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The textile industry has long been associated with significant environmental impacts throughout the various stages of manufacturing, usage, and disposal. Over the years, from the excessive consumption of water to the contamination of water bodies with chemicals and dyes, the textile industry’s practices have contributed to negative effects on ecosystems and human health. Additionally, the generation of textile waste, including leftover fabric and packaging materials, has further exacerbated environmental damage through practices like burning or landfill dumping. As a result, the need for environmentally friendly and sustainable textile production methods has become increasingly crucial. Recognizing the urgent need for change, the United Nations introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, a set of 17 objectives aimed at promoting sustainable development. Several of these SDGs, including SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), are highly relevant to the textile industry. By aligning with these goals, the industry can actively promote responsible consumption, eco-friendly materials and production techniques, waste reduction, climate action, and the use of renewable energy sources to mitigate its carbon impact. Over the past five decades, the textile industry has undergone significant changes in its production processes, thanks to the introduction of increasingly efficient machines and advanced techniques. However, these advancements have often been accompanied by a disregard for environmental considerations and sustainability. Recently, there has been a noticeable shift as many textile companies are reorganizing themselves to procure greener materials and implement eco-sustainable processes with innovative solutions. They are fully aware of the challenges involved and the efforts required to achieve these improvements. These companies are investing in research and development to explore alternative fibres and manufacturing techniques that prioritize environmental sustainability. Their aim is to minimize water consumption, reduce the use of chemicals, and adopt eco-friendly dyes and finishing processes. Additionally, they focus on optimizing energy usage, minimizing waste production, and promoting a circular economy by encouraging recycling and upcycling initiatives. These industries are committed to creating a sustainable environment that strikes a careful balance between financial stability and social obligations. By investing in green technologies and sustainable practices, they are working to make their operations environmentally friendly and minimize their carbon footprint. Furthermore, they are constantly striving to improve efficiency through the optimal utilization of available resources and technology. Moreover, the textile industry is now incorporating ESG principles into their core business strategies to enhance credibility and reputation. ESG factors such as reducing carbon emission and , using renewable energy and promoting fair carbon practices will help to reduce the sectors negative impact on the environment and society. They actively promote the adoption of eco-friendly dyes and finishing techniques, ensuring that their manufacturing processes have minimal impact on the environment and human health. Energy efficiency measures, such as the use of renewable energy sources and the implementation of innovative technologies, help reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the industry’s contribution to climate change. Furthermore, companies are exploring strategies to minimize waste generation, including the development of innovative recycling methods for textile scraps and the reduction of packaging materials. The utilisation of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles in the textile industry has emerged as an innovative solution that promotes sustainability and waste reduction. Textile industries have embraced this approach by recycling PET bottles to create yarn or fibre. This process entails collection, sorting, cleaning, shredding, extrusion, and spinning, ultimately yielding an eco-friendly and cost-effective textile product. With these changes, the textile industry has successfully positioned itself in the market while aggressively expanding its range of home textiles. The textile sector has a remarkable opportunity to lead the way in sustainable and renewable business practices, setting a positive and impactful example for other sectors to follow. In conclusion, the textile industry holds a critical position in global sustainability endeavours. Acknowledging the urgency to address its environmental impact, the industry has embarked on a transformative journey towards adopting sustainable practices. By aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals, embracing eco-friendly materials and production techniques, reducing waste, and promoting responsible consumption, the industry can make substantial contributions to a more sustainable future. Collaborative efforts, fuelled by innovation and consumer awareness, serve as the driving forces in reshaping the textile industry into a positive agent of change, fostering a better and more ecofriendly tomorrow.
Source: Times of India
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said India is actively considering entering into free trade pacts and comprehensive economic partnership agreements to tap new markets, increase exports and create opportunities for the domestic textile industry. The Minister of Textiles Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park is being established across 7 states to promote India's textile sector in a significant manner. Goyal said PM MITRA Parks will lead to a reduction of logistic costs due to a cluster-based approach to manufacturing and production of quality products with appropriate testing facilities. The minister emphasised that countrymen deserve the best quality of garments and this should be ensured by all the stakeholders. He encouraged the industry to focus on quality and test their products to comply with quality standards. Goyal said India is pioneering sustainable textiles, contributing to a lesser carbon footprint and promoting a circular economy. The Indian textile industry has made a mark in the world with its innovative and attractive products, he said while addressing an event in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Piyush Goyal said that India is actively considering the possibility of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with various countries. These agreements aim to enhance the market size and facilitate exporters in the thriving Indian textile sector.
