Appparel Online India 16-31 Aug'17 by Apparel Resources

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’s DESK… Congratulations to the industry and brownie points to the present regime for being flexible in understanding the implications and hence, reducing the GST on apparel jobworkers from the earlier announced 18% to 5%. There is a sense of relief, as this move will bring all jobworkers along the textile supply chain under one seamless GST… Not only this, it will also boost the morale of the industry that this Government is really thinking of them! No doubt, this is important, but many overlook the fact that there was already a clear provision stating that manufacturers/service providers/traders whose annual turnover is below INR 20 lakh need not pay any GST and for those who have a turnover of up to INR 75 lakh, can opt for the Composition Scheme wherein they are liable for GST of only 2% (manufacturing segment). It is clearly mentioned that the scheme has special dispensation (exemption from a rule or usual requirement) for jobwork to help jobworkers during the GST rule. I would assume that a majority of apparel jobworkers would fall under this exemption. Some may argue on the need for bringing jobworkers underGST… But I firmly endorse the need as earlier these manufacturing activities were exempted from service tax, which meant that the jobworkers could not avail the input tax credit, resulting in increased cost of the products and a significant impact on the export competitiveness and also the domestic consumers. So bringing them under the lowest GST slab is being widely hailed as a masterstroke. The fight today between fetching an order or losing is in cents..., and even a cent can make the difference. The Government has to look at ways to create a level playing field for global business. It is being argued that implementation of GST has diluted most of the FTP benefits that the industry was availing so far besides putting a huge pressure on the working capital. The argument is that the GST system mandates all duties to be paid at the time of a transaction while refund for these can be obtained onlyafter exports. This burdens the exporter with the responsibility of arranging money for the inputs, manufacturing and payment of duties and taxes. Yet again the Government has come to rescue here by introducing a fast-track process for the refund of taxes and duties to exporters, whereby 90% of the duties will be refunded within seven days. Remaining 10% can be claimed post-verification of accounts by tax authorities. Further, existing drawbacks have been retained for a period of three months, before a new formula is worked out. The Government, however, needs to understand that besides the slow market conditions, search for emerging and cheaper manufacturing destinations by international retailers, stronger Indian economy, weaker dollar vis-à-vis the rupee, are all impacting the competitiveness of the exporters. It is hence imperative that the Government comes up with a Drawback scheme which covers all input taxes not covered by the GST. There is rightly a growing clamour for the continuation of Rebate of State Levies (RoSL) Scheme, inclusion of other state levies not subsumed in the GST and drawback for central taxes outside the GST purview besides full accumulated input GST Tax Credit.

EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Deepak Mohindra

EDITOR

Ila Saxena

COPY EDITOR

Veereshwar Sobti

ASST. COPY EDITOR

Sahil Sehgal

ASST. EDITOR-NEWS

Dheeraj Tagra

ASST. EDITOR - FASHION

Anjori Grover Vasesi

SUB EDITOR

Priyanka Mishra

SR. CORRESPONDENT-FASHION

Vishakha Somani

SR. EXECUTIVE-ADVERTISING

D K Chugh

CREATIVETEAM

Raj Kumar Chahal Peeush Jauhari Satyapal Bisht

PHOTO EDITOR

Himanshu Kumar

OPERATION DIRECTOR

Mayank Mohindra

PUBLISHER & MANAGING DIRECTOR

Renu Mohindra

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MIND TREE

Q-and-A Recently, our Textile Minister Smriti Irani completed her one year in office and was given the additional charge of Information & Broadcasting Ministry. Being a stakeholder in the textiles and apparel industry, how do you see this one year of Smriti Irani as a Textile Minister? Secondly, do you think that the Textiles Ministry will get enough time from the Minister after giving her this extra responsibility…?

A. Sakthivel, MD, Poppys Knitwear, Tirupur Smriti Irani’s performance as a Textile Minister till date has been excellent. We earlier got Rs. 6,000 crore package which is helping our industry to a great extent, and she has managed to provide many benefits to the Textile Industry under the GST regime. She personally takes interest and meets the Prime Minister as well as the Finance Minister on related issues of textiles. Her recent initiative – Textiles India 2017 – was a great success and I could see her working 24 hours for the last three months to make this event successful. Her involvement with the Ministry of Textiles is appreciable and laudable. She is a very positive and capable person and will work overtime to manage both the ministries effectively.

Sanjeev Kumar, Factory Head, Chelsea Mill, Gurgaon If I say honestly, the Textile Minister’s efforts towards the industry in the last one year has been satisfactory, but she needs to give more attention at present as the situation of the garment industry is not good in India. The Central Government needs to announce some special schemes to boost up the garment industry like the

Jharkhand State Government which declared multiple fruitful policies for the new industries in Jharkhand. This has even motivated many big companies like Orient Craft, Matrix Clothing, Orient Fashion, etc., to start their projects there. As far as extra responsibility is concerned, it may be for the time being as Smriti Irani has plenty of work to do for the garment industry.

Rajendran, Adarsh Knitwear, Tirupur For me, things look better than earlier, and things are moving fast. Her performance is very much up to the mark, but one thing that is missing is the FTA with Europe and I don’t see anything happening on it. Unfortunately, adding another ministry to her existing role is not advisable which will be too much work for her and will affect her performance. India is a big country with abundance of people, with excellent knowledge and this role can surely be passed on to some other MP.

Jas Mahindru, Director, Mega Brands, New Delhi As far as my thoughts are concerned, extra responsibility divides focus. The Government of India should realize that the textile sector is the largest

employment providingsector in India, and it has to have its due focus or will be on adecline like export is on a decline! The Ministry/Minister should invest extra efforts to build this. Since we are only related to export, we need policies and treaties with other important import nations to build this. Export in India boomed in the ’80s-’90s but at present, you can barely hear anyone wanting to be an exporter other than the ones who had entered way back in the era. Things need to be in place as China/Bangladesh and other countries like Vietnam etc., are killing and grabbing our market. Hope the voice is heard.

T.V. Maruthi, Director, Hanuman Weaving Factory, Bangalore I am very happy to express my opinion that the Textile Minister has done a marvellous job in all the areas of the textile field. She has streamlined the entire textile operations. She has effectively taken up various problems/issues faced by the sericulture industry with the Government and has come up with meaningful solutions. One has to also appreciate her oratory skills in addressing problems both in the parliament and also on all other platforms. The way she addresses an issue convinces people of all masses whether

common men or ministers or bureaucrats. May be considering her brilliant skills in handling the problems of the entire sericulture industry and other segments of the textiles industry like cotton, woollen, handmade fabrics and garments, she can be entrusted with another portfolio of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

Madhu Kapoor, MD, Apparel & Leather Technics, Bangalore Textile Minister Smriti Irani is a go-getter. The Textile Ministry under her care is forging ahead and completes all the tasks set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India’s textile industry one of the best in the world. It is not going to make any difference to her working pattern even after getting the additional charge of I & B Ministry since she manages all her duties with grace. In our opinion, she can be a real ideal for the forthcoming generations.

Arvind Arora, CEO, Taurus Tex, Delhi The last one year has been quite hectic in terms of developments related to textiles. Finally, textiles has been recognized as a sector that provides livelihood to millions

through the work and efforts made to promote this sector by Smriti Irani involving the PM. Textile India fair in Gandhinagar was a successful step in this direction. Thereafter, GST implementation in textiles to upgrade the way business was being done to make it cleaner and more accountable are some of the points that are visible. Giving another portfolio to Smriti Irani demonstrates the Government’s absolute trust on her abilities to manage senior positions of responsibility. Now it is on the Minister to respond

NEXT MINDTREE

and deliver. One way, the I&B Ministry platform can be effectively utilized by her is by promoting textiles. On the other hand, this new area can take a lot of her time away from textiles which needs focused development and growth on constant basis.

C. Rathinaswamy, Proprietor, Freeway Clothing Company, Tirupur I feel this is not an appropriate debate for now. The Minister

has taken good efforts to resolve many bottleneck issues. We all know that the GST implementation is having a major impact on all industries, trades and in our textile industry too. The Minister has thorough understanding of the textile industry. When she recently visited Tirupur and the industry representatives addressed many issues particularly about effluent treatment of textile processing, drawback, etc., she was able to reply in a perfect possible manner. I can say, if any other minister

was in her position, I don’t think he or she might have read to such an in-depth level as done by Smriti Irani. I think the additional charge of Information & Broadcasting portfolio assigned to her is only for a temporary period. The PM is well aware of the Textile Ministry’s importance and higher responsibilities as it has to be handled independently. So, we can trust the Minister that she will definitely devote whatever time is required for the upliftment of our industry.

QUESTION

Buyers are now holding order confirmations till the last moment. Earlier booking orders for Spring/Summer season used to start in July, but now they are getting delayed and continuing till September. How do you see the current order booking scenario for Spring/Summer 2018? Do you have some plans to cope with this situation?

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WORLD WRAP

WHAT MAKES NORDSTROM THE FAVOURITE FASHION RETAILER OF THE US The US market has seen a slew of shop closures and many retailers are finding it difficult to keep their customer base interested. Some iconic names like American Apparel, The Limited, Abercrombie & Fitch, Wet Seal, Gymboree have either closed down or are on the verge of bankruptcy. Yet, there are a few other retailers/ brands that continue to grow and remain preferred shopping destinations for consumers. A recent study by Market Force Information (Market Force) covering 10,000 consumers, found that Nordstrom continues to rank as the nation’s favourite fashion retailer fifth year in a row on parameters of value, atmosphere and ease of finding items. The retailer has built an enviable reputation of having an incomparable customer service and has hence, earned a loyal fan base.

ven in a very challenging retail environment, the retailer achieved a record sale of US $ 14.5 billion in 2016 because of the significant improvement the company was able to achieve along the supply chain to enhance value and keep its customers happy, the core of being a favourite fashion retailer. According to retail analyst, Nordstrom has managed to accrue (and maintain) a loyal fan base for a number of reasons – serving up street styleworthy, budget-friendly fashion,

championing beloved Indie Brands’, famous customer service, and for its epic anniversary sale. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale originated in the 1960s and is a one-of-a-kind sale – every July, the company brings in new styles from highly sought-after brands for men, women and kids. The retailer is committed to having a unique breadth of offering from accessible to luxury price points and the Anniversary Sale follows suit. It’s the ultimate sale with something for everyone in every category: clothing,

CELEBRITIES ENDORSING NORDSTROM

AshleyGraham

Hana MaeLee

Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion specialty retailer based in the US. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates354 stores in 40 states, including 122 full-line stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico; 221 Nordstrom rackstores; two Jeffrey boutiques; and two clearance stores. The companynet salesincreased 2.7 per cent and comparable sales decreased 0.8 per cent, in the first quarter of 2017, compared to the same quarter last year.

shoes, handbags, accessories, home and beauty. It’s a sale the whole nation waits for! Brands new to Anniversary Sale this year included Good American, Good Man Brand, Cinq a Sept, ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo and J. Crew, along with returning customer favourites like FRAME Denim, Rag &Bone, Current/Elliot, Elizabeth &James, Ashley Graham Lingerie, Nike, Stuart Weitzman and more. The Anniversary Sale also featured merchandise from Topshop/Topman, Madewell and Charlotte Tilbury which are available exclusively at Nordstrom. “We’re fortunate to have a terrific team of buyers who start working with our merchandise partners months before the Anniversary Sale begins,” said Scott Meden, Nordstrom Chief Marketing Offtcer, and added, “Our partners know how important this annual event is to our customers, so we’re excited to be able to bring ina fantastic assortment of new styles at reduced prices that aren’t available anywhere else.”

Vendor partnerships for value… To keep its customers happy, the retailer works very closely with its vendors across the world to create value. Besides its huge vendor base,

TOPFIVENPGSUPPLIERSFORNORDSTROMIN2016 BYVOLUME WERE:1.CHINA(275 FACTORIES);2. INDIA(59 FACTORIES); 3. VIETNAM(16 FACTORIES);4. UNITEDSTATES(48 FACTORIES); AND5. BANGLADESH (1FACTORY)

a small but growing portion of overall product offering comes from Nordstrom Product Group (NPG), the retailer’s family of private label brands. In 2016, NPG included 54 brands manufactured in 484 factories across 30 countries. India has the second highest number of vendors in this category (after China) with 59 associated factories. NPG is committed to working with agents, manufacturers, factories and mills to ensure that final consumers obtain compliant private label merchandise. The Product Integrity team supports NPG by proactively researching, interpreting and communicating rules, bans, regulations and standards for all private label products. In addition, a third-party testing programme has been implemented to ensure that products meet these standards.

the production timeline from order commitment through production execution and delivery. The planners communicate order commitments to the manufacturers, maintain costing and handle purchase order management. Together, the retailer and its global vendors strive to offer new products at best prices.

The NPG is dedicated to providing garments, allowing comfortable movement while flattering the figure. The retailer’s technical designers work with suppliers to achieve consistent fit and quality by maintaining standards while achieving the brand’s cost targets and design integrity. The Technical Design team manages the fit process from design through commercialization. On the production front, a special Production Planning team manages

With a vision of a happy value chain, the retailer is also working with two factories in northern India, to pilot Project Prerna, an initiative from the non-profit organization Impactt Limited. The initiative is to train factory management and workers on effective communication strategies to increase worker satisfaction. More than 2,000 people are participating in the programme, with workers and supervisors already reporting about improved working relationships and clearer paths for advancement.

NPG also tested eight new packaging reduction programmes in 2016, including use of less tissue papers in Halogen cashmere sweaters and removal of some of the paperboards used in men’s dress shirts and underwear. NPG’s women’s division stopped packing denim and casual knit tops in individual plastic bags and instead now packs multiple products in one large bag… These packaging-reduction pilots kept more than 20 tonnes of packaging out of the supply chain.

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Border Adjustment Tax: NRF shows concern for small retailers National Retail Federation (NRF), the world’s largest retail trade association, is concerned over the future of Border Adjustment Tax (BAT) and its impact on the US’ retailers. To understand the same, the Federation has recently written a letter to the House Tax-Writing Committee of the US questioning ‘how the tax reform would benefit small businesses, grow the economy and create jobs’? In its letter, the NRF has also urged the Committee to consider the potential impacts of BAT on small retailers in the country. NRF states that small businesses account for 98 per cent of the

entire retail industry, providing 40 per cent of the total 42 million retail jobs in the US. Adding on, it claims that 85 per cent of small business owners believe that to thrive in the market, it is essential to source material from overseas. Therefore, applying 20 per cent BAT on imported goods might force them to slash as many as 7,72,000 retail jobs as the proposed tax policy will increase the cost to the consumer. The Federation estimates that BAT implementation would cost a middle-class family in the country as much as US $ 1,700 on a yearly basis. It will further result in declining sales, which

will lead to a contraction in the small businesses. “Small retailers might be the hardest hit by the potential impact of the BAT. They do not have the economies of scale to be able to reduce the higher costs of their merchandise with the BAT imposed and are most likely to lose sales to lower-priced competition,” said David French, Senior Vice President for Government Relations, NRF. It’s worth recalling here that NRF recently conducted a survey to take opinions of small retailers about BAT and its probable effects on retail industry in the

US. The survey found that three out of five retailers forecast a negative impact on their already running tight-margin businesses if BAT is implemented. In response to the concerns raised by NRF, Peter Roskam, Chairman, House Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee, explained, “In the Ways and Means Committee, we are proposing a simplified tax code that works with, instead of against, small businesses. First off, we drop the tax rate from 44.6 per cent to 25 per cent. This means more money to hire employees, and more money to grow your business.”

