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Budget 2021-22 addresses issues of all sectors: TEA

Raja M Shanmugham, President, The Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) appreciated the Union Budget 2021-22 as being pragmatic, addressing issues of all sectors at a time when the Indian economy is getting back to normalcy. The association also welcomed the announcement of setting up seven mega textile parks in the country over three years with 'plug and play' facilities.

Shanmugham also welcomed the fund allocation to roads and highways infrastructure facilities, specifically to Tamil Nadu State. He also hailed the launch of mega investment textile parks and setting up seven textile parks in the country, He feels this will enable India to create global champions in exports and is hopeful Tirupur exporters will opt to set up units in these parks. Shanmugham said the allocation of Rs 700 crore for Amended Technology Upgradation Scheme (ATUFs) will help to clear pending capital subsidy. He appreciated the allocation of Rs 30 crore for Export Promotion Studies and the allocation of Rs 100 crore for Integrated Scheme for Skill Development. Shanmugham said the reduction of Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on nylon chips, nylon fibre and yarn, caprolactam to 5 per cent will help for promotion of textiles industry and exports. He lauded the allocation of Rs 50,000 crore over five years for National Research Foundation (NRF) to strengthen eco-system of the country and was hopeful that Tirupur would also benefit out of this allocation.

The proposal to allow women workers in all categories in night shifts with adequate protection, and reduction of compliance burden on employers with single registration and licensing, and online returns, were also appreciated by Shanmugham. The proposal to reduce the time limit for reopening of assessment for income tax proceedings from the present six to three years will help taxpayers to concentrate in their mainstream business, he added.

Myntra to change logo on packaging

Fashion e-commerce retailer Myntra will revamp its logo on packaging and other sale options after Naaz Patel from the NGO Avesta Foundation filed a complaint against it in December last year. However, Myntra does not plan to change the logo on its website. Patel had lodged a complaint at Mumbai’s Cyber cell branch alleging Myntra’s logo is ‘offensive’ and ‘insulting’ towards women. She demanded the logo be changed by highlighting the issue on various social media platforms.

Rashmi Karandikar, DCP, Mumbai Cyber Crime Department, also found the logo offensive in nature for women, had sent an email to Myntra for a change. One of the most popular e-commerce sites for apparel and accessories in India, Myntra recently held its End of Reason sale where it sold 1.1 crore products in five days. The annual winter sale benefitted with 51 per cent increase in traffic during 2020 compared to 2019.

ShilpaShettyKundra launches new leisure and night wear brand

As per a Fashion Network report, Bollywood celebrity Shilpa Shetty Kundra has launched a new leisure wear and nightwear brand Dreams with a dedicated e-commerce store.

The online brand has launched a range of garments designed to transform work from home wear to a trip out shoping. The label retails a range of ‘round the clock wear’ including kaftans, kimonos, crop tops, and pyjama sets among others.

The brand’s new e-commerce store has sections for 11 different collections including ‘Ikat’, ‘Floral’, ‘Dreamcatcher’, ‘Tie-Dye’, ‘Ethnic’, and ‘Print Play’ among others. Fabrics include velvet, cotton, and jersey and garments all have a loose, relaxed fit. Prices range from Rs 1,590 ($21.79) to Rs 4,890.

The brand caters to all body types and women playing all kinds of roles in life.

Ashok Kumar Sonthalia to be the new CFO of Titan Company

Ashok Kumar Sonthalia has been appointed as the new chief financial officer if Tata Group-owned Titan Company. As per an Economic Times report, Sonthalia will join the company on February 1. He will succeed S. Subramaniam with effect from July 1. This announcement comes as Subramaniam, the current CFO, is due to retire from Titan with effect from June 30.

Sonthalia's last stint was with Larsen & Toubro Infotech as CFO. His previous roles include leadership positions in Greaves Cotton Limited, Tata Inc., Tata Chemicals and Tata Steel in various positions. He is a chartered accountant with about 30 years of experience in areas of strategic financial planning, business development, M&A, treasury and finance and accounts.

In the second quarter ended September, Titan Company reported an 1.8% increase in net profit to Rs 320 crore. The maker of watches, jewellery, eyewear and apparel had reported a 0.6% increase in revenue to Rs. 4435 crore.

Ashok Kumar Sonthalia to be the new CFO of Titan Company

Payal Singhal launches new collection with Indya

South Asian fashion house Payal Singhal has launched a new range of fusion and occasion wear in collaboration with ethnic wear brand Indya. ‘Payal Singhal for Indya’ line was launched on February 1 on Indya’s dedicated e-commerce store The range offers Singhal’s signature bohemian designs to a wider audience with Indya’s expansive distribution network and more accessible price point. It features lehengas, kurtas, shawls, tunics, and separates with pastel hues, floral prints, and tassel details.

The collection offers amble options for intimate family occasions, work from home meetings to more formal events, reflecting the evolving desires of shoppers in the ‘new normal’. Established in 1999, Payal Singhal focuses on modern Indian bridal and occasion wear laden with global appeal. History and culture are its starting points. However, it also approaches tradition with a renewed outlook to give every collection a present-day relevance.

Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co sells Punjab mill to Cedaar Textile

A Kothari Group firm, Gillanders Arbuthnot & Company has sold its Punjab-based textile spinning unit to Cedaar Textile.