Source: The retail.economictimes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be laying the foundation of the upcoming PM Mitra mega textile and apparel park in the state soon. Confirming this on Monday, minister for medium, small and micro enterprises Rakesh Sachan said: "The park promises to accelerate the state's effort to become $ 1 trillion economy. The foundation of the same project would be laid by the PM.
UP textile park to attract investment worth Rs 10,000 crore Three multi malls are proposed for , namely Varanasi, Lucknow and Gorakhpur' “We are in touch with the PM office and the programme schedule would be announced after finalisation. We hope that the ceremony will take place in a month or two,” Sachan added. Sachan said this at the inaugural of the two-day ‘Uttar Pradesh MSME Conference 2023’ being organised by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India). To note, the park soon is set to come up in theprime and well-connected Atari village of Malihabad block. The minister said the park will attract an investment of Rs 10,000 crore as the government would be providing the state-of-the-art facilities to match global standards and beat competition here. The list includes road networks, 24x7 power and water supply, warehouses, zero liquid discharge effluent treatment plant, training and skill development facilities, administrative building with product display facility and exhibition center with testing laboratory, workers' hostels, housing zones, medical facilities, commercial and recreational facilities, open spaces and parks, security arrangements besides industrial plots and plug and industrial sheds. “The park will prove to be an enabler in UP’s economic journey, fostering job creation, enhancing trade opportunities, and positioning the state as a major hub for textile manufacturing and production. Once in place, it will provide employment to one lakh youths,” the minister said. He acknowledged the significant packaging challenges faced by small enterprises while upholding government's commitment to promoting MSMEs and addressing their concerns. He also said that the government was focusing on the development of multi malls. “Three multi malls are proposed for Uttar Pradesh, namely Varanasi, Lucknow and Gorakhpur. We have engaged in discussions with Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal regarding this initiative,” he said. Underlining the importance of MSME registration, Sachan encouraged more enterprises in the state to come forward for registration. CMD SIDBI, Sivasubramaniam said small enterprises would require additional financial support of up to Rs 25 lakh crore over the next three to four years. President, National Council of ASSOCHAM's WTO, Trade and Investment Suhail Naithani said MSMEs can be taken to a new high with the cooperation of Central and state governments.
Source: Times Of India
India is pioneering sustainable textiles contributing to lesser carbon footprint and promoting a circular economy, Union Minister of Textiles Piyush Goyal said on Monday. The Indian textile industry has made a mark in the world with its innovative and attractive products, he noted during his address at the inaugural function of the 69th India International Garment Fair (IIGF) at Greater Noida. He highlighted that the Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park are being established across seven states of the country with the objective of promoting India’s textile sector in a significant manner. Goyal said that PM MITRA Parks will lead to a reduction in logistic costs due to cluster-based approach of manufacturing and production of quality products with appropriate testing facilities. He also said that the locational advantages of the PM MITRA Parks will help the units in these Parks to cater well to domestic demand as well as the exports. Goyal emphasised that the people in India deserve the best quality of garments and this should be ensured by all the stakeholders. He also motivated the youth to innovate and develop new technologies to facilitate production of better quality products. He said that the IIGF must focus on enhancing quality and professionalism in the textile sector. Goyal said that India is actively considering the possibility of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with various countries. These agreements aim to enhance the market size and facilitate exporters in the thriving Indian textile sector. The minister said that by entering into these agreements, India aims to tap into new markets, increase exports, and create opportunities for growth in the textile industry. He called for the world’s largest garment fair to be organised in the National Capital Region to strengthen the trade fair ecosystem and engage industry, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders.
