Polyester-cotton (PC) yarn prices eased by ₹10 per kg in north India as demand remained weak amid new cotton crop arrival. Polyester spun yarn decreased by ₹2-5 per kg in Ludhiana and Surat. Market sentiments remained weak as demand from weaving industry has not improved yet. Recycled polyester fibre also declined due to poor demand from downstream industry. According to trade sources, polyester yarn and blended yarn prices witnessed a downward trend as demand was not supportive. “Slower demand is the reflection of the weak global economy. The market gets support from the export market, which is experiencing dampened market sentiments in yarn trade,” a Ludhiana based trader told Fibre2Fashion. Traders are waiting to see if market sentiments improve after Diwali. The textile industry focusses on summer garments after the festival. According to trade sources, polyester-cotton and poly spun yarn prices have declined. PC yarn fell by ₹10 per kg. While polyester spun yarn declined by ₹2-5 per kg in Ludhiana and Surat. 30 count PC combed yarn (48/52) was sold at ₹220-230 per kg (GST inclusive), according to Fibre2Fashion’s market insight tool TexPro. 30 count PC carded yarn (65/35) was priced at ₹185-190 per kg. 20 count PC (recycled-O/E) PSF yarn (40/60) was traded at ₹150-160 per kg. 30 count poly spun yarn was sold at ₹157-165 per kg. Recycled polyester fibre (PET bottle fibre) was at ₹85-87 per kg. 30 count poly spun yarn was traded at ₹138-143 per kg (GST extra) and 40 count poly spun yarn at ₹153-153 per kg in the Surat market of Gujarat. Reliance Industries Limited had earlier decreased prices of purified terephthalic acid (PTA), monoethylene glycol (MEG) and MELT for the current week. On Friday, RIL had fixed prices as: PTA at ₹86 per kg (-1.80), MEG at ₹55.70 per kg (-0.50) and MELT at ₹92.90 (₹-1.72) per kg. Earlier this month, PSF was priced at ₹107 per kg for the current fortnight. North Indian states witnessed an upward trend in cotton prices as arrival remained limited and there were speculations of delay in crop arrival in Maharashtra and some parts of Gujarat due to unseasonal rains. According to traders, cotton arrival was 15,000-16,000 bales of 170 kg in the north Indian region. Cotton prices decreased by ₹20-40 per maund of 37.2 kg. Cotton was traded at ₹6,950-7,040 per maund for ready delivery in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.
Source: Fibre2fashion
A slowdown in global trade is nothing new, but the cumulative impact of unprecedented and unforeseen events requires a new policy approach from India Global merchandise trade volume is predicted to lose momentum sharply in 2023 because of adverse developments, such as marked slowdown in the major economies of Europe, China and the United States; food and fuel inflation-led surges in the cost of living and manufacturing; tight monetary policy conditions in most countries; and continued supply chain disruptions. So, world trade growth is projected to slump from 3.5 per cent in 2022 to barely 1 per cent in 2023 (WTO press/909, October 5, 2022)
Source: Business Standard
Home secretary Braverman earlier said Indians formed “the largest group of visa overstayers” in Britain Days after her remarks that Indians formed the “the largest group of visa overstayers” in Britain almost derailed the UK-India free trade agreement (FTA), British home secretary Suella Braverman has said London is eager to clinch a trade deal with New Delhi and that Britain no longer has a “Eurocentric mindset” towards trade or visas following Brexit. Attending a Diwali event organised by UK-based India Global Forum (IGF) in London on Tuesday evening, Braverman said: “Naturally, there is an economic imperative for our countries to work together, which is why we are so eager to secure a trade deal.” Braverman’s earlier statement had raised fears that she was unlikely to endorse any further visa concession, a critical area of interest for India under the proposed trade deal. Although the Diwali deadline to clinch the FTA is no longer relevant, Braverman has now stressed that the UK government continues to remain determined to build on the momentum set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Johnson, particularly, was keen on an FTA by Diwali (October 24) when he visited India in April. In an apparent effort to soothe frayed nerves in New Delhi, Braverman spoke of being a proud member of the British Indian community and stated how villages, towns and cities in the UK have been “profoundly enriched by immigration from India”. “India is in my heart, she’s in my soul, she’s in my blood. I’m very proud that my father has his roots and his family home in Goa and my mother can trace her ancestral origins to Madras,” she said. Earlier this month, Braverman caused a furore when she told the Spectator magazine that she had “concerns about having an open borders migration policy with India because I don’t think that’s what people voted for with Brexit”. Responding to questions on visa flexibility for students and entrepreneurs under an India-UK FTA, Braverman said: “I do have some reservations. Look at migration in this country — the largest group of people who overstay are Indian migrants … We even reached an agreement with the Indian government last year to encourage and facilitate better cooperation in this regard. It has not necessarily worked very well.” She was referring to the Migration and Mobility Partnership (MMP) endorsed by her predecessor, Priti Patel, and external affairs minister S Jaishankar in May last year. That agreement, while seeking to encourage talent into the UK, was also aimed at cracking down on those abusing the immigration system. Subsequently, the Indian High Commission in the UK rebutted Braverman’s claims and stated that India had initiated action on all cases raised with it under the agreement. However, New Delhi awaited “demonstrable progress” on certain pledged made by the UK under the MMP, it pointed out. India has already pipped China as the country that has received the highest number of student visas issued by the UK. About 118,000 Indian students received UK student visas in the year through June 2022, up 89% from a year before. Given the vast pool of skilled professionals, India has been grabbing a large share of visas for skilled migrants in the UK. Both India and the UK launched formal negotiations in January for the FTA, which could ultimately cover more than 90% of tariff lines. They aim to double bilateral trade of both goods and services to about $100 billion by 2030. The India-UK trade is dominated by services, which make up about 70% of the overall annual commerce.
