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Italy has a plan to make the fashion retail business sustainable from end to end. The aim is to highlight the urgent need for sustainability in the fashion retail ecosystem and give in-depth pointers on what materials are exceptionally harmful and what alternatives companies can make use of in their place.
The plan categorises sustainability under eight heads to make things easier to understand: Territorial, Social, Environmental, Anthropological, Technological, Energetic, Administrative and Economic Sustainability.
The idea is to embed sustainability in the fashion culture and give everyone a way to measure where they stand as well. The industry has been involved in this endeavor. A host of big fashion names have been brought in, namely, Ermenegildo Zegna, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, etc. The agenda focuses solely on retail, making note of everything from lighting, shelf placement and interior design of the space to even things like how much time a customer spends in stores.
A general manifesto on sustainability in Italian fashion was released around five years ago. Plans are to continue adding to this list with a sustainable approach to production, social responsibility as well a strategy to recycling economy.
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics will be held in China from October 11 to 13, 2017. This is one of the world’s largest apparel fabrics and accessories fairs. The event attracts thousands of apparel fabrics and accessories suppliers, garment manufacturers, trading companies, retail chain stores, buying offices, wholesalers etc. from around the globe every year.
The 2017 autumn edition expects to attract over 74,000 visitors from more than 90 countries and regions around the world. Over 4,553 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions are expected to showcase their latest innovations in products and technologies. The three-day fair will be held over 2,60,000 sq. mt. area.
Various sustainable products, solutions and technologies will be displayed at Beyond Denim, Functional Lab, Salon Europe and Accessories Vision zones during the show. Yagi, a Japanese firm that manufactures recycled cotton yarn, knitting and weaving fabrics and denim products, will display Recycolor-branded, GRS-certified recycled cotton developed products. Additionally, Orta Anadolu, Kipas Denim and Soorty Enterprises will introduce their own eco-friendly denim production processes.
Newtech Textile, a Chinese textile company, will showcase its patented Cool Trans transfer printing and dyeing technology at the show. This is presented as an eco-friendly alternative to digital inkjet printing.
H&M’s Global Change Awards are a move to accelerate the shift from linear to circular fashion and to reinvent the entire fashion industry. The five winners get a grant along with a one-year innovation accelerator program providing tailor-made support and invaluable access to the fashion industry.
Some of last year’s winning innovations were leather made of wine making leftovers, digital threads weaved into garments to ease the recycling processes and climate positive nylon made from water, plant waste and solar energy. Finding better ways to make what is used, and wisely using what is available--Global Change Award is an important initiative to drive this forward. The idea is intentionally and thoughtfully reusing, recycling, and repurposing, it’s possible to drive significant and radical improvements to the world.
H&M has made a technological breakthrough in finding a method to recycle blended textiles into new fabrics and yarns. H&M is the world’s second biggest fashion fast fashion brand. It is investing significantly in the supply chain, such as in new logistics solutions with greater levels of automation, but also in optimising its lead times
Chinese consumers’ enthusiasm for international fast fashion retailers such as H&M has cooled off. The company’s sales growth declined in the Chinese Mainland, with the figure at four per cent in the second quarter of this year, compared with an average of more than 20 per cent before 2015.
Fast fashion retailers chase the latest designs at lowest cost, so their quality can't match that of items produced in a long manufacturing cycle. Substandard quality is a common problem among fast fashion brands. Batches of fast fashion clothes are being sent back or destroyed due to unqualified color fastness or pH or formaldehyde readings higher than the required limit.
Competition in the fast fashion segment has escalated in recent years, mainly due to the growth of local brands. The fast rise of domestic brands including Urban Revivo, Peace Bird and Heilan Home poses a challenge and threats global counterparts. Between its establishment in 2006 and August this year, Urban Revivo opened more than 160 stores in China and abroad. In August alone, it opened four stores, compared with H&M’s 21 in China in the first half. Fast fashion is changing into ultra fast fashion. Shoppers increasingly want it now and production cycles are speeding up.
Cotton USA will present to the global textile and apparel industry what’s new in cotton, including US cotton-rich fabrics created with innovative technology, at its booth in Hall 6, D60 at Première Vision in Paris from September 19 to 21.
Cotton USA invites attendees to visit the booth to learn about its collaboration with leading brands and retailers around the world, as well as how to license the Cotton USA mark, which quantitative consumer research proves is of high value to consumers and can drive both preference and higher prices. For the first time at Premiere Vision, Cotton Council International (CCI), Cotton Incorporated and Supima will exhibit jointly in one large cotton pavilion to showcase cotton innovation, including innovation in technologies, fabric blends, performance, design and fashion.
Cotton USA will showcase the US cotton industry’s sustainability efforts, global cotton market developments, the findings of current market and consumer studies, and its ongoing Sourcing Programs that match US cotton buyers and suppliers throughout the supply chain.
CCI Executive Director Bruce Atherley says innovation is one reason that Cotton USA has become the cotton the world trusts. At Premiere Vision, ‘what’s new in cotton’ section will showcase innovative technologies, or thinking that will inspire brands with new ideas for cotton and cotton blended fabrics. The objective is to inspire everyone in the textile business to think about the many opportunities in US cotton, and you will want to visit the booth to learn more about innovative cotton fabrics.
