Great stride made in India-US trade relationship says US Commerce Secretary
Indian ad spends to grow 15.5% in 2023, will rank 8th globally, says GroupM
Cabinet nod to new textile park, govt to give free land in Lucknow
Vinay Kwatra's visit to further strengthen, add momentum to Dhaka-Delhi ties, India hopes
WPI inflation cools to 4.73% in January as against 4.95% in December 2022
Lal10 to help digitise textile factories across India, to launch 7 satellite offices
INTERNATIONAL
BGMEA gets government's memento for its contribution to textile sector
What will happen to investment in textiles
Pakistan: Encouraging cotton growing helps excel textile industry'
Pangaia launches world’s first denim jacket made from Nucycl
Saurer – Enablers of circular economy and are leaders in processing recycled textile materials
Filo: Environmental Itinerary Of The European Flax-Linen And Hemp
Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution, Shri Piyush Goyal held the first meeting with the newly constituted Textile Advisory Group at the Vanijya Bhavan, New Delhi. Smt. Rachna Shah, Secretary (Textiles) initiated deliberations with the Textile Advisory Group which constituted industry associations and councils including AEPC, SRTEPC, ASFI, AMFII, CPMA and SIMA to represent whole of the MMF value chain along with Senior Officials from the Ministries of Textiles, Commerce and Petroleum & Natural Gas. Association of Man-Made fibre industry of India (AMFIl) and Association of Synthetic Fibre Industry (ASFI) presented the overview of the sector and major challenges such as the high degree of fragmentation in the downstream textile value chain from weaving to garmenting and need of protective measures to contain rising imports MMF raw materials (PTA, MEG) and MMF yarn and fabric (PFY, PSF, NFY). The high levels of unutilized production capacities of man-made fibre due to import was discussed. The stakeholders suggested various possible solutions to strengthen and revamp the MMF value chain during the meeting. The matters of import surge of cheap imports of PTA and MEG into India was also discussed. Shri Piyush Goyal said Government will expedite enforcement of all the Quality Control Order (QCO) on the MMF products. Shri Goyal suggested that different segments of the value chain need to be supportive to each other’s requirements and challenges for the holistic growth of the sector. Shri Goyal cited the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for man-made fibre (MMF) apparel, MMF fabrics and products of technical textiles, as the Government’s flagship intervention to augment the size and scale of the domestic MMF sector and assured of providing dedicated handholding support to the PLI beneficiaries through specially designated Ministry of Textiles officers for the purpose. SIMA on behalf of spinners raised the issue of revision of standard input output norms under Advance Authorization Scheme. SRTEPC on behalf of fabric and made-ups , raised the issue of shortage of capacities for quality processing and effluent treatment facilities. AEPC also raised the issue of shortage of availability of high quality processed fabric. The industry stakeholders acknowledged the need of collaborative efforts to address the issues of the MMF industry and pledged to support and handholding each other to fast-track the growth of the Indian MMF sector.
Source: PIB
Under the Biden administration, India and the US has made great strides in their trade relationships, top US officials have said after President Joe Biden announced that AirIndia has agreed to a historic purchase of airplanes from Boeing. On Tuesday, the White House announced that Boeing and Air India have reached an agreement under which the airline and 10 B777X for a total of 220 firm orders valued at USD 34 billion at the list price. There will be an option to buy 70 more aircraft that could take the total transaction value to USD 45.9 billion, a deal that US President Biden described as a "historic agreement". "I'm thrilled to celebrate this new development in the thriving trade relationship between the United States and India. Today's announcement is a deal of historic significance between the Boeing Company and the Tata Group," US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said. Observing that the Air India orders will be Boeing's third biggest sale of all time in dollar value and second in quantity, Raimondo said this is a win for workers, manufacturers, and suppliers across the United States, and it reaffirms the deep and lasting relationship between the two nations. Raimondo is scheduled to travel to India in March to co-chair the US-India CEO Forum and US-India Commercial Dialogue meetings with her Indian counterpart Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. "We're also delighted to be working with India as part of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) for Prosperity, a historic opportunity to strengthen our economic ties and fuel economic prosperity across the IndoPacific region," she said adding that she is optimistic about the opportunities for the US-India economic relationship in the years to come. The IPEF was launched jointly by the US and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. Boeing-Air India deal reaffirms that optimism, the commerce secretary said. "Over the last two years, we have made great strides toward expanding the bilateral trade relationship between the US and India, including through the US-India Trade Policy Forum, to expand market access for American businesses, producers and our workers," said Deputy United States Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi. Biden's announcement of the historic purchase of over 200 American-made aircraft through an agreement between Air India and Boeing is the latest