FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’s DESK… I have just returned from Texprocess, Frankfurt and besides meeting a lot of old friends and colleagues from the industry, all that I heard there was ‘Industry 4.0’… Every technology provider is talking about concepts like internet of things, additive manufacturing, man-tomachine communication, machine-to-machine communication, SaaS, smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence – each concept an integral part of the term Industry4.0. Many of the technologies I saw there were tailor-made for Western countries where labour is a scarce but expensive resource. The idea behind many of the machines were to eliminate human interventions and fully automate processes from design to production and in some cases even including retail and logistics. So, does that mean that Industry 4.0 is actually about taking production back tothe West…? I have my reservations on how relevant Industry 4.0 is for the manufacturing world today… Even before automation could be properly adopted in Asia and other developing nations where production is happening, the focus of technology providers is already shifting to the next phase without fully perfecting the automation stage and making it suitable to the needs of countries that areleading in production today… At the event, it was heartening to see many exporters from the Indian subcontinent and I was happy to interact with many of them…, a majority of whom were from Bangladesh. The focus for most was in finding technology that could improve efficiencies and productivity. Cutting room solutions, better sewing machines with energy saving devices, sustainable solutions in washing and finishing…, all practical requirements for a modern-day compliant factory were indemand. Can the technology providers afford to ignore the requirements of these manufacturing destinations which are their biggest selling markets? I questioned some experts on whether they agree that technology is moving too fast, and whether it is true that the need of nations where the manufacturing is currently happening is not really the thrust anymore... No one really had an answer, and I can only interpret that the Texprocess platform is about the future, though in manufacturing countries the push is still on selling automation. Though, most industry experts agree that the future is still a mystery and difficult to predict, what is sure is that it would be very different from today and if companies did not start preparing now, they would be wiped out of business… One fact that came out strongly is that the change is not about evolution, but disruption…, disruption of old systems of working to adopt digitisation as a tool to give consumer more value through technology which is autonomous andagile. Industry 4.0 may still take decades to be a reality in manufacturing countries…, but as upfront businessmen, it is important to keep our eyes and ears open for changes and shifting demand to stayrelevant. The holy month of Ramadan has set in and I wish all my friends a peaceful period of fasting, prayers andcelebrations… Ramadan Mubarak!
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MINDTREE
Q-and-A With year 2021 almost round the corner (4 years to go), what according to you are the vital aspects/criteria that you think would determine if the industry could reach the target of US $ 50 billion in exports? Please share your views with us…
Syed Nurul Islam, CEO, Well Group First thing I would like to say is that this is an over-ambitious target and is not very realistic. When this target was declared some two years ago, our export earning was around US $ 22 billion, and the target speaks of more than doubling the earnings in a span of 5-6 years. What was the basis of declaring the same, I really do not know. Our growth is around 10 per cent and our export earnings currently stand at US $ 28 billion. It would probably reach US $ 32 billion by next year, and again if you go by the 10 per cent growth, the earning would be around US $ 35 billion by the year next. So going by the growth percentage, we would still be well behind the US $ 50 billion mark by 2021. Despite having a good support from the Government, our industry is now in no place to achieve that target as we still lack in infrastructure, gas and electric supply as well as skilled manpower. So realistically speaking, I would say if we are able to maintain the 10 per cent growth till 2021, it would be a big achievement for us. However, by setting and declaring this super ambitious target, we have only been able to unnecessarily gain all our competitors’ focus, which is something not good for the Bangladesh garment industry.
Roshan Withanage, Managing Director, CJ International Ltd. From US $ 32 billion to US $ 50 billion, in just four years, is a very tough call. There are somethings called the ‘natural growth’… We are already constrained by shortage of gas supply and infrastructural drawbacks. If the infrastructure development doesn’t take place and political environment becomes unstable, then it will be very difficult to achieve the target of US $ 50 billion. However, if the Government supports to create a ‘positive’ environment for the readymade garment manufacturing sector, I think Bangladesh has the potential to achieve the target.
Masheed RAbdullah, Director, DressmanLtd. I think in terms of capacity, it’s possible for Bangladesh to achieve this target. But for that to happen, the buyers also need to increase the price and also garment manufacturers need to concentrate on making valueadded items. However, one very positive and important thing is that the present Government is business-friendly and if our Government supports us 100%, then I certainly think it’s an achievable target. We are also expecting a big boost from the Government in the upcoming budget.
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Najam Ishaq, Managing Director, Quality Links Ltd. Bangladesh garment industry is still suffering from compliance issues. According to media reports, about 50 per cent factories have only been certified by Accord & Alliance in terms of safety remediation, but the remaining 50 per cent are yet to achieve the same. It is one of the major areas that Bangladesh should work on because after Rana Plaza collapse, safety and security has been the prime concern. However, it has to be accepted that Bangladesh has been superb in all areas of garment manufacturing throughout the last decade. Other than compliance issues, if Bangladesh can develop the infrastructure, I think the garment industry can achieve the target that it has set for itself to reach by 2021.
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NEXT MINDTREE QUESTION
Has the 46th National Budget for the fiscal year 2017-18 been as per your expectations? Any special sops/initiatives that you would have liked to have for the garment industry to further boost its growth and development? Please share your views…
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Industry concerned over store closures & bankruptcies in US! » Brands/retailers filing for Chapter 11 is worrisome feel many » Downplay fears of immediate effect of regime change in USA
ven as fears and apprehensions as to the illeffects of Brexit are yet to wane off, the garment industry is now faced with two new developments – the reported bankruptcy and large-scale closure of stores; and the change of guards in the USA – that many feel might have far reaching implications for the industry.
E
More than 18 fashion brands/ stores, based in US, have started showing negative trends already with many announcing closure of stores and filing for Chapter 11 in the last few months alone. According to a Western media
report named, ‘America’s retailers are closing stores faster than ever’, it has been predicted that there could be closure of more than 8,000 stores in 2017, which could well surpass the 2008's peak of around 6,200. This has emerged as a matter of grave concern for the garment manufacturers world over. Complicating things further is Republican Donald Trump’s economic policies, who recently took over the reign from Democrat Barack Obama as the 45th President of USA. A recent study by the World Bank, which without naming Trump, highlighted the rising
Bankrupt • Rue21 Inc • Vanity and Agent Provocateur Inc. • Gymboree • Agent provocateur
protectionism and threats to unwind trade agreements, and the impact of so-called attempts by the Trump administration to force companies to repatriate global supply chains to the US. Apparel Online discussed with the industry on these two issues to know their take on the situation, as they see it. “Till now there is no direct impact of Donald Trump’s presidency on Bangladesh apparel industry. And this is because Trump doesn’t have any special terms and conditions for importing, especially RMG from Bangladesh. The only issue is that the chance of renewal of GSP could get delayed or in the worst case scenario, fail to materialize. But for the last few years despite the GSP barrier RMG sector in Bangladesh has been growing, exports to the USA declined 1.49 per cent to US $ 5.11 billion from US $ 5.19 billion during the January-November period, 2016 (according to the data from the US Department of Commerce). But that was not due to President Trump, but GSP. If GSP issue can be resolved, RMG export to the USA will increase again,”
FACT SHEET According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics’ report, the retail sector collectively cut 30,000 jobs in March. Employment in general merchandise stores declined by 35,000 in the same month and 89,000 since October 2016.
