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"India's import of cotton woven fabrics has been moving south over the years. Cotton woven fabric imports during 2016-17 (provisional) at $133.46 million, is 18 per cent lower than in the previous year. Imports especially fell significantly from 2014-15. In that year, at $189 million imports were 28.71 per cent lower than in the previous year. In 2015-16, imports were to the tune of $163.19 million. 100 per cent cotton fabric accounts for over 50 per cent of total cotton fabric imports."
India's import of cotton woven fabrics has been moving south over the years. Cotton woven fabric imports during 2016-17 (provisional) at $133.46 million, is 18 per cent lower than in the previous year. Imports especially fell significantly from 2014-15. In that year, at $189 million imports were 28.71 per cent lower than in the previous year. In 2015-16, imports were to the tune of $163.19 million. 100 per cent cotton fabric accounts for over 50 per cent of total cotton fabric imports. However, its share in total cotton fabric imports has been falling steadily from over 65 per cent in 2012-13. Heavy cotton fabrics including denims, twills, etc., make up second largest share with over 32 per cent in cotton fabric imports.
The share of these fabrics has increased over the years from 23-28 per cent to the current level. In this category, denim fabric imports account for 37.8 per cent. However, imports have dipped on a per annum basis since 2013-14, when it was around $22.5 million. In 2015-16, denim fabric imports was $18.91 million which went down to $13.57 million in 2016-17, April-Jan.
MMF fabric imports
According to estimates import of MMF fabrics in 2016-17 are also down 10.55 per cent to $173.80 million. In the last few years, imports had shown significant increase. In 2013-14, it was $167.15 million around 14.38 per cent higher than in the previous year. Similarly, in 2014-15, imports touched $198.85 million that is a growth of almost 19 per cent. However, in 2015-16, imports were down 2.28 per cent to $194.30 million. And in 2016-17, provisional figures reveal, imports could be down 10.55 per cent. China remains the largest exporter of MMF fabrics to India, accounting for 73 per cent share. In cotton fabrics, China's share in India's imports is 65 per cent.
India's fabric demand
During April-January 2016-17, MMF fabric production at 12,118 million sq. m. was 5.79 per cent lower than in the previous year's period, reflecting lower demand for the fabric in the country. Lower exports of apparel and sluggish domestic retail market are the major reasons for the drop in fabric consumption. At present, MMF fabric imports account for just over 5 per cent of the domestic production. One needs to look at how apparel exports are expected to fare. Going by the global economic scenario, the market in US and Europe are going through a downturn, as a result, a number of large retailers are closing down. This will have an impact on India's apparel exports, and demand for fabric. Additionally, India's production and exports are heavily tilted towards cotton.
Meanwhile, minister of state for textiles Ajay Tamta had directed textile commissioner's office to gather data from ports all across the country about the volume of fabrics being imported from China. He feels this move would allow the government to decide on an appropriate duty structure for these imports. The ministry's decision to examine fabric imports follows reports that undervalued imports from China have paralysed Surat's MMF industry. Meanwhile, around 50 per cent of powerlooms in the cluster are running at 50-70 per cent capacity. However, low capacity utilisation was also a result of the government's demonetisation drive, which halted the cash transactions and trade in the industry.
Global leader in color and specialty chemicals Archroma has entered a collaboration with Patagonia, the American clothing company for its Clean Color collection, Patagonia has used dyes made from natural sources, along with other supply sources. Earth Colors by Archroma is a range of dyes synthesized from agricultural waste. It is plant-based dyes, sourced from up to 100 per cent renewable resources. The colors change and fade over time, which is part of what makes these dyes unique.
The selected Earth Colors dyes are the gorgeous palmetto green and citrus brown made from non-edible palmetto green parts and bitter orange peels left over from agriculture industry or pharmaceutical extraction.
Many of Patagonia’s synthetic dyes use less water, energy and Co2 when compared with conventional processes. However Patagonia, founded in 1973, always looks for ways to do less environmental harm. The company already collaborates with Archroma for its denim collection.
Archroma is committed to challenge the status quo in the belief that the industry can be made sustainable. Patagonia has chosen Archroma’s eco-advanced dyeing technologies for its newest sustainable clothing endeavor. The two support each other in accelerating sustainable concepts in the textile value chain.
After being embroiled in a controversy home textiles maker Welspun India has a system called Wel-Track that traces cotton from the source to the point of sale. While the system tracks physical verification on the floor, the radio-frequency identification device technology allows tracing the cotton from the farms to the gin (a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fiber from seeds) to the spinning to weaving to the last end of a product, which is cutting suit.
There is also a QR code that can trace it back to the source. It has also tied up with one of the biggest farmers in the US for sourcing of Supima cotton. The company is starting to see good upswing in hospitality and expects three times growth in the next three years. Then it has health and wellness, e-commerce and its domestic brands apart from different channels of growth across different countries.
The portfolio of innovation contributes around 36 per cent of the turnover and 16 per cent is the brands. The biggest upswing for Welspun in the domestic market comes in the latter half of the year. Nearly 75 per cent of the selling happens August onward. Overall Welspun’s sales from online channels have seen a 40 per cent growth this year and in the next year a 100 per cent growth is expected globally, primarily in the US, UK and India.