development in strengthening the relationship between the United States and India, she said. tariffs on pecans, certain animal feed imports, and eliminate its duty on ethanol used for industrial purposes," Bianchi said. "Last year, the US announced that India agreed to allow imports of US pork and pork products into India, removing a longstanding barrier to US agricultural trade. USTR will continue working diligently to deepen the USIndia Trade Partnership," she said in a statement. Earlier in the day, Air India announced that it has selected Boeing's family of fuel-efficient airplanes to expand its future fleet with plans to invest in 190 737 MAX, 20 787 Dreamliner and 10 777X airplanes. The agreement between Boeing and Air India includes options for 50 additional 737 MAXs and 20 787-9s. When finalized, this will be the largest Boeing order in South Asia and a historic milestone in the aerospace company's nearly 90-year partnership with the carrier, Boeing said, adding that the order will post to Boeing's Orders and Deliveries website when final. "This acquisition of nearly 300, highly advanced Boeing jets is a core element of Vihaan.AI, the comprehensive transformation and growth strategy we are pursuing at Air India," said Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD, of Air India. "These new airplanes will enable us to dramatically expand our network, both domestically and internationally, and will come with a completely new, worldclass onboard product enabling passengers to travel in the highest levels of comfort and safety. With this order, we are delighted to take our long relationship with Boeing to a new level," he added. "Air India's selection of Boeing's family of passenger jets shows their confidence in our products and services in the world's fastest-growing aviation market, and their decision will support engineering and manufacturing jobs at Boeing factories in Washington state, South Carolina and across our supply base," said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "With the industry-leading fuel efficiency of the 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner and 777X, Air India is well positioned to achieve its expansion plans and become a world-class global airline with an Indian heart," Deal said.
Source: Economic times
Domestic advertising expenditure (adex) in the current calendar year will grow at 15.5 per cent to touch Rs 1.46 trillion, according to media agency GroupM's latest forecast released Tuesday. The double-digit advertising growth will push India to the eighth position globally in terms of ad markets, from ninth last year, underpinning the consistent rise in adex over the last few years, the agency said. Telecom, retail, banking and finance and travel and tourism will be among the key sectors contributing to the advertising growth this calendar year. "Indian adex will be the fastest growing globally at 15.5 per cent supported by robust macroeconomic conditions," says Ashwin Padmanabhan, president, investment, trading and partnerships, GroupM. "Digital, at 56 per cent of all advertising spends this year and growing at 20 per cent over last year, is driving the growth of adex," he said. Since calendar year 2021, the share of digital advertising has been over 50 per cent of domestic adex, led by the aggressive adoption of the medium during the pandemic period, GroupM says. It is now the largest advertising category, followed by television and print, at 30 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, of domestic adex, the agency says. After a sharp decline of 21.5 per cent in overall domestic ad spends in calendar year 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, India's advertising market had recovered to cross Rs 1 trillion by size in 2021. By 2022, overall domestic ad spends had touched Rs 1.26 trillion, up 15.7 per cent over the previous year, GroupM said, led by digital. The year 2023 is expected to see domestic adex stay the course, the media agency says, despite geopolitical issues and volatility in the global markets. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), for instance, has retained its economic growth forecast of 6.1 per cent for India in FY23 in its recent World Economic update, from 6.8 per cent in FY22. It said that India’s GDP growth would return to 6.8 per cent in FY24. "India remains a bright spot. Together with China, it will account for half of global growth this year, versus just a tenth for the US and euro area combined," the IMF said in its economic forecast for FY23. From an advertising perspective, this will reflect in ad spends across categories, says GroupM, all of which are projected to grow versus last year. For instance, television advertising will grow at the rate of 9.2 per cent year-on-year to touch Rs 43,227 crore in 2023, GroupM says. Print advertising will grow 7.4 per cent year-on-year to touch Rs 14,520 crore in 2023. And out-of-home advertising will touch Rs 3,400 crore, a growth of 31 per cent versus the previous year. Of course, challenges remain for the advertising industry. One of them being the need to adapt quickly to changes in technology. "As technology redefines interactions between consumers, brands and businesses the ad industry must navigate through this changing environment,” Prashanth Kumar, CEO, South Asia, GrouM, said. The media agency also anticipates a revival in the rural economy in India as well as improved funding for the start-up ecosystem. This is crucial for the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market as well as the start-up sector, which are important advertising categories in India. In the last one year, both segments have seen a slowdown, say experts, as inflationary pressures in FMCG and investor concerns in the startup world have weighed on them.