Andreas Eickelmann, Country Manager –Foshan Seazon Textile and Garment Co. Ltd.
“It’s too early to gauge the impact that the change of regime in USA might have on the apparel industry in this part of the world…” –Andreas Eickelmann
maintains Khondoker Mahibur Rahman (Sumon), Managing Director of Stanley Fashion BD, a 100% export-oriented buying house dealing in sweater, knit and woven items. Rahman further added, “In 2016-17 fiscal years, RMG export to UK has also declined 5.19 per cent in the first six months due to BREXIT. But we hope this is a temporary phenomenon, and export to UK will become normal within a year or two.” Rahman however sees the challenges looming somewhere else, saying, “The major problems that we are facing now are low FOB value, dependency on imported cotton and technology. As we don’t have enough land to produce cotton, we have to import from overseas. For technology again, we have to import machineries and that too at a very high cost. Besides, to maintain compliance, we have to make substantial investment
Huseyin Emre Arkut, Account Manager –ORTA AnadoluLtd.
“This will not affect us or even Bangladesh. They can’t produce the apparel items there at price points that we offer…” –Huseyin Emre Arkut
but our valued buyers don’t want to pay anything extra for maintaining such high compliance standards. However, as Bangladesh is No. 1 in denim garments and the first choice of buyers globally, denim will help us maintain the shipment target. We hope to overcome the shortcomings by increasing our production/hour and exporting more denims and jeans.” Says Andreas Eickelmann, Country Manager – Foshan Seazon Textile and Garment Co. Ltd., who spoke to Apparel Online on the sidelines of the recentlyconcluded Bangladesh Denim Expo: “It’s too early to gauge the impact that the change of regime in USA might have on the apparel industry in this part of the world. Yes, it’s a fact that Trump said he will bring back all the industries to America. But as of what I understand, what he meant is the hi-tech industries
Masheed R Abdullah, Director –Dressman Ltd.
Khondoker Mahibur Rahman (Sumon), Managing Director –Stanley Fashion BD
“Till now there is no direct impact of Donald Trump’s presidency on Bangladesh apparel industry. And this is because Trump doesn’t have any special terms and conditions for importing…” –KhondokerMahiburRahman(Sumon)
“…USA used to be our main market, accounting for almost 70% of the total business, and Europe making up for the remaining 30 per cent. But now the focus is back on Europe.” –Masheed R Abdullah
May close stores...
15%
GAP 11%
American Eagle Ann Taylor
10%
Kohl’s
2
9%
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
(According to Cowen Group Inc., a diversified financial services firm, some 20 per cent of the malls will need to close or be repurposed over the next decade.)
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Closing Stores
250 The Limited
171 Wet Seal
168 Bebe
150 Sears & Kmart
138 JCPenney
120 BCBG
68 Macy’s
60 Abercrombie & Fitch
60 Guess
and not textile/apparel industry, which is very price-sensitive. For textile/apparel industry, you need cheap labour, which is not available in America. Until US imports cheap labour from overseas, re-shoring textile/ apparel sector there is not possible. But yes, Trump’s stance on bringing back industries to USA is a matter of concern for everyone, nonetheless.” Based out of Shaoxing Zhejiang Province in China, Foshan Seazon Textile is a fabric manufacturer specializing in full range of woven and knit denims with strong market presence in Bangladesh. Eickelmann’s sentiments were echoed by Huseyin Emre Arkut, Account Manager, ORTA Anadolu Ltd. “This will neither affect us nor even Bangladesh. They can’t produce the apparel items there at price points that we offer. They can learn about the intricacies of garment manufacturing from us but not take away our businesses,” Arkut declares, underlining that Bangladesh’s expertise and efficiency in denim products is a definite advantage for the garment exporters here to tide over any trying times. “Bangladesh industry has the ability to handle any crisis. Denim is still alive and it’s growing enormously… They have to come to us for denim,” Arkut maintains. ORTA is a Turkish denim fabric manufacturer, which is in Bangladesh for the last seven years and catering to almost all the major jeans manufacturers in the country. The apprehensions of some crucial trade agreements getting diluted by Trump administration, according to Rahman, would but play to Bangladesh’s advantage. “If Donald Trump actually cancels TPP contract, then in spite of the GSP barrier, Bangladesh can
This (large scale store openings in malls) has created a bubble, and like housing, this bubble has now burst. We are seeing the results: doors shuttering and rents retreating. This trend will continue for the foreseeable future and may even accelerate. -Richard Hayne, CEO, Urban Outfitters
export more to the USA than Vietnam because Vietnam would be shorn of the added advantage of TPP,” Anwar observes. The large-scale store closure by major brands and retailers – Sears &Kmart (150), JCPenney (138), Macy’s (68), Abercrombie &Fitch (60), Guess (60), etc., and many others filing for bankruptcy (including names such as Rue 21 Inc, Vanity and Agent Provocateur Inc., Gymboree and Agent Provocateur) seems more worrying from Bangladesh’s perspective as many Bangladeshi exporters are largely dependent on US market retailers. “…I have lost my confidence in American retailers…,” states Masheed R Abdullah, Director of Dressman Ltd., one of the prominent garment manufacturer and exporter of the country, which counts Sears, Next, H&M and many more among its clientele. Catering mainly to the USA, Abdullah has now decided to shift focus in terms of markets. “We’re going through the biggest transition of our business and exploring all the possibilities. USA used to be our main market, accounting for almost 70% of the total business, and Europe making up for the remaining 30 per cent. But now the focus is back on Europe,” explains Abdullah.
Some international retailers moving out from USA to Europe coupled with European brands’ comparatively strong performance as against their American counterparts, are the other reasons for Abdullah to look up to Europe. Eickelmann though thinks the poor show by the retailers is not restricted and is spread across geographical locations! “Even in Europe the retailers are not doing well. Except for maybe Zara and H&M, others are struggling and this situation has been affecting us but we have to adapt ourselves according to the changing milieu,” explains the Country Manager of Foshan. Arkut believes a prolonged economic crunch impacting the US retailers would surely affect the garment exporters. “But the scenario is no better in Europe. In Netherlands, France and Germany, many companies have become bankrupt that has put us really in a precarious position. Here in Bangladesh many manufacturers are finding it difficult to collect their due payments from the European clients. But I think this crisis will be over in a season or two and we’ll survive it eventually,” reaffirms Arkut to wind up the conversation on an optimistic note.
