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Katie Smith, senior analyst at retail analytics firm Edited, says that the challenge is that brands are either neglecting the male plus demographic altogether or focusing only on certain types of apparel while ignoring others, like activewear and formalwear. While women’s plus-size apparel offerings have grown by 375 percent in the last five years, plus-size menswear has actually shrunk by 54 percent, according to data from Edited.
Kelvin Davis, founder of the plus-size fashion blog Notoriously Dapper, says that to the dearth of brands that sell larger sizes, the retailers that are experimenting with plus-size styles don’t have an adept sense of sizing. A common practice is to conflate “big and tall” with “plus-size,” though Smith says that there is no global data that correlates the two.
As a result, Davis also says that brands like Asos, which launched its first plus-size men’s line in December 2016, tend not to fit his 5-foot-9-inch, 240 pound frame. The problem is these are typically designed with a taller man in mind.
Bruce Sturgell, founder of the plus-size menswear blog Chubstr, says while progress may appear slow, there have still been promising advancements in the past year, including the rise of smaller, lesser-known brands that are breaking into the market.
He further adds that there are a rise of bloggers and influencers advocating for plus-size menswear, societal pressure to adhere to ingrained gender norms is still a significant barrier to advancement in the market. He says it’s less culturally accepted for males to speak out about body positivity than women, which makes it difficult to gain visibility and generate the public demand that helps encourage fashion brands.
The size of India's textile market is expected to touch 250 billion dollars in the next two years from 150 billion dollars now. The domestic market is currently estimated at 110 billion dollars and exports at 40 billion dollars.
In the last two years, a lot of buoyancy has been created in the textile sector. Various schemes have been launched, not only to upgrade technology, but also to extend financial aid to the sector. The capital investment subsidy has been introduced in segments like weaving, garment, technical textile and made up.
Attempts will be made to modernise machines and add state-of-the-art facilities which will help the sector. A Rs 6000 crores special package was announced for the industry last year.
Rebates on state levies have been introduced to encourage exports. There is an additional 10 per cent subsidy for the garment and made-up segments, which means the home textile industry will get an effective 25 per cent capital investment subsidy on the new machines they bring in, leading to efficiency and modernisation of the sector.
Subsidies have proved be very beneficial for the sector and led to an increase in employment and attracted huge investments.
The textile industry needs to utilise the various schemes launched by the government for the benefit of customers.
Australian textile major Woolmark is eyeing an entry into the handloom and weaving clusters of Gujarat and Manipur to increase the import of its premium merino wool into India.
In its efforts to explore other markets for wool, Woolmark has also entered into a collaboration with the Tirupur Exporters Association. As of today, seven companies have begun manufacturing knitwear using wool.
To further boost imports, Woolmark has also announced the second phase of its Grown In Australia, Made In India initiative. The campaign will highlight the farm-to-fashion journey of merino wool from Australia to India. The campaign aims to connect stakeholders, including brands, manufacturers and the government, across the supply chain with consumers joining the journey from this year.
The campaign will be a four-month long project starting from September and ending in December. Through this initiative, the company will bring to light the different stakeholders of its journey– the Kullu weavers of Himachal Pradesh, the wool shawl and knitwear industry and its collaboration with commercial brands who have endorsed merino wool in India.
Merino represents 55,000 wool makers of the island country. While a majority of India's suit and knitwear products already use Australia's premium merino wool, Woolmark anticipates further growth in the domestic market share.
Textile major Arvind focuses on multipronged strategy for its growthand intends to become a strategic partner with its customers, a top company official. Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Lalbhai says that the company’s strategy is to build on four planks that is sustainability, innovation, verticalisation and multi-fibre.
He further says that sportswear is the fastest growing segment and clothing is going to become "intelligent". The company have identified ten major buyers and are making large amounts of fabrics.
Lalbhai, however, says that the textiles industry has got the flexibility in the labour laws it was looking for. One of the biggest problems was the labour laws and luckily it is a concurrent law. All the progressive states have given us the flexibility that the company is looking for. There are fixed term contracts available. There is no need to have a labour liability on your balance sheet, headded.
He also mentioned that in the world market, Indian textiles industry is competing with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. These three countries have free trade agreement with the European Union (EU). As per him the country should sign a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom in order to boost textile exports. Further a competitive and logical exchange rates could be an enabler for the industries.
A fashion show will be organised at the famous Times Square in New York during the upcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) celebrations later this month.
Indian e-commerce platform Myntra, the official style partner for the Bollywood awards ceremony, will organise the fashion show.
Drifting away from conventional shores, the fashion show will symbolically unramp, where models will express their distinct styles while having fun on the go, walk in groups, which is a break from tradition.