Source: Business-Standard
The cabinet on Tuesday gave approval for setting up a textile park near Lucknow under the Prime Minister Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Scheme. Around 1,000 acre land will be transferred free of cost to the department of handloom and textiles for setting up the park. As per the plan, 259 acre land from Hardoi and around 903 acre land from Lucknow will be pooled for the purpose. Out of the total 1,162 acre land, 1,000 acre will be transferred to the department of textiles free of cost. A special purpose vehicle (SPV) will be set up for the textile park. A paid up capital of Rs 10 crore will be required for the project for which 51% will be borne by the state government and the remaining 49% by the Centre. The special purpose vehicle will be set up under the Company Act, 2013. The additional chief secretary or principal secretary of the textile department will be its CEO while secretary, textiles, government of India, will be its chairperson. After the SPV is set up, a master developer will be selected and the park will be developed on private-public partnership (PPP) mode. The project is expected to cost Rs 1,200 crore The Cabinet approved another proposal to revise the rates of land to be purchased with mutual consent from landowners in the YEIDA area. A government spokesperson said that once the government determines the rate at which land for phase 1, stage 2 of the Jewar airport is to be acquired, the rate of acquisition of land from farmers, etc would be determined. Sectors 28, 29, 32 and 33 are industrial sectors. There are several villages in these sectors from which land is to be acquired for the airport. These lands are adjoining the airport. Land will be acquired for Rs 3,100 per metre in industrial sectors adjoining the Noida International Airport and Sector 21 (Film City), Sector 28 (Medical Devices Park), Sector 29 (Industrial Park), Sector 32 (Industries), Sector 33 (Toy Park and industries), Sector 10 (Electronic Manufacturing Cluster) and Sector 9 (where land for MoUs signed under GIS-2023 is available), and land to the north, east and west of the airport for construction of a peripheral road and any future requirements. The Cabinet also approved the proposal for giving the benefits of the 7th Pay commission to ad hoc employees. The Cabinet also cleared a proposal for signing of an MoU between Tata Technologies Ltd and department of technical education and skill development for upgradation of 150 state industrial training institutes (ITIs). As per the MoU, TTL will spend Rs 4,283 crore while the department of technical education and skill development will spend Rs 713 crore, including GST. The total expenditure on the project for the state government is Rs 1,190 crore. The MoU will be signed for 10 years and nine months in which nine months have been set aside for planning and preparation for the project. The project may be extended beyond 10 years based on mutual agreement between TLL and the government. According to the demand of the industry, 11 long term and 23 short term training courses will be conducted by TTL in the 150 ITIs. The Cabinet gave its nod to a proposal to establish residential and non-residential buildings in the Police Lines at Auraiya and setting up of a council to select lab technicians, x-ray technicians etc.
