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Polyester-cotton (PC) and poly spun yarn prices have eased in the domestic market as sluggish demand forced sellers to cut prices. Polyester and PC yarn prices reduced by ₹3-8 per kg in the last couple of days. Cheaper PSF and raw materials also led yarn prices to go down. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has reduced the prices of PSF by ₹2 per kg for the second half of this month. Slightly better demand seen last week could not be sustained, causing a decline in polyester yarn and blended yarn prices, according to trade sources. Price cut of PSF and raw materials by RIL also drove yarn prices downwards. “Buyers were absent from the market. Recent report of steep fall in India’s textiles and apparel also gave bearish indications,” a Ludhiana based trader told Fibre2Fashion. Polyester-cotton and poly spun yarn lost ₹5-8 per kg in Ludhiana. While Surat market noted a decline of ₹3-5 per kg, sources said. 30 count PC combed yarn (48/52) was sold at ₹210-220 per kg (GST inclusive). 30 count PC carded yarn (65/35) was priced at ₹180-185 per kg. 20 count PC (recycled-O/E) PSF yarn (40/60) was traded at ₹152-158 per kg. 30 count poly spun yarn was sold at ₹155-160 per kg and recycled polyester fibre (PET bottle fibre) was at ₹83-86 per kg, according to Fibre2Fashion’s market insight tool TexPro. In the Surat market of Gujarat, 30 count poly spun yarn was traded at ₹137-138 per kg (GST extra) and 40 count poly spun yarn at ₹145-147 per kg. RIL had increased the prices of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and MELT for the current week and cut prices of monoethylene glycol (MEG). On Friday, RIL fixed prices as: PTA at ₹81.70 per kg (+0.50), MEG at ₹51.70 per kg (-0.50) and MELT at ₹87.84 (₹+0.26) per kg. RIL has reduced prices of PSF by ₹2 to ₹103 per kg for the current fortnight. North Indian cotton prices increased again after declining yesterday. Weaker dollar supported ICE cotton to move upwards. According to local traders, purchases being made by MNCs at high prices are also supporting cotton prices. They are buying the natural fibre to fulfil their commitment. Cotton arrival was noted at 20,000 bales of 170 kg in north Indian region. Cotton prices increased by ₹150-200 per maund of 37.2 kg in the last one week. The natural fibre was traded at ₹6,800-6,900 in Punjab, ₹6,700-6,800 in Haryana, ₹6,950-7,000 per maund in upper Rajasthan and at ₹66,000-67,500 per candy of 356 kg in lower Rajasthan.
Source: Fibre2Fashion
The Ministry of Textiles in partnership with Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) and Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA) organized a full-day event “National Conclave on Technical Textiles – Protech” here today. The Chief Guest, Ms. Rachna Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, inaugurated the Conclave. The Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, also inaugurated the exhibition of companies encompassing wide range of protective textile products. There were three panel discussions in the conclave covering Prospect of indigenisation of Protective Textile products in India, Experience and Expectations of consumers towards adoption of Indian protective textiles and Market promotion & Export opportunities of Protective Textiles in India along with Global Best Practices. Around 450 participants attended the conclave including Officials and Representatives from Central Government, Indian Forces, researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals related to technical textiles especially Protech. Speaking at the event, Ms. Rachna Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, highlighted that India’s textile industry is a major contributor to the Indian economy and India’s exports. The Technical Textile is a sunrise industry with a robust growth rate of 10% annually. However, the sector is still small in size and there is a lot of opportunity for India to be a prominent player in the global arena. Talking about the vibrancy and energy in the Technical Textiles sector, she added that India is poised to emerge as a powerful destination for manufacturing and exports. However, it is the need of the hour to focus on product diversification, design, aesthetics, as well as need for training for the manpower involved. She highlighted the concerted effort by the Ministry of Textiles under the NTTM to develop and implement standards for the technical textiles items and produce and market quality products that are at par with international standards. She highlighted that one of the most prominent applications of technical textiles is in protective segment, which are used for its functional performance in the areas of protection. Focus should be on indigenization of technology and implementation of quality standards in niche Protech items, given the spur in global demand and usage for Protech products, she further added. Ms. Roop Rashi, Textile Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, in her address she mentioned that there is a need to focus on outcome-oriented R&D in the sector, and given Ministry of Textiles’ focus on R&D which is a major component of the NTTM, tremendous growth is anticipated in the coming years. She apprised about the Government’s efforts on resolving issues in this sector in terms of credit support, subsidy support, facilitation of investment flow among others. She mentioned that the Technical Textiles industry will be a catalyst to fulfil India’s vision of Industry 4.0. Mr. Rajeev Saxena, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, presented on the credentials of Indian technical textiles market, especially protech, to the august gathering of the conclave. He emphasized on the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) and its components including Research, Development and Innovation; Skilling, Training and Education; Promotion and Market Development; and Export Promotion. He highlighted on the various initiatives undertaken under the mission such as supporting R&D Projects in niche and strategic Protech areas, QCOs on 12 protech items, among others. He stated that the Government will soon be coming up with guidelines to support create an education ecosystem and skilled workforce in the field of technical textiles with the development of new courses & laboratory infrastructure in technical textiles, amongst others to promote the growth of technical textiles in India. Mr. Raj Kumar Jain, Chairman, NITRA, said that the market for Technical Textiles is expanding as the products are being put to use by an ever-increasing number of end users in various industries such as protective wear, agriculture, amongst others. Furthermore, with the increase in disposable