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China’s booming economy continues to propel Asia and drive worldwide economic growth. The International Monetary Fund expects China’s economy to expand by 6.8 per cent this year due to stronger recorded growth in the first half.
If realised, the growth rate will outdo last year’s 6.7 per cent, which was China’s slowest pace of expansion since 1990. But China’s slower transition from an investment-based economy to a consumption-based one will come at the cost of further large increases in debt. The pace of China’s credit growth has alarmed analysts in recent years.
The uptick in growth is expected to result in greater debt levels over the long term, raising the prospect of a sharp growth slowdown in China. Since the global financial crisis in 2008 its debt load as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown more than 10 per cent per year on average.
Elsewhere in Asia, the fund raised Japan’s growth forecast to 1.5 per cent this year from one per cent last year. But it warns a shrinking labor force and weak inflation will be a drag on the country’s prospects. In India, the growth momentum has slowed due to the impact of a currency exchange initiative and the launch of GST.
In the rest of emerging markets and developing Asia, growth is expected to be vigorous.
The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) organized an event on textile and clothing industry in Ludhiana, on October 9, 2017. The inaugural address was on the Indian textile industry and significance of innovation and technology in the present competitive scenario.
A presentation from the ERP software point of view highlighted the emerging trends in global textile sector and gave innovative solutions and tools for addressing the challenges and capturing the global market. There were inputs on emerging new business models based on innovation and modern technology.
Delegates participated in the deliberations through questions-answers with panelists. Around 50 delegates participated in the event. CITI is the apex industry chamber of the entire textile value chain of India. With an increase in manufacturing costs globally, businesses are focusing more on enhancing productivity to improve the bottom line and new technology is playing a key role in achieving it.
Investing in innovative technology will ultimately result in offering the right product at the right price, which is important for a company’s profit. India is trying to improve its export competitiveness. To achieve this, the textile industry has to invest more in R&D and innovative technologies for achieving business excellence and improving productivity and product quality for taking the sector to new heights of success.
The profitability of garment exporters in Bangladesh has hit rock bottom. The main reason is that price of garments has been falling five to eight per cent every year whereas the cost of production is increasing 15 per cent to 18 per cent. This means production cost and the buying price of a pair of denim trousers are almost the same.
In fiscal 2016-17, the growth of garment exports, which account for 82 per cent of total national exports, was also the lowest in the past 15 years. Garment exports increased 0.20 per cent year-on-year in the last fiscal year, 7.34 per cent below the target for the year.
The sector witnessed on an average 16 per cent year-on-year growth since 1990 up to fiscal 2015-16. Although garment exports grew 10 per cent in volume in fiscal 2016-17, the value remained almost the same as previous year.
Primarily, demand for apparel items is declining in the western world as customers progressively become more environment-minded. They are making more conscientious buying decisions: purchasing less and focusing on quality.
In 2015, the demand for apparel items worldwide declined eight per cent. Too many products for too few consumers are the greatest challenge facing the fashion industry.
Pakistan International Trade Fair (PITF) will be held from October 26 to 29. Nearly 300 companies, including 100 from Pakistan, will participate. Among the countries are Belarus, China, Iran, Malaysia, Russia, UAE, South Korea, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Germany, US, and Japan. Nearly 50 Chinese companies will exhibit their products.
Products and services from major sectors to be showcased in PITF 2017 include textiles, handicrafts, building materials, consumer electronics and FMCGs. Banking and insurance services as well as travel and tourism services are also offered. There will be also hundreds of high level meetings planned on the side lines of the exhibition between trade bodies and foreign delegates, key officials and participants to forge alliances and joint ventures in trade and industry, exchange information and experiences, create networks and finally enter into partnerships.
The aim is to emphasize the economic potential of Pakistan and to promote bilateral trade. In addition to the exhibition itself, PITF Expo hosts a variety of interactive events, such as a business matchmaking program, various conferences, a Youth Festival focusing on the skills of young talents and fashion shows by textile firms.
The event is supported by the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry as well as numerous other associations and institutions.
A yarn-based coding system that can be used to track textiles through the supply chain has been developed by Swedish researchers. The yarns function as an optical stamp on the surface of woven or knitted fabrics that is introduced during the weaving process and unlike other technologies such as RFID tags or barcodes is an intrinsic part of the textile product and cannot be removed. The yarns are coded using twist-based optical features which can be generated on a hollow spindle frame.
Since the reproduction of these tags is not easy like other tags, including barcodes and RFIDs, they can provide enhanced security to textile products from counterfeits. Further, from the economic aspect, yarn-based tags are normal textiles, therefore, there is no need of special material components and in-house production in a textile industry can be done.
In contrast barcodes and RFIDs possess low security against copying and reproduction, which means an identical tag can be easily reproduced and placed with a counterfeit product. Further, these tags are generally removed at the point of sale, so it becomes difficult to track the history of a product back thereafter, while embedded foreign materials such as tracking chips can raise privacy issues and cause problems with recycling.
