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Hebei has become the 10 lab to be certified under the ICA Bremen International Laboratory Certification Scheme. Which means Hebei joins nine other laboratories to become certified under the scheme, which has the aim of establishing an approved list of laboratories worldwide that meet a standard level of quality assurance.
Open to any international cotton testing laboratory, participating laboratories must meet a level of quality assurance based on specific criteria in eight modules, including conditioning, maintenance, calibration and testing procedures. 12 other labs are currently in the process of assessment. Once certified, they will become a laboratory of choice to resolve quality disputes and provide a service to the cotton industry.
ICA Bremen has developed the scheme based on American Society for Testing and Materials and Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton as well as building on the good practices of the United States Department of Agriculture and its own laboratory experience.
ICA Bremen is an international centre of excellence for cotton testing, research and quality training. Based in Germany the centre was launched in 2011. Its services include laboratory certification, laboratory testing, WCC classing authority, quality arbitration, round trials, cotton grade standards, research and development, training, quality expert certification and consultancy.
Bangladesh’s garment accessories sector is struggling. While prices of raw materials for garment accessories have increased by about 15 to 20 per cent, prices of finished products have declined by about 10 per cent. Buyers of garment accessories, usually readymade garment makers, are offering low prices as prices of apparel products have also declined in the global market over the last few years.
During January to July, prices of apparel products on an average saw a six per cent decline while their production cost increased by 18 per cent. Prices of garment products have declined by 4.31 per cent in the European market and 3.5 per cent in the US market over the last six months.
When garment makers face a price cut from their global buyers, they adjust prices by reducing the cost of production through cost cutting from fabrics, accessories and other heads. The country’s accessories sector failed to do any value addition to the industry last year although it made around 30 per cent value addition to products in the previous year. But it saves huge foreign currency by providing essential accessories to the readymade garment sector, the highest foreign exchange earner. The sector meets up to 95 per cent of the requirement of the country’s garment sector.
The Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) has announced the appointment of S Balaraju as its executive director. Balarju who retired as recently as Additional Textile Commissioner,
An MBA in International Trade from Acharya Nagarjuna University, Andhra Pradesh, Balaraju has put in 35 years in textiles and MSME sectors. He took over as SRTEPC’s Executive Director from October 16. Balaraju was associated with the office of the textile commissioner for the past 20 years and retired as additional textile commissioner on August 31, 2017 after a long and remarkable career working on various posts. During his tenure Balaraju was actively involved in redefining the role of that office from a regulatory role to a developmental role. Balaraju has also worked with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) as well as the ministry of labour and employment, government of India for a period of nearly 12 years.
Balaraju was among the first to lend support on behalf of the Union Ministry of Textiles. He was also the key driving force behind the establishment of a mini-textile park on about 16 acres of MIDC land in Malegaon. The SRTEPC, which was set up in 1954, is one of the oldest export promotion councils in India. It has played a transforming role over the years, inculcating export culture and promoting exports of Indian man-made fibre and textiles.
Cambodia’s garment and footwear exports may grow five per cent this year compared tp seven per cent in 2016. Apparel and footwear sector accounts for more than 70 per cent of the country’s total exports, with the vast majority of its products destined for the EU, US and Canada.
The country’s garment sector is expected to grow at a slower pace owing to increased competition from neighboring countries. However, preferential US trade access for specific travel-related items could help prop up the sector in the near term. Cambodia’s advantages remain its abundance of cheap labor and preferential trade status under the EU’s Everything But Arms scheme and duty-free access to the US for travel goods.
However, minimum wage hike may jeopardise the sector if worker productivity does not increase. Productivity remains a paramount concern. On paper monthly salary is 60 per cent cheaper in Cambodia compared to China. But the production speed in Cambodia is only 35 per cent compared to 75 per cent in China, which at the end of the day only makes Cambodia 30 per cent cheaper, when efficiency is factored in.
Cutting electricity costs or lowering import and export fees can lighten the burden on factory owners. If that doesn’t happen, production will suffer.
Stäubli, the Swiss mechatronics company, well known for its textile machinery will participate in the 15th Dhaka International Textile & Garment Machinery Exhibition from February, 8 to 11, 2018 at BICC. They will be exhibiting their know-how at their agent Spintex Technology’s booth. On display will be machinery and system solutions that permit optimisation of workflow in textile mills to create enhanced quality output and profit from increased time saved.
The automatic warp tying machine Topmatic 201 PC has an integrated double-end-detection that works even with flat warps without lease. Its tying speed can deliver 600 knots per minute. In addition to its rapidity the owner profits from the machine’s durability/sturdiness and flexibility.
The large product portfolio include solutions for frame weaving with air-jet, water-jet, rapier and projectile weaving machines. The range includes e.g. the new robust 1691 cam motion that is available with up to 8 lifting units, at a pitch of 12mm. Weavers can swiftly produce high quality fabric as the machine assures gentle warp treatment.
Its automatic and fully integrated levelling device prevents overstretching the warp and avoids start-up marks. Due to interchangeable cams, weavers profit further from enhanced flexibility as they can use the same cams for creating either a warp/weft effect.
Regarding electronic rotary dobbies, Stäubli is offering the new generation of reliable state-of-the-art dobbies S3000/S3200. These series feature the new concept of selection of heald frames by locking and are compatible with standard weaving machines. Using less footprint and maintenance these machines operate at highest production speeds whilst deliving less noise and vibration. There are over 30,000 S3000/S3200 dobbies in service around the world today.
Flat, terry or technical weave – the SX and LX Jacquard machine masters any application and adapts to all types of air jet, rapier, and water jet machines, the SX Jacquard machine produces excellent results in the form of terry cloth, decorative material, tapestry, silk fabric, apparels or seat covers.