Source: Financial Express
India's retail inflation accelerated in September to a five-month high of 7.41% year-onyear as food prices surged, raising fears of further rate hikes when the central bank meets for its next policy review in December. India's economy will grow well below its potential over the next two years, with inflation staying above the mid-point of the Reserve Bank ofIndia's tolerance band despite recent interest rate rises, according to a Reuters poll of economists. While growth was expected to be faster than many other economies, it would be too slow for the job creation needed to pull tens of millions of people out of poverty in a country typically ranked one of the worst in the world for hunger. Growth likely slowed sharply to an annual 6.0% in the third quarter from 13.5% in the second that was supported mainly by statistical comparisons with a year earlier rather than new momentum. It was expected to decelerate further to 4.4% in the fourth quarter, according to an Oct. 13-19 Reuters poll. The median expectation was for 6.9% growth in the 2022-23 fiscal year, slightly above International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank projections of 6.8%. It was forecast to slow to 6.1% next year. While those figures were only trimmed from the previous poll medians, a deteriorating global economic outlook suggests there may be further downgrades in coming months. India has...its own set of domestic challenges: weak employment, negative real wages and weakening industrial activity even in the lead up to the main festive season," noted Kunal Kundu, economist at Societe Generale. "This, we believe, will result in the RBI having to shift its focus toward supporting growth and away from anchoring inflation expectations by engineering a growth slowdown." The poll results underscore how the RBI's interest rate-hiking campaign, which only started five months ago and according to the poll will end in the first quarter of 2023, has done little to bring down price pressures. Inflation is felt most acutely by lower-income households who form a significant portion of the country's population of about 1.4 billion people. Like other economies around the world, India has struggled with soaring energy prices stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a particularly devastating pandemic, from which businesses are still recovering. India's retail inflation accelerated in September to a five-month high of 7.41% year-on-year as food prices surged, raising fears of further rate hikes when the central bank meets for its next policy review in December. While the central bank's targeted band for inflation is 2%-6%, the poll showed inflation would average 6.7% in the year ending March 2023, and 5.2% in the following year, a small upgrade from 6.6% and 5.0% in a September poll. "Easing food and energy inflation will drag headline consumer price inflation lower over the coming months, but strong underlying price pressures mean that the drop will be gradual and inflation will remain elevated," noted Shilan Shah, senior India economist at Capital Economics. A falling rupee, which has lost over 10% of its value against the dollar this year, is also adding to inflationary pressures through import prices. Despite the RBI burning through its dollar reserves, the rupee has hit multiple lifetime lows against the greenback this year and was trading close to 83 per dollar on Wednesday. The poll showed the RBI taking a softer approach with rates. Despite no clear majority, median forecasts showed the central bank hiking the repo rate by another 50 basis points to 6.40% by end-March. It was then expected to stay there until end-2023.