Source: The Statesman.com
The Centre on Tuesday will review its ambitious production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme to sort out teething issues faced by beneficiaries of the scheme, and the focus will mainly be on sectors where the progress has been slower-than-expected. Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal will hold the first-of-its kind review meeting that will see officials from all the ministries responsible for rolling out the PLI scheme. The meeting will also see participation from the beneficiaries or the companies participating in the scheme. The Centre has allocated Rs 1.97 trillion towards PLI schemes for 14 key sectors, including telecom, textiles, automobiles, white goods and pharmaceutical drugs, among others. This scheme not only aims to boost domestic manufacturing, but also create jobs, curb cheap imports and boost exports. According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), as on date, the government has paid Rs 2,874 crore to beneficiaries in eight sectors. They are mobile manufacturing, IT hardware, pharmaceutical drugs, bulk drugs, medical devices, telecom, food products and drones. Progress has been slow in the case of the remaining six sectors — steel, textiles, battery, white goods, solar PV and automobiles. Here, incentive disbursements are yet to begin, government officials had said earlier this month. A detailed analysis regarding this is being done by individual ministries. Ajay Srivastava, former trade ministry official and founder of think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that in order to make the scheme more effective, the government must watch out for possible misuse of the incremental sales criteria for granting PLI incentives. Besides, the criteria for the scheme should also be simplified to ensure there is no misuse. “PLI criteria for various sectors include thresholds on investments, production, sales, degree of localisation, inputs used and many more. Manufacturers may not be able to tick on all the boxes. For example, in one case, the government suspected the invoice value and disallowed the incentive of a few hundred crores. In most cases, it is difficult to ascertain the actual value of a product or invoice. Doing this makes incentives subjective and delays the settlement of claims. Guidelines should be few and transparent,” said a GTRI report authored by Srivastava. The report also suggests that the best way to simplify PLI is to incentivise local production of components and not the final product. Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda, said it is difficult to monitor how it is being used. “If a company, which applied for the scheme, goes for an expansion, it is difficult to find out how much of it is happening. This is because of PLI and what is happening in the normal course,” Sabnavis said. The scheme should be a one-time incentive and should not be extended beyond the end date. “Companies should not be dependent on this scheme,” Sabnavis said.
Source: Business-Standard
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Apparel Group, a global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate, is expanding the Skechers brand across the GCC region, showcasing the Group’s commitment to enhancing its presence in the Middle East retail sector. Skechers, a global leader in lifestyle and performance footwear, is expanding its presence in the region through the opening of new stores, offering a wide range of stylish and versatile footwear and accessories to a broader audience. Mr. Neeraj Teckchandani, CEO of Apparel Group, shares his strategic vision for the expansion of Skechers in the GCC, focusing on elevating customer experiences and investing in key markets with robust growth opportunities. On 30th May 2023, Skechers launched its first store in the series at Al Khiran, Kuwait. This concept store spans 2588 sq.ft. and features a wide selection of Skechers’ products, encompassing footwear, apparel, and accessories. Skechers continued its expansion with the opening of a store at Najran Park Mall in Saudi Arabia on 8th June 2023, featuring an exclusive selection of footwear and accessories. Additionally, Skechers will launch a new store at Enma Mall in Bahrain and another at Salalah Grand Mall in Oman in June 2023, offering customers a curated range of Skechers footwear and accessories. Apparel Group’s successful leadership drives the expansion initiative of Skechers, reinforcing its reputation as a popular and accessible brand in the GCC region. The new store launches highlight the Group’s commitment to providing high-quality products to its discerning customers.
