Australian cotton exports are expected to reach $3.5 billion this season. Michael Murray, General Manger, Cotton Australia, says, the country will produce around 5 million cotton bales this season.

The predicted record-breaking value will be the result of favorable seasonal conditions returning to many drought-affected production areas, and strong global prices equating to about $840 a bale.

Pete Jonhson, Cotton Analyst says, cotton marketers had successfully redirected exports to other markets after the Australian cotton industry was pulled into the fray of Chinese trade tensions in 2020, and exports to the key market effectively ceased.

COVID-related disruptions to supply chains have driven global prices to near-record prices this season. As much as 5 to 10 per cent of global cotton supply is caught up in logistic bottlenecks, rues Johnson.

Stuart Armitage, Cotton Grower, Cecil Plains adds, local growers were optimistic and capitalizing on high prices by locking in big supply contracts, though he was cautious about predictions for the rest of the season.

The textile machinery sector in Italy is looking up as manufacturers order index increased 43 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2021, says ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers stats. In absolute terms, the association’s order index stood at 127.9 points. The association believes, most of this growth was spurred by both Italian and foreign markets. Orders from the domestic markets surged 83 per cent compared to October-December 2020, for an absolute value of 234.6. On the other hand, orders from international manufacturers increased 36 per cent, for an absolute index value equal to 116.4.

Scarcity of materials, rising costs hamper deliveries

The annual order index increased 95 per cent for an absolute value of 128 points. Orders from abroad increased 79 per cent while those from domestic market surged by 204 per cent compared to those recorded in 2020. Alessandro Zucchi, President, ACIMIT says, “The textile machinery sector in Italy is recovering with production returning to pre-COVID levels. Foreign demand is also robust in most markets. The Italian Government’s Transition 4.0 incentives are also benefitting the sector,”. However, scarcity of components and raw materials due to supply chain interruption may hamper order deliveries. Rising energy costs are also a cause for concern.

ITMA 2022 to reaffirm Italy’s leadership position

ACIMIT expects 2022 to be full of optimism for the textile machinery sector in Italy with ITMA 2023, the world’s most important textile machinery exhibition, scheduled in Milan for June 2023. Many Italian manufacturers have registered for the event, reveals Zucchi. The event will help relaunch Italian textile machinery sector, and reaffirm Italy’s position in the market.

A private non-profit-making body, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, ACIMIT is a private non-profit-making body that aims to promote the Italian textile machinery sector mainly abroad, by introducing new and innovative promotional campaigns. The association provides all kind of information of the manufacturers’ activities and also organizes various promotional activities like exhibitions, technical seminars, missions in Italy and abroad, etc. in collaboration with the Italian Trade Commission.

Industry veteran YohanLawerence has been appointed as the new Secretary General of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), the apex body of the Sri Lankan apparel industry.

Having over 20 years of experience in senior management positions in the apparel sector as well as in leadership positions in prominent industry associations, Lawrence succeeds TuliCooray, the association’s founder Secretary General, who stepped down after a long and distinguished tenure in the role. TuliCooray continues his relationship with the JAAF in the capacity of a Consultant.

A former Chairman of Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters’ Association (SLAEA) – one of the constituent organisations of JAAF – Lawrence has also previously functioned as the Vice Chairman of JAAF. He holds a BSc in Economics from the University College of London and a MBA from the Middlesex University – UK and has held several key positions including regional roles in multinational apparel operations.

Lawrence is also the former Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Business Sustainability of InQube Global, Country Manager of Quantum Clothing Lanka and the Assistant General Manager of Coats Viyella Clothing in Sri Lanka.

Prior to his present appointment, Lawrence has worked in close collaboration with his predecessor, to support JAAF and the industry, following the outbreak of the pandemic, which created many challenges for the apparel sector.

Lawrence has also supported the industry as its representative to several key committees and organisations. He is the industry nominee to the National Labour Advisory Council and serves as one of the Industry Directors at the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel. He has also been the industry representative on the Council of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon and a member of the Apparel Advisory Committee of the Export Development Board (EDB).

’Oneof longest standing fashion trade shows and the ultimate fashion destination at Spring Fair, Moda, plans to re-introduced catwalk shows from February 06 until February 09 at NEC Birmingham and program of insightful and useful talks, alongside hundreds of new season’s collections and must-have looks from womenswear, accessory, jewellery, and footwear designers and brands. The 4-day show, Moda, now offers retailers the most diverse fashion buying destination.

Visitors to the Moda Catwalkwill see collections brought to life in carefully curated fashion shows edited into inspiring scenes providing an essential overview of the season. Throughout the four-day show, the Moda stage will also host a packed schedule of talks covering topics including how to build relationships with customers to develop an active and engaged social media community, how identity can help a brand stand out from the crowd, doing the right things to build an online business fast, how to influence in the right way, and tips to help make content work harder.

US-based apparel company, Levi Strauss & Co reported a 22 per cent increase in Q4 revenues to $1.7 billion in fiscal 2021 as compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. The company’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) net revenues increased by 25 per cent as compared to the corresponding quarter of fiscal 2020.

The company’s global digital net revenues in the fourth quarter increased by 2 per cent compared to the same period in the prior year and comprised 21 per cent of fourth quarter fiscal 2021 net revenues. Its wholesale net revenues increased 20 per cent primarily reflecting strong demand for the Levi's brand globally.

