Exports to show tepid growth, says ministry
Dye demand up with a revival in the textile sector in Gujarat
Textile technology to counter 'fast fashion'
UP govt allocates Rs 200 cr for product marketing through Unity Mall
INTERNATIONAL
Plea for help: Third of apparel, textile workers affected by Türkiye earthquakes
Bangladesh achieves highest growth and ranks second in RMG exports to Europe
Botswana government commits to promote sustainable textile business growth
NATIONAL
The finance ministry on Thursday said the country’s export growth might fall in 2023, given the slump in global trade. “There is a likelihood of India’s exports showing tepid growth as the major export markets of India are forecast to decline sharply in 2023,” it said. The ministry added: “Global trade is expected to worsen in 2023. Monetary tightening will entail a twin impact — it will reduce demand and, consequently, the volume of trade and, at the same time, lower prices and, accordingly, the value of trade. Trade is particularly subdued in EMDEs as they have strong trade linkages with major economies where demand is expected to slow sharply.” Reflecting the slump in global trade and a moderation in domestic investment and consumption demands, India’s merchandise exports and imports shrank by 6.59% and 3.63% respectively in dollar term in January, showed official data said recently. While both outward and inward shipments contracted for the second straight month, exports contraction was also the third in four months. The dip in exports, largely driven by sharp falls in shipments from labour-intensive industries like textiles, gems & jewellery and engineering goods, could dent the country’s economic growth prospects if it lasts for long, besides further aggravating the jobs scenario. As per World Bank, global trade growth is expected to decelerate further to 1.6% in 2023 from 4% in 2022. At the same time, the IMF projected it to decline to 2.4% in 2023 from 5.4% in 2022. On a sanguine note, the ministry, however, cited the Kiel Trade Indicator, which suggested global trade activity improved in the beginning of 2023. In its latest update, it shows a 2.1% increase in exchange of goods in January 2023 compared with the December 2022. “Whether this improvement will be sustained is the big, open question,” the ministry said in its monthly economic review for January. “Global trade rose sharply in 2021 before slowing down in 2022. The two halves of 2022, however, present contrasting features. Global trade continued to be high in the first half as both trade volumes (because of demand recovery) and trade value (because of high commodity prices) remained high. In the second half, while trade volumes continued to grow (even as monetary tightening was well advanced), reflecting resilient global demand, trade value fell as energy prices eased (as generally, commodity prices declined). Besides, trade composition has also shifted in favour of services as supply chain rigidities across borders, although easing, and high prices of intermediate goods continue to impact industrial output,” the ministry said. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently cautioned that slowing economies abroad are going to pose a challenge to the India’s exporters. “Exporters will have to be far more receptive of what is happening there (export markets) or even foresee how that will pan out for them and keep constantly engaging with the government,” Sitharaman said The country’s current account deficit (CAD) for the first half of 2022-23 stood at 3.3% of GDP, but it is expected to moderate in the second half. Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikatnta Das had said in a statement after the February review of the monetary policy that global software and IT services spending would remain strong in 2023. The CAD would remain “eminently manageable and within the parameters of viability”, he had said.
Source: Financial Express
After a dull financial year 2022-23, manufacturers of dyes and intermediate chemicals in anticipate demand improving, as a revival in the textile sector seems to have begun. Many plants making intermediates in the state had been shut for more than six months. Most have now restarted manufacturing as prices have risen and their products have become viable against Chinese manufacturers. Yogesh Parikh, former president of Gujarat Dyestuffs Manufacturers Association, said, "The demand for dyes is growing slowly and prices have firmed up. Most dyes units are now running at about 60% capacity, compared to 35% earlier. Over the past six months, most intermediates plants, making H acid and vinyl sulphone, have also started production. The revival is slow, but we expect bigger orders from April onwards and the next financial year will be better as inventory across the world is low and the textile sector is reviving." With high raw material prices and added cost pressures, slow demand and stiff competition from Chinese companies had made manufacturing of intermediates unviable here. This caused H acid, vinyl sulphone and MPDSA plants here to close Prolonged low demand for dyes and intermediates had hurt the Gujarat chemicals sector and around 5,000 people were laid off, according to industry estimates. Manish Kiri, MD of Kiri Industries Ltd, said, "We have restarted production of H acid and vinyl sulphone at our Padra plant. We are running both plants at 50% capacity as of now. Prices of Chinese products have risen. We are now able to compete and production is viable. Demand is still low so we are unable to run at full capacity but if demand remains firm, capacity utilization will increase."
