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Campaign for Wool is a global campaign that was started in 2010 to raise awareness among consumers about the unique, natural and sustainable benefits offered by wool. The campaign currently runs in 14 countries including Canada, Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Shetland Islands, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the USA.
The philosophy is using material like wool creates better products that last longer and are ultimately better for the environment. It educates people about the wonders of wool and the importance of choosing clothes made with natural fibers.
Campaign for Wool receives support from across trade, retail and artisan sectors. It is associated with like-minded companies and designers that understand and promote the importance of using natural and sustainable products. There are few other natural fibers in this world that can claim the same number of properties paired with the durability and low-carbon footprint offered by wool.
The business of fashion has never been more competitive but ultimately the brands and clothes that will last are those who embrace sustainability. The wonderful properties of wool as a material for both interior design and apparel have been almost completely forgotten. This campaign hopes to bring that into the forefront.
Patrik Frisk is taking over as the new president and COO of American sports apparel and footwear brand Under Armour. Frisk has nearly 30 years’ experience in the apparel, footwear and retail industry, directing brands such as The North Face and Timberland. He is former CEO of the global footwear company Aldo. Prior to Aldo, he spent 10 years with VF Corp. He was president of Timberland and before that responsible for The North Face, Vans, JanSport and Reef brands. He previously ran his own retail business in Scandinavia and held senior positions with Peak Performance and W.L. Gore & Associates.
Paul Fipps, chief information officer and executive vice president of global operations, has been named chief technology officer. He will oversee all aspects of engineering to support the brand’s web and mobile applications and its information technology and real estate functions.
Colin Browne will become chief supply chain officer and be responsible for all global operations related to product sourcing and logistics. He joined Under Armour in 2016 as president of global sourcing.
Kevin Eskridge is chief product officer. He oversees category management and product, merchandising, design and innovation. He has been with the company since 2009. Eskridge, former senior vice president of global merchandising, helped establish the company’s business in China.
The global hosiery market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.3 per cent over 2017 to 2025. The main reason for surging global market in hosiery is rising concern among consumers about personal appearance and grooming. Further, the shift in retail formats to hypermarkets and supermarkets is allowing consumers to select and compare products according to their preferences which in turn is fueling sales of hosiery products.
Robust growth of e-commerce is also providing easy access to consumers to compare hosiery products online. Hosiery products are also projected to witness a rise in sales volume through e-commerce platforms. Europe represents the largest market worldwide followed by the United States. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market. China is the largest producer of hosiery in the world with a strong presence in synthetic hosiery products.
Future trends include appropriate compression to increase blood circulation, anti-cellulite hosiery that help impart a sculpted body shape, hosiery with weather-adaptive and supportive features such as silver-based microbial finishes for greater hygiene and comfort. Some of the emerging styles include colored tights, striped tights, python print tights as well as patterned styles of over the knee socks.
Wrangler celebrates 70 years of originality with a global release of seasonal collections, including a collaboration with 70's pop art icon, Peter Max, designed with the vision of the artist himself. With a rich history dating back to 1947, we are marrying heritage and style with a colorful vibrancy and attention to detail that makes Wrangler truly unique.
Max teamed up with Wrangler, in the 1970s, to make an exclusive cosmic fashion statement for that decade. The wonderful Max has renewed his collaboration with Wrangler in celebration of the fashion company’s seven decades in business.
The fashionable and colorful collaboration of the ’70s between Max and Wrangler is being revived with a modern fit for men and women. The international release of the European-designed Wrangler 70th Anniversary Collection was announced by Craig Errington, vice president of marketing, on May 8, 2017, in Greensboro, North Carolina.
In the 1970s, the celebrity artist, recognized for his colorful cosmic visions, first partnered with the popular jean company to create a unique collection. The collection then, as with the newest one, pops with color inspired by Max’s renowned pop-art.v
Wrangler is all about authenticity. The brand officially began in 1947, when celebrity tailor Rodeo Ben designed the first Wrangler Authentic Western Jeans. Max was not the first celebrity to recognize Wrangler for their authenticity. When the very first Wrangler jeans were being marketed to American customers, famed rodeo cowboys took notice.
In 1974 Max recognize the Wrangler fashion line where the brand was accepted by the Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association. Talking about Max Jason Aldean brought Wrangler into the world of country music when he agreed to be the face of the company’s retro line in 2009.The artist’s favored iconic image is featured on shirts in the Wrangler collection, Max and Wrangler collaborative collection, will be sold in Europe and Asia.
Spinexpo trade exhibitions in France, US and China will present A/W 2018 fibers, yarns and knitwear collections. For the past 15 years, it has been a catalyst for the textile and fashion industry that attracts top international buyers.
The upcoming Spinexpo Paris will be a three-day event from July 3 to 5, 2017 at the Cité de la Mode et du Design in Paris. Next in New York it will take place from July 18 to July 20 followed by the Shanghai edition to be held from August 29 to 31. The Paris show will see products from leading top-level international exhibitors including 85 spinning mills, knitwear and machine manufacturers as well as the swatch studios, will be displayed at the show
Spinexpo United States will be held July 18 to 20, 2017. The exhibition will feature 77 leading exhibitors, similar to those in Paris and is a B-to-B trade show attracting key influential brands from the American markets. Exhibitors will be showcasing innovative products with a focus on performance and functionality as well as new spinning and knitting techniques across core and fancy items. A special focus will be on a wider range of products with stock service, shorter lead times and faster delivery times.
Spinexpo Shangahai will be held from August 29 to 31, 2017, showcasing over 200 specially selected companies. This trade show caters to a growing mid-end domestic market and international brands manufacturing in Asia. The show continues to be a driving force in moving suppliers and buyers forward, urging them to bring fresh and new ideas in design, innovation and technical application.
