UK-India trade has potential to double by 2030, says British Deputy High Commissioner
Bimstec Secretary-General calls for expeditious FTA talks
Incentives for first movers to textile parks’
G20: Mumbai to host first trade, investment working group meet next week
WARP & WEFT: CENTRE, TN WEAVE A SUCCESS STORY
Don’t just Do-It-Yourself; it’s time to Design-It-Yourself
Export benefits under RoDTEP extended to certain textile items
INTERNATIONL
BGMEA seeks negotiation thru' US lawmakers for duty-free market access
Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports dip in February
Green rules pose new challenges to Vietnam’s garment, textile industries
Pakistan, China to cooperate for promoting flaxseed research
Pakistan’s exports to Middle East decline by 12 per cent
ITMA 2023 Exhibitor Preview: Stäubli
NATIONAL
Notwithstanding the impact of Russia's war with Ukraine, the UK and India are heading towards an era of positive engagement in trade and business relations, with steps underway to promote mutual investments in both the nations, British Deputy High Commissioner in charge of Kerala and Karnataka Chandru Iyer said. Iyer who is also UK's Deputy Trade Commissioner for South Asia spoke in detail to PTI on Friday about the trade and investments between the UK and India and said there was potential to double the business by 2030. He was in the state to take part in various official engagements, including a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and also in connection with the port of call made by the British Royal Navy's frigate ship, HMS Lancaster, at Kochi. Calling war a global phenomenon that affects all countries in more ways than one, the British Deputy High Commissioner hailed entrepreneurs for being enterprising and resilient in the face of adversity. If you look at the flow of business or the trade numbers between the UK and India for the period ending Q4 of last year, the number stood at 34 billion British pounds. For the same period ending the year before last, it was around 19 billion pounds. So it's been a big jump in trade and business," Iyer said. After meeting the Chief Minister two days ago and expressing interest in collaboration with the Kerala government in the education sector, Iyer met tech entrepreneurs from Thiruvananthapuram and its neighbouring regions. He also held business discussions in Kochi. "The interest in UK is so high that people want to come there and set up their business and use that as their global headquarters... This means that countries are doing more business together. The aspirations have the potential to double the trade and investment numbers by 2030," Iyer said. Detailing plans to attract Indian investment in the UK, Iyer said his team was working across India to identify companies with potential and was holding discussions, understanding their aspirations and connecting them with the right people in the UK. "We as a team are catalysts, we are enablers. All our services are free, comprehensive, confidential and bespoke," he said. Iyer, who has roots in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli, spent most of his life in Nagpur working in the private sector before shifting to the UK and landing the diplomatic job. "I spent most of my life in Nagpur, which is a tier-two city. I am a believer in the potential of tier 2 and tier 3 cities. So one of my objectives is to do a lot of outreach visits to tier two and tier three cities as well. We have a lot of inquiries from Thrissur, Calicut and Kottayam. So the potential is there," he said. Talking about Indian students who opted for the UK for higher studies and were finding it difficult to land a part-time job, Iyer said employment was at an all time low in the UK but opportunities were coming up. "We live in very uncertain times. Who would have expected the war or who would have expected the inflation or a Silicon Valley Bank going down? Eventualities do happen. When students go there, they need to be a bit more circumspect and also look out for how things pan out for them," he said. He said there was a huge demand for STEM professionals in the UK, and Indian students had a lot of opportunities in technical businesses and the banking sector as well. When asked about the collaboration with the state government in the education sector, the British diplomat said he was keen to work with Kerala on student exchange and co-branded courses. "British universities can come here and tie up with the digital university or Kerala university or CUSAT," he said, adding that they were looking at engaging in collaborative activities in certain areas. "We had a very good meeting with the officials about certain key areas like biomarine, AI and architecture. We will identify concerned British universities to connect them with the state government," Iyer said. He said his team was committed to the State and was planning to do a major event in Kerala before the year-end as part of the birthday celebrations of King Charles III.
Source: Economic Times
130 delegates from G20 member countries along with 11 invitee countries and 14 international organizations will take part in the Second G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting at Gandhinagar. Starting from tomorrow, the three-day (27-29 March 2023) meeting would focus on thematic areas like arresting land degradation, accelerating ecosystem restoration & enriching biodiversity; Encouraging resource efficiency and Circular economy and Promoting a sustainable and climate resilient Blue economy. Special presentations on major initiatives like Namami Gange, Climate Resilient Infrastructure, Participatory Ground Water Management, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Swachh Bharat Mission will also be made during the meeting. Smt. Darshana Vikram Jardosh, Union Minister of State (Railways & Textiles), Government of India is expected to inaugurate the meeting on 28th March. The delegates will get an opportunity to witness a mix of modernity and tradition during the excursions, organised as a part of the meeting. India's ancient water management practices will be demonstrated at the Adalaj Vav- Ancient Stepwell and India’s engineering prowess will be on display at the Sabarmati siphon. Delegates will also have an opportunity to experience Gujarat's vibrant cultural traditions through specially curated dance and music performances, and will also have the opportunity to taste the local cuisine during their visit. The conference will commence with a side event on Water Resources Management led by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, where G20 member countries will make presentations on best practices on this subject. The final day will feature more technical sessions and a discussion on the outline of the final Ministerial Communique. This information was shared in a press conference today by Neelesh K Sah, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment Forests & Climate Change and Subodh Yadav, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti. Nameeta Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment Forests & Climate Change and Vivek Kapadia, Director, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. Various organizations under Ministry of Jal Shakti will also put up stalls on themes including Atal Bhujal Yojana, Swach Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, Namame Gange, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, National Water Mission etc during the meeting showcasing and sharing the high-quality work with the delegates. The 2nd ECSWG meeting is a critical step in fostering the efforts of the G20 countries, invitee countries, and international organizations towards a sustainable and resilient future. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is committed to working with all stakeholders to drive outcomes under each of the priority areas, and to achieve a sustainable and resilient future for all.
