06 September 2022, Mumbai:

International apparel firms are doubling down on their investments in Sri Lanka and are expanding their production capacities, sending positive signals even in the midst of a historic political crisis & economic meltdown.

Sri Lanka recently initiated a dedicated fabric processing zone in its Eastern Province, which conforms to high standards of environmental protection and sustainability. Besides strengthening the supply chain and sustainability measures, this move will also enable the country’s apparel exporters to make greater utilization of preferential tariff schemes, by increasing local value addition. Green manufacturing is not just a business buzzword; Sri Lankan apparel industry have amply demonstrated its commitment by embracin this concept arguably much before than competition.

An internationally reputed producer of accessories for the global lingerie industry - Committed to the future – out of tradition. For almost 500 years. The basis of the company’s success has been, right from the start, the clear focus on discerning niche markets, including over two decades in Sri Lanka. It is responsible for providing quality livelihoods for over 500 Sri Lankans, the best testament to any nation is the endorsement value. As per CEO of Prym Group Dr. Ansgar Nonn,” The company has benefited immensely from its presence in Sri Lanka”.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka, the good bit is what we ourselves have experienced and from the reports of our teams on the ground, disruptions to our operations thankfully have been minimal.

The situation has settled down in recent weeks, but even a few months prior, when the crisis was at its peak, the local team was able to step up and demonstrate phenomenal commitment, resilence and resourcefulness to complete our orders smoothly/near uninterupted. Experientially staging that given our past experiences and the continuous success that our Sri Lankan operations have achieved despite such major obstacles, we are even more bullish on our presence in the island, and to be very frank we are currently in optimistic mindset & are factually in the process of investing in machinery and training for our local teams, in the run upto for the launch of further production capacity,” Nonn stated.

Prologue

To place it on record Sri Lanka has an incredible track record & portfolio when anyone talks about intimate wear. Nearly 5% of the global demand for undergarments on sustained basis is coming from no where else than Sri Lanka. Therefore, given its consistency nation can proudly boast of a robust pipeline of an array of range in the product line viz bras, panties, lingerie, men’s underwear and so to say women’s nightwear.

Reasserting why Sri Lanka is seen as an ideal destination for apparel manufacturing Dr. Nonn stated it was important to consider a country which already had established a higher level of technical expertise, in order to be capable of handling global most quality demanding players like meeting Prym Group’s expectations & requirement for specialized accessories for the global lingerie industry. “We realized very quickly that Sri Lanka was the perfect fit. Even at the time, talent pool Sri Lanka with a literacy rate of 92.5% is one of the most literate anywhere in apparel industry, and therefore immensely adaptable.

Moreover, industry highly regards nation’s work ethos with the industry as a whole having an inherent relentless commitment to social and environmental sustainability in line with heightened global brands’ stated sustainability goals. Considering the Geo-strategic unique tear drop island location, ideally aligned to most of the buyers needs including ours. Over the two decades we have only seen our operations grow from strength to strength, and become an integral and valued component in our global supply chain,” Nonn stated. Not to mention the most invaluable support support recieved from relevant state authorities as a including the BOI in minimizing disruptions caused by recent fuel and energy shortages is an indomitable inspiration for many apparel producing hubs.

Nonn concludes: “I have no hesitation in talking very high about the decades experience here, notwithstanding we have seen at times volatility, but consistently, our ground teams have been incredibly creative and efficient in tackling the challenges/odds we may have experienced, but nothing has ever dampened our work spirit. Reiterating the never say die spirit of the island workforce & work ethics the latest economic & political crisis nation lately has undergone has only served to bring out the best in our people, and nobody can take away credit from them. Furthermore, our workforce spirited performance only validates our underlying original decision to foray into this market, and the let us re-emphasize that prevailing crisis has only served as an opportunity to bring out the best in our people.”

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05 September 2022, Mumbai:

One of the basic requirements of people in the current society is textiles. Globally, the textile sector has a sizable production capacity. The textile industry is an industry that deals with articles made from fibers, threads, or yarn. It is evident that The textile and clothing/apparel (T&A) industries constitute a significant piece of manufacturing production, mass employment, and forming a meatier chunk of trade in most developing countries globally.

