15 September 2023, Mumbai

Apparel Group's Crocs has opened its latest store at the Riyadh Park Mall in Saudi Arabia, further cementing its dominant presence in the country. The new store is the brand's 37th in Saudi Arabia and its 80th in the GCC region.

Unveiling

The official store launch was held on September 8th and was attended by esteemed guests including key influencers and media personalities from the region.

The guests enjoyed the lively atmosphere in the store, which was filled with music from a top-notch DJ and colorful graffiti art. They also had the chance to personalize their Crocs with Jibbitz, the brand's signature charms.

Quotes

Neeraj Teckchandani, CEO of Apparel Group, said, "Crocs has always stood at the intersection of comfort, style, and innovation. Our expansion in Riyadh and the broader GCC region is a testament to our unwavering commitment to our loyal customer base.

The Riyadh Park Mall store is not just another location – it's a celebration of our shared journey with our customers who have embraced the brand wholeheartedly."

The new Crocs store in Riyadh Park Mall offers residents and visitors an extensive collection of the brand's latest designs, bringing forth a blend of comfort, color, and innovation.

Latest Textile Events

05 September 2023, Mumbai

• Retailers from across the UK attended the second day of Autumn Fair 2023, the UK's leading wholesale marketplace for home, gift and fashion. They were treated to a stimulating and informative day of trends and product inspiration, including two trend presentations from TrendBible.

  The first trend presentation focused on the key lifestyle trends for home, gifting and celebration in 2024. The four key macro trends are The Great Renovation, Meta Discovery, Democratising Domesticity and Inherent in Nature. The second trend presentation focused on two specific trends for 2024: Modern Love, a celebration of hedonism, and Retracing Roots, a festive trend inspired by Northeast Europe.

  On the show floor, retailers were positive about the event, with many finding inspiration in the latest trends. Some retailers also praised the use of the Connect app, which helps them to connect with suppliers and plan their visits.

  Outlines:

  • Retailers are looking for inspiration in the latest trends for home, gifting and celebration in 2024.
  • The Connect app is a valuable tool for retailers, helping them to connect with suppliers and plan their visits.
  • Autumn Fair is a great opportunity for retailers to find new products and trends.

   

Latest Textile Events

14 September 2023, Mumbai

The Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) has released a report that shows a sharp decline in US apparel imports in the first seven months of 2023.

Imports from all major sourcing countries, including China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, declined significantly. The total value of US apparel imports fell by 22.28% to $45.74 billion, and the volume of imports fell by 27.99% to 14.03 billion SME.

• The report attributes the decline in imports to a number of factors, including rising costs, inflation, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the decline, the unit price per SME increased by 7.94%, suggesting that companies are passing on higher costs to consumers.

  The report also notes that there are some opportunities for growth in the US apparel market, particularly in diversified and high-value-added items. Companies that are able to innovate and offer products that meet the needs of consumers will be well-positioned to succeed in the current market environment.

  Outlines:

  • The decline in apparel imports is the largest since the global financial crisis of 2008.
  • The decline is expected to continue in the coming months, as rising costs and inflation put further pressure on businesses.
  • The decline is having a significant impact on the apparel industry, as many companies are struggling to maintain profitability.
  • The decline is also having a negative impact on jobs, as many apparel factories are being forced to close.

CREDITS: BGMEA Press Release.

Latest Textile Events

08 September 2023, Mumbai

Autumn Fair 2023, the UK's leading wholesale marketplace for Home, Gift and Fashion, came to a close yesterday after four days hosting over 500 exhibitors and their inspirational and innovative new products.

Thousands of retailers from across the UK and beyond attended the show, including- Sainsbury's, Next, Dunelm, Boots, Ocado, Waterstone's, Osprey London, Brand Alley, Tropic Skincare, Scribbler, Clintons, Oliver Bonas, Fenwick Ltd, Cardzone, Lakeland, M&S, Matalan, Pengethley Garden Centre, Aldi, Tesco, TJX Europe, Toys R Us, The Works, WHSMITH, Wm Morrisons Supermarkets, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, British Garden Centres, Aylett Nurseries, English Heritage, After Noah, Barnado's, Blue Diamond, Brown Thomas Arnotts, Chatsworth Estate, Cotswold Living, Avon Cosmetics, Holland & Barrett, Zoological Society of London, Liverpool FC, Jarrold, Lark London, Longleat, Ryman, JoJo Maman Bebe, Menarys, Ragdale Hall, Scotts of Stow, Caffe Nero, The British Museum Company, The Walt Disney Company, and more.