NIKE's ‘Millennial Pink' offering new ‘Chrome Blush Collection' Just when we were about to file away the lead colour of 2016, the Millennial Pink, NIKE pulled the trigger and made us re-evaluate our choices! The international activewear giant has released a collection inclusive of on-trend sportswear and accessories for women in a colour palette of

millennial pink and rose gold hues balanced out by grey and black accents.

a few of NIKE’s popular trainer models in sync with the new neutral-based colour schemes.

Dubbed as the ‘Chrome Blush Collection’, the latest fashion collection features 23 pieces of sweatshirts, sports bras, leggings, shorts, shoes and other sports luxe essentials. The line also remodels

Prices of the collection start from US $ 25 for their training shorts and go up to US $ 160 for NIKE Air Max 90 sneaker, which incorporates the brand’s signature Flyknit technology.

Released recently, the tagline for the latest collection reads, ‘Where strength meets style’. It was heavily promoted via social media with a series of adverts that star a mix of international athletes, such as Olympic swimmer Kapas Boglarka, yoga instructor Klara Pokorna, and dancer and choreographer JanaVrána. Despite the advent of the ‘GREENERY’ palette for 2017, the much-hyped millennial pink-cumrose gold combination continues to enjoy a faithful audience, recently showing up at Rihanna’s Fenty x Puma collection, Glossier’s marketing and packaging design and more. The ‘Chrome Blush Collection’ is available for purchase at NIKE stores and on the brand’s website.

Fashion brand Uniqlo defers India entry Bad news has come for those who have been eagerly waiting for Japan-based fast fashion brand Uniqlo’s India entry. The fashion retailer has reportedly decided to defer the opening of its debut store in Indian retail market. It is yet to acquire a quality retail space for its venture. Media reports claim that Uniqlo has contacted Commercial Real Estate Services (CBRE) to help it in getting a 15,000-17,000 square feet space in North India. Uniqlo earlier had plans to enter India by 2018 but now it is expected that the fashion retailer will set up its maiden store here by 2019. The brand looks to capture a significant share in the country under the single brand retail concept as the Indian Government

permits 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for the same. Uniqlo’s arch rival H&M had also entered India under the single brand retail concept through FDI last year. “We do a review to find out possible locations before

making a decision. We have been in touch with various external companies to help with possible locations in both existing as well as new markets,” a company spokesperson reportedly said. Uniqlo is expected to send a

delegation to India soon. The team will search for a better location in the country, which has been turning into one of the most sought-after investment destination among global fashion retailers over the years.

Spanish fashion brands Springfield, Women'secret debut in India Bangalore has become the first Indian city to house the stores of Spanish fashion brands, Springfield and Women’secret. While the former is a youthoriented casual apparel label, the latter is an innerwear, swimwear and sleepwear brand. The new fashion retailers in India aim to tap the tremendous scope of growth for international labels in view of the rising fashion-conscious youth in the country. The stores of Springfield and Women’secret were inaugurated by Eduardo Sanchez Moreno, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Spain at Phoenix Market City Mall, Whitefield. The inauguration ceremony was

also attended by Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director, Tablez India (which holds the master franchise rights for both the brands) and Antonis Kyprianou, Group General Manager for Franchising at Grupo Cortefiel – Owner of Springfield and Women’secret. Springfield will sell urban casual and trendy apparels for both men and women in India, while Women’secret will specifically offer women’s lingerie, swimwear, beachwear, home wear and sleepwear. In 2016, Grupo Cortefiel had signed an agreement with Tablez to start stores of the two brands in India. In view of the size and importance of the Indian market, Grupo Cortefiel wishes

to increase the store count of its brands to 75 by the year 2021. The owner is quite optimistic on the brands’ success in the Indian retail market.

Currently, Springfield operates around 940 stores across 73 countries, while Women’secret is present in 82 nations with 630 stores.

SUSTAINABILITY HAVE YOUR SAY

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PVH CORPORATION RELEASES 2016 CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY REPORT S U P P O R T I N G C H I L D R E N A N D W O M E N , WAT E R S A V I N G IS F O C U S IN I N D I A

aunching new corporate responsibility (CR) strategy with ten commitments with an aim to drive positive impact throughout its value chain – from source to store – empowering people, preserving the environment and supporting the communities, PVH Corporation has come up with its CR Report 2016. The report mentions: “Increasingly, we are seeking ways to take safety lessons that we have learned in Bangladesh and apply them in other production countries, including India and Ethiopia.” The company also collaborated with many top brands like Nike, Patagonia and Columbia Sportswear on a training programme for fire and safety trainers in India and China. The report highlights its initiatives with regard to India also. Supporting children and women, water saving, fire and safety training are some of its focus areas in India. With a total US $ 8 billion annual revenue, the company is working harder in 2017 with an increased focus on the environment and level two suppliers in its supply chain which covers raw material suppliers and wet processing units, including fabric mills, dye houses, printers, laundry/ wash/finishing units, trim suppliers, embroidery units, converters/agents, moulders and tanneries. It even plans to roll-out a global animal welfare policy this year. Owning brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Van Heusen, Izod, Arrow, etc., the company

E SS E N T I A L S PVH Corporation took several important steps in 2016 to improve the quality and transparency of reporting like it reported on environmental commitments for the first time, and set a global greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target for direct operations. It also completed its first CDP Climate and Water Questionnaires and obtained Fair Labor Association (“FLA”) reaccreditation for the thirdtime.”

Women participating in parenting session at an Angawadi Center in Bangalore

The PVH Foundation team visited Bangalore for ‘Save the Children Program’

“During a year of continued volatility in the retail environment, PVH delivered a strong underlying financial performance in 2016. We continued to evolve and strengthen our approach to CR by launching our enhanced CR strategy. The strategy consists of ten commitments that represent a holistic, interconnected approach to create positive impacts across three key focus areas: empowering people, preserving the environment and supporting communities. Our steadfast approach to these principles has been continuous even as we made several transformative acquisitions, dealt with significant macroeconomic issues, and focused on the rapid evolution going on in our industry.” –EmanuelChirico, Chairman& CEO,PVH Corporation

sources good volume of apparels from Indian apparel exporters. PVH is even developing water reduction and stewardship initiatives for its facilities, supply chain, product design and sourcing communities. In this regard, the company has plans to prioritize Southern India for collective action initiatives to protect water resources in these communities. Last year, it expanded ‘Save the Children Partnership to India’ and team members from ‘The PVH Foundation’ and ‘Tommy Cares Amsterdam’ were excited to have the opportunity to see first-hand how its grantsupports children’s education inBangalore. They even met with associates at PVH India to learn more about how they support local community initiatives. The next phase of the company’s multi-year grant will support early education for underprivileged children in Bangalore. “We aim to help more children attend Government-run preschools (‘Anganwadi Centers’) and improve the quality of education they receive, giving them a better start in life,” the report confirms. To further support ‘Save the Children’ project, it has also established a dedicated training programme and space for Anganwadi workers and teachers, empowering mothers and caretakers through organized monthly “Parenting Sessions”. Additionally, it plans to advocate for higher educational standards at Anganwadi Centers with local

Government officials. PVH has also directed US $ 1 million to support programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa as part of its US $ 5 million multi-year commitment to ‘Save the Children’. Hence, in its totality, 2016 was a year full of action for PVH and it introduced two new features in its assessment tool based on feedback from key stakeholders and testing with a pilot group of suppliers. The first feature was evaluation of working hours in greater depth in order to better distinguish between special circumstances and workers systematically working overtime. By tracking working hours during peak, normal and low-production months, it can be better to recognize factories with poor management systems and provide them with appropriate tools for improvement. Its second feature was rewarding suppliers who created positive impacts (beyond the scope of the assessment), by capturing best practices during assessments, rather than simply penalizing non-compliances. Examples of best practices might also include providing free transportation or professionaldevelopment opportunities for workers. As a significant influence of all these initiatives, the company piloted a capacity-building programme with a small group of high-risk, orange-rated accessories factories and was able to identify effective practices that led to distinct performance improvements

PVH IN THE LAST YEAR… • PVH University was launched, offering on-demand leadership and development classes. • Signed United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles. • Re-accredited by the FLA (Fair Labor Association) for the third consecutive time. TEN COMMITMENTS OF PVH’S CR STRATEGY CR strategies of PVH consist the following: Human Rights, Safe Workplaces, Inclusion & Diversity, Our Associates, Responsible Chemical Management, Water, Sustainable Packaging, Sustainable Materials, Greenhouse Gases, Communities. These commitments arealigned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, covering issues such as clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, and inclusion anddiversity.

in working hours and compensation practices. It established clear expectations for remediation and provided Key Performance Indicator (KPI) tracking tools to help these suppliers identify risk proactively and make positive changes. All of the participating factories have addressed their most critical issues under this programme and moved from an “orange” to a “yellow” rating. PVH’s CSR efforts do not stop here. It aspires to scale greater heights than those already attained. Therefore, the company has also launched a new global human resources and payroll solution (workday) in the US and Canada that will be rolled out to the rest of its offices globally, starting in Asia in 2017. The customized benefits portal connects directly to workday, where associates can access all of their data, including pay and benefit information, in one location. In 2016, it completed the programme of chemical management training for all its level 1 supplier and supply chain teams and began to train some of the level 2 suppliers, providing a total of approximately 6,300 hours of training. For the company, 2016 was a foundational year for its sustainable packaging initiatives. PVH also held its first sustainable packaging summit in the same year to explore insights, resources and solutions that will help its businesses reduce their packaging and send zero waste to landfill.

Harvard Business Review applauds GAP's PACE programme Harvard Business Review has come up with a report on how even basic training can be highly fruitful for the operators/workers of Indian apparel manufacturing facilities. A research done by Achyuta Adhvaryu, Assistant Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business; Lavanya Garg, Research and Communications Manager at the Good Business Lab; Namrata Kala, Prize Fellow in Economics at Harvard University and Anant Nyshadham, Assistant Professor of Economics at Boston College, shows that investing in worker is fruitful for the well-being of workers as well as the export house’ margin. Achyuta and Anant Nyshadham are also co-founders of the Good Business Lab.

Four years ago, the researchers implemented a randomized controlled trial of nearly 2,700 workers in five factories of Shahi Exports, Bangalore. These workers were part of GAP Inc.’s sustainability initiative PACE (Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement). They learnt various life skills like decision making, proper communication, time management, problem solving, and awareness on financial issues by various ways. With proper impact analysis, data collection, etc., research found that these workers were able to achieve sociability and higher self-regard. Even these workers were able to save more on financial fronts and get benefits on various schemes of the Government. “They were 15 percentage points more likely to request training in

technical skills, and 7.7 percentage points more likely to report that they expected a promotion within the next six months. Nine months after programme completion, we calculated the net rate of return to the company’s investment in PACE training for workers at roughly 250 per cent,” the report says.

It is pertinent to mention here that Shahi Exports is India’s largest apparel export house with an annual turnover of more than Rs. 5,000 crore. Many other Indian apparel export houses are also running PACE programme in their factories.

RIL Awarded Golden Peacock Eco-Innovation Award Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has been awarded with Golden Peacock Eco-Innovation Award for the year 2017, for its innovative

excellence and environmentally friendly products Recron® Green Gold Fibres and Recron® Green Gold Dope-Dyed (EcoD) Fibres &

Tow by Golden Peacock Awards Secretariat. RIL is the largest integrated producer of polyester fibre and yarn in the world.

The award was presented at Institute of Directors, India’s 19th World Congress on Environment Management and Golden Peacock Awards Presentation Ceremony in The HICC - Novotel in Hyderabad. The award was presented to RIL’s Vice President and Regional Head (East) for Polyester Sector, Prabir Bhattacharya, by Justice Kurian Joseph, Judge, Supreme Court of India in the presence of Lt. Gen. J.S. Ahluwalia, PVSM (Retd), President, Institute of Directors, India and other corporate sectordignitaries.

The award being presented by Justice Kurian Joseph, Judge, Supreme Court of India to RIL’s Vice President and Regional Head (East) for Polyester Sector, Prabir Bhattacharya. Also seen is Lt. Gen. J. S. Ahluwalia, PVSM (Retd.), President, Institute of Directors, India

Recron® Green Gold Fibres and Recron® Green Gold DopeDyed (EcoD) Fibres &Tow are the greenest fibres which are manufactured from eco-friendly processes of the highest standard. These fibres have been granted the “Global Recycle Standard” from the internationally recognized Control Union Certificatons, Netherlands.

Huntsman Textile Effects wins DMAI Awards for Sustainability a second time Huntsman Textile Effects, the manufacturer of high-quality dyes and chemicals, has been honoured with 2016 DMAI (Dyestuff Manufacturers Association of India) Awards. The chemical supplier grabbed two accolades in ‘Excellent Performance in Exports of Dyestuffs by a Large-Scale Unit’; and ‘Excellent Performance in Pollution Control by a Large-Scale Unit’ categories.

areas of environment, health and safety and sustainability for the textile industry.

The DMAI award distribution ceremony was held recently at the 67th Annual General Meeting of DMAI in Mumbai, Maharashtra (India).

Content with the acknowledgement received, Nipun Soni, Site Manager – Baroda Plant, Huntsman Textile Effects expressed, “The award is a clear indication of the company’s focus on innovation and continuous improvement in safety and hazard controls to meet industry demands. The unquestionable expertise of people working with us and established processes for responsible management of products has made this possible.”

Huntsman received the Excellent Performance in Pollution Control Award for the efforts and improvements it carried out in the

The criteria to decide the awardee include innovation, creativity, development and quality. Various experts from different sectors such

as chemicals, dyes, etc. that are contributing to the textile industry, graced the judging panel. It is notable that Huntsman Textile Effects has received the DMAI Award for the second time

in a row. In 2015 also, it grabbed the Excellent Performance in Exports of Dyestuffs and Excellent Performance in Safety & Hazard’s Control by a Large-Scale UnitAward.

Sustainable Lyocell Fibre Market to touch US $ 1.5 billion by 2024 US-based market research and management firm, Global Market Insights, has unveiled in a new report that the worldwide market of lyocell fibre is noting a boom. By 2024, the fibre’s market is expected to reach US $ 1.5 billion figure from US $ 850 million in 2016 at an 8 per cent expected CAGRgrowth.

The report, which revolves around the changing fashion trends, has also indicated that the above stated evolving fashion, coupled with the use of recycled fibres, will propel the growth of lyocell fibre market globally. The adoption of the cellulose fibres is also rapidly increasing in high-

quality textiles’ manufacturing. The report elaborates that the antibacterial lyocell fibre is made from the natural cellulose fibre, which comprises of certain characteristics such as economical in use; natural breathability; more moisture absorption property than cotton; and biodegradability. These factors contribute to increased demand in the lyocell fibre market, especially from healthcare, home textiles and apparel industry. Additionally, the report underlined that implementation of the ecofriendly production process across the globe is another factor which is making a positive impact on the lyocell market. The social media platforms are also promoting the use of lyocell fibre in apparel products as the young population like wearing ‘Green’. This is also turning out to be a major element in lyocell fibre’s increasing demand.

