INTERNATIONAL
NATIONAL
The Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council popularly known as SRTEPC has organised its Annual Export Award Function in Mumbai on 9 March 2023 to recognize and felicitate its member-exporters who have excelled in exports for the year 2021-22. SRTEPC was set up in 1954 and it is the only Council in India for export promotion of Technical textiles and Manmade fibre textiles. Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Textiles, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution was the Chief guest during the event and gave out the Awards to the winners. Senior Govt. officials Smt. RoopRashi, Textiles Commissioner, and Shri R K Mishra, Additional DGFT, Mumbai, Consul Generals of the Republic of Turkey, UAE and Kenya were also present at the SRTEPC Award Function. The Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal during his keynote address has appreciated the services of SRTEPC and mentioned that he is confident on SRTEPC for taking exports of technical textiles and MMF textiles to greater heights. The Minister informed about India’s goods and services exports crossing US$750 billion during 2022-23. In the context of the recently implemented India-Australia ECTA, the Minister informed about duty-free market access for Indian goods in the Australian markets and urged the Indian exporters to take advantage of the same. SRTEPC Chairman Shri Dhiraj Raichand Shah welcomed the Hon’ble Minister and thanked for gracing the event and giving the Awards to the winners. He also mentioned during his special address that for the first time in the 69 year history of SRTEPC the Hon’ble Commerce and Industry Minister has given the Export Awards. SRTEPC Vice Chairman Shri BhadreshDodhia during his Vote of thanks congratulated the Minister for his proactive approach, vision, dynamism, and direction that resulted in record merchandise exports of US$ 422 billion in 2021-22.Shri Dodhia informed that the exports of MMF textiles & Technical Textiles segment have huge potential and will significantly contribute to overall exports with around 30% to 35% share by 2030. The SRTEPC has conferred Exemplary Contribution Award to Shri B.K. Goenka, Chairman of Welspun group, during the Export Award Function. ShriBalkrishanGoenka, Chairman, of the US$2.7 billion Welspun Group is one of India’s most dynamic business leaders. During his address Shri B.K. Goenka appreciated the work of SRTEPC and he mentioned that the mandate to SRTEPC for export promotion of technical textiles also is the correct step from the government.
Source: Textile Value Chain
Textile exports are regaining momentum after witnessing a sharp dip due to the Covid pandemic and foreign exchange issues faced by other countries, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. He said Bangladesh has a competitive advantage over India in textile exports as being a less developed country it enjoys duty-free access to many countries including Europe and UK. “I have been engaged with export promotion councils regularly and the latest information is that most of the inventories are now consumed, and economies are starting to get back into shape. I think the world has kind of learnt to live with the challenges and crisis…and they report to me that once again the figures also seem to suggest that the exports are up again,” Goyal said while replying to a TNIE question on the decrease in textile exports. He said, many countries post the Ukraine-Russia war, stopped importing non-essential items due to inflationary pressure. Also, many countries are facing foreign exchange issues post-Russia-Ukraine war due to which they cut down on imports of non-essential goods. “For example, we sent a hundred containers to Egypt but they didn’t have the foreign exchange to pay for it, so those containers had to come back….post Covid there was a pent-up demand, people were purchasing large quantities, like gems and jewellery but soon after the Ukraine conflict, inflation went up by leaps and bounds, due to which economies got stressed and inventories started piling up. Meanwhile, he also added that cotton and yarn export will also start reigniting from April next year. He hopes that with the free trade agreements (FTAs) India’s textile exports will get a boost and India can compete with less developed countries like Bangladesh. He added that Bangladesh will lose its competitiveness in the next couple of years.
Source: New Indian express.com
Stakeholders of the Surat textile industry, along with the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), will make representations to the Union Textile Minister Darshana Jardosh next week against the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) code to be implemented from April 3 on domestic as well as imported yarns. In a meeting led by SGCCI president Himanshu Bodawala with different stakeholders of the industry, including Pandesara powerloom association president Ashish Gujarat, it was unanimously decided not to carry out protests but to make representations to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister of Chemical and Fertilizer Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of State for Textile Darshana Jardosh. Once the code comes into practice from April 3, it would not be permissible to produce, stock and sell yarns without a BIS certificate. “With the BIS code coming into effect from April 3, there will be a shortage of yarns in the market. This will also affect lakhs of powerloom weavers and labourers who will not get yarn to run the factories. The yarn prices will also go up, due to which many weaving units will be forced to shut down and even lakhs of textile workers will become jobless,” said SGCCI President Himanshu Bodawala, adding they will also make representations to Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil, too. The Ministry of Chemical and Fertilisers had, last year, declared quality control on different types of yarns such as polyester continuous filament yarn, polyester partially oriented yarn, polyester staple fibre yarn, polyester industrial yarn and grey spun polyester yarn, effective from April 3. “We have also come to know that if a yarn without BIS code is found by the authorities from the factory or any other units, the merchants would attract a penalty that will be 10 times the value of the seized yarns,” said Bodawala. Textile yarns are processed and twisted to form threads that are later converted to grey cloth by power looms and sent to dyeing and printing mills for colour and finishing. The fabrics are then sent to Surat textile traders where they are cut, packed and sold in the markets.