Source: Economic Times
Report of GoM on online gaming still awaited With the report of the group of ministers (GoM) on casinos, race courses and online gaming yet to be finalised and two BJP-ruled states going to polls, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting has been delayed to November or December, sources said. There is a probability that the Council could meet in November after Himachal Pradesh elections on the 12th of the month or meet after the Gujarat elections in early December. The Council meeting, which was originally scheduled to take place in August, could not take place as the GoMs needed more time to firm up their recommendations “The date of the Council meeting has not yet been decided. But, it may be held even next month,” an official said. With no unanimity about taxing at the rate of 28% on the full value of the consideration, without making a distinction between games of skill or chance, the GoM led by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma has sought legal opinion on whether the prize money in online gaming and horse racing is covered within “actionable claim” or not, before submitting the additional report. However, so far the report has not been submitted even though the GoM was planning to do so by September 16. The GoM may meet after the Diwali festivities. The GoM, in its first report, had recommended that in the case of online gaming, the activities should be taxed at 28% on the full value of the consideration, by whatever name such consideration may be called, including contest entry fee, paid by the player for participation in such games. Since GST is levied on online skill-based gaming at 18% currently on the platform fee (about 20% of the contest entry fee), the tax incidence on the gaming industry will rise. In the case of racecourses, the GoM had earlier said that GST should continue to be levied at the rate of 28% on the full value of bets pooled in the totalisator and placed with the bookmakers. In the case of casinos, GST was to be applied at the rate of 28% on the full face value of the chips/coins purchased from the casino by a player. In the case of casinos, once GST is levied on the purchase of chips/coins (on face value), no further GST to apply to the value of bets placed in each round of betting, including those played with winnings of previous rounds, the GoM had said in its first report. On August 18, the GoM on tribunals convened by Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala finalised that the GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) be set up with a principal Bench in New Delhi and similar Benches at various states. Another key GoM on rationalisation GST rates and slabs headed by Karnataka chief minister B S Bommai is also yet to submit its report. Given GST tax structure overhaul can happen only after inflation is brought under control, the GoM may be given more time to submit its report. Besides the GoM reports, the Council may consider pruning the exemption list further and correct the inverted duty structure by increasing the output tax on goods and services, Charanya Lakshmikumaran ,Partner, Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan Attorneys, said. “Notably, in the recent case of Hero Motocorp Ltd. v. Union of India & Ors., the Supreme Court has recommended the GST Council to consider granting budgetary support to the entities which were availing area-based exemption benefit under the erstwhile excise regime. Thus, it is expected that the GST Council may also consider this recommendation of the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” Lakshmikumaran said.
Source: Financial Express
"This decision has been taken after due deliberations with MSME stakeholders and is in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan," the ministry said in a statement. The government on Wednesday said that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) will continue to avail all non-tax benefits in their respective categories post reclassification for three years, in a major relief for the sector. The MSME ministry notified that in case of re-classification in terms of investment in plant and machinery or equipment or turnover or both, and consequent reclassification, an enterprise shall continue to avail of all non-tax benefits of the category it was in before the re-classification for three years from the date of the such upward change. "This decision has been taken after due deliberations with MSME stakeholders and is in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan," the ministry said in a statement. "Landmark Decision: MSMEs on upgradation and consequent reclassification, get nontax benefits for a period of 3 years from the date of upward change," the ministry said in a tweet.
Source: Economic Times
Textiles have been a vital part of human life for a long time; however, they have undergone various transformations over the past couple of decades. Initially, the functions of textiles were limited to their aesthetic aspects in clothing and protecting the body from the external environment. Backed by continuous technological advancements and R&D efforts, a new avenue of the textile industry has emerged recently, i.e., smart and interactive textiles. Wearable technologies are making a significant impact on people’s way of living thanks to the advancements in mobile communication, the Internet of things (IoT), big data, and artificial intelligence. Smart Fabrics and Interactive Textiles (SFITs) can be referred to as the amalgamation of artificial muscles with textiles that offer active actuation for desired force and motion, along with high conformity and adaptive ease. These fabrics seem to have enormous potential and are used across a plethora of applications ranging from military protection, cloth consumption, medical healthcare, and entertainment and sports. The proliferation of wearable technologies has further boosted the smart and interactive textiles market size in recent years. People in developed economies have become more educated and health-conscious and have started taking both, mental as well as physical well-being seriously. This, in consequence, has increased their expenditure on clinically viable wearable devices. Several countries have been working on the prospects of integrating these technologies across communities, hospitals, individuals, and families. This would help mitigate the concerns of limited medical resources and demand for adequate health monitoring, propelling product sales. According to Global Market Insights Inc., the Smart and Interactive Textiles Market is anticipated to cross USD 16 billion by 2030. There has been an increased cognizance of safety and comfort in personal vehicles. Premium and luxury automobile owners in every part of the world have been investing heavily in car aesthetics to add more functionality and visual appeal to their vehicles. Also, they are more inclined toward elevating