Despite the aforementioned benefits, the market of lyocell fibre is anticipated to facecertain challenges as it is yet anexpensive product when compared with other eco-friendly fibres. The report highlighted that the delicate products, made from lyocell, need extra caring with various types of wash that increase the cost of its maintenance as well. Additionally, the product shrinks up to 3 per cent after the first wash, thereby the growth of lyocell fibre might be affected. “The pressure on synthetic fibre manufacturers has increased due to the increasing demand for naturally derived fibres. The healthcare and wound care textiles segment are likely to grow at a robust pace, owing to the evolving technologies for recovery of surgical wounds, thus propelling the lyocell fibre market,” concluded the report.

PRODUCT UPDATE

INNERWEAR: A POTENTIAL SEGMENT FOR INDIA For over a decade now, we have been hearing that innerwear is coming out of the closet…, but finally it is truly out in the open and prominently visible in stores and online shopping sites with more and more people comfortable in buying not only basic innerwear but high-end fashion inners. This fast-moving category is being driven globally by increasing awareness regarding personal hygiene, rising disposable income, on-the-go lifestyle, improved living standards and changing preferences of consumers. It is further fuelled by the spread of modern retail formats both off and online and increasing product visibility.

nder the larger umbrella of innerwear, the market is segmented between the men’s market and the more fancy-driven women’s wear market. And both the markets are significantly growing. While the global men’s innerwear segment is estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 5.8% to reach US $ 13.6 billion by the end of 2024, the global market for womenswear is projected to be growing at a CAGR of 6.4% to reach US $ 55.83 billion by the end of 2024. Organized retail penetration and growth of monobrand and multibrand outlets worldwide are driving sales further. Yet, sadly, Indian manufacturers of innerwear, both in menswear and womenswear segment are concentrating more on the domestic market, choosing to ignore the huge potential that exists abroad. Even those who are working in the export market are mostly focusing on men’s segment, where margins are relatively less. India has but a few top-end lingerie manufacturers attempting global market. But then can we really blame them considering that the Indian market is ripe for the best brands with a market size that is growing at an estimated CAGR of 12.2%. Currently, the domestic underwear market is estimated at nearly Rs. 24,000 crore (US $ 4000 million) according to a 2016 report by Intimate Apparel Association of India and Wazir Advisors. It is expected to become a Rs. 47,000 crore (US $ 7833 million) market, which is nearly 8% of the total estimated apparel market, by 2020. The men’s underwear market is currently valued at around Rs. 8,500 crore (US $ 1417 million). With increasing disposable

income and changing consumer attitudes towards the category, the segment is expected to maintain growth to reach Rs.16,500 crore (US $ 2750 million) by 2020, added the report. No wonder, domestic players are expanding. We have several prominent names who have carved a distinct niche for themselves in the Indian innerwear domain such as Rupa and Co. Ltd. (MacroMan, Frontline and Euro), Lux Industries Ltd. (Lux Cozi), Dollar Industries Ltd. (Bigboss, Club) and Maxwell Industries (VIP, Frenchie). Recently, Advent International, a leading US-based private equity investor, has acquired Dixcy Textiles, Tirupur, a prominent player in domestic undergarment industry. Dixcy with a strength of nearly 3,500 people, plans to raise money from private equity funds at a valuation of Rs. 3,000-3,400 crore (US $ 500 to 567 million). Talking to any company of this segment, one can find out that despite all variety of challenges, they are confident about the growth of the entire innerwear industry be it men’s undergarments, lingerie, shapewear etc. Sanjay K Jain, MD, TT Ltd, Delhi; Chairman of NITRA and Vice Chairman CITI, feels that undergarments export is increasing but at a very small pace. He even states that “Our exports have grown multifold because we were working on a very small base earlier.” He further added that innerwear market will grow consistently, and the biggest opportunity is going to come from the unorganized market shifting to the branded players like him. “Hence, I see growth coming from market expansion and market shift. TT limited, one of the most famous brand

Sanjay K Jain, MD, TT Ltd., Delhi; Chairman of NITRA and Vice Chairman CITI

in India, is offering the complete range of innerwear for gents, ladies and kids. It currently produces 3 million pieces per month. In the last fiscal, the company had a turnover of Rs. 678 crore (US $ 113 million)” shared a proud Sanjay. Yusuf Dohadwala, CEO, Intimate Apparel Association of India (IAAI), claims that overall Indian intimatewear industry is witnessing the fastest Y-o-Y growth which is estimated at 18-20 per cent and this growth is the highest in the world. IAAI is one of the prominent bodies of Indian intimate apparel industry. One of the strong reasons for this growing innerwear industry is its large basic necessity. This makes it almost recession proof with minimal effect from negative market trends. Although according to Sanjay, due to psychological impact and pipeline inventory, the Indian innerwear industry faces short-term recession impact as seen in demonetization and GST period. In the words of Yusuf, “Things are fast changing in India with consumers getting more evolved. Fashionable intimatewear is rapidly growing and taking large space in the wardrobes especially for women’s category.”

Why not export… Brandix, Quantum Clothing, Seeds Intimate Apparel, Pratibha Syntex, Eastman Exports Global Clothing, Best Corporation, SGM Garments, Clifton Export, KPR Mills… these are few of the selected companies in India that are into export of these

E SS E N T I A L S Brandix, Quantum Clothing, Seeds Intimate Apparel, Pratibha Syntex, Eastman Exports Global Clothing, Best Corporation, SGM Garments, Clifton Export, KPR Mills… these are few of the selected innerwear exporters in India. Maxwell Industries Ltd., having brands likeVIP and Frenchie, is also into export. On FOB basis for the year 2015-16, its export was Rs. 1,954.37lakh (US $ 3.25million).

Nikhil Kotak, CEO, Kotak Overseas

product segments; while in domestic market, there is a long list of strong and public limited companies who are achieving tremendous growth in almost all product categories of innerwear segment. So what is stopping them from exploring the overseas market? “Overall competitiveness in India is an issue due to unfavourable FTAs and bilateral agreements vis-à-vis our competitors like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia etc. Hence, exports are mainly limited to Middle East and African nations – further domestic brands need to get more organized and integrated to cater to USA and Europe in a bigger way,” said Sanjay thoughtfully. He also feels that both domestic and exports have enough scope but export growth would somehow depend on Government policy and support.

Yusuf informed, “We already have over 1,000 labels in innerwear segment who cater to the Indian market. Exports from India for innerwear are apparently very less but growing. However, our industry has to work on poor skills in manufacturing of value-added products or fashionable products. Therefore, at present, we can export only basics. For valueadded products, India is unable to meet the efficiencies found in China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia. To be competitive in exports, it is very important to have raw material base in India, especially for lingerie segment which is very low. Hence, to

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR PAGE INDUSTRIES… Second time in third year, Page Industries Ltd., Bangalore is honoured by Jockey International Inc. as the International Licensee of the year 2017 outperforming 140 other countries where Jockey is present. Page Industries Ltd. had sales of Rs. 2,132 crore (US $ 355 million) in 2016-17 compared to Rs. 1,796 crore (US $ 300 million) in 2015-16. Its foreign exchange earnings during the year were Rs. 15.8 crore (US $ 2.63 million) from exports to Sri Lanka, Nepal and UAE. Moving forward, the company has also laid the ground work for in-house production of various women’s range trims which are currently being imported.

do export, we would have to depend on China for raw materials, hence increasing the lead time and which is why buyers don’t aim at coming to India.”

Yusuf Dohadwala, CEO, Intimate Apparel Association of India (IAAI)

“Things are fast changing in India with consumers getting more evolved. Fashionable intimatewear is rapidly growing and taking large space in the wardrobes especially for women’s category.”

IA Badi, Neon Industries, Rajkot

“Our existing business of ceramic is passing through recession, so we are planning to enter into textile industry. Initially, we will be investing Rs. 3 crore into knitting and stitching machines, and will start with undergarment manufacturing. Due to less dyeing, value addition and PD issues, undergarment seems to be the best product category to start with. Hopefully production will start in one year. Export is also on our radar but at a later stage.”

According to Yusuf, few lingerie companies who are really doing well do not have capacities for exports. Their market in India itself is large and growing which doesn’t allow them to look at exports. Being a highly-skilled driven industry, somehow it hasn’t been able to implement skill development programmes effectively to support intimatewear manufacturing. He adds, “Unfortunately very few, including our Government, fail to understand how potential employment-generator this industry can be. Smaller countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia have understood this and excelled.” Experts do feel that India’s innerwear industry is at a nascent stage and has lot of potholes like lack of skills for producing technical and quality products, poor availability of technicians and lingerie designers, dearth of quality raw materials for which India has to depend on China. This makes the import duties on raw materials high and the products expensive. To overcome such challenges, Yusuf briefed that IAAI organizes events like Galleria Intima which address the raw material challenges in India and gradually increase exports from India. IAAI is also creating awareness through seminars to help the Indian manufacturers and brands to upgrade their knowledge and be competitive. With regard to lingerie manufacturing, it was being said that there are suppliers who can’t offer all accessories together (in proper shade) for bra and more or less things have not improved much even currently. Small components like rings, sliders, hooks and eye tapes are not available in India which can pass the quality standards for top brands. Additionally, India lacks enough technical training institutes, arrangements for lingerie/

E SS E N T I A L S Cotton will continue to take lead Cotton is and will continue to dominate as consumers are pretty comfortable and used to cotton. Having said that, polyamide and other synthetic fabrics have also started taking space in India’s intimatewear industry, but the growth is slow as many manufacturers are unable to handle synthetic fabrics well, and hence it still has limited use. But going forward, synthetic fabrics will grow as consumers start experiencing the comfort that these fabrics have to offer. In innerwear, cotton is set to rule in India, as it is cheaper than its alternate modal fibre. In innerwear blends, cotton/ spandex or modal/ cotton will be more in demand.

undergarment industry, especially at the shopfloor level. This is an important area to be addressed. IAAI had many rounds of discussions with institutions such as NIFT to overcome such challenges but nobody seems to take this up. Despite all such major limitations, Yusuf is confident that leading brands of the world will have to come to India for their sourcing requirements. “It is just a matter of time and if the current Government continues its reform mission, we aren’t too far from ‘the Make in India’ vision. Brands like Victoria Secret and M&S, Calvin Klein and many more are already sourcing from India. One should visit Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC) in Visakhapatnam to see the millions of bras and panties being produced every month for leading brands. BIAC also claims about having a world-class Integrated Textile Park with facilities which are not available anywhere else in the world,” says Yusuf on an optimistic note.

Exporter’s take… BSCI certified Clifton Export, Tirupur, is producing 50 million undergarments per year and exporting to retailers in Europe. B. Naveen, Managing Director of the company informed, “The only benefit of undergarment manufacturing is that you have business throughout the year but this product segment has very less margins compared to any other garment product and more price-competitive. Besides, one needs specialization machines and inhouse elastic manufacturing without which producing undergarments would become very difficult. We do have our own set-up for elastic manufacturing.” He further added that in the last 4 years, Bangladesh has increased its focus on the undergarment business which is again a big challenge for players like him. “We have noticed only 5 to 10 per cent growth in undergarment exports owing to this,” said Naveen although his company has its own fabric dyeing plant.

Some of the low-profile companies are also doing good business in

this segment and enjoying decent growth. Anuj Shah who was earlier associated with Pigeon Impex, Surat, offering seamless garments (including undergarments) six months ago, has now started Flavors Impex and is exporting seamless undergarments to Turkey and Europe. “Yes, we have major share in domestic market but we keep focus on export and are continuously improving on the same,” averred Anuj. There are some more such companies in Ahmedabad offering lingerie and nightwear also. Ahmedabad-based Santosh Shree Santoshi Agencies offers variety of products in innerwear segment and also exports to Middle East and African countries. Sunil Nasra, Director of the company shared with AOI, “It is true that lingerie manufacturing is growing in Ahmedabad but there are very few companies doing quality products, while rest are doing low-cost products.”

Raw materials As far as the issue of raw material availability is concerned, there are some companies who claim one-point solution for the entire range of accessories needed for a specfic product such as bra. Kotak Overseas, Mumbai is one of them. Nikhil Kotak, CEO of the company reasons, “Very minor difference like shade variation will be there always, no matter from wherever lingerie manufacturers are sourcing. But we

have an edge as we are serving lingerie manufacturers with the complete range right from cup to all other components and that too with the best quality. Sometimes manufacturers are having very less lead time, even in that case, we try to support them with the best possibilities.” He even stated that there are some manufacturers who themselves don’t want to source the entire range from one supplier. They try to save cost but at the end, it costs them almost the same.

Challenges in domestic market too Overall, in domestic innerwear market, extreme competition and low margins by competitors especially from the unorganized segment is a challenge. GST and restructuring of industry will help to reduce the latter hurdles but the first ones need to be fought by disruptive and out-of-box solutions. With regard to lingerie, earlier it was being emphasized that the demand for bra in domestic market is so high that Indian brands/ manufacturers are using their full capacities, and expanding and they feel no need to move into the international arena. But now, many not-so-known brands have started seeing the difficulties. Experts feel that market is becoming more systematic with organized retail and e-commerce taking most of the market share from the traditional MBOs and most

E SS E N T I A L S Major players in men’s global innerwear market… Key market players in the men’s segment are Hanesbrands Inc., Philips-Van Heusen Corporation, Ralph Lauren Corporation, Jockey International Inc., American Eagle Outfitter Inc., Iconix Brand Group Inc., JC Penney Corporation Inc., and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The key players operating in the global lingerie market are Jockey International Inc., Wisconsin, Hanes, Groupe Chantelle, LVMH, L Brands Inc., MAS Holdings Limited, Ann Summers, Marks and Spencer, PVH Corporation among others.

of these brands were dependent on MBOs till now for their sales. “Market consolidation has already begun. Many manufacturers will convert to job working units or explore export opportunities as survival in the domestic market will get tougher for them unless they consider investing in brand building,” claims Yusuf with a careful consideration of the Indian innerwear market at large.

Hubs No doubt, Kolkata and Tirupur are prominent hubs in India for men’s innerwear but in case of hosiery products and garments and in lingerie, the larger production bases are in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Hubs like Kanpur are also doing well as the city is already having strong hold on knitted products. Apart from many small-and medium-level players, Kanpur has growing companies like Jet Knitwears Ltd., which brought its IPO just a year ago. It claims to have its products certified as skin-friendly and antibacterial by facility for Ecological and Analytical Testing, IIT, Kanpur. In lingerie business, Vizag, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and selected companies in Bangalore are known for lingerie manufacturing. There are units coming up in other regions but at a small-or medium-level scale.

TEX-FILE

Review F & A , Delhi

Innovation: The biggest thrust for companies along the textile value chain The second edition of the Delhi Chapter of F&A Show, an established name, and which has already acclaimedrecognition in Bangalore, was well-received by the visitors, though many exhibitors shared that big names from the export segment were missing. Yet, overall, both the participants and visitors were happy with the experience. Among the products that drew attention were new options in knitted fabric and increased possibilities in local sourcing of accessories like labels, tapes, buttons and interlinings. The fact that most of the participants were eager to project their commitment to ‘Make in India’, only added to the thrust on innovation and quality to ensure that garment manufacturers and buying offices source products from local companies.