income, the consumption of technical textiles is expected to increase even in retail households in the near future. He appreciated Ministry of Textiles for launching many Schemes for growth and development of technical textiles such as PLI scheme, PM MITRA, National Technical Textiles Mission etc. He highlighted that the Government of India is promoting indigenous manufacture of technical textiles to explore the global opportunities and cater to the domestic demand as well. Mr. Amit Agarwal, Chairman, ITTA, highlighted that protective textiles are not only used in fire scenarios, but have wider usage in many hazardous prone activities related to energy transmission, radiation energy, amongst others. He stated that there exists a huge potential for protective textiles in India given increasing exposure to hazards and presence of five crore people in organized and almost equal people in unorganized sector. India should focus on enhancing the standardization for technical textiles items, he added. He emphasized that mandation for the use of technical textiles by user industry would significantly drive the growth of technical textiles in India. Dr. Arindam Basu, Director General, NITRA, apprised about the research facilities and projects undertaken by Northern India Textiles Research Association in the field of technical textiles, especially protective textiles.
Source: The Pib
The contraction in merchandise exports after a two-year run of impressive growth makes a case for aggressive trade promotion. The 16.65% decline in exports during October was broad-based, with only electronic goods, rice, tea, oil seeds, oil meals and tobacco posting growth. Value-added and employment-generating segments like engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products and textiles were among the 24 of 30 principal export items that contracted.
Source: The Economic times
India will be launching negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with a region next week, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday. He said that negotiations are going on with countries, including the UK, European Union, Canada and Israel. "Next week, we will be launching one more very important FTA," Goyal said here at a function of consumer electronics. Though the minister did not disclose the name of the region, there is a likelihood that the talks may start with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as the region was keen to increase economic engagement with India. GCC is a union of six countries in the Gulf region -- Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. India has already implemented a free trade pact with the UAE in May this year. In a free trade agreement, two countries or regions either significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on a maximum number of goods traded between them. Besides, they also ease norms to promote trade and investments. Goyal said that the world sees huge opportunities in India and that is the reason for increasing engagement with India. He also said that the country's economy may touch USD 30 trillion by 2047 and if things perform "slightly better", it may touch USD 49 trillion.
Source: The Economic times
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal today said ‘Scale’ and ‘Speed’ will make a difference to India's growth story. Quoting PM Shri Narendra Modi, Minister highlighted the scale at which India offers opportunity and the speed with which India is adopting technology and integrating with a global economy. He was addressing Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) 43rd Annual Function ACE Dialogues 2022 in New Delhi today. The Minister congratulated the Award winners and appreciated the Industry for their passion and commitment to contribute to India's growth story, and taking it towards the path of self-reliant and self confident Economy. He particularly lauded the LED manufacturers for their contribution in India’s LED success. He said that the entire nation adopted LED, and highlighted that India was able to roll out LED bulbs to the length and breadth of the country in just four years. Addressing the gathering he said India with 1.4 billion people today provides the largest market opportunity available anywhere in the world. This is the calling card, Shri Goyal said, because of which world wants to engage with India today. They recognise that India offers a huge opportunity in terms of market. Shri Goyal highlighted that developed countries of the world are now keen to do free trade agreements or comprehensive economic partnerships with India. India’s vibrant startup ecosystem and innovation is attracting the world to come and set up operations in India. Shri Goyal informed that FTA negotiations are underway with UK, Canada, EU, Israel and one more important FTA will be launched next week (With GCC). He complimented industry for their bold leadership on negotiating on an equal basis while dealing with the developed nations. This shows the courage of conviction of Industry in their ability to compete with the best, he added. Shri Goyal said the government's focus has been to promote manufacturing in India. He added that the Government has made significant structural changes to the Indian economy and cited ease of doing business, improvement in Global Innovation Index rankings, success of schemes like production linked incentive scheme. Shri Goyal said remarkable growth in the mobile industry from two manufacturers to nearly 200 manufacturers is a living example of the success. Shri Goyal said India taking over the presidency of the G 20 is a matter of pride for us. Shri Goyal said India is a ‘SMART’ country. Elaborating on it, he said ‘S’ stands for sustainability. Sustainability should be the hallmark of the consumer electronics industry. ‘M’ stands for India’s manufacturing capabilities, can we manufacture high quality products, Can we become recognized globally, can we adopt and Implement world quality standards, he added. ‘A’ stands for Atmanirbhar Bharat. We must encourage the component ecosystem in India to become an atma nirbhar consumer electronics manufacturing base. ‘R’ stands for Rating. He asked the industry to consider having quality ratings with the Made in India label on self regulation principles. He asked to encourage people to adopt modern standards and buy high quality goods. ‘T’ stands for technology. It will determine the success of our industry. We must look at new emerging trends and pick up the contemporary trends at early stages. Shri Goyal concluded by saying that the industry will truly become the flag bearers of new prosperous India, which will provide job opportunities to every single child born in India, and produce world class products in India.