Source: The Indian express.com
India and Australia have agreed to conclude the negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement "as soon as possible" as there is huge potential to enhance bilateral commerce in the next five years, according to a joint statement issued on Sunday. The statement was released after the meeting of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Australia's Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell here on March 11. Both countries have already implemented an economic cooperation and trade agreement (ECTA) in December 2022 and are now negotiating to widen the scope of that pact into a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA). "Ministers look forward to concluding CECA as soon as possible," the statement said. The CECA will create new employment opportunities, raise living standards and improve the general welfare in both countries, it added. The ministers also highlighted the importance of a smooth and timely clean energy transition as both countries work towards achieving their respective net zero goals. "India-Australia bilateral trade exceeded USD 31 billion last financial year. Both agreed that given the trade complementarities between the two countries, there is considerable potential for significantly enhancing bilateral trade within the next 5 years," the statement said.
Source: Financial Express
The unprecedented disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic notwithstanding, exports from Odisha have registered a growth of 64 per cent (pc), the highest in the last five years, surpassing the Rs 1 lakh crore milestone set by the government. Official sources said the state’s merchandise exports have recorded healthy growth in terms of both value and volume in the last fiscal. Although the government had set a target of achieving Rs 1 lakh crore exports by 2025, the outbound shipments rose to Rs 1,32,405 crore in 2021-22 from Rs 80,419 crore in 2020-21. Barring 2018-19, a rising trend in the state’s export continues. The volume of exports was Rs 52,677 crore in 2017-18, Rs 48,119 crore in 2018-19 and Rs 51,742 crore in 2019-20. Major product categories which have recorded growth in both value and volume include engineering, chemical and allied, metallurgy, agriculture and forest, marine, handicraft, textile, pharmaceutical and software and electronics. While engineering, chemical and allied, textile and agriculture and forest sectors have recorded the highest growth, the volume of exports has dropped in mineral and other sectors. The merchandise exports rose from Rs 38,122 crore to Rs 86,726 crore in metallurgical, Rs 7,854 crore to Rs 15,496 crore in engineering, chemical and allied, Rs 4,701 crore to Rs 5,207 crore in software and electronics, Rs 177 crore to Rs 469 crore in agriculture and forest, Rs 3,114 crore to Rs 4,462 crore in marine, Rs 205 crore to Rs 630 crore in textile, Rs 8.8 crore to Rs 16.32 crore in pharmaceutical and Rs 9 lakh to Rs 2.02 crore in handloom. The outbound shipments in the mineral sector have come down by 26 pc - from Rs 26,189 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 19,374 crore in 2021-22. For other sectors, it is down from Rs 37 crore to Rs 11 crore. An Industries department official said, the export growth rate was highest at 207 pc in textile, followed by 165 pc in agriculture and forest, 127 pc in metallurgy, 97 pc in engineering, chemical and allied besides 85 pc in the pharmaceutical sector. “This upward trend will continue in the coming years. The state government has recently introduced a new export policy, which focuses on improvement in standards of quality and products, value addition in traditional exportable products, to achieve a target of Rs 3.5 lakh crore exports by 2026-27,” he added
Source: New Indian express
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed a Post Budget Webinar on ‘PM VIshwakarma KAushal Samman’ today. It was dedicated to newly announced scheme PM VIKAS for providing holistic support to the artisans and crafts persons which are so far not covered under any of schemes of GOI. The special address by the Prime Minister was followed by four parallel breakout sessions on (i) Access to affordable finance, including incentives for digital transactions and social security, (ii) Advanced skill training and access to modern tools and technology, (iii) Marketing support for linkages with domestic and global markets and (iv) Structure of the scheme, identification of beneficiaries and implementation framework. The panel included expert artisans from respective fields, officials from Central Ministries and State Governments and representatives from Banks, other financial institutions, Private organizations, Associations and e-commerce platforms. The third breakout session on ‘Marketing support for linkages with domestic and global markets’ was moderated by Ms Shubhra, Development Commissioner, Handicraft and Handloom, Ministry of Textiles. The session focused on the framework of marketing support for domestic and global markets to be provided in the newly conceived scheme. It covered discussion on improving market avenues for the artisans, creating backward and forward linkages, publicity, advertising, quality certification, packaging and logistics support to be provided to artisans. The panelists included expert artisans Shri Shubham Satpute (Leather expert), Shri Bihari Lal Prajapati (Expert potter) and Shri M. Manikandan (Expert sculptor)). The other panelists included Shri Abhishek Chandra (Special Secretary, Government of Tripura), Shri Irfan Alam (Director, Khadi India Portal), Smt. Prachi Bhuchar (Meesho e-commerce platform), Shri P. Gopalakrishnan (Chairman, HEPC) and Shri Rajkumar Malhotra (Chairman, EPCH). The session brought out various valuable suggestions which will enable a meaningful formulation of scheme structure. The fourth breakout session on ‘Structure of the scheme and implementation framework’, moderated by the Ministry of MSME focused primarily on implementation framework of the scheme, role of stakeholders, rate of interest, guarantee coverage, convergence with other schemes, mechanism for identification of beneficiaries etc. The panelists included expert artisans Padma Shri Shri V.K. Munusamy (expert pottery and terracotta artist)), Shri Vishwanathan Achary (Innovator and coordinator for traditional artisans) and Ms. Kevisedenuo Margaret Zinyu (Expert designer). The other panelists included Shri Amit Mohan Prasad (Additional Chief Secretary, UP), Ms Mudita Mishra (Additional Commissioner Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles), Shri Mukesh Kumar Bansal (JS, DFS), Shri Krishna Kumar Dwivedi (JS&CVO, MSDE), Shri Vinit Kumar (CEO, KVIC) and Ms. Shalini Pandey (Director, MoHUA). The breakout sessions were followed by a closing session co-headed by Smt. Rachana Shah, Secretary (Ministry of Textiles) and Shri B.B. Swain, Secretary (MSME). The moderators of the breakout sessions included Dr Rajneesh, AS&DC (MSME), Shri Nilambuj Sharan (Senior Economic Adviser, M/o Skill Development and Entrepreneurship), Ms. Shubhra (Trade Adviser & DC (Handicrafts & Handlooms, M/o Textiles) and Shri Mukesh Kumar Bansal, JS (Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance). The panelists summarized the points emerging out of the discussions held in the respective sessions. The closing session was followed by an address by Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Textiles. He highlighted how the post budget webinars organized by the Government is adding value to the policy discourse. He emphasized the need of convergence of PM VIKAS scheme with the existing schemes in other Ministry/Departments. He also mentioned the importance of breaking the silos in implementation of this scheme. The session also witnessed the presence of Minister of MSME along with Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, Minister of State for MSME and Smt. Darshana Vikram Jardosh, Minister of State for Textiles.