Source: PIB
To boost sub-regional economic cooperation, Bimstec Secretary-General Shahidul Islam on Thursday called for faster negotiations for the conclusion of a free trade agreement (FTA) within this grouping of South Asian and Southeast Asian nations. Speaking at the launch of report by industry body Ficci titled "Reinvigorating Bimstec: An Industry Vision for the Next Decade" here, Islam said that though a framework agreement was signed for a Bimstec FTA in 2004, negotiations have remained stalled for the last-two-and-a-half years. He called for specific steps to rejuvenate the regional grouping through greater political commitment, expeditious negotiations on Bimstec FTA, adequate funding, Bimstec special visas and closer people-to-people contacts. "The time now is to consolidate on the progress made in the last 20 years and take immediate steps to give Bimstec a distinct regional flavour," the Bangladeshi diplomat, who was appointed Bimstec Secretary-General last year, said. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) came into existence in June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The main objective of Bimstec is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal. With the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) virtually rendered ineffective as a bloc, largely due to non-cooperation on the part of Pakistan in a number of areas, India has been giving more importance to Bimstec in recent times. The bloc brings together 1.5 billion people or 21 per cent of the world's population and has a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion. India is the lead country for cooperation in four priority areas: counter-terrorism and transnational crime, transport and communication, tourism and environment, and disaster management. In his speech, Islam said that at a Bimstec ministerial meeting held in Bangkok last year, four major pillars were identified on which economic cooperation between the member states rests. "First, closer public-private partnership to promote economic cooperation and to this end, creation of Bimstec Economic Forum to facilitate high-level exchange of views "Second, identification of sectors, sub-sectors and projects for economic cooperation. Initially five key sectors were identified, namely, textile and clothing, drugs and pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, horticulture and floriculture products, information technology products and services." Thirdly, he said, there should holding of senior economic officials' meeting to promote intra-regional cooperation on elimination of non-tariff barriers, market access issues and services. Fourthly, he mentioned infrastructure building with assistance of multilateral institutions, UN agencies, World Bank and ADB. Islam said that FTAs were no panacea for development, but they represented a crucial first step towards spurring growth and development in the region. Bangladesh, he said, had agreed to hold the next round of trade negotiations for concluding the Bimstec FTA which should be started without delay. The Bimstec Secretariat in Dhaka, he said, needed to be adequately financed as its present budget is a mere $1 million. The Ficci Knowledge report on reinvigorating Bimstec, prepared by a core group with former Indian diplomat Rajiv Bhatia as the Chair and Vikramjit Singh Sahney of Sun Group as Co-chair, suggests funding of $2 billion from India and $1 billion from other member states. "This is the kind of commitment required to give a fillip to generating meaningful activities in the region," Islam said. Ficci President Rashesh Shah said the Bimstec member nations together have untapped economic potential to catapult regional trade and investment to the next level and provide a framework to achieve sustainable development. "The Ficci core group report strives to understand the key drivers of the development paradigm for the region and identify the contours of an economically feasible and result driven approach for BIMSTEC to achieve sustained progress," Shah said. "To fulfill this vision, all stakeholders concerned have to work together for a stable, prosperous and integrated neighbourhood." Bhatia, who also served as India's Ambassador to Myanmar, said that with Saarc regional grouping facing difficulties, "we can work on revitalising Bimstec". "We should bring Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam into Bimstec and reconfigure it," he said. He also called for the holding of a Bimstec summit meeting at the earliest.
Source: Business-Standard
Factories that are the rst to set up at textile mega-parks will get incentives of 3% of their revenue, textile secretary Rachna Shah said. The mega-parks, announced under the ₹4,445-crore PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme are to come up in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. “The Centre will be providing the incentive support to the manufacturing factories that would come in first -- the first movers. They will be incentivized to the tune of 3% of the revenue. Suppose there is an anchor investor, who brings in investment of ₹300 crore to a park, then there will be an incentive that can be ₹10 crore per year with a cap of ₹30 crore," Shah said in an interview. Moreover, the Union government has discussed a stable power regime for the textile parks and the state’s attitude toward the proposed four labour codes that aim to facilitating ease of doing hanges in labour laws are expected to have a major bearing on the mega parks as textile is a labour intensive sector. The parks alone are expected to employ 2 million workers. The Economic Survey had stated that new laws are in tune with the changing labour market trends and, at the same time, accommodate the minimum wage requirement and welfare needs of unorganized workers, including self-employed and migrant workers. The secretary said issues related to the availability of reliable power supply and the quality of power is important for any industrial park and the central government has had discussions about this with the states. “We’ve discussed in detail with the states about their industrial policy and their textile policy and whether they would be offering any special incentives. Most of the states have their own policy framework for assured power and water supply," she added. On the proposed labour laws, the official said the Centre has had discussions with the states in terms of their acceptability. “We have taken note of their existing labour policies as well as their attitude to the four labour codes," Shah added. The mega-parks will be developed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which will be owned by the state government and Centre in a public private partnership (PPP) mode. The textiles ministry had notified setting up of seven mega textile PM MITRA parks on 21 October 2021 after it was announced in Union Budget for 2021-22. The scheme is aimed at developing an integrated large-scale and modern industrial infrastructure facility for the textile industry. It is expected to reduce logistics costs and improve competitiveness of Indian textiles facing competition from countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam. The textile sector also has been among the top focus areas of the government in the free trade agreements that India is negotiating with various countries. India has negotiated zero duty access for textile exports in the trade deals with UK and EU which could help boost domestic production.