Visitors were impressed with the wide range of products on display, from the latest homewares and gifts to fashion and accessories. Many also praised the event's helpful and informative content programme, which included trend presentations, sustainability workshops, and catwalk shows.

Here are some of the highlights of the show:

• The New Product Showcase, which featured over 100 new products from up-and-coming brands.
• The Gift Of The Year Showcase, which celebrated the best in giftware from around the world.
• The Inspiring Retail Stage, hosted a variety of talks and workshops on topics such as trends, sustainability, and business growth.
• The Moda Catwalk showcased the latest fashion trends for the season.

Overall, Autumn Fair 2023 was a huge success, with thousands of visitors discovering new products and inspiration for their businesses. The event is a must-attend for retailers looking to stay ahead of the curve in the Home, Gift, and Fashion industries.

Latest Textile Events

05 September 2023, Mumbai

Headwinds and tailwinds for Bangladesh's apparel exports

• Headwinds:
  • Devaluation of the national currency, making raw materials and machinery imports expensive
  • Energy crisis
  • Decline in orders and being squeezed price-wise
• Tailwinds:
  • US-China trade war, making Bangladesh a preferred replacement for China
  • Bangladesh's move to portfolio diversification and value-added items
  • Bangladesh's continued production during the pandemic
  • Bangladesh's ability to move away from basic to value-added garments
  • Bangladesh's efforts to meet sustainable standards

Good tidings for Bangladeshi exporters

• A 15% year-on-year growth in apparel exports in April 2023
• The US is the main driver of this growth, as it is reducing its reliance on Chinese imports
• Bangladesh is also benefiting from the Sino-US trade war
• However, Bangladesh is not the only country that is benefiting from this situation, and it is important to remain competitive

Bangladesh has remained dependable

• Bangladesh continued production during the pandemic, even when other countries were shutting down
• This earned the trust of importers, who are now looking to Bangladesh as a reliable supplier
• Bangladesh has also shown its ability to move away from basic to value-added garments

The year 2023 may not live up to expectations

• Despite the good news, the President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is not convinced that 2023 will be a good year for apparel exports
• This is because garment imports by the US and the EU have declined in the first five months of the year

Conclusion

• Bangladesh's apparel exports are facing both headwinds and tailwinds in 2023
• The country needs to continue to diversify its products and meet sustainable standards in order to remain competitive
• However, the long-term outlook for Bangladesh's apparel exports is positive, as the country is well-positioned to benefit from the US-China trade war and the growing demand for apparel from emerging markets.

Latest Textile Events

13 September 2023, Mumbai

Jason Ying Wins Champion and Best Visual Presentation Award

The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC) 2023 grand finale was held on September 9, 2023. The event was a showcase of inspiration and creativity from 10 Hong Kong designers, who adopted a variety of styles. The winners of the competition were:

• Champion and Best Visual Presentation Award: Jason Ying, for his collection "Holometabolism"
• Excellence Award: Johnson Chong, for his collection "Last Chance Hiking With My Mum"
• My Favourite Collection Award: Tiger Chung, for his collection "Whispers From The Nomad - A Folk Horror Tale"

Jason Ying graduated from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia two years ago and has been working for a year to perfect his skills in pattern marking and sewing. Heavyweight Judges Offer Valuable Feedback to YDC Participants

MINI Hong Kong Continues Partnership as Lead Sponsor

YDC Collaborates with CASETiFY for Limited-Edition Commemorative Products

For the first time, YDC is collaborating with CASETiFY to infuse the inspiration of the 10 shortlisted designers into limited-edition commemorative products of CASETiFY accessories.

The collection will be available for public purchase from 9 October on the official website and all CASETiFY STUDiO stores in Hong Kong.

Latest Textile Events

07 September 2023, Mumbai

The 2023 Intex Sri Lanka textile sourcing fair was a huge success, with an all-time high attendance of 4,780 visitors.

The fair brought together professionals from around the world, making it the premier textile sourcing event in the Sri Lankan and South Asian textile and apparel industry.

Networking opportunities

The fair featured a dynamic platform for networking, learning, and business collaboration, and it set new standards for excellence, diversity, and global engagement.

The next edition of Intex will take place in India from December 7th to 9th, 2023.

Latest Textile Events

05 September 2023, Mumbai

IN BRIEF

A survey by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) found that 90% of mainland Chinese companies plan to expand their international business activity in the next one to three years.