Source: Times of India
The visit of Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra to Bangladesh is in line with the "highest priority" accorded as per India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, the country's Ministry of External Affairs said today. Bangladesh is India's top-most development partner and its largest trade partner in the region, India said. The Indian foreign secretary's visit will further strengthen bilateral ties and add momentum to ongoing cooperation in diverse areas, according to the ministry. Foreign Secretary Kwatra will be on an official visit to Bangladesh, on 15-16 February, at the invitation of the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Masud Bin Momen. During the visit, both foreign secretaries will review the entire range of bilateral relationships including political and security, water, trade and investment, power and energy, defence, connectivity and sub-regional cooperation. Kwatra will arrive in Dhaka after the completion of his two-day official visit to Nepal on 13-14 February. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and his Indian counterpart will discuss bilateral issues at the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC). Kwatra assumed charge as foreign secretary on 1 May last year, and this will be his first Bangladesh visit since then. The last FOC was held on 29 January 2021 in New Delhi, India. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to attend the 18th Group of Twenty (G20) Summit which will take place in New Delhi on September 9-10 this year. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Hasina to attend the Summit. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen will attend the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on 1-2 March. The issues related to the upcoming visits by the prime minister and foreign minister are likely to be discussed during the Indian foreign secretary's visits, said a diplomatic source. Kwatra is likely to meet the prime minister and foreign minister during his visit. India, which holds the presidency of the G20 from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023, invited Bangladesh as a "guest country" in its all meetings. Bangladesh sees its series of engagements with the G20 under India's presidency this year as a "big honour". "We will raise our issues there. It is a big honour for us. We should be prudent," Momen told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently, noting that Bangladesh is the only South Asian country invited by the host. India invited Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as guest countries to its meetings and summit, according to the Ministry of External Affairs, India. The G20 members represent around 85 percent of the global GDP, over 75 percent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
Source: Tbs News
Wholesale Price Index inflation cooled to 4.73 per cent in January as against 4.95 per cent in December 2022. The decline in the rate of inflation is driven by mineral oils, chemicals & chemical products, textiles, crude petroleum & natural gas, textiles, and food products. “The month over month change in WPI for the month of January, 2023 stood at 0.13 per cent as compared to December, 2022,” said the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in its statement. The food index inflation increased from 0.65 per cent in December 2022 to 2.95 per cent in January. “The Food Index consisting of 'Food Articles' from Primary Articles group and 'Food Product' from Manufactured Products group have increased from 170.3 in December, 2022 to 171.2 in January, 2023,” the ministry said. The food index includes products such as cereals, paddy, wheat, pulses, vegetables, potato, onion, fruits, milk, eggs, meat and fish. The primary articles index that includes food articles, non-food articles, minerals, and crude petroleum and natural gas increased 0.93 per cent in January as compared to December 2022. Fuel and power index declined by 1.39 per cent to 155.8 in January, from 158.0 for the month of December. Manufactured products that include food products, beverages, textiles, leather and related products, paper, pharmaceuticals, rubber and plastic etc increased by 0.14 per cent to 141.3 from 141.1 in December 2022.
Source: Business Today
Lal10, the online B2B e-commerce platform has announced that it will launch seven satellite offices across seven states in India by the end of June 2023. This comes with a bid to digitise MSMEs in India for global trade. Lal10 has already become the largest pan-India aggregator of textile factories and it has over 2292 MSMEs in its fold. This expansion is in keeping with the scale planned by the company to service its midsize to large-scale global buyers in the US, UK, Japan and the Middle East. India’s MSME sector is among the biggest contributors to the Indian economy, with a 30 per cent contribution to the nation’s GDP and a 50 per cent contribution to export markets. Lal10 claims by digitising these factories, it could become the largest cloud-export house from India to the rest of the world. The move would line up with the company’s strategy of leveraging technology and transparent supply chains to open up the potential of MSMEs for global trade. The company is opening offices in Varanasi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Indore, Jaipur, and Noida, all of which are in close proximity to India’s textile hubs and will prove easier for the company to digitise factories. The regional offices supporting the main offices will have a production manager, heading operations, a quality control manager responsible for uniform product quality as per global standards and a catalogue manager responsible for up-skilling manufacturers and teaching them the benefits of ‘coming online’ and reaping the benefits of economies of scale in raw material and finance sourcing, with efficient inventory management while being updated on global design trends. Maneet Gohil, CEO and Co-Founder, Lal10 said in a statement, “With such huge global demand for textiles, Indian MSMEs have enormous potential to grab a larger share of the export market. There is an immediate need to enable more textile hubs from India to plug this demand and provide a large assortment of products. The traditional Indian textile hubs are only contributing to domestic markets.” He further added that his company is leveraging technology to map factories on production, streamline quality and design processes and make the systemic changes for Indian manufacturing to go global. Tech that has been built to support the regional operational expertise at the satellite offices will help the company build for scale and they aim to be the largest export house from India in the next 18 months.