EXPORTER PROFILE
omeone very rightly said, follow your passion and success will follow you! And who could be a better example of the same than the Director of Mahmud Group, Gazi Mahbubul Alam, an embodiment of the very maxim himself… Clad in a pair of denim trousers, a denim shirt, denim shoes from LVand Hublot’s special edition denim wristwatch, his obsession for denim is just unmistakable. It is this burning ardour for denim that has helped Gazi establish Mahmud Group as the epitome of excellence in the Bangladesh denim sector, in just over a span of a decade. “Denim as a market is very diversified with abundant growth opportunities. In next few years, I am sure you would get everything made of denim – T-shirts, shirts, undergarments, socks and even sports bikinis. Such is its growth potential,” declares Gazi speaking to Apparel Online, just back from Denim Première Vision Paris, teeming with ideas and ready to implement some of those in his production unit.
S
Mahmud Group growing on the passion of all things Denim
Gazi Mahbubul Alam, Director of Mahmud Group
“We are a core denim supplier, be it fabrics or garments. We are now planning to set up a DENIMproduct development centre, which would be like a small garmenting unitwith capacity to produce denim trousers to shirts to undergarments,socks, everything. Our objective is to promote denim across product categories,” explains Gazi, who entered the business of garment production in 1993 with his bottom manufacturing unit named Maritime Apparels, only to shut shop to make a new beginning shortly. “In 2006, I set up a small denim fabric mill in partnership, followed by spinning facility for yarns around 2008 and then started manufacturing garments once again because garment is the window to the customers,” maintains Gazi, who caters to names such as H&M,C&A, Tally Weijl, Mango, BESTSELLER, K-Mart, Inditex, to name afew. Specializing in all categories – womenswear, menswear and kidswear in denim, Mahmud Group’s FOB of products, ranges from US $ 5
per cent, followed by RMG (30 per cent) and processing and yarn, 10 percent.
Gazi Mahbubul Alam, Director of Mahmud Group
to US $ 12, a testimony not only to the Group’s diversity in terms of product offerings but also the range of clients and markets that itcaters. “Our pants are selling from Euro 65 to US $ 9.9 to the end customers. So in a way we are covering thelarge range. And this is because the market today is so volatile that one cannot simply depend on any one segment or market,” chips inMohammad Mostafa, General Manager (Marketing &Merchandising). Almost 85 per cent of Mahmud Group’s total produce in RMG is for Europe, 5 per cent for Australia and remaining 10 per cent for USA. “We are also the nominated fabricsupplier of C&A, H&Mand Inditex. So we are supplying fabrics to other garment factories which produce forthem. Currently our in-house consumption of fabrics would be around 25-30 per cent and the rest is available to the market,” Gazimaintains. As is in garments, Mahmud Group’s fabrics cover the entire range – from basic to value-added. “We are selling fabrics to all the manufacturers in Bangladesh and our range starts from US $ 1.7 to US $ 3.5/yard, and this differentiation comes right from the construction stage to finishing,” explains Mostafa. As a well-thought business move, Gazi has decided to keep the RMG and fabric unit independent of each other, ensuring both the entities are cost and profitcentres in their own. Of the Group’s total turnover of US $ 102 million yearly, fabrics account for around 60
ESSENTIALS Mahmud Jeans Limited (MJL), dedicated to garment production and part of fully vertically integrated (spinning, weaving, stitching, washing and finishing) facility was established in 2009. The 22-line unit specializes in denimwear and has production capacity of 40,000 pieces per day.
The last segment to join the Group, Mahmud Jeans Limited (MJL), dedicated to garment production and part of fully vertically integrated (spinning, weaving, stitching, washing and finishing) facility was established in 2009. The 22line unit specializes in denimwear and has production capacity of 40,000 pieces per day. Mahmud Group’s other units are – Mahmud Denims Limited (weaves more than 2.5 million yards of denim – in Basic, Slub Cross Hatch, Satin, Print, Coated and Tensile varieties – per month using 100% cotton and blends in all weights from 4.5 ounces to 14 ounces), Mahmud Washing Plant Limited (capacity 30,000 pcs./day), Mahmud Woven Dyeing Unit (established in 2012, this OekoTex-certified unit dyes one million yard of fabricevery month), Mahmud Spinning Unit (capacity 900 tonnes/month using renowned spinning equipment from Germany, Japan, Switzerland and Spain to produce yarns from 6 to 20 counts) and Mahmud Indigo Limited (70 loom-strong unit with rope dyeing, beaming and weaving facilities to produce high-quality and valueadded fabrics). Next in line for the Group is an upcoming green facility to be operational by later half of 2017 – Gold certification as per preliminary assessment but aiming to achieve Platinum – which is aimed as muchto ensure business sustainability as it is to adhere to the Group’s environmental commitment. “Considering the total investment, initially the production cost will be little higher but we will be saving a lot in terms of manpower, water and energy. Besides, you have to take into account our commitment to the environment which we cannot afford to overlook. So in that sense, even if it is little extra, we would have to bear that cost. It’s more ofan investment for the future. But having said so, as a businessman I would have to think about the economic sustainability. So we are trying tostrike a balance between all these factors,”
Gazi explains, adding, “For this newunit we will be using the latesttechnology for production and as such are busy setting up a new team, comprised of young and well-educated people who can understand and appreciate the endeavour that we are making in terms of sustainability.” Expected to produce around 65,000 pieces per day, the new facility will make use of nanotechnology from Jeanologia. “According to Jeanologia, a pair of jeans consumes around 45-50 litres of water in the traditional method but by using their technology, the same can be done using just a glass of water,” Gazi underlines. As per the Director of Mahmud Group, this technology enables one to wash a pair of denim inside a bubble created by ozone instead of water, while enabling one to retain almost 95 per cent of the effect as attained by usingwater. Upbeat at the prospects of denim in the global as well as domestic arena, Gazi has decided to devote the next five years to PD and capacity building only. “In terms of fashion, fabric is the main driver, which again boils down to the comfortability quotient. In the last 4-5 seasons, the trend has been more of colour denims and therugged looks (not only in terms of fabric but also patterns). Our focus thus would be to provide quality and diversified fabric and garments going forward,” explains Gazi. Being the chief driver of the country’s economy, the RMG sector already has been able to establish its value and worth across all walks of life –bankers, investors and everyone directly or indirectly involved in it. What’s more, it has also generated interest amongst the educated millennial who now identifies in RMG a bright future for themselves, feels Gazi. “In Europe, Bangladesh is now the biggest denim supplier. We have also started catering to the Chinese domestic market, which is very encouraging. We now need to invest more on technology and human resource development to keep this growth going,” winds up Gazi on a positive note underlining in terms of products (fabric), innovative knitted denim is the next from Mahmud, which is worth watching outfor.