Source: Live Mint
Over 100 delegates from G20 member countries will engage in deliberations to accelerate global trade and investments at the first trade and investment working group meeting under India's G20 Presidency in Mumbai from March 28-30. New Delhi has identified five priority issues -- growth and prosperity, resilient global value chains, MSMEs, logistics, and WTO reform -- under its G20 presidency. Of these, it will focus on four in the first meeting. "Under India's Presidency, the aim is to build a shared understanding of the challenges being faced in accelerating global trade and investment, and how existing opportunities can be harnessed for the benefit of humanity following the motto of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and find common solutions," the Commerce Ministry said in a statement. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said, India has taken up five priority issues, which are maintaining and diversification of the global value chains; better integration of MSMEs in the global trading system, better integration with the international world in terms of our facilitation of trade between the Customs Authorities and the government of India. The fourth focus area will be the appellate dispute settlement mechanism which should be well informed and WTO multilateral arrangement should be working for the benefit of all the countries, he said. The last issue will be trade and growth where we will be looking at the sustainable development goals that how trade can reduce poverty and inequality. "Overall we will have four such meetings of the Trade and Investment Working Groups. The second one is going to come up in Kevadia (Gujarat) in June. The third one will be coming up in Bangalore in July, and then the last one which is the ministerial Meeting chaired by the Commerce and Industry Minister in August in Jaipur," Barthwal said.
Source: Business-Standard
The fabric of Tamil Nadu’s textiles sector has been strengthened in the last few days with the formal launch of the first ‘PM Mitra’ textile park at Virudhunagar and unveiling of policies for the industry. The Virudhunagar park is the result of the state’s sustained engagement with the Centre over the past two years. This DMK government had originally planned a “large textile park” for industrialization and job creation in southern Tamil Nadu. That’s when the Centre came up with the concept of ‘PM Mitra’ parks to make India a global hub for textile manufacturing. TN was among 13 states that sent proposals to the Centre. “We followed up and met the stringent selection criteria. We had 1,500 acres readily available with state-owned Sipcot in Virudhunagar and that was the clincher. It was right on the Kanyakumari-Chennai four-lane industrial corridor and within easy reach of Tuticorin seaport and Madurai airport,” industries minister Thangam Thennarasu told TOI. “Our CM (M K Stalin) took a personal interest. He brought it to the attention of PM Modi, when he called on him. We also held a full-fledged meeting with Union minister Piyush Goyal and explained to him the advantages of allotting such a park to Tamil Nadu. Everything enabled it,” the minister said. Last week, when the park was launched formally, TN ensured that 11 companies signed an MoU for setting up units with a combined investment of `1,231 crore. Stalin also urged the Centre to name Sipcot as the master developer to reduce the lead time for the park to take off. “If everything goes as planned, the park should become fully operational by 2025,” Thennarasu said. TN’s textile industry is naturally elated. “With all these initiatives and government support, Tamil Nadu is poised to take advantage of the China Plus 1 mindset and attract huge investments to the already vibrant textile sector,” says R Nandini, deputy chairperson, CII – SR & MD, Chandra Textiles Pvt Ltd. The textiles industry has always been one of the biggest job creators in Tamil Nadu. “Somewhere down the line there was this sudden story that it was a sunset industry without a future. Unfortunately, that was the view of even the top leadership of the country until a few years ago. Now, industry is set for faster take-off,” says Ravi Sam, chairman, SIMA and MD, Adwaith Lakshmi Industries Limited. Ravi wants the TN government to focus on three areas – scale, product and cotton. “We need to scale capacities. Recent entrant Bangladesh has capacities that are 10 times that of Indian units. We also need to move up the value chain and stop focusing on basic products. And finally cotton – there are 2,500-odd seed varieties and we should reduce this to around 50. Only then can one have some control over the final product,” says Ravi Sam. Chandra Textiles’ Nandini says the Centre and the state are promoting man-made and technical textiles. “This will put Tamil Nadu on the world map for innovating in technical textiles because right now our contribution is very small. For that we need to have a lot of connect between industry and academia. Imparting skills in technical textiles becomes a critical need for man-made textiles to really take off, since they are completely different from the traditional textile products,” she says. “Another area of focus should be labour. The industry employs mostly guest workers. Now, with several north Indian states too focusing on the development path, the textile industry in Tamil Nadu should increasingly opt for automation so that the requirement for blue-collar labour will be low and white-collar labour high. Hence, imparting skills becomes the key,” says Nandini. The key for Tamil Nadu is to focus on emerging global opportunities in man-made fibres while strengthening its position in traditional natural fibres.