Turkey is known for towels, bathrobes and bed sheets. The country has found markets for these products in Denmark and Sweden. Turkish towels are world famous. The country now wants to make Turkish towels a world brand. Exports of towels to Denmark increased 121 per cent in nine months of this year compared to the previous year.
Europe prefers towels in gray and dull colors, in simple embroidery. Turkish towels are made from Turkish cotton, a premium cotton that has extra long fibers. Using longer fiber cotton means fewer joins, which results in stronger and smoother cotton threads. Because of this unique material, Turkish towels are known to become even softer, fluffier, and more absorbent with successive washings.
Turkey is known for producing some of the highest quality cotton products in the world and the towels are as absorbent as traditional towels but take up less room and dry very quickly. The soft cotton is lightweight and super absorbent, making them dry much more quickly than a traditional cotton terry towel. They often come in bright colors as well as more muted tones, and are extremely versatile for bath and beach, even as a scarf, sarong, or a summer throw. They make the perfect pool towel but you can also use them as scarves, wraps, or even as tablecloths.
"The recently held Smart Fabrics Program and E-Textiles Workshop at the IFAI Expo in New Orleans, delved deep into the future of smart fabric development and its commercialization. Smart fabrics need to be more than ‘cool technology,’ said Laurie Mease, Trade specialist for the US Department of Commerce/Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA). They need to fulfil an unmet need, and provide a solution."
The recently held Smart Fabrics Program and E-Textiles Workshop at the IFAI Expo in New Orleans, delved deep into the future of smart fabric development and its commercialization. Smart fabrics need to be more than ‘cool technology,’ said Laurie Mease, Trade specialist for the US Department of Commerce/Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA). They need to fulfil an unmet need, and provide a solution.
Case in point
Two years in development, the Levi's Commuter Trucker jacket recently went on sale, featuring touch controls woven into the cuff which allow the wearer to receive phone calls, navigate, or play music without getting your cell phone out of your pocket. Developed in conjunction with Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects Group (ATAP), the jacket sells for $350, and can only be washed 10 times before the circuitry is damaged. The jacket’s touch-sensitive denim fabric, woven with conductive threads containing a copper core, allows you to communicate wirelessly with your phone via a detachable Bluetooth dongle. Will this jacket appeal to the masses?
Jesse Jur, Associate Professor, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS) at the College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, points out providers of wearables are generally not meeting expectations set by the media, and are no longer buoyed by hype. No one in this industry is making any money because there is not yet a market need. The best use-cases for smart textiles lie in the health care market, where standards and reliability are critical. The words ‘wearable tech’ will go away, stated Ben Cooper, MD, IOClothes, though he believes that the future of apparel, footwear, and textiles is tied into the development of the Internet of Things (IoT).
Future forward
Conductive yarns and threads from Marubeni Electro-Yarn and Supreme Corporation’s Volt Apache yarns can be incorporated in textile substrates to provide conductivity. Variation in materials, including copper, stainless steel, silver, or carbon, as well as with metallisation technologies, allow the properties of such yarns to be fine-tuned, according to McDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions. While conductive threads can be knit, woven, sewn, or embroidered into textile substrates, printed textile circuits using electronic inks or pastes hold great potential. DuPont Intexa screen printable inks of silver, carbon, or silver-chloride can be placed on TPU film in intricate patterns, then laminated to the fabric to create pathways to a circuit. The resulting e-textile is super flat, light weight and stretchable.
The development of standards and IP protection for smart textiles has been making waves lately. Washability, consumer safety, sustainability and the reliability of medical and military technology are critical issues. Connie Huffa of Fabdesigns, pointed out that some designers want to put copper fibres right into fabric. Electronics can do things to your immune system, and graphene is toxic to the body. In addition, e-textiles may not be recyclable, with batteries adding toxicity.
The American Association of Textile chemists and Colorists (AATCC), ASTM International, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Association Connecting Electronics Industries (IPC) have begun to grapple with the problem. Gerry Elman, president, Elman Technology Law, pointed out that patent law can be very difficult, particularly in partnerships between industries as diverse as textiles and technology.
Scope for commercialisation
Successful commercialisation of smart textiles lies in finding a need, enabling the textile infrastructure and electrical components to work together, and establishing appropriate standards. Despite the challenges, smart fabrics and e-textiles may provide stimulus for a tired textile industry churning out commodity fabrics at very nominal cost. Beyond current developments for military and first responders, medical and health care, and sports and fitness, there are hidden opportunities waiting to be explored in mass transit, industrial and commercial end uses, energy harvesting, and smart mechanical textiles.
The much-awaited Yarn Expo Autumn will commence in Shanghai from tomorrow October 11 to 13, attracting thousands of industry players looking for quality yarn and fibre products from China, Asia and elsewhere. As an effective and highly praised platform reflecting the latest industry trends and attracting worldwide buyers, Yarn Expo has been growing in popularity every year, with the number of exhibitors increasing to around 493 this edition, up from 319 last year. The exhibition space has also expand by 115 per cent, allowing suppliers to showcase more of their products. “Given the reputation of Yarn Expo as the best trade platform in the Asian region, suppliers are keen on joining to meet their potential customers here,” said Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager, Messe Frankfurt (HK). Suppliers from 13 countries and regions including Bangladesh, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam will participate in this year’s autumn edition.
