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Invista held its 2017 Lycra fibre Legwear seminar in Yiwu, China. The event’s theme of ‘Lycra Moves Ingenuity’, highlighted the innovative attitude of the Lycra brand, which presented inspirational new ideas, innovations and market insights to invited guests from key mills, brands and retailers in the Chinese market.
Lycra shared their integrated mobile campaign, ‘The Difference that Makes the Difference’ the campaign was designed to raise consumer brand awareness and create a positive brand association through engaging and shareable micro-film content that’s perfect for social media.
Martin Suen Chairman, China Hosiery and Socks Professional Committee of the China Knitting Industry Association, and President, Shanghai EIKO Textile, declared that competing in an ongoing price war is not a sustainable business practice. According to him at present the key to outpacing the competition and winning in the global marketplace is to work with strong suppliers to develop good quality products. He also stressed the importance of continuous innovation of products as consumers are looking for like anti-laddering and every product need to be original and feature benefits.
Bangladesh’s cotton imports will be 7.1 million bales in 2017-18, making it the world’s largest importer of the fiber. Local growers can supply less than three per cent of yearly demand. The demand for the natural fiber is on the rise in Bangladesh as it is the only country that is still mainly dependent on raw cotton for making yarns and fabrics.
The other countries have shifted to manmade fibers like filament, polyester or viscose. Currently the ratio of cotton and manmade fiber use is 28:72 worldwide, with a pronounced tilt towards artificial fibers due to lower price, improved functionality and ease of use.
However, this ratio is not applicable in Bangladesh yet as more than 90 per cent of yarns and fabrics are made from natural cotton in the country. Cotton consumption is rising from the spinners’ end. The demand for both yarns and fabrics is increasing every year. The over 430 local spinning mills can supply nearly 90 per cent of the yarn for the knitwear sector and 40 per cent of the fabrics needed by the woven sector.
Currently, Bangladesh imports 55 per cent of its cotton from India, thanks to favorable prices, geographical proximity, shorter lead time and the quality of the fiber.
AATCC announced the winners of the 2017 C2C Merchandising Competition. 20 Students participated from 4 various colleges and universities it also received 11 entries. Many students showcased their skills in business, marketing, and merchandising by creating a business concept of a hypothetical new apparel line that redesigns apparel items (leggings, t-shirts, etc.) for children (ages 2-10) with special needs and/or a disability. At the first place it was Moxie by Alexis Jones, second place Kids in Motion by Caroline DeRosa and third place –Smiley Willy by Lauren Ferrell and Hanna Jernigan.
Established in 1921 AATCC, the Association of Textile, Apparel & Materials Professionals, is the world’s leading not-for-profit association serving textile professionals. AATCC, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, provides test method development, quality control materials, and professional networking for members in about 50 countries throughout the world.
India’s technical textile market which is currently estimated at 14 billion dollars is likely to reach a level of 32 billion dollars by 2023, by diversifying towards non-woven technical textiles and forging global partnerships with counterparts.
The vertically integrated supply chain and the diverse range of products are the main factors expected to contribute to the growth of the industry.
India is looking to increase exports of technical textiles, such as sweat absorbing clothes for athletes or fire retardant wear used by factory workers or fire-fighters, where margins are higher than they are in traditional garments.
These apparel require specialised processing to meet requirements of customers as per global standards, but sell at higher price points than do readymade garments.
Technical textiles have multiple segments such as agrotech — crop covers and shade mats; tarpaulins, floor and wall coverings for buildings, and apparel used in cars and aircraft.
The global technical textile market is estimated to be around 100 billion dollars in which India has a negligible share.
India expects this segment could also absorb better-qualified engineers and researchers to work on products that could eventually get sold in the US and Europe. At the same time, it would also increase employment for women in states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, where there is an educated workforce.
Major shopping malls in the Kathmandu Valley have seen a significant drop in sales.Sales of fashion wear and accessories have dropped by 25 per cent to 40 per cent. At this time of the year, sales of summer clothes used to jump, with people thronging malls to purchase the latest arrivals. But even with the advent of summer, many shops in these shopping malls are not seeing an influx of customers.
One of the reasons for drop in sales is local elections. The first phase of local elections was held on May 14. But preparations began weeks ahead of the actual Election Day. Because of this, many people, who had migrated to the valley for employment and other purposes, returned back to their home districts. This hit sales.
Another reason for the drop in sales is a slow rise in temperature even after the end of winter. Because of the longer winter this year, people intending to buy summer wear delayed their purchase plan. This affected sales.