The company is dedicated in providing the entire supply chain with networking opportunities, ongoing education, and the latest research and technological innovations says Atherley.
Eco-friendly Hong Kong fashion label BYT wants to make a difference to a wasteful industry in a city with a throwaway culture. It crafts clothing from textile waste and by upcycling and reworking old pieces.
Sustainable fashion has had a bad rap over the years, as designers struggle to create collections that are commercially viable, fashionable and relevant to the consumer. BYT promotes the concept that sustainable fashion is the future and can be marketable and profitable.
As a concept, BYT takes fashion waste, in particular, surplus luxury fabrics, and transforms them into beautiful, affordable clothing using sustainable and socially responsible supply chains. Everything is produced in Asia, using sustainable manufacturers and social enterprises. The collection features several styles based on wardrobe staples such as the biker jacket, trench coat or tailored blazer – all of which have been crafted from fabric waste sourced from luxury brands and suppliers. The look is modern with a twist, allowing each piece to be styled individually depending on the wearer.
The biggest challenge was the fabric. BYT sometimes gets restrictions on certain fabric quantities, which means it has to be creative with design and production to achieve the numbers. BYT is an affordable luxury brand, not a fast fashion brand, so the goal is to make a luxurious and beautiful product using waste.
The world’s top cotton buyers, all in Asia, are flocking to India. Fierce hurricanes in the United States, the biggest exporter of the fiber, have affected the size and quality of the crop this year. Buyers are switching to Indian cotton. This could help India’s exports grow by a quarter in the 2017-18 season beginning October. Two fierce hurricanes -- Harvey and Irma -- caused widespread damage to the crop in Texas and Georgia, major cotton producing states. India is also the world’s biggest cotton producer.
Favorable crop conditions would help India sell 7.5 million bales of cotton on the world market in 2017-18 against six million bales in the previous year. Hobbled by the rising rupee and unattractive global prices, India was struggling to sign export deals until a few weeks ago. But a recent rally in global prices made selling overseas more competitive.
Other than attractive prices, close proximity encouraged most Asian buyers to turn to India. While cargoes from the United States take about 50 days to reach Vietnam, Bangladesh and Pakistan, India can ship its cotton in two weeks. India’s new season crop will be available to buyers from October, but the supplies from the United States will reach consumers only in January.
Bangladesh was the sixth largest importer of textiles across the world in 2016. During the year Bangladesh imported textiles worth $7.15 billion mostly from China and India. In the previous year, that is, 2015, textile imports reached $10 billion.
The decline in textile imports by Bangladesh is mainly due to a slowdown in demand from the industry. The import value of textiles was $6.8 billion in 2014 and $6.2 billion in 2013. The European Union was the largest importer of textiles last year followed by the United States and China. Vietnam and Japan ranked as fourth and fifth respectively.
China is the largest exporter of textiles followed by the EU and India. Bangladesh has set a target of earning $50 billion from readymade garment exports by 2021. The readymade garment sector is a vital industrial sector of Bangladesh which is immensely contributing to the country’s export earnings, employment generation and value addition. Contributing approximately 80 per cent of the country’s total export earnings, Bangladesh is the second largest apparel exporter in the world, next to China.
Efforts are being made to ensure a safe, sound, green, environment-friendly and a vibrant garment sector. Out of 10 eco-friendly factories of the world, seven are located in Bangladesh.
Asia Pacific is anticipated to remain at the forefront of global market for apparel accessories throughout 2017 to 2022. A steady rise of the region, an expanding base of working class population, availability of ample amount of raw materials and cost-friendly labor resources are factors that are playing an important role in driving the growth of apparel accessories market in the Asia Pacific.
The region is anticipated to command a considerable revenue share of global market as well as reflect a steady CAGR. On the basis of apparel accessory types, demand for handkerchiefs is expect to gain traction in future. In terms of revenue, sales of handkerchief currently command nearly 14 per cent share of the global market.
Demand for apparel accessories with economy pricing is expected to remain considerably high. Currently, the economy apparel accessories segment accounts for nearly 39 per cent of revenues of the market. The segment is expected to reflect a CAGR of over four per cent during the forecast period. Modern trade is expected to remain the largest sales channel for apparel accessories over 2022. Each year, a large bulk of apparel accessories are sold through modern trade.
US-based A&E has partnered CGS to improve productivity, quality and employee motivation within manufacturing operations in Sri Lanka. A&E is a global leader in premium quality industrial and consumer sewing thread, embroidery thread and technical textiles. CGS, also US-based, is a provider of business applications, enterprise learning and outsourcing services. It has offices across North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Sri Lanka's apparel manufacturing facilities are among the most sophisticated in the world. These world class operators have the ability to further enhance production efficiency through the use of A&E’s premium sewing thread and CGS’ real time technology in Blue Cherry Shop Floor Control.
Sewn products manufacturers are challenged to improve productivity and efficiency in order to reduce throughput time and production costs and improve quality and reduce work in process inventory levels. CGS' Blue Cherry Shop Floor Control provides tools that automate the collection and reporting of production, enabling real-time shop floor visibility and control, improving factory operations and productivity while reducing costs.
A&E is committed to the marketplace in the advancement of improved manufacturing operations and productivity. CGS is looking forward to building a strong relationship with A&E in the Sri Lanka market.