Textiles are created to serve various purposes and are composed of multiple fiber types blended in different ratios. Fiber applications often fall into one of the following three categories: industrial, home furnishings, and apparel/clothing.
Consumer demand, which is affected by the status of the economy, plays a factor in this as well. Customers respond to changes in fashion in both apparel and home furnishings. Clothing/apparel may swiftly fall out of style due to seasonal changes, which encourages replacing and getting rid of old but still excellent quality items. In reaction to a "throwaway society," manufacturers will progressively produce large volumes of apparel with little durability.

Most textile businesses focus on creating a suitable waste management system for sustainable growth. It might significantly impact the age of home textile waste. The depletion of natural resources, rising costs, and dwindling availability of disposal sites are the driving forces behind the significance of trash reduction, reuse, recycling, and management.
It is incredibly shocking that as per industry reports every year some 9 million plastic-based wastes are disposed of in the landfill. The atmosphere is also chemically contaminated by the combustion of all the goods within the mills. Textiles produce a sizable quantity of solid waste in terms of production capacity. While it might not have much of an effect on the manufacturing sector's waste generation.
Commercially, the quantity of textile waste generated depends on how much textile product is produced; the more made, the more trash there will be. Let us reckon that Textile consumption impacts the environment through both pre-consumer and post-consumer effects, also a practice of these articles should be worn a few times before being discarded has led to nearly 85% of textiles ending up in landfills each year and here it may be sanguine to argue that you have to factor in fast fashion as a catalytic action.
Despite a long history of resource conservation in the textile sector, a significant amount of unneeded waste is still created annually. For instance, they could make it difficult for us to breathe, keep warm or cold, or grow the food we require.
Problem-solving approach
The disposal of used clothing and recycling is a critical piece of the entire textile user journey.
The trifecta of problems is the source of the waste's high level. Clothing/apparel and textiles (T&A) generate enormous amounts of garbage, which is dumped in landfills all over the world. It takes time for the garment to decompose, and certain materials, like polyester, even release chemicals into the environment.
It depends on whether we want to be part of the problem or the solution.
Pollution - Textiles contribute to the breakdown of the air and water. The chemicals and water needed to make the textile colors must be disposed of after usage. Some of the ways and means to curb and mitigate the ill effects of textile waste management are as follows:
Composting
Regeneration
Albeit It may not be a panacea today but the theme of ‘How to execute reuse and recycling of post‐consumer textile waste is more critical than ever before".
The trifecta of problems is the source of the waste's high level. Clothing/apparel and textiles (T&A) generate enormous amounts of garbage, which is dumped in landfills all over the world. It takes time for the garment to decompose, and certain materials, like polyester, even release chemicals into the environment.
Pull V/s Push
Most textile businesses worldwide typically create a department for sustainable development to carry out the waste management procedure. Increasing awareness among consumers has been once the driving force for making greener products. Increasingly it is been argued today that disposal through Landfills is how much more sustainable as arguably they are the earliest form of waste management, the moreover modern-day big revelation is that these sites per se aren't good for our planet. Notwithstanding the reality Modern landfills are aptly-engineered and managed outlets for the disposal of solid waste be it from textile.
Way Forward
The central government applies several rules, guidelines, and institutions to direct the textile industry's transition to an ecologically friendly method.
The good news is best practices like Eco-friendly textiles made from 100% recycled PET fibres and blends with MMF or a sustainable myriad of fibres are been popularly used in a variety of applications viz home textiles, apparel, furnishings, upholstery, technical textiles, and many more imaginative applications & that is where efforts are. Let us clear the air on the consumers' heightened awareness created lately on the back of global climate change showing up & having motivated consumers to come forward and contribute in this field to drive the synergies.
Today there is a strong sustainability argument pushing for Fashion and textile circular economy case.

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03 September 2022, Mumbai:

Indian exporters are ramping up their production capacity. This includes getting into the manmade fiber segment, lowering their cost of production, and working on meeting global standards.

According to one PIB report published earlier," Merchandise exports from India have reached USD 417.8 billion in the current financial year. This figure excludes the figures from non-EDI Ports and adds that it is likely to exceed $418 billion, an all-time high in India’s export history.