With its optimised housing and performant lifting mechanism the machine operates reliably within the most demanding conditions in weaving mills. The maximum number of hooks for the Jacquard designs is 25,600, or 51,200 hooks by combining two machines.
Beltwide Cotton Conference (BWCC) will be held in the US, January 3 to 5, 2018. It will provide an insight on current research and emerging technology and help attendees improve production, processing and marketing efficiency. Among the scheduled topics are looking ahead to Bollgard III use, a review of year one of dicamba use, thrips control, bacterial blight, nematodes, cotton root rot and fungicide seed treatments. Also included will be a regulatory update and presentations on growing cotton economically and on contamination prevention.
The ginning conference will include presentations critical to cotton quality and efficient processing. Included will be updates regarding ongoing ginning research, new equipment, and lint contamination research and prevention. A new type of presentation will be offered at one of the technical conferences. The Cotton Improvement Conference will feature five-minute lightning talks from poster presentation authors. The authors will provide the main points of their research for the purpose of stimulating more discussion later at the poster session.
There will be a special workshop on small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for agricultural producers. About 80 per cent of commercial UAS systems are expected to be used in agriculture. Because most initial users are uneasy about this emerging technology, the workshop will focus on risk-based trainings for both current and future users and include reports on aircraft systems and a workflow demonstration.
Many organisations representing America’s most recognised retail brands, suppliers and businesses recently announced the launch of the US Global Value Chain Coalition. The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), the National Retail Federation (NRF), the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and the US Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) formed the coalition to educate policymakers and the public about millions of American jobs and national economic growth their members generate through their value chain.
A research revealed that making use of the global marketplace, 98 per cent of the apparel sold in the US, companies to offer consumers the widest variety of apparel at the best prices while supporting millions of medium- to high skilled jobs. The report also shows that tariffs routinely applied to apparel imports are among the highest levied on any industry and can result in higher prices for consumers.
Retail global value chains employ millions of Americans through the production of goods and provision of services, distribution and sales. The Coalition aims to be an advocate, educate, conduct research and engage policies that support American employees and their families through this grand Coalition.
Rick Helfenbein, President and CEO, AAFA disclosed, “In today’s global economy, it is essential that policies in Washington support the modern supply chain. While 98 per cent of the clothes and shoes sold in the U.S. are imported, it is important to note that our industry provides nearly four million American jobs throughout the supply chain. By developing policies that open new markets and remove trade barriers, we can be more competitive, supply more good-paying jobs to American workers and provide greater value for American consumers.”
Jonathan Gold, Vice President for supply chain and customs policy for NRF said, “Global value chains are a critical component to businesses success.” Following the launch, the Coalition will meet with officials in Congress and the Administration to discuss the impact and importance of the U.S. global value chain.
Maharashtra wants Bollgard II to be denotified from the Bt cotton category since it’s no longer resistant to pink bollworm. Bollgard II is a genetically modified seed. The state has suggested the seed be downgraded to hybrid, which will lead to a drop in its price. If BG II is denotified, it may result in a reduction in price from the present around Rs 800 a packet to Rs 400 a packet. Farmers can use the money saved in meeting the additional cost of plant protection.
Maharashtra is among the leading cotton producers in India, cultivating 41 lakh hectares. As much as 98 per cent of the crop is grown from Bt cotton seeds with BG II technology. The seeds are meant to be resistant to the American and pink bollworm, thereby reducing the use of pesticides. But the seed’s resistance to the pink bollworm has been dropping for a while, leading to a rise in the use of pesticides. Farmers opt for BG II seed on the assumption that crops would be protected from pink bollworm.
The BG II technology was developed by the global seed giant Monsanto and marketed in India through the joint venture firm Mahyco Monsanto Biotech India, which licenses the technology to Indian seed companies.
A scheme has been devised for Indian power loom units. Energy Efficiency Services (EESL) will procure energy efficient power looms, motors and rapier kits and give them to small and medium power loom units at no upfront cost.
The use of these efficient equipments would result in energy saving and cost saving to the unit owner and he would repay in installments to EESL over a period of four to five years. The aggregation of demand and bulk procurement will also lead to a reduction in capital cost, the benefits of which will be passed on to power loom units so that their repayment amount and period would reduce.
The initiative will be implemented on a pan-India basis. Plain power looms are being upgraded. They are being attached with process control equipment. This leads to higher productivity, better quality and more than 50 per cent additional value realisation. So far, 1.70 lakh plain power looms have been upgraded.
The power loom sector in India is predominantly an unorganised on and has a large number of micro and small units which produce 57 per cent of the total cloth in the country. There are 24.86 lakh power loom units in this country, most of whom use obsolete technology.
Mumbai-based Boheco is offering hemp fabric as a sustainable alternative to cotton. The company not only produces hemp textiles but also clothing like shirts, T-shirts, scarves, and tunics. The Bombay Hemp Company (Boheco) was founded in January 2013. The brand’s tagline is educate, cultivate, elevate and its aim is to become a world leader in industrial hemp production. The brand specialises in clothing but also makes medical marijuana, hemp food items, and Hempcrete Biocrete used to make housing.
Awareness about environmental damage of cotton production is rising, along with the rising suicide rates of cotton farmers who have seen their GM crops fail. This situation has led those interested in sustainability to search for an alternative.
Boheco currently has India’s largest seed bank with over 150 types of seeds and is receiving enquiries from farmers representing a total of 25,000 acres of land across India. Boheco is educating these farmers on the economic value of hemp and is trying to raise awareness among consumers.
Cultivation of hemp is considered more environmentally friendly than growing cotton, as it thrives in moderate climates, and doesn’t need artificial irrigation. Hemp is said to be ideally suited for crop rotation schemes and delivers around twice the fiber yield of cotton.