Source: Times of India
The Industries and Commerce Department (I&CD) has categorised geographically 11 of 26 districts as ‘less industrialised’, 12 as ‘moderately industrialised’ and three as ‘highly industrialised’ in the Industrial Development Policy 2023 - 27 (IDP), notified on March 19, to achieve ‘balanced development’. The ‘less industrialised’ districts are Alluri Sitaramaraju, Anantapur, Annamayya, Bapatla, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, Krishna, Kurnool, Nandyal, Parvatipuram Manyam, Srikakulam and YSR Kadapa. Chittoor, East Godavari, Eluru, Guntur, Kakinada, NTR, Palnadu, Prakasam, Nellore, Sri Sathya Sai, Vizianagaram and West Godavari have been categories as ‘moderately industrialised’ districts, while Anakapalli, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam have been named as ‘highly industrialised’. The classification has been adopted for promoting large, mega and ultra-mega industrial ventures involving investments ranging between ₹50 crore and ₹1,000 crore, ₹1,000 crore and ₹3,000 crore and above ₹3,000 crore respectively. In order to attract investments, the I&CD Department has resolved to allot land and accord the necessary clearances on a fast-track basis within 21 days, and develop the ‘best-in-class’ industrial and social infrastructure at identified ‘growth poles’ in the vicinity of sea ports. These are nothing but townships sought to be promoted and developed as global manufacturing hubs in the public-private partnership mode.
Support package for ‘anchor units’ The IDP envisaged a special support package for ‘anchor units’ which are expected to bring in a minimum investment of ₹500 crore and promote at least five upstream or downstream industries. It has been contemplated to provide land to such anchor units at 25% of the price in case of lands allotted by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) Limited. A total of 12 sectors have been identified as ‘thrust sectors’ in view of their social and economic significance. They are chemicals and petrochemicals, pharma and bulk drugs, textiles and apparel, automobiles and auto components, electronics and IT, agro and food processing, engineering, medical devices, defence and aerospace, machinery and equipment, renewable energy component manufacturing and futuristic segments such as Industry 4.0, biotech, green hydrogen and electric vehicles. Get Curated Updates Sign up for our free newsletters to get in-depth analyses, previews for the day ahead, thoughtful roundups and more.
Source: The Hindu.com
India is the third greatest producer of municipal solid garbage in the world, with an annual scrapping rate of over one million metric tonnes of textiles. The results are extremely startling, necessitating that customers practise greater responsibility when it comes to the disposal of used clothing. Upcycling or recycling old clothing is not only fun but a sustainable way to up your fashion game, giving a makeover to your wardrobe. Upcycling an old Shirt into a trendy Tote Bag! Upcycling is a great way to breathe new life into old clothes while reducing waste and being environmentally conscious. Have an old shirt with collars faded out? Well, you can now upcycle it to a tote bag, that is versatile and can be used for groceries, running errands, or even as a stylish accessory. In this process, you’ll need some basic sewing skills, but it’s a fun and easy project that you can do in a few hours. Here’s how. Materials: 2 full sleeves men’s shirt Chalk Pair of scissors Beaded pins Matching thread Loop turner Sewing Machine Instructions: Take two shirts, one plain and one with checks, open the shirts completely and keep the front of the shirt facing you Make a paper/ cardboard template 16 inches in length and 15 inches breath, and place the template on the shirts one by one in a way that the pocket comes under the template While placing the pattern on the shirt make sure to keep the template on the pocket and have sufficient fabric above at least 2.5 inches and at sides at least 1 inch of the pocket Pin the template with both the layer of the shirt, outline the template on the fabric with the help of chalk, then cut out the fabric and keep it aside For the belt of the bag, create another template with 2.5 inches width and the length of the template will be the same as the length of the sleeves, you will require three pieces of fabric for it Place the template on the sleeve and pin it with both layers of the fabric, mark the outlines and cut it. You will get two strips from the 2 sleeves and for another strip use the leftover fabric from the body of the shirt and follow the same process of pinning, marking, unpinning and cutting You will now have two rectangular pieces for the bag and 3 pieces for the belt/ handle. Repeat the same steps with another shirt as well For making the belt/handle of the bag, join the top of the first two strips right side facing the right and pin, now take the bottom of the second strip and turn it so that right side bottom of the second strip matches the right-side top of the third strip and pin these together Moving on to the square pieces, place them right side facing the right and pin all four corners. Stitch all around the square except for the top but make sure to keep an opening of around 3 inches while stitching so that the bag can be turned inside out Mark the opening with the help of chalk and stitch it using a sewing machine. Take the strips of the belt and sew all three pinned strips of the belt together. Repeat the same steps with another shirt as well Lay both the strips (Plain and check) next to each other, place the plain coloured strip on the checkered strip right side facing the right, and make sure to match the corners correctly Align the matched strip and sew along the longer side, keep sewing till you reach the end. Leave the horizontal end and begin sewing on the other side Once done take a loop turner and insert it inside the strip through the unstitched horizontal side and keep pushing the cloth backwards till the loop turner comes through the other unstitched side. Now, hook the loop into the cloth and pull the loop turner out, you should now be able to turn the strip inside out For the main bag, take the two square pieces that were stitched and lay them side by side. Take the unstitched side and flip the fabric inside out Take the plain lining fabric and place the check fabric inside it, right side facing right. Push the bag strap inside on the check fabric Now look at the placement