India achieved the highest monthly value of merchandise export in March 2022 amounting to USD 40.38 billion, an increase of 14.53% over USD 35.26 billion in March 2021 and an increase of 87.89% over USD 21.49 billion in March 2020.

The exports have witnessed significant growth in non-petroleum goods also in April 2021-March 2022 which was USD 352.76 billion, an increase of 32.62% over USD 266.00 billion in April 2020-March 2021, and an increase of 29.66% over USD 272.07 billion in April 2019-March 2020.

Apart from a diversified range of merchandise goods exported during 2021-22, India’s merchandise exports have also seen a significant increase in different countries, especially, developed countries. Exports to USA, UAE, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Singapore, Hong Kong, UK, Belgium and Germany grew by 46.4%, 66.9%, 64.5%, 90.5%, 26.8%, 7.8%, 28%, 90.4% and 21.1% respectively over April 2020- March 2021".

At one of the forums Hon'ble Textile Minister, Piyush Goyal said, " Notwithstanding the challenges posed by successive waves of Covid (2nd and 3rd wave), India’s merchandise trade performance has shown impressive growth and exports remained above USD 30 billion for twelve consecutive months from April 2021 to March 2022".

As per one fashionatingworld.com report," Indian apparel exports rose by about 32 percent from April to June this fiscal as against the same period last year. Free trade agreements with countries including the UAE, Australia, and the UK are expected to help neutralize the advantage which India’s competitors used to enjoy in some of the important markets. Now the apparel sector is awaiting the new Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme and the production-linked incentive scheme.

As per Niti Aayog's EXPORT PREPAREDNESS INDEX 2021 report," Despite the global factors, it is also heartening to see the success of our Hon’ble Prime Ministers’ economic Vision, AtmaNirbhar Bharat. The increase in domestic manufacturing capacity and competitiveness is helping India’s exports grow at a record pace. Case in point is Apparel & clothing (knitted or crocheted) - are some of the sectors with significant export growth rates this year".

Efforts are being made toward promoting the brand India on various global platforms as a trusted supplier by showcasing its strength in sustainability, circularity, and ethical sourcing. The demand for Indian textiles in the domestic and overseas markets is high. Especially after the pandemic, one sector under textiles that has really got a boost has been home textiles.

The seven mega textile parks that have been launched are aimed at reducing the high logistics costs as well as the fragmented value chain which obtains now. Most of India’s major exporting destinations like the US and EU are going for a China plus one strategy, which will prove to be beneficial for India.

As per one of the recently published articles,” Naren Goenka, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), has appealed to the garment industry to grab the emerging global opportunity by revamping production capacity, reducing cost, focusing upon MMF, and embracing best sustainable practices”.

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01 September 2022, Mumbai

The days when a consumer would simply choose a product based on its quality are long gone. There was a time when domestic market competition was comparatively relatively limited. The conventional wisdom cliche is," The world marketplace is continuously changing and so is the demand of people changing".

However, as globalization took hold in recent years, the level of competition and quality consciousness increased. Consumer needs gradually increased due to the constant advancement of technology and application standards. And to meet that standard, producers must add something to their goods to increase the value of those goods.

A product must be able to include additional features, and this has brought the market in the present day to a point where it appears very challenging for a manufacturer to market his product until he offers consumers something fresh, which not only rewards him for his innovative idea but also tempts him with a significant increase in profit.

This desire to create something innovative to boost profits, get a more significant market share or satisfy a craze might likely be described as adding value to textiles.

No gainsaying that without value addition finishes of textile products today it is no more viable/feasible to sustain in the given fiercely competitive global marketplace. In the same direction, the global apparel industry is also started to undertake new initiatives with all new zeal factoring in increased competition from other corners.

Change is the only constant

The need for individuals is always shifting, much like the global marketplace. Everyone wants to see some change. i.e., something fresh & different. Change must be implemented successfully and effectively in the market.

Through the use of this paper, we have made a sincere effort to present you with a thorough analysis of the value addition performed in the current finishing industries such as textiles by some of the new value addition processes in chemical finishing and mechanical finishing that have exploded this industry with opulent value added finishes and forced manufacturers to disregard all those antiquated finishing treatments that previously ruled this Industry.