Source: The Pib
Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has said that to overcome the current slowdown in merchandise exports the focus should be on providing liquidity at competitive cost to the export sector. RBI may consider opening export credit refinance facility to banks so as to encourage them to lend to the export sector with refinancing from RBI at the Repo Rate, said the apex trade promotion organisation. India's merchandise exports in October declined to USD 29.78 billion compared to USD 35.73 billion in the same month last year, as per the official data released on Tuesday. According to FIEO, President, Dr A Sakthivel the dip is a reflection of toughening global trade conditions facing demand slowdown on account of high inventories, rising inflation, economies entering recession, high volatility in currencies and geopolitical tensions. He further said that the government should look into the request of the export sector for continuing with IGST exemption on freight on exports, which lapsed on September 30, 2022, particularly as the freight rates are still at much elevated level and GST on such freight will affect the liquidity of the exporters, though refundable later. Further, the Federation is also of the view that the new TMA scheme for agri exporters may be announced as the cost of freight, particularly the reefer, is very high. Besides, time-bound clearance to all SCOMET related shipments and encouragement to investment in export marketing through tax deductions is also the need of the hour. “The drop in commodity prices and restriction on some exports, with a view to stem the price increase in the domestic market, have also affected the growth numbers,” said the chief. He said that the decline in exports of major labour-intensive sectors including engineering goods, apparels and textiles, gems & jewellery, petroleum product, organic & inorganic chemicals, drugs & pharmaceuticals, marine products, leather & leather products besides many agri product sectors is of particular concern as these sectors are key to huge employment generation. At the same time, the growth in exports of electronic goods on a sustained basis is a good sign besides growth in exports of few agri product sectors including oil seeds, oil meals, tobacco, tea and rice, said FIEO. However, the decline in imports is encouraging despite the jump in import of petroleum, crude & products, fertiliser, crude & manufactured and transport equipment. We hope that the energy prices will come down further to provide more relief to us on the trade deficit, opined FIEO Chief.
Source: The knnindia
CABT, an Indian logistics company, has tied up with e-commerce major, Meesho, for first-mile and last-mile delivery solutions. As a strategic partner, CABT Logistics will offer Meesho first-mile pick-up, last-mile deliveries and warehousing solutions, besides facilitating same-day deliveries. Nearly 8 lakh suppliers sell their products on Meesho. With multiple fulfilment hubs, CABT Logistics already has a strong presence in Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Mysore and now in Jaipur. The company has allotted hundreds of riders exclusively for Meesho, along with sorters and loaders. Working with 3PL partners, Meesho is currently available in all serviceable pin codes in India, CABT said in a press release. “Sound logistics solutions and technology are an integral part of running a large e-commerce business. To amplify our reach and cater to our consumers better, we are always looking to strengthen our fulfilment capabilities. With the expertise that CABT Logistics brings to the table, we are confident that this will be a fruitful collaboration,” Sourabh Pandey, CXO - fulfilment & experience at Meesho, said. “We are happy to collaborate with Meesho, India’s fastest growing e-commerce company, and offer them our suite of comprehensive logistics solutions. The combination of Meesho’s reach and CABT’s logistics expertise will accelerate the development of digital solutions and expand the logistics ecosystem,” Shailesh Kumar, founder at CABT Logistics, said.