The Coats team –comprising of members from Delhi and Bangalore office

nnovation is without doubt the biggest buzzword for the textile supply chain today and every player is putting fresh thrust on the area to survive. The trend was seen not only with huge companies like Vardhman and Reliance, but also with smaller, niche companies. “The products may look similar because of the category, but the differentiation that comes through R&D makes every product unique,” argued Siddharth Jain, Director, Velcord Textiles, a Mumbai-based company specializing in corduroy and velveteen fabrics. With latest technologies, the fabrics are manufactured for conventional as well as high-end fashionwear and include several combinations of weaves, weights and fibre blends, after which many finishing techniques give an exclusive look and feel. “We strive to produce superior quality fabrics through extensive in-house product development. Our constant endeavour remains to progressively raise our pre-set bar to satisfy

and exceed our customer’s expectations,” added Siddharth. Indeed the quest for higher benchmarks is pushing the industry to new heights. “The need to differentiate has never been so strong and we have moved beyond double yarn blends to multiyarn blends using many diverse categories like cotton, modal, tencil, lycra, and other specialized yarn to create unique fabrics,” shared NK Agarwal, Director, Duratex India. The Mumbai-based company is a vertical set-up from weaving to garmenting and has recently added fabric for womenswear tops that are woven, but have the feel of knitting, a product that was a major attraction at the booth. The current focus of the company is also on garmenting and the next generation has recently entered the online space with an in-house brand – Urban Scottish – for men’s shirts. “Since we are already strong in fabric, I wanted to add value by converting the same into garments.

While Hira Lal Jain (3rd from right) represents the old brigade, standing next to him is Piyush Jain (2nd from right) who represents GenNext at Sharman Udyog with team

THE EVENT SHOWCASED WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS – FROM YARN TO FABRICS TO ACCESSORIES. SOME CORE PRODUCTS WERE FINE YARN DYED SHIRTING, WOOL, POLYESTER-WOOL, POLYESTER-VISCOSE SUITING; PURE AND BLENDED LINEN; FINE HIGH-END SILKS; FASHION DRESS MATERIALS IN PRINTS AND SOLIDS; EMBROIDERED; A WIDE RANGE IN DENIMS; CORDUROYS, COTTON TWILLS AND DRILLS. Eberhard Ganns, MD; and Bianca Chai, General Manager, Union Knopf (HK) Ltd with Neeraj Khanna from the India Office

Now we are looking to add bottoms also to our garmenting profile,” averred Nikhil Agarwal, Director at Duratex Retail. Garmenting seems to be the direction for many of the next generation directors at fabric companies. Akshay Jain, Director, Sangam Weavers shared that having attained a reputation of being an innovative producer of knitted fabric with different blends, constructions and finishes, the company is now focusing on promoting its knitted garments which were introduced 5 years ago to the company’s profile and is already manufacturing for brands like Color Plus and Raymonds, and is also available through online shopping. “There is so much creativity happening at the fabric stage that we decided to get into garmenting to take this creativity right on to the end user,” reasoned Akshay. The amazing range of fabrics on display caught the attention of many buying houses and exporters. The textile supply chain is being innovated right from the yarn stage and companies with specialized yarns like Raysil and Asahi Bemberg are in great demand. “Everyone is looking for better hand-feel, lustre, drapability in garments and that is only possible by using specialized yarns with properties which can enhance the basic yarns,” argued Shailendra Pandey, Joint President (Sales & Marketing), Indian Rayon, the producers of Raysil fashion yarns from the house of Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited. At the event, the company met many manufacturers from the Northern region and

merchandisers from buying offices, and the response was good. The concentration of the company today, is on creating a network of partners to use Raysil so that more garments of the same can be introduced into the market, generating bigger demand. As of now, Surat is the biggest market for Raysil, accounting for over 50% of market share for the product. In fact, weavers in Surat are very proactive in experimenting with specialized yarn and many companies in the segment are targeting the market with vigour. The city is also the biggest market for Asahi Bemberg, a regenerated cellulose fibre derived from cotton manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation, Japan. Since Bemberg originates in the natural cotton plant and is reborn with the infusion of human technology, it features both the gentleness of natural fibres and the functionality of man-made fibres. “The soft hand-feel, lustre, breathability, moisture absorption and natural properties of Bemberg make it an attractive option for weavers looking for yarn in categories like womenswear and sportswear,” said Hideto Tanimoto, General Manager, Cupro Division, Asahi Kasei Corporation. Tanimotoadds that the raw material for Bemberg is mostly sourced from India and re-engineered into both staple and filament fibres for a wide range of applications. India also happens to be one of the biggest markets for the fibre, accounting for one-third of the global market share. Moving ahead, Tanimoto sees more growth as the textile chain is exploring newer options for differentiation.

The team from Nilesh Ribbon Industries, Surat

Nikhil Agarwal, Director at Duratex Retail with his father NK Agarwal, Director, Duratex India

Shailendra Pandey, Joint President (Sales & Marketing), Indian Rayon

Varun Chhabria, VP Operations, Talreja Textile Industries

‘Team time' for exhibiting companies…

Vardhman Textiles, Ludhiana

Bhandari Hosiery Exports, Ludhiana

Kingdom Holdings Ltd., China

Krishna Lamicoat, Bangalore

Accessories follow the innovation theme… In the accessory segment, the attempt to offer something new was equally prevalent, whether the product was an elastic, lace, button, thread or interlining. “The days are gone when standard products were made. The new generation of owners, designers and merchandisers are very well aware of trends in the market and we get such detailed spec sheets with uncompromising specifications in elongation, width, colour fastness, print, weave/knit type, etc. and there is no room for any mistake. Our job is to ensure that all these parameters are met to perfection,” shared Sunil Mody, Director, Lion Tapes. The company has a production capacity of 6,00,000 metres per day in 1 inch width elastic and is flexible in product requirement though they prefer to work in bulk and offer smaller quantities mostly to prime customers. Having an in-house lab, all products are tested for buyer norms and then sent for validation to thirdparty testing companies like Intertek and Bureau Veritas. The high-quality elastics from the company have earned them a global nomination from Jockey and they are also the biggest suppliers of elastics to FCUK brand in India. The demand for innovation, however, does not supersede the need for competitive price. Eberhard Ganns, MD and Bianca Chai, General Manager, Union Knopf (HK) Ltd. were very vocal on the ironic relation between quest for newness andquality versus price pressures. “The domestic market is our main focus because the exporters already work with us through global nominations, and we find that though everyone wants the best, many are still not ready to paythe price,” said Bianca. Eberhard added that the struggle between cost-cutting and enhancing brand value is not new, but “we have a clear strategy toremain in the high-end niche segment and not cannibalise our own worth by trying to service all customers at every price point.” According to the company, an innovative button manufacturer from Germany, the latest trend is towards buttons that go well with athleisurewear and casualwear that double up as workwear, an extension of the athleisurewear trend. As a market leader in design and material

innovations, Union Knopf presents trend collections twice a year, having buttons and trims for men, women as well as unisex buttons. Another company which has earned reputation of high-end offerings, Sharman Udyog, witnessed heavy visitation from buying offices. The woven labels offered by the company are manufactured by latest European technologies and have sharp colour and picture quality in every piece. “We have always invested in best of technologies and training to get results that are hard for other companies/manufacturers to produce. Even though we are among the market leaders, consistency of quality is still the biggest challenge because weaving in a small product like label is very complex and requires high skill levels,” said Hira Lal Jain, Director, Sharman Udyog. He added that constant development of new concepts and responsiveness to new techniques and ideas has always kept the company ahead. Talreja Textile Industries, manufacturers of 100% cotton fusible interlinings received many new enquiries for its wide range of Talco brand interlinings. Varun Chhabria, VP Operations of the Mumbai-based company was happy with the visitor profile, as they met many new buying houses. He shared that of late they have upgraded their products to service the premium brands. “We are looking to work with both the domestic and international brands. While we are already well placed in the domestic scenario, we are communicating to the international brands that we have all the right certifications in quality and sustainability to be a preferred supplier, besides which we are costeffective too compared to global brands in interlinings,” shared Varun. While Coats was promoting their latest venture, Permess – a range of interlinings for garment industry in selected markets, and Indian manufacturers of accessories, like Elegant Buttons and Nilesh Ribbons, were happy that manufacturers are now looking at local companies for many items which earlier were being imported. Shell buttons and fancy laces/ribbons, respectively from the two companies, are receiving good demand from both local brands and buying offices.

6th Techtextil India Fair starts September 13 The 6th edition of Techtextil India is all set to roll out the red carpet this September at Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre in Mumbai. The three-day (September 13-15) fair will showcase the latest machinery for technical textile, nonwoven and garment manufacturing.

The young brigade at Sangam Weavers –Akshay Jain and his sister

Siddharth Jain, Director, Velcord Textiles

The major attraction at Techtextil India 2017 will be the debut of Texprocess Pavilion. Over the years, Texprocess has become the leading international trade fair for apparel and textile industry the world over. Additionally, Buyer-Seller Meet(s) that will encourage new business partnerships between exhibitors and buyers will also be held. Another highlight of the garment technology fair will be Techtextil Symposium. Industry experts from around the world will discuss the market needs, latest developments, opportunities and upcoming challenges at the symposium. Some topics include Protective Agrotextiles – Advantages and Future Prospects; Textiles in Aerospace Applications; Fibre Innovations for Functional and Value-added Nonwovens. Exhibitors from countries such as Germany, Italy, Belarus, China, Korea, and Switzerland will present their latest innovations at the textile fair. The exhibition space at the mega event will be 50 per cent more than that of Techtextil India’s previous editions. Agrotech, Buildtech, Clothtech, Geotech, Hometech, Indutech, Medtech, Mobiltech, Oekotech, Packtech, Protech, and Sporttech will be the segments under which the technology solutions will be presented.

Hideto Tanimoto, General Manager, Cupro Division, Asahi KaseiCorporation

Alok Raj Jaiswal of Elegant Buttons

Leading companies like Reliance, Welspun, Groz-Beckert, Garware Wall Ropes, Archroma, CHT India, Khosla Profil, Luwa India, and Lenzing AG will grace the much-awaited event. India’s technical textile and nonwoven industries are among the fastest growing ones in the world. The country manufactures about 9 per cent of the total global consumption. By the end of current FY, the industry will grow at a CAGR of 12 per cent reaching Rs. 1,16,217 crore mark.

The growth of the industry subsequently increases the demand for latest production technology solutions. The globally acclaimed fairs like Techtextil would serve as a perfect platform for the Indian manufacturers to source latest innovations in order to stay ahead in the market.

Sunil Mody and Minesh Mehta, Both Directors of Lion Tapes

The demand for innovation however, does not supersede the need for competitive price.

In the meanwhile, Krishna Lamicoat of Bangalore was promoting its recycled paper bags for packaging and hand-out purposes. “Nidhi Dua, Country Head from M&S was very much impressed with our paper bags and we are hopeful that the company will explore ways to support these products, which are also a part of a bigger CSR effort to help women be independent by earning their own livelihood,” said Ashok Chhajer, Director, Krishna Lamicoat.

ITF creates consortium of Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka Indian Texpreneurs Federation (ITF) has created a consortium of 3 states – Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka – in ‘partnership’ with 25 top ginners of these states. To create more confidence and better understanding between all the members of this consortium, representatives of these ginning firms visited spinning units of ITF’ members. ITF cotton team purchased 2 lakh bales in this cotton year from these selective ginners and in the upcoming cotton year, their target is to buy 4 lakh bales. With a requirement for 1 crore cotton bales, Tamil Nadu needs stronger partnership with the cotton growing states, so this initiative of ITF is really important. This initiative will benefit both the spinning mills as well as the ginners. The

ITF CottonTeam

mills will get consistent quality and better pricing by strong partnership with the ginners. It will become possible for them to have periodic discussions on the timing and quantum of purchase. While ginners can reach the top performing spinning mills on a single platform, they will have guarantee of timely payments. They will also be able to improve their

process and quality with constant feedback from the spinning mills. ITF, based in Coimbatore (India), is a group of 400 mills, with a combined annual turnover of over Rs. 40,000 crore. Coimbatore is one of the leading textile manufacturing hubs of India. ITF cotton mills include 35 mills which consume 11 lakh cotton bales per year. Prabhu Dhamodharan, Convenor,

ITF explained why they chose Telangana and Maharashtra, “We have logistic advantages; both states are increasing cotton production, besides the consumer-friendly attitude of the ginners of these states also matter. In the last one year, we were able to work as partners in these 3 states and build trust and transparency.”

India: Opposition highlights textile industry's concerns over GST in Rajya Sabha The Opposition parties have raised their voice against the impact of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on textile industry during the Zero Hour debate in the Rajya Sabha and highlighted

the issues being faced by the industry due to implementation of the new tax regime. Many of the opposition members demanded that the textile sector should be kept out of

the purview of GST. They also raised issues relating to the recent strike by textile traders in Gujarat and other parts of the country and their impact on the industry. A Member of the Parliament from Telangana expressed concern over the excessive slabs of GST rolled out. He also highlighted the grievances of handloom, powerloom and textile sectors known for employing around 70 lakh people in the country. The textile sector needs to be protected in view of its glory, emphasized the MP. The strike by West Bengal traders and its impact on the industry was also part of the discussion in the Upper House.

“The complexity of GST rules, the problem in maintaining GST audit and registration process has hit business and jobs of ostagar (tailors),” reportedly said Ritabrata Banerjee, a CPI member from West Bengal. Most of the busy textile markets in India, such as Burrabazar in Kolkata; Bhilwara – the textile hub of Rajasthan; and Surat – the man-made fibre (MMF) hub have all worn a deserted look as the textile traders here have been busy protesting against the Centre over GST. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha are also facing a similar business situation since the implementation of GST.

Donear Group acquires GBTL to expand its product offering As part of a strategic business initiative, the Donear Group, Mumbai has announced acquisition of Grasim Bhiwani Textile Limited (GBTL). Donear Industries Limited has production capacity of around 45 lakh metres fabric per month with latest technologies and machinery at Surat. With a strong presence in more than 20 countries globally, the Group has a network of more than 185 stores in India, marketing textiles under the D’Cot & Donear NXG brands with positive cash flow.