One Research gate study mentions," Imagination, innovation, and technology take textiles to the extreme specialty applications".

Technology has limitless uses in industrial composites, electronics, medical apparel, protective gear, and performance outerwear and equipment. Super performance fibers most likely to replace metal parts for augmented functional properties are very evident.

The method produces breathable, soft, and compressible water and wind protection textiles for sportswear and equipment. Thermally conductive, conformal materials with exceptional handling properties are used in semiconductor and electronics applications, as well as flexible, lightweight reinforcing textiles with outstanding adhesive properties for the aerospace and automotive sectors.

As per one Research gate study," Beyond the basic demand, our appetite for smart T&A and our quest for comfort and a quality lifestyle seem to drive the growth of the T&A/T&C sectors from country to country".

Need of the day

The Indian textiles sector needs on a sustained basis to rewire, refocus, reimagine and concentrate on enduring sustainable value addition as nothing less than that shall do. There are no areas where water may hide, thanks to the encased fibers and the polymer barrier between the fiber bundles. As a result, the textiles are very windproof, water resistant, and breathable.

A sour point still remains is, " Unsustainable textile industry growth with the mindless impact it has on environment". As it is no more a well-kept secret that the Textile sector is a water-thirsty industry wherein exponential amounts of water are used throughout textile manufacturing processes. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, textile production uses around 93 billion cubic meters of water annually — the equivalent of 37 million Olympic swimming pools.

The popular acceptance today is that textiles also maintain their softness and flexibility in cold temperatures since there is no coating. Stretch fabric is a given, especially in women's apparel. For "body fitting apparel/clothes and figure regulating reasons whereas stretch yarns and fabrics are employed,".

Therefore, an electrometric core is added to basic yarns during spinning to generate core spun yarn, i.e., weaving stretch textiles for bottom weights and even shirting fabrics is no less than conspicuous value addition. Nowadays, lifestyle apparel/clothing impacts market segments that were once stable, like basic suits and shirts.

Trading economics one reports reveals," Textiles and clothing (% of value added in manufacturing) in India was reported at 8.5792 % in 2019, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators".

The general trade experts' observation & reflection is that" the textile industry per se is unable to tap its potential in accordance with its inherent capacity".

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05 September 2022, Mumbai:

Consumers are now participants in a global market and this has a key impact on the consumer buying & preferences. The $3 trillion global fashion business accounts for 2% of the world's GDP. The underlying assumption as always is as festivity is lined up thus contextually its a most crucial time for the Indian advertising business as spending is expected to bring a lot more returns than usual.

Festive season to drive consumer spending: 48% will shop more during 2022 festive season vs 2021, says Axis survey. “Historically what has been witnessed is that sooner the festive season approaches reflecting a "festive spirit", driving consumers to buy leading to pushing volumes up including triggering non-discretionary buying. Its September analysis said that 48 per cent of consumers tend to shop more during the festive season as compared to the rest of the year. It also revealed that 20 per cent of the consumers plan to shop more this festive season in comparison to last year while 32 per cent plan to shop the same as the previous year.”

Covid & its impact

Beginning in China in 2020, the COVID-19 virus spread gradually but steadily over the remainder of the year before releasing additional strains in 2021 and causing successive waves of fatalities. Because of it, there have been several lockdowns, travel limitations, social withdrawal, and other COVID-acceptable behaviors worldwide. The situation put the retail sector, namely the fashion section, in chaos, having an influence on sales, profitability, inventory, jobs, and the entire ecosystem. When individuals were advised to stay at home as a preventative step to slow the spread of the illness, the disruption in worldwide fashion began. Markets, shopping centers, and other establishments were all closed down to rule out any chance of their coming out. This prevented customers from buying outside for months, pushing them to migrate to internet shopping. The fact that only necessities could be purchased online and that non-essential items, like apparel/clothing, could only be sold afterward made the situation much worse.