Source: Apparel resources
INTERNATIONAL
Indorama Ventures, a global sustainable chemical company, continues to develop innovative products as part of its commitment to supporting customers with responsibly produced, sustainable products. At FILTECH, Indorama Ventures’ Hygiene Group will showcase its comprehensive range of innovative recycled, biodegradable and sustainable polymer solutions across its fiber and nonwoven portfolio for filtration media applications. The company’s fully certified carbon neutral brand Deja CO2 Neutral presents the latest offering to its innovative Deja range; Deja CO2 Neutral Fibers, a carbon neutral solution for PP staple fibers. Deja CO2 Neutral Fibers comes with an independently verified carbon neutral certification of compliance to demonstrate its sustainable production throughout its supply chain. The final carbon footprint is reduced to zero through the use of clean energy, recycled water, low impact transport network and by using carbon credit offsetting for unavoidable emissions. This certification can facilitate environmentally conscious companies to achieve their ambitious sustainability targets. Through Indorama Ventures’ partnership with South Pole; a leading project developer and provider of global climate solutions, the company is able to offset any unavoidable carbon emissions with carbon offset projects that help to transform lives and protect our planet. The focus of the Hygiene Group at Indorama Ventures is on producing PP, PET, rPET, and Bicomponent fibers and nonwovens with a lower carbon footprint, providing a sustainable source of material for Filtration Media applications. The Hygiene team at Indorama Ventures optimizes sustainable technologies and group materials and apply this expertise across specialist areas and applications, offering multi polymer solutions with enhanced functionality. Similarly for filtration media, the breadth of polymer and technologies which the Indorama Ventures Hygiene Group can support is driving innovation across both air and liquid filtration applications.
At FILTECH, Indorama Hygiene Group will demonstrate the latest product developments offering solutions for;
Ink, blood and industrial process water filtration.
Fibers and Nonwovens offered within the Indorama Ventures’ Hygiene Group portfolio for Filtration Media Applications include Profile, Splittable, Bicomponent and Flame Retardant solutions. Functionality and characteristics of the range include chemical and thermal stability, triboelectric charging, antimicrobial and antiviral activity and optimum fiber shape, crimp and diameter. The range of solutions support multiple technologies, including carded, airlaid and spunlaid applications. Indorama Ventures’ Hygiene Group developments are featured at FILTECH 2023 and the team welcomes the opportunity to explore how these developments can support customers’ sustainability goals. Shachar Rachim CEO, Indorama Ventures Hygiene Group said: “Customers now have aggressive targets which they have committed to reaching. The carbon neutral offerings from our innovative Deja CO2 Neutral range of sustainable products means customers will now be closer to achieving their targets. Our sustainable certifications offer assurance of high standards for recycled and renewable materials to achieve carbon reduction targets through using carbon neutral fibers”. Indorama Ventures’ 60% owned subsidiary Avgol®, a global leader in the manufacture of high-performance nonwoven fabrics, will use FILTECH to showcase its latest developments in application of the biotransformation technology. “We have enjoyed significant recent advances in material development, which ensures such can biodegrade in the open terrestrial environment without creating any microplastics,” said Avgol CEO Tommi Bjornman. “We look forward to highlighting the latest breakthroughs in producing meltblown filter components to visitors at the event as we underline our commitment to helping customers, consumers and communities meet their sustainability objectives.”
Source: Textile world
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has received a memento from the Government of Bangladesh for its contribution to the development and expansion of textile education and the growth of apparel exports. The memento was handed over to BGMEA on Monday in a programme organised to mark the 'National Textile Day 2022'. A total of six textile educational institutes were also inaugurated on the day. The programme was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) under the initiative of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, said a press release. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the programme virtually as the chief guest from Ganobhaban. Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi chaired the programme. Mannujan Sufian, state minister for labour, was a special guest at the programme. Shahidullah Azim, acting president of BGMEA, received the memento from the textiles and jute minister. On receiving the memento, Mr Azim said, "The garment industry and the textile industry have been assisted in surviving the effects of Corona and economic recovery through the incentives and policy support declared by the Hon'ble Prime Minister." The ten organisations that received mementoes for their contribution to the apparel sector are:- Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Bangladesh Terry Towel and Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BTTLMEA), Bangladesh Cotton Association (BCA), Bangladesh Garment Buying House Association (BGBA), Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA), Bangladesh Specialized Textile Mills and Power Loom Industries Association (BSTMPIA), Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTEX) and Bangladesh weavers" association.