“Therefore, even with the common vision of “Make in India”, both Donear and GBTL will be able to maintain their individual entities and fulfil their commitment of offering the best of products and services to their customers as one integrated team.” –S. Krishnamoorthy, MD, Grasim Bhiwani Textile Ltd. (GBTL)

he acquisition of GBTL gives Donear Group an added edge in global textiles business in terms of world-class production capabilities to market products and wider access to the customers globally. This will also significantly enhance Donear’s profile in the global textiles space. The terms of the transaction are not announced yet as Donear Group said, “It will be disclosed at the appropriate forums through wider communication to all stakeholders”. The acquisition has been funded by the promoters of Donear, and there is no plan to bring in any strategic investor – Indian or foreign – on board as of now. However, the strategic stakeholders may be included in due course of time. Rahul Rajendra Agarwal, Director, Donear Group said, “The GBTL acquisition is driven by our desire to expand our business both in PAN India as well as in global markets, and progress towards our strategic goal to become the recognized leader in products and services that we offer and increase our market share. This acquisition will utilize strengths of both partners in terms of infrastructure, manpower and product portfolio. Apart from the world-class production capabilities, the acquisition also gives Donear an access to strong nationwide retail network, wholesalers and multi-

Rajendra Agarwal, MD, (sitting) with Ajay Agarwal, ED (L) and Rahul Agarwal, Director, Donear Industries Ltd.

brand outlets through which we will expand our reach.” Talking about the management of the two units post acquisition, he further added, “The GBTL plant will be run by existing unit management with additional benefits of expert advice from Donear promoters. We assure to our internal and external customers that there will be no change in the work culture and they will continue to experience the same services at all stages. Over the time, we will leverage synergies to create a stronger entity with formidable presence in Indian fashion textiles industry.” Confirming on their independent operations, S. Krishnamoorthy, MD, GBTL (appointed by the Donear Group) stated that opportunities for fabric in Over-the-Counter (OTP), apparels and exports segment are huge in India. Therefore, even with the common vision of “Make in

India”, both Donear and GBTL will maintain their individual entities and fulfil their commitment of offering the best of products and services to their customers as one integrated team. Thus, Donear will continue its focus on the OTC segment while strengthening its network PAN Inda and will expand its product portfolio in domestic and international market. It is to be noted here that GBTL is a subsidiary of Grasim Industries and India’s largest manufacturer of Poly-Viscose (PV) and Poly Wool (PW) suiting fabrics. It sells its products under the “Grasim” and “Graviera” brands in India. GBTL also caters to international fashion houses in the US and the UK, supplying fabric to them for making garments which are available in some of the largest retail chain stores. The Donear Group aims to build further on GBTL’s existing strengths.

H2F

Home Fashion Trends for 2018… From Natural to Technical ‘Home is where the heart is’…, this old saying in itself reflects the importance of home furnishing in creating an ambience that people can call a home. Like fashion, home décor is also an extension of a person’s personality. And though it is very individualistic…, there are many forecasters who help in finding the right touch when designing a home. For exporters working for the international home market, the ability to interpret what could sell in the coming season is the critical difference between getting orders and losing out to other companies/ countries. Shifting through the many international directions floating in the market, Apparel Online has put together some of the key trends that home furnishing exporters should definitely incorporate in their collections for 2018.

ashion is being transferred to home faster than ever. As styles and trends hit the runway, it’s only a matter of time before they translate into home decor. Pillows, accessories, fabrics – it all shows up in as little as 3-6 months. Some of the hot trends that runways have been seeing that are finding way into the segment include floral prints, tassels and fringes, textures, eyelets, deconstructed look, patches and stars. As is the case of ethical fashion, forecasters predict that consumers will increasingly demand textiles and tableware products which reflect the nature and connections with communities. Yet, on the other side, a more colourful approach that references elements of technology and urbanization will continue to attract a section of the consumers. According to WGSN, four key themes are likely to influence a consumer’s path to purchase home furnishing in 2018. The first of the four leading trends is “Slow Futures” – a calm, clean-looking, minimalist approach to life. The trend would be driven by a need to declutter complicated modern lives and to retreat in order to make sense of the information that flows around us. Consumers have been increasingly looking to the past to determine the future, which has created a “less-is-more” approach to their purchases. The second trend is “Kinship” – soft indigo colours, rope, sea grass, nautical themes and sandy tones were being used as inspirations and, in combination with design influences from the Middle East and South America created texture, context and originality in fabrics. The third trend is called “Psychotropical” and is a “story about exploration” – about bright and exotic looks. The fourth and final concept is for “Younger Consumers”; it is about giving them the open space where they can actually be a part of the

design process themselves, and then they can modulate the product based on their particular needs. In the DIY fashion trend, Emojis are fast becoming a hot trend, popping up in decals, wallpaper and pillows. Patches are another big trend in DIY fashion, showing up in towels, linens, blankets and custom upholstery. Guitar straps – the top DIY fashion trend this season, is expected to quickly move into tie backs, pillow straps, trims and more.

Indian exports following trends… The good news is that most of the Indian exporters are clued in and many of them have focused attention on textured and natural fabrics and printed value additions. “If we talk about the trends in home furnishings products, then lot of printing with more and more demand for textures, in short, ‘nothing fancy is in fashion’ or basics have taken over the market. But on the

same note, there is a lot of innovation going on with yarn blends like cotton modal, cotton bamboo and linen,” says Alok Aggarwal, ED, Shree Lakshmi Cotsyn. Corroborating his understanding of the trends, Tarandeep Singh – GM of Alps Industries, adds, “Textures that are natural but unique are in demand and we are working in that direction.” A few companies specializing in ecofriendly products are also cashing in on the trend of being close to nature.

Eiseman highlighted the fascination with letters and words as a design element, the use of triangles in both contemporary and retro themes, dimensional diamonds and intricacy, which is most likely to be spurred by the explosion of 3-D printing. Wood treatments and a throwback to the 1970s, fringe is “very hot and very strong.”

The eight colour groupings that the company believes will be strong in 2018 are: Verdure – This palette features vegetal kinds of colours like celery and foliage being combined with berryinfused purples and an eggshell blue. Resourceful – Complementary colours – oranges and blues – are combined in this palette that is clever and “resourceful” in re-using and re-furbishing what consumers may already own. Playful –This palette is out-of-the ordinary and quirky. The colours are “bright-hearted more than lighthearted” with names to match, like minion yellow, lime popsicle, green flash and adventurous blue skydiver.

“Our specialization is eco-friendly textiles, in India we have very less number of suppliers for the green and sustainable textiles, so it was an area that had huge potential to grow. Our product range starts with grass mats, bamboo mats, banana mats, and moves on to core products for kitchen linen and curtains,” shares K R Karuppanchetty, Executive Director, Skanthaguru Exports, Karur.

Discretion – Low-key and subtle, Discretion is the opposite of Playful. Nostalgic hues such as Elderberry, burnished lilac and hawthorne rose combine with strengthening tones to offer newness to a subtle palette.

Far-fetched – It refreshingly combines three popular rosy tones with iced coffee and ruby wine, as well as a few earthy tones such as cornsilk yellow. Intricacy – This palette reflects the popularity of intricate designs. It features the “new neutrals,” aka metallic, but a florid Holly Berry Red and Yellow Sulphur adds a layer of drama.

Colour trends follow overall demand for diversity…

Intensity – Coolly composed shades of plum, blue and blue-green quell the fires of orange ember glow, molten lava and bossa nova. Golds and black complete the palette.

Earlier this year, Pantone Colour Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman shared colour and design trends for 2018 at the International Home + Housewares Show. Based on fashion runways, the art scene, television, movies, architecture, retail, theatre, food and consumer goods all over the world,

TECH-nique – In a nod to the proliferation of technology, this palette features hues “that seem to shine from within.” Colours include a vibrant blue, green, fushia and purple, along with iridescent peacock tones in both turquoise and hot pink, which are offset by brilliant white and frosted almond.

DIRECTIONSBY

menswea r roundup

SPRING / SUMMER 2018

s directional as fashion might be, there is still an underlying cyclical characteristic to it which forms the backbone of the entire fashion and apparel industry on the whole.

In the constant ebb and flow of the cycle, trends are no longer limited only to alterations in silhouettes, materials, details and colour, but have also started extending themselves to the market scenario as well. Case in point being the highly popular ‘See Now Buy Now’ strategy that catapulted the entire industry into a state of optimism, but has gradually presented a few loopholes down the line in its structure. Fingers point towards the entire concept turning out to be more expensive (owing to shorter delivery times and product cycles), a logistical fail and an impressive sales report in the first quarter. Also, indirectly involved in this situation is the target consumer of the times – the Millennial – who drives the purchasing power and is moving towards more wellness and experiential-oriented pursuits and doesn’t see the point in splurging absent-mindedly. And with this, we come back to our long held fact that fashion is cyclical. The average member of the Gen Y army calls for a revival of the late 1990s and the early 2000s nostalgia which translates itself through the re-emergenceofsporty coordinates, roomy silhouettes and previously cringed upon ostentatious monograms and logos. A stronger trend can be forecasted in the midst of these

revelations which signal a direct shift in the ideology of designers and brands to include streetwear-inspired clothing as a top market driver while targeting the millennial demographic. This season calls for a rerouting of the directional decisions adopted by the industry in the recent past and presents an angular spin on the same. FFT analyses and presents to you the key trends from the recently concluded runway presentations held at New York, London, Milan and Paris scurrying up to serve the younger demographics.

hawaiian shirts

lashback to Johnny Depp in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – the inspiration for the man of 2018 comes directly from beachside lazing under palms while sipping some drink, sans your tinted vintage sunglasses.

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sports luxe

Say Aloha! To everything from tropical palm leaf motifs, pineapples, marine life creatures and botanical prints – designers are unleashing their vacation Pinterest board fantasies left, right and centre over Hawaiian button down shirts.

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Cool cottons are being competed with luxe satins, making use of digital printing technologies in an array of fruity colours.

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thleisure is taking on an identity similar to what was witnessed by denim when it was first introduced in the 1950s – reckoning that athleisure is then, not only a passing fad but an entire lifestyle shift. The past few seasons have observed a revival of sorts in terms of activewear staples such as the hoodie, track suits and windcheaters taking on a more wearable aesthetic which continues to seep through the Spring/Summer 2018 trends as well.

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As the purchasing power lands into the hands of your average millennial, high-fashion luxury brands hop onto the sportsluxe bandwagon in an attempt to channelize attention towards their offerings in lieu of a trend spiked off by vetements.

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Incorporation of stretch materials, breathable fabrics and comfort-driven detailing in a colour palette directly quoting the ’90s, are the key driving factors for the approaching season.

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reign offuller silhouettes embracing the lower body

is slowly coming to pass, to the relief of many menswear enthusiasts. After bearing and coming out strong from the restrictive fashion pendulum swinging between stove-pipe skinny to sloppy baggy trousers in the past few seasons, a tumultuous shift towards a â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s inspired form is coming pass. AngusChiang

Enter short shorts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; smartly cut and tailored, yet big enough to ensure ample room for movement and air. The nominees include utilitarian style with ample storage space courtesy pockets; well-tailored schoolboy styles to sporty cuts satiating our increasing appetite for athleisure based comfortable apparel options.

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art of the matter

lothing served as blank canvases for designers and high fashion brands alike, giving them ample area per metre to exercise their artistic talent. Sometimes with maximal ode to the dreamy swirls of Van Gogh or the more political charged attitudes of Kandinsky, artistic prints are in both their minimal and all over the place avatars

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as the patterns for the approaching season. Abstract art, graphical illustrations, watercolour inspired prints, ink blot, kaleidoscopic iconography â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and more, rendered themselves on numerous runways over museum-worthy silhouettes. Techniques suchas embroidery, patchwork and applique also aided in the depiction of artsy surface textures.

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nylon nation

ong gone are the days when you would blatantly associate nylon to athleisure and streetwear inspired apparel. With the spike in demand of utilitarian, high performance and comfort based fabrics; designers have become increasingly conscious and receptive to the deployment of synthetic materials within their collections.

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belted basics

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he eminent success of wraparound silhouettes and robes has led to a rise of cinched waists in the menswear department. No longer associated with the hourglass feminine form, a sense of neutrality and acceptance is being observed throughout, both in menswear and womenswear categories, as attention to the waist is spawned.

Oversized boiler suits and shiny track suit options prevailed under the sportsluxe category while oversized bomber jackets and parkas presented in techno nylon, made a case in point for more approachable garments. A trend for officecore dressing wasaddressed with tailored classics in a neutral palette, which directly channels the millennial working-class dominant today.

AngusChiang

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Belted jackets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mostly trenches, took the Spring/ Summer 2018 runways by storm at the recently concluded international fashion weeks. Materials flaunt lightweight characteristics in a dominant colour palette of mostly neutrals comprising of khaki, camel and whites, among a few deep hues and are emerging as an important product category in apparel. SeanSuen

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monochro magic

id adieu to seasonal print parties as fashion harbours a tilt towards more selective and focused minimalist tendencies.

Berthold

After surfing a season dominated by prints and patterns, a colour relief sweeps over the international runways for the approaching summer 2018 season. Experimental colour palettes pose as antidotes for past season’s fascination with neutrals. Head-to-toe tonal separates and colour block coordinates are sitting well with brand and designers alike, ushering them to play with vibrant and icy pastels channelling in the mood of summer and vibrantly electric tones that address the current hype surrounding sportswear.

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logo gram

hannelling the nostalgia surrounding the 1990s and early 2000s and directly addressing the consumer of the day – the ‘Millennial’, designers and brands did not shy away from reintroducing their brand logos and monograms by emblazoning them across T-shirts, shirts, jackets, trousers, shorts, jeans – you name it and you’ve got a designer giving it to you!

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Gosha Rubchinskiy

Owing directly to the trend set in motion by outrageous popularity of Supreme and Gucci among the influencers and your average millennial, designers are going all out and big when it comes to showcasing their brand identity onto their creations. Be it a logo, a monogram, a pattern or a slogan that the brand is recognized by – expect to see branding as the centre of attention in the coming months! Sankuanz

ChristianDada

Versace

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Part-2

Mumbai: Hidden Gem of Haute Couture ABALANCEOFSKILLED CRAFT WORKERSAND QUALITY COMPLIANCES DEFINECOUTURE Heritage, culture and craftsmanship are the cornerstones of India’s long history. Embroidery, the embodiment of India’s art history, meets the summit of commercial solicitation in the country’s financial capital: Mumbai. The city plays host to the biggest hand-embroidery firms in the country who meet touchstone quality standards and export to the biggest names in the Haute Couture and luxury Ready-to-Wear business. In the last issue, we threw light on how these companies initially acquired clients, either through personal contacts or just by being really hands-on in approaching the right people, and how they really assessed the client’s technical needs to make time-bound deliveries.

Finishing in progress at Chanakya International

E SS E N T I A L S With homegrown fashion biggies like Anita Dongre and Manish Malhotra keeping Couture embroidery alive in India’s fashion game, it is our manufacturers of international luxury who keep drawing a massive pool of skilled artisans into the city.

So, while we are done with all the fashion forward aspects like design development and curating the right raw materials, how the manufacturers actually put the labour force and quality compliances together in a timely fashion is what makes or breaks this industry. Working with practically the leaders of fashion like Christian Dior, Gucci and Givenchy, it comes as a little surprise to see that state-ofthe-art infrastructure and robust management is a norm of this world. Subsequently, since people and processes are irrefutable here more than anywhere else, the companies are constantly working on intensive training programmes to keep workers in tune with the client’s changing requirements. Their hand-embroidery and garment finishing factories are designed and trained by international technicians who truly uplift the already highly-skilled workforce.

Karigars working merrily at Chanakya International

Combining this best in class knowhow that forms a solid backbone with efficient checks and compliances is basically the entire recipe to make it in this business. Here is the second part of our story breaking down the recipe of exactly how Mumbai became the silent but proud crown-bearer of the finest and most innovative luxury handembroideries in the country.

