Sri Lanka’s earnings from merchandise exports declined by 11 percent in October 2022 compared to a year ago.

The last time Sri Lanka saw a decline in the year on year export was in March 2022. Cumulative export earnings in the first ten months of 2022, however, increased by eight percent over the same period in the last year. A looming recession in Sri Lanka’s main export markets has threatened the island nation’s top export garment sector as orders have slowed down significantly.

The main export markets, the United States and the European Union, gripped by inflationary pressures, are plunging into a recession stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These global headwinds are expected to impact Sri Lanka’s apparel exports in the coming six months.In addition, the removal of the dual corporate tax rate structure, which is set to increase corporate income taxes on exports to 30 percent up from the earlier 14 percent, also threatens the competitiveness of the country’s exports, in particular when competing with countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam.

The proposed changes to the personal income tax structure could also fuel brain drain from the country, further impacting the industry.

Japan’s imports of textile and apparel in October 2022 increased by eight per cent year on year and four per cent month on month.

Among Japan’s imports of textile and apparel in October 2022 the volume from China rose two per cent year on year and six per cent month on month. From January 2022 to October 2022, Japan’s total textile and apparel imports were up four per cent yearonyear while down 0.7 per cent from the same period in 2019. In October 2022 the textile import value grew by 42 per cent and the apparel import value grew by 41 per cent. Imports of clothing and accessories by Japan increased by 40 per cent yearonyear in October 2022.They were three per cent of Japan’s total imports during the period.

The country’s imports of textile yarn and fabrics in October 2022 were 45 per cent higher than the same period of last year. Yarn and fabric imports were one per cent of the total imports by Japan. The country’s exports of textile yarn and fabrics during October 2022 increased by 17 per cent year on year. The country’s exports of textile machinery were 38 per cent higher than exports in October 2021.

Lenzing will partner with Renewcell in accelerating the transition of the textile industry from a linear to a circular business model.

Lenzingis the world’s leading supplier of sustainably produced specialty fibers. Renewcell is a Swedish textile-to-textile recycling pioneer. The agreement contains the sale of 80,000 to 100,000 tons of Renewcell’s 100 per cent recycled textile dissolving pulp Circulose to Lenzing over a five-year period for use in the production of cellulosic fibers for fashion and other textile applications.

It is an essential part of Lenzing’s corporate strategy to become a true champion of circularity. To reach this goal Lenzing has partnered with a recycling pioneer like Renewcell. Circulose originates 100 per cent from textile waste, like old jeans and production scraps, and turns into dissolving pulp. It transforms textile waste and production scrap into new high-quality textile products. The partnership between Renewcell and Lenzing aims at bringing low-carbon Next Gen solutions to market at scale.

The new partnership fits perfectly into Renewcell’s strategy to accelerate the scaleup of circular materials by collaborating with fashion’s most important players. Accelerating the transition to low-impact, circular production is the challenge of the decade for the fashion industry. Moving towards a circular economy is vital to address the enormous textile waste challenges of the industry.

Shopping in the US from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday was up four per cent year on year.

This has boosted retailers’ confidence despite inflationary pressures and economic concerns. Across each major event, the proportion of sales with a markdown increased, reaching a peak on Cyber Monday at 61 per cent. Inflationary pressures led to an increase in selling prices each day, culminating in a seven per cent uptick compared to last year’s sales.

Average order values were boosted three percent year on year while units per order fell below 2021 results and heavy markdowns resulted in profitability declining ten percent year on year. Cyber Monday sales enticed the highest rate of new shoppers at 44 per cent. More VIP customers shopped compared to last year, with Thanksgiving the most appealing day for this cohort as retailers rewarded loyalty with access to Black Friday pre-sales and exclusive offers.

Average discount per cent increases over previous year

While retailers were able to be more reactive with fulfilling orders on Thanksgiving, shaving off half a day versus 2021, the demand from competitive discounts made it harder to keep up, causing average shipping times to reach two and a quarter days by Cyber Monday.Nearly half of US retailers’ assortments were advertised as marked down on Black Friday, with an average reduction of 49 per cent, higher than the previous two years. The deepest discounts were saved for Cyber Monday, where the average climbed to 50 per cent, a four-year high for the event.The most popular discount brackets retailers participated in on this day were also more aggressive than in previous years – between 70 per cent to 80 per cent off.

Combined with inflation, increased inventory levels from misjudged consumer demand and cautious holiday spending appeared to influence these competitive markdowns as retailers held seven per cent and ten per cent more styles stocked online vs. Black Friday in 2021 and 2020.The 40 per cent to 50 per cent bracket was the most common among retailers. However, the overall market opted for lower discount bands to protect margins on newly marked-down styles amid growing supply chain costs, with only 22 per cent of products experiencing a first reduction of over 50 per cent.

As the cost of living crisis will continue into 2023, discounting strategies next year will have to offer heavy reductions to entice consumers, so brands will need to forward plan assortments to build discounts into margins.Across Black Friday deals, tops accounted for the highest proportion of products marked down.