Source: Times of India
Compared to the usual four collections offered by clothing brands in the West and two (in most cases) for India, some brands have been offering as many as 52 collections annually - one new collection every week. Termed 'fast fashion,' the trend is being criticized for its impact on environment, consumerism and quality. Experts are now eyeing technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and natural fabrics to counter the trend. Several papers presented on the first day of the international conference 'Atmanirbhar Bharat@100: From Farm to Fashion to Future' hosted by National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Gandhinagar focused on the theme of sustainability and impact of technology. Two research teams shared the findings of thrift marketplace as a sustainable practice and an experiment of making jackets from surplus fabric In the presentation called 'Agragami-Bhavi,' the researchers indicated that mass customization could be the way forward with several online apps providing such options for clothes and shoes. The presenters claimed that with unique products, fast fashion could be countered and projections by computer models could be used to forecast trends. Another segment, 'Sankalp-Prakarya', focused on natural fabric and processes where researchers from various institutions presented the findings of their projects on corn husk fibre extraction, nano enzymes and textile printing, and natural dyes and use of plants for antimicrobial qualities in fabric. Prof Sameer Sood, director of NIFT Gandhinagar, said that the theme of the two-day conference is in line with the Centre's vision to make India self-sustainable by 2047. "The textile sector with its farm to fashion applications can play a major role, and the conference focuses on bridging the gap between academia and practice," he said. Srinivas Katikithala, director of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy, mentioned in his speech during the inaugural ceremony that there is a need to focus on long-lasting products and upscale local talent for modern economy, consumption and pace. While Sudha Dhingra, dean (academics) of NIFT, focused on handcrafted clothing and India, NID director Praveen Nahar also emphasized on promoting traditional bespoke tailoring to counter consumerism.
Source: Times of India
The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday announced Rs 200 crore in the state budget to promote marketing of articles through the ‘Unity Mall’. This decision of the state government is in line with the announcement of Unity Malls made in the Union Budget earlier this month. The proposed Unity Mall will help in promoting and selling ODOP products, geographical indication (GI)-tag articles, and other indigenous handicrafts. The Uttar Pradesh government is yet to announce the location of the Unity mall. Several other important allocations were also made in the U.P. Budget to strengthen local industries such as Rs 13 crore was allotted for Khadi and Village Industries Development and Sustainable Self Employment Promotion Policy, Rs 10 crore for generating employment for traditional artisans of clay art. The state budget has also made the allocation of Rs 150 crore to provide financial assistance to investors in the textile sector and youths starting their ventures. Rs 175 crore has been allocated for Garment Policy of 2017. Other key allocations made included Rs 345 crore for subsidised power supply to powerloom weavers, Rs 20 crore for Mukhya Mantri Power Loom Udyog Vikas Yojana, Rs 10 crore for Centre of Excellence for Honey in Saharanpur, Rs 10 crore for Mukhyamantri Bunkar Saur Urja Yojana etc.
Source: The knn India
INTERNATIONAL
A lmost three weeks on from Türkiye’s devastating earthquakes, Altan has revealed almost a third (between 20% and 35%) of workers in the apparel and textile industries are employed in the region and is urging international apparel and textile partners to donate to the TGSD. In fact, he says 1,616 garment and 1,290 textile companies operate within the 11 provinces that were affected, with the apparel sector employing almost 150,000 workers and nearly 200,000 people working in the textile industry. He explains: “TGSD will be supporting this region by donating containers, and wants to decrease the social impact by creating a working environment.” He adds that donations will serve the ultimate goal of providing employment in the region, and will help to start manufacturing again in full capacity. “We really appreciate your donation contributions to TGSD. Having a house and a place to work will definitely help improve living standards and normalise processes in the region.” Altan explains TGSD was mobilised from the very first day to support people affected by the earthquakes. It is working with members and stakeholders to identify and fulfil actual needs in the region. He says: “We strongly believe that we will overcome these difficult days by working together with our local as well as international partners in unity and solidarity.”
