In CY17, India’s market share in home textile exports to the US (sum of all products) remained flat YoY at 33%. India’s market share (in dollar terms) in cotton sheets increased 1ppt YoY to 50% in CY17. India has been consistently gaining a 1ppt market share in cotton sheets each year since CY12. However, in CY17, market share for towels declined 1ppt to 39%, led by multi-year low market share (sub 35%) reported for the past four months. Infestation of pink bollworm in major cotton producing regions of India has led to an increase in cotton prices since mid-Dec’17 (+5% to R111/kg) and 2% reduction in cotton crop estimate for 2017/18 (Source: Cotton Association of India). In addition, rupee appreciation (6.4% YoY CY18’YTD) continues to remain an overhang.
Ability to renegotiate product prices in the backdrop of the rising raw material prices and rupee appreciation will be the key monitorable (sensitivity attached). In CY17, India’s market share in home textile exports to the US (sum of all products) remained flat at 33%. India’s market share (in dollar terms) in cotton sheets increased 1ppt YoY to 50% in CY17. India has been consistently gaining a 1ppt market share in cotton sheets each year since CY12. However, in the same year, India witnessed a 1ppt YoY decline to 39% in terry towels exports to the US (in dollar terms).
In Dec’17, India’s cotton sheet market share (dollar terms) came in at 50%, a decrease of 1ppt YoY. The CY16market share increased 1ppt YoY to 50%. This is the 6th consecutive year in which India witnessed 1ppt YoY increase in market share. In the same year, China’s market share decreased 2ppt YoY to 20%, while Pakistan’s share remained flat YoY at 16%.
India’s share in the terry towels segment declined significantly by 8ppt YoY to 30% in Dec’17. The CY17 market share also witnessed a decline of 1ppt to 39%. In CY17, China’s market share increased 1ppt YoY to 24%, while Pakistan’s lost 1ppt YoY share to 21%. India’s CY17 exports of cotton sheets to the US (in dollar terms) increased 1.9% YoY to $717mn (vs. a 0.3% decline in world cotton sheet exports to the US), led by a 2.9% rise in volumes, partially offset by a 0.9% decline in realisation.
Source: Financial Express
NEW DELHI: Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani said that the hike in customs duty on silk and manmade fibre, announced in the Budget, will discourage cheap imports of textile products from China and benefit the local manufacturers.
“Increase in customs duty on silk and manmade fibre will discourage cheap Chinese textile products from flooding the market and benefit domestic manufacturers in the power loom sector,” Irani said while addressing media in New Delhi on Budget allocation for the Ministry.
“Of the Rs.6000 crore special package, which was announced in 2016, for the textiles sector, Rs.1800 crore have already been released and Rs.300 crore will be released during the current financial year,” Irani informed.
In the Budget 2018-19, an outlay of Rs 7,148 crore has been proposed for the textile sector.
The Minister also spoke about 100% increase in allocation for textiles sector for skill development.
“The correction in the GST (Goods and Services Tax) rates on hand made and machine made garments has created ease of doing business in these sectors,” she said.
The rate of GST on yarn has been reduced to 12% from 18% and on job work has been cut down to 5% from 18%. Support for merchandise scheme has been enhanced from 2% to 5% for the apparel sector.
(Source: Daily Shipping Times, February 21, 2018)
The has alleged that around Rs 16 billion worth of payments to readymade garments alone, under the Remission of State Levies (ROSL) scheme, has not been cleared by the government. And, this delay is affecting their working capital and overall business. The industry body representing textile units has sent a letter to the government requesting an immediate action to clear the dues, failing which hundreds of units would close down and lead to thousands of job losses in the country. According to textile industry
the government had allocated Rs 4 billion in 2016-17. The original allocation under ROSL of Rs 15.55 billion for 2017-18 was enhanced to Rs 18.55 billion in the revised estimates. For the year 2018-19, the ROSL allocation in the Union Budget was Rs 21.64 billion.The amount allocated would not be sufficient for the requirements even at present. Besides, there has been a delay in payment; the ROSL amount was given to exporters only from March 2017 onwards.