Source: PIB
Home textiles major Welspun India is seeking to tap opportunities in the kids segment through its licensing pact with The Walt Disney Company, according to Welspun's CEO and Joint Managing Director Dipali Goenka. The company, which had signed a brand licensing agreement with Walt Disney in January for the Europe and the UK market this year, also sees an increase of shelf space of licensed brands as compared to its private labels. "If there's a recession, or a slowdown, people will not compromise on their kids' demands...The kids' opportunity is huge. Whether there's a slowdown or there's a peak, that demand never tapers off," Goenka told PTI. The licence agreement had given Welspun the rights to design, develop, manufacture and distribute a complete range of home textiles products leveraging on Disney's franchises and characters across Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucas brands. Welspun India President & Global Head Keyur Parekh said the licensing pact with Walt Disney marks the foray of Welspun into the new segment of kids. "Disney resonates so well, in terms of this category (kids) and the segment. It allows us to create a wagon for growth into absolutely a new space. So, this actually helps us to bring incremental revenues and to address the whole new segment," he added. Further, Parekh said, "The current licence that we have with Disney is for three years. It encompasses all the EU countries, the UK and the South African market." The licensing pact will help Welspun India get deeper penetration and wider reach into the EU markets and the UK market, where Disney has a lot of distribution through smaller stores as well in convenience stores and non home retail. In terms of products, Goenka said the licence covers the complete home solution product range, comprising towels, bed sheets, rugs, bedding and utility items. She said the pact would also lead to addition on a "lot of shelf space as well" for licensed brands. "We also have (licensed brands) Martha Stewart and Scott in America, with which we have increased our shelf space 175 per cent over the private label. So this is what the opportunity is, and Walt Disney will open more doors for us," Goenka asserted.
Source: Financial Express
India and US have just signed an MoU on jointly developing an ecosystem for semiconductor technology. This follows India’s Rs 76,000-crore incentive scheme for semiconductors and the display manufacturing ecosystem. Will the MoU directly help in furthering the aim of this incentive scheme? Rishi Raj explains
The India-US MoU
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) basically paves the way for creating a semiconductor sub-committee under the commercial dialogue between the US department of commerce and the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) and the ministry of commerce. According to commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal, one aim of the MoU is to establish a semiconductor supply chain. It will also aim at diversifying and friend-shoring (sourcing of material from countries with similar social and political values) the supply chain, facilitating clean technology cooperation, inclusive digital growth, talent development, and post-pandemic economic recovery.
The MoU and India’s semiconductor scheme
India’sRs 76,000-crore incentive scheme provides 50% fiscal support for development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem across all technology nodes for setting up of semiconductor fabs.
If one looks in terms of tangible outcomes of the MoU on the scheme, there won’t be any because semiconductor design as well as fabrication is led by private industry and governments can only help in creating an enabling atmosphere. However, it would certainly help in sending the right signals to the chip manufacturing industry, that India has the right enabling framework in place. India has talent, expertise and gets orders in chip design, but these then flow outside the country for fabrication. Thus, India misses out on manufacturing.
Progress on the incentive scheme
Semiconductors are key to a wide range of manufacturing—from mobile phones to automobiles. The geopolitical tensions after the Covid-19 pandemic made it clear that their manufacturing must be spread across centres rather than being concentrated in some areas.
After the incentive was announced, Vedanta, in a JV with Taiwan’s Foxconn, has planned an investment ofRs 1.54 trillion for an India-based unit. The company would be setting up the project in Gujarat and expects to break even in five years. A consortium comprising Dubai-based NextOrbit and Israeli tech firm Tower Semiconductor has also signed a deal with the Karnataka government for a plant in Mysuru. Singapore-based IGSS Venture has evinced interest in such a project in Tamil Nadu. Minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar told FE last month that the Centre will shortly approve the two proposals.
What are the challenges ahead?
While the incentive scheme is fine and the MoU with US creates the right kind of environment, it’s too early to conclude that India will soon emerge as a destination for chip manufacturing.
The big challenge would be to ensure that the foundries—the epicentre for chip fabrication—which get set up are global in nature and are able to get global orders. Ultimately, it is the relocation of global units into the country that would determine the success. Any unit which is not assured of large-scale orders runs the risk of low capacity utilisation. The minimum investment which goes into a foundry which is global in nature is around $2-3 billion.
Will the Indo-US MoU help here? Not directly, but it will signal suppliers to shift base to India. For instance, last year in October, Cristiano R Amon, president and CEO, Qualcomm, had said if the company’s suppliers set up bases in India, it would use their fabs. Amon had also said the US, Europe, and India should work together on developing a geographically diversified and resilient semiconductor supply chain and see that there’s no duplication in creating a viable ecosystem.