QUALITY CHECKSAT EVERYSTAGE Being an industry where the number of pieces you produce per style could go as low as only one piece, there is no tolerance for misplacing any quality parameters. Quality checks are the biggest charge added on the hefty price tag of luxury. There are meticulous processes at every level that take care of everything – from fabric defects, colour matching, motif

Quality checks in progress at Vashishtha Exports

“We comply with Europe’s REACH free programme. We’ve been in the business for so long, so now we know what our clients need. But yes, compliances and quality have just gotten stricter and stricter over the time, so we’re getting verifications with INTERTEK or SEDEX in India and doing stringent control checks.” –Renuka Advani, Managing Partner, MarsilExports

adherence, broken or missed stitches and other design details – to make sure that the product being shipped is in the best shape. Even when the shipment is being processed, they have to make sure that important embroidery panels are packed without making any creases and only a certain number of folds are allowed depending on the intricacy of the work done on that particular panel. The packages are also monitored with the highest precision to make sure products reach the brand in impeccable condition along with repair kits and extra materials. A part and parcel of the process, quality checks form a major chunk of the time, cost and effort invested in creating luxury. It is probably the one factor that would make it very hard for a newcomer to enter this arena. When most of the current industry frontrunners began, the market was still very free and you could get away with a lot as long as the final product looked good. Now, it is entirely impossible to work with that freedom, only companies that are looking to cut corners might work without these compliances. Nehal Shah, Managing Director, Chanakya International affirms, “We spend about Rs. 8 to 10 lakhs every year just to ensure that all of our products, processes and instruments conform to the numerous compliance demands from our clients. Our quality management system has been awarded the QEC certification ISO 9001:2015 and the quality control and assurance audit teams always test and analyse raw materials as

Artisan with a line supervisor at Milaaya Embroideries

per REACH norms. Further, we have an effective ERP system in place to monitor and control production as well as the latest software customized to engineer special embroidery needs and garment grading mechanisms.” REACH, which is a regulation of the European Union, adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from harmful chemicals, is the primal quality buzzword of the industry and everyone is now familiar with the basic compliance requirements from the international market. Since, all the firms have been coping with them for a long time now, they can ascertain that the main QC level is checking the materials before you sew it onto the fabric and beyond that, you just routinely make sure that everything is immaculately executed according to plan.

Archana Odiya, Design Head, Vashishtha Exports adds,“There are a lot of rules and regulations on what we can and cannot use – like the material has to be azo-free, lead-free and colour fast etc., but not every client is super strict about it. We test all our materials to ensure that no harmful materials are there; but there are times when we have more freedom and the compliances are not that stringent.”

HOWDOTHEYRETAIN THE INFAMOUSLYMOBILE ARTISANS? Skilled artisans form the backbone of this industry that will always be heavily dependent on manual labour and this business

Garment finishing at Marsil Exports

would cease to exist without them. Gayatri Khanna, Founder, Milaaya Embroideries explains, “Only karigars extremely proficient in the task come to Mumbai because even they know that their skills are best utilized in this city and hence, the income is also very high. The mediocre ones are more spread out because it may not seem worth the value for them to leave their villages, making them opt for locations closer to home such as Delhi or Hyderabad. The cost of living conditions in Mumbai is also far more expensive; so the craftsmen who come here come for a reason. They know they have the skill in their hand and are aware that it would be paid accordingly.” Perhaps, the only reason that Mumbai has become a hand-embroidery hub of highly skilled craft persons is because even artisans know that their diligent work will get its deserved value only in this city and all the firms here work categorically hard to maintain that belief. The firms take immense pride in their craftsmen and are privileged to have many of them stick around since the very inception of their businesses. Hired on the basis of weeklong tests, they constantly work with even the most skilled karigars by training them, which enables the future generations of current artisans to cultivate the skill, which in turn allows them to rise to a senior level within their trade at a rapid pace. At Chanakya, it is norm to spot many father-son duos working together and the company boasts of over 400 expert artisans in-house. In addition to that, they have 20 captive ateliers

Embroidery atelier of Milaaya Embroideries

ESSENTIALS The Government’s rehabilitation plans are still a bit far-fetched, but they are taking baby steps by introducing a programme where these craft-workers will get Government approved ‘Artisan Cards’ that will really give a sense of certification to their talent and make them feel that their work is as important as any white-collar job.

with a capacity of 40-50 artisans per unit that goes to show the high level of job satisfaction of the craft folk with them. Renuka Advani, Marsil Exports adds, “Initially the industry used to operate on a very different level where we had the karigars working in karkhanas or these sub-contracting workshops and they used to come for their daily wages, work a set number of hours and leave with their daily pay. There was no real stability to their lifestyle. Now that we have 5 factories of our own in Mumbai, we really want to change that and we have collaborated with a UKbased initiative called IMPACT. It is a very simple training programme that aims to improve the lifestyle and living conditions of beaders with the smallest changes that we would normally just take for granted. Further to this, we are always trying to make the artisans’ lives better because they really are the treasure trove of this industry and we really believe in getting them the respect they deserve.” Adding to the same, even the Government is trying to find ways of bringing esteem to the life of our karigars that flock to the city in thousands every month. So while rehabilitation plans are currently still harder to execute, the Government is taking baby steps by introducing a programme where these craft-workers will get Government approved ‘Artisan Cards’ that will really give a sort of certification to their talent and make them feel important that their work is as important as any white collar job.

With all these efforts, the job retention rate is not a problem when the artisans are paid well and get to work in a positive and healthy environment. However, changing times bring with them a change in perspective…; with the rise of awareness and need for proper formal education, the upcoming generations want to get educated for better suited job prospects which will adversely impact the trade. So even though the effects will not be seen in this lifetime because shortage of jobs within our country still encourages people to get into this industry, but going forward it will continue to get tougher to find good karigars as more and more of their kids start getting educated and hence, moving away from the trade. To combat the same, everyone would like an embroidery school to be installed in the country. This would enable anyone interested to gain the required skill set because at the moment, they don’t have the luxury to go to a vocational school and avail a formal education inthe field. It would be a game changer if the Government can allocate some kind of space where such workshops can be set up, perhaps an entire zone, where they could bring their families and raise their children on the side. The marketplace for luxury embroidery manufacturing is a hugely booming trade and has been growing through the last few decades. As a country, whose heritage and history really lies in this work, anyone entering this industry is not only sure of creating a highly profitable business out of this world, but also uplifting our economy with the Government’s full support to do thesame.

FASHION RESOURCE

Check That!

FASHION FILE

A tidal wave of power dressing complete with checkered prints over power suits for womenswear, swept over the runways for the Fall/Winter 2017 season. Oversized blazers featuring broad shoulders at Alexander Wang, Michael Kors and Balenciaga presented a strong case for structured tailoring, whereas a more feminine approach to cut and drape was adopted by Fendi.

Glen plaid emerged as the most popular style of check in a colour palette mostly dominant of greys, at Louis Vuitton and Chanel, while Madras checks followed a more playful ’70s theme at Prada and Tome. Mulberry offered a juxtaposition of Gingham checks with stripes, thus creating an interesting print pattern.

H&M goes high fashion with Erdem H&Mis collaborating with Londonbased fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu of the covetable label, Erdem. The new collection, comprising romantic womenswear pieces and accessories, will hit select H&Mstores in 22 countries worldwide and hm.com by November this year. The most exciting element of the collectionwould be a menswear assortment, a segment which Erdem has never tapped before. An astute storyteller and Moralioglu has worked on similar design inspirations for his collaboration with the retailer, which is more known for ‘trendy’ pieces rather than ‘classic’ styles. Just like its previous offerings with mega brands like Balmain and Jimmy Choo that sold like hot cakes, the H&Mx Erdem collection is also highly anticipated by everyone.

Plus-size fashion hits the runway at New York Fashion Week this Sept. Women’s plus-size retailer Torrid, is all set to bring its assortment of apparels, accessories and swimpieces to New York Fashion Week (NYFW) this September. The NYFW, which is sponsored by IMG worldwide, will see this showcase go down in history as the first ever plus-size presentation on their floors. The runway show set to take place on September 12 will display the brand’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection in sizes ranging from 10 to 30. LA-based Torrid will unveil 40 new looks at NYFW that draw inspirations from their signature bohemian chic style with added elements of the modern rock n ’roller girl aesthetic. The techniques used in this collection largely bring out the artistic trends of the season, like embroidery and hand-painted motifs.

by Fashion Forward Trends

A/W 2017-18

Colour Story Calvin Klein's Madison Avenue store gets Sterling Ruby's makeover

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PVH-owned Calvin Klein has teamed up with contemporary American artist, Sterling Ruby to overhaul the retail experience at its stores. The Madison Avenue outlet in New York that reopened its doors with a bright makeover is the first store to dress up in the new CK style. The 3-storey location has been turned into an upbeat ‘world of yellow’, painting everything from walls, pipes to support beams in the colour. Ruby has also added intonations of red textile scaffoldings hanging from the ceiling, display shelves in woody brown and some in shades of green acting as accents in the space. The recolouring of the store is starkly different from its old minimal look and represents a new dawn for the label. The amped up store will also be hosting home décor products like vintage quilts, ceramic coffee mugs in conjunction with Calvin Klein’s bedding collection.

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Rajka Designs growing on multiple fronts A

pparel exporters doing niche garments always have an edge compared to others. One such company is Rajka Designs. The Ahmedabad-based export house, witnessing 40 to 50 per cent growth every year, is further expanding on various fronts. Using handmade fabric like khadi, handloom with hand embroidery and other craft works, the export house is expanding its stitching capacity, exploring traditional weaving techniques and focusing on domestic market too.

KS Enterprises initiates kids’ beachwear A

dding new product category is always a good option to attract existing as well as new buyers. Completing 25 years of its inception, Noida-based KS Enterprises recently initiated kids’ beachwear. Focusing more on value addition, the exporter has also come up with scarves with a patch and patch with foil printing. Prabodh Sadh, Director of the company informed, “Our different

customers shared with us that everybody offers garments for women and teenagers but nobody is doing beachwear for kids. Kids frequently visit beaches, so there should be specific garments for them, and we thought to come up with such products. We are already majorly into the business of resortwear and beachwear, so kids’ beachwear was not difficult for us.” He also added that patch with the foil is a very exclusive product and it is in high demand especially in the European countries. Prabodh shared that depending on the success of this new collection, he will decide whether to develop it further or not.

The company started in early 1980 by Rajshree Sarabhai is having clients like Muji from Japan and Designer Guild from UK. Currently, it has a capacity of 5,000 garments (womenswear – woven) and 1,000 quilts per month. Samvit Sarabhai, Director and second generation of the company informed Apparel Online, “We are already associated with artisans based in Kutch, Ahmedabad and southern Rajasthan. Now we are going to identify more traditional techniques like ‘ikat’ and will work closely with the weavers of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. We see this segment as a great potential and it will give us more design options. We are also going to double our stitching capacity, it may take some time but as we are growing, we have to increase the production.” Rajka Designs is observing increased interest globally in its niche kinds of products as Samvit says that even top brands are also taking interest in these kinds of products since they have sustainable lines and align with the Indian crafts. The company was earlier 100 per cent EOU, but now it is into domestic also with its own brand. “Our idea is that we have to always give high quality and target the high-end market where end customers really value handmade skills. Scale is not a priority for us compared to quality and niche focus. We are working as well as approaching top buyers who can appreciate our work,” concluded Samvit.

“The collection we started has much scope and there are ample things to do, like we can do digital printing on the same products. But it all depends on the buyers’ response,” said Prabodh. Using 100 per cent cotton fabric, the company can offer any blend as per the buyer demand.

Prabodh Sadh (L) and S Chandra of KS Enterprises

This Sedex-certified company is now also focusing on hand embroidery in its other products.

Samvit Sarabhai, Director, RajkaDesigns

INDUSTRY LIVE

Orient Craft registers more than 1,500 workers under PMKVY-RPL Scheme Orient Craft has become the latest to implement Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Scheme under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). The company launched the programme to recognize the skills of itsworkers. The launch ceremony was attended by Anoop Dhanda, ED, Finance; Murari Singh, Vice President; Archana Tomar Mann, Group Head – Compliance, CSR, HR, Orient Craft; Anil Sahai, CEO and Dhruv Sahai, Director, Sentio Advisory Initiative. The Government of India has launched this scheme to increase the number of skilled workers in the country to one crore between 2016 and 2020.The

process of implementing RPL at Orient Craft has been undertaken by Sentio Advisory Initiative Private Ltd., a recognised project implementation agency of National Skill Development Corporation.

The company has generated jobs for thousands of people at its various factories across the country. More than 1,500 workers from the Gurugram unit of Orient Craft have already registered themselves under the programme. The certification will help the workers improve their skills. Skill improvement under the RPL will also helpOrient Craft workers to enhance quality and productivity of output. This way, the workers will be able to

Anil Sahai, CEO, Director, Sentio Advisory, talking to the workers

get right wages as per their skill sets. Post execution of RPL at the organization, workers would be able to better understand the ‘gap’ that they need to bridge between their current knowledge and the skill levels required to reach acompetent

level or even go for higher skills for professional growth. Cash reward, job role kits, soft-skills, digital payment training and free accidental insurance coverage for 5 years are some of the otherperks offered under the programme.

Facing labour shortage, factories shifting from Sonepat's industrial area! ‘Touch of India’, an export house manufacturing fashion bags for brands like Zara, Benetton and M&S, shifted its factory from Kundli (Haryana) to Noida (Uttar Pradesh) recently, thanks to labour shortage and allied labour issues. Kundli is an industrial area nearly 24kilometres from Delhi. There are other surrounding industrial areas around it like Rai and Barhi too (Sonepat district). All these three industrial towns have nearly 300 units of textiles andapparels. Therefore, this shifting and labour shortage raises questions on bringing up factories in new and emerging hubs from already developed clusters like Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, etc. Dinesh Gambhir, MDof the company informed, “We were facing serious problems inKundli,

Pranab Mahajan, Director, Mahajan Overseas

like labour blackmailing us, especially during time of shipments. In Noida, there is no such problemof labour shortage.” He further added that being a bag manufacturing expert unit, he requires skilled workers who can manage bag manufacturing easily. The company is paying Rs. 4 lakh permonth as rent for its Noida unit despite having its own space also.“My own

Dinesh Gambhir, MD, Touch of India

space is quite far and it is not easy for workers to reach there, so we have given that space on rent and have taken another factory on rent,” added Dinesh. On the other hand, some other exporters having units in these industrial areas have different opinion as they feel that now things have improved on labour front. Pranab Mahajan, Director

of Mahajan Overseas (Maspar brand), producing home furnishing products in its green factory at Rai, and working for top brands of the world, shared, “Earlier there was labour shortage but it is not like that anymore. The factories are paying enough and on-time to get labour easily.” Mahajan Overseas also provides transportation facility to itsworkers.