The looks put together will be assorted from the outfits and accessories available on the Myntra platform by the team of in-house experts. The curated attire will showcase everyday wear, airport looks with funky add on to amp daily clothing.
There will be a Bollywood showstopper who will be walking for the fashion show. The fashion showcase at New York Times Square articulates Myntra’s commitment to making global fashion available to shoppers. The experience of shopping the looks online while the show is on will allow Myntra consumers to engage with fashion like never before.
The IIFA weekend will host a range of activities from July 13 till July 16. Myntra brings the best of fashion under one roof, while IIFA brings the best of Bollywood.
Textile merchants of Surat and Ahmedabad are set to prolong their ongoing agitation against implementation of the goods and services tax (GST). Traders are sticking to their demand for exemption for the industry for at least one year to understand and implement the new rules. Over 80,000 merchants of Surat have refused to open their shops since the last three days and are threatening to keep their shutters down indefinitely if the government does not consider their demand. Nearly 30,000 merchants from Ahmedabad too have joined the protest from Tuesday. “Process of GST is too tedious for small merchants. We need some time to understand it and we are only demanding one year for that.
Traders are not against the law, says Tarachand Kasat, president of Vyapari Sangarsh Samiti (VSS). It may be mentioned that the ongoing strike in Surat had taken a turn for the worse on Monday when police resorted to lathi charge on thousands of traders who had gathered in the heart of the city in a bid to force them to reopen their establishments.
Kasat says that it is difficult to say that how long the strike will continue but merchants are not happy with government’s attitude. They are small traders and want some time to understand the new things. Textile industry is the second-largest employer in India after agriculture, and the government is not even listening to our demand.
However, the agitation is peaceful in Ahmedabad so far. Textile traders assembled in the main cloths market in Ahmedabad and chanted slogans against the GST. The merchant associations also met the Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and officials of GST council to represent their demand. Textile traders in Ahmedabad are planning to review the situation on Wednesday before deciding their future course of action. The association is preparing a fresh representation to the Union government.
"Total ethical spending in the UK is now worth £54billion (2016) and represents around 7 per cent of all UK consumer spending. The value of overall ethical sales grew by 8 per cent to £38 billion in 2015, during a period when inflation barely rose above 0.5 per cent, says the new Ethical Consumer Markets report. In this era of enhanced sustainability, consumers have adopted the philosophy of ‘buy less, buy better’."
Total ethical spending in the UK is now worth £54billion (2016) and represents around 7 per cent of all UK consumer spending. The value of overall ethical sales grew by 8 per cent to £38 billion in 2015, during a period when inflation barely rose above 0.5 per cent, says the new Ethical Consumer Markets report. In this era of enhanced sustainability, consumers have adopted the philosophy of ‘buy less, buy better’. Talking about S/S’18 trends, sustainability or responsible innovation is by far the biggest trend in the industry right now, highlights Eva Kruse, Chief Executive of Global Fashion Agenda, which organises the Copenhagen Fashion Summit.
Sustainable expanse
Throughout 2017, the British Fashion Council has been celebrating ‘Positive Fashion’ best practice, creating a dialogue and providing a platform to tell good news stories that help facilitate change. Sustainable has now become stylish and affordable. There are signs that people are buying less but buying better - Mintel found this was true for 69 per cent of women aged 25-44. A report on the shopping habits of millennials says 70 per cent indicate a willingness to spend more with brands that support ethical causes.
Contemporary women’s wear brand Skunkfunk, family owned and designed in Bilbao and distributed to UK retailers by Love Brands, has collections, which is 50 per cent ethically sourced. It offers technical outerwear and innovative fabrics to women’s wear, even involving regional artists to design original prints. Besides tracing their supply chain back to the source, this GOTS certified Fairtrade fashion brand uses a unique pattern cutting processing which aims for Zero Waste.
Not only has ethical become affordable but availability, supply and choice is fuelling increased demand, 54 per cent of consumers today, according to Unilver. Kevin Chesters, chief strategy officer at Ogilvy & Mather London, says, the shift has definitely come from consumers demanding more transparency and more responsibility from retailers.
"If stakeholders in Bangladesh’s RMG industry are looking to uphold rigorous growth in domestic and international arena, they must emphasise on upgrading the textile value chain and other industries to ensure more value addition. Focussing on establishing semi-heavy industries could be one way. Heavy industrialisation will make sure of building a sector which is more strong and sustainable. The country has set a target of exporting $ 50 billion of RMG by 2021. But to push this growth, Bangladesh industries need to carefully look at how it scores on sustainability spectrum."