* Rs 76,000 cr incentives for semiconductors & display production
* $2-3 bn minimum investment in a global foundry for chip production
* Rs 1.54 tn Vedanta-Foxconn joint venture for unit in Gujarat
* 2 projects in Karnataka & TN awaiting approval
Source: Financial Express
India and Australia have agreed to conclude the negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement “as soon as possible” as there is huge potential to enhance bilateral commerce in the next five years, according to a joint statement issued on Sunday. The statement was released after the meeting of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell here on March 11. Both countries have already implemented an economic cooperation and trade agreement (ECTA) in December 2022 and are now negotiating to widen the scope of that pact into a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA). “Ministers look forward to concluding CECA as soon as possible,” the statement said. The CECA will create new employment opportunities, raise living standards and improve the general welfare in both countries, it added. The ministers also highlighted the importance of a smooth and timely clean energy transition as both countries work towards achieving their respective net zero goals. “India-Australia bilateral trade exceeded USD 31 billion last financial year. Both agreed that given the trade complementarities between the two countries, there is considerable potential for significantly enhancing bilateral trade within the next 5 years,” the statement said.
Source: Financial Express
India and Australia on Saturday expressed their commitment for concluding the negotiations for expanding the scope of existing free trade agreement by the end of this year with an aim to push the bilateral trade to USD 100 billion. The issue came up for discussions during the meeting of joint ministerial commission between commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and his Australian counterpart Don Farrell. Farrell is accompanying Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who is here on an official visit. On December 29, last year India and Australia implemented an economic cooperation and trade agreement (ECTA) and are now negotiating to expand its scope for a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA). “ECTA was the first stage of our economic engagement. We are now entering into phase-2 of our discussions where we are looking at much wider ambit of subjects and taking this into a CECA,” Goyal told reporters here. After the first India-Australia summit talks here on March 10 on a range of key issues, Albanese has said that both sides are looking at firming up the ambitious CECA by 2023 while a joint statement mentioned that the two prime ministers tasked the concerned officials to expedite the conclusion of a Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA) within the next three months. On the deadline to conclude the CECA negotiations, Goyal said that though anything done with a deadline is always “dangerous” as “you may land up making mistakes”, but “we” must do things fast. Both the trade ministers, he said, are committed to speed up the negotiations. Both the prime ministers have “collectively tasked us to work towards closing the CECA negotiations within this calender year. We would love to do that. We would work to engage in a same spirit as ECTA and hope for quick outcomes without compromising on its quality,” he added. He also said that “we are very very dissatisfied” with the USD 30-billion bilateral trade and the officials of India and Australia have kept a target of USD 45-50 billion in the next five years. Both the ministers have expressed “unhappiness” towards the trade negotiators and said they “will be much more ambitious and aim for a USD 100-billion trade between the two economies”, he said. Farrell said that the two countries “can achieve” this target. Goyal said huge opportunities are there to increase cooperation in areas like education, technology, audio-video services and sports. While Australia has some “very” fine technologies, best of education institutes and sports, India can offer in terms of its talent pool, manufacturing base and startup ecosystem, he said. On increasing agri trade with Australia, the Indian commerce minister said that there are several areas of mutual interest, which are under consideration of agriculture ministries of both sides to resolve sanitary and phyto-sanitary (related with plans and animals) problems. Citing the example of Australian avocados and Indian oakra, he said, “both sides have different products where market access is being encouraged. Indian pomegranate arils issue has been resolved. On their side, pet food certification issues are getting resolved”. There is an opening up of some elements of agriculture in the ECTA and “with an open mind we will be looking at forward movement wherever there are areas of complimentarity and mutual benefit”, he added. Goyal appreciated Australia for taking care of Indian sensitivities in the agri and dairy sectors where small and marginal farmers are involved. “We are looking at win-win opportunities in many areas which will open up a lot of potential like in space technology, Australian education systems and critical minerals, energy storage system that are developed in Australia and sports…Our focus has been leveraging on each others comparative competitive advantages to add to trade,” he added. Farrell said that Australia has all the critical minerals to build batteries for electric vehicles. He also said that in the first month of the ECTA, Australia has shipped goods worth USD 2.5 billion to India. Farrell added that Australian wine industry can come to India and provide support to the sector here in terms of sharing knowledge and quality. “I do hope that in the months to come we will be able to send our teams from India from the wine sector and will be able to invite teams from Australia coming in forging alliances with mutual cooperation,” Goyal said. Goyal added that India can learn different water sports from Australia as it has a long coastline. On whether Australia is looking to include gender and sustainability issues in the CECA, Farrell said that the country is looking at these issues as part of the CECA. Goyal said that India is open to negotiations and look to engage with the rest of the world from a position of strength and learn from the best practices.