The concern for the industry is that it has been cleared for exports made only until May 2017, and some of the exporting units have received the ROSL amount only up to March 2017, said industry members. For the readymade garment sector, the total due amount is Rs 23.45 billion after taking account of the revised estimates of Rs 18.55 billion for 2017-2018. The backlog for readymade garments between September 2016 and March 2018 would be around Rs 13.68 billion, and for the Tiruppur Knitwear Exports at around Rs 3.30 billion, according to industry sources."There is a heavy backlog and the exporting units which had actually planned their day-to-day operations and other financial commitments based on the ROSL amount have got affected significantly," said an industry representative from the Tiruppur Exporters Association.
The amount allocated might not be enough to serve the current requirements, so the government needs to increase the allocation and disburse funds as early as possible to help the industry come out of its present financial crunch, said the organisation.The rebate of state levies shall be understood to comprise value-added tax (VAT) on fuel used in the transport of raw materials, finished goods and factory workers, and VAT on fuel used in generation of captive power, Mandi tax on purchase of cotton, duty on electricity used in manufacture as accumulated from stage of cotton and man-made Fibre (MMF) till garment or made-up stage, stamp duties on export documents and state GST on inputs used in the production of cotton, and embedded SGST in purchases from unregistered dealers."Tiruppur exporting units, comprising small and medium enterprises, have been facing working capital issues due to the blockage of GST refund, including the ROSL amount. The association has been repeatedly making requisitions to the textile minister, textile secretary, and textile commissioner, for early clearing of the ROSL," said an official from the Tiruppur Exporters Association.
The government earlier merged two schemes, ROSL on export of garments and made-ups through the mechanism of rebate under the scheme of rebate of state levies on export of garments and made-ups. The ROSL scheme was announced as part of a special package to the apparel sector, and, subsequently, made-ups were also included in the scheme.
The scheme came into effect from September 20, 2016. The ROSL rebate rate ranges from 2.65 per cent to 3.9 per cent depending on the description of goods. The same ROSL rebate rate was continued for three months from July 1, 2017 to September 30, 2017 after the implementation of GST on July 1, 2017. The ROSL rate was revised from October 1, 2017; for cotton T-shirts, it was revised from 3.5 per cent to 1.7 per cent.
(Source: T E Narasimhan, Business Standard, February 21, 20180
textile The state government in India’s western state of Maharashtra, under its new policy for 2018 to 2023, has decided to privatise spinning mills and powerloom societies operated at present on cooperative basis by changing the clauses for the use of land, provided they are ready to return to the government the equity, loan and interest thereupon.
The new policy aims at generating 10 lakh jobs in the next five years and doubling farmers’ income by 2022. It is also expected to attract investments worth Rs 36,000 crore.
reportIf there is any change in the industrial use of the land, then an amount will have to be paid to the government as per the prevailing rules under the ‘one time exit policy, according to a news agency .
A hundred and thirty six societies and mills in the state had sought funds in the form of a share capital, out of which 66 are running, while a few others are under installation, a few are into liquidation and three already closed.
The state government’s textile department funds cooperative mills 45 per cent of share capital. Fifty per cent is needed to be raised in the open market whereas the rest is borne by the mill board.
The policy offers several benefits, including competitive power tariffs and increased capital subsidy for scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and minority categories, and emphasises on strengthening the knitting, garmenting and hosiery sector. (DS)
(Source: Fibre2Fashion, February 20, 2018)
JharCraft tied up with Banka Silk for the purpose of getting the fair value of products made by weavers, handicrafts and artists. In the presence of Chief Minister Raghubar Das, Industry Director K Ravikumar and Founder of Banka Silk, Udayan Singh signed an MoU. During this, the Chief Minister said that there are 30 thousand weavers in the State. The company will give them training and information about material preparation as per the need of the market. For this, the company will send teams to train weavers in each district. The district administration will provide full support to the company. From time to time, bring famous designers to Jharkhand and share their experiences. Product will be produced as desired by the company. This will give the weavers, handicrafts and artists the fair value of their product.