the overall driving experience, which, in turn, will augment the demand for smart and interactive textiles. Geriatric population growth to amplify smart and interactive textiles market size There has been a noticeable increase in the life expectancy of people and the world is witnessing a consistent expansion of the geriatric population base. Estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that the share of people aged 60 years or above will record a two-fold growth between 2015 and 2050, reaching 22% in 2050 from 12% in 2015. The high susceptibility and accelerated health concerns of elderly individuals are slated to encourage equipment manufacturers and tech giants to introduce solutions and health devices with cutting-edge functionalities, thereby positively impacting the smart and interactive textiles industry outlook. To that end, in July 2022, engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed smart textiles capable of detecting and recognizing body movements. The apparels fit tightly and have a network of pressure sensors, which in association with machine learning techniques, can recognize and learn to detect the wearer’s movements. The textile is made using thermoforming fibers and has the potential to deliver positive outcomes in physical rehabilitation by integration in smart shoes or socks. The smart wearable can help track pressure on the feet and reduce the possibility of ulcers in diabetic patients. R&D efforts have played a critical role in increasing the penetration of interactive textiles through the healthcare sector and will continue to augment the wearables market size over the coming years. Textiles ecosystem to see a boom in revenues from smart & wearable instruments The integration of advanced technologies across the garment and textile industry has paved way for designing and developing linen-based unconventional and out-of-the-box products. Besides, scientists have been actively studying the possibilities of utilizing etextile technology in everything ranging from music to sports to healthcare to fashion to automobiles. In addition, favorable regulatory frameworks across several economies, coupled with increasing R&D investments, will foster the adoption of smart and interactive textiles in the ensuing years. Recently, MIT Media Labs has designed pioneering musical knitwear known as KnittedKeyboard II. The keyboard is a textile-based musical device knitted using smart fibers and sensors featuring a common piano key layout. This fabric-based piano is soft, expressive, lightweight, and stretchable at the same time. These attributes make it aesthetically unique and transportable and hence, are stimulating its adoption. There are other companies as well which have invested in wearable musicals and are set to disrupt the interactive textiles market with sustainable and cost-effective solutions. Wearable health monitoring solutions to gain traction in the coming years The onset of several health calamities, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, created turbulence across the healthcare sector. The burden of chronic diseases and other health complications requiring active health monitoring reached its apex in 2020. As a result, huge research and commercialization endeavors started across the globe to create wearable biosensors which can gather bio signals in the human body for assessing fitness and diagnosing diseases. The accelerated business growth is attributed to the development of personalized, fashionable, low-cost wearable devices with integrated communication features. In addition, with rapid industrialization and the increasing emphasis on green safety and performance optimization, the smart and integrated textiles market is set to witness unprecedented growth in the forthcoming years.
Source: Global Trade Magazine
Manoj Govil, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, will take over as the next corporate affairs secretary. Currently, Bajaj is holding the additional charge of the ministry of corporate affairs. Months before the next Budget in February 2023, the government on Wednesday announced major bureaucratic changes, mostly to fill in the vacancies that will be created after the retirement of a number of secretaries in the coming weeks. Sanjay Malhotra, the current financial services secretary, will take over as the revenue secretary after Tarun Bajaj retires on November 30. Until then, Malhotra will function as an officer on special duty at the revenue department. Vivek Joshi, the present registrar general of India and Census commissioner at the home ministry, will succeed Malhotra at the department of financial services, according to an order of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. The changes are aimed at ensuring continuity in policy-making at a time when the economy is facing strong external headwinds. Aramane Giridhar, the current secretary for road transport and highways, will be the next defence secretary upon the superannuation of Ajay Kumar on October 31. Alka Upadhyaya, currently the chairperson of the National Highways Authority of India, will be the new transport secretary. Manoj Govil, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, will take over as the next corporate affairs secretary. Currently, Bajaj is holding the additional charge of the ministry of corporate affairs. Sanjeev Chopra, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, will be the new food secretary after Sudhanshu Pandey retires on October 31. Current rural development secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha will take over as the steel secretary after Sanjay Kumar Singh retires on December 31. Senior IAS officer Shailesh Kumar Singh will be the new rural development secretary. Amrit LaI Meena, currently the special secretary in the logistics division of the commerce and industry ministry, will take over as the next coal secretary following the superannuation of Anil Kumar Jain at the end of this month. Also, Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, a 1990-batch IAS officer, will be the secretary in the department of new and renewable energy from November. Sport secretary Sanjay Kumar will take over as the secretary in the department of school education & literacy in the ministry of education. Meeta R Lochan, member secretary at the National Commission for Women, will take over as the new sports secretary. Sudhansh Pant, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, is appointed secretary in the department of ports, shipping and waterways. Kamran Rizvi, additional secretary in the ministry of housing and urban affairs, will take over as the heavy industries secretary. Rachna Shah, additional secretary in the commerce ministry, will be the next textiles secretary. Sumita Dawra, currently an additional secretary in the department for the promotion of industry and internal trade, is elevated to the position of special secretary in the same department.