Source: The Financial Express
It is only natural that the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) president would lament over the sorry state of the textile sector. Funds worth billions of dollars have been poured into the sector over the past few years, and it is now experiencing a chronic shortage of gas. The BTMA president said US$6.0 billion was invested in 2021 and $4.14 billion in 2022 in the textile sector regardless of the state of Covid which ravaged the economy. The importance of the domestic textile sector cannot be overemphasised. It meets "80 per cent of the knitwear exporters' demand for fabrics", and hence any disruption caused to it will have a chain reaction in the readymade garments (RMG) sector in general and knitwear sub-sector in particular. BTMA sources state that the textile industry is showing massive potential to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), as it constitutes the backward linkage of the RMG sector, which represents nearly 85 per cent of the country's foreign exchange earnings. But as stated by Mr. Khokon, president (BTMA), the energy crunch has put all those plans on hold. While government officials have been talking about ensuring energy supplies if industry was willing to pay the cost of importing the fuels, there remain major sticking points between the government and industry. The most important point is that the industry may be willing to come to a middle ground, provided the supply of energy is guaranteed. Precisely, how the authorities are going to "guarantee" the import of these fuels remains unclear. As has been stated by many energy experts in the past, it is no longer a question of having the money to pay for several cargo loads of liquefied natural gas (LNG). What is important here is the ready availability of LNG in international markets. Again, the double-edged sword that is coming down on the economy whereby the country is being pressured to make payments on loans taken (by it) from foreign lending agencies and the failure to check the use of informal banking channels (hundi) is not helping to prop up foreign exchange reserve. It would appear that policymakers are caught in a web of their own making. Having wasted more than a decade in not exploring own energy sources and spent hundreds of millions of dollars to build infrastructure that would cater for imported fuels, has now resulted in a deep energy crisis that causes the economy to wobble. All of a sudden, the sector is told there is no money to import expensive fuels. Then there are all sorts of promises being made - one of which is 'renewable energy'. Given our failure to stick to the previous energy road map in rolling out renewable energy, precisely who is going to believe that solar energy is going to save the country now? Besides, any energy expert worth his (or her) salt will state that base-load energy must come from one of the fossil fuels, i.e. gas, coal, nuclear energy, etc. Renewable technologies that have made big news globally are hydro-electricity and wind-technology. The only major hydro-electricity project was made in pre-independence era and the government has shied away from wind technology. The headlines being hogged about a few megawatt-range solar power plants that have come online is not going to solve the energy crisis. Is it not time to stop beating about the bush and start drilling for possible on-shore gas reserves earnestly? Start exploring where pockets of wind exist. Again, hydro-electric plants have now become miniaturised (the technology actually exists) and Bangladesh is a deltaic region, so there are possibilities in this area too. Last but not least, energy planning needs a major rethink if Bangladesh intends to preserve its industry.