Foreign participation
Being held in one of Asia’s major transport hubs, Yarn Expo gathers leading yarn and fibre suppliers from throughout the region. This year, the India Pavilion is once again a highlight of the fair, bringing around 40 leading Indian names to Shanghai. In addition, Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) as an international organisation which promotes sustainable cotton production, will join the fair for the first time with five spinners demonstrating their cotton yarn made from eco-friendly cotton. Another show highlight includes the returning Birla Planet Pavilion. Birla Group benefited from its participation in the previous Yarn Expo where it succeeded in increasing its brand awareness in China. This edition, they will form the pavilion with 16 companies to present a wide range of products, including Birla Modal and Birla Spunshades. The world’s largest rayon spun yarn producer, PT Elegant Textile Industry will also join as one of their important members.
In addition to these pavilions, Uzbekistan and Pakistan exhibitors will also return to the fair to cater to the growing demand for their high quality and competitive cotton yarn. The positive feedback from existing exhibitors along with the show’s growing influence has further attracted new exhibitors who are interested to develop in the Asian market. Rubberflex Sdn Bhd from Malaysia, the world’s largest manufacturer of advanced latex threads is one of the newcomers, and they are ready to showcase their renowned products with features of heat-resistance, high elasticity and durability. Last but not least, Indonesian companies are showing much enthusiasm towards the fair that more of them choose to participate in this week’s Yarn Expo Autumn. PT Indo-Rama Synthetics Tbk, for instance, will display viscose, polyester spun, melange yarn and other specialty yarns.
Domestic exhibitors in the spotlight
Domestic players’ will exhibit latest innovations from five highlighted display zones including Fancy Yarn Zone, Natural Cotton Yarn Zone, Colourful Chemical Zone, Quality Wool Zone and Green Linen Zone. Amongst the five highlighted zones, the Fancy Yarn Zone, which focuses on innovation, will double in size and accommodate around 50 companies this year. Fibre products under the theme trend, innovation, green and comfort will also be presented by around 200 exhibitors in the Colourful Chemical Zone. There is a wide range of products such as nylon, viscose filament, renewable and recycled fibres and more for visitors to discover in these zones.
Concurrent shows
Together with Yarn Expo Autumn 2017, three other textile trade fairs are held concurrently from October 11-13 in the same venue: Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition, PH Value and the China International Fashion Fair (CHIC). Yarn Expo Autumn is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK); The Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; China Cotton Textile Association; China Wool Textile Association; China Chemical Fiber Association; China Bast & Leaf Fibres Textiles Association; and China Textile Information Centre.
Kering is trying to sell its sports lifestyle brand Puma that it had purchased in 2007. One reason could be lack of synergy between Puma and the group's luxury labels such as Gucci or Balenciaga.
Puma’s sales are booming, and its financial indicators have been greatly improving for several quarters. Puma's dynamic market performance and its rallying operational margins could pave the way to a sale. The Kering group has finally recovered its outlay, after ten years, making Puma's sale more likely. Kering has a 86 per cent stake in the brand.
However, though Kering may intend to sell, there are few buyers who can afford an acquisition of this magnitude for a brand which is not yet as profitable as the likes of Nike or Adidas. So, Kering has several financial alternatives at its disposal: it could put Puma on the market, or demerge and distribute the equity among its shareholders. Through the sale, the French luxury goods giant could generate fresh capital for broadening its brand portfolio, and may prioritize an acquisition in the highly dynamic jewelry industry.
Sporting goods manufacturer Puma is based in Germany. Founded in 1948, it designs, develops and markets footwear, apparel and accessories. Puma offers performance and lifestyle products in team sports, running and training, golf and motorsport. It also has a dedicated line of golf equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories.
Lenzing has launched a new product, Tencel Luxe. This is a lyocell filament and is the first time Lenzing has entered the filament market. It will further support Lenzing’s shift to become a true specialty player in the botanic materials market derived from sustainable wood sources.
The smooth surface of Tencel Luxe gives fabrics a silky smooth feel and a liquid-like drape for the most sensual silhouettes. The filaments are naturally breathable due to their wood-based origin and offer outstanding color fastness, enabling designers to express bold color palettes where creativity knows no boundaries. They are the new player for sustainable high-end cellulose textiles by offering superior aesthetics, performance and comfort level that allow them to be the perfect partner with other noble fibers such as silk, cashmere or wool.
The eco-botanic lyocell filaments are made from wood pulp, which is sourced from sustainable wood in line with Lenzing’s strict wood and pulp Policy. They are produced using Lenzing’s pioneering closed-loop lyocell production process. This process ensures minimal environmental impact due to low process water and energy use and raw material consumption.
Tencel Luxe will open new markets for Lenzing and allow the company to participate in the premium segment of the fabrics market.