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Sourcing Bangladesh Ltd. buying for Scandinavian market Even as exporters search for niches to be relevant to the buyers, buying offices are creating strengths to service specific markets better. Specializing in workwear, jackets, sportswear and the like, Dhaka-based Sourcing Bangladesh Ltd., with annual turnover of US $ 3 million and aiming to touch US $ 5 million by the end of 2017 (after addition of two new clients in Top Sweat and Scanderas recently), is a buying house started by Md. Kabir Hossain (Managing Director) in 2011, catering mainly to the Scandinavian market.
“T
he Scandinavian market, especially Sweden, which accounts for a major chunk of my business, is not very big in terms of volume. However, the best part is when buyers world-over (especially from the US and Europe) are decreasing the price margins significantly, Swedish buyers are very reasonable in terms of price. Their prime concern is quality,” informs Kabir, adding that his clients are understandable enough to consider the various challenges that a buying entity like Sourcing Bangladesh might have to face, operating from a thirdworld country and even offering certain leverages too! “They wouldnever ask for a discount even if one falters on delivery dates at times due to a pressing but genuine issue back home. But they expect one to be very open and honest with them,” says a happy Kabir, who according to his own admissions, never had any payment issues with any of his clients so far.
Md. Kabir Hossain, Managing Director, Sourcing Bangladesh Ltd.
“…the best part is when buyers world over (especially from the US and Europe) are decreasing the price margins significantly, Swedish Having worked as the Country Manager buyers are very of Swedish buying house X Trade for reasonable in terms 13-long years, Sweden was anobvious of price. Their choice for Kabir. That X Trade’s then primary concern in-charge for Asia, started his own company X International, only to is quality.” wind up the business in Bangladesh and enter into a tie-up with Sourcing Bangladesh for all its requirements from the country on commission basis, and which played to Kabir’s advantage. Catering to names such as Sandrydes, Max Collections, Springhill Textile AB, NHIndustri AB (all from Scandinavia), Sourcing Bangladesh offers jackets with average FOB of US $ 15, T-shirts (FOB US $ 4.50) sport Tees (made from
Md. KabirHossain
functional fibres) starting FOB US $ 5 and leggings and yoga pants (FOB US $ 3 without packing). “Though we offer some woven articles and sweaters also but specialized and value-added products like jackets, sportswear and workwear are what we are more interested in,” explains Kabir, who took it as a challenge to establish Sourcing Bangladesh in value-added products rather than basic items (that have very low margins) from day one. “Initially we struggled a lot in achieving the desired quality in soft shell jackets and also had to face stiff competition from China,” Kabir underlines. But over the years Sourcing Bangladesh has not only managed to achieve expertise in jackets but today is equally at ease with various kinds of workwear as well. “One of my major clients in workwear is Procurator, for which we are sourcing products under the brand ‘Work Safe’. Recently some top retailers from Scandinavia have also expressed interest to take workwear from us including Willey, which again is a very renowned name,” Kabirsays. Dealing in such critical products, Sourcing Bangladesh initiated a number of steps to attain the level of expertise that it boasts of today. The first step in this direction was selecting the right kind of factories that would also entertain smaller order volumes (as orders forcritical products are usually not very large). “Actually we developed one factory named Dewan Fashion Ltd. for jackets and have been helping it with all kinds of technical support and assistance. For legging and T-shirts, we prefer to go
with Century Apparels… In total we are working with only five factories,” Kabirinforms. The next step was to get an expert who could handle the technicalities and guide the factories accordingly, which Kabir was able to find in a Chinese expat, under whom there are four QCs to look after the five production units. The Chinese national also helped Sourcing Bangladesh to find the right kind of fabrics from various mills in China at reasonable rates. “Even though we have four QCs we keep rotating them for the final inspection,” maintainsKabir, underlining that a person handling a particular product or a factory on a regular basis at times misses out or tends to overlook certainissues, which Kabir has learned from his 14plus years’ experience in the apparel industry in various roles. Going forward, Kabir has plans to venture beyond Scandinavia now and try out new and potential markets. He is also keen on offering his clients a lot more in terms of design and development. “That’s the difference between a buying house and a factory. People come to a buying house to find something new and interesting,” says Kabir, who travels a lot to pick up new ideas and inspirations and translate those into something innovative that would appeal to the clients. “Though we have plans for a sampling unit and a PD team but cannot afford the same currently considering our size and business volumes, but in future we would set-up for sure,” winds upKabir on a positive note.
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Intertek’s Total Quality Assurance, a big boost for garment industry Company’s Country Managing Director underlines Intertek’s commitment to support and deliver a superior service with its Total Quality Assurance value proposition covering every component of supply chain
Dr. Karthik N.D., Country Managing Director, Intertek Bangladesh
t a time when Quality Assurance is gaining precedence over Quality Control in the apparel manufacturing, Intertek – a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide through its network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and a dedicated workforce of over 42,000 people in more than 100 countries – is re-defining the industries with its Total Quality Assurance proposition.
on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled”.
A
While addressing representatives from a range of industries including leading retailers, brands, manufacturers of apparel and footwear companies at an event in Dhaka to mark the launch of Intertek’s bold new brand identity, Country Managing Director of Intertek Bangladesh, Dr. Karthik N.D., reinforced Intertek’s effort to serve the industries in its commitment to becoming the leading global Total Quality Assurance that can be summed up in just three words – ‘Total Quality Assured’. It may be mentioned here that Quality Assurance (QA) is a way of preventing mistakes or defects in manufactured products and avoiding problems when delivering solutions or services to customers; which as per ISO 9000 is “part of quality management focused
ESSENTIALS “We are differentiating ourselves by shifting our focus from a stand-alone service provider to a Total Quality Assurance service provider. If you are a brand, retailer, manufacturer or supplier, we are here to support you and to deliver a superior service with our Total Quality Assurance value proposition covering each component of the supply chain.” – Dr. Karthik N.D.
In Bangladesh and across the world, Intertek offers customers a Total Quality Assurance value proposition, assisting organisations as their trusted quality partner providing ATIC (Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification) solutions which go not just beyond assuring the quality and safety of a corporation’s physical components and assets, but also look at the reliability of their operating processes. Intertek’s ATIC services in the country focus on a number of areas including Softlines and Business Assurance Business Lines, which are two of its major business lines. Intertek’s Total Quality Assurance commitment plays a significant role in each stage of the supply chain, from Research and Development to Consumer Management, with a focus on ‘glocal delivery’. It may be mentioned here that Quality Assurance comprises administrative and procedural activities implemented in a quality system so that requirements and goals for a product, service or activity will be fulfilled. It is the systematic measurement, comparison with a standard, monitoring of processes
and an associated feedback loop that confers error prevention, which is in contrast to quality control that focuses on process output only. As the globally leading Quality Assurance provider, Intertek goes beyond physical quality control to provide total peace of mind through its innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification solutions for customers’ operations and supply chains. Its Total Quality Assurance expertise is delivered consistently with precision, pace and passion, enabling the customers to power ahead safely in all its endeavours. Intertek, the history of which spans over 130 years, on the occasion presented its logo with new colour, which according to the company, is only one aspect of Intertek’s new brand identity! “We are differentiating ourselves by shifting our focus from a stand-alone service provider to a Total Quality Assurance service provider. If you are a brand, retailer, manufacturer or supplier, we are here to support you and to deliver a superior service with our Total Quality Assurance value proposition covering each component of the supply chain,” maintained Dr.Karthik.