Retailers went steepest on bottoms, underwear and hosiery across the four days. Aéropostale drove heavy markdowns on bottoms, putting all of its jeans on sale for an average discount of 60 per cent off. Underwear and hosiery allow enticing discount depths without significantly damaging margins and offer low-priced add-on sales to meet price thresholds.

Blanket discounts and sale-on-sale dominate

However, the most significant proportion of discounted ranges happened in January. This indicates retailers marked down a broader range of goods at a subtler discount to move stock at the start of the year without impacting margins as harshly and saved more targeted price cuts for buzzier, clearance-specific events. Blanket discounts and sale-on-sale communications were abundant, with retailers trying to move through stock, like jewelry, denim, loungewear and partywear. Other major themes across Black Friday e-mails included buy one, get one and buy more, save more deals, exclusive membership offers and last chance steals.

Latest report published by Data Bridge Market Research titled ‘Global Knitwear Market’ indicates this segment of the clothing was valued at $644.29 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $1,606.67 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 12.10 per cent. Changing perception of knitwear has helped the segment grow in popularity as knitwear moved from innerwear to outerwear and from local labels to designer collections.

A new perspective towards fabric

The key driver has been the surge in physical, sporting and outdoor activities and the versatility of knitwear is perfectly poised to cater to such requirements and across price segments. The pandemic-induced lockdown that began the WFH culture also contributed to the boom as more people opted for comfortable yet stylish clothing whilst they lived lives within limited physical perimeters. The lockdown also raised the collective consumer consciousness -- wasteful consumption patterns were under the spotlight, shifting focus onto consciously crafted clothes.

Knitwear complies with fashion’s accelerated sustainability efforts – not only does it involve designing a garment but also demands technical know-how about crafting the fabric. Designers and brands are exploring responsible materials and processes to weave their knits, highlighting transparency and quality. Another key driver for knitwear is its availability and accessibility as disposable incomes rise. Premium brands have played an important role in promoting knitwear as their sporty and outdoorsy interpretations have resonated well with the emerging new lifestyle that is health-centric.

Some challenges to overcome

The high cost of producing knitwear in developed countries is posing to be an inhibitor for the sector’s overall growth, more so with stringent sustainability and circularity laws being imposed in regions like the EU. Market share creation for established global brands is perhaps the greatest challenge in this sector as lower-end consumers for inexpensive local labels that not only suit their budgets but also cater to their tastes. With this factor in play, market growth for international and premium labels can be restrictive. In the forecast period of 2022-2029, North America will see a huge growth due to the region’s increasing awareness of healthy lifestyle, changing trends in the fashion industry and increase demand for seasonal outfits, such as sweaters and hoodies. Currently, Asia-Pacific dominates the knitwear market because of the strong presence of major manufacturers especially among various economies such as India China, South Korea within the region.

The Indian scenario

Recently Union minister for Commerce and Industry, Textiles, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal paid a glowing tribute to Tiruppur, the undisputed hub of knitwear manufacturing in India. The hub recorded 22.87 per cent CAGR, which is unheard of anywhere else in the world of knitwear manufacturing. In 2022, Tiruppur’s domestic and export of knitwear touched a whopping $4.2 billion, with exports taking the lion’s share. The case is different in Ludhiana which is more focused on supplying for domestic consumption which is on the rise. In 2022, Ludhiana’s export figures stand at $0.18 billion and domestic sales at $1.6 billion.

Both, Ludhiana and Tiruppur have concerns with rise of circular and flat knitwear in Bangladesh but as the latter prefers to manufacture basic products, the Indian knitwear sector is slowly carving itself a position in the global and domestic fashion world with different fabrics, designs, construction and cuts. Ludhiana has chosen to focus more on winter clothing whilst Tiruppur on fashion apparel.

Meanwhile, manufacturers in Ludhiana known for its hosiery and woolen products worldwide are worried. They wait for the winter season for orders but this year, they are facing low buyer sentiment in addition to tough competition at the hands of the cut-and-sew industry coming up in UP and Bihar. In a cut-and sew industry, the labor gets the cloth, cuts and sews it for the market on cost-to-cost basis. As Darshan Dawar, Chairman, Ludhiana Woolen Manufacturers’ Association says, “We are facing tough competition from the cut-and-sew industry in UP and Bihar. The industry gets the cloth, makes jackets, sweatshirts, etc, and sells the products on minimal margins.” As per some manufacturers, production has come down from six lakh pieces per month to 3.5 lakh per month. Agrees Sudershan Jain, Managing Director, Oner, brand who says the season is low by about 20 per cent due to low buyer sentiments. However, he is hopeful at by January and February, sales will pick up owing to the wedding season and peak winters.

Vietnam is facing a reduction in export orders. This applies especially to the textile, garment and footwear industries. Orders are waning in key markets.

They are down some 60 per cent in Europe and 30 per cent to 40 per cent in the US market. Though orders are coming in from Canada and Australia, they have not been able to offset the decline from the US and European markets.