of the three layers, match the seam of the lining fabric with one end of the strip and then match the seam of the main bag fabric with the side seam of the lining fabric bag and place it over the centre of the fabric, this will give you three layers of the fabric ( Note that the strip should come in between the two main fabrics) Before repeating the process on the other side ensure that the handle is not twisted and pinned in place between the two main fabrics, don’t forget to mind the seems For extra support, while sewing pin the fabric together at the top on both sides Now sew all around the top, adjust the fabric under the sewing machine and start sewing. Do a reverse stitch at the end to secure the stitches Remember the 3-inch gap you left in the lining fabric, use that to bring the main check fabric on the outside. Once Done, close the 3-inch gap and insert the lining back into the bag Place the top opening side of the bag under the presser foot right side up and do a top stick all around the opening to hold the fold in place And the DIY bag is ready A fashionable Sling Bag to oomph your style quotient: Have an old dupatta in your wardrobe that used to be your favourite but has worn off the sides? Well, you do not need to throw it away. Here’s an easy tutorial on how to sew your own sling bag using that dupatta that compliments your outfit and is fun to carry. This trendy sling bag is not only fun to make, but is also great for carrying the little Knick knacks you need for a party or a day out with friends! Materials: A cardboard cut in the shape of an open bag Fabric 23X13 inch Fusing and lining felt fabric Water soluble marker 2.5-inch small fabric strips X 2 Magnetic button Chain Seam ripper Scissors Few pins A steam Iron A sewing Machine Instructions: Place the shiny side of the fusing fabric to face the wrong side of the printed fabric Iron out the printed fabric with the fusing fabric placed below. Once the fabrics are fused, place it back over the lining fabric with the printed fabric facing you Lay open the cardboard draft over the fabric and pin it in place. Outline the draft onto the fabric with the help of a marker Carefully and precisely cut along the marked lines to get the fabrics in the shape of the draft You will notice there are two pointed edges on the draft, which are the two points of the magnetic button Mark both the points on the top layer of the fabric and remove the pins, one by one Place the draft over the lining fabric to mark the two magnetic button points. Now, carefully hold the magnetic button over the lining fabric, make the marks aligned to the prongs Now draw two small straight lines about 1.5 inches from the corner aligned with a marker. With the help of a seam ripper, make a quarter-inch slit on the marked lines Then, insert the prongs of the magnetic button into the slits. Place the button ring from behind into the prongs and flatten out the prongs The first part of the magnetic button is done. Let’s move on to the other part of the button. The opposite part of the magnetic button needs to be fixed on the printed and fusing fabric near the earlier marked point Mark the two prongs of the button part and make similar lines to form two slits Cut a small square of leftover lining fabric and place the square behind the fabric aligning it with the two slits. Use the seam ripper to make two slits on it too. You can also pin the square piece to secure Insert the prongs into the slits and place the ring through them with the lining fabric in between. Press out the prongs flat to hold the button piece in place The lining fabric will help secure the button better. Next, cut out the extra part of the lining fabric Then place the lining fabric over the printed one with the right sides of both facing each other. Pin them in place Mark two points four inches apart at the bottom of the fabric, which will be the sewing points Begin sewing from one point, go around and end at the other marked point. The opening will allow us to turn the fabric right side out once you finish sewing Now that the prep is done, it’s time for a deep breath and finally start sewing! Use a sewing machine to sew. Remember to lock stitch the beginning and the end. Ensure that the needle point is in the fabric when you turn around the edges Remember to take out the pins as you sew along. Now that both pieces are attached, then do a zig-zag stitch along the sides to give it a neat and strong finish After trimming the extra thread, turn the bag right side out- through the gap you had left. Pay extra attention while turning the corner points inside out (you can use the seam ripper to pull out the corners neatly) Iron the edges to give them a firm shape. Fold the edges along the open slit and pin it Fold the fabric in half to give it the shape of a bag and pin it in the centre. Then, sew along all the sides of the bag. While sewing the side seams, don’t forget to fold the two strips of matching fabric, stitch and insert them at both edges which will hold the chain of the sling bag Start sewing the top horizontal edge and ensure the back side is not stitched together After finishing the top edge, sew the side seams together and insert the narrow fabric strip into the chain. Hold the strip and place it between the two side seams and sew along (Pro tip- remember to reverse stitch at the ends) Continue sewing along the flap of the sling bag and move on to the other side Ensure the chain is straight while inserting the other strip. Pull the strip and place it between the side seams, and continue sewing the side seams Once done, trim the extra threads and remove the pins. You can also embellish your bag with a decorative brooch. Recycling your old garments by making something new and useful out of them is not only environmentally friendly but also a creative and enjoyable way to express yourself. What are you waiting for? Dust off your sewing machine and get to work on your great project!
Source: The kalingatv.com
The government has extended export benefits under RoDTEP scheme to 18 items related to textiles sector, including saari and lungi, with a view to boost shipments of these goods. Benefits under the duty refund scheme -- Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) -- will be given to exports made from March 23, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has said in a notification. Under the RoDTEP, various central and state duties, taxes, and levies imposed on input products, among others, will be refunded to exporters.