K Ravikumar said that according to the need of market, Banka Silk will provide training and the platform for online sale as well for finished products. These products will be available on all major online sites, including Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra. Along with this, the sale of these products will also be arranged in big retail chains.
(Source: The Pioneer, February 21, 2018)
Marking a slight shift in India’s stance so far at the World Trade Organisation where it has opposed new issues such as investment facilitation and global ecommerce rules being pushed by several developed countries, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu has said that some of the new issues being raised by others may also be of relevance for India.
The Minister said existing issues such as agriculture are critical livelihood issues, and remain extremely important for India.
Prabhu was speaking at a two-day brainstorming session with trade experts, former bureaucrats and other Ministries and Departments on what the country’s stand should be on key issues following the lacklustre Ministerial Meet of the WTO in Buenos Aires (MC-11) in December last.
Comprehensive engagement
“This is probably the largest and most comprehensive engagement ever with almost all stakeholders. Stakeholders were diverse. Some had completely opposite views. That is what we wanted. The idea was to brainstorm on what we should do post-MC 11 and how we should progress,” Prabhu said addressing the media at the conclusion of the two-day session on Tuesday.
The Minister emphasised that special and differential treatment Suresh Prabhu, Commerce Minister
remains a critical aspect of the WTO’s framework and it is non-negotiable for India, an official release said.
India has invited about 40 countries to participate in an informal meet of WTO countries on March 20 to identify ways in which the global trade talks could be re-vitalised.
“The countries invited to the mini-ministerial do not belong to one interest group. They are representing the whole world and the agenda of the meeting is how to keep WTO alive and kicking. It is important to have such a discussion as people raised doubts about the relevance of WTO at Buenos Aires,” the Minister said.
The invitees include the US, the EU, Australia, Pakistan and many others from across Africa and Asia.
New Delhi has so far been opposed to new issues being discussed at the WTO but there is a growing feeling among certain sections of the government and academia that the country need not oppose negotiations in issues such as investment facilitation where controversial portions such as investor-state dispute are not part of the discussion.
“We have taken stock of all the points and counter-points raised by participants on sensitive issues such as investment facilitation and e-commerce. The inputs from the meeting would play a significant role in helping the Commerce Ministry firm up its stand for future negotiations at the WTO,” a Commerce Ministry official told BusinessLine.
Source: Business Line
Extending its losses for the fourth session, the rupee weakened by 8 paise to trade at a fresh 3-month low of 64.87 against the US dollar ahead of RBI’s minutes for the latest policy meeting due later today.
According to forex dealers, besides heavy demand for the American currency from importers, persistent outflows by foreign funds and the dollar’s strength against other currencies overseas weighed on the domestic unit.
However, a firm domestic equity market capped the fall. The benchmark BSE Sensex rose 207.77 points or 0.61 per cent to 33,911.36 in early trade.
The rupee had yesterday ended lower by 58 paise at 64.79 -- its lowest in three months -- on higher capital outflows. On a net basis, foreign investors withdrew Rs 850.35 crore yesterday, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.
Source: Business Line
The goods and services tax (GST) has had a positive impact on the logistics of businesses, says a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) survey. More than three-fifths of the respondents reported better inter-state transportation of goods and over half of them said goods vehicles are no longer stopped and checked at state borders.
Around three-fifths of the respondents cited reduction in transportation time after GST was implemented. The survey was done between November 2017 to January this year covering micro, small and medium enterprises and large companies, according to a FICCI press release.
The industry highlighted glitches in the GST network portal, cumbersome procedures and documentation and cost of compliance as the major areas of concern that need to be addressed.