Source: Financial Express
INTERNATIONAL
Bangladesh's apparel industry needs to increase production of manmade fiber-based items, explore new markets, and attract more investment in the textile industry to reach the $100 billion export target by 2030, said garment and textile sector leaders on Sunday. While speaking at a parallel session of the Bangladesh Business Summit 2023 on its second day, they said overconcentration to five core items – trousers, T-shirts, sweaters, shirts and blouses, and underwear – and two markets – Europe and the USA – is one of the major challenges for the Bangladesh apparel industry. They also mentioned that investment in skills development, design, innovation, efficiency, and recycling technology is also important for the Bangladesh textile and clothing industry to achieve its goal. At the session, styled "Towards a $100 Billion Apparel and Textile Sector: Leveraging Sustainability, Competitiveness, and Investment Opportunities", Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Faruque Hassan said that the Russia-Ukraine war-driven high inflation in developed countries and climate changes are also the top risks for Bangladesh apparel industry. Bangladesh's apparel industry needs more investment in the backward linkage industry to develop a strong artificial fibre base as the global demand has been changing towards non-cotton and circular fashion products, he said. Faruque Hassan also emphasised apparel diplomacy to gain more global market share saying that overconcentration to a few products and markets was a concern for the country. In the keynote paper Azizur Rahman Chowdhury, director of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association said that investing in sustainability, increasing competitiveness, and leveraging investment opportunities are the key to achieving $100 billion in textile and clothing exports by 2030. He said that Bangladesh has a scope to increase its apparel export by $58 billion by receiving 10% of the China market valued at $16 billion, 10% of the EU market valued at $17 billion, exporting technical textiles worth $10 billion, and World Growth Potential about 8% valued at $15 billion. At the same time, the industry should graduate from low-value-added products to value-added products, he added. Mohammad Ali Khokon, president of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, said clothing made of synthetic materials, technical textiles, and other diversified sustainable items could play a significant role in achieving $100 billion in export earnings from RMG by 2030. Investment in man-made fibre is rising considerably and policymakers should pay attention to its expansion, he said. Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, a member of the parliament and also a former president of the BGMEA, stressed a unified code of conduct from global buyers for social compliance audits saying the industry was struggling with inspection fatigue. Regarding workers' wages in the readymade garment sector, he said the minimum wages are being reviewed every five years by the minimum wage board. The process for reviewing wages has started as a five-year period has gone past since the last review. Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, also urged the brands and buyers for a unified certification system for the RMG industry. Bangladesh's garment industry can improve its competitiveness by developing a comprehensive supply chain that includes backward and forward linkages together, he said. Sree Devi Kalavakonalu, senior director of Walmart, mentioned that the world is facing a challenge of how to increase production volume in a sustainable manner, adding that all companies should think about how to improve the sustainability of their textile supply chain. "Walmart is working with its suppliers, NGOs, and other stakeholders to improve the sustainability of our textile supply chain," Sree Devi said. Speaking at the session, Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi suggested that the textile and RMG sector leaders go to the prime minister with their demands in writing before the formulation of the forthcoming national budget. He said the government increased the price of gas with the consent of businesses to reduce subsidies in the sector as the energy price increased abnormally on the global market. The minister also said that the gas supply has improved and normal supply would be ensured within the next one or two weeks. Asif Ashraf, a BGMEA director, said automation, technological upgradation, skills development of workers, and policy support from the government including incentives in MMF are needed to achieve the $100 billion export earnings target by 2030.
Source: The Tbs news
Bangladesh needs to focus more on market diversification, product development - especially man-made fibre (MMF)-based garment manufacturing, and investment in backward linkage industry to achieve the US$100- billion ready-made garment (RMG) export earning by 2030. The local textile and RMG industry also needs to enhance efficiency, re-skilling and up-skilling, prioritising circular economy and carbon neutrality. They said these in a session - 'Towards a $100 Billion Apparel & Textile Sector: Leveraging Sustainability, Competitiveness and Investment Opportunities' - of the Bangladesh Business Summit 2023. The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce (FBCCI) is organising the summit. Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi was the chief guest of the session, where Senior Director, Walmart Sourcing Ethics and Compliance, India Sridevi Kalavakolanu also spoke. Speaking on the occasion, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan termed high inflation in advanced economies, rising geopolitical tension, and climate crises as top risks for Bangladesh RMG and textile sector. He also identified volatile energy prices and frequent changes in trade policies as challenges for the industry. Bangladesh needs investment in backward linkage industry to develop a strong artificial fibre base, as the global consumption pattern is changing towards non-cotton, durable and circular fashion. Emphasising apparel diplomacy to gain more global market share, the BGMEA president said over concentration on a few products and markets is also a concern for local apparel industry. Being a least developed country (LDC), about 70.58 per cent of Bangladesh's exports enjoy duty-free market access, and the benefit would come to an end after the LDC graduation. Terming the country an attractive investment location, he said, "Bangladesh offers a profitable location for the investors - both as a market and a production/sourcing base." "Bangladesh is a green field for investments in textiles and high value-added items." Terming circular fashion the next disruption, he added that with garment production volume growing by 2.7 per cent annually and less than 1.0 per cent of products recycled into new garments, action on circularity is imperative. Presenting the keynote paper, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) Director Azizur R Chowdhury said investing in sustainability, increasing competitiveness, and leveraging investment opportunities are the key to achieve $100-billion export earning target. Bangladesh has a scope to increase its apparel export by $58 billion through graduation from low value-added products to high value-added products. He, however, said global pricing of all essentials increased substantially than apparel pricing, and Bangladesh's export industry would not be able to absorb the shock of energy price hike due to international pricing. Bangladesh is already delivering a super-fast turnaround (30 days of lead time), but falls behind due to logistics and distance, he said, suggesting prioritising backward linkage for MMF, 3D sampling, and direct vessel service. Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin MP, former president of the FBCCI and BGMEA, highlighted unified code of conduct from global buyers, as the industry is struggling with inspection fatigue. BTMA President Mohammad Ali Khokon said clothing made of synthetic materials, technical textiles, and other diversified sustainable items can play a significant role in achieving the $100-billion export earning target. "Investment in the industries based on man-made fibres is rising considerably, and policymakers should pay close attention to expansion of these industries," he noted. Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Executive President Mohammad Hatem focused on a unified certification system for the industry. The manufacturers still have to take certifications from different bodies and spend $50,000 annually to maintain these certifications, which is a burden for them. The textile and jute minister advised the RMG sector leaders to go to the Prime Minister with their demands before the next budget. Regarding gas price hike, he said the industry leaders previously expressed readiness to pay high rates for uninterrupted gas supply. Mr Gazi also said energy supply situation already improved and hoped for further improvement in gas pressure. BGMEA Director Asif Ashraf said $100-billion export earning by 2030 is possible - provided with process automation, technological upgradation, skill development of workers, and the government's required policy supports.