Source: The Financial Express
With the country faces severe economic crunch, the government is mulling multiple options for economic revival including boosting exports to strengthen depleting foreign exchange reserves and generate employment opportunities to overcome growing poverty. As textile industry had been the key player in exports over the decades, paying special heed to this sector by providing congenial environment could pave the way to capture more international markets and earn revenue. Enhanced cotton growing is of vital importance for this sector as it encompasses a bigger chain of operations from farming to textiles mills and then to end users’ products showcased at fashion apparel outlets. This chain of operations not only benefits industrialists but also a major chunk of our populace linked to agricultural sector. But unfortunately, cotton growing diminished with the passage of time after installation of Sugar Mills in cotton growing areas, especially in South Punjab and Sindh provinces. Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA), in its recent fortnightly report on cotton arrivals has put the production figure at 4.7 million bales till Feb 1, 2023 that is almost 35 per cent below than last year. “If we reach five million bales this year by end of next month, it would be around 50 per cent below than the official production assessment of 11 million bales for 2023”, informed PCGA Chairman Chaudhry Waheed Arshad. “If we have to survive with our textile industry, we must frame result oriented policies focusing both the farmers and the industrialists,” he stated. Chaudhry Waheed Arshad recommended measures like announcing support price, declaring specific cotton zones, introducing high yielding, climate smart and pests resistant cotton varieties and mechanized farming techniques to get desired results. “Agriculture is our mainstay and cotton is our lifeline. Therefore, strengthening this sector and announcing special incentives for cotton growers would definitely improve economic growth and the country’s exports,” he stated. Chaudhry Waheed said that less cotton growing was harming ginning industry because if produce is less then mill owners can import cotton for their needs but what about ginners. “There are 1300 ginning factories countrywide with only 400-500 units remaining operational normally. But, at present only 154 factories are working.” He claimed that the country has lost 2.4 million acre cotton area to other crops during last 15 years and “if this trend continues, it would be a severe blow to the cotton-based industries. Therefore, we need to employ full potential of this sector.” He was confident sooner or later agriculture sector would attain the status of an industry and farmers must be well prepared to harvest its benefits. According to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Pakistan is the 8th largest exporter of textile products in Asia with 4th largest producer and third largest consumer of cotton. Textile is 46 percent of Pakistan’s total manufacturing sector that provides employment to 40 percent of total labor force. Khawaja Usman, a noted industrialist owning spinning units has said that usually, textile sector needs 16 million cotton bales annually to add value and export a variety of products to international market. “However, the temporary closure of some textile units due to the global recession troubled the economy. Therefore, local textile sector requirements would revolve around 12-13 million bales this year,” he predicted. He said if production finally turns out to be five million bales in 2023, textile sector would need to import seven million bales to meet its requirements. “Therefore, the textile sector had already finalized contracts for import of required cotton bales.” Khawaja Usman stressed to incentivize the farmers to grow cotton on more area, and the industry to enable it to compete in international market as he regretted that falling of cotton production by 16 percent to merely 8.6 million bales in 2020 from 10.2 million bales in 2019, is not encouraging. The TDAP officials quoting Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data have also revealed that Pakistan earned over US$15 billion (15400 million dollars) in financial year 2021 up from over US$ 12.5 billion (12526 million dollars) in 2020 from cotton and textile products. According to their statistics although exports of various textile products registered increase, yet export of raw cotton nosedived by 95 percent in FY 2021with the main factor being lower production than expectations. Vice President, Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Asim Saeed Sheikh has also claimed that local cotton production was usually falling short to meet the needs of the textile sector, except for 2011 when Pakistan touched the highest mark of 14.7 million bales.
Source: The Dunya news
Materials science company Pangaia is launching its latest innovation on February 16 in partnership with Evrnu’s NuCycl, a fibre created from pre- and post-consumer textile waste. Pangaia Lab has used Evrnu’s NuCycl to create the oversized ‘Renu’ denim jacket. It marks its first denim product made entirely from cotton textile waste and the first completely crafted from NuCycl as it continues to harness the value of materials already in circulation rather than fossil fuel, animal-derived, or virgin fibres. Dr Amanda Parkes, chief innovation officer at Pangaia, said in a statement: “Evrnu represents the very best of innovation, in the space of recycled fibres. We have been on a long journey together as partners and we are delighted to be bringing out our first product together, demonstrating the extraordinary potential for superior quality from recycling technologies.” Evrnu’s NuCycl helps divert textile waste away from landfill and incineration and reduces the industry’s reliance on cotton, MMCF, nylon, and polyester. Using pre- and post-consumer textile waste, it has crafted a fibre that is up to 4 times stronger than other cellulosic fibres including cotton and most MMCF and can be recycled up to 5 times without loss in performance or quality. Unlike mechanically recycled cotton, NuCycl does not need to be blended with any virgin fibre and allows more recycling cycles, making it a significantly less resource-intensive alternative to cotton or polyester. Stacy Flynn, chief executive and co-founder of Evrnu, added: “We are thrilled to partner with Pangaia which shares our drive to unlock the future of materials and technology for the fashion industry. “Our mission is to help brands create clothing out of recycled materials that are not only of the highest quality but can also continue to be recycled. We are delighted by the growing market demand for NuCycl.” The limited-edition Pangaia ‘Renu’ jacket will be available for 400 US dollars on Pangaia.com from February 16.
