Fashion retailer Shein, in partnership with India’s Reliance Retail, is set to significantly expand its manufacturing footprint in India by boosting its supplier base from 150 to 1,000 within the next year. The move will support plans to export India-made Shein-branded apparel to international markets, including the US and UK, within six to 12 months.

Shein, originally founded in China and now headquartered in Singapore, re-entered India earlier this year via a licensing agreement with Reliance, after being banned in 2020. Its new platform, SheinIndia.in, features products made by local garment manufacturers, unlike its global platforms, which largely list China-made goods.

Reliance has already contracted 150 suppliers and is in talks with 400 more. The partnership targets on-demand manufacturing, initially producing small batches of 100 pieces per design, scaling based on demand. The model mirrors Shein’s core strategy of rapid trend response, enabled by tech-driven design and supply chain processes.

Executives from Reliance recently visited Shein’s facilities in China to study its operational model. To support the supplier scale-up, Reliance plans to help Indian factories upgrade, especially in synthetic fabric production, by importing machinery and offering investment.

This expansion aligns with Shein’s broader diversification strategy amid rising U.S. tariffs on China-made goods and reflects growing global interest in India as an alternative sourcing hub. According to Sensor Tower, the Shein India app has recorded 2.7 million downloads so far, with fast-growing engagement and a catalogue of 12,000 designs.

The scale and timeframe of Shein's India supplier strategy are being publicly reported for the first time.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Design (PolyU Design) is hosting the PolyU Design Show 2025 from 6 June to 8 August, featuring over 250 innovative projects by undergraduate and master’s students. These works reflect the next generation’s approach to integrating design, technology, and social responsibility to tackle global challenges across community, environment, culture, and business sectors.

The opening ceremony on 6 June gathered government officials, industry leaders, alumni, and academics. Kun-pyo Lee, Dean of PolyU Design, noted that this year’s show breaks traditional boundaries, combining product design with healthcare, industrial design with urban planning, and exploring AI ethics through communication design. He highlighted the interdisciplinary collaboration and focus on real-world impact.

Steve Leung, Chairman of the School’s Advisory Committee, praised the role of visionary young designers in creating human-centred solutions. The show’s theme, Zero Anew - Journey Unfolds, symbolizes continuous renewal and creative evolution, developed by a cross-disciplinary student team.

Highlighted projects include an AI-powered system to enhance safety in bamboo scaffolding, a drone-based medical delivery network for remote areas, a CPR-AED system with training and emergency capabilities, an AI-driven social enterprise app, community-based shelters for stray cats in Yau Ma Tei, and a zero-waste food colouring solution made from discarded produce.

Ranked 22nd globally in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject for Art and Design, PolyU Design continues its legacy of innovation through this public exhibition. Admission is free with online registration, and a virtual version is also available.

Shima Seiki Mfg Ltd of Wakayama, Japan, a leading name in flat knitting technology, has unveiled its new standalone software, SDS KnitPaint-Online, designed to program its computerized flat knitting machines. Previously integrated only within Shima Seiki’s SDS-ONE APEX series design system, the proven KnitPaint software is now available independently with added functionality for planning and design.

This new release brings the same trusted tools for creating knitting data, now enhanced for greater flexibility. Users can select a style, input dimensions, and automatically generate stitch data based on patterns. The software also includes design-specific knitting know-how to streamline programming. Its Knitting Viewer offers a 3D animation preview of needle movements and yarn behavior, while Knitting Assist identifies difficult-to-knit areas, reducing setup time.

SDS KnitPaint-Online also features Virtual Knit, a simulation tool that previews the finished product virtually using loop-based visuals. Additionally, a dedicated version, SDS KnitPaint-Online Collar, is available for programming the N.SSR 072 collar knitting machine.

Both software versions support installation on desktop or laptop systems, enabling seamless usage at the workplace or remotely. This allows users to convert creative ideas into knit-ready programs anytime, anywhere offering flexibility in both design and production across the knitting industry.

Improper laundry practices are silently draining American wallets and harming the environment, according to a recent Homeaglow survey of 1,000 US adults. The findings reveal that Americans collectively spend an estimated $8.2 billion each year replacing clothing damaged during washing an average of $31 per adult annually.

The survey found that over 700 million garments are ruined annually due to improper laundry methods. On average, each adult damages between two and three items of clothing per year, and those who replace them report spending around $41 annually. Most damage stems from common issues like shrinking (73 per cent), color bleeding or fading (69 per cent), and stretching or warping of fabric (31 per cent).

A key factor behind this costly trend is a widespread lack of understanding of laundry symbols. When shown basic washing instructions, more than half (55 per cent) failed to correctly identify the ‘Do not bleach’ symbol. Similarly, 46 per cent could not identify the symbol for ‘Machine wash cold,’ and 44 per cent misinterpreted ‘Tumble dry low.’ In fact, 27 per cent believed the ‘Do not bleach’ symbol meant ‘Do not wash,’ while 30 per cent thought ‘Tumble dry low’ meant ‘Air dry only’ or ‘Tumble dry with no heat.’

This lack of knowledge appears rooted in habits. Nearly one in four adults (24 per cent) admitted they rarely or never check laundry instructions or are unaware they even exist. Only a third (33 per cent) reported always checking laundry labels before washing. Instead, 31 per cent of respondents said they wash all clothes the same way, regardless of material or color, while 10 per cent rely on default machine settings for every load.

Additionally, 30 per cent confessed they typically forget or ignore laundry labels, and 10 per cent admitted they don’t understand any of the symbols. These behaviors suggest that millions of Americans routinely wash garments incorrectly, leading to unnecessary wear, waste, and financial loss.

Beyond the financial cost, the environmental implications are substantial. With over 700 million items of clothing ruined annually, many of these likely end up in landfills, adding to the burden of textile waste.

The survey was conducted by Homeaglow on May 19, 2025, using the PollFish platform. The sample included 1,000 adults (44 per cent men and 56 per cent women) aged 19 to 81. Using weighted averages and US Census population data, Homeaglow calculated national estimates of damaged garments and replacement spending.

With rising concerns about inflation and sustainability, the survey underscores the importance of proper garment care. Simply learning laundry symbols and checking label instructions could save billions of dollars and millions of garments from going to waste.