In September last year, Kolkata-headquartered Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co had received shareholders' approval for sale of its unit.Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co was founded by FM Gillanders and GC Arbuthnot in 1935.

Last year in February, it entered into an agreement for slump sale of one of its tea estates to Jutlibari Tea And Plantations LLP, Assam, for Rs 15.90 crore. In its annual report, the company stated that the sale was done “in order to reduce debts and improve the overall profitability”.

For the quarter ended September 2020, the company reported a 67.5 percent year-on-year jump in net profit at Rs 25.9 crore. It posted a net loss of Rs 14.7 crore for the April-June quarter 2020.

For the year ended 2019-20, the firm swung to a net loss of Rs 15.2 crore from a profit of Rs 32.4 lakh, on a total income of Rs 660 crore, which was down 12% year-on-year.

Established in September 2020 with a corporate office in Bengaluru, Cedaar has a factory in Ludhiana manufacturing yarn and fabric and also providing spinning, knitting and dyeing with a focus on organic and recycled fibres.

Amazon sign MoU with Karnataka to drive e-commerce exports

Amazon India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Karnataka to help drive e-commerce exports from the state. As part of the MoU with the Department of Industries and Commerce, Amazon will train and onboard MSMEs from the state on Amazon Global Selling, its exports programme, enabling them to sell their unique Made in India products globally to millions of Amazon customers across 200+ countries and territories.

Amazon Global Selling lowers the entry barrier for motivated Indian MSMEs to expand their business and launch their brands globally from anywhere in India.

With this program homegrown businesses get instant access to global markets from Day one, benefiting from Amazon's distribution capabilities and global footprint to scale rapidly, creating a sustainable exports business, Amazon said.

As part of the program, Amazon will conduct training, webinars and on-boarding workshops for exporters from key MSME clusters like Ballari, Mysuru, Channapatna and other districts.

The workshops will focus on sharing knowledge and imparting training to MSMEs about Business-to-consumers e- commerce exports and selling worldwide through Amazon's 17 international marketplaces to over 300 million customers worldwide.

CMAI applauds Union Budget 2021-22

Rajesh Masand, President, Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) welcomed the Union Budget 2021-22.

He hailed the announcement of seven mega textile parks as being in line with the government’s intention to encourage mega projects and increase the scale of textile operations in the country. He particularly applauded the incorporation of the Plug and Play model in these parks to avoid huge capital expenditure outlays.

Masand urged the government to study the reason behind the failure of textile parks in the country so far. He also pointed out increasing import duty on cotton and cotton fiber may not impact the industry too adversely as it is still reeling from an unprecedented increase in yarn prices.

Masand said the Budget will positively impact consumer spending. The permission to form a one-person company will directly benefit smaller apparel manufacturers as they will receive more support from banks. The increase in tax audit slabs will benefit smaller members of the sector, added Masand.

CMAI applauds Union Budget 2021-22

Fabindia, Hidesign launch first joint location store

Two well-known eco-friendly brands -- Fabindia and Hidesign - have launched their first ever joint location store at Pondy Bazaar, T Nagar, the vibrant commercial hub of Chennai, which is part of the Smart City project and one of the principal shopping districts of the city.

Spread across 5,000+ sqft on the ground and first floor, the store will help Fabindiashowcase ts apparel and select home & lifestyle offerings, with Hidesign highlighting its sustainable vegetable tanned leather goods which are handcrafted at their ateliers in Puducherry.

For Hidesign, the store is spread across 700 sqft on the ground floor and will retail its signature premium leather bags and accessories.

The new store also showcases the brand’s latest collections including the East India Leather collection, a range of bags handcrafted using sustainable leathers of the highest quality available in the world and Homme, a back to work collection with a unisex approach.

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CREDITS: Economic Times report,

Fabindia, Hidesign launch first joint location store

RIL rebrands sports & lifestyle business as RISE Worldwide

Reliance Industries has announced rebranding of its sports and lifestyle business to RISE Worldwide as it independently ventures into the burgeoning industry in India and globally. RISE Worldwide will continue to drive the full portfolio of owned and operated brand properties formerly under the banner of IMG-Reliance. RISE Worldwide is conceptualised with the belief that ‘Together We RISE as 1’ the company’s motto represents the passion, positivity, optimism and leadership of a young India, globally.

The transition to an independent brand identity is aimed at enabling various verticals currently within the sports and lifestyle businesses, an autonomy to operate and create industry driving strategies and world class consumer experiences, as the company focuses on further investing in the segment.

The RISE Worldwide portfolio includes sports and sponsorship consulting, fashion and sustainability platform building, athlete talent management, licensing, broadcast production, lifestyle and entertainment with owned or managed key properties such as: Hero Indian Super League, Lakme Fashion Week, Tata Open Maharashtra, Jio Wonderland, SU.RE Sustainable Resolution etc.

RISE Worldwide aims to provide a comprehensive solution to the sports, lifestyle and entertainment industries as one inclusive force creating a symbiotic ecosystem that engages in nation building by inspiring the youth through its various initiatives.

The company is already India’s largest independent Sports, Lifestyle and Entertainment enterprise, connecting with over 150 million youth on social media through their various IPs.

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