Despite the low business volume, most fashion stores at malls are introducing the latest arrivals to attract consumers. Most fashion stores in the valley import fashion wear and accessories from China, Thailand, Bangladesh and India. Many are now resorting to summer sale to increase footfall in their stores.
Bangladesh and Vietnam have jumped ahead of India in knitwear exports over the past decade. The export share of Bangladesh in cotton underwear in the US market has grown from 5.5 per cent in 2005 and presently grown to 16.4 per cent.
In the same period, cotton-made underwear garment exports from Vietnam grew exponentially from a minuscule 0.3 per cent to 20.9 per cent. But the market share of cotton-made underwear garments from India to the United States was 3.9 per cent in 2005 and presently grown to 9.9 per cent.
The share of Tirupur knitwear exports in India’s total garment exports is 20 per cent. More than 80 per cent of the industries in this sector are medium and small scale.
Exporters want a one-time long term initiative to be undertaken to uplift the skill proficiency of existing laborers in order to increase productivity at par with competing countries and at the same time reduce waste.
Exporters also feel this is the right time for the knitwear sector to capture the market that’s leaving China, due to an increase in cost of manufacturing. If the opportunity is missed, the market would be captured by competing countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia.
According to the Textile Outlook International from the business information company Textiles Intelligence strong growth is predicted for the Vietnamese textile and clothing industry between 2016 and 2020, production may rise 12-14 per cent per annum. Exports are expected to rise by 15 per cent per annum and, will set to reach US$50 billion by 2020. For a start, Vietnamese companies will have to deal directly with foreign buyers and produce more garments on a so-calledfob (free on board) basis.
Also, only a small percentage of Vietnamese clothing is made from domestically produced fabric and this needs to increase significantly. Additionally, there needs to be a shift from producing lower end clothing items to producing high quality, high value fashion items. There also needs to be a move towards more efficient sourcing through vertical integration, as well as an improvement in productivity by enhancing research, training and development. The industry has already begun to make significant investments in its textile manufacturing facilities. Moreover, Vietnam was the biggest investor among these countries in ring spindles and open-end rotors.
There has also been a marked expansion in the knitting sector. Not all Vietnamese clothing exports benefit from preferential tariffs under these FTAs. Development has also been assisted by government success in negotiating a number of free trade agreements (FTAs). Vietnamese fabric production accounted for 15 per cent of the clothing industry's fabric needs in 2015. However by pursuing a programme of specialization and modernization the government is promoting opportunities for the textile and clothing industry. Its objective in doing so is to produce more items with greater added value, and it is significant that a number of internationally recognized brands are increasingly active in the country. There is also scope for clothing producers to enhance their product offerings by developing their own brands and becoming original design manufacturers (ODMs) rather than mere subcontractors. However, significant opportunities will arise for supplying Vietnam's growing domestic clothing market.
Textile Outlook International is published six times a year by Textiles Intelligence. Each issue provides an independent and worldwide perspective on the global fibre, textile and apparel industries.
Shima Seiki’s latest technological contributions are aimed at promoting knitted applications in the field of technical textiles, designed and produced on Shima Seiki’s line-up of advanced computer design systems and computerised flat knitting machines.
Wholegarment knitting is capable of producing knitted items in their entirety on the machine, and allows complex 3D forms for fitting the human body or even car seats without the need for sewing. Selective compression allows control over placement and amount of pressure for various compression wear in sports and medical applications. The seam-free nature of Wholegarment also ensures continuity of yarn, allowing functional yarns such as conductive yarns to wrap around the entire body for applications in smart garments and wearable technology.
The flagship MACH2XS machine features the company’s original SlideNeedle on four needle beds and patented spring-loaded full-time sinker system. Capable of Wholegarment knitting in all-needles, MACH2XS offers great flexibility for knitting high-quality Wholegarment products with a seemingly endless variety of knit patterns at very high speed and efficiency, all while minimising dependence upon labor-intensive sewing and linking.
Shima Seiki, based in Japan, is a leading computerised knitting machine manufacturer. It will be present at Techtextil, United States, June 20 to 22, 2017.
National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, is number 19 in CEO World magazine's list of the best fashion schools in the world for 2017. Parsons School of Design, US, has grabbed the first position and Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, follows second. London College of Fashion, University of the Arts has taken the third position, while the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, is ranked fourth on the list. Royal College of Art, London is ranked tenth.
The list comprising 110 fashion schools from around the world was formulated by CEO World based on six performance indicators. These include academic experience, placement rate, admission eligibility, specialisation, recruiter feedback and global reputation. Data collected from over 20,000 recruiters, 32,000 industry professionals and more than 30,000 students has been compiled to formulate the list.