More than 70% of these firms focused on countries that were Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) signatories or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) beneficiaries. The survey also found that more than 60% of mainland enterprises preferred engaging Hong Kong-based professional service providers to ensure successful international expansion.

Latest Textile Events

Strong Attendance

• Nearly 4,000 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions
• 95,000 buyers from 117 countries and regions

• Emerging Trends
  • Digitalization
  • Sustainability
  • Functional fashion

Knowledge Sharing

• Over 40 seminars and forums
• Concurrent Yarn Expo Autumn

Sustainable Innovation

AiDLab showcased AI applications for fashion design and fabric inspection.

The Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition was a major success, delivering exceptional results and showcasing the latest trends and innovations in the textile and fashion industry.

The event is a major hub for industry players from around the world, and it is set to continue to grow in importance in the years to come.

06 September 2023, Mumbai

'Best of Bangladesh Europe' showcases sustainable manufacturing

The event features 35 companies from apparel, textiles, agriculture, and other sectors. Over 1000 European visitors are expected to attend.

Event holds six interactive panel sessions on sustainable sourcing, workforce safety, agro-food, impact investing, and circular economy

Bangladesh Innovation Runway showcases the country's ability to produce high-end, sustainable, and innovative apparel products.

Highlights:

• Bangladesh is a major player in the global apparel industry and is committed to sustainable manufacturing.
• The country has a strong workforce with a focus on quality and innovation.
• Bangladesh is a growing market for agro-food products.
• There are many opportunities for collaboration between Bangladesh and Europe in the areas of impact investing and circular economy.

The "Best of Bangladesh Europe" event is a significant step in promoting Bangladesh as a sustainable and innovative manufacturing hub.

The event is expected to generate new business opportunities for Bangladeshi companies and help to strengthen ties between Bangladesh and Europe.

Latest Textile Events

04 September 2023, Mumbai

EUROSTAT for the period of January-June 2023 with a few analyses on the European Union’s (EU) overall import from the world and top sourcing countries:

• • EU's apparel import from the world declined by 9.22% in the first six months of 2023.
  • The decline was even steeper in terms of quantity (measured in kilogram), at 16.34%.
  • EU's apparel import from Bangladesh declined by 13.65% in dollar value and 17.59% in quantity.
  • EU's apparel import from China declined by 13.52% in dollar value and 15.45% in quantity.
  • EU's apparel import from Turkey declined by 11.12% in value term and 22.89% in quantity.
  • EU's apparel import from India declined by 6.49% in value terms and 14.07% in quantity.
  • EU's apparel import from Vietnam declined by 2.54% in value terms and 10.74% in quantity.
  • EU's apparel import from the other top sourcing countries also showed decline, with the exception of Cambodia, whose import increased by 0.14%.
  • The unit price (USD value/kg) of EU's apparel import from the world increased by 8.52% in January-June 2023.
  • The unit price of Bangladesh's apparel import increased by 4.79%.
  • The unit prices of other countries have also shown positive growth during the mentioned period.

  Analysis:

  The decline in EU's apparel import can be attributed to a number of factors, including:

  • The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted supply chains and led to higher prices.
  • The war in Ukraine, which has also disrupted supply chains and led to higher energy prices.
  • The rising cost of living, which has led consumers to cut back on discretionary spending.

  Despite the decline in overall import, the unit price of EU's apparel import from the world increased. This suggests that EU buyers are shifting their focus to higher-quality and higher-value items. This is likely due to the rising cost of living, as consumers are looking for ways to get more value for their money.

  The decline in EU's apparel import from Bangladesh is significant, as Bangladesh is the second largest apparel supplier to the EU. This decline is likely due to a number of factors, including:

  • The rising cost of labor in Bangladesh.
  • The increasing competition from other low-cost apparel suppliers, such as Vietnam and Cambodia.
  • The stricter environmental regulations in Bangladesh, which have made it more expensive to produce apparel.

  The decline in EU's apparel import from China is also significant, as China is the largest apparel supplier to the EU. This decline is likely due to the same factors that are affecting Bangladesh, as well as the ongoing trade war between the US and China.

  The overall decline in EU's apparel import is a sign of the challenges facing the global apparel industry. The industry is facing rising costs, increased competition, and changing consumer preferences. These challenges are likely to continue in the coming years, and it will be interesting to see how the industry adapts.

   

CREDITS: BGMEA Press Release.

Latest Textile Events