This trend is likely to continue, with orders likely to decline further in the coming months. Many businesses have had to reduce the number of workers and production has been scaled down in the last months of 2022.

Enterprises are diversifying markets in the context of shrinking export markets and falling demand. Businesses are improving their competitiveness to take full use of the advantages brought about by free trade agreements. So the textile and footwear industries have to develop appropriate production and business development plans in the coming time.

Vietnam’s exports to China, South Korea, Japan, the US, and Europe have showed a steep drop because of weaker purchasing power due to rising inflation and uncertainties especially the Russia-Ukraine conflict and material price fluctuations. The exchange rate is expected to continue to drop in the second half of 2022, negatively affecting businesses, particularly those with high expenses calculated in dollars.

Viptex will be held in Turkey, February 13 to 17, 2023. This is a trade fair that connects Turkey’s best fabric and accessories manufacturers with international buyers.

The event is aimed at enhancing and promoting the premium end of Turkish textiles, which is recognized worldwide and is now more than ever a privileged reference for all European and international brands. Turkey’s top fabric and accessories manufacturers will present their spring/summer 2024 collections.

Started in 2017 with 15 exhibitors and 60 visitors, Viptex will host about 180 companies and more than a thousand visitors from all over the world including large retail chains, brands and fashion ateliers and designers. Viptex is a boutique fair, in a luxury location, hosting the main fashion reference sectors: from shirts to fancy, from accessories to sports fabrics. The show will highlight the creativity, innovation, reliability, sustainability and the excellent technical level of Turkish companies.

Turkey is the world’s fifth largest textile exporter. The country enjoys a competitive advantage due to its geographic location, integrated production structure and short turnaround times. In addition, the region boasts easy access to raw materials, an advanced textile finishing industry and can provide production flexibility for small orders.

Turkey is known for the quality of its products, its unique blend of a traditional and aspirational aesthetic, as well as its ability to produce at volume.

Vietnam’s earnings from exporting textiles and garments in the first 11 months of 2022 were up 18 percent from the same period last year. In November 2022 alone, however, Vietnam’s textile and garment export earnings decreased eight percent year on year.

Inflation, currency devaluation and decrease in purchasing power of major countries are among the risks for Vietnam’s textile and garment sector. These factors have forced Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises to seek and diversify export markets. Despite difficulties, many businesses are still growing in production. The country’s textile and garment industry is hopeful of meeting its export targets this year. In 2021, Vietnam’s export turnover from textile and garment products was up nine percent from 2020.

Vietnam’s largest export markets include China, Japan, the European Union, South Korea, and the United States. Vietnam’s textile and garment exports rose by 21 per cent during January 2022 to October 2022.The exchange rate is expected to continue to drop in the second half of 2022, negatively affecting businesses, particularly those with high expenses calculated in dollars. As of now Vietnamese enterprises are seeking ways to diversify material supply sources as well as export markets. In 2021 Vietnam’s textile and garment exports grew by nine per cent while yarn exports grew by 50 per cent.

American clothing company PVH has extended most of its license agreements with G-III Apparel. The arrangement will allow for a smooth transition of core product categories back to PVH at the end of the extended terms.

PVH intends to work in close partnership with G-III over the next several years to ensure an uninterrupted and responsible transition for consumers and wholesale partners for both brands. PVH’s multi-year strategic growth plan is to unlock the full potential of its two iconic brands, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, in the North American market. By bringing these core product categories in-house over time, the company will be able to draw on the power and expertise of its global brand teams and have them fully connected to the demand driven supply chain PVH is developing.

The multi-year transition period will enable PVH to bring these core product categories, which represented about one-third of its global licensing revenue, and less than ten per cent of consolidated ebit in 2021, back in-house in a disciplined and methodical way. G-III will continue to be a key partner as both work together over the next few years to internalise the direct operations of these businesses.

Both the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger agreements will now have staggered expirations from 2025 through 2027.

Igatex was held in Pakistan, December 1 to 4, 2022. This edition of Igatex completed 20 years, making it an increasingly significant garment and textile event with its scale setting records every year.

The show introduced Denim World Pakistan and digital textile printing for the first time this year.Also, for the very first time in an exhibition in Pakistan, a sustainability pavilion was dedicated for leading national university students to showcase their sustainable fashion projects, based on the concept of recycling, upcycling, downcycling in shape of a display and fashion show in the presence of textile professionals.

The four day exhibition received an overwhelming response. More than 500 top notch companies from 30 countries including Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, USA etc. participated and displayed a wide and exquisite range of the latest technologies and solutions for the textile and garment industry. Igatex brought together a range of textile businesses from around the world. This garment and textile machinery and accessories exhibition gave exhibitors and visitors an opportunity to see the latest innovations taking place in the textile sector.Companies exhibited their latest machinery and technology used in spinning, finishing, weaving, dyeing and garments.The event introduced businesses to the latest expertise.