Post Covid consumer spending have revved up · E-commerce buying continues to be accelerated having already gone to level next in the global fashion landscape. Customers are already buying luxury items for meeting their aspirations and desires. The last few years have seen remarkable development in the fashion industry in the new emerging paradigm. The psychology of consumer behavior has undergone sea change in the new emerging digital world.

Festive Marketing:

Though currently trade expects are sanguine to be cautiously optimistic but given macroeconomic quick indicators & demand tailwind Consumer spending sentiment in urban India is likely to be higher than what was observed during last year's festive season. Brands continue to stay optimistic that improving consumer sentiments & economic resilience shall help them bounce back and as fashion industry continues to open up on the back of corona risk concerns fading. Festivity good effect

One ET report states,”Demand for discretionary products, electronics and gift items in the festive season (August to December) is expected to be 15-25% more than what it was in the corresponding period of 2019”.

With many festivals already upon us in the next two-three months, consumers have started using Debit cards, UPI and credit cards aggressively for their sustained aspirational buying as bargain offers galore.

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01 September 2022, Mumbai

The case of the fashion industry is that ‘The prime economic driver is the fashion sector’. Fashion firms and enterprises have been accelerating their pace and incorporating sustainability into their operations to keep up with the current market trends. The fashion sector has difficulties due to sudden shifts in customer wants. As per one Deloitte report," Many fashion brands take a fragmented approach to digital transformation, focusing on digitizing processes or isolated functions.

For a fashion brand, digitization means re-imagining how shopping in a digital world should play out, rather than merely digitizing the shopping process for a physical world". The digital transition is greatly impacting almost every industry. Effective data management or business management are just two aspects of this transition: cost savings and improved productivity.

After studying the possibilities of digital technologies, fashion firms have started integrating technology into every aspect of their operations, from manufacturing to post-production. Geographical limitations are no longer an issue thanks to technology, as customers can now shop anywhere.

Influencers in fashion often purchase items for a single shot. Trends in fast fashion change swiftly. It ultimately hurts the ecosystem. Albeit for a fine fashion brand, there is a case that geographical location is still the cornerstone for critical mass physical space retail demand. At the same time, virtual apparel/clothing may only be worn digitally and is represented by a file of code.

Following the paradigm changes for any fashion brand, the consumer-facing user experience starts with touch points. It is highly likely that the smart consumers of this digital era will be provided with tech interventions like using virtual fashion, also influencers may save money while experimenting with different looks and standing out from the crowd.

By using virtual fashion, designers may test out novel and unusual materials that aren't often utilized in the actual world. Wood, diamond, liquid silver, and even fantastical materials like belts made of unicorn or dragon skin can be used for experimentation. The business is thus one step closer to sustainability thanks to virtual fashion.

Fashion brands mostly employ digitalization in the business to produce digital apparel before producing actual items. Brands can produce more designs in less time without having to wait for manufacturing with its assistance.

Digital apparel/clothes may also be used to overlay or superimpose clothing items on images of humans or individuals in movies. Even if digitization is not yet widely used in the fashion sector, it may be by the end of the next ten years as the big revelation is that Digitalization is an integral part of the daily lives of any fashion consumers. Reports one McKinsey study," Amid the pandemic, the apparel, fashion, and luxury (AF&L) industry has moved quickly to address urgent consumer needs on the back of business enterprises digitizing".

A deepening digital divide

Another Mckinsey report states," Our consumer-sentiment surveys, conducted in April, show declines in purchase intent of 70 to 80 percent offline and 30 to 40 percent in online in Europe and North America, even in countries that haven’t been under full lockdown". For them, embracing digital transformation is a pressing matter of time as consumer expectations are at an all-time high.

They expect an experience to go along with their purchases rather than just a straightforward transaction, and the digital technologies they are exposed to are to blame for this. They want to engage with, be a part of, have an impact on, and personally represent the businesses they purchase from.

They give greater thought to their appearance in public and on social media and how others perceive the brands they use and possess. There is no denying that most consumers utilize social media platforms to advertise their purchases before, during, or after making them.

One of the McKinsey studies underlines the message," Digitization won’t be a panacea. Companies should make direct investments to the areas in which the highest business value lies—which might not be in sales but rather elsewhere in the value chain".

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