Telangana is in the process of formulating a textile and apparel policy that contemplates waiver of personal loans of handloom weavers. Fresh loans are proposed to be given at three per cent interest. Subsidies will be given for capital investment and purchase of equipment by entrepreneurs. Tax incentives and power subsidies are being examined.
The policy targets investments for at least five international and 50 domestic companies and setting up of five new textile parks to generate employment for three lakh people, mostly women. The objective is to see that wages of individual weavers go up by at least 50 per cent.
Land for investors will be allotted from the land bank of the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation. They will be invited to invest in the spinning, weaving, processing and garment sectors. Linkage of technology to existing facilities in the industry and skill development will be focused on. Housing for workers and staff is proposed within the textile parks.
There will be a 40 per cent concession on purchase of yarn by the textile industry in addition to the 10 per cent already given. A power subsidy for powerlooms operating with motors of 27 HP capacity is also being examined. The government will procure purchase orders from weavers.
Sustainable denim production isn’t merely about saving water. Water is less than 10 per cent of the waste of resources that denim production causes. Only seven per cent of water waste in the entire life cycle of denim is caused due to industrial production; 93 per cent is caused by consumers’ washing and ironing their jeans in order to keep their shape.
That’s not to say that water conservation isn’t a worthy cause, particularly in an otherwise water-intensive industry like denim. But a brand cannot call itself sustainable unless waste and environmental harm are slashed at every stage of production.
More than sustainability, it should be about responsible innovation. That means responsibility for production, responsibility in terms of respecting compliance, respecting ethics, respecting the people who work in the industry and respecting the communities in which industries operate. The denim industry has struggled to convey to consumers the post-purchase benefits of buying sustainably produced denim. Consumers should choose sustainable or responsible garments because of the fact they are nice and, on top of that, they are also reducing waste and helping the planet. Austrian fiber giant Lenzing offers modal black, a no-fade black denim that never loses color, even after 50-plus washes.
Indonesia is encouraging its textile industry to be environment-friendly, since it’s necessary for business sustainability. The United States and Europe have strict standards. Products containing hazardous chemicals are rejected. Environment-friendly industries fall into several categories. First, the industry does not pollute the environment of water, air, and soil. Second, the raw material can be recycled, re-used and is re-degradable. Third, the products used in production of finished products must be environmentally friendly. In addition, efficiency and effectiveness factor in energy use are also important factors.
The textile sector in Indonesia is expected to grow seven per cent this year. The country is trying to get the United States to reduce import duties on goods exported from Indonesia. In addition, rules for imports of textile and textile products have been tightened. And results are visible. Imports of fabrics as a raw material for garments fell by 33 per cent in the first quarter of 2017. The aim of discouraging fabric imports is to increase the utilization of national fabric production.
The textile and garment industry is one of Indonesia’s oldest industries. But Indonesia controls only about two per cent of the global textile market. Although Indonesia produces cotton, textile manufacturers prefer to import cotton because the quality of foreign cotton is much higher.
The new launched Remediation Coordination Cell (RCC) is supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) with funding from Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It will focus on managing the remediation process for garment factories under the Bangladesh government’s National Initiative.
The new unit will be staffed and supported by seconded members of regulatory bodies, including the Department of Inspections for factories and establishments, fire service and civil defense, RAJUK, Chief Electrical Inspector and public works department. They will be supported by private sector engineers hired to provide technical expertise for remediation follow-up. Speaking at the launch, Md Mujibul Haque, Minister of State for Labor and Employment said remediation of all garment factories must be completed as quickly as possible, and the RCC will make play a major role towards achieving this goal. Initially, the RCC will work with 1,293 factories.
The ILO asked for change as new factories are established and enter the National Initiative or as factories exit the two other inspection initiatives overseeing remediation. In addition to overseeing remediation process, the RCC will contribute to building capacity of regulators as well as further collaboration between them. As the work of RCC progresses, plans are on to put in place a long-term, coordinated approach to safety inspections and licensing.
The RCC has been established through the collaboration of the government of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). The remaining 1,549 factories were inspected by the National Initiative supported by the ILO. Of those factories a number have subsequently closed, resulting in the 1,293 factories the RCC will work with. The RCC will be based at Pragati Insurance Bhaban in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area.
The Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between India and Chile has been expanded. This will facilitate exporters of both sides to take advantage of tariff concessions as per the expanded PTA, which covers around 96 per cent of bilateral trade.
Chile is the fourth largest trading partner of India in the LAC (Latin America and Caribbean) region after Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina. The expanded PTA would immensely benefit both sides as a wide array of concessions has been offered by both sides on a number of tariff lines which will facilitate more two way trade.
India and Chile had earlier signed a PTA in 2006. This had a limited number of tariff lines where both sides had extended tariff concessions to each other. India’s offer list to Chile consisted of only 178 tariff lines whereas Chile’s offer list to India contained 296 tariff lines at the eight-digit level.