Ineffective volume handling capacity of the portal, delayed reflection of updated data and payments, delays in process of input credit set offs, inability to upload heavy files of certain formats and lack of provision to modify or revise errors were identified as the major challenges to businesses. The respondents suggested a major revamp of the portal to make it more efficient.
Monthly filing of GST return was seen as cumbersome. Around 78 per cent of the respondents suggested that the periodicity of return filings for taxpayers with aggregate turnover above Rs 1.5 crore should be changed from monthly to quarterly. For services providers, multiplicity of registrations was a concern as a separate registration is now required with every state where service is being provided. Respondents to the survey emphasised that filing of returns be made simpler.
Small businesses felt that e-way bill need not be introduced as it was only an additional compliance requirement as all details of sale and purchase were readily available on the portal. It was suggested that the minimum limit for requirement be increased to 50 kms and there be no requirement of e-way bill for movement of goods within the city limits.
Businesses, especially exporters faced difficulty to claim refunds. Most respondents also stated that there is a need for greater clarification from the government on the anti-profiteering provisions to ensure that they do not lead to undue harassment. (DS)
Source: Fibre2Fashion
PAKISTAN textile industry contributes more than 60 percent to the country’s total exports but unfortunately it is facing great decline in its growth because of multiple factors.
The major reasons for the decline can be the global recession, internal security concerns, the high cost of production due to increase in the energy costs and levy of import duties on the raw material used in exports besides the issue of duty drawback.
No doubt, the present Government, which is considered to be business friendly, has been striving to support the industry and Prime Minister’s Incentive Package for exports was also announced besides ensuring uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas.
Apart from this, the government allowed record depreciation in the value of rupee but there are no indications that this has anything to do with the resolution of the woes of exporters especially those of textile. They are worried as their clients are increasingly turning towards Bangladesh and Thailand because Pakistani products have become non-competitive due to constant rise in cost of production and doing business.
A combination of measures is needed to help pick up textile exports and this demands that the Ministry and other stakeholders should sit together, pinpoint the real causes and recommend measures that could boost exports in realistic terms. Mere subsidies would also not work if the textile sector does not go for value addition, innovation, quality and marketing.
The Government must ensure incentives and concessions that could bring down the cost of production but it is for the private sector to go for aggressive and proper marketing.
The Government strived hard to get GSP Plus status from the European Union and efforts are on for its continuation but the fact remains that the private sector could not avail the opportunity properly. Industry sources claim that textile exports can increase by at least S 5 billion provided difficulties and challenges being faced by the sector are adequately addressed.
(Source: Pakistan Observer, February 21, 2018)
Workers want their holiday time paid in cash. Supplied
Nearly 1,000 workers from a shoe factory in Kampong Cham province’s Chherng Prey district protested yesterday for the fifth time to demand that the company pay their remaining annual leave as cash.
Cheng Heang, director of the provincial labour department, said nearly 1,000 workers of Hwa Long (Cambodia) Outsole Industry have been protesting since February 14.
He added the workers demanded the company to pay their annual leave as cash, but the company refused, saying they must take those days off in order to get the money.
“I think what the workers are demanding from the company is a small thing. But both sides did not negotiate with each other, making the protest more than five days. It’s a small problem but they made it a big problem,” he said.
He added there was still no resolution even though authorities and labour department officials had come to negotiate.
“This morning, only 100 workers returned to work and the others did not agree to come back,” he said, suggesting that workers come back to work before negotiations begin.
(Source: Sen David, Khmer Times, February 21, 2018)
The value of Cambodian exports rose by 13 percent last year despite a decline of four percent in the number of manufacturing plants operating in the kingdom, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Industry and Handicraft.
In 2017, there were 1,522 factories registered with the ministry, a drop from 2016, when there were 1,579.
While the number of factories that came online in 2017 was larger – 150 in 2017 versus 141 in 2016 – so was the number of factories that closed – 207 last year versus only 12 in 2016.
