Dimpora has joined ITMF as corporate member. Based in Switzerland, Dimpora is an award-winning materials start-up that reconciles performance clothing and sustainability by developing non-toxic, waterproof and highly breathable membranes.

Its patented technology platform relies on scientific expertise and continuous innovation to empower people to enjoy nature without leaving a trace. Since it is important for start-ups and scale-ups to be affiliated with organisations whose members are serving international markets and have an excellent knowledge of the global market structures and the potential regional and global demand, Dimpora felt ITMF would be an attractive platform to be an active part of and at the same time could help Dimpora connect with mature companies that know the markets very well. And from ITMF’s point of view start-ups bring a new perspective to existing challenges and offer new solutions applying new technologies. This interaction would be beneficial for everyone involved and help the textile industry to identify new technologies that can help overcome challenges.

Founded in 1904, ITMF (International Textile Manufacturers Federation) is the international forum of the global textile value chain for producers of fiber to finished products. Its members are from textile and apparel-producing countries representing approximately 90 per cent of global production.In addition, ITMF offers its members information that helps better understand the dynamics of the industry.

The whole polyester fiber value chain has turned to be profitable in China. It has turned optimistic from being pessimistic.

In early December, the spread of the pandemic damped demand. With high inventory, polyester fiber plants and downstream factories continued cutting or suspending production to consume inventory before the spring festival holiday. The operating rate of fabric mills, DTY plants and direct-spun PFY companies slipped. The pandemic prevention and control policy eased in December and the operating rate of downstream plants rapidly recovered. Speculative procurement rapidly improved. As a result, the inventory of many sectors continued reducing. The profit of polyester fiber was also restored.

The operating rate of DTY plants, fabric mills and printing and dyeing plants increased. The operating rate of polyester yarn plants increased to around 60 per cent from 54 per cent. The inventory of PSF in polyester yarn plants also increased to nearly 15 days from around one week.Sales improved and inventory fell. The cash flow of PFY and PSF companies also improved.

If downstream speculation increases further, inventory of PFY and PSF may reduce further and the cash flow of most varieties may improve. Some companies may show a higher intention to ramp up the run rate.

Thousands of garment workers have been laid off in the Philippines. Companies blame the retrenchments on the global recession, inflation, tight financial conditions, supply chain issues, increasing gas prices and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. More than 9,400 workers have already been laid off or placed on forced leave, a figure that represents 3.5 percent of the 2,70,000 workers in the apparel, shoes, bags, and textile sections of the country’s garment industry.

High costs, including labour costs, are forcing companies to consider moving to lower cost countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia. Only 53 percent of the total workforce in the Philippines is actually paid the legal minimum wage. Companies adhere only to the bare minimum of labor regulations in pay and benefits and require workers to work 12 hours overtime each week to meet production quotas. The companies also openly threaten workers against taking action to fight for better pay and conditions. About 20 per cent to 30 percent of the workers are employed on a contract or casual basis.

The monthly wage in the Philippines is barely above the official poverty threshold for a family of five. Workers in the international garment industry are paid poorly, and work long hours, often without overtime to meet orders and quotas.

Montex completes 40 years in 2022. This Austrian company makes Monforts finishing machines. The core Monforts machine range, including the industry standard Montex stenters, along with relaxation dryers, Thermex dyeing ranges, Monfortex compressive shrinking ranges and Montex coating units, is built at the Austrian site.From the outset, Montex has specialised in all aspects of machine production, including high-precision sheet metal working, laser cutting and welding, and the pre-assembly of machines and components, along with a well-organised quality management and spare parts service.

While there is standardisation in series-produced Monforts machines, Montex also makes bespoke machines with unique designs, according to the special needs of customers in technical textiles or special textiles. The company aims for the best combination of already-proven components and carefully-tested special constructions and is equipped to handle large projects.

Montex’s training system combines theoretical instruction in a vocational school with practical training both within the company and in workshops.Established staff also train regularly to develop new skills and everyone is involved at all stages of production and trained to multi-task. This gives the group flexibility and strength. The research and development team in Germany takes the latest new ideas through testing and prototyping, in readiness for future series production.

Chinese cotton yarn imports have fallen month on month. The sales speed in the spot market slowed down greatly dragged by the weak demand for downstream traceable orders. The circulation period of imported cotton yarn lengthened, making overall Chinese ordering volumesfall.

In addition to great fluctuation of exchange rates, speculative procurement demand has reduced heavily. Cotton yarn imports were mostly with multiple batches and low volumes in November 2022. Low-count open-end yarn from Vietnam had fairly big orders. But Vietnamese yarn exports to China fell from 50 per cent to 48.6 per cent in October 2022 and totaled at 51.9kilo tons. Excluding blended yarn, Vietnamese cotton yarn imports may reach around 36kilo tons in November. The shrinkage of Pakistani yarn exported to China was sharper. Yarn imports from Pakistan may reduce to around five kilo tons.ICE cotton futures fell in October.

However, most traders chose to reduce ordering or not to order as they were worried about the risk of exchange settlement cost. Imported cotton yarn inventory has gradually reduced to around 40kilo tons. Vietnamese yarn imports may rise again in December when the ordering profit will tend better due to the falling of the exchange rate.

Eva Serran is global brand president at Calvin Klein. Serran has had leadership experience in the fast fashion sector. She was previously with Inditex, where she officiated for almost twenty years. She held various managing positions within the group, covering several brands, before becoming the group's commercial director for Asia. Most recently, since 2019 she held the role of general manager Greater China.

