Textiles

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Textiles (141)

Chinese business in a tizzy with high US tariffs

The rapid deterioration of relations with the US has caught Chinese businesses off guard. Many companies find it difficult to shoulder the huge additional costs and lack viable options to immediately modify their supply chains. Some export industries in China will be hit harder than others with electronics, computer circuit boards, computer parts, furniture, floor coverings and automotive parts disproportionately burdened by the increased tariffs.

The US has increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products from 10 to 25 per cent. Many businesses in China are already struggling to stay afloat since the US imposed 10 per cent tariffs in September last year. They say, while they tried to share these costs with their US counterparts, they will now have no choice but to pass on a significant proportion of the latest tariff increase to their customers. The uncertainty and volatility created by the trade war has led to businesses delaying investment and expansion plans. Some Chinese manufacturers have adjusted their supply chains by moving manufacturing and warehousing to south-east Asia, Mexico and Canada. But uprooting supply chains is costly, time-consuming and usually requires companies to obtain new approvals, comply with different regulatory regimes, secure real estate, build factories, hire workers and find new suppliers and service providers.

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Chinese build garment plant in Rwanda

A Chinese firm, Pink Mango, will establish a garment factory in Rwanda. The investment will not only enable the central African country to increase its exports but also reduce imports of clothing as the country has been using fiscal measures to progressively discourage the import of secondhand clothes.

The factory to be located in a special economic zone will produce garments for both the domestic and export market. The Chinese firm is expected to provide 7,500 jobs for Rwandans by the fifth year and create cumulative export earnings of 20 million dollars over the next five years. It is also expected to build capacity and skills transfer to 500 workers of local garment cooperatives, who will also benefit from some of supply contracts through an outsourcing model. The investment of the Chinese firm will upskill Rwandans, giving them access to productive jobs and hence ensuring them have a better standard of living.

The United States has suspended duty-free status for Rwandan apparel products under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The reason was the African nation’s refusal to lower trade barriers for American-made clothing and shoes. Rwanda was among three East African nations—the others are Tanzania and Uganda--that banned imports of used clothing and shoes from the US.

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Bonas to show offerings at Itma

Bonas will be present at Itma, Spain, June 20 to 26, 2019. A total of 10 jacquards will be operating on advanced weaving machines throughout the show. A multitude of colors in both warp and weft can be expertly intertwined to produce top quality flat woven carpet, as will be demonstrated by a Bonas Si21 on top of an Itema R9500-2 rapier machine.

Bonas supplies shedding systems to both the flat weaving and carpet weaving industries worldwide. Another Si21 on top of a Picanol Optimaxrapier will prove the smooth and low vibration running of this 21,504 hook jacquard at high speeds. Both jacquards are driven by the revolutionary smart drive, directly mounted to the loom and eliminating the need for a gear box. Total flexibility in both warp and weft is no longer a dream with the end-to-end control that Bonas will show with the successful Ji5 on a 190cm Smit ONE, without a warp beam. This provides total flexibility in weft and warp yarn composition, raw material and thickness. Difficult yarns in weft and simple yarns in warp without compromising on creativity allow the customer to always run at full speed without warp breakages or tension problems. Individual warp end control gives free rein to creativity.

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New recycling initiative from Levi Strauss

Levi Strauss has undertaken a new denim recycling initiative with the ‘Blue Jeans Go Green’ program. Any type of denim, including scraps or non-jean items like jackets, is eligible for recycling. Blends are, too—though the fabric does need to contain at least 90 per cent cotton. To date, the Blue Jeans Go Green program has recycled more than 2.5 million pieces of denim, to create almost five million square feet of insulation. The denim insulation developed through the program isn’t for sale, but given to charity partners for use in schools and libraries.

The Blue Jeans Go Green initiative, launched in 2006, lets consumers bring denim clothing—from any brand and in any condition—to dedicated recycling bins at partner retailers. The initiative is a key feature for the strategy Levi’s has to hit its sustainability benchmarks. The company hopes to hit major goals around climate impact, chemical applications, and water use, and alter its sourcing, design and manufacturing processes to plan for future circularity. Levi’s also offers consumers several opportunities to extend the life of their denim, in whatever way they can. The brand refashions archive-quality denim for resale in select stores, and at in-store tailor shops Levi’s professionals can repair used garments that might otherwise be wasted.

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Planet Textiles to feature breakout sessions

A breakout session that updates delegates on Higg Index progress and other new developments will feature at the upcoming Planet Textiles summit in Barcelona. The Higg panel is just one part of a full day’s schedule which focuses on the practicalities of innovation and sustainability in the textile supply chain. With many textile industry tools now in an advanced stage of development to allow apparel brands and retailers to improve supply chain transparency, and to measure their overall environmental impact, the Higg session will be extremely timely and promises to bring new insight for brands, textile mills and suppliers right through the supply chain.

As a part of the ‘Pitch for the Planet’ session run by Fashion for Good at this year’s event, that details new, cutting edge textile innovations that have yet to scale, Abishek Bansal from Arvind Mills will feature in conversation with Fashion for Good investment manager Tanvi Karambelkar about how the Indian textile conglomerate has helped and encouraged innovators to scale-up technology and how it can be integrated into a major textile operation such as Arvind. Also presented will be an innovation that uses minimal chemistry to finish textiles, and how it can contribute to a world where the discharge of potentially hazardous substances from textile wet processing mills can be minimised – and preferably avoided altogether.