Source: The retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com
INTERNATIONL
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is seeking negotiation through American lawmakers to obtain duty-free market access to the US market for apparel made from American cotton. The BGMEA plans to write to governors and senators of cotton-growing provinces in the USA to pursue their demand, with a list of targeted governors and senators already prepared, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan told The Business Standard. The letters are expected to be sent via email and hard copy through diplomatic missions in the USA by today, he added. "In the letter, we have mentioned that Bangladesh has recently withdrawn the double fumigation condition on US cotton, and given almost zero duty (1%) import facility, which will help to grow their business in Bangladesh," said the BGMEA president. "We also ask them if they will provide duty-free market access that will also benefit their farmers as they have to export about 90% of their total production", he added. The BGMEA president also said that duty-free access to the American market for US cotton-made garments would be mutually beneficial for cotton growers and garment exporters. With the high inflation faced by the USA, granting duty-free market access for US cotton-made apparel would allow consumers to purchase the products at a lower cost as Bangladeshi apparel goods are subject to about 16% duty in the import stage in the USA. Once the governors and senators have been informed, the BGMEA will write a similar letter to the Ministry of Commerce to negotiate with the US government and the US Embassy in Dhaka to convey the apparel exporters' arguments to the government, Faruque Hassan added. Envoy Textile Limited's Founder Eng Kutubuddin Ahmed supported the BGMEA's move, stating that it would benefit USA cotton farmers, consumers, and Bangladeshi apparel makers. US cotton prices are 5%-7% higher than other cotton prices, but the quality of the cotton justifies its use, he noted, adding that textile millers using US cotton have a 20% advantage in increasing their efficiency compared to their regular production. The use of US cotton allows machines to run up to 1100 RPM (revolutions per minute), which is not possible with other cottons. The Envoy Textiles founder further stated that due to the US-China political tension, the Bangladesh market could potentially be significant for US cotton in the coming days, especially if the USA grants reduced rates or zero-duty benefits on the export of apparel made by cotton. Cotton-using mills may provide certification for the traceability of their cotton use in this situation, observed Kutubuddin. Matin Chowdhury, former president of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), also backed the BGMEA's demand for a duty-free access to the US market for apparel made from American cotton, saying, "This demand is very logical, which arose about 15 years ago. The USA has provided such a facility for Jordan, he mentioned adding that providing duty-free access for Bangladeshi apparel would help boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
Bangladesh cotton market scenario In the marketing year 2021-22, Bangladesh's domestic raw cotton consumption was estimated at 8.8 million bales, according to a recent report of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The report said the textiles industry was composed of yarn, fabric, and dyeingprinting-finishing mills and they have about 15 million bales of cotton consumption capacity. Some 80% of the produced yarn is pure cotton while the remaining 20% is mixed yarn from cotton and artificial fibres. The report also mentioned that Bangladesh has been showing a steady increase in cotton imports since marketing year 2014-15, with a dip in marketing year 2019- 20 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Monsoor Ahmed, BTMA additional director and CEO (In Charge), said Bangladesh meets about 13% of its cotton demand through imports from the USA, which is gradually increasing. The Otexa data showed that Bangladesh's current share in the US market is about 9.8% (of the nearly $100 billion worth of clothing the US imported globally), meaning one in every ten garments exported to America from around the world originated from Bangladesh. Bangladesh's apparel exports to the US have been growing steadily, despite not having duty benefits from the world's largest market, as its market share stood at 8.2% in 2020 and 8.8% in 2021.
Source: Tbs ews.net
Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports decreased by 8.06 % to US$ 1,005.2 Million in February 2023 compared to February 2022 as perthe data released bySri Lanka Customs.However,it is a 5.62%increase when compared toFebruary 2021. Export earnings from tea which made up 12% of merchandise exports, increased by 9.14% y-o-y to US$ 204.13 Mn in February 2023 compared to February 2022. In addition, export earnings from the Electrical & Electronics Components increased by 13.72% y-o-y to US$ 43.01 Mn in February 2023 with a strong performance in exportsofOtherElectrical & ElectronicProducts (22.12%). However, export earnings from Apparel and Textile have decreased by 2.32 % y-o-y to $ 483.35 million in February 2023 compared to February 2022. Although earnings from exports of Apparel decreased by 14.75%, earnings from export of Textiles increased by 146.67% in February 2023 compared toFebruary 2022. Also, export earnings from Rubber and Rubber Finished products have decreased by 17.81 % y-o-y to US$ 76.58 million in February 2022, with negative performance in exports of Pneumatic & Retreated Rubber Tyres & Tubes (-6.10%) and Industrial & surgical gloves (-45.38%). Export earnings from Seafood decreased by 5.57% to US$ 19.99 Mn in February 2023 compared to February 2022. However, export earnings from Ornamental fish increased by 37.93%to US$ 2.0 Mn in February 2023 compared toFebruary 2022. Out ofthe top 15 export markets,Italy,Canada,UAE and Bangladesh recorded a positive performance in February 2023. Exports to the United States of America, Sri Lanka’s single largest export destination, decreased by 20.94 % to US$ 231.06 Mn in February 2023 compared to February 2022. In addition, exports to the United States of America decreased by 17.31 % to US$ 485.83 Mn from January to February 2023 compared to January toFebruary 2022.
