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Walmart is buying online men's clothing retailer Bonobos for $310 million in cash, showing that its appetite for hip clothing brands shows no sign of abating as it looks for ways to gain on Amazon. Bonobos, which started out selling pants online, caters to male shoppers looking for help putting together a wardrobe. Walmart keeps trying to compete against Amazon by pushing harder into online.
Focusing on brands appealing to younger shoppers Walmart has since bought clothing seller Mod Cloth, footwear retailer Shoe Buy and outdoor gear seller Moosejaw.
On the other hand Amazon announced a bold move into brick-and-mortar stores today by saying it would buy Whole Foods in a deal valued at about $13.7 billion. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart's online business is gaining momentum, but remains a distant second to Amazon. It increased 63 percent in the fiscal first quarter, up from 29 percent in the previous period. That marked the fourth straight quarter of gains.
Under Lore's direction, Walmart also has been trying to take advantage of its scale in areas like shipping and sharing its products. Walmart aims to compete more aggressively with Amazon and is launching an incubator lab focused on projects in robotics, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence.
DyStar’s apparel dyes for the fashion industry have been awarded a gold-level material health certificate. DyStar strives to be part of a more sustainable future and growing a circular economy as well as reaffirming its commitment to environmental and human health.
C&A, one of Europe’s leading fashion retailers, has recently launched in its stores in 18 European markets a range of recyclable T-shirts. These T-shirts are made of 100 per cent organic cotton, with safe materials and chemicals and produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way. The dyes used in the coloration of the shirts, which are available in two styles and 17 colors, were provided by DyStar.
The styles were developed in close partnership with Fashion for Good. Created with funds granted by founding partner C&A Foundation, Fashion for Good is a global partnership that unites apparel producers, retailers, non-profit organizations, innovators and funders in the shared ambition to transform the apparel industry into a circular one.
The DyStar Group is a leading dyestuff and chemical manufacturer and solution provider, offering customers across the globe a broad portfolio of colorants, specialty chemicals, and services. DyStar also caters to multiple sectors including the paints, coatings, paper and packaging industries. Its expansion into the food and beverages and personal care sectors reinforces the company’s position as a specialty chemical manufacturer.
The Belarusian Textile Company Polesye plans to exhibit over 300 models of clothing at the Forum of the Regions of Russia and Belarus, Russia, June 29 to 30, 2017. Polesye will showcase the products at two venues. The first one is set to offer for sale over 300 models of women's and children's apparel, namely summer knitwear made of flax, cotton, and acrylic fiber along with school uniform and textiles (plaids, baby clothes and hats). The company will also showcase its flax knitwear for men and women.
Polesye has carved its own niche in the Russian market. It supplies yarn to Russia’s southern and central regions. Polesye's major export to northwest and central Russia is outer wear.
The company exports some 70 per cent of its output. Apart from Russia, Polesye sells to Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Baltic states. In January to May 2017 its exports were up 30.5 per cent from the same period of last year. At the moment Polesye is planning to branch into Germany. The enterprise is in talks with German partners over the export of knitwear to that country.
Participation in the forum will help Polesye advertise its products, meet partners, show them its new collections and mull over plans for the next season.
Sales of apparel at many outlets in Qatar, especially those in value retail, have remained strong amid the diplomatic crisis in the region. Apart from citizens, shoppers from Kuwait and Oman are buying shirts, blouses, undershirts, shorts, and pants.
While Ramadan is known as a peak period for clothing retailers, the Qatar Tourism Authority-organised festival is expected to boost apparel sales. Qatar Summer Festival features a variety of entertainment activities for all ages and attractive promotions and discounts at malls and other shopping destinations.
Many apparel outlets in Doha also recorded an increase in sales a few days before Garangao, an event for children held during the 14th day of Ramadan. Parents normally buy new clothes for their children who take part in such events, held in many venues and establishments across the country.
The demand for children’s clothing is always up during such occasions. Families, including those who are set to travel for vacation, have also started buying new clothes again.
Hypermarkets expect people to buy luggage, bags and other items for travel before the holidays. It has been a tradition, especially for frequent travelers, to buy new stuff every year.
Outlets in Qatar are offering special discounts to attract more shoppers.
Renewed European interest in quality superfine wool and Chinese demand for medium merino lines with lower vegetable matter content pushed prices generally higher this week. This, combined with the strong buyer sentiment, provided perfect conditions for a rising market.
Prices lifted by a solid 10 to 20 cents from the opening hammer, then slowly but noticeably increased as the sale progressed. By the end of the sale, the price increases were generally 30 to 50 cents, pushing the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) a further 18 cents to close the week at 1506 cents.
Wools broader than 21 micron were most affected by the rising market, so much so that the micron price guide for 22 micron hit a record high. The skirting market experienced rises, but nowhere near the extent of the fleece.
Buyers continued to focus on lots exhibiting excellent length and strength results, trying to find reasonably priced wools in a continually rising market. The crossbred wool market continued its solid run, with most types and descriptions this week generally rising five to ten cents and 28 micron lines enjoying the largest gains.
Of most interest to buyers were sale lots between 19 and 22.5 micron and two to six per cent vegetable matter content.