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Review: Gartex 2017, Delhi

INDUSTRY UNDERGOING SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION DESPITE ALL CHALLENGES

Gartex 2017 was inaugurated by various leading garment and value addition technology suppliers of India

(L-R) Anirban Kumar Das, Director; Pulok Roy, GM(Works) of Jinil Spinning, Gandhinagar and Prima Naha, Director, Ansu Meditech, Gandhinagar. The Group is now entering into embroidery segment

(L-R) Navdeep, Amit and Nitesh Wadhwaof Kundan Lal & CO. The company known for jackets in domestic market is focusing more on in-house production

orgetting about GST difficulties and other market complications, the Indian domestic market, including small, medium and even top-level companies, appears geared up for further growth and expansion to add new categories in their product basket. It was clearly reflected at the recently concluded Gartex 2017 at Delhi. Organized by Max Exhibitions, the second edition of the event witnessed nearly 18,000 visitors from all apparel manufacturing hubs. Apart from several value addition technology players, the event also included few big companies of stitching, cutting room, fabric and accessories. Team Apparel Online met both the optimistic exhibitors and the visitors and discussed about their future plans and strategies for business growth. Coming to the viewpoints of the exhibitors, they were really content with the variety and quality of visitors at Gartex 2017. Key Indian apparel manufacturers like Orient Craft (Gurgaon), Eastman Exports (Tirupur), TCNS (Noida), Blackberrys (Gurgaon), Pure Cotton (Noida), Affordable Exports (Delhi) were amongst the visitors’ list who attended the show. From the visitors’ perspective, they had expected more exhibitors in segments such as garment machinery, fabric and accessory which were less in number. However, they were still happy to see a few major accessory and fabric companies exhibiting at the fair such as Madura Coats, Gian Chand Sushil Kumar Jain (More Thread), Pashupati Overseas, Mahashakti Thread Mills, Nilesh Impex India, Neenu Plastics, Synodic Carnival Commercial etc. Chetan Agarwal, Partner, Pashupati

“We are verymuch satisfied with the event as exhibitors gave us positive feedback about the quality of visitors. The show witnessed almost 18,000 visitors from across India. Our next edition will be even bigger and will have more variety in terms of exhibitors.” –Gaurav Juneja, Director at MEX Exhibitions

THE FAIR WITNESSED FEW VISITORS FROM BUYING HOUSES TOO SUCH AS: NATALINO DUO, DIRECTOR, PURE COTTON, NOIDA; V. GOPAL KRISHNAN, PRESIDENT, GS INTERNATIONAL, NOIDA; AND L. SACHIN OF 4E INTERNATIONAL,DELHI. Overseas, Delhi was quite busy with the visitors for all three days. Happy with the response, he shared that he got the advantage of being the only fabric company in the show. Importing primarily from overseas countries, the company offers wide variety of different kinds of fabrics specially those which are not being manufactured in India. Digital printing seemed to rule the reign at Gartex 2017.Various technology companies like Mimaki India, Epson India, DCC Print Vision, Negi Sign Systems, ColorJet India and Apsom Technologies which offer digital printers for textiles, signage, home textiles, etc., presented their latest machinery in this segment under the theme ‘DigiTex’. In the digital printing category, ColorJet also launched its AuraJet II digital printer which uses less ink and has the capability of printing on a 45 GSM paper. It is one such company which manufactures digital printers within the country and promotes ‘Make in India’ concept.

Embroidery technology providers like Aura Technologies, Tajima, Peayush Machineries, Baba Textile Machinery India, Tang, and Unix Stitch Machines also marked their presence at the three-day fair with display of their latest embroidery machines for the industry. A key highlight of the embroidery machinery section was the multi-head embroidery machines ranging from 18 heads to 90 heads. This proved the inclination of the market towards large embroidery machines. Aura Technologies’ boring machine with multi-colour threads and multi-head embroidery machines with automatic bobbin changer also grabbed the attention at the 2017 edition of Gartex. Another company, Tajima, also showcased an 18-head embroidery machine that can simultaneously use various types of threads be it cotton,silk or woollen.

Good visitation with investment agenda… In an exclusive conversation with Apparel Online, some of the

Aditya (L) and Saurabh from Liberty Innovative Outfits, Panipat

Rohit Bhandari (R) Director, with his father Ramesh Bhandari, MD, Strawberry Clothing, Noida

visitors discussed their multiple goals to expand in their respective businesses. Anirban Kumar Das, Director of Jinil Spinning/Ansu Meditech Gandhinagar (Gujarat) with a business of nearly 42 crore, shared about having an embroidery unit in his already existing company to boost more growth. Being a textile engineer himself with 25 years of experience in the textile industry, he knows that expansion is the mantra for further growth and therefore, he is investing Rs. 50 lakh on this unit whose production will start within a month. Process house, Color n Style (Noida),

Mohib (R) MD and Tashin, Director, Lace Manufacturers India, Surat

THE FAIR ALSO HAD TWO BOOTHS OF JOBWORKERS. WHILE RAJDHANI CREATIONS, GURGAON – A RENOWNED NAME IN DIGITAL PRINTING JOBWORK – HIGHLIGHTED ITS DIGITAL PRINTING CAPABILITIES, RISHAB PRINT & LASER, DELHI DISPLAYED ITS EXPERTISE IN LASER WORK ON DENIMS AND TEESAND ATTRACTED SEVERAL VISITORS.

Rajesh Gupta, (R) with Akshat Bansal of Shiv Shakti Embroidery

The fair also witnessed few visitors from overseas. Sajeevan P G, (L) GM– Sales and Operations and Sanoj Gopi of Operations, Batigol Sports, Doha (Qatar). Football Word Cup in 2022 is one of the main reasonthat the market is increasing here

Manish Chand Mohnani (R) with Priyansh Mohnani of Magnum Apparels

Neeraj Khandelwal (L), Director with Shivam Khandelwal of MS Creations (Delhi)

is investing in rotary printing technology; jacket suppliers for the domestic market, Kundan Lal & company (Delhi), is planning to do in-house production as it currently outsources for the stitching process. Denim process house, MS Creations (Delhi), which is planning to start kidswear manufacturing, was also seen looking for garment machinery at the fair. Ahmedabad-based, Kalantry Textile Industries, dealing in second-hand textile machineries, is now investing in garment value addition and finishing plant and will work as a job worker and later may have its own clothing line too. Escott Apparels (Noida) is also expanding its digital printing operation and is looking for machines in the same segment. Similarly, Rohit Bhandari, Director, Strawberry Clothing, Noida, also stated, “Sequence and sublimation printing attracted me as normally we face difficulty in sourcing of sequence. Costing of sublimation printing is what interested me the most.” Doing ethnic wear for domestic market, Magnum Apparels, Delhi, is also investing in specialized machines for formal suits and shirts. “This year, marriage season is favourable, so we are expecting good growth in the current fiscal,” informed Manish Chand Mohnani, Owner of the company. The company is also strongly into embroidery segment and explored the machinery for the same in the fair. Gartex 2017 also unravelled some of the new companies in the apparel industry who are growing very well and having their own expansion programmes. Having started six months ago, Jodi (Yas Group), Kolkata, began its

apparel business with 165 stitching machines and exported to gulf countries. It is now planning to double the capacity within one-anda-half year. “As we are new, every technology is interesting for us and we like the fair,” shared Thakur AK Singh of the company. Almost two years old and catering to the uniform sector, Liberty Innovative Outftts, Panipat (associated with Liberty shoes), is witnessing good demand from schools for tees, track pants and track suits which are its core products. Aditya and Saurabh Bansal of the company were impressed by the stitching, embroidery and printing machines in the fair. “We are expanding overall, so we will be investing in whatever machines are required for this purpose,” the duo shared. The show also witnessed many visitors from embroidered fabric segment. Having stronghold on schiffli embroidery and designs, Gurgaon-based Shiv Shakti Embroidery’s Rajesh Gupta shared, “The fair is okay as I found some relevant technology at some of the booths having value addition.” He further added that despite the increased challenges, his business is growing. Mohib, MD of Suratbased Lace Manufacturers India stated, “Embroidery machines displayed here are good. Along with capacity enhancement, we are focusing more on designs as per the garment’s requirement. For this, we have enhanced our research. The company produces more than 50 lakh metres of lace per annum.” Apart from these mentioned companies, there were few more who met Apparel Online at Gartex 2017 with their future plans which again proves the industry’s positivity and its movement in the right direction.

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Bangladesh's Chittagong Port to operate 24x7 to ease trade

Iran, Rwanda keen to import Bangladesh RMG Rwanda and Iran are keen to import readymade garment products from Bangladesh, stated a recent media report quoting the respective Ambassadors of the two countries in Bangladesh. The Rwandan Non-Resident Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ernest Rwamucyo, during a recent meeting with Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed in Dhaka, reportedly expressed his country’s keen interest to import readymade garments from Bangladesh, besides jute products and pharmaceuticals.

The Bangladesh Government has decided to keep the Chittagong Sea Port operational for 24 hours a day, and seven days a week from August onwards. This news has finally given the readymade garment exporters of the country something to cheer about. The Chittagong Port is responsible for handling 90 per cent of the country’s total exports and has been facing severe vessel congestion since the last two months. This reportedly led to losses to the importers and exporters, especially the garment exporters. Bangladesh has three sea ports, of which only the Chittagong Port is equipped with the necessary infrastructures to handle bulk import and export activities. It may be mentioned here that several officials and port users have reportedly complained that the lack of infrastructural facilities including the shortage of jetties, inadequate space of terminals and two damaged cranes along with increasing number of bulk cargoes and containers are behind this gridlock at the port. The move of running the port round the clock is aimed at easing the export- and import-related activities. The apparel exporters have expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister following her Government’s decision to keep the port operational 24x7. “It’s an amazing step taken by our honourable PM. We’ve repeatedly been trying to draw her attention to the existing scenario… The concerned authorities now need to run the port effectively,” maintained Md. Ferdous, Vice President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

“Bangladesh is moving forward by achieving remarkable success in creating demand for apparel products in the world market,” reportedly underlined Ernest during his meeting with Ahmed. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Bangladesh Commerce Minister said that the business communities of the two countries should come forward to take necessary steps, adding that his Government will provide all the support to aid this process. Meanwhile, Iran, the powerhouse of the Middle East, is also reportedly keen to import apparel products from Bangladesh. This

move would further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries, based on the fundamentals of mutual benefit. Iranian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Dr Abbas Vaezi voiced Iran’s interest during his interaction with reporters in Dhaka. According to a Bangladesh business analyst, Iran – a longtime jute producer and importer from Bangladesh, could well become a potential market for Bangladeshi apparels. Although, there are some hindrances in this development including high tariff and duty rates that Iran levies on the import of Bangladeshi garments, the Ambassador vowed to cut down the rates in an effort to open the Iranian apparel market for Bangladesh. “We know that Bangladesh is the second largest RMG exporter of the world. Iran is mulling to import garments from Bangladesh directly to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two friendly nations,” Abbas said. It may be mentioned here that Bangladesh has actively been focusing on diversifying markets, especially the non-traditional and emerging ones, of late.

Ethiopia: Ambassador Garment to double production capacity Ambassador Garment and Trading Plc, one of the leadingsuit manufacturers in Ethiopia, has announced its plans of doubling its garment production capacity by the end of this year. The factory, at Gerji, presently manufactures 500 suits but once the first phase of the new factory, at Gelan, gets completed, the manufacturer expects to produce 1,000suits. Ambassador also has plans to replace all its manual machines with advanced and automated machines once the factory shifts to Gelan. While speaking to the press, Seid Berahn, Owner, Ambassador Garment, reportedly mentioned that after investing 350 million Birr in Phase I of setting up the new facility, the same investment will be made for the Phase II as well. Completion of the second phase wouldmean

further expansion of capacity to 2,000 suits, the company claims. Additionally, Ambassador has inked an agreement with MACPI, the undisputed leader in the pressing field, in order to purchase pressing, finishing and cutting machines. A

similar agreement has been signed with Zuki as well for the purchase of computerized sewing machines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have signed agreements with both Zuki and MACPI so that our quality can be enhanced; thereby enabling us to export the suits manufactured

by us to other foreign countries,â&#x20AC;? averred Berahn. At present, the garment manufacturer imports textiles/fabrics from foreign markets like Turkey, India and China; however, it now plans to procure them from the local market.

Israel explores business opportunities in Indian textile industry The fabrics made in Surat, the biggest man-made fabric (MMF) destination in India, may soon leave a trail of its footprints in Israel. The possibility of this happening seems higher ever since a contingent of businessmen from Israel visited the city of Surat recently. The delegation was led by Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Consul General David Akov. One of the principal objectives of this delegation was to meet the businessmen across Surat so as to understand and explore the business opportunities that are prevalent in the textiles industry there. Akov visited some of the major textile factories in the

city to understand and collect all the information regarding the production of fabric. He also explored business opportunities,

especially with regard to Israeli wholesalers and retailers. The visit seems to be yielding results considering that the highly

advanced manufacturing facilities, as well as the working environment of the textile units situated in the industrial area of Pandesara ended up getting huge acclaim from the team of Israelibusinessmen. Sanjay Saraogi, MD, Laxmipati Group, corroborating on the above, expressed optimism about the joint venture between Israel and Indian textile manufacturers. If the collaboration happens, the local fabrics will be directly available in Israel. The interest to invest in India is huge among Israeli wholesalers and there is no denying that Surat is all set to floor the Israeli market with its fabrics.

TRADE STATISTICS

In the H1 of 2017, US consolidates in its apparel imports January-June 2017 The first six months have somehow consolidated the position of apparel imports by the USA despite the buzz of implementing BAT (Border Adjustment Tax) which has continuously been seen as a threat for the country’s import. Additionally, the fall in unit prices in China and Bangladesh helped the USA to strengthen its apparel imports all through the period. The rest half of the year is still uncertain and things will be clearer once Trump administration shows solidarity in its trade policies decision.

‘Facts and Forecast’ for US Apparel Industry

Global Apparel Imports by the US: Jan.-Jun. 2017

15% growth noted from manufacturer

Total Increase in Quantity

1.67 %

8 mn US women shop clothes from online

USD 250 approx. earning per week of a US

in US last year

worker

Total Decrease in Value

1.86 %

68 garments are purchased by an individual per year in US

Percentage Decrease in UVR

3.32 % (Average UVR in the review period was US $ 2.91 as against US $ 3.01 in the same period last year)

Walmart is the biggest retailer in USA

Total global apparel imports by the US - Jan.-Jun. 2017 (Qty in mn SME & Value in US mn $) Jan.-Jun.2016

4.20 % MMF

1.81 %

12.58 % Silk & Veg

%Change

Qty

Value

Qty

Value

Qty

Value

5785.844

18736.55

5634.317

17950.073

-2.62

-4.20

Wool

56.177

1065.489

50.634

931.44

-9.87

-12.58

MMF

6553.062

17273.976

6921.633

17585.922

5.62

1.81

194.1

878.648

192.748

780.19

-0.70

-11.21

12589.18

37954.66

12799.33

37247.63

1.67

-1.86

Cotton

Wool

Jan.-Jun.2017

Type ofApparel

Change in Value Cotton

Legwear is the most imported apparel in 2016 by US

Silk &Veg Total

11.21 % Total apparel exports to the US by 6 major manufacturing destinations - Jan.-Jun. 2017

Change in Quantity

(Qty in mn SME & Value in US mn $)

Jan.-Jun.2016

Cotton

2.62 % MMF

5.62 %

Wool

9.87 % Silk & Veg

0.70 %

[The information has been extracted from US custom site and further analyzed.]