Source: Fibre2Fashion
A powerhouse of talent and skills, Odisha is home to many craft skills, with every street and bylane bustling with artisans who churn out heritage paintings, textiles, embroidery and more, made with a diverse range of products. One unique craft is not only mesmerising but also eco-friendly: coir handicrafts. Derived from the nuts of coconut palms, coir is exceptionally tensile and environmentally friendly. Called 'Kalpvriksha' or the all-giving tree, this natural fibre is artistically moulded into various shapes and sizes, birthing a unique coir craft that Odisha is famous for. Different communities sustain their livelihoods in the city of Puri with coir craft work. This coir craft is practised chiefly by rural women folk in various areas. Raghurajpur village, about 10km from Puri, is a stunning artisan village responsible for safeguarding various traditional arts, including coir craft. In 2000, the area was developed as a heritage village by INTACH. It soon became a major rural tourist destination of the state, where residents were also trained to take domestic and foreign tourists on a heritage tour of the village. The abundance of coconut plantations allows the men and women in this village to work with coconut products. Many of these artisans are farmers who use coir as an additional source of income.
The Making Of Coir
Coir is traditionally processed from coconut husks. It is cured in saline or freshwater for 8-10 months by a process called "Retting", which increases the fibre's flexibility, strength and durability. The coir fibre is sorted while the product's design (toys, household items) is drawn on paper. If the finished article is small, the coir is simply moulded by tying it with threads into the desired shape. The design is imprinted on cardboard for more significant items, over which the coir is pasted using a combination of glue and water. Many of the items are made in parts, all of which are assembled at the end of the day to bring the final product to life. If the product needs stiffness, it is dipped in diluted glue. It can take up to 5-6 hours for the final product to dry up. Most of these coir products take the shape of horses, crocodiles, dinosaurs, giraffes, monkeys, elephants, and houses, for which coloured wool is used in ornamentation. Many products also use wooden beads and bells to make them attractive. Earlier, raw coir fibre was separated using hands; today, the process is mechanical, bringing down the price point.
Growth Initiatives
While income from the craft was limited, many NGOs are working towards uplifting the artisans today. A scheme by the government called "Coir Vikas Yojana" aims to promote the development of domestic and export markets, skill development and training, empowerment of women, employment/entrepreneurship creation and development, enhanced raw material utilisation, trade-related services, welfare activities for the coir workers, among other agendas. Orissa Rural and Urban Producers' Association (ORUPA) is another voluntary effort towards encouraging and helping Odisha's handicraft and handloom artisans to keep the traditional art forms alive. Getting there: Raghurajpur is only 10km by road from Puri. So you must book a car or an auto-rickshaw for travelling to and fro. Puri can be reached by road, rail or air. The closest airport is the Bhubaneswar Airport, which is 53 km away.
Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture inaugurated the exhibition on ‘Tradition is Contemporary- Danish Textile Craft in in Art and Design’ in the presence of Freddy Svane, Danish Ambassador to India at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy here today. Talking about the rich tradition and customs of India, she emphasisied that academic research may be done on the Indian fabrics and the traditional ways of artisans to popularize the country’s textile sector in the global market. She suggested recreating Indian fabrics using sustainable ways for better marketing in international platforms. “It’s time we start looking at the commonalities in our civilisations,” Smt. Lekhi said referring to the Danish association in the exhibition. The three-month long exhibition will conclude on 16th February, 2023. The exhibition is being organized in collaboration with Danish Agency of Culture, Denmark. Mr. Freedy Savne, Ambassador of Denmark to India said that India has many cultures and it is the best living civilization. He also applauded how India has kept its culture and traditions intact which reflects in the work of artisans. “Indian fabric and textiles has shaped the humanity,” he said. Shri Shantmanu, DC (Handicrafts) said that the country has a cultural exchange programme however, soon the Ministry of Textiles will be initiating craft exchange programme for wider exposure of artisans involved in the sector.A deep reflection on the influence of Indian tradition on Danish designers and artistes through over 200 years, the collection also includes 9 vintage textiles and samples of Indian weaves transported on merchant’s ships to Denmark in the 1820s. Besides seeking inspiration from pieces that are stored in The National Archives (Rigsarkivet) in Copenhagen. The curators have also reproduced a few textile installations for the exhibition that used as part of the scenography. 13 examples of Danish textiles artists and designers are on display in this exhibition, the earliest from the 1930s up to those working today. They all explore local Danish traditions while often taking direct inspiration from Indian crafts and techniques. Aside from the directly Danish examples, the oldest pieces here are 9 specimens of Indian textile samples dating back to the early 1800’s that were sailed on merchant’s ships to be sold in Denmark by the Danish Asia Company. National Crafts Museum, Ministry of Textile situated in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi promotes the awareness of our country’s heritage mostly Handicrafts and Handlooms through display of objects in the galleries and live demonstration of skill and technique by Master craftsperson in Crafts Demonstration Program. In addition to this, the Museum is having various other things like Village Complex having courtyards, and huts of different state at one place and beautiful environment.