The expanded PTA has a wider coverage wherein Chile has offered concessions to India on 1798 tariff lines with Margin of Preference (MoP) ranging from 30 to 100 per cent and India has offered concessions to Chile on 1031 tariff lines at the eight-digit level with MoP ranging from 10 to 100 per cent.
H&M has become the first international fashion retailer to join EP100, the global initiative that encourages businesses to double their energy productivity as part of international efforts to transition to a net-zero economy.
EP100 was launched in 2016. By doubling the economic output from every unit of energy consumed, companies set a bold target, demonstrating climate leadership while reaping the benefits of lower energy costs. H&M will support reductions of greenhouse gases. Two of its key priorities are leadership in energy productivity and using renewable energy throughout the value chain.
By 2030, H&M plans to build future stores using 40 per cent less energy per square meter, compared to those constructed today. Within its stores, the retailer aims to invest in new technologies for lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to improve its operational energy productivity.
Additionally, H&M aims to have 100 per cent of its supplier partners enrolled in an energy efficiency program by 2025, as well as reduce the energy used in its logistics transport and warehouses. Major businesses such as Woolworths, Land Securities, Dalmia Cement, Swiss Re, and Johnson Controls are already part of EP100. H&M’s initiative is expected to inspire other companies across sectors to embrace energy productivity initiatives, to align economic growth with environmental sustainability.
"Targeting exports worth $30 billion by 2025, Ethiopia is on course to creating a boom in the textile industry. The country’s annual shipments currently value at $115 million. And Arkebe Oqubay, Minister and Special Advisor to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, shares the bold vision as he believes will transform this East African nation into a compelling new sourcing hub for brands, retailers and their suppliers. By 2025, Ethiopia is aiming to be a leading apparel and textile manufacturing hub in Africa capable of exporting up to $30 billion, says Arkebe."
Targeting exports worth $30 billion by 2025, Ethiopia is on course to creating a boom in the textile industry. The country’s annual shipments currently value at $115 million. And Arkebe Oqubay, Minister and Special Advisor to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, shares the bold vision as he believes will transform this East African nation into a compelling new sourcing hub for brands, retailers and their suppliers. By 2025, Ethiopia is aiming to be a leading apparel and textile manufacturing hub in Africa capable of exporting up to $30 billion, says Arkebe.
With annual clothing exports of $73,25 million in 2015, there’s no doubt the country does indeed have a massive battle on its hands. Its goal represents a 300-fold rise in shipments in just eight years. Looked at another way, Ethiopia’s combined textile and clothing exports of $114,8 million are just a fraction of the revenues of companies like TAL Apparel ($850 million) and Arvind ($770 million), who are in the process of setting up production facilities in the country.
The country aims to build a sustainable, fully vertical supply chain from scratch and leading players from across the industry are flocking to the country. According to Arkebe, until 2010, the prime focus was agriculture, and even in the last five years it has been in transition. But now the country has accorded high priority to apparel and textiles.
Investor-friendly haven
Ethiopia scores well in political stability, macro-economic stability, competitive labour that can help reduce production costs, competitive and efficient energy. The country has invested in long-term infrastructure and in skills; it has more than 50 universities, and more than 1,300 technical schools to train operators and technicians. It is also the second largest electricity producer in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on renewable power generation from hydroelectric, wind and geothermal sources.
It enjoys duty-free privileges to the US and EU through AGOA (the African Growth and Opportunity Act) and the Everything But Arms (EBA) deal, as well as preferential duty treatment to markets such as China, India, Japan, Canada and Australia. For investors, favourable benefits to attract clothing and textile companies looking to relocate their manufacturing bases to Africa include duty-free imports of machinery, spare parts and raw materials; along with zero tax on exports and exemptions from income tax for up to ten years.
Treading a tough growth path
Indeed it’s going to require a huge effort, and to achieve this, the country is working on multiple levels. Focus has been on attracting high quality investment from best-in-class buyers and suppliers who are interested to work on the long-term and also high value, rather than those only interested in cheap labour. Another key aspect is to establish specialised industrial parks built with highest international building, fire and electrical safety standards and also with sustainability at their core. Dedicated not only to clothing production but attracting the tier-II and tier-III fabric and fibre mills too, the goal is to ensure an environment where energy will not be a constraint, where transport and logistics will not be a constraint.
Creating a fully vertical supply chain from scratch, encompassing apparel sector, fabric and spinning mills and high quality cotton plantation. Just focusing on garment production would make it easy for companies to park and move to the next destination. Another key component in delivering speed is logistical efficiency. Being vertical is one way to be fast and flexible, but in the meantime, the inputs for apparel made in landlocked Ethiopia — and the finished products themselves — have to be transported by truck to and from the neighbouring Red Sea port of Djibouti, a process that is both slow and expensive.
The level of trust that has developed between the government and industry will certainly play a key role in helping reassure investors. It’s part of a wider and ongoing dialogue between the two sides. A common vision and approach doesn’t evolve by itself, so we argue, discuss, exchange ideas, and ultimately reach a good conclusion, Dr Arkebe explains.