If stakeholders in Bangladesh’s RMG industry are looking to uphold rigorous growth in domestic and international arena, they must emphasise on upgrading the textile value chain and other industries to ensure more value addition. Focussing on establishing semi-heavy industries could be one way. Heavy industrialisation will make sure of building a sector which is more strong and sustainable. The country has set a target of exporting $ 50 billion of RMG by 2021. But to push this growth, Bangladesh industries need to carefully look at how it scores on sustainability spectrum.
Value chain upgradation strategy
The central bank’s periodical analysis of RMG sector has shown local value retention of the industry was 73.12 per cent in fiscal year 2008-09, it is 82 per cent in FY16. President of FBCCI and former president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, has urged the big RMG entrepreneurs to bring diversity and make high-end products to bring out more value addition. For that the country needs to focus on semi heavy industry like sewing machine industry, knitting machine, dyeing machine, needle industry, etc. If Bangladesh wants to attain its exports target of $50 billion and succeeded in vision 2041, the country must spend more on research and development.
Machinery import status
Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) president Tapan Chowdhury says Bangladesh textile millers imported machinery worth TK 71.19 billion in the last fiscal year 2014-15, and 2013-14, it was TK 50.63 billion because many millers went for business expansion and development of productivity. As per the association, more than 1,300 spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing and finishing mills operate in the country and the sector’s contribution to GDP is 13 per cent. Bangladesh has a strong position in backward-linkage industry.
SEZs to offer a lease of life
The cost of doing business in Bangladesh is considered to be one of the lowest when compared to the other major country. A study by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) shows that the cost of doing business in Bangladesh is lowest among 28 south Asian countries. At Anwara in Chittagong, Bangladesh government is set to approve a project for building infrastructure for the proposed Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ). The CEIZ will be developed under the Chinese government soft loan of US $ 280.71 million. The Seventh Five Year Plan and achieving the Vision 2021 of the government of Bangladesh, The Bangladesh Export Zones Authority (BEZA) has set a target to build 100 economic zones under public-private arrangement by 2030. The SEZs will be developed on 75,000 acres of land that will create 10 million jobs for the people. The SEZs will have the capacity to produce products and services worth $ 40 billion, according to BEZA sources.
A holistic industrial development
Bangladesh imports spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing and other machineries from Belgium, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan etc. If Bangladesh can build its infrastructure of machinery and chemical industry, the country will be able to sell those not only to domestic textile and clothing units and other industries; they also will be able to export them to other countries. And this capacity will help to diversify its portfolio. This upgradation will not only make sure sustainable development of textile & clothing sector, it would also open opportunities for other allied industries.
India hopes to act as a reliable sourcing partner for Asean. There are huge opportunities for collaboration between India and Asean in capacity building, sharing of knowledge and technology, and mutual assistance in education, research and development.
As India is the largest producer of cotton and jute, and the second largest producer of man-made fiber, enhancing digital and infrastructure connectivity with Asean countries is a possibility for India.
Asean is India's fourth largest trading partner. In 2016 India's exports of textiles and apparels to Asean was 1203 million dollars. Exports of textiles and apparels to Asean comprise three per cent of India's total exports to the world.
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam.
India and Asean observe 25 years of dialogue partnership, 15 years of summit level interaction and five years of strategic partnership in 2017. A consensus on finalising the proposed protocol of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Motor Vehicle Agreement has been reached. This agreement will have a critical role in realizing seamless movement of passenger, personal and cargo vehicles along roads linking India, Myanmar and Thailand.
Issues related to increasing maritime and air connectivity between Asean and India and transforming the corridors of connectivity into economic corridors are under discussion.
The cotton belt of Haryana has assumed significance this year as there has been a record sowing of cotton, on 6.3 lakh hectares, which is over a quarter more than the five lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year.
More and more farmers are going for cotton this year and it is estimated the total area of cultivation would come to 6.53 lakh hectares as against 5.7 lakh hectares in 2016-17.
Many farmers who grew pulses, such as pigeon pea, and green gram or oilseeds, such as groundnut, are going for cotton as the cash crop fetched a good price last year.
In 2016, Haryana’s cotton growers had a bountiful yield after white fly attacks for three years in a row led to dwindling of the yield. Farmers in the region were left with limited choice as many areas suffer from water scarcity and hence were not suitable for paddy.
The 403-kilometre-long carriageway, which cuts through four major districts of Haryana — namely, Rohtak, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa — bifurcates the region broadly into two in terms of agricultural practices.While fields on one side of the NH-9 grow mainly paddy, those on the other are known more for growing cotton. Over the years, there have been some changes with increased water availability, but this has broadly been the trend.