ADVERTORIAL
Tadanori Ueno, Area Sales Manager of Shima Seiki (3rd from left) & M. Shahabuddin, MD of Pacific Associates Limited (2nd from left) with faculty and other team members
Students and faculty at the training institute
Students busy honing skills at the institute
Shima Seiki’s APEX3 (3D apparel design system)
programming in its well-equipped institute armed with Shima Seiki’s avant-garde APEX3 (3D apparel design system) which supports all aspects of fashion design and production in the textile and knitting sector – from Planning/Design (fashion illustrations, spec sheets, colour ways, design database) to Patterning (pattern making, grading, marking) to Knit Programming (knit CAD, auto software, visual shaping) to Virtual Sampling (yarn design, simulation, mapping, 3D virtual sample) and to Sales Promotion (posters, catalogues and POP material 3D presentation).
enhance our infrastructure and equipment,” maintains M. Shahabuddin, Managing Director of Pacific Associates
“In today’s age mere knowledge of operating a hand flat is not enough. In this institute, our primary focus is on programming, restricted not only to making knit programmes but various other operations including virtual sampling, etc. which would open job avenues in production (both knit and woven) as well as in buying houses,” explains Ueno.
institute,” states Shahabuddin about the current trend in the
Aiming to keep the man-machine ratio to 1:1 for superior training, the institute currently has inducted 10 students in the first batch. “Initially we started with 10 but will keep adding an equal number of students every quarter, and will accordingly
export purposes but also is trying to fulfil buyers demand for
Limited. Underlining that there is already a huge demand for technicians in the industry, Shahabuddin assured of all possible help to the students in their job search, if need be. “As garment manufacturers are increasingly coming up with latest equipments and software which would aid value addition, the need of trained and skilled technicians have increased substantially and our aim is to fulfil this requirement through our industry and existing demand-supply scenario as far as skilled manpower is concerned. Already an established market for knitwear, Bangladesh has not only been witnessing significant increase in knit production for quicker turnaround time and value-added products. Shima Seiki’s training institute in this direction would definitely play an important role in supporting the industry meet its true potential.
SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. 85, Sakata Wakayama 641-8511, Japan, Tel: +81-73-474-8210, Fax: +81-73-474-8270
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PFT Future Pilot Solution for Jeans Eastman Technocrafts introduces new line of jean manufacturing machines under the brand PFT... ‘European technology at Chinese prices’
s the jeans manufacturing market in Bangladesh gets bigger by the day, competition is heating up not only among the exporters, but also among the machine manufacturs. While leading European brands have already positioned themselves strongly, the recent entrance of Baihui with its complete range of jean manufacturing machines under the brand name PFT that is 20-30% cheaper, will add fresh competition to the market. The company claims that the machines, though manufactured in China, have been developed on Italian technology and are as good in performance as the high-end European brands. “Bangladesh exporters are investing heavily on specialized machines for jeans manufacturing and we are presenting them with a value for money option without compromising on quality,” says Renjun Pan of Zhejiang Baihui Sewing Machine Co.Led.
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The machines will be marketed in the country by Eastman Technocrafts, which
PTF-3020TD automatic pocket setter pattern machine
is already a well-established name as a technology provider, representing world class European machines from brands like Morgan, Brongo, Mactec, to name a few. “I am constantly searching the market for technologies that can support growth and give best ROI and they are not necessarily only European brands. When I visited the huge factory of Baihui, I was impressed with the set-up, quality of machines being manufactured and the R&D efforts underway,” says Manik Chowdhury, MD, Eastman Technocrafts. Once convinced of the strong USP of the machines, Manik encouraged the management to introduce jean manufacturing machines under their own brand name, as they have experience of producing these machines for some European brands. With a strong foothold in R&D, Baihui has been present in the industry for quite a long time. Now with an independent brand, the company portfolio offers complete solution for jeans manufacturing such as automatic labelling machines, automatic jeans waist sewing machines, automatic twisting label machines, pocket setting, and much more. The company offering PFT-3020, an automatic pocket setter machine, can sew any shape of the pocket of different sizes. The pocket setter can sew an area of 300 X 200 mm with a sewing speed of 2700 RPM. The automatic fabric feeding and collect device helps to improve efficiency. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for a highly skilled operator as ironing and pocket setting operation can be carried out together by one operator. Equipped with an easily understandable automatic device, pocket jig can be changed quickly. Less maintenance coupled with low price; the company also has the ‘quality’ factor in its bag. In fact, besides the price
“Bangladesh exporters are investing heavily on specialised machines for jeans manufacturing and we are presenting them with a value for money option without compromising on quality.” –Renjun Pan, Zhejiang Baihui Sewing Machine Co. Led
advantage, Renjun Pan also points out that another major edge that PFT enjoys is being direct manufacturers and that they can supply original spare parts in a very short time, while other brands have to outsource the same, which requires much more time. “With prices that are much cheaper and services that are much better, PFT is a perfect solution for Bangladesh industry, which is looking for technologies that give quick ROI,” says Manik, who claims that the ROI of PFT machines is about one year to the maximum. It is also noteworthy that the technology gives 10% higher productivity than other European machines.
Renjun Pan (L) of Zhejiang Baihui Sewing Machine Co. Led with Manik Chowdhury (R), MD of Eastman Technocrafts
With a well-trained technical team and a strong marketing network, Eastman is more than geared up to handle the front-end support for PFT in Bangladesh. “We are very confident that with Eastman as our partner, the
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brand will become very popular in the market very soon,” says Renjun Pan. He shares that his technicians will personally train the team at Eastman to ensure that the local support is not lacking in anyway. However, Manik confirms that the machines are of such good quality that his technical team feels that post-sales issues will be practically ‘zero’. No wonder, both Baihui and Eastman Technocrafts are very optimistic of the potential. “It is not about high-end technology, because Bangladesh as a production centre is still evolving and we cannot just throw any expensive technology at the industry and say our job is done. The real challenge is to find the right balance of performance and cost that will work best for the industry at large, and I believe we have that combination with PFT… European quality with Chinese price,” concludes Manik.