Source: Daily News
Greening the garment and textile production is no longer an option for the multi-billiondollar industry but a must in the context of increasing requirements for sustainability around the world, experts say. Many garment-importing countries were taking action for sustainable and circular textiles. The European Commission was calling for an end to fast fashion by 2030 with the Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textile which set eco-design rules, starting with textiles. Accordingly, by 2030 textiles placed in the European Union, the world’s largest market for garment products, should be long–lived and recyclable. “There is no other way for the garment and textile industry of Vietnam if it does not want to be excluded from the global game,” Le Tien Truong, chairman of Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), said. According to a recent report about the garment and textile market by STS Group, the global garment and textile market was worth around US$573.22bil (RM2.5 trillion) in 2022 and Vietnam was among major exporters of garment and textile products, together with China, India, Bangladesh and Turkiye which altogether accounted for more than 55% of the world’s garment export value. The global garment and textile market was forecast to grow at 6.6% this year to reach US$610.9bil (RM2.7 trillion). Despite impressive growth, the garment and textile industry was the second-most-polluting industry in the world, which dumped around 90 million tonnes of waste into the environment per year on average, the report pointed out. Nguyen Thanh Ngan from Vinatex cited statistics that the global garment and textile industry consumed up to 79 billion cubic metres of water per year. Around 2,700 litres of water was consumed for the production of a T-shirt, enough for a person to drink for 2.5 years. In addition, the washing which dumped microplastics from synthetic fibres into the environment also Going green is vital for Vietnam’s garment and textile industry in the context of increasing requirements for sustainability, Nguyen Huu Nam, deputy director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ho Chi Minh City branch, said. Major importing countries were setting requirements for social responsibility, environmentally friendly production and circular production with the lowest energy and natural resource consumption. However, STS Group said that the opportunities were there for those who took early steps towards sustainable and circular production and there was a huge potential market for recyclable products. The recyclable garment market was estimated at US$6.9bil (RM31bil) in 2022 and expected to reach US$9.4bil (RM42bil) in 2027 with an annual growth rate of 6.4% in the period. Nguyen Hong Quan, director of the Institute for Circular Economy Development, said sustainable development was increasingly the choice of consumers.
Source: The star.com
The Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Sindh Agricultural University signed a memorandum of understanding for the China-Pakistan flax research and innovation hub. “Our new flax varieties, the Longya series, are all selected according to the climate conditions of dry with little rainfall in Northwest China. In the planting experiments, the yield is generally more than 10 percent higher than that of the local varieties, and the resistance to diseases and insect pests is stronger. At present, Longya No. 11, No. 14, and No. 15 have been planted in Pakistan preliminarily. I firmly believe that the Longya series should be able to exert a good effect of drought resistance and increase yield under the climate conditions of Pakistan,” Zhao Wei, Researcher at the Crop Research Institute of GAAS, indicated in an exclusive interview with China Economic Net. “It is a variety most Pakistani farmers are not familiar with but it can produce edible oil much needed in the country”, project leader University who has been studying in China for nine years told CEN, adding, “Experiment has started at SAU, Tandojam. Flaxseed contains 35-44 percent oil. The seed oil, rich in unsaturated fatty acids mainly linolenic acid, serves as a nutritional supplement, in addition to its huge role in coatings, textiles and animal husbandry. Flax is a promising economic crop.” As Abdul Ghaffar Shar pointed out, the average production of flaxseed in Pakistan is as low as 692 kg per hectare because of less soil fertility, blind use of fertilizers, lack of high-yield hybrid varieties and old cultivation practices. Looking into the importance of edible oil and low yield of oil crops in Pakistan, it is vital to focus on the short- and long-term studies on imported potential hybrid flaxseed varieties suitable for cultivation under soil and climatic conditions of Pakistan. “Our experiment will be conducted in the greenhouse of the Department of Soil Science, SAU Tandojam to evaluate Chinese flaxseed hybrids for better growth, grain, and oil yield under different fertilizer doses,” Shar added. Furthermore, Zhao Wei emphasized the current planting area of the Longya series accounts for about 1/3 of the flax area in China, and about 3.3 million hectares has been planted in the main flax producing areas of the country, with an increase of more than 300 million kg of flaxseeds and an increase of more than 1.5 billion yuan in output value. It has made important contributions to the poverty alleviation of farmers in arid and barren areas in Northwest and North China. In this regard researchers from the two countries should have a lot of experience to exchange.