Exports, however, rose in value, from $10.7 billion in 2017 to $9.56 billion a year earlier. Among those exports, garments and footwear accounted for $7 billion in 2017, a slight increase compare to 2016’s $6.78 billion.
Most registered factories manufactured garments or footwear (1,031 factories), followed by food, beverages and tobacco (117), metal products (108), chemicals, coal, rubber and plastic products (104), paper (44), and wood products (36).
Ministry spokesman Oum Sotha told Khmer Times that the industrial sector in Cambodia is experiencing prosperous times, and that larger factories with better quality standards and equipment are opening every year.
He said he wasn’t concerned about the drop in manufacturing plants and that the decline is simply the result of a change in investment trends, with more money now going into larger factories as opposed to smaller, subpar plants. “Some factories have transformed their business model, becoming larger operations. The number of factories has dropped, but the performance of the sector as a whole remains intact.
“In the garment sector, some businesses lease small factories. When their contract comes to an end, the factory closes. By contrast, bigger factories continue to operate as long as they are profitable,” he said.
The labour force in the manufacture and industrial sector was composed of 982,203 people in 2017. The garment and footwear sector alone accounted for 847,419 workers last year, over 86 percent of the entire labour force.
From January 1 to February 20, the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) approved seven factory projects in the garment and footwear sector. Other approved projects include a tobacco factory, a paper mill, a fruit-processing plant, a packaging factory, as well as a cement and a zinc factory.
(Source: Sok Chan, Khmer Times, February 21, 2018)
Dive Brief: Walmart is revamping its apparel lines for women, plus sizes and children, in an effort to amplify style, Bloomberg reports. Its Hanes-owned "Just My Size" plus size brand will continue to be available only online, according to the report. Walmart did not immediately respond to Retail Dive's request for comment.
The retail giant also detailed its previously announced tie-up with Lord & Taylor, with apparel, shoes, accessories and jewelry available for free two-day shipping from Walmart.com, according to a presentation detailed by Bloomberg. Lord & Taylor will own the inventory but could fulfill orders through Walmart's e-commerce distribution centers, according to Bloomberg's report.
The news comes amid a push from Target to revamp its private-label apparel lines for men, women and children, including plus sizes available in stores, as well as its in-house home goods and furniture assortment that has pushed up sales for that retailer, and amid rising apparel sales from Amazon's private label efforts in those categories.
Dive Insight: Walmart maintains a lead in apparel sales, but Amazon and Target are battling it out at number two, with a style push from each that is resonating with younger, wealthier shoppers.
While Target has lost the most in terms of shoppers switching some or all of their apparel spending to Amazon, Walmart lost the second most, according to research released last week from retail think tank Coresight Research (formerly Fung Global Retail & Technology). Department stores are also losing to Amazon in the category, with Macy's and J.C. Penney ranking "disproportionately high" in terms of how many apparel shoppers they have lost in part or in full to Amazon Fashion, according to the report.
The latest moves from Walmart demonstrated a more segmented approach, according to Coresight founder/CEO Deborah Weinswig, with core ranges including the new private brands in store and online at Walmart.com, but more upscale offerings from the likes of Bonobos and Modcloth only at Jet and at those brands' flagship sites.
"We think this is an impressively tiered strategy that serves a number of consumer segments through different channels," Weinswig told Retail Dive in an email. "The Lord & Taylor agreement builds out the third-party offering on Walmart.com, the acquired brands allow Walmart to tap millennial fashion shoppers, and the overall strategy appears to recognize the diversity of demands in the apparel market."
Younger shoppers "are ready to embrace a full Amazon Fashion experience," Weinswig noted in her report last week. Survey respondents ages 18 to 29 registered "much higher interest" than older shoppers in Amazon's private labels, its Prime Wardrobe service and even the possibility of Amazon opening physical fashion stores, according to Coresight's research.