In 2021, the company’s net revenues increased by 29 per cent to $5.8 billion. Its net income increased to 554 million in fiscal 2021. The adjusted net income increased by$84 million to $601 million in 2021.

The company expects its net revenues to grow by 11 to 13 per cent for fiscal 2022 as compared to fiscal 2021, between $6.4 billion and $6.5 billion. The company’s outlook assumes no significant worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflationary pressures or dramatic incremental closure of global economies.

Global Fashion Agenda has been selected as an official Nominator for The Earthshot Prize 2022.

Launched in 2020, the Earthshot Prize is the most prestigious and ambitious global environment prize in history, designed to incentivise change and help repair our planet over the next ten years.

The Prize is scheduled to take place annually until 2030, each year awarding one-million-pound prizes to five winners with solutions in-line with five ‘Earthshot’ goals: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean our Air, Revive our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix our Climate.

Among the 300+ nominators in 80 countries, Global Fashion Agenda is one of only a few fashion-focused not-for-profit organisations that were selected. As an official Nominator, the organization will identify the most notable solutions to be potential Earthshot Prize winners, playing a pivotal role in a truly global network.

Global Fashion Agenda will utilise its extensive sustainability network to seek out inspiring, inclusive, and impactful innovations and projects to nominate.

The Mumbai launch of GartexTexprocess India and Denim Show will take place from May 12 – 14, 2022 at the Jio World Trade Centre in BKC, Mumbai. This year, the show will focus on its Fabrics and Trims’ segment along with the co-located Screen Print India exhibition.

GartexTexprocess India will offer the industry a platform to bring forth industry innovations, hold creative and collaborative discussions with potential buyers and leverage the textile industry’s strong professional network. Innovative products and technologies, defining latest trends in the industry, will be showcased to the visitors through focused concurrent platforms such as Denim Show, Fabrics & Trims Show and Screen Print India during the three days.

While the focus segments under GartexTexprocess India will draw attention to innovations in garmenting and apparel machinery, Screen Print India will track technological advances in digital textile and screen-printing technologies expanding the machinery showcase. Owing to rapid technological changes, leading brands will conduct live demos of their latest technological offerings in screen printing, digital sublimation, heat transfer and textile printing, garment decoration to potential business visitors and traders.

Jointly organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India and Mex Exhibitions, the platform will also host a series of insightful sessions on the latest developments in textile, garment machinery and screen printing with the objective to encourage investments, new market development and enable India to be a globally competitive textile manufacturing destination.

Drafted by the Union Textile Ministry, the new Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme, will incentivize textile machinery manufacturers also, says Upendra Prasad Singh, Textile Secretary. The scheme will replace the existing Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS). The new scheme will include the spinning sector and the machinery manufacturers. It will be approved by March this year with fresh allocation of funds, adds Singh.

The textile industry will also be allotted additional Rs 11,000 crore benefits through the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies Scheme and Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products scheme. It will also approve the Silk Samagra II scheme for the integrated development of the silk sector with substantial budget allocation or Rs 875 crore for next fiscal. The Production Linked Incentive Scheme is also likely to see more investments as the government has extended concessional tax of 15 per cent for new manufacturing units that start production before the end of March 2024.

In 2021-22, textile and clothing exports are likely to cross $40 billion as against the target of $44 billion, says Singh. Apparel exports are also expected to increase during the year, he adds.

In Q2 FY 2021-22, listed textile manufacturers in Bangladesh logged a staggering 152 per cent higher profits year-on-year. Analysts attribute this to higher yarn prices, unexpended stocks of cotton, higher exports and devaluation of the local currency against the dollar. Total profits of the 44 companies rose to Tk 250 crore during the quarter from Tk 99 crore in the same period of the previous year.

Exports of the garments sector rose after the pandemic with all related sectors showing growth in their profits, says Shah Alam Miah, Company Secretary, Matin Spinning Mills. In 2021 calendar year, Bangladesh imported 8.5 million bales of cotton, spending more than $3 billion. One bale equals 480 pounds or 218 kg. Around Tk 600 crore was invested in the spinning sector to set up 26 new mills last year, according to Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA).

Among the 44 textile and garment companies, 25 saw higher profits in the last quarter. Five returned to profits from loss and 14 logged lower profits, the data shows.

Leaders of Bangladesh's apparel industry, believe, the new bill passed by New York may raise the cost of their business which needs to be compensated by fair prices. A major destination of global fashions, New York has introduced a bill that aims to make apparel retailers and makers disclose detailed information on environmental and social practices, including workers' wage and carbon emissions, at all levels of the global supply chain – from raw material sourcing to finished products.

Titled, ‘Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, the bill would require suppliers to the US fashion industry to disclose the source of their products. The bill compel suppliers to resort to responsible sourcing , says Rubana Huq, Former President, BGMEA. They would have change their product type, amend pricing structure and adopt sustainable business practices, she adds.

Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA, the bill will increase the cost of business for exporters. Dr MA Razzaque, Chairman, Research and Policy Integration for Development,, adds the new law will not create problems for countries that have good documentation systems in the supply chain. According to The New York Times report, companies would be given 12 months to comply with the mapping directive, and if they are found to be in violation of the law, they would be fined up to 2 per cent of their annual revenues.