Source: The Pib
Besides reiterating the belief that there are many complimentary cultural bastions between the two countries that can be enhanced through such exchanges, the program also echoes the need "to encourage exchange in the fields of design and crafts with special attention to traditional craftsmanship and sustainability". India and Denmark have furthered their cross-cultural exchange with a new 'Textile Master Program' where five Danish artists and designers will travel to India to work with as many Indian textile masters. The program, to begin early next year, was launched by the Ambassador of Denmark to India Freddy Svane on Tuesday here. It is supported by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, in partnership with the All India Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association (AIACA) and Danish Art Workshops. The program will explore Indian textile crafts, such as hand-block print, hand appliqué, bandhani tie and dye, kantha stitch embroidery and ikat weaving. "Textiles have been part of our 400 years relationship. Now we are taking it from past to present, and into the future. This program will strengthen the collaboration between Danish and Indian Textile designers, also it will highlight the value of craftsmanship within textile and design," said the Danish Ambassador. A total of 10 candidates have been selected for the program -- five master craftsmen from India and five Danish artists. Khushiram Pandey and Anne Fabricius Møller for block printing, Gaurav Choudhary and Begitte Lynge Andersen for appliqué work, Adil Mustak Khatri with Katrine Hoff for bandhani, Mahamaya Sikdar with Sarah Brunnhuber for kantha, and Radhe Shayam Meher and Anna Bruun Kristiansen will take part for ikat weaving.Besides reiterating the belief that there are many complimentary cultural bastions between the two countries that can be enhanced through such exchanges, the program also echoes the need "to encourage exchange in the fields of design and crafts with special attention to traditional craftsmanship and sustainability"."AIACA is elated with this collaboration, which will celebrate the skills of our master artisans and promote the traditions of the fascinating and vibrant Indian textile crafts, passed down through generations by our skilled artisans. We are confident that this programme will greatly benefit the artists and will lead to an exchange of ideas and traditions," said Meenu Chopra, executive director of AIACA.In the autumn of 2023, the Indian Master Craftsmen will travel to Denmark to conduct workshops for Danish artists, hosted by The Danish Arts Workshops, Copenhagen, he informed.
Source: The outlookindia
Earlier this year, Manipur witnessed state elections. In the run-up to the elections, every political party aimed to address the problem of unemployment. And for good reason.Although no northeastern state performs well when it comes to employment rates, Manipur is particularly worse: as recently as 2020, the state’s labour and employment Minister Thongam Radheshyam Singh, replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Surjakumar Okram in the Assembly during Question Hour, had said the number of unemployed youths in Manipur was 7,21,824 in 2014, which fell to 3,46,690 in 2018. And he was quoting data from the Directorate of Labour and Employment. To contextualise this number, officially, almost 10% of the state’s entire population was categorised as unemployed, according to Singh. But if the revival and popularity of the state’s textile sector is anything to go by, the solution to the state’s.
Insha Mir, a journalism graduate, made a name for herself as an entrepreneur when she created Kashmir’s first organic fibre apparel company.
Source: The print
In yet another significant investment in the textile and garment manufacturing sector in Telangana, Page Industries, makers of the Jockey brand of innerwear, has decided to set up garment manufacturing factories in Ibrahimpatnam and Mulugu with an investment of Rs 290 crore to manufacture one crore garments and create 7,000 jobs. Page Industries will lease the ‘Plug and Play’ facility in Ibrahimpatnam, which is being built by Whitegold Spintex Park in a 1.50 lakh sq. ft space. It is expected to employ 3,000 locals. Page Industries will build and develop a second facility in Mulugu, Siddipet district, on a 25-acre land parcel, employing 4,000 locals. Both the facilities will manufacture garments which include sportswear and athleisure wear. On Tuesday, a top management team from the company led by V. Ganesh, managing director, met with industries minister K.T. Rama Rao at Pragathi Bhavan. “Delighted to share that popular innerwear brand Jockey (Page Industries) will be setting up garment manufacturing factories in Ibrahimpatnam and Mulugu, producing 1crore garments creating 7000 jobs in the State. Hearty welcome and best wishes to the company as it embraces Telangana," Rama Rao tweeted. The minister welcomed Page Industries to Telangana and assured them of the state government's full cooperation. The meeting was attended by principal secretary (industries) Jayesh Ranjan, TSIIC VC and MD E.V.Narsimha Reddy, and director (textiles) Mihir Parekh. Telangana has already attracted investments from major textile and garment manufacturing companies, including Kitex, Welspun, Ganesha Ecosphere, Youngone, Gokaldas Images, Whitegold Spintex, Divya Textiles and others.