Textile traders across the country will go on a strike, opposing the implementation of GST on textiles. A rally is also likely to be organized on June 30, 2017. As per textile associations lakhs of organised and unorganised traders associated with the textiles will be affected badly with the implementation of GST.
Even Haryana’s textile traders have started a three-day strike from Tuesday by closing down their business for 72 hours. The government, on its part, is ready to remove doubts by holding discussion on GST. Around 35,000 textile shops in Telangana are expected to remain close while nearly 70,000 textile establishments in Surat have been shut since June 24, 2017, declared Telangana State Federation of Textile Associations President Ammanabolu Prakash.
Textile traders also held marches in protest of the Centre’s decision to levy 5 per cent goods and services tax (GST) on textiles and 12 per cent on readymade garments. The price of textiles may rise by 8-10 per cent Further, talking about the exempted category textile traders across the state, Prakash says, textile traders across the state were supporting the nationwide bandh as fabrics at present came under the exempted category. The 5 per cent GST that it would attract can complicate matters for those in the trade, pointing to the compliance hassles as well as the need for more working capital.
According to Telangana State Federation of Textile Associations the GST Council had promised it is not going to tax textiles. Contrary to their promise, they have imposed a 5 per cent tax on the commodity. On apprehensions of the trade Prakash says fulfilling the requirements is not going to be easy for traders as they operate on thin margins and there is lack of familiarity with computers. GST compliance would be challenging and add to their cost and the traders have not registered under GST, he added.
GST will have an effect on many sectors, including textiles and fashion. From raw material producers to readymade online distributors, every segment will feel the change, as consumer buying habits will be affected by the new tax regulations.
GST also includes specific sections that deal with compliance for e-retailers and online aggregators, adding more clarity to what has been a grey area in many aspects. Online consumer will have a better shopping experience with more sellers offering competitive prices and a larger range of choices compared to a scenario where established players share a consolidated market for the product.
A successful online fashion retailer is one with the best products and the best-targeted promotions. Irrespective of GST, a shopper buying apparel is still more likely to look for the best quality within a price point and the latest styles. The long-term focus will always be on correct sourcing, utilising real-time data, and gathering intelligence on consumer behavior and larger trends.
Strategic warehousing will be a thing of the past once a uniform tax hits the grassroots. These benefits are expected to trickle back into production and help the industry overall. Online platforms sell products that are the result of many co-operating segments in India’s large textile landscape, and a GST boost to producers and manufacturers will benefit online retailers.
Hanesbrands has entered into an agreement to acquire Australian intimate apparel retailer Bras N Things. Reporting Q4 and full-year 2017 results, including an 8 per cent fall in operating profits for the quarter, the big apparel player will pay $400 million for the specialty retailer and online seller of intimate apparel in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In 2017, Bras N Things recorded net sales of around A$180 million (US$144 million).
Sydney-based company sells proprietary bras, panties and lingerie sets through a retail network of around 170 stores and a growing e-commerce platform. Its three-year CAGR is 11 per cent and online sales last year rose by 71 per cent representing about 10 per cent of total sales. The company manages 154 stores in Australia, 10 stores in New Zealand and 7 stores in South Africa.
Post acquisition, Hanesbrands says its combined Australian commercial businesses would be the market leader in bras, panties, underwear, socks and babywear in Australia.
With textile traders downing shutters for three more days following the all India strike announced by traders from Tuesday, production of grey fabrics has taken a hit in the country's largest man-made fabric (MMF) sector. Production of grey fabric has decreased by almost 55 per cent in the last fortnight due to the textile traders' agitation against goods and services tax on fabrics. The daily production of polyester fabrics is pegged at 4 crore meters per day.
Most powerloom units in Bhestan, Unn, Sachin, Katargam and Ved Road are operating their units in single shift for the last many days. Traders had already observed two days strike in between. Sachin Weavers Association president Mahendra Ramoliya says powerloom weavers in Sachin GIDC manufacture around 50 lakh metres of fabrics per day. The production of fabrics has now come down to less than 10 lakh metres per day due to the ongoing strike. There is no opposition on 5 per cent GST in the weaving sector but the central government must provide refund for the accumulated tax credit. If refund will not be made the entire weaving sector will collapse after July 1.
Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) secretary Devesh Patel, says a delegation from SGCCI and textile industry had met deputy chief minister Nitin Patel. They need increase import duty on Chinese fabrics and provide refund of accumulated tax credit. He said there cannot be two rules in the textile sector. If the textile processors are eligible for refund of accumulated tax credit, the powerloom weavers should also be considered for the same. There are less than 1,000 textile process houses in the country, whereas the strength of powerloom weavers in the decentralized industry is more than 20 lakh.
In 2016, Italy’s production of textile machinery rose five per cent compared to 2015. Domestic sales of Italian manufacturers increased 14 per cent. During the same period, exports grew by four per cent. Adoption of latest technologies, particularly cloud and cyber security technologies, had positive outcomes on productivity.
Orders index for textile machinery for the period from January to March grew 24 per cent, compared to the same period in 2016. The index data for the first three months of the year confirm positive signs seen by businesses in various foreign markets. A renewed climate of enhanced trust is currently perceived in the textile sector, triggered by the government’s commitment to enact a range of significant incentives for the country’s manufacturing system.
Italian textile machinery manufacturers comprise around 300 manufacturers, employing close to 12,000 people and producing machinery for an overall value of about €2.6 billion, with exports amounting to 86 per cent of total sales. Italy is the world’s second largest producer of machinery for the textiles industry. In the production of machinery for tanning, and for the footwear and leather goods industry, Italy accounts for over 50 per cent of world production.