Source: Financial Express
India's largest farm-to-fashion natural fibres digital ecosystem – today announced its entry into the Southeast Asian market, with a strong purpose of becoming a one-stop sourcing solution for all natural and recycled fabrics. With this move, ReshaMandi hopes to become the dominant player in the global natural textiles market and also the world's largest natural textile sourcing partner for customers seeking sustainable solutions powered by technology. ReshaMandi has supplied over 10 million metres of natural fibre fabric to 500-plus domestic fabric, apparel and home furnishings manufacturers in India. Among these 500, more than 200 are exporters providing products to well-known brands across geographies. It offers a wide range of natural fabrics while adhering to sustainability, fair trade and ethical sourcing norms. These include silk, cotton, viscose, bamboo, hemp and other natural fibres. ReshaMandi's Founder and CEO, Mayank Tiwari said, "The SEA region has emerged as one of the world's fastest growing apparel and textile hubs, playing an important role in the global textile front. It is an attractive and highly competitive textile industry with significant growth potential. Given the rising awareness around sustainability in fashion, our entry into the global market will lead us to be the largest natural fibre sourcing partner in the textile industry for businesses that seek sustainable solutions in apparel, lifestyle, home furnishings, fabrics and other categories. ReshaMandi has touched millions of lives in India by creating jobs, increasing operational efficiencies and paving the path for future growth. We would like to replicate the same model in SEA." ReshaMandi begins its journey in the global markets with categories such as yarn, natural and recycled fabrics, home and living, apparel, accessories and design to living solutions, with an ambition to expand this in future. About ReshaMandi ReshaMandi works with 60,000 farmers, more than 10,000 weavers, 7,500+ reelers and 3,500 retailers in the entire natural fibre supply chain to improve their productivity, impact the bottom line and eventually be instrumental in improving the quality of their lives.
Source: PRN Asia
Pakistan recorded a 3.68% growth in the exports of its textile products during the first quarter of the current fiscal year as compared to the same period last year. In July-September (FY2021-22), textile exports stood at $4.421 billion while the export pf goods were recorded to be at $4.584 billion in July-September this year, an increase of 3.68%, according to the data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Wednesday. Cotton fabric saw exports jump by 4.21% to $580.524 million, up from $557.081 million last year. Similarly, knit wear exports increased by 15.4% from $1.146 billion to $1.321 billion, were among the textile products that helped drive export growth. According to the data, the textile goods that witnessed negative growth in trade included cotton yarn whose exports declined by 18.14%, from $288.617 million to $236.263 million. Similarly, the exports of tents, canvas and tarpaulin increased by 40.56%, from $21.177 million to $29.766 million, ready-made garments by 5.85%, from $861.169 million to $911.514 million and art, silk and synthetic textile by 0.35% from $107.947 million to $108.321 million. Likewise, the exports of cotton (carded or combed) decreased by 85.47%, from $1.473 million to $0.214 million, yarn (other than cotton yarn) by 4.97%, from $12.426 million to $11.808 million, bed-wear by 2.93% from $803.259 million to $779.703 million, towels by 1.67%, from $241.307 million to $237.280 million, made-up articles (excluding towels, bedwear) by 8.97%, from $197.428 million to $179.722 million while the exports of all other textile materials went down by 1.48%, from $184.412 million to $181.69 million. Meanwhile, year-on-year (YoY) basis showed the textile goods’ exports grow by 2.68% in September 2022 to $1,527.071 million against exports of $ 1,487.144 million in September 2021. On month-over-month (MoM) basis the textile goods’ exports however declined by 3.07% in September 2022 when compared to the exports of $ 1,575.366 million in July 2022, according to the PBS data. Furthermore, the overall trade deficit witnessed a decline of 21.42%, with a substantial decrease in imports and upward trend in exports during the first quarter of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year. The exports during July-September (2022-23) were recorded at $7.125 billion against the exports of $6.996 billion in July-September (2021-22), showing a growth of 1.84%. On the other hand, the imports into the country decreased by 12.72% from $18.715 billion last year to $16.334 during the current year. The trade deficit was also recorded at $9.209 billion this year against the deficit of $11.719 billion last year, showing negative growth of 21.42%, according to the data.