Source: The Deccanchronicle
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SVP Global Textiles, one of the largest compact cotton yarn manufacturer and leading multinational textiles company, has reported a net loss of ₹20 crore against net profit of ₹40 crore logged in the same period last year, due to sharp rise in raw cotton price. The company’s revenue dipped 28 per cent to ₹294 crore (₹406 crore). Ebitda dropped to ₹39 crore (₹93 crore). Maj Gen (Retd) OP Gulia, CEO, SVP Global Textiles said the raw material (cotton) prices continued to remain at higher levels in September quarter and put the textile industry under stress. However, he said the company has mnaged to reduce losses by improving on operational and financial efficiencies along with some softening in cotton prices. The next quarter is looking very promising due to improved demand of apparel and cotton prices declining from a peak of ₹1,15,000 per candy to approximately ₹70,000 per candy now. The company is in the process of analysing various restructuring options available including the sale of assets of subsidiaries to reduce debt, he said. The company has received approval to set up a technical textile facility at Jhalawar under the Ministry of Textile’s PLI scheme.
Source: The Hindubusinessline
A commitment to making the fashion industry more sustainable has led to DMU researchers teaming up with a luxury clothing brand exhibiting at the COP 27 UN climate change conference in Egypt. London-based luxury womenswear label L Saha contacted DMU School of Fashion and Textiles lecturers and the university’s Insititute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD) to support an exhibition at the COP 27 event, which has brought global leaders together in Sharm El-Sheikh to tackle the climate emergency. L Saha’s designs, which have dressed A-listers and royal families, are created sustainably and ethically and focus on exceptional craftsmanship. Everything that goes into each piece of luxury womenswear is accounted for, from the farmers who grow the crops to create the textiles to ensuring fair pay for the artisan craftspeople who hand stitch the designs. Brand founder Labone Saha has previously said ‘we cannot burn our home in the quest to make profits’ and DMU academics are delighted she has approached the university for support at COP 27. The L Saha exhibition will be informed by DMU research which shows the devastating effect the fashion industry is having on the planet, and how DMU is countering this. Dr Claire Lerpiniere, an Associate Professor, researcher and teacher in Textile Design at DMU, said: “It is wonderful to partner with a brand driven by the principles of sustainability, equality and human rights on the global stage. “L Saha is what the future of the fashion industry can be – fully sustainable and ethical with a beautiful design aesthetic. “Our academics and students are fully aware of the global challenges that face the fashion industry but our teaching and research looks at everything from the textile manufacturing process to garment durability and longevity as we work to make the industry more sustainable. “We are also aware of how important it is to promote sustainability across all of our DMU faculties covering everything from the student experience to our work as a civic university. DMU recognises we all have a part to play.” Muyiwa Oyinlola, Director of the IESD at DMU, will be at COP 27 for the L Saha exhibition. He said: “We are pleased our expertise and experience in areas critical for tackling the sustainability challenge in the fashion sector means we are partnering with L Saha for this COP27 exhibition under the Energy, Industry and Just Transition. “During the exhibition, we will be highlighting how our leading research in low carbon technology – such as renewable energy technology and energy efficiency – and the Circular Economy – which includes sustainable production and consumption, upcycling and recycling - can benefit the manufacturing process in textiles around the world.” Sustainability is a huge focus for DMU, which is the only UK university to be a hub for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - a series of 17 targets to make the world a better place. DMU’s School of Fashion and Textiles was named winner of the Next Generation Learning and Skills Award in last year’s Green Gowns Awards, which reward the most sustainable projects happening in higher education today. It has enhanced its courses and curriculum to ensure that graduates are empowered to create positive change and reverse the devastating environmental impacts of the global fashion industry, which is currently responsible for 10 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. The university won another two Green Gown Awards just last week. DMU’s Sustainability Manager, Karl Letten, the energy team and the Estates and Facilities Directorate claimed the 2030 Climate Action Award, while DMU Global received the Building Back Better award. Carolyn Hardaker, Head of the School of Fashion and Textiles, said: “It is a year since this school won a Green Gown Award and was represented at the World Expo in Dubai so it is wonderful that we have another opportunity to have our teaching and research put on the world stage.”