LECTRA
Apparel 4.0 Strategy Presented to Bangladesh industry with fanfare State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Junaid Ahmed PalakMP
Celebrating a very successful year in Bangladesh, Lectra with its local partners Aamra Resources Ltd., recently introduced in Dhaka their Apparel 4.0 Strategy in line with the global technology movement towards what is commonly referred to as Industry 4.0. The new strategy is the outcome of many years of R&D and has been conceived to empower fashion and apparel, automotive and furniture companies to succeed as they step into the Industry 4.0 era. “We don’t know for sure what the future holds for us or where the R&D will take us, but for sure digitization is going to bring in even bigger change than the advent of the internet and we want our customers to know what are the directions and possibilities,” said Jérôme Viala, Executive Vice President, Lectra in an exclusive interview to Apparel Online on the side-lines of the event.
(L to R) Syed Farhad Ahmed, Managing Director; Jérôme Viala, Executive Vice President, Lectra; David Leprovost, Channel Sales Director, South and South East Asia, Lectra; and Yves Delhaye, Director, Asean, Australia, South Korea
Sonia Bashir Kabir, Country Manager, Microsoft Bangladesh
he Lectra team, also included David Leprovost, Channel Sales Director, South and South East Asia, Lectra who has been looking after Bangladesh for 11 years, and Yves Delhaye, Director, Asean, Australia, South Korea, India who were among those who laid the foundation of Lectra in Bangladesh. The three stalwarts of the company unanimously praised the way the Bangladesh industry has grown and adapted Lectra as their business partners in growth. “The industry in Bangladesh is changing very fast, it is no longer the cheapest destination, and realising that the shift from mass production to mass customization needs to happen, the focus is now on ‘relevant’ technologies and not just automation,” said David. Supporting the thought Yves added, “Earlier the industry just wanted to have automation in cutting because everyone was propagating it, without understanding the ‘why’, so there was investment in low-cost technologies, but now in the last 2/3 years, the clarity has come in and people are looking at companies like Lectra for partnerships, and not just only for technologies.”
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The team admitted that though the takeoff was slow, the intake of technologies has increased multifolds as last year Bangladesh was the top selling country for Lectra in apparel manufacturing worldwide. The Lectra team at Aamra, led by Syed Farhad Ahmed, Managing Director; and Sohel Ahmed, COO, Aamra Resources Ltd. proudly received a trophy from Lectra for their amazing performance. Lectra entered the Bangladesh market in 1994 and has since then captured 60 per cent market share mostly for CAD/CAM providing pattern and marker making solutions and cutting room technology.
“We do not want to oversell the future, but want to share with them our directions and what the future holds.” David Leprovost, Channel Sales Director
The Lectra team at Aamra Resources; geared up for next phase of growth
Dwelling on the reasons that have contributed to the successful journey of Lectra, David proudly recalls that over the years the company has never promised more than it can deliver. “We have been able to win the confidence of the industry as we have demonstrated improvements in measurable terms… Any cutter can cut; we are not fighting on cutting, but performance… What we have are tangible results that quantify the value,” argues David. Perhaps that is why of late, some companies have opted to go for full solutions from Lectra worth about US $ 1 million, in one go! The emphasis now for Lectra, is not only on selling machines but supporting the industry with flexible solutions. The company is advocating strongly that the future is about digitalization of industrial processes, from creation to production, and that Industry 4.0 is creating a new organization of factory ecosystem. “We do not want to oversell the future, but want to share with them our directions and what the future holds,” averred David, explaining the purpose of the event. The Lectra team stressed that the new world order will be increasingly flexible with optimized resources, where factories would be able to propel a new digitalized lifecycle for products that will benefit consumers. “In the era of 4.0 we want to be the change enablers and help factories to manage the change,” emphasized Yves. Even Jérôme Viala, who is relatively new to the Bangladesh market, was confident that players in the country are smart enough to see the advantages. “From whatever meetings I have had in these few days I have been here, I can clearly analyse that manufacturers here are very upfront and
they understand that if they do not change, they will be out of the race.” The team explained to the manufacturers present that included the likes of DBL, FCI (Bd) Ltd., Square Group, Babylon Group, Yellow (Beximco Textile Ltd.) and Fakir Fashion Ltd. that Industry 4.0 concept facilitates intelligent production by incorporating ‘Internet of Things’, ‘Cloud Technology’ and ‘Big Data’. “Many new challenges are going to come up and it is important that our customers are prepared. We want to tell them that they can depend on our software and machines, as we are already compatible with Industry 4.0 principles and the R&D is being further strengthened to stay ahead of the competition,” said Yves. Just three years ago, there were 220 experts in the research team while today the number is 270 and by the end of 2018 around 350 people will be actively involved in R&D. “Our competitors are not investing even 1/3rd of what Lectra does in research, which is what will keep us far ahead,” stated Jérôme Viala. Lectra’s new strategy embeds the concept of integration of software in the CAD service horizon reinforced by cloud. This offer is capitalizing on real-time data picked up from the factories and then analysing the same for informed decisions. New industryspecific services will reinforce the offer, enabling Lectra to continually improve customer processes. Initially tested in 2017 with selected customers, some of whom have been involved with the offer since the beginning of the design, the new offer under Apparel 4.0 Strategy will be commercialized from 2018. Training at a different level will also be an integral part of the strategy. “Why
should factories compromise on days’ work to get training done? We will put the training schedules online for all to access,” reasoned David. He added that with flexible solutions through cloud connectivity, every factory will be able to source solutions suitable to their business model and upgrade whenever required. “Bangladesh industry is ready for the change and we are standing with them for change management,” declared David. Supporting Lectra in its mission is Aamra Resources, which values its partnership with the global leader and it is proud of the achievements over the years. “With world-class technology in cutting solutions, backed by an upfront management, Lectra is a wonderful company to work with,” said Syed Farhad Ahmed. He urged the industry to come forward and embrace the next generation of industry growth to take the garment sector to new heights. He emphasized that IT solutions were a thrust area in the country and the presence of State Minister for Information and Communication Technology(ICT) Junaid Ahmed Palak MP at the event only corroborated the same. “ICT Division has undertaken many steps to support the apparel industry like providing software and training services for IT development of the sector. In the vision 2021, it is estimated that more than 90% of the apparel companies will be using internet; so we must all be prepared from today,” said the Minister.” An attraction at the event was a laser &colour show to highlight the era of Industry 4.0. A fashion show highlighting the capabilities of Bangladesh exporters by some of the customers of Lectra was appreciated by the gathering.
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Lululemon launches ‘Enlite' sports bra
Macy's and Tailored Brands to wind down partnership
Not just another smart clothing equipped with any sensor or device, Canadian athletic apparel retailer Lululemon Athletica’s new ‘revolutionary’ sports bra – Enlite – leverages scientific thinking about bra design, including psychological research regarding how women want to feel in their sports bras.
Macy’s Inc. and Tailored Brands Inc. have announced their joint plan to wind down operations under the tuxedo rentallicense agreement.