NIFT New Delhi was set up in1986 and has emerged as the premier institute of design management and technology. It has produced a number of alumni over the years like Rohit Bal, Ritu Beri and Manish Arora. People from varying backgrounds come together and create a diverse yet collective environment. A variety of teaching and learning techniques are employed to impart knowledge and skills to students.
"The lost sector seems to be back to its roots with textile manufacturing gaining momentum owing to faster delivery requirements as well as customisation. Reshoring Initiative data reflects it ranks number six in industries that have reshored with 17,166 jobs by 287 companies since 2010. Local sourcing is meeting the needs of today’s ‘on-demand’ apparel consumers."
The lost sector seems to be back to its roots with textile manufacturing gaining momentum owing to faster delivery requirements as well as customisation. Reshoring Initiative data reflects it ranks number six in industries that have reshored with 17,166 jobs by 287 companies since 2010. Local sourcing is meeting the needs of today’s ‘on-demand’ apparel consumers.
For clothing startups, local for local i.e. reshoring enhances efficiencies with smaller batches, offers greater flexibility for customization and style changes and speeds delivery to customers. Yogasmoga, a three-year-old startup, was initially motivated to manufacture in the US to develop their technical performance fabrics and protect intellectual property. Rishi Bali, Founder & CEO, saw local manufacturing is the only way to monitor quality, overcome communication issues and have the flexibility to quickly scale up his business. Because of this, he is able to meet demand much quicker.
Buck Mason, Sasha Koehn's and Erik Schnakenberg’s apparel startup, set up their manufacturing unit for T-shirts, jeans and button-downs in LA. They were able to manufacture their first batch of T-shirts for just $5,000 locally. They estimated that overseas travel to simply research an offshore factory would cost about that amount. Close proximity made production easier to manage and ensured against risky, unethical workforce practices that could potentially damage their brand.
Established brands’ strategies
Brooks Brothers, a clothing manufacturer in the US since 1818, reshored 70 per cent of suits from offshore locations due to rising wages, quality issues and lead-time. Reshoring increased employment from about 300 to 530 workers at their Haverhill, Mass. plant. They produce about 6,000 button-down shirts weekly at their Garland, NC factory, which employs about 200 people. John Martynec, Sr. VP-manufacturing, elaborated design and production teams work closely to be more responsive to changing trends with increased flexibility and much shorter lead times. If there's a need in the marketplace, the company can respond quickly. They are looking into converting their factories into duty free sub-zones.
Kevin Plank CEO, Under Armour converted a former South Baltimore bus garage into an innovation center called ‘City Garage’ with an aim to bring manufacturing back home. Located inside City Garage is Under Armour’s UA Lighthouse, a 35,000-sq. ft. design and manufacturing center. In addition to a home for UA Lighthouse, Plank’s vision was to create a maker space for entrepreneurs and startups. The idea is to bring design and manufacturing under the same roof to drive innovation and collaboration, attract talent and shrink the supply chain to deliver products to consumers faster and more efficiently. They found that design, prototyping and production were reduced from 18 months to just 4 months.
Retailers gearing up
Walmart has commited to source an additional $250 billion in products made, assembled or grown in the US over 10 years ending 2023. The Reshoring Initiative estimates that amount of purchases will create about 250,000 US manufacturing jobs. According to Walmart research, manufacturing goods closest to the point of sale allows for quicker turnaround time from factory to shelf.
No nonsense brand made by Kayser-Roth launched a ‘Sock Initiative’ in cooperation with Walmart. With an investment of up to $28 million in its existing facilities in Burlington and Asheboro, N.C, the collaboration increased domestic production and created about 100 US jobs. The initiative enabled No nonsense and Walmart to offer more America-made products to consumers.
With the growing expanse of e-commerce and new technologies like sewbots and 3D printing, faster delivery and customisation are becoming increasingly important to the fashion industry. US-based Ziel, an on-demand manufacturer, fulfills orders in quick rotation. They are a turnkey service offering design, manufacturing, and online/offline sales to activewear brands. Marleen Vogelaar, CEO & Founder, Ziel, stated it’s retail as a service for smaller and midsize brands. Cutting, dying and sewing are all done from a few different factories throughout the US. There are no minimum orders and lead-time is under 10 days.
According to a recent nationally representative study by Consumer Reports, almost 8 in 10 American consumers say they would rather buy an American-made product than an imported one, and more than 60 per cent say they are even willing to pay 10 per cent more for it. Americans believe that US-made products are more reliable (84 per cent), they want to keep manufacturing jobs at home (88 per cent), to help the economy (87 per cent) and to keep America strong in the global economy (84 per cent).