Source: The Dmu
How long can Bangladesh rely on cheap labour and preferential tariff systems to be competitive, especially after graduating from LDC? We must invest in our people if we are to survive the challenges ahead The textile industry in Bangladesh is facing many daunting challenges that must be dealt with new, innovative strategies. Just as the industry was regaining its footing from the pandemic in 2020, the Ukraine-Russia war has had a disastrous impact on global supply chains, exerting inflationary pressure on our key markets. As of August 2022, Europe is experiencing record inflation of 9.1%, driven by surging energy prices. Both the US and Europe are suffering from economic downturn, the effects of which are already being felt in retail, as consumer demand plummets. At home, the energy crisis has rocked our markets, and factories are struggling to keep their lines running. It is clear that a global economic recession is just around the corner, and Bangladesh's textiles industry cannot afford to employ the same strategies it has in the past. We must be prepared to absorb the shock, and pivot according to new market demands. Firstly, it is imperative that the industry stops relying on cheap labour and duty-free trade access to remain competitive in the global market. Bangladesh is losing its Least Developed Country (LDC) status in the next five years or so, and our favourable trade agreements are set to expire with it. Favourable trade agreements such as GSP have undeniably helped propel the textile industry forward, giving us valuable, duty-free access to key markets. Combined with the low cost of labour, we have been able to use our trade advantages to become a dominant player in the global textiles arena. Bangladesh is trying to extend GSP privileges for another decade, but it remains a gamble to rely on cheap labour and preferential trade deals. After all, labour wages have been rising steadily since the early days of garments, narrowing the profit margins. On the other hand, prices offered by buyers remain relatively stagnant and are only going to decline further. Instead of reducing labour wages, a more far-sighted solution is to reskill and upskill workers in textile-specialised vocational schools. Capacity-building strategies that create better, more efficient workers are not only a boon for the industry, but also an advantage for the nation. With a skilled workforce, we can achieve greater product diversification, venturing into higher value-added items like lingerie and sportswear. To do this, I propose instituting at least one textile vocational school in each of the eight divisions in Bangladesh, making trade schools accessible to people all across the country. It is high time we invest in our human resources, undeniably our greatest asset and the reason for the textile industry's success. This will require cooperation, coordination and investment from multiple stakeholders, including the government, trade bodies, brands, NGOs, and foreign investors. The Skills For Employment Investment Program (SEIP) is an organisation that is already running many such vocational training schools for multiple trades and industries. It was born out of the collaborative efforts of the government, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and other NGOs and international stakeholders. On a nationwide, more systematic scale, relevant SEIP programs can be expanded into vocational schools to transform our human resources to an international standard truly. This is especially necessary, considering how our direct competitor and market peer, Vietnam, was able to overtake us as the second largest garments exporter in 2020. Although we were able to reclaim the second position in 2021, Bangladesh still lags behind Vietnam in key variables of efficiency, such as lead time, product quality and sustainability. According to a competitiveness report published by World Trade Organization (WTO), Vietnam outscores Bangladesh on ten out of twelve indices. Unsurprisingly, the only two indices Bangladesh outperformed Vietnam in were cost of manufacturing and tariff facilities, thanks to the cheap cost of local labour and duty-free access to global markets. However, how long can Bangladesh rely on these two factors to retain its global competitive advantage, especially after graduating from LDC? We must invest in our human resources today if we are to survive the next decade of challenges ahead.
Source: The Tbsnews
At a family gathering in August, I gave a brief tribute to my mother on the occasion of her 90th birthday. As the guests sipped their coffee in the warm summer air, I ticked off a dozen or so pieces of wisdom that she has imparted to her family over the decades. One insight that I credited to her was an aversion to waste. In our household, items such as clothes and toys would have multiple lives before being thrown out, and leftover food would be transformed into tomorrow’s lunch. In other words, my mother was an early advocate of the circular economy, in which materials and products have multiple iterations, and the waste of one process loops back and becomes the input for another. For people of her generation, these are commonly held values. But younger generations have largely strayed from these ideas, opting instead to produce and consume more and more. Some of the waste is recycled, but that only goes so far towards addressing the problem that the planet has limited resources to offer. The finiteness of this supply distinguishes materials from energy. There’s little doubt that in the future we will be able to capture more solar power and even build nuclear fusion reactors to abolish energy scarcity forever. But for material resources, no such technology is in view. That’s what makes the research reported in this Outlook so important. As the world sets out to put its economies on a sustainable footing, this Outlook looks at the progress and barriers to the sustainable use and reuse of plastics; electronic devices such as mobile phones; building materials; and clothing and other textiles. It also examines the transition of biofuels to a more environmentally friendly form that will foster less soil-depleting and carbon-producing agriculture, and the urgent need to become better stewards of Earth’s water resources. Two researchers also debate whether plastic recycling is central to the advancement of the circular economy, or a counterproductive distraction from the need for more fundamental change. We are pleased to acknowledge the financial support of Google in producing this Outlook. As always, Nature retains sole responsibility for all editorial content.