Jan.-Jun.2017

%Change

Countries

India Bangladesh China Pakistan

SriLanka Vietnam

Qty

Value

Qty

Value

Qty

Value

577.712

2022.505

581.467

1999.751

0.65

-1.13

973.113

2728.104

964.83

2578.44

-0.85

-5.49

4714.193

11950.864

4901.151

11507.412

3.97

-3.71

270.379

618.389

252.477

600.77

-6.62

-2.85

239.039

1000.376

225.293

951.324

-5.75

-4.90

1327.541

4188.045

1482.686

4479.231

11.69

6.95

Unit Value Realization (UVR) Trend from Top Apparel Exporters to US (January to June 2017)

Top 3 Quantity-wise Apparel Exporters to US (January to June 2017)

4.50

4.00

3.50

3.00

2.50 -2% 2.00 -4% 1.50 -6%

1.00

-8%

0.50

-10%

0.00 India

Bangladesh

China

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Vietnam

UVR 16

3.50

2.80

2.54

2.29

4.18

3.15

UVR 17

3.44

2.67

2.35

2.38

4.22

3.02

-1.71%

-4.64%

-7.48%

3.93%

0.96%

-4.13%

% Change

US Apparel Imports General Customs Value and Y-o-Y % Change

US General Imports of Cotton (June 2017) General Customs Quantity and Y-o-Y % Change

8.00

10%

5.26%

7.00

4.18%

6.3 0% 910.00

810.00

4% 2%

710.00 0.88%

6.00

-0.80%

610.00

0% -2%

510.00

0.32% 0.32%

5.00

-4%

410.00 -4.33%

4.00

310.00 -8% -10%

210.00

-10%

3.00

-6%

-6.80%

-5%

-11.30%

% -12 % -14

110.00 -13.58% 2.00

10.00

-15%

Jan-17

Feb-17

Mar-17

Apr-17

Values (in US billion$)

May-17

Yarns

Fabrics

Made-ups

Apparels

Jun-17 Quantity (in millionSME)

Y-o-Y % Change

Item-wise quantity increase/decrease in apparel imports by the US: Jan.-Jun. 2017 (Qty in doz, legwear in dpr, babieswear in kg) Exportsto USA Total Imports by USA APPAREL TYPE

China

India

Bangladesh

2016

2017

%Change

2016

2017

%Change

2016

2017

%Change

2016

2017

Babieswear

50,505,045

51,505,709

1.98

23,329,740

24,099,869

3.30

4,166,643

3,935,325

-5.55

5,242,866

Foundation Garments

29,876,350

31,602,215

5.78

16,801,491

16,926,669

0.75

888,296

834,252

-6.08

1,957,836

Vietnam %Change

2016

2017

%Change

4,970,761

-5.19

3,823,269

4,594,573

20.17

2,550,427

30.27

1,115,445

2,444,181

119.12

Jackets &Blazers

14,221,242

14,504,115

1.99

6,756,965

7,223,910

6.91

249,328

302,013

21.13

785,664

846,931

7.80

2,502,790

2,557,686

2.19

LadiesBlouses

30,650,909

30,199,813

-1.47

12,705,073

12,191,912

-4.04

4,743,963

4,306,852

-9.21

1,665,570

1,582,799

-4.97

4,152,737

4,736,475

14.06

Ladies Dresses

33,509,418

34,607,075

3.28

15,456,001

15,848,994

2.54

2,861,669

3,106,991

8.57

1,120,586

1,017,033

-9.24

5,889,348

6,622,323

12.45

9,286,275

7,549,136

-18.71

3,458,920

2,888,862

-16.48

481,706

409,908

-14.90

713,160

530,934

-25.55

1,913,895

1,718,705

-10.20

Ladies Skirts Legwear

156,535,942

160,814,014

2.73

92,666,000

102,945,028

11.09

1,265,658

1,645,551

30.02

71,622

13,212

-81.55

1,369,271

1,536,206

12.19

Men's Shirts

19,952,466

19,385,923

-2.84

4,207,216

3,982,052

-5.35

1,498,592

1,875,479

25.15

5,436,072

4,790,166

-11.88

2,291,291

2,356,444

2.84

Nightwear

19,260,573

19,541,068

1.46

11,057,641

11,262,754

1.85

1,614,810

1,456,494

-9.80

692,652

975,913

40.90

1,898,656

1,913,931

0.80

6,323,088

5,779,582

-8.60

2,950,609

2,863,484

-2.95

319,997

315,461

-1.42

166,990

54,786

-67.19

1,122,248

1,106,495

-1.40

Suits /Ensembles Sweaters

3,832,294

3,079,745

-19.64

2,962,336

2,165,347

-26.90

14,786

19,016

28.61

283,681

266,860

-5.93

71,955

67,847

-5.71

Trousers

149,545,181

153,792,494

2.84

41,655,818

44,065,359

5.78

3,058,662

2,952,351

-3.48

25,023,489

25,079,575

0.22

22,918,114

26,898,887

17.37

T-Shirts

281,225,638

277,981,456

-1.15

46,827,843

45,904,066

-1.97

12,787,019

13,196,604

3.20

11,019,571

10,753,972

-2.41

39,007,565

39,806,339

2.05

Undergarments

129,172,694

127,701,594

-1.14

24,041,538

24,903,678

3.59

8,728,777

8,353,965

-4.29

13,709,064

14,913,798

8.79

20,449,116

22,185,823

8.49

Item-wise value increase/decrease in apparel imports by the US: Jan.-Jun. 2017 (Value in US mn $) Exports to USA Total Imports by USA APPAREL TYPE

China

India

Bangladesh

2016

2017

%Change

2016

2017

%Change

2016

2017

Babieswear

1,058.94

1,059.37

0.04

466.43

463.15

-0.70

96.82

Foundation Garments

1,343.77

1,397.08

3.97

638.09

585.96

-8.17

66.76

Vietnam

%Change

2016

2017

%Change

2016

2017

%Change

89.74

-7.30

92.86

106.25

14.42

92.75

106.57

14.91

58.44

-12.46

40.11

58.78

46.56

55.21

156.22

182.94

Jackets &Blazers

2,096.73

2,042.47

-2.59

834.17

844.74

1.27

33.46

37.58

12.32

114.18

115.47

1.14

430.96

400.75

-7.01

LadiesBlouses

1,985.63

1,921.47

-3.23

753.35

697.10

-7.47

353.09

327.32

-7.30

93.23

84.97

-8.85

222.28

243.41

9.51

Ladies Dresses

2,763.70

2,719.25

-1.61

1,249.41

1,167.58

-6.55

252.60

273.24

8.17

40.78

37.76

-7.40

415.58

423.00

1.79

556.29

453.44

-18.49

189.45

157.14

-17.06

38.91

31.63

-18.72

30.67

23.96

-21.87

106.97

86.06

-19.55 0.14

Ladies Skirts Legwear

882.74

900.66

2.03

490.56

516.88

5.36

8.43

9.32

10.56

0.69

0.08

-89.11

7.72

7.73

1,662.76

1,552.22

-6.65

376.81

337.97

-10.31

118.18

126.79

7.29

311.96

263.39

-15.57

184.39

187.14

1.49

Nightwear

812.70

783.59

-3.58

459.38

441.95

-3.79

51.68

51.41

-0.51

19.98

22.90

14.63

86.31

77.63

-10.05

Suits /Ensembles

632.60

563.24

-10.96

143.35

130.94

-8.66

31.82

36.18

13.68

10.62

5.11

-51.85

87.84

73.24

-16.61

Sweaters

394.12

316.19

-19.77

285.64

214.69

-24.84

1.15

1.04

-9.99

14.34

11.83

-17.47

2.49

4.71

89.19

Trousers

9,243.90

9,017.01

-2.45

2,315.27

2,228.06

-3.77

217.46

193.98

-10.80

1,361.92

1,304.45

-4.22

1360.24

1460.06

7.34

T-Shirts

9,699.52

9,653.16

-0.48

1,910.16

1,815.38

-4.96

502.085

509.445

1.47

279.19

268.30

-3.90

1499.77

1554.06

3.62

Undergarments

1,844.61

1,756.69

-4.77

366.91

388.38

5.85

145.48

139.80

-3.90

149.36

152.64

2.19

259.96

263.47

1.35

Men's Shirts

Canada Apparel Imports January-June 2017

Clothing demand might rise in Canada; International retailers enter the country After a continuous chronic poor performance in the first half of 2 0 1 7 in apparel imports, Canada predicts the second half as a growing one. Supported with the fact that the major international retailers, such as Uniqlo, are expanding in Canada this year, the country is hopeful to gain some serious momentum as far as its clothing import is concerned.

CanadaImports

1.50%

The knitted apparel noted 2.90% surge during the review period, whereas the wovensegment saw growth of 0.11% in import value terms.

B’DeshExports

2.70%

Trade Update

Bangladesh did not gainprofits in its apparel exports to Canada on Yo-Y basis as knitted garment exports fell by(-) 0.74%, whereas wovensegment decreased by (-) 4.10%.

India Exports

3.19%

India fell in its apparel exports to Canada.During the review period, the value of woven exports fellby (-) 9.10%; however the values were up by 6.11% in knitted segment.

Pakistan Exports

15.05%

In wovencategory, the Pakistan’s export values were upby20.52%. Onthe other hand, knitted segment exports to Canada registered growth of 8.82% during the review period.

Sri Lanka Exports

6.72%

During the period, surge in its knitted garment exports to Canada was 11.18%, whereas woven segment exports too recorded rise of 1.15% from Sri Lanka.

Vietnam Exports

10.54%

Vietnam continuedits solid apparelexport performance to Canadaduring the reviewperiod. Knitted segment rose value-wise by12.73%, while wovenexports were up by8.31%.

ChinaExports

0.35%

Chinasomehow recovered in its apparel exports to Canada. In knitted garment exports, the country got marginal boost by 0.66% in value terms, while the wovengarments too rose by 0.07% during the period.

Indonesian textile exports up 0.62% in first half of 2017 Indonesia improved marginally by 0.62 per cent in its textile and garment exports on the Y-o-Y basis in the first half of 2017. Rise in knitwear garment exports, up 20.4 per cent in the period, contributed significantly in mounting exports. This surge would encourage the exporters to keep the same momentum for rest of the year. However, the country noted a decline in exports to major markets such as the USA, the EU and Japan by 3.6 per cent, 4 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively. According to the Indonesian Textile Association (API), the growth noted is a pleasing sign for the Indonesian textile andgarment exporters as despite falling demand for textile products in the global market, the country somehow managed to continue its positive trend. “The trade balance of apparels has improved markedly since the start of the year due to the regular support provided by the Indonesian Government and this has discouraged cheap imports into Indonesia to protect local industries,” remarked Ade Sudrajat, Chairman, API. The boost in exports is also said to be a result of the introduction of automated processes in textile and garment manufacturing. Automation has made the exporters even more competitive in terms of pricing and delivery, thereby boosting the country’s export. Additionally, the API is aiming to attract foreign importers with the country’s improving economy and political stability. This could, in turn, be a deciding factor in reinforcing Indonesia’s position in textile and garment industry. It’s worth mentioning here that the Ministry of Indonesia has set up 1.7 per cent (in the year 2016, it was 1.2 per cent) textile export growth target in2017.

RESOURCE CENTRE

B h a n sal i B u t t o n s

Taking the innovation route to growth Proud to be an Indian manufacturer of polyester buttons, Bhansali Buttons from the house of Multi Button Industries has focused its attention on providing innovative and high-quality indigenous buttons to garment exporters, reducing the need to import such products. The company is striving not only to meet global standards in quality products, but also to meet the norms of sustainable practices. “We are an Oeko-Tex Standard100 class1 and ISO 9001certified company with in-house laboratory that ensures strict quality control measures as per latest chemical and physical standards required by the customer,” says Suresh Bhansali, Managing Partner, Multi Button Industries.

he company has made a major shift in the last two years from doing basic products to being design-driven. “When we started travelling to Europe, mainly to Italy, we realised that to stay relevant it was important to get into a design mode and since then our business model has completely been geared up to follow trends and focus on

Suresh Bhansali, Managing Partner, Multi Button Industries

product development,” admits Suresh. The company now brings out regular collections and its latest innovation is the burnt-out button, which is a first for an Indian button manufacturer. Beside that, Bhansali Buttons has some very interesting buttons like buttons that glow in the dark, rubberised coated buttons, unconventional coloured buttons and

other such buttons which are unique to the company.

This pro-activeness has paid well for the company and won them nominations with brands like Mothercare, Orchestra, besides also being a preferred supplier for Decathlon, Walmart, Primark, to name a few retailers. The focus is to work with brands which have good presence with Indian exporters. “With a large volume of readily available buttons in our library and huge sampling section, we give and support sampling requirements of exporters. Our R&D Department analyses feedback from domestic and international markets for the development of new patterns and designs to suit the needs of designers creating collections for upcoming seasons,” shares Suresh. All the creativity is supported by commitment to the environment which means lead, cadmium and phthalate free buttons certified by third-party testing laboratories. Yet, Suresh laments that despite being an important element to the garment industry, polyester buttons are not registered as a part of the garment industry, but instead as a part of the plastic industry. “We get no value in being a part of the plastic industry, we need to be part of the exhibitions that happen for garmenting, so that we can

EYES & EARS

Street Legal Clothing to start fabric sourcing from India S

treet Legal Clothing (a division of 3532534 Canada Ltd.), a two decades old import house, will start sourcing fabric from India and also restart its garment sourcing from Tirupur. The company, very strong in sourcing of uniforms, workwear, sportswear and hunting jackets, is sourcing from Bangladesh, India, China and Cambodia for Canada market. With a business of US $ 8 billion, the company also has its office in Delhi at present and works with three vendors from India. Ravi Verma, VP of the company, shared with Apparel Online, “We import fabric from China but now we are into the process to identify some Indian suppliers, so that we will be able to import cotton and Polyester Cotton (PC) blend fabric from India, and will get cut and stitch done in Bangladesh. Initially, it will be for a Canadian retail chain store that is looking for uniforms from us. And his order sizes are also good enough.” Talking about Tirupur, Ravi stated that it is a really important sourcing destination for him but from last few years, they are not sourcing primarily from there because Tirupur has to pay duty while exporting to Canada. However, he has plans to start sourcing again from Tirupur if the manufacturers based there are able to match with the prices offered by the Bangladesh factories. Ravi puts it simple, “They have to manage the costing if they have to survive.” With reference to the growth of his imports business, Ravi briefed that it is taking place but at a slower pace. “Pricing is

Ravi Verma, VP, Street Legal Clothing

If prices are okay, we can source millions of pieces, otherwise we are forced to source only 2,000 to 3,000 pieces per style. very tight especially in our part of the world. North America is struggling on price issue which makes pricing the key point. We are trying to work with vertical units so that profit does not split and we get advantage of complete in-house production while getting benefit on the price issue. If prices are okay, we can source millions of pieces, otherwise we are forced to source only 2,000 to 3,000 pieces per style,” said a thoughtful Ravi, and further added that in terms of basic products like men’s shirts and Tees, they do 1,00,000 pieces. Hence, according to him, quantities are there but manufacturers have to be sharp enough.