The basic idea behind a sports bra is to minimize breast movement during exercise or any athletic activity. Keeping the same in mind, the sportswear retailer has launched the Enlite sports bra. Alexandra Plante, Innovation Product Manager, Lululemon Whitespace spearheaded the creation of thisbra. “The journey began more than two years ago when we started research and testing around how women want to feel in their sports bra. Breast movement during running is highly complex and can be characterized as three-dimensional, moving in multiple directions: up and down, side to side, and in and out. Our goal with the Enlite Bra was to create a product that could embrace movement by eliminating
“Macy’s is always looking for new partnerships that benefit both parties, as well as our customers, and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Tailored Brands. While the partnership did not produce the level of sales we expected, we will continueto benefit from the insights we gathered,” said Tim Baxter, Chief Merchandising Officer at Macy’s, adding, “Both Macy’s and Tailored Brands remain committedto putting our customers first, and we plan to fulfil customer orders and ensure a positive customer experience as we wind down the shops.”
expand its leadership in the tuxedo rental market. “Unfortunately, the initiative did not generate the revenue that both companies had envisioned. We believe it is in the best interest of our company and our shareholders to wind down the partnership,” said Tailored Brands’ CEO Doug Ewert.
Innovating new business models is an important catalyst for long-term growth and Tailored Brands saw the partnership with Macy’s as an opportune wayto
The Tuxedo Shops at Macy’s will continue to take new reservations until June 1, 2017, with operations winding down by July 14, 2017.
American Apparel shutting European stores the elements of movement that cause discomfort, so the innovation here lies in the way we approachedmovement management,” said Plante. The Enlite bra has encapsulated cups, no-budge straps and utilizes a new high performance fabric called Ultralu, which is touted for being lightweight and breathable. The company will continue to offer its current styles in the category, including the Fast & Free Bra, Free to Be Bra and the Energy Bra. The lightweight Spacer fabric used to create the Enlite Bra cups wraps around the natural curvature of the body, housing each breast separately as each breast is capable of moving in different ways and in different directions during physical activity. A unique combination of encapsulated cups, engineered to soften bounce is then applied toEnlite. “When it came to Enlite, we threw out the rulebook on how bras are usually designed, and decided to start from thebody by draping fabric onto a 3D form,” informedPlante.
US-based clothing retailer American Apparel has started closing its European stores by offering a 30 per cent discount on all products. Once claimed to be the largest domestic apparel maker of the US, it has been going through a rough patch in recent years.
The still sizable following of the brand should be able to pick up some good buys since European locations were able to recover stock from other already closed shops and corners, not only from Germany, but also from the company’s US headquarters. It may be mentioned here that Gildan Activewear, in January, bought American Apparel for US $ 88 million. American Apparel is an American clothing manufacturer, designer, distributor, marketer and retailer based in Los Angeles, California.
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New York & Company stands 3rd on Best Omnichannel Retailers List New York &Company, a specialty retailer of women’s fashion apparel and accessories, which began its omnichannel journey in 2010, has been ranked third overall on list of Top 100 Omnichannel Retailers by Total Retail. New York &Company’s No. 3 ranking was determined by criteria, such as the option to buy online and pick up in store; consistent pricing across channels; ability to return products across channels; and search for in-store products online. The company has expanded its capabilities each year and this, along with the growing importance of the online channel, has led to consistent growth of online sales to approximately 25 per cent of
sales in fiscal year 2016 up from approximately 7 per cent five years ago. Total Retail, in conjunction with Radial, a technology and operations provider whose clients include New York &Company, evaluated the top brands in retail to determine which brands were actively responding to consumer trends. “Our customers are incredibly tech-savvy. They expect a seamless transition between mobile, desktop, and in-store shopping and we want to ensure they are receiving the best experience possible. Innovation is our top priority,” said John Worthington, President and Chief Operating Officer of New York & Company.
As part of its omnichannel strategy, the company has also implemented initiatives to elevate the in-store experience. To this end, the brand is in the process of testing in-store kiosks, so that customers who cannot find their size can view the entire assortment and order online or pick up from a nearby location.
“Implementing omnichannel capabilities and a seamless customer experience has been a big focus for us over the past several years and it has paid off in customer growth, improved customer satisfaction, and increased loyalty,” said Greg Scott, CEO of New York & Company.
Adidas clocks 30% surge in income German sportswear brand Adidas has announced its financial results for first quarter of the current fiscal. During the period under review, net income from continuing operations for the retailer climbed 30 per cent to ¤ 455 million, while currency-neutral revenues soared 16 per cent.
In the said period, gross margin declined 0.2pp as a result of anticipated FX headwind and operating margin improved 0.9 percentage points to 11.1 per cent. This development reflects an 18 per cent increase for brand Adidas as well as a 13 per cent surge for the Reebok brand.
The major drivers of the topline improvement at Reebok were strong double-digit sales increase in the training category and in Classics. From a channel perspective, the company’s growth was particularly strong in e-commerce, where revenues grew 53 per cent in first quarter. In Euro terms, sales were up by 19 per cent in the first quarter to ¤ 5.671 billion (2016: ¤ 4.769 billion). Revenue growth at Adidas brand was driven by double-digit increase in the running and outdoor categories as well as at Adidas Originals and Adidas Neo. “We had a strong start into the year, with continued sales and earnings momentum. Our major brands Adidas and Reebok as
well as all of our key markets posted double-digit sales increase,” Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted said in a statement issued by the company. For 2017, Adidas continues to expect sales to increase at a rate between 11% and 13% on a currency-neutral basis driven by double-digit growth in Western Europe, North America and GreaterChina. The company’s gross margin is forecasted to increase up to 0.5 percentage points to a level of up to 49.1 per cent (2016: 48.6 per cent). Gross margin will mainly benefit from the positive effects of an improved pricing, product and regional mix as well as further enhancements in the company’s channel mix.
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VF Corporation prohibits use of fur in its products VF Corporation, a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories, has released its first-ever Animal Derived Materials Policy and announced that its brands will no longer use fur, angora or exotic leather in their products. The progressive new policy, developed in partnership with The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, outlines which animal materials are prohibited and sets formal guidelines for the procurement and use of approved materials by the company’s brands and global supply chain partners. The animal derived materials most often used by VF and its brands are leather, down and wool. “VF believes that all animals within the global commercial supply
in programmes centred on best practices in the wool industry.
chain should be treated with care and respect,” said Letitia Webster, VFC’s Vice President of Global Corporate Sustainability, adding, “As we continue to promote the development of viable commercial substitutes to animal materials, this policy will help to ensure that the materials we use today are procured from sources that prioritize animal welfare and responsible business practices.” VFC’s new policy adds another milestone to the company’s history of animal welfare actions. VF’s Timberland® brand partnered with other footwear brands, tanneries and retailers to form the Leather Working Group to promote responsible practices within the leather industry. In 2014, The North Face brand announced its Responsible Down
“The Humane Society of the United States applauds VFC for demonstrating compassionate leadership in the apparel and footwear industries,” said PJ Smith, Manager – Fashion Policy for The HSUS, adding, “This robust policy sets a bar to which others in the industry should aspire.”