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Cone Denim partners with Jeanologia for finishing technology

Cone Denim will partner with garment finishing technology company Jeanologia on a sustainable denim collection for fall 2020. The collaboration brings together two leaders in denim that are aligned on environmental stewardship. The collection will apply Cone’s water-conscious laser-washing techniques to a number of Cone’s proprietary low-impact fabrics. The partnership is expected to be a compelling and relevant design resource for Cone’s brand partners and serve as a great source of inspiration for designers looking for sustainable options.

Cone selected specific fabrics that are a key part of its fall 2020 collection but they also qualify well for Jeanologia’s laser washing technologies. These washes promote minimal amount of water, energy and chemicals. Each garment will be noted with a wash score. Cone’s consciously-milled denim provides an ideal base for Jeanologia’s low-impact laser washing techniques. The partnership is a perfect marriage of innovative technologies.

Cone, an iconic, 128-year-old denim mill, will also debut two new product capsules for fall 2020. Modern Retro will focus on utilizing a blend of post-consumer recycled cotton, wood pulp-derived Tencel fabric, and SGene with Repreve stretch technology, made from recycled polyester. Favorite is an unisex capsule and comfort, softness, performance and a brilliant indigo color are its hallmarks. The line features a variety of washes and three stretch levels (high, medium and lightweight rigid).

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Digital printing grows at 16 per cent

The global digital textile printing market is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16.3 per cent during 2018-2027. Taking the lead will be the Asia Pacific region (excluding Japan), whose growth will be mainly attributed to contributions from emerging economies, such as India and China. This region is characterized by a robust political, demographic, and economic ecosystem of the leading emerging economies; and a rapidly growing digital textile printing industry in the region will lead to optimum growth levels in the coming decade.

China is expected to be at the forefront, spearheading the growth. The Chinese digital textile printing market has witnessed rapid growth in the past couple of decades. End user sectors of digital textile printing, such as food and beverage, personal care, pharmaceuticals and automotive, are increasingly adopting digital textile printing on their sales promotion devices. Growing promotional activity has increased the growth of the digital textile printing market.

Revenue from digital textile printing in North America is estimated to account for over 43 per cent of the global digital textile printing market revenue in 2018. Key players in this market include Durst, Seiko Epson, Roq, Konica Minolta, Kornit Digital, Mimaki, Sawgrass Technologies and the M&R companies.

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Cotton plants in Gujarat affected due to irregular rains

Cotton industry experts say, the cotton season in Gujarat is likely to affected due to irregular rains. The season is likely to begin a month late. Even the plants are likely to be smaller than the normal. Some places in the state received high and some had poor rains. This has affected the growth of cotton plant.

As per the data of Gujarat Agriculture Department, cotton sowing in the state has reached over 2.71 million hectares, about 2.33 per cent higher than last year’s 2.65 million hectares. Though, sowing has increased, it is much lower than industry expectations. Normally, the new cotton season in Gujarat begins in October and ends in September every year, but this time the season is likely to start from October end or in November due to abnormal monsoons in the state.

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Turkey textile exports up eight per cent

Turkey’s exports of textiles and raw materials increased by eight per cent in the first half of 2018.
Exports to Italy, the most important export market for Turkey in this sector, rose by 5.8 per cent. Exports of textiles and raw materials to Germany, the second important market, were up 8.3 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year. Exports to Bulgaria, the third major export market, declined by 13.7 per cent.

The most exported product in the first half of 2018 was woven fabrics. Woven fabric exports increased by 8.3 per cent compared to the same period of 2017. The second most exported product was yarn, which constitutes 18.1 per cent of total textile exports from Turkey. Exports of the third important product group, knitted fabrics, increased by 2.3 per cent. Turkey is one of the world's leading manufacturers of knitted fabrics. Fiber exports, the fourth most exported product group, increased by 16.9 per cent.

Turkey’s technical textile exports increased by 20.1 per cent.

As Turkey’s textile exports grow, the country’s textile manufacturing companies will have to upgrade their machinery, parts and components, as well as the manufacturing processes. Turkish textile companies are also being encouraged to consider technical collaboration with foreign partners.

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Oerlikon Q2 sales up 36 per cent

For the second quarter, Oerlikon’s order intake increased year-on-year by 26.8 per cent while sales went up by 36.6 per cent. Ebitda for the second quarter corresponded to a margin of 17.1 per cent. Ebit was 10.8 per cent of sales. The second quarter performance resulted in an improved rolling 12-month return on capital employed of 10.7 per cent. In the first half of 2018, the group’s order intake increased year-on-year by 35.4 per cent while sales came in 38.5 per cent higher than the prior year.

With top-line increase, ebitda for the half year corresponded to a margin of 16.4 per cent. Ebit was 10.1 per cent of sales. Net income for the first half of the year increased significantly by 136.2 per cent year-on-year. In the first six months of 2018, Oerlikon’s service business contributed to 39 per cent of total group sales. Based on the strong set of results in the first half of 2018, Oerlikon is confident it will be able to sustain growth and is thus raising its outlook for the year.

For the full year 2018 continued operations, group ebitda margin is expected to exceed 15.5 per cent after accounting for increased operating expenses from higher investments.

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