Source : Saamaenglish
As part of the process to strengthen and widen the base of the economy as the country has entered the fourth quarter of 2022, the Government of Cambodia is seeking to tick all the right boxes, and it includes tourism, textiles exports as well as fresh investments in different sectors. The Kingdom has urged South Korea to increase its investments in the textile sector, especially in and around the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. The request was put forward at a meeting between Khuong Sreng, Governor of Phnom Penh, and Joo Nak-young, Mayor of Gyeongju city of the Republic of Korea, in Phnom Penh on October 18. The Governor of Phnom Penh said the Royal Government of Cambodia has created favourable conditions for all foreign investors, including those from South Korea. The Kingdom is striving to create strong interest among South Korean investors in setting up units for production in Cambodia and their shipment to the Korean market. This will also help increase bilateral trade from $549.930 million in January-August 2022, as per the data reported by Customs. On his part, Joo Nak-young pledged to encourage more Korean investors, particularly from Gyeongju city to invest in textiles in Phnom Penh so as to further strengthen the good relations and cooperation between the two cities and countries. The value of garment exports from Cambodia to South Korea is at present negligible. The garment trade between the two countries has also not been able to recover from the hammerings it received during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Cambodia is putting a lot of weightage on the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries, which is set to come to force on December 1, 2022, to strengthen textile investments and relations. In January-May 2022, Cambodia’s garment exports to South Korea were valued at $79.228 million. Cambodia exported $111.35 million worth of merchandise to South Korea in January-June (H1) this year, which was 22 percent higher than the same period of the previous year. Bilateral trade between Cambodia and South Korea increased 13.6 percent to $421.33 million, in January-June 2022. Under the FTA, South Korea has agreed to remove tariffs on 95.6 per cent of products imported from Cambodia, while Cambodia will eliminate duties on 93.8 per cent of imported goods. In 2021, Cambodia imported $600 million of goods from South Korea, and its exports to the East Asian nation reached $341 million. According to Fibre2Fashion’s market insight tool TexPro, Cambodia’s export of apparel to South Korea has yet not recovered from the damage of Covid-19. The Kingdom had exported $167.151 million worth of apparel in 2021, which was below the shipment worth $187.650 million in 2019. In 2020, the export had fallen to $169.716 million. Apparel exports have been valued at $79.228 million in the January-May of this year. Cambodia’s apparel export to South Korea was 1.51 percent, of its total apparel export of $11.099 billion in 2021. Cambodia’s share was also negligible in South Korea’s import of apparel last year. The north-eastern country had imported 1.60 percent of apparel from Cambodia, out of its total import of $10.467 billion, as per TexPro. China, Italy, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar were the top five suppliers for South Korea in 2021.
Source: Apparel Resources
Residents and businesses donate, recycle or sell used clothing and other textiles through charitable organizations, reuse centers, community drop-off bins and online or brickand-mortar consignment shops. That’s great! But did you know that every year, New York State residents and businesses throw away almost 1.4 billion pounds of textiles, including clothing, footwear, belts, hats, handbags, drapes, towels, sheets and other linens that could be reused or recycled? In the United States, textile waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams; the average person throws away 81 pounds of clothing each year. While we recycle around 15 percent of post-consumer textiles, that means 85 percent of our used clothing and other textiles are ending up as waste in landfills and incinerators. The majority of these materials can be reused or recycled, providing social, environmental and economic benefits. The secondhand market for textiles has been growing rapidly, and there are new outlets too, like online consignment shops and reused gear shops for outerwear and gear, etc. The benefits of reusing and recycling textiles Environmentally, textile recycling decreases the number of valuable materials going to landfills and incinerators. It reduces greenhouse gases; greenhouse gas emissions from textile production total 1.2 billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent gas. That’s more than emissions from international flights and maritime shipping combined. Recycling saves natural resources, including water and petroleum; and reduces toxins from pesticides, herbicides, dyes and other harsh chemicals used in textile production. Cotton, for example, is the most pesticide-dependent crop in the world. There are many economic benefits too. Textile recycling creates jobs. The potential market value of all these discarded materials is almost $130 million. If these materials were recovered for reuse and recycling, instead of being thrown away, that would create over 1,000 jobs. Keeping used textiles out of the trash reduces disposal costs for local governments, businesses and residents. Recycling allows valuable materials to remain in the supply chain to create sustainable products. What can I donate? It is estimated that 95 percent of all used clothing, footwear and other cloth household products—such as sheets, towels, curtains and pillowcases—can be recycled. Even if items are torn, stained, are missing buttons, have broken zippers, etc., the fabric can still be recycled. As long as the items are dry and free of oil, grease and odor—not stained with solvents such as gasoline—the textiles can be recycled. Items can be any style, age or condition. Even stained or torn items can be recycled but remember—they need to be dry. Where can I take my textiles for reuse and recycling? You can bring your reusable and recyclable clothing to: local charities drop-off bins that are located throughout your community private clothing recyclers the local transfer station special textile recycling events Call first to make sure the facility is collecting. You can also go to website of the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (see url at end of article) for more locations. What happens to the textiles? Nearly 100 percent of donated textiles are reused and recycled! 45 percent are reused as clothing. 20 percent are recycled into fibers. 30 percent are reused as wiping cloths. What can’t I donate? No rugs, carpeting or items stained with blood or grease/oil, or items that are moldy.