Source: The financial express .com
An objective to explore opportunity to invest in small scale industry especially in the field of textile, a textile expert from Netherland, Heijdenrijk Johana Maria, Pum Netherland senior expert, and Aditee Chetia, representative of India, visited Wangti, Chenloishu, and Chenwetnyu villages under Mon district on March 8. Those villages are situated at the remote corner of the Indo-Myanmar border under Mon district. A press release from International Border Organisation stated that the purpose of the visit was to explore the opportunity to invest in small scale industry especially in the field of textile, which the border area people are expert in the field of weaving and knitting. It also envisaged providing employment to the poor and needy women folk of the border area in the future if the environment is conducive. It stated that the president of International Border Organisation (SCMP) Nagaland, Kohimong, coordinator Shomwang Wangnao, Seemata Chetana Mancha Purvoter, Northeast in-charge Agur Gogoi and Hanry James accompanied the textile experts team to review and inspected the developmental activities that are being carried out along the IndoMyanmar border area. It further stated that both teams were warmly welcomed by the villagers led by the chairman of Wangti village council, A Pongthra Angh, and briefed them about the progress being made and also the condition of the rural people.
Source: The Easternmirrornagaland.com
When sustainability expert Lars Mortensen tried to work out how European lifestyles were damaging the environment, he found three big problems lawmakers were trying to tackle: The homes in which we live, the food on our plates and the cars and planes we use to get around. But it was the fourth — the clothes we wear — that had escaped their attention for decades. Textiles have not been regulated in detail, said Mortensen from the European Environment Agency. "Most textiles are produced outside Europe, which means the majority of the impacts happen outside Europe." The European Union is now pushing to clean up the fashion industry — and the standards it sets could force retailers to fix dirty supply chains in other parts of the world. By 2030, it wants all clothes sold on its market to be durable, repairable and recyclable. Labels will have to be clearer. More clothes will have to be made from recycled fibers. "Fast fashion is out of fashion," the European Commission said in the strategy it announced last year. But with greenhouse gas emissions rising, and ship after ship of unwanted clothes landing in ports across Africa and Asia, experts fear the industry is actually moving in the opposite direction. To stop the planet heating 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7°F) — the level world leaders said they would work to achieve — the apparel sector would have to emit 45% less by 2030, according to a report from the environmental nonprofit World Resources Institute. Instead, it is set to emit about 55% more.
Recycling is rare
The global clothing industry pumps out 2% of the gases heating the planet each year. Most of these comes from production. It also uses fossil fuels to make synthetic fibers and scarce land and water to grow plants like cotton. Many of the biggest retailers, like H&M and Zara, have based their business model around mass-producing cheap clothes and bringing out new styles on a weekly basis. Newer entrants like Shein have ramped that up with new styles coming out every single day. Some companies, under pressure from customers and investors, have brought out collections they market as sustainable and set targets to clean up their business. Fast fashion giant H&M, for instance, plans to cut emissions 56% by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2040. Inditex, the owner of Spanish retailer Zara, aims to get there in the same year. But cutting environmental damage while sales rise is a tall order. After being worn — and sometimes without even that — most clothes end up in landfills or incinerators. Data from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a charity pushing to cut waste, suggests only 13% of the material used to produce clothing is recycled in some form. Less than 1% is used made into new clothing. Consumption is "the elephant in the room," said Eliot Metzger, head of sustainable business at the World Resources Institute. "Not a lot of companies are ready to acknowledge that they can't just keep selling more stuff to more people forever."
Waste piling up
The average European consumes 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of textiles each year, including non-clothing items like curtains and industrial fabrics, and sends about a quarter of it abroad, mostly to Africa and Asia, according to a report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) in February. Clothes are collected voluntarily, often by charity shops, then resold.In the last two decades, Europe's exports of used textiles have tripled to nearly 1.7 million tons. But their fate is "highly uncertain", the EEA found. "We simply don't know what happens," said Mortensen, who co-authored the report.05:21 In Africa, where Europe sends 46% of its used textiles, there is a market for cheap, second-hand clothing. But a large and unknown fraction ends up in landfills, or litters streets and rivers. In Ghana, which is one of the biggest recipients, one study estimated 40% ends up as waste. Traders in the capital Accra say some of the clothes are made too poorly to be worn again. In Asia, where Europe sends 41% of its unwanted textiles, exports are more likely to be sorted and processed. The big recipient countries, like Pakistan and United Arab Emirates, act as shipping hubs to the rest of the world. The fabrics are often downcycled. This can mean making waste clothes into industrial rags or building insulation. Clothes that don't get treated are often burned, sometimes in industry, or sent to landfill.