Three weeks on: update on impact of Türkiye earthquakes for apparel industry
He is keen to share an update with the wider apparel industry on the impact of Türkiye’s earthquakes for the garment and textile industry and points out it is very rare to have two such big earthquakes on the same day. He explains the two major devastating earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.5 hit southeast Türkiye and northern Syria on 6 February. There were 11 cities (namely Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, Hatay, Gaziantep, Adıyaman, Osmaniye, Kilis, Şanlıurfa, Adana, Diyarbakır and Elazığ) that were affected enormously by the major earthquakes and their aftershocks. He says almost 13.5 million people living in these cities are affected with more than 41,000 people losing their lives, 125,000 injured and 85,000 buildings demolished or damaged, according to an official announcement made on 19 February.
Main industries affected by Türkiye earthquakes are textile and apparel
Altan highlights there are 36 industrial zones in ten cities that were affected by earthquakes and the main industries in the region include manufacturing, textile, apparel, steel, cement and agriculture. The apparel exports from the region was US$565m in 2022 making up 2.6% of total apparel exports. Textile exports on the other hand were $3.4bn generating 30% of the total Turkish textile export last year. Almost half (45%) of the production capacity is located in this region. He says there are garment factories in Malatya, Elazığ, Şanlıurfa and Adıyaman and textile mills in Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep, however the impact on other factories located in Malatya, Elazığ, Şanlıurfa Kahramanmaraş and Adıyaman are minor. Thankfully, infrastructure systems in industrial zones are mostly in good condition and the factories are usually in industrial zones with single-storey buildings. For this reason the devastating effect of earthquakes is less on production plants than it is on residential buildings.
Short-term production cuts for Türkiye apparel industry
Short-term production cuts are inevitable for the apparel industry following Türkiye earthquakes, he suggests however all stakeholders are working together to restart plants for social reasons as well as economical reasons. He points out that infrastructure-wise, the government has started to supply water, electricity and natural gas to some cities, towns, and industrial zones and airports are in operation. In fact, manufacturing has already started in some factories in Malatya, Elazığ and Şanlıurfa, and Altan explains that in the short-run, Turkish textile and garment industries will use their excess production capacity built in 2021 and 2022. For instance, he says: “Türkiye had increased yarn and fabric production capacity by 25% last year with new investments. Therefore, the lost capacity can be immediately replaced by the available capacity in other major cities like Bursa, Istanbul, Tekirdağ and Denizli located in the West.” He adds: “Temporary cities built up from containers around the industrial zones are under construction in order to prevent workforce immigration.”
The importance of donating right now
TGSD has been allocated a pilot area of 22,000m2 in Adıyaman near the industrial zone to establishing an accommodation centre including healthcare centre and child daycare centre for more than 1,500 people. TGSD is supporting this region by donating containers, and help establish to decrease the social impact by creating working environment, however in addition to shelter requirements, there is still a need for winter tents, sleeping bags, heaters, outwear and underwear. Altlan explains international partners can either contribute in cash or by bank transfer to TGSD or directly provide these materials and explains TGSD will be sharing the progress of the project with all contributors in a timely manner.
Source: The just-style
Bangladesh’s RMG exports to the European Union (EU) market have increased and achieved the highest growth in garment exports to these European markets. However, China is the top exporter in this market, followed by Bangladesh. These data have emerged in the report published by the European statistical agency Eurostat. From January to November 2022, a total of $95.17 billion worth of products have been exported to the European market. Out of this, the garment products made by Bangladesh have been exported to the European market worth $21.18 billion, while China exported $27.97 billion. According to Eurostat data, buyers from Europe are still gravitating toward Bangladesh and this has been possible by increasing green factories in Bangladesh. According to the data, EU apparel imports between January and November 2022 grew by 22.39 percent compared to the same period in 2021. During this period the EU imported garments worth $21.18 billion from Bangladesh which was $15.30 billion in 2021. Garment exports to Europe increased by 38.39 percent during the year. According to the report, garment exports from China, which is at the top, increased by 19.29 percent. Turkey is also the EU’s third largest source of clothing. Apparel exports from the country increased by 11.56 percent. In the first 11 months of 2022, imports from Cambodia increased by 35.89 percent, Vietnam by 34.16 percent, Pakistan by 27.99 percent, Indonesia by 27.80 percent, Sri Lanka by 17.32 percent and Morocco by 8.13 percent.
