Pakistan's textile exports are poised for a substantial boost, with the Chairperson of the National Tariff Commission, Rubina Ather, forecasting a potential $5 billion increase in the next fiscal year. This positive outlook stems from a continuous reduction in tax duties on raw materials, a strategy the government has employed over the past two years.

Ather highlighted the government's proactive measures, such as reducing over 2,000 tariff lines to zero, as well as lowering tax duties on all raw materials. These initiatives are geared towards achieving an ambitious target of $4-5 billion in textile exports for the upcoming year.

In a recent meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs, officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) shared additional measures to support various sectors. Notably, the government plans to eliminate taxes on point-of-sale machines, facilitating duty-free imports for large retail stores. Furthermore, there's an exemption on additional customs duties for vehicles below 850 cc, and the import duty on auto kits has been halved from 30% to 15%, aimed at promoting the local auto sector.

Chemical tariff lines are also receiving attention, with a 5 per cent reduction in duties on 240 lines, and the steel industry is benefiting from reduced duties as well. Saddia Abbasi, Chairperson of the National Tariff Commission, disclosed that duties on steel have been lowered from 20 to 16 per cent, and from 16 to 11 per cent, demonstrating the government's commitment to providing relief and support to key industries.

Discover the future of fashion at the Texworld Evolution Paris exhibition, where the highly anticipated trend book, Veritas, for the Sprin/-Summer 2025 season will be unveiled from February 5-7, 2024. Louis érin and Grégory Lamaud, the visionary Art Directors of Texworld Evolution Paris, are set to redefine the narrative of future humanity in this trend book. What sets it apart is the infusion of artificial intelligence into the patterns, offering a unique and cutting-edge perspective. The design board promises to seamlessly blend colors and styles, creating a captivating visual journey through each creative universe.

The overarching theme for the upcoming season is "elegance and discretion," reflecting an amalgamation of expressiveness and classic aesthetics. Prepare for a color palette that is bold, contrasting, and perfectly suited for materials with crumpled, liquid, or transparent textures.

The grand reveal will take place in two Trend Forums: one at Texworld Evolution Paris showcasing fabrics and the other at Apparel Sourcing Paris featuring finished products. Visitors will be treated to looks inspired by carefully selected fabrics and products curated by the show's artistic directors. Explore new thematic areas such as Highlights Texworld, Highlight Apparel Sourcing, Highlights Elite, and Highlights Denim, each with samples bringing the themes to life.

To enhance the visitor experience, Messe Frankfurt France has seamlessly organized Apparel Sourcing and Texworld Evolution Paris in one location, on the same dates, ensuring maximum convenience for all fashion enthusiasts and industry professionals. Be prepared to witness the future of fashion unfold at this groundbreaking exhibition.

Taiwanese denim fabric and jeans manufacturer, Nien Hsing Textile, is undergoing a strategic downsizing of operations in response to volatile cotton prices, diminished demand, and labor shortages. The company has decided to shut its Houlong Township factory upon completion of pending orders. This facility, encompassing yarn spinning, dyeing, weaving, and finishing departments, currently operates at 76.4 per cent of its 1.4 million yards per month capacity, producing an average of 1.07 million yards of denim fabric monthly. Unfortunately, the closure will result in the layoff of 600-700 employees.

Nien Hsing Textile, a key player in the industry, caters to renowned brands such as Levi’s, Gap, Old Navy, Madewell, American Eagle, The Children’s Place, and Macy’s. With global reach, the company operates facilities in Mexico, Vietnam, and Lesotho.

Experiencing a notable decline of approximately 30 per cent in consolidated net revenue from January through November 2023 compared to the same period last year, the Houlong factory reported a pre-tax loss of $6.98 million in the first 10 months of this year. The closure is viewed as a strategic move by Nien Hsing to enhance overall operations and expand shareholder equity.

Despite the challenges, Nien Hsing Textile Co showcased its Spring/Summer 2025 collection at Kingpins Amsterdam in October, featuring Y2K-inspired metallic coatings, aged washes, cracked surfaces, and unique textile fabrics.

The Maharashtra government is taking steps to address issues within the state's power loom industry by forming a study group. This group, led by Textile Minister Chandrakant Patil, will focus on recommending modifications to the recently launched textile policy to better serve the power loom sector. Notably, Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh from Bhiwandi will be part of this group, aiming to address the concerns raised by power loom operators in the state.

Patil highlighted the collaborative efforts involved in crafting the new textile policy and stressed the need for increased support for the industry. The study group will be allocated resources to visit power loom centers, enabling them to compile a comprehensive proposal. Additionally, the government plans to distribute 24 lakh sarees exclusively produced by Maharashtra's power looms to women below the poverty line.

While appreciating the inclusion of power loom cloth products in the sari distribution initiative, Sheikh advocated similar considerations for handlooms. He also urged the prompt clearance of pending subsidy-related files for power loom operators.

In a written response, Patil provided a detailed overview of the power loom landscape in Maharashtra, citing approximately 1,270,000 looms in the state. Emphasizing the sector's crucial role in employment and revenue generation, he underscored the Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy 2023-28's significance in attracting investment and creating job opportunities over the next five years.