Source: Fashion united
At the DTG from 15 – 18 February in Dhaka, Saurer, the premier solution provider for spinning and twisting machines, will be present in hall 7, booth 272. Saurer’s spinning and twisting machines are renowned for their energy saving features, automation, and digitalisation solutions. Saurer machines enable the circular economy in textiles and are the leaders in processing recycled textile materials. Saurer’s Texparts product line offers high quality components for spinning. Saurer enables spinning mills to process a wide range of recycled and regenerated fibres and yarns in their production. The Saurer rotor spinning machines are leaders in the processing of recycled fibres. The Saurer textile technology experts continuously assist customers in optimising their yarn production and yarn quality, especially for recycled fibres. Saurer has always been committed to advancing the textile industry, integrating high-end equipment manufacturing with modern information technology to provide sophisticated solutions for the smart spinning factory.
Excellent sliver quality with Saurer’s blow room and carding machines
The right combination of Saurer’s blow room and carding machinery ensures excellent fibre utilisation and sliver quality, thus increasing the efficiency of the spinning process and improving the quality of yarn. The new Autocard was developed to create further value in the fibre preparation chain.
The benchmark for intelligent roving and ring spinning
The use of the Autospeed roving frame with automatic doffer ensures that spinning mills do not have to rely on skilled workers, and simultaneously increases the quality of the roving. The Autospeed roving frame with up to 240 spindles saves up to 20% of energy compared with the previous model, while doffing takes less than 2 minutes. The ZR 72XL and ZI 72XL are two highly productive ring and compact-spinning machines. They set the global benchmarks for intelligent spinning, low energy consumption, user friendliness, and flexible automation solutions. The BD 7 semi-automated rotor spinning machine is powered by the technologies of Autocoro. With the patented digital piecing technology, DigiPiecing, and take-up speeds of up to 230 m/min, the BD 7 remarkably improves yarn quality and productivity for spinning mills. The Autocoro is the market and technology leader which revolutionised automatic rotor-spinning technology and opened the door to more productivity, flexibility, and sustainability for customers worldwide. In just 10 years, Saurer installed 1 million Autocoro spinning positions with individual drive technology and energy saving features.
Autoairo – the new air spinning technology
The Autoairo sets new benchmarks for air spinning. Saurer has combined its most advanced automation solutions with proven technology to create an air-spinning machine with unique properties. The Autoairo features autonomous spinning positions with automation per spinning unit for more productivity and integrated intelligence.
Texparts components for boosted ring spinning productivity
Saurer’s Texparts product line offers high quality components for the textile industry including drafting systems and spindles, spinning rings, and travellers. The new double elastic spindle, Eshape, has a reduced wharf diameter and is based on CS 1 S. Outstanding running properties up to 30 000 rpm and about 6% energy savings are the key performance factors. Eshape, combined with the best system for spinning without underwinding, Spinnfinity, is the perfect fit for automated and efficient ring spinning.
The FusionTwister – two-for-one twisting at highest speeds
Often used for high-quality towels and bed lining, the two-for-one twisting machine FusionTwister, offers high efficiency combined with the excellent quality of the cross-wound delivery packages produced. Up to 15% of energy can be saved with the FusionTwister while increasing the winding speed by 10%.Consistent high yarn and package quality is a result of our robust machine construction and optimised yarn guiding elements, which consist of yarn-friendly ceramics or have plasma-coated surfaces for low friction and longevity.
Source: Indian Textile Magazine
Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp is a leading contributor of “Dialoghi di Confronto” at the 59th edition of Filo, with the talk entitled: “Environmental Itinerary: the dynamics of the European Flax-Linen and Hemp chain”. Marie Demagdt, Textile and Sustainability Manager at Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp, will start from the thought that the issues of traceability, of certification and the environmental impacts are strictly related. The European Flax – Linen sector, representing 80% of the world production of Flax fiber is approaching collectively these challenges bringing together all the stages of cultivation and transformation. The European Flax-Linen industries are establishing their development based on European Flax® and Masters of Linen® certifications measuring their environmental impact in compliance with the European PEF method and experimenting digital tools to facilitate their deployment supported by higher transparency for the consumers. The 59th edition of Filo takes place on 22nd and 23rd of February 2023 at Allianz MiCo – Milano
Source: Textile world