The new push from Walmart is fundamentally the right approach, she said on Tuesday, and not just because of the rise of Amazon or Target. "The closure of more than 3,300 apparel stores and almost 700 department stores over the past year means billions of dollars of apparel spending are potentially up for grabs, and Walmart may be aiming to capture some of that," she said.
(Source: Daphne Howland, Retail Dive, February 20, 2018)
An estimated 80 billion pieces of clothing are consumed globally every year. Considering this insatiable demand for new clothes, we as consumers need to look at more than just a garment's price tag. By seeking information about the people who made your clothes, the working conditions they were crafted in, and the materials they're made of, you can start to make choices that are a little easier on the planet. To start, here's a quick overview of the most common fabrics you'll find in wardrobes and where they stand in terms of sustainability:
As a fabric, hemp is breathable, warm, moisture-wicking, antibacterial, and can be easily blended. It’s a very durable fabric that becomes softer with washing and wear, and it’s biodegradable at the end of its life. Beyond that, the hemp plant doesn't require a lot of water, and it can produce two to three times more fiber per acre than cotton. It actually replenishes the soil it grows in rather than extracting its nutrients. All this is to say that from a sustainability perspective, hemp is the best option we have.
As a fabric it’s breathable, durable, lightweight, absorbent, antimicrobial, moth-resistant, and cool (as in it lowers your body temperature in summer, as opposed to cotton). In terms of sustainability, it requires far less water than cotton and doesn’t require any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Bonus: It's biodegradable, too.
Yes, there is a burgeoning organic market for cotton, but that doesn't solve the water issue. And although organic cotton isn't grown using pesticides and herbicides, it often comes at a premium many people can't afford.
Bamboo is a natural fiber made from the bamboo plant. The fabric is silky in texture, incredibly durable, and has moisture-wicking properties. More than that, bamboo requires very little water and no fertilizers or pesticides to grow and is biodegradable.
However, it has a dark side. The process of turning bamboo into fabric is very chemically intensive, and it produces a fair amount of waste. This makes bamboo much less sustainable than you might think at first glance.
That said, The Leather Working Group is currently working to provide resources for more sustainably sourced leather that is naturally tanned with environmentally friendly agents and dyed using natural vegetable dyes that don’t end up further polluting our waterways.
Designers are now playing around with recycled leather, and there are plenty of new "plant-based" leather innovations coming into play like Pinatex and mushroom leather that are a lot more sustainable, so watch this space.
By 2050 there could be more plastic in the ocean than sea life. Statistics like this make me think that there's no reason for our clothes to pump more plastic microfibers into our environment, and I'm sure you'll agree.
It is worth mentioning, though, that recycled polyester, or rPET, is now being used more often, especially in activewear, swimwear, and outerwear. rPET is made from post-consumer recycled plastic such as water bottles, containers, and secondhand polyester garments. The use of rPET reduces the use of oil, reuses waste, and cuts out the need for the virgin polyester industry.
So there you have it! Ultimately, fashion and our use of textiles go hand in hand. So while choosing what fabrics you wear is important for the environment and sustainability at large, what’s more important is to consume less and buyer better quality pieces—ideally ones that are made out of natural fibers like hemp, linen and organic cotton that can biodegrade at the end of their life.
(Source: mindbdygreen.com, February 20, 2018)
With traceability top of mind for supply chains, Control Union Certifications has developed its Connected platform to map supply chains all the way back to raw materials.
Connected, an open platform that allows companies to trace a product’s journey back from finished garment to the fiber source, allows users to acquire a range of key data, from material flows to compliance.
“We all know how complex textile supply chains are and how difficult it is to have their full and continuous visibility,” Franco Costantini, senior manager for supply chain services at Control Union, said. “This is a great achievement, particularly considering that the platform was only launched in September 2017. It is a clear sign of commitment by the industry at large, to transparency and responsible sourcing.”