India’s small, non-integrated manmade fabric manufacturers feel threatened by GST. Under GST, manmade fiber yarn will be taxed at 18 per cent while its end product, fabric, will be taxed at five per cent. Tax differential leaves integrated textile firms which produce yarn and use it to make fabric at an advantage over those which buy yarn to make fabric. Also, cotton made yarn and fabric will attract five per cent duty.
This imbalance is expected to hit small textile companies which buy manmade yarn to weave fabric. In addition, since imported fabric will attract 15 per cent effective duty, cheaper Chinese goods may also pose a serious threat.
GST of 18 per cent on manmade fiber would make the job work segments and their principals uncompetitive against large composite mills. This problem is further accentuated as non-integrated textile players would not get refund of excess GST on input. The levy may result in job losses in the non-integrated segment. Competition from Chinese players would intensify.
Since China provides a rebate of 18 per cent, fabric manufactured there would be 20 per cent cheaper when exported to India even after considering the ten per cent import duty and five per cent GST on import of fabrics. This would result in higher competition for Indian fabric and garment manufacturers.
The EDB organized a seminar on May 29 in association with the export product associations on 'Renewed Opportunities in the EU Market' with the objective of making the Sri Lankan export community aware of the opportunities under the EU GSP+ concessions.
There were over 200 companies representing the following sectors: apparel and textiles, footwear and gaiters, rubber and rubber-based products, fish and seafood, precious stones and jewellery, ceramics, plant and foliage, vegetable and fruits, coconut-based products, tea, spices, electrical machinery and equipment and parts. The programme was a great opportunity for the participant companies to gain the overall knowledge on EU GSP+ concession and to clarify issues related to the concession and EU region in their effort to penetrate in the EU market.
India has imposed anti-dumping duties on jute products from Bangladesh. This has affected Bangladesh’s jute exports. India slapped the anti-dumping duty on January 5 this year.
In the meantime Bangladesh is expanding the jute industry. There is a proposal for forming a special fund as part of initiatives to restore the past glory of jute. Bangladesh has taken the initiative to go in for balancing, modernisation, renovation and expansion of 26 jute mills in phases.
Bangladesh currently has 26 jute mills, which are 60 to 70 years old, and of which 24 mills, which are now in operation, are annually producing 2,08,642 metric tons of jute goods against their original annual production capacity of 3,45,000 metric tons.
China has been providing technical and financial support to Bangladesh for revitalising the jute sector. Bangladesh will take technical assistance from China for modernizing 24 state-owned jute mills for producing diversified jute goods. Bangladesh will set up a jute viscose plant with financial and technical assistance from China. Viscose is a kind of manmade natural fiber. Products made using jute viscose could bring in three to four times more profits than products made using jute fiber.
Jute is one of the most affordable natural fibers and considered second only to cotton in the amount produced and the variety of uses of vegetable fibers.
European Union once again warns Bangladesh on not to exploit RMG workers for sustaining GSP. The European parliament adopted the resolution tabled by its Committee on International Trade (INTA) on "The State-of-Play of the implementation of the Sustainability Compact in Bangladesh", an EU-driven initiative to strengthen labour rights and safety at work in the readymade garment sector of Bangladesh.
INTA Chair Bernd Lange says that despite some progress in recent years, the situation on the ground remains worrisome. They are concerned about the lack of meaningful progress in implementing the commitments of the Sustainability Compact by Bangladesh. Countries, which disrespect fundamental rights at work, should not be encouraged by benefitting from unrestricted access to our market, he said, adding that the government of Bangladesh will need to demonstrate that it is willing and able to deliver on its own promises and the demands of the international community.
In the resolution, INTA members expressed concerns over the lack of progress in a number of areas of the Sustainability Compact.The European Commission in a recent letter to the Bangladesh government shared these concerns highlighting the need to do more to align Bangladeshi laws and practice with the recommendations of the ILO.
The resolution suggested that the government of Bangladesh should swiftly amend the 2013 Labour Act so as to ensure freedom of association, collective bargaining and to recruit more factory inspectors.
The mandate of the Accord, a platform including EU companies that help implement the Compact, should be renewed after its expiry of May 2018 and international brands ought to take their CSR policy more seriously to ensure decent working conditions.
Aurora Specialty Textiles is known for its wide width bleaching, coating, finishing and calendaring capabilities. The company has the ability to provide a wide variety of finishes including FR, antimicrobial and water resistance to products such as bedding, draperies, boat covers and awnings.
Market segments that benefit from Aurora’s wide width custom coating expertise include print media, nautical, home décor, bedding, outdoor and much more. Over the past year Aurora has seen a significant interest from the home décor and nautical sectors for its wide width custom coating and finishing capabilities.
With its next generation technology and textile science expertise the company looks forward to serving new markets.
Last year was a major year of growth and expansion at Aurora. Aurora officially celebrated the opening of its vast new, state-of-the-art manufacturing operations. In step with that move Aurora also launched a new brand logo, tag line and mission statement, and this month announced the roll-out and full commercialization of the entire Expressions Canvas product line.
Aurora’s manufacturing operations are in North America, assuring best quality, potential cost savings, reliable turn-around times and the ability to order product as needed.
Aurora Specialty Textiles will showcase its state-of-the-art product development expertise at Techtextil 2017, June 20 to 22, USA.