Cutting demand
With little sign of production slowing, the amount of clothing shipped abroad is set to rise and efforts to tackle waste could increase it further. Today, only about one-third of the EU's textile waste is collected for reuse and recycling. From 2025, however, member states will have to collect all of it. Retailers will be partly responsible for funding the system. But without a big push to boost the continent's recycling capacity, Europe will not be able to process all the clothes it collects. Nor will the countries to which it exports, said Mortensen. "Incineration is the most obvious destiny for textiles," he said. There are some efforts to fix this. The EU plans to restrict shipments to countries that are not part of the OECD, a group of mostly rich countries, if they can't handle it sustainably. It wants to force companies who export waste to check that the facilities receiving the clothes handle it in an environmentally sound way. The strategy also tries to address the underlying issue with the fashion industry: too many clothes that are not made to last. The EU wants to make it easier to repair clothes, design them for a longer life and fight greenwashing with better labeling. Campaigners have criticized fashion brands for highlighting small efforts to cut their environmental footprint while profiting from unsustainable practices. If a business model is based on overproduction, "having one line of t-shirts made from organic cotton doesn't really do the trick," said Theresa Mörsen from campaign group Zero Waste Europe. "The most sustainable thing is not to buy anything."
Source: The tbsnews.net
How has the rental fashion industry evolved in the last decade? The rental fashion industry has undergone significant changes and growth over the last decade. In recent years, the rental fashion market has become popular as consumers seek more eco-friendly and cost-effective methods to experience the latest trends. Due to technological advances, rental fashion companies have been able to broaden their approach in the fashion industry and expand their product offerings and services, which has helped convert buyers into renters and unlock the potential of fashion rentals. The global market for fashion rental is expected to expand at a CAGR of 11% from 2021 to 2031. 2. Why are millennials switching to rental fashion as against buying the occasion wear category? Millennials are changing their purchasing habits as this generation understands the negative impact of the fashion industry on the environment and is willing to do something about it. In addition, renting makes a lot of sense, as it helps them save their hard-earned money and still be fashionable. Also, millennials are avid social media users, and the culture of not repeating outfits, however unsustainable, is not going away anytime soon. Buying so many outfits, especially expensive occasion wear, is impractical and so unsustainable. Rentals are a smart alternative to scratching this itch, as millennials favor having access to an endless wardrobe as opposed to owning it. Rentals are particularly appealing to millennials, who prioritize convenience and flexibility in their lifestyles. 3. Are rental fashion companies addressing sustainability concerns and are helpful in reducing the harmful impactthatthe fashion industry has caused on the environment? Sustainability is one of the core values of any rental company. The concept of rentals addresses the overproduction and overpollution problems of the fast fashion industry. Since no new garments are being produced by rental companies and each garment is being utilized up to its full potential, it helps in reducing textile waste and keeps them out of landfills for a longer time period. Rental companies follow the circular fashion model, where each outfit is maintained and kept in circulation for as long as possible with a mindful end-of-life approach. Extending the life of clothes by an extra nine months reduces their carbon, water, and waste footprints by around 20–30% each and cuts the cost of resources used to supply, launder, and dispose of clothing by 20%. 4. Whatis the process to rent at Flyrobe? Flyrobe is a fashion rental service that allows customers to rent their heavy Indian wear via Flyrobe’s stores and online channels and earn on a rental share basis. This C2C model has become immensely popular over the years as it helps individuals share their expensive Indian wear with a huge audience. Every Indian household struggles with the storage problem, and single-use outfits like lehengas and sherwanis are hardly worn again. They are endlessly stored for years and then discarded. Renting these outfits extends their shelf life and ensures proper care and maintenance. Flyrobe has made this process seamless with the help of technology, where the renter can track and monitor the entire process via the dashboard and receive earnings every month in their bank accounts. 5. How is Flyrobe expanding in India and how can a consumer rentfrom Flyrobe? Flyrobe is India’s first and largest rental fashion service. Flyrobe’s flagship store is located in New Delhi, and franchise stores are located in Gurugram and Bangalore. The company also delivers to more than 30 cities online. Flyrobe is expanding across India via franchising. The rental process at Flyrobe is hassle-free and convenient. Flyrobe specializes in ethnic wear rentals for both men and women. The standard rental period is 4 days, with the option to extend. Free size customizations, free online delivery, and an in-store trial facility are some of the perks of renting from Flyrobe. Think of it as a hotel booking system. The user books the desired products in advance for a certain period. Post a quality and size check, and the order is confirmed. Thereafter, 10 days before the delivery date, the warehouse starts to prep for the delivery date based on the pseudo-delivery date (the warehouse works in advance). The product is altered, goes through a round of quality checks, is steam ironed at 80°F or higher, and undergoes a final QC and packaging before shipping. After this, once the product is received, a reverse QC process commences. The product is checked for any damages and goes for a round of major repairs, if any, before going for a round of dry cleaning. Post-dry cleaning, another round of minor repairs, intensive steam ironing, and then back to the barcoded inventory racking. 6. How does Flyrobe participate in the circular economy? The fast fashion industry works on a linear model of take-make-dispose. By renting clothes, Flyrobe encourages the reuse of clothing items, which helps conserve the natural resources, energy, and labor that go into producing new clothing. Rental fashion follows a circular fashion model where each outfit is reused, repaired, and circulated amongst customers for as long as possible. When a product has fulfilled its life cycle, it is repaired and sold off at the bi-annual clearance sale at Flyrobe warehouses to be loved and worn a few more times. 7. How has technology influenced the growth and success of Flyrobe in the fashion rental industry? Technology is a vital part of the business. The entire back-end process is managed digitally. To manage our inventory and have better rented and stocked goods, digital data on product popularity, colors, new trends, etc. is collected and evaluated. With the aid of technology, we are able to comprehend client needs and buying habits in order to offer a more specialized shopping experience both online and offline. Flyrobe also uses digital media for its advertising and marketing campaigns. In order to draw in more millennial and Gen Z customers, we collaborate with influencers and celebrities as well as advertise on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Google to reach out to new users.