The system includes traceability features for man-made wood fiber cellulosic materials such as viscose, rayon, modal, lyocell and other trademarked brands. This comes in response to the more than 100 fashion brands looking to meet their CanopyStyle initiative commitments, which include not sourcing from ancient and endangered forests. Connected incorporates compliance targets that pull in the results from environmental nonprofit Canopy Style’s verification audits and “Hot Button” producer rankings.
Connected allows retailers, brand owners and producers to map their supply chains, track materials, monitor compliance efforts and gain access to a variety of supply chain data, from transaction volumes to order lead times.
Several fiber suppliers, including Lenzing Group, Aditya Birla and ENKA International GmbH & Co., have joined Connected. Each producer in the platform is linked to its suppliers or to its clients, and can receive and submit orders and shipments via the platform. Every user also has access to local support centers managed by Control Union in all producing regions.
“Partnering for systemic change is a key focus area of Lenzing’s sustainability strategy called ‘Naturally Positive.’ Lenzing believes that collaboration and transparency are a prerequisite for improving the sustainability of the textile industry,” said Robert van de Kerkhof, chief commercial officer of Lenzing Group. “Therefore Lenzing contributes to the Connected platform to ensure transparency of its fibers and their raw materials’ sustainable origins.”
The platform is expected to help brands reach their traceability and sustainability goals, while producers of raw materials like fibers, can use the platform to drive and monitor the uptake of their sustainable products.
“Connected has addressed an important need of traceability across the value chain by introducing a system bridge from fiber to retail,” said Manohar Samuel, president of marketing at Birla Cellulose. “This is expected to provide visibility to sustainable innovations in fibers and also facilitate integrated solutions to the consumer.”
Till Boldt, managing director of ENKA International, said, “As the textile industry is one of the most fragmented, resource-intensive and least transparent industries in the world, ENKA deeply appreciates and supports initiatives such as Connected which are helping to increase visibility and transparency in our complex textile supply chain. When people are able to trace a product’s journey back, they can easily sort out the sheep from the goats. This is a crucial step on our way to improve the environmental footprint of the textile industry. As a manufacturer of sustainable fibers, ENKA has a long tradition in supporting sustainable fashion solutions.”
Thanks to its combination of simple design, its capacity to capture important supply chain data, and the local support provided to clients globally, Connected has recorded great participation by the entire supply chain. Control Union said that platform continues to grow, with new producers joining daily, and it’s expected to expand significantly during the next few months with the registration of new supply chains and expansion to new materials.
Control Union Certifications, based in the Netherlands with offices in 70 countries, offers a wide range of certification programs for sustainability in agriculture, food, feed, forest products, textiles and bio energy. In the textile sector, Control Union developed the EKO Sustainable Textile Standard to address sustainability and also played an active role in developing the Responsible Down Standard.
(Source: Arthur Friedman, Sourcing Journal Online, February 20, 2018)
A team of four students – three Cornell University graduate students and one undergraduate from the National University of Colombia – was recently awarded an Upstyle Star Award, taking first prize for their garment concepts using technology and geared toward the fitness and gaming communities.
The first Upstyle Award: International Competition for Fashion, Science and Technology, held in January in Shanghai, China, was open to design professionals who use science and technology to improve people’s lives. It is the first global scientific and technological innovation competition in the fields of fashion and lifestyle, and aims to promote fashion design, lead intelligent manufacturing, and accelerate the scientific and technological advancement of the fashion industry.
Team GameWear consisted of Cornell graduate students Eric Beaudette and Lina Sanchez Botero in the field of fiber science, graduate student Neal Reynolds in the field of physics, and Jose Mateo Aristizabal, an undergraduate in electrical engineering at the National University of Colombia.
“The development and widespread use of the internet-enabled smartphone has led to a revolution in the way data are integrated into our daily routines,” the team said in its submission to the competition’s jury. “Fitness tracking apps have allowed users to take control of their health, and augmented reality apps such as Pokémon Go have brought joy to millions.”
Through the advent of inexpensive internet-enabled chips and interconnection via the internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, Team GameWear saw the opportunity for even greater interaction with one’s environment and clothing.