Source: Apparel Resources
Midland Apparel LLC announces today the acquisition of the Southern Point Co. brand from Southern Point Co. LLC and its owner Brent Howell. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Howell founded Southern Point Co. in 2009. The brand quickly became popular throughout the Southeast and is well known for its classic, timeless designs and its distinct logo featuring a German Shorthair Pointer. After growing the company and surviving the COVID pandemic, Howell elected to sell the brand to a group of successful and experienced entrepreneurs. Midland Apparel LLC was founded by three high school friends, brothers Keith and Greg Paul, and Scott Danford, all from Columbus, GA. The Paul brothers are veterans of the solid waste and hauling business, having sold their bio-solid waste business in 2019. Danford is an apparel industry veteran, having held various positions at Realtree Outdoors since 2002. After successfully launching High Pines Outfitters, an outdoor lifestyle store, in Columbus in late 2022, the trio began to explore launching their own apparel brand. During their exploration, they learned about the Southern Point Co. opportunity and successfully closed on the transaction earlier this year. “We are very excited about this acquisition,” said Scott Danford, President of Midland Apparel LLC. “We believe that Southern Point Co. is a very distinctive lifestyle brand and that we have a strategy that will enable us to further differentiate ourselves from the competition. We have big plans for the brand.” “When I founded Southern Point Co., I could not find a Southern lifestyle brand that made high-quality products that stood out from the crowd. Said Brent Howell, founder of Southern Point Co. “We have been successful in growing the brand through hard work and determination. When I met Keith, Greg, and Scott, I felt they shared my vision and possessed the business acumen and financial strength to take Southern Point Co. to a new level. They have asked me to continue to help them with product design which I am happy to do. I think the future is very bright for Southern Point Co.” Mr. Howell will continue on with the Southern Point Co. brand serving as a consultant and product designer.
Source: Textile world
Despite being the largest supplier, imports of apparel from China to France have been on a steady decline in recent quarters. In the first quarter of this year, imports reached a low of US $ 1,294.011 million, compared to US $ 1,786.580 million in the previous quarter and US $ 2,060.171 million in the quarter before that. However, China still accounts for 20.35 per cent of France’s overall apparel imports. According to the data, France imported apparel worth US $ 1,603.547 million from China in the first quarter of 2022, which decreased to US $ 1,163.374 million in the second quarter of the same year. In the first four months of this year, apparel imports by France amounted to US $ 1,603.057 million. Comparatively, the total value of apparel imports for the entire previous year was US $ 6.613 billion, indicating an increase. In 2021, imports were valued at US $ 6.369 billion, US $ 5.674 billion in 2020, and US $ 6.286 billion in 2019. China has maintained its position as the leading supplier of apparel to France, capturing a 20.35 per cent percent market share during the first four months of this year. The total value of apparel imports during this period reached US $ 7.877 billion. In the period from January to April 2023, China’s position shifted to second place in fabric imports. The total fabric imports from China amounted to US $ 54.948 million, accounting for 10.15 per cent of France’s overall fabric imports of US $ 541.394 million during the same period.
Source: Apparel Resources
Bangladesh’s shipments to Russia dropped by almost 30 per cent Y-o-Y to US $ 432 million in July-May due to difficulties in supplying goods due to its ongoing war with Ukraine, resulting in a US $ 183 million decrease compared to the previous year. The slide in earnings has shattered hopes of suppliers surpassing US $ 1 billion in earnings in a highly promising emerging market. The conflict has hindered export growth not just for apparel items, but also for other goods. Due to the war, Snowtex Group, a garment exporter, shifted from direct to indirect shipment of outerwear to Russia, resulting in a significant volume decline. In 2021, their exports were worth US $ 1.42 million, but in 2022, it plummeted to US $ 33,500, a Y-o-Y decline of over 97 per cent. SM Khaled, the Managing Director, had anticipated a 30 per cent growth in the market prior to the war, but shipments were hindered due to the severe fallout from the conflict. The company recently received an order for 15,000 garment items and expects more orders from Russia. However, due to massive economic sanctions imposed on Russia since the war, payments have been delayed as major Russian banks have been removed from SWIFT. Khaled is now forced to use a third party for shipping goods to Russia due to difficulties in financial transactions. However, Snowtex expects overall export to bounce back as sales in European markets, including the UK, are improving. The shipment of frozen fish in the Russian market is also affected by a decline in demand due to the depreciation of the Russian currency. The garment sector has experienced a significant decline in exports to Russia. Some exporters have resorted to alternative routes and currencies for trade with Russia, and they are hopeful for a rebound in exports. BGMEA President Faruque Hassan anticipates the garment sector’s shipments to Russia surpassing the US $ 1 billion mark once again in the near future.
Source: Apparel Resources