She is particularly familiar with the entire retail value chain, product, marketing, in-store and digital customer experience as well as the supply chain, with an omnichannel vision of the market. She started out in Europe, where she accompanied the development of Zara, the group’s flagship brand.

Eva Serrano has the strategic skills to boost Calvin Klein. She is a leader in the fashion and apparel sector. She knows how to drive brand growth in global markets, how to connect with the consumer and what it takes to win across the marketplace. Her experience will be critical to unlocking the full global potential of Calvin Klein.

One of the leading fashion design and marketing studios in the world, Calvin Klein designs and markets women’s and men’s designer collection apparel and a range of other products that are manufactured and marketed through an extensive network of licensing agreements and other arrangements worldwide.

Birla Cellulose has developed LivaReviva. This is a Recycled Claimed Standard (RCS) certified product, which contains 70 per cent dissolved wood pulp from sustainable forests with 30 per cent textile waste.

The quality of LivaReviva remains comparable to the quality of fiber produced using virgin wood-based pulp, which ensures that LivaReviva finds widespread applications among major global brands. LivaReviva can be tracked with the help of the Green Track platform. The platform, which has been designed by Birla Cellulose, helps trace the origin of the fiber and brings transparency and traceability in the long and complex textile value chain via blockchain technology.

Birla Cellulose aspires to increase the offering of circular fiber in textile products up to 1,00,000 tons by 2024 using textile waste and alternative feedstock that will help reduce the environmental footprint of textile waste and enhance circular economy.Circularity has been the key goal for Birla Cellulose in its commitment towards contributing to sustainable development.

In 2019, the company had launched LivaReviva with 20 per cent pre-consumer waste content. Birla Cellulose’s current efforts are concentrated on developing products made with industrial waste, post-consumer waste, and alternate feedstock. The use of alternate feedstock in total production is a climate friendly solution that helps in reducing waste.

The cotton industry in Australia is expected to expand from around 8,000 hectares to around 15,000 hectares. This follows the successful 2022 harvest, where some bales fetched more than $900.

Last season saw some of the highest prices for Australian cotton. As the annual monsoon fast approaches, farmers are preparing massive swathes of land for one of the world's most profitable crops. Cotton is a very high return crop. The industry as a whole produces yields of around two to seven bales of cotton per hectare, depending on location, using a mostly rain-fed system, which relies not on irrigation, but on monsoon downpours. In past years, southern growers have averaged between ten and 15 bales a hectare using an irrigation system.

Since the crop’s popularity started rising in northern Australia, cotton has had some sections of the community worried about the steady supply of water crucial to production, and how land clearing could impact the climate, sacred sites, and endangered animals.

Cotton in Australia is not seen as a massive water user. Changes in the climate are seen as working in the industry’s favour. Strong regulation is seen as the key to managing the industry sustainably. Initial indications that the industry would consist of 80 per cent rain-fed crops, and 20 per cent irrigated, have been reassessed.

The bamboo apparel market is growing at six per cent a year.

Apparel made of bamboo is entirely natural, silk-soft, and biodegradable. Bamboo clothing is made from bamboo pulp, which is incredibly soft. Bamboo is an excellent fabric for clothing because of its great breathing qualities provided by its hollow fibres. Bamboo fiber has tinier pores and gaps than any other material, allowing for improved ventilation and moisture absorption.

Manufacturers’ green approach in product processing and manufacturing is paving a way for the market growth. In this approach, the bamboo’s woody components are broken down, and the walls are disintegrated into a mushy mass using natural enzymes. After that, mechanical combs are used to separate natural fibers into yarn. Such transparency in the manufacturing processes is generating a loyalty factor among consumers towards manufacturers and increasing the product demand.

However the procedure is more expensive and labor-intensive, resulting in significantly less production. Bamboo-based textiles are reasonably priced, aesthetically attractive, strong, and cosy. Bamboo fabrics are anticipated to become a favoured textile in the years to come because they are simple to create, maintain, and offer additional health benefits.

Fashion designers are increasingly choosing bamboo textiles. Well-known fashion designers while creating their collections frequently use bamboo materials.

Australian retailers are keen to explore Bangladesh as a sourcing destination.

They are looking for new apparel and footwear suppliers and are aiming at reducing their dependence on China. This means Bangladesh has an opportunity for market and product diversification, which it is looking for, mainly due to the effects of the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict effects.

With LDC graduation in 2026, Bangladesh would have to overcome the challenges of losing preferential treatment in its export markets. But Australia has decided to allow preferential treatment for Bangladesh’s exports even after LDC graduation. Australia and Bangladesh look to push up bilateral trade. Australian LNG and wool could be helpful for Bangladesh, while Australia could utilise Bangladesh's agricultural products.

Of Bangladesh’s exports to Australia 88 per cent are apparel items.Bangladesh’s imports from Australia mainly consist of vegetables, oil seeds, iron, steel, cotton and mineral fuels.Australia is partnering with the International Labor Organization to improve working conditions, empower women and boost the competitiveness of Bangladesh’s readymade garment industry. The partnership has been strengthened by the re-commitment of funds for Better Work Bangladesh as part of Australia’s ongoing partnership with ILO.

Australia has been supporting BWB since 2016. Australia’s ongoing support for the Better Work Bangladesh program drives important changes in workplace safety in the garment industry.