Standard (RDS), a global standard through which any brand can evaluate and certify its complete down supply chain. The RDS was developed in partnership with Control Union and Textile Exchange, which now manages the programme. Also, VFC participates
The policy strengthens VF’s broader efforts to use responsibly sourced materials throughout its global operations and supply chain. The company also developed and adheres to existing policies for the purchase and use of Conflict Minerals, Cotton Country of Origin, and Forest Derived Materials, in addition to a Restricted Substances List for its chemical management programme.
AAFA releases industry testing guidelines for legwear, hosiery and socks their countless hours in crafting this practical resource,” said Rick Helfenbein, President and CEO, AAFA.
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has released industry guidelines, establishing testing standards for legwear, hosiery and socks in association with Manufacturing Solutions Center (MSC). The guidelines cover a range of issues including product safety, labelling and physical attributes such as colour, fastness and fit, which will prove to be useful, product-specific testing recommendations for the industry and its lab partners. “These testing guidelines are the latest in a series of
member-driven tools that AAFA has released to help the industry ensure cost-effective solutions
for common problems. Special thanks to members of the AAFA’s Legwear Testing Task Force for
The free, open-industry resource will be housed on the AAFA and MSC websites. According to Dan St. Louis, Director of the Manufacturing Solutions Center, the legwear industry is very unique. Specific industry testing guidelines are long overdue to ensure the industry has the proper and specific guidance it needs to produce quality, compliant products.
GOTS-certified units' number up by 21% in 2016 Number of facilities certified to Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) demonstrated a substantial increase, from 3,814 facilities in 2015 to 4,642 facilities in 2016, up by 21 per cent. GOTS-certified facilities are now located in 63 countries around the world. Growth is continuous, evenly spread across all market segments including the mass market and the big brands. “The increasing market acceptance is a result that GOTS delivers solutions for sustainabilitybased problems for both, business need for risk management and credibility and consumers need for transparency,” said Claudia Kersten, Director Marketing & Finance, GOTS. GOTS certification covers the processing of organic fibres along the entire supply chain from field to finished product. Countries or regions with the largest increase in
GOTS certification in 2016 were (in rank order): Bangladesh (+121), China (+68), Italy (+54), Germany (+41), India (+47) and Pakistan (+30). The top ten countries in terms of total number of certified entities were: India (1,488), Turkey (423), Germany (347), Bangladesh (331), China (269), Italy (195), Pakistan (172), Portugal (96), Korea (61) and Japan (58). “The significant growth innumbers of GOTS-certified facilities shows the willingness of more and more decision makers not only to drive change by complying with the strict GOTS criteria but also to prove this change by undergoing an independent third-party certification”, notes Herbert Ladwig, GOTS Managing Director. GOTS is the stringent voluntary global standard for the entire post-harvest processing (including spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing
and manufacturing) of apparel and home textiles made with organic fibre (such as organic cotton and organic wool), and includes both environmental and social criteria. Key provisions include a ban on the use of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs), highly hazardous chemicals (such as azo dyes and formaldehyde), and child labour, while requiring strong social compliance management systems and strict waste water treatment practices.
H & M becomes first international fashion brand to join EP100 Fashion house LVMH and Central Saint Martins have announced a ground-breaking new collaboration to promote creativity and identify cutting-edge solutions to drive sustainability and innovation in luxury products. Under the banner LVMH and Central Saint Martins, “Sustainability &Innovation in Luxury Fostering Creativity”, this new programme is inspired by a shared desire to address the many challenges facing the luxury industry.
After many years of academic and creative collaboration, LVMH is taking its relationship withCentral
Saint Martins to a new level in 2017, creating a new programme with the renowned art and design school.
The partnership will promote creativity, nurture young talents and identify disruptive solutions to address sustainable development and innovation in luxury. “We are very pleased to launch today such an inspiring program on sustainable innovation in luxury, fuelled by our numerous and successful past collaborations and creative projects with Central Saint Martins,” said Chantal Gaemperle, Group Executive Vice President Human Resources and Synergies.
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Spreading to newer markets to mitigate risk is growth strategy In terms of value addition, Grasp offers screen printing and embroidery services with modern state-of-the-art equipments. “One can choose from a myriad of printing techniques, ranging from screen printing, direct to garment, foil, soft hand, and flocking, to other textured special effects. We can also do intricate hand embroidery and appliqués, sequins and bead works,” elucidates Gabriel, attributing Grasp’s rising popularity to highest quality standards and business ethics of total honesty and integrity.
earching for fresh, unexplored markets is the demand of business today with every player acknowledging that staying focused on a single market could be a big risk. A very new export unit, established around a year-and-a-half ago, Grasp International (based out of Dhaka), specialized in woven bottoms (chinos, cargo shorts, denim jeans, casual pants, skirts, joggers, etc.) for men, women and kids, is now also open to making woven tops. It has shifted its market focus after attaining excellence in the products and processes that it started with.
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“In the last four months alone, we manufactured more than 1,20,000 pieces of garments for the Indian market but now we are gradually shifting the focus to Europe and USA as our efficiencies and product quality are more matured now and suited for those markets,” explains Gabriel Adhikary – Director, Grasp International, adding, “We fulfil the compliance requirements of safe and healthy work place (audited by Intertek for Uniqlo) and employ more than 270 employees capable of producing more than 75,000 pieces of basic 5-pocket woven bottoms per month. We have achieved our target of being one of the most efficient garments manufacturing unit amongst players of our sizes.” Currently running three lines (65 machines/ line), Grasp is planning to increase capacity to 6 lines within 2017. Returning home from overseas after almost 12 years, Gabriel, who has a masters’ degree in business administration (from USA), initially
Gabriel Adhikary, Director of Grasp International
started an apparel store only to come up with his own brand 'Kingdom' and subsequently got into mass production of garments. “Once I started my own label, I started getting buyers from India with big requirements,” claims Gabriel, who counts names such as DeFacto, Scott &Fox, Peacocks, Black Jack, Select, WoolWorth, Max, etc., amongst his clientele today. Entertaining a minimum volume of 3,000 pieces (two colours per style), Grasp does not have any reservations doing even smaller quantities, and typically turns items around in 4-6 weeks, depending on quantities. “Any delay in fabric or trims or approvals by the buyers and details is adjusted to the schedule accordingly,” Gabriel maintains, adding, “For sampling, we take two weeks in general. But as a lot depends on style detailing, hence it is best to decide on the turnaround time after discussing out the same.”
We never compromise on quality to cut corners. Once we are committed to deliver on certain standards, we try our best to maintain that… We provide solutions based on clients’ requirements rather than try to fit them into our gamut of services. Gabriel Adhikary –Director, GraspInternational
“We never compromise on quality to cut corners. Once we are committed to deliver on certain standards, we try our best to maintain that,” Gabriel declares, adding, “We provide solutions