Source: Textile Today
The recent introduction of the Statutory Instrument (SI) on the restriction of the importation of School Uniforms is one of the interventions by the Government geared towards promoting sustainable textile business growth. In his address, the Minister in the Ministry, Honourable Mmusi Kgafela, said the implementation of the SI has since presented a huge market for the local textile sector to tap into. The Minister said this during the Textile Sector capacity building workshop for manufacturers, retailers and other key textile players in Gaborone organized by Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association (BEMA) yesterday. He said Government recognized the urgency of supporting the textile industry as it has the potential to employ graduates who are annually generated by tertiary institutions. He said this is expected to grow and expand the textile factories and certainly the rise in job-creation and improvement of Batswana’s livelihoods. The Minister urged the textile ecosystem not to be unsettled by the ongoing market disruptions but to be hopeful of the anticipated results in the long term and assured the textile sector of the Ministry’s unwavering support to ensure that the sector moves in the right path without any impediments. He encouraged the sector to make full use of the current instrument to ensure a consistent supply of quality products for the domestic and foreign markets. For her part, BEMA Chief Executive Officer Ms Mmantlha Sankoloba said textile is the backbone of the industry as it has the potential to create employment for multitudes of Batswana, supply domestic market and export. “Government is not only fighting for the domestic market but also fighting for export markets,” Sankoloba said. Moreover, The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) Departments and Parastatals are bringing their services to the people of Selibe Phikwe and surrounding villages on the 2nd March 2023 at Selibe Phikwe Town Hall at 0800hrs-1630hrs. Honourable Beauty Manake will deliver the keynote address for the day.
Source: The newsinvasion24.com
The Society of Dyers and Colourists today urged companies and organizations to commit to upskilling staff, and secure a brighter future for the global industry. The rallying call follows the release of the SDC Education Survey 2023 in which an overwhelming majority of coloration professionals in 25 countries underlined the value of colour education to organizations. A total of 82 of the survey’s 105 respondents – 78% of the highly-knowledgeable sample – agreed that current, difficult times for dyeing and coloration mean it is more important than ever that employers educate their workforces, funding qualifications for key personnel. Other key findings in a white paper centered on the survey, now available to download, included: 77 respondents (73.3%) stated that their own organization’s success was linked with technical, educational attainment. 60% of those surveyed felt their own organization prioritizes formal, on-the-job education where appropriate. More than three quarters of participants (76.1%) said their employer appreciated the benefit of having well-qualified staff. However, the questionnaire also revealed difficulties in committing to paying for courses for employees, and perhaps some negative attitudes to color education: Nearly half of respondents (46.6%) believe harsh trading conditions are making it hard or impossible for firms to fund learn-while-you-earn opportunities. However, almost a quarter of professionals asked (23.8%) felt their workplace could fund qualifications but chose not to. A total of 52 (48.5%) stated that their company or organization could be performing better, and that this was linked with underqualified or underexperienced personnel. Dr Graham Clayton, Chief Executive Officer of the SDC, said: “Our survey is packed with the insight of professionals at every level, in different global territories – and many of them are highly qualified in technical, color disciplines. “Their conclusions on the value of workplace education – whether provided by the SDC, universities, colleges or other operators – is clear. They feel employers should step up the qualifications they offer to fund, despite tight budgets and times of uncertainty. “They know that staff who are able to underpin their skills and experience with technical theory have a clear advantage in driving improvement and innovation, and therefore performance and profit.” Dr Clayton continued: “If individual businesses and organizations are thriving, this puts the coloration sector in a much stronger position to face the challenges ahead.” Early in 2021 the SDC published its global Skills Survey in which 71% of participants agreed there was a worldwide shortage of knowledgeable coloration professionals. While student numbers on the SDC online learning register remain steady, there is certainly scope for more companies to get behind education as a driver to secure better times ahead. The SDC offers Foundation Textile Coloration Certificate and Textile Coloration Certificate (FTCC/TCC) and the honours degree equivalent Associateship of the SDC (ASDC) leading to Chartered Colourist (CCol) status, as well as a range of short courses, all detailed on the organization’s Colour Network. The Worshipful Company of Dyers offers help with funding for FTCC/TCC candidates to UK companies, covering up to 60% of fees through the Future Dyers’ Fund.
Source: Textile world
