedicated industrial police units to ensure continuity of operations in total peace and tranquility and running multiple training programs for the benefit of workers and employers alike.

A conference on technical textiles will be held in New Delhi, February 15, 2023.

The conference will serve as a platform for all the relevant stakeholders to come together with the aim to improve domestic manufacturing. It aims to valorise cross-border trade and technology sharing to add value in the technical textile industry and share information on the new application areas of technical textiles.

The conference will deliberate on exploring new opportunities in the domestic and international textile market, research and innovations in technical textiles, challenges in R&D and the way forward. The aim is to bring leaders in manufacturing together to participate and search for ways to get better in technical textiles. The conference will be a step forward in India’s ultimate goal of becoming a global leader in the field of technical textiles. Steps are already being taken in this direction.

The country is promoting academic institutes and start-ups in technical textiles.The institutes will be both public and private. The guidelines for promoting start-ups in technical textiles are under formulation and are expected to release soon. The aim basically is moving toward increasing India’s market share in the technical textile industry. The areas covered under funding include laboratory equipment and training of lab personnel, specialised training.

Ludhiana is looking forward to the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA).

The textile and garment industry of Ludhiana which is passing through a turbulent phase due to a severe recession feels the micro and small industry especially can grab new export opportunities from ECTA and that this agreement between India and Australia will have a significant positive impact on the extremely labour-intensive textile and apparel industry.

The cotton textiles’ value chain in the country, which has begun to experience a shortage of high-quality cotton as a result of the increased demand, is expected to benefit from allowing the import of duty-free cotton. The agreement with Australia will give various Indian textile products, particularly ready-to-wear clothing and home textiles, zero-duty market access.

The removal of the ten per cent tariff barrier for exporting to Australia as well as the eleven per cent import charge on cotton is expected to increase India’s textile and apparel industry’s competitiveness in the world market.

Ludhiana is known for its hosiery and woolen products worldwide. The products manufactured here are exported and sent to Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, among others. Ludhiana accounts for over 90 per cent of the total winter wear production in the country. There are around 12,000 units, a majority of them in the micro, small and medium category.

China’s apparel and accessory exports increased by three per cent year on year during 2022. This growth took place despite 2022 being a difficult year for China, especially due to a Covid resurgence.

However, massive demand in the global apparel markets in the first half of 2022 kept Chinese factories on their toes and they churned out garments day in and day out to serve their clients. Particularly in December 2022, China clocked $ 14.29 billion as compared to $ 11.59 billion in November 2022.

As far as textile exports are concerned, China shipped $ 147.95 billion worth of yarns, fabrics and other textile products in 2022, noting a marginal increase of two per cent over 2021. China is in the middle of an outward shift of its low-end textile and apparel industry, and this is expected to continue in the future. China's garment industry registered steady expansion in terms of revenue, profits and exports in the first nine months of this year. The industry’s revenue was up two per cent year on year. Profit was up 1.8 per cent over one year ago.Though the exports of garments declined in November 2022 the cumulative export values from January 2022 to November 2022 increased by five per cent year on year.

Kingpins will be held in Colombia, January 24, 2023. This is a global denim supply chain show and the aim is to explore new business opportunities in South America.

A panel-style conversation will be organized with several denim suppliers discussing Kingpins’ role as a trade show and networking platform. The panel will feature an in-depth conversation about Kingpins’ ethos and its efforts to foster a more responsible denim industry, and how Latin America can be part of this mission.

Attendees of the event will be able to explore installations of several Kingpins initiatives, including Kingpins Trend, Most Sustainable Product, One Denim, and Taste of Kingpins Shop, as well as the Circle Book#3.

The show will also feature live music, as well as videos from recent Kingpins shows in Amsterdam and New York. It’s been a long-held dream of Kingpins to expand its reach to Latin America. The hope is that the event will foster connection with South American denim lovers and jeans suppliers who share Kingpins’ values.

Kingpins’s goal is to connect the global denim community and inspire everyone to continually pioneer best practices for people and the planet and build a responsible denim future that is as sustainable as it is successful.

The latest Wazir Advisors’ latest ‘Apparel Trade in Key Global Markets and India’, reveals in November 2022, the US imported apparel worth $6.3billion which is 15 per cent lower than apparel imported in November 2021. The report also shows, in December 2022, the US’ monthly apparel store sales were estimated at $29.1 billion, which is 20 per cent more than in December 2021. In 2022, sales were 9 per cent higher than in 2021.

Apparel trade in the US, UK and Europe

On a year-to-date basis, US’ apparel imports are 26 per cent higher than in 2021. China’s share in the US market has reduced by 8 per cent since 2019, whereas Vietnam and Bangladesh’s shares have risen by 2 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

EU apparel imports in October 2022 were 14 per cent higher compared to October 2021. The growth can be attributed to higher price inflation and low base value. In the EU market, China’s share has increased by 1 per cent whereas Bangladesh’s share has increased by 4 per cent since 2019.

The UK apparel imports in October 2022 were approximately 19 per cent higher than in October 2021. On year-to-date basis, the UK’s apparel imports in 2022 were 21 per cent higher than in 2021. Since 2019, China, Bangladesh and Turkey have increased their market shares by 6 per cent, 4 per cent and 3 per cent respectively in the UK.

In September 2022, Japan’s apparel imports stood at $2.7 billion, 8 per cent higher than in September 2021. On year-to-date basis, imports in 2022 were 5 per cent higher than in 2021. Japan’s apparel imports from, Bangladesh’s and Cambodia’s increased 1 per cent each, whereas that of China declined 1 percent compared to 2019.

The overall trend reflects imports from China slowly declining. The main reason is the continually growing anti-China sentiments and the ban on Xianjiang-sourced cotton by the West. Additionally, China’s production costs are no longer the cheapest, paving way for Bangladesh, Vietnam and Cambodia. With much more focus on trends and a planned effort on investments to modernize production, Bangladesh continues to register growth.

Retail sales updates in key markets

In December 2022, the US’ monthly apparel store sales were estimated at $29.1 billion, which is 20 per cent more than in December 2021. In 2022, sales were 9 per cent higher than in 2021. December 2022, the US’ monthly home furnishing store sales were estimated at $6.8 billion, 10 per cent more than same month in 2021. In 2022, sales were 3 per cent higher than in 2021. In the third quarter of 2022, online sales of clothing and accessories registered a growth of 9 per cent over the second quarter of 2021 but it was marginally lower than the sales in the second quarter of 2022.

In November 2022, UK’s monthly apparel store sales were £4.1 billion, which is 3 per cent higher than in November 2021. On year-to-date basis, sales were 21per cent higher than in 2021, mainly on account of low base value. In the third quarter of 2022, online sales of clothing registered negative growth of 6 per cent over the third quarter of 2021 and it was also lower than sales in the second quarter of 2022. The study shows retail in the UK is underperforming compared to the US.

India’s apparel export updates

In December 2022, India’s apparel exports were estimated at approximately $1.5 billion, 23 per cent higher than in December 2021. In 2022, exports were 12 per cent higher than in 2021. In India’s apparel export basket, US’ share has increased 8 per cent whereas the UAE’s and the UK’s share has declined by 3 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively since 2019. The largest chunk of Indian apparel export continues to be towards the US and Europe, combining to make up 49 per cent.