Source: The nature
Sonja Salmon is a big fan of cellulose, and that’s why she wants to destroy it. “I love cellulose,” she says. “I’m ripping cellulose apart because I love it.” She’s also pulling it apart because the polymer, which is found naturally in wood and cotton, accounts for one-quarter of all the fibres used in textile manufacturing. That means any effort to recycle clothing and fabric to keep them part of the circular economy for as long as possible has to include ways to deal with all that cellulose. Salmon, a polymer scientist at Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, is working on breaking down the cellulose from discarded textiles and reusing it. Many clothing fabrics are a blend of half polyester and half cotton — individual fibres of cotton and polyester are twisted tightly around one another, creating a yarn that is then woven or knitted into a garment. Taking that structure apart mechanically is challenging, so instead Salmon treats it with cellulases, a group of enzymes that break up the cellulose. “We can chew it up into small enough molecules and fragments that it will actually fall out of the rest of the fabric structure,” Salmon says. Her focus is on characterizing the material that comes out of the breakdown process and working out what it might best be used for. For example, the enzymes break down the cellulose into glucose, which could be used as a feedstock for making biofuel. They also leave behind tiny chunks of cotton fibre that could provide lightweight reinforcement for concrete. “Even though the cotton fibre will no longer be long enough to directly spin it back into a yarn, we think the material has value,” Salmon says. This way of thinking is a big change from how old clothing and textiles, such as upholstery fabrics and carpeting, are currently handled. Globally, only 13% of the material that goes into making clothing is recycled, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an organization in Cowes, UK, that promotes the circular economy. Most textile waste — an estimated 92 million tonnes from the fashion industry alone — produced each year winds up buried or incinerated. “We throw stuff away into landfill and we’re treating it like garbage,” Salmon says. “We’re not looking upon it as something that is actually a raw material that could be reused.” The US Environmental Protection Agency estimated that, in the United States in 2018, the average person threw away 47 kilograms of textiles. About three-quarters of that— 36 kg — is clothing and footwear, while the rest is mostly towels, bedding, furniture fabrics and carpets. Meanwhile, resources are expended to create virgin material (see ‘Thread count’) — water and land to grow more cotton, and petroleum to make more polyesters (see ‘Recovering polyester’).
Source: The Nature
Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg) will be sending its experts from Europe and Asia to welcome visitors at the ISPO Munich 2022 from November 28–30, 2022 at stand 512 in ISPO Outdoor Hall A1, Germany. Freudenberg specialises in woven, knitted, and non-woven interlinings and thermal insulation and presents sustainable solutions for sportswear and related product segments of all kinds. Trade show visitors will experience a wide range of innovative and sustainable interlinings for active sports outfits, stretch interlinings for yoga wear, Pilates & Co, and thermal insulations that combine perfect outdoor wearing comfort with high warmth retention. With Comfortemp brand thermal insulations and the Active Range, Freudenberg presents a complete package for outdoor and sportswear for winter sports: thermal insulations, interlinings, tapes, lining fabrics, and adhesive solutions, according to a press release by Freudenberg. The product highlights include Comfortemp Protect HO 15x GRS, the highly durable padding that provides good warmth retention as well as high wearing comfort and withstands 25 cycles of industrial laundering. With a fibre content of at least 20 per cent recycled PET bottles, Comfortemp pProtect HO 15x is certified according to the Global Recycling Standard (GRS). Comfortemp Soft HO 80x wadding offers the tailor-made solution for sustainable sports and outdoor applications. Made from 100 per cent recyclable polyamide fibres (PA 6), Comfortemp Soft HO 80x carries the Gold Level Health certificate, which stands for unlimited recyclability for a continuous and consistent circular economy. The independent jury has nominated the 100 per cent biodegradable thermal insulation Comfortemp Nature Lyocell HO 60x, made from Lyocell regenerated fibres, for the ISPO Textrends Award fall/winter 2024/25 season. The award is given exclusively to innovative products that are ground-breaking for the development of the textile industry. Comfortemp Nature Lyocell HO 60x has a variety of performance characteristics such as high warmth retention, bacteria inhibiting and fast drying, and water repelling. High wearing comfort and the assurance of a perfect moisture balance characterise the volume fleece as ideal for application in sportswear. Freudenberg is presenting its entire European and global product portfolio from its House of Sustainability at ISPO. The House of Sustainability supports Freudenberg in minimising its ecological footprint and maximising its ecological handprint. For this purpose, the company’s own manufacturing processes are designed to minimise the impact on the environment. In addition, products are developed to help customers produce more sustainably. Freudenberg is committed to driving forward the ecological, economic, and digital transformation process together with new and existing customers in the apparel industry. Freudenberg experts therefore also see ISPO as an excellent opportunity for talks and the exchange of ideas on possible collaborative developments.
Source: Fibre2Fashion
