Eight innovative design talents have been selected as finalists for the 2025 International Woolmark Prize, the prestigious award celebrating fashion innovation and sustainability.

The finalists include ACT N1 (Italy), Diotima (USA), Duran Lantink (Netherlands), Ester Manas (Belgium), LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi (France), LUAR (USA), Meryll Rogge (Belgium), and Standing Ground (UK/Ireland).

This marks the first biennial edition of the prize, which has supported design talent for over 60 years. Each finalist will receive AU$60,000 to create six Merino wool looks, showcasing the fiber's versatility and eco-friendly properties. One designer will win AU$300,000 to advance their business, with opportunities to feature in leading global retailers.

IB Kamara, Creative Director for Off-White and Editor-in-Chief of Dazed, has been appointed Guest Artistic Director for the event. Kamara will play a key role in highlighting the work of the finalists and supporting their contributions to the future of fashion.

The program’s Innovation Academy offers mentorship from industry leaders like Gabriella Karefa-Johnson and Sinead Burke, alongside support from partners like Byborre and Knitwear Lab.

Two additional honors will be presented at the final event, the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation and the Supply Chain Award, recognizing exceptional contributions to Merino wool and sustainable practices.

With a legacy that includes Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent, the Woolmark Prize continues to spotlight transformative design talent committed to sustainability.

India's textile and apparel trade fair, Bharat Tex 2025, is set to host a promotional roadshow in London from Nov 27-28, 2024. The event aims to showcase India’s strengths in textile manufacturing and explore opportunities for international partnerships. It will be held in anticipation of the main fair scheduled from Feb 14 -17, 2025 in New Delhi.

The two-day roadshow will include a symposium, exclusive one-on-one meetings, and round table discussions on the first day, while the second day will be dedicated to additional meetings with Indian delegates. This format will offer ample opportunities for direct engagement and in-depth discussions about the future of the textile trade.

Bharat Tex 2025 seeks to enhance India's reputation as a global textile hub and to foster new business connections with international markets. Although many UK-based brands and retailers already have strong ties with Indian manufacturers, the London roadshow will provide a platform to explore new trends, partnerships, and opportunities in India's thriving textile and apparel industry. Attendees will participate in B2B and B2G meetings, sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs), and engage in other networking activities.

Organised by the Textile Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) with the support of India’s Ministry of Textiles, Bharat Tex 2025 will emphasise the advancements in India’s textile sector, focusing on innovation, sustainability, and investment potential. The fair is designed to attract global interest in India’s growing capabilities in textile production and design.

At the Bharat Tex 2025 Curtain Raiser event in New Delhi, Giriraj Singh, Union Textiles Minister, highlighted the sector's significant potential, projecting that India's textile industry will grow to $350 billion by 2030, creating an estimated 35 million jobs. The roadshow in London will pave the way for deeper international collaborations and investments that will contribute to this ambitious growth trajectory.

Set for continued growth next year, Vietnam’s garment industry is looking to diversify its key export markets as it waits to see what steps will be taken by US President-elect Donald Trump in terms of tariffs.

According to the Vu Duc Giang, Chairman, Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), the country’s garment exports will rise to $47-$48 billion in 2025 while this year, the country’s apparel exports will rise by 11.3 per cent to an estimated $44 billion. To leverage this growth, the association will continue to diversify its export markets, products and clients, he adds.

Garments from Vietnam are exported to about 104 markets, but the US remains its biggest market, accounting for about 38 per cent of the country’s apparel shipments this year. The Southeast Asian nation is the second-largest supplier of clothes and shoes to the U.S., according to the American Apparel & Footwear Association.

Vietnam is the world’s third largest apparel producer and exporter after China and Bangladesh, according to VITAS. The trade group sees positive momentum for exports next year as many garment companies have already received orders for the first quarter, Giang added.

China's dominance in the US garment import market is waning. After reaching a peak around 2010, its market share, both in terms of value and the number of units, has been steadily declining. This trend has significant implications for both the US and Chinese economies, as well as the global garment industry.

Statistics clear the picture

China's share of US garment imports peaked around 2010, with nearly 40 per cent market share in value terms and over 45 per cent in units. Since then, there has been a consistent decline, with China’s share in 2024 estimated at around 25 per cent in value and 35 per cent in units. Interestingly, the decline is more pronounced in terms of value than units, suggesting a shift towards cheaper garments from other sources. The Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) data too supports the trend. For example, in 2010, China accounted for 39.5 per cent of US apparel imports by value. By 2023, this had fallen to 27.2 per cent.

There are several reason for this decline. For a start, rising labor costs in China is a major factor. As China's economy has grown, so have wages, making it less competitive as a source of low-cost garments. Meanwhile, US importers are increasingly diversifying their sourcing to reduce reliance on any single country, particularly in light of geopolitical uncertainties and supply chain disruptions. Growth of other manufacturing hubs like Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India has increased competition, attracting investment and market share. OTEXA data too reveals, Vietnam has been a major beneficiary of this shift. Its share of US garment imports by value has increased from 7.9 per cent in 2010 to 15.7 per cent in 2023. In fact, Nike, once heavily reliant on China, has significantly diversified its sourcing. In its 2023 fiscal year, Vietnam accounted for 31 per cent of its footwear production, surpassing China's 24 per cent reveals Nike Fiscal Year 2023 Impact Report.

Nearshoring is another factor as some US companies are shifting production closer home, to countries in Central America and the Caribbean, to reduce lead times and transportation costs.

Implications of the shift

For the US: The diversification of sourcing can enhance supply chain resilience and potentially create new opportunities for trade with other countries. However, it may also lead to higher prices for consumers in the short term.

For China: The decline in garment exports puts pressure on its economy to move up the value chain and focus on higher-value-added industries.

Global garment industry: The shift is creating a more dynamic and competitive global garment industry, with implications for labor standards, environmental sustainability, and trade policies.

While China is unlikely to lose its position as a major garment supplier to the US entirely, its dominance is clearly diminishing. The trend towards diversification and regionalization of production is likely to continue, shaping the future of the global garment industry. This presents both challenges and opportunities for all stakeholders, and it remains to be seen how these will play out in the years to come.