Source: The cxotoday.com
IN 2009, the Danish Fashion Institute held one of the first sustainable fashion summits in Copenhagen, just around the time of the United Nations’ COP15 summit. This was during a time when the definitions of the terms – ‘eco-friendly’, ‘vegan’, ‘organic’ and ‘sustainability’ were yet to gain specific clarity among a larger population. Over the following years, the focus on sustainable fashion has continued to grow, with industry leaders and stakeholders making pledges to climate neutrality, accelerated material innovation and circularity. Against the backdrop of a growing realisation that climate change is as much about equity as it is about carbon footprints, the world has shifted focus to sustainable fashion. ‘Sustainable fashion’, as a term, is being increasingly used nowadays as we become ever more aware of the serious environmental impact of our clothes. But what does sustainable fashion actually mean, and why is it so crucial in the 21st century? Sustainable fashion refers to garments that have been made in a way that is mindful of the many environmental issues the fashion industry is currently facing. The word ‘sustainability’ in the context of fashion primarily refers to the environmental impacts of making (raw material, processing and manufacture), wearing and caring (use), and the disposal of clothing (end of use). Producing clothes tends to use up a lot of natural resources and creates greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for climate change. According to the UN, the fashion industry is generally responsible for 8–10 per cent of global emissions, more than aviation and shipping combined. Since the World Bank suggests that global clothing sales could increase by up to 65 per cent by 2030, it shall presumably lead to a much worse scenario in terms of environment conservation. The raw material sourcing and processing of a garment account for a significant amount of the environmental footprint. Most of fashion’s raw materials are sourced in ways that have contributed to the declining health of the planet. Starting from petroleum refining for polyester, water contamination and depletion, to soil degradation and deforestation for industrial cotton and viscose production, the process is extremely harmful to the environment. This way, fashion is not only increasing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere; it is also contributing to a rapid decline in biodiversity, another critical environmental crisis facing the planet. For meaningful progress toward sustainability, there may be no single category that fashion needs to transform more urgently than its materials. Around 60 per cent of all fabrics used globally are synthetic fibres, like nylon and polyester, which are forms of plastic and do not biodegrade after being sent to a landfill. Numerous studies show that these fibres release microfibers into the water when washed, which are known to pollute oceans, harm marine life and ultimately find their way into our bodies through the seafood we consume. Recently, the import of man-made fibres such as polyester staple, viscose, and viscose staple fibre is on the rise as a substitute for cotton as their demand is increasing amid changes in global fashion trends. According to data from the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, Bangladesh imported 78,208 tonnes of polyester staple fibre in 2016, up 11.39 per cent from 70,209 tonnes in 2015 and 35.72 per cent from 51,729 tonnes in 2014. Choosing a natural fibre is certainly a step in the right direction, but just because a fabric is natural does not automatically make it sustainable; it is also vital to consider where it came from. Viscose, or viscose rayon, is a great example of a ‘sustainable’ fabric that is rapidly growing in popularity and finding its way into everything, such as clothes and home decor. Viscose rayon is a type of man-made cellulosic fibre, the second-largest cellulosic fibre group after cotton. Viscose is made from wood pulp, primarily from trees like pine, beech and eucalyptus. The manufacturing process of viscose begins with dissolving the wood into a pulp solution, which is then washed, cleaned and bleached. This solution is treated again to create fibres, and the fibres are treated again to form regenerated cellulose and spun into yarns for textile making. The reason for its popularity is the fact that viscose is a sustainable and fully biodegradable alternative to acrylic, nylon, polyester, and other petroleum-based synthetic fabrics, which can sit in landfills for decades. Moreover, viscose has a silk-like appearance and has the ability to absorb and retain rich and vibrant colors. Its cellulosic base gives it properties similar to those of cotton and smoothness similar to silk, meaning it is moisture-absorbing, breathable and comfortable to wear. Most importantly, viscoserayon is biodegradable and naturally decomposes into the soil because it comprises natural plantbased polymers. In the fashion industry, a few companies are working towards improving the quality of fibre while prioritising the sustainable consumption of raw materials and maximising material recovery in line with leading international industry standards. Upon entering the production facilities, it takes only 18 hours to transform the sustainably produced wood pulp into beautiful and biodegradable viscose rayon, ready to be shipped to customers around the world. A lot of manufacturers are also using the power of viscose rayon. As a result, viscose rayon has taken a clear place in the fashion industry. Often touted as a sustainable alternative to cotton and polyester, viscose is extremely popular in the fashion industry as a cheaper and more durable option. Besides, viscose is not just found in clothes — it is also used in the manufacturing of upholstery, bedding, carpets, cellophane and even sausage casing! As of yet, we are seemingly on track to throw away more than 134 million tonnes of textiles each year by 2030. Most of this fashion waste is not biodegradable; the most popular fabrics, such as nylon, polyester and acrylic, are all forms of plastic and will remain in landfills for centuries. Now, more than ever, consumers are increasingly demanding more sustainable options, and brands are duly rushing to catch up. In this situation, it is essential that we start shifting to alternatives for the sake of our planet and live more responsibly. Sustainability shall now be our ultimate objective as we aim for a better future ahead.
Source: The newagebd.net