Source: Daily times
Pakistan’s exports to the Middle East reduced by 11.87 per cent on a year-on-year basis to USD 1.491 billion in the first eight months of FY23 mainly caused by a substantial decline in exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dawn reported. Pakistan’s exports to the Middle East saw a mixed trend with a rise to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain while a decline to other countries of the region, Dawn reported citing the data compiled by the State Bank of Pakistan. The UAE has emerged as a leading country for Pakistan’s export of goods as nearly 64 per cent of the total exports to the region only go to the UAE market, as per the Dawn report. However, Pakistan witnessed a decline of 19.91 per cent to USD 0.945 billion in 8MFY23 from USD 1.180 over the corresponding months last year (FY22). Out of seven UAE states, the bulk of exports worth USD 856.27 million during 8MFY23 against USD 996.32m in the corresponding months last year was destined for Dubai, witnessing a decline of 14 per cent. Pakistan’s top export products to UAE, include rice, bovine carcasses and half carcasses, men’s/boys’ cotton ensembles, guavas, and mangoes. Similarly, Pakistan’s top sectoral exports to the UAE include cereals, articles of apparel and clothing, meat and edible offal. Saudi Arabia is the second biggest market for Pakistan’s exports in terms of value. However, the exports witnessed a rise of 15 per cent to USD 300.61m in 8MFY23 from USD 260.26m in the preceding fiscal year, as per the news report. Pakistan’s exports to Saudi Arabia have stagnated at around USD 500m in the past decade. The data shows no significant growth in market access in comparison to the UAE. Pakistan’s top exports to Saudi Arabia include rice, bovine carcasses and half carcasses, tents, and textile materials. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s exports to Qatar reduced by 3 per cent and reached USD 119.17 million in 8MFY23 from USD 122.87m during 8MFY22, according to Dawn report Pakistan’s exports to Qatar include rice, bovine carcasses, potatoes, onions, guavas, and mangoes. However, footballs were one of the most exported goods of Pakistan to Qatar during 7MFY23.
Source: Daily News
Transforming the world of textiles: Under this slogan, ITMA will be returning this year, taking place in Milan from June 8 to 14. Stäubli Textile will be there, exhibiting some impressive innovations. With core competencies in shedding (cam motions, dobbies, and Jacquard machines) and weaving preparation (drawing-in, leasing, and warp-tying machines), Stäubli plays an important role in the design and quality of woven end-products. For over 130 years, Stäubli has been a leading provider of premium quality products and services for sustainable improvements in industry and society. Stäubli’s reliability and stability are based on uninterrupted family ownership, and the company’s technical excellence is the result of a continuous focus on industrial customers. This is all part of one strategic goal: to develop solutions for safer, more efficient, and more economical industrial processes. Stäubli constantly offers new and improved high-performance systems and solutions for processing fabrics for fashionwear, home fabrics, carpeting and automotive, protection, and medical applications, as well as highly complex technical textiles for future applications. Stäubli Booth A201 / Hall 6 Visitors to Booth A201 in Hall 6 will learn how Stäubli solutions can boost their weaving mills’ performance and overall efficiency. Besides offering a wide range of decisive functional advantages, Stäubli machines promise unsurpassed service life. Some of the Stäubli products being exhibited in the weaving hall: SAFIR S60 automatic drawing-in system – NEW with Active Warp Control 2.0 (AWC 2.0) The SAFIR series of drawing-in systems offers unique advantages for efficient style changes. With its Active Warp Control technology, Stäubli has been setting standards in yarn recognition and management for many years. At ITMA 2023, Stäubli will present the next generation of this technology: Active Warp Control 2.0. Visitors to the booth can observe an automatic drawing-in system in operation with this impressive technology Robustness, reduced maintenance & oil savings Do you need a high-speed weaving solution that offers top reliability and adaptability? Then check out the 1600/1700 series of cam motions and the S3000/S3200 series of electronic rotary dobbies. Stäubli’s broad product range answers the latest market demands and customer requirements and wishes, included reduced maintenance. The design of Stäubli machinery increasingly takes environmental performance into account. For instance, the latest machines offer reduced oil volumes and fewer oil changes. ITMA visitors will learn more about this and other innovations featured in Stäubli’s electronic rotary dobbies and cam motions. LX PRO, LXL PRO, LXXL PRO Jacquard machines Featuring energy savings The PRO series of Jacquard machines was launched at the end of 2022. These machines have already convinced Jacquard weavers around the world who seek top energy efficiency in the production of flat, terry, or OPW (one-piece woven) fabrics. Available in formats ranging from 4,608 hooks (LX PRO) to 25,600 hooks (LXXL PRO), these Jacquard machines feature Stäubli’s exclusive NOEMI electronics architecture and the state-of-the-art MX PRO module. This combination perfectly integrates the constraints of high-speed weaving, temperature, and the significant number of hooks to be lifted. ITMA visitors will see three complete Jacquard installations in operation producing trendy fabrics and learn all about the advantages and benefits these machines provide. NEW ALPHA carpet weaving system Stäubli will be introducing a new carpet weaving system at ITMA. Certain to be a highlight of the booth, the new ALPHA carpet weaving system will be in operation every hour producing rugs. It features numerous newly developed components never before exhibited. Visitors can walk across the weavers’ stand and observe the double carpet production. NEW MyStaubli Portal Stäubli will present its new customer portal at ITMA 2023: MyStaubli. As a new key to machinery solutions, this platform offers personal access to online information about Stäubli’s range of solutions and services. Visitors will learn about the many benefits the new portal offers. 3/27/23, 1:01 PM ITMA 2023 Exhibitor Preview: Stäubli | Textile World https://www.textileworld.com/textile-world/weaving-spinning/2023/03/itma-2023-exhibitor-preview-staubli/ 3/3 The Stäubli booth will provide a comprehensive overview of the company’s range of solutions for future-oriented weaving mills. That’s because Stäubli is committed to remain in close contact with its customers and meet market requirements as a partner. The Stäubli team looks forward to presenting their latest solutions & innovations and discussing visitors’ individual needs and wishes for cost-effective and highly-productive textile manufacturing.
Source: Textile World