“We capitalize on this promise by developing two fashion-conscious smart garments based on similar technologies,” the students said. “Our goal was to develop unique, aesthetically striking garments that leverage high-quality optical components, sensors and new microcontroller technologies to deliver reactivity and responsiveness.”
Team GameWear won the concept design category. The athletic garment, MOTION, a wearable system for exercise monitoring, is designed to be a rugged, comfortable workout companion for the everyday user to enhance their exercise through data. It integrates electronics into the apparel that could be used for interactive games targeting fitness and health, reading data from the heart rate sensor and accelerometers embedded in the fabric.
The fantasy garment, EXPERIENCE, is meant to make the world of gaming seem real. It is aimed at those looking for a garment for festivals, live action role playing and everyday life. It provides a sensation or augmented reality experience for users and has the ability to interact with other smart garments.
“Statistics show that sales of smart wearable accessories, such as the FitBit and Apple Watch, have risen 17.9 percent from 2016 to 2017, presenting promise for the consumer acceptance of smart clothing,” the team said. “We believe these garments will help take fashionable, high-tech garments from the runway into the everyday.”
Following the success of the UpStyle Award, the interdisciplinary team is planning to launch a startup focusing on product development, and research and development of wearable technology.
Stephen D’Angelo is assistant director of communications in the College of Human Ecology.
(Source: Stephen D'Angelo, Cornell Chronicle, February 20, 2018)
Textile machines Electronics for Imaging, Inc. (EFI), a global technology firm, will show new industrial , packaging, and graphics for wide-format digital, textile, and corrugated packaging printing, at FESPA Asia, a global expo for screen, digital, textile printing and signage communities, to be held from February 22 to 24, 2018, in Bangkok, in stand A10.
The company will display the EFI Reggiani FLEXY industrial digital textile printer, EFI Fiery digital front end (DFE) products, and EFI Productivity Suite MIS/ERP business and production management workflow software at the expo.
The 1.8-metre Reggiani FLEXY printer showing at FESPA Asia will give apparel and décor producers the ability to confidently run a wide variety of fabrics – from knitted to woven, as well as low- and high-stretchable materials – using the printer’s new sticky belt with Dynaplast system, which provides optimised fabric adhesion with adjustable temperature and pressure.
The Reggiani FLEXY model incorporates the latest digital technologies for best-in-class performance, is easy to operate and has a low maintenance cost, making it an ideal solution for production and sampling alike.
EFI Reggiani digital printers also benefit from an advanced production workflow available with the new Fiery Textile Bundle. The bundle combines the tools for efficient textile design and file preparation, with the Fiery digital front end (DFE) for professional colour management and high-quality RIP output. The design tools quickly and easily create professional designs, seamless repeat patterns and multiple colourways, and include functionality to manage colour libraries and palettes for design teams. The bundle’s Fiery DFE features dedicated textile functionality to deliver accurate colour, fine details, high saturation, and smooth gradients, and can be used with all EFI Reggiani digital printer models and dedicated cutting systems.
Show attendees can experience EFI’s 360-degree, interactive virtual reality demonstrations of two of the industry’s most-advanced production inkjet technologies, a VR demo of the EFI VUTEk HS125 Pro, a 3.2-metre inkjet press, that provides an immersive VR experience in flatbed or roll-to-roll printing where viewers can open the printer doors to see carriage movement; and EFI’s brand-new VR demo of the EFI Nozomi C18000 that gives an up-close, virtual look at this ultra-high-speed, single-pass, LED inkjet press, a breakthrough production device that is helping to redefine the role digital print plays in corrugated packaging and merchandise display applications.
Attendees can also see innovations from the new version 6 of EFI’s enterprise commercial, midmarket print, publication, quick print, packaging and corrugated packaging productivity suites for advanced, end-to-end business and production MIS/ERP workflows. (GK)
(Source: Fibre2Fashion, February 20, 2018)