Source: River Reporter
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) have developed new textiles embedded with more than a thousand miniature solar cells – which are capable of charging a smartwatch or mobile phone. A woven textile embedded with 1,200 miniature photovoltaic cells. These cells combined together can harness 400 milliwatts (mWatts) of electrical energy from the sun – enough to keep small gadgets charged. The solar cell e-textile can be easily incorporated into a piece of clothing such as a jacket or used as part of an accessory such as a backpack. Designed to be exposed to the same forces as everyday clothing with very strong wiring, the fabric can be washed in a machine at 40°C with another laundry. The solar cells are embedded in a waterproof polymer resin and cannot be felt by the wearer. Each solar cell measures only five millimeters in length and 1.5 millimeters in width. “Until now, very few people would have considered that their clothing or textiles products could be used for generating electricity,” said Dr. Hughes-Riley, of the university’s Advanced Textiles Research Group (ATRG). “And the material which we have developed, for all intents and purposes, appears and behaves the same as any ordinary textile, as it can be scrunched up and washed in a machine. But hidden beneath the surface is a network of more than a thousand tiny photovoltaic cells which can harness the sun’s energy to charge personal devices.” “Electronics textiles really have the potential to change people’s relationship with technology, as this prototype shows how we could do away with charging many devices at the wall. This is an exciting development that builds on previous technologies we have made and illustrates how it can be scaled up to generate more power.” The material is breathable and chemically stable, as all solar cells are made from silicon. Tests showed that the material generated a power output of 335.3 watts in 0.86 sunlight. Under 1.0 sun, it would generate up to 394 mWatts. “This project shows how e-textiles can be at the forefront of sustainability and that they have the potential to reshape our existing conceptions of technology,” said Ms. Kgatuke of the Nottingham School of Art & Design. “We have combined longestablished weaving techniques with modern technology to create future products which may change people’s perceptions of clothing and electronics.”
Source: Inceptive Mind
Contrary to some fears and beliefs, the country's handloom weaving industry is still alive and undergoing a resurgence, according to an official. "Many have been saying that this is a dying sector. But we are not discounting the fact that.. there is a resurgence, a renaissance of interest coming into play," said Dr. Enrico Paringit, executive director of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology. Paringit said this during the launch of the first Philippine Handloom Weaving Conference of the DOST's Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST- PTRI). The conference aims to put a spotlight on what handloom weaving is all about, including its purpose, significance, art designs, the meaning behind those designs and its relationship to the country’s indigenous people. MORE PRESENCE The presence of the handloom textile is not only gaining ground locally as it is also starting to get more exposure abroad with initiatives from the private sector. "We connected the weavers… to different global market places specifically in Paris, in Paris Fashion Week and in New York Fashion Week.. We also promoted weaves specifically the concept of an indigenous feature in Vogue Italia with Pia Wurtzbach as our model," Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director of Kandama Social Enterprise Victor Baguilat Jr. said. “The fact that the commercial viability is something that the weavers are seeing… the sustainability market is growing, we have a lot of conscious consumers in first world countries and even in the Philippines, more people who are leading towards more sustainable practices and lifestyle… We also have a lot of Filipinos who are in the diaspora who are, who want to have, you know, feel of home and who want, you know, like more of Philippine cultural items," he added. According to Dr. Norma Respicio, professor emeritus of the University of the Philippines - Diliman, some designs are meant to convey one's social class or protect wearers from bad luck. An example is the Kusikos, a fabric design similar to a whirlwind. “It represents the wind god. It is meant to protect the person wearing such textiles from the effects of strong winds. According to oral traditions… fishermen or those in nearby shores... they make use of the Kusikos demand because that will protect the people on the boat from the whirlwind or whirlpool,” Respicio said. “Philippine Textile art is a deeply rooted tradition.. It is resilient even in the midst of obsessively exploitative economic policies relentlessly imposed by Western cultures. With the assistance of the government... and non-government entities, the struggle to assert the tradition provides greater dynamism to the art and to Philippine culture as a whole. It is a gentle power wielded by women," she added. CHALLENGES While the DOST and other stakeholders vow to boost this industry using technology and other innovations, there are still challenges that need to be addressed when it comes to using the textiles. These include misappropriation, or the use of the product “without the consent of the creator or community”; misuse, or the use of fabric in a manner unintended by the creator or the community; and merchandise of the products. According to Jennifer Sibug- Las, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples’ Ethnographic Commissioner for Central Mindanao, consultation with creators and communities is vital since many of the textiles are considered "sacred," and rituals were made first before using or even cutting the fabric. "We always seek permission from the creator or the community for the purpose or the use of the fabric; Provenance. We always attribute or credit the creation from the origin... Minsan kasi, kaya nagkakaroon ng cultural misappropriation yung ating ibang designers, it’s because there is not enough consultation with the community," Sibug- Las said. Many weavers also experience challenges when it comes to putting a price tag on their creations. “How many months ginagawa… minsan binabarat pa po natin sa presyo,” Sibug- Las said. Weavers are also getting older and fewer students are getting interested in learning handloom weaving. Proposals to include handloom weaving in the student curriculum were raised, and more training for new students and assisting current weavers are some of the ideas proposed to uplift the industry, as well as the lives of the weavers.
Source: ABS-CBN News
The textile industry is, without doubt, one of the biggest in the world. It has very long been said not to be environmentally friendly and even “dirty” – but the opposite is true! We at BRÜCKNER, and also many other German and European machine manufacturers, have invested a lot in the development of energy-efficient and resourcesaving machines and products. The topic of sustainability is nowadays more important than ever and we as a worldwide leading machine manufacturer see it as our absolute duty to develop products that are reliable and sustainable. In addition we have to support our customers with efficient and innovative technologies as well as leading them towards digitalization and automated processes. We want our customers to be successful and to be competitive in the long term. In the end, it is all about saving resources: energy, water, chemicals and other raw materials. The existing resources must therefore either be optimally utilized or upgraded through appropriate modernizations. The key here is to make the right investment in more efficient production. At the same time we all need to continue investing in digitalization and process optimization. Intensive networking between machine manufacturers, customers and the chemical industry must be pushed even harder in future. The heart of Brückner beats for textiles and our core competence is machine engineering, process optimization and assisting our customers in all matters of textile finishing, e.g. reducing their line set-ups, automatic monitoring of the maintenance status of their machines or reducing waiting times via automatic batching systems. There are so many possibilities to save time and resources. We provide high performance dryers along with heat-recovery systems, air purification systems, coating and laminating lines etc. Many processes can also be switched to minimum application technology with the right chemistry, the appropriate technology and of course the willingness to try out new methods. Also Industry 4.0 features can further assist in addressing the issue of an increasing shortage of skilled workers. Our intelligent assistance systems include process simulations, recipe administration systems, predictive maintenance software and process monitoring with special sensors for humidity or temperature. Our service team can assist customers via remote service to avoid machine stops and help to solve small problems without being on-site. If drying or heat-setting is required, our BRÜCKNER POWER-FRAME stenter ensures the best drying and evaporation capacity and allows fast drying of nearly all types of fabric. The very homogeneous airflow and temperature distribution of alternately arranged thermozones and the proven split-flow air circulation system with separately adjustable upper and lower air are some of the features that convince our customers. BRÜCKNER´s answer to today´s challenge regarding energetic reliability, cost awareness and sustainability is a combined and flexible heating system, which can be operated with gas, oil, steam, electricity or combined systems. With the new BRÜCKNER dual heating system, customers can switch very easily between gas and oil heating for example, depending on which energy source is available at the moment. Other combinations are also possible. We are looking forward to present these news and many more highlights at next years´ ITMA in Milan. Last but not least, we would like to congratulate the Indian Textile Magazine on their 60th anniversary. What a great success! India has been and still is today one of the largest producers of textiles and clothing for Western countries. We are very happy to see the positive development in India´s textile industry and it will be a great pleasure to meet our Indian customers face to face at this years´ INDIA ITME in December in Delhi.
Source: Indian Textile Magazine
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the stringent voluntary global standard for the entire post-harvest processing of apparel and home textiles made with certified organic fibre and including both environmental and social criteria, has completed 20 years of its inception. In a statement, GOTS said, “As the world’s leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, GOTS has been engaged in improving the textile industry for two decades. To commemorate this exciting milestone, we are taking a moment to recognise those who have been with us along the way – our friends, stakeholders and partners, workers and managers in GOTS-certified companies, and the consumers who have all helped us make GOTS the gold standard for organic textile certification – from field to fashion. To show our appreciation, we are launching an awareness campaign that will educate, engage and inspire.” It also added that GOTS has developed the world’s leading organic textile processing standard, by not only expanding an important niche market, but also by constantly engaging in improving the entire textile industry. As a dynamic and evolving standard, GOTS is fully revised and updated every three years, in an inclusive process that invites input from stakeholders, industry professionals and the public. The process is overseen by the Standard Revision Committee (SRC), a group of experts convened by GOTS to manage the revision. GOTS claims that interest in organic textiles has grown, along with public awareness of the environmental and social concerns of the textile industry. Companies are racing to meet the increasing demand for the limited supply of certified organic fibre. However, self claims, misinformation and greenwashing from companies make it confusing for consumers to know which information they can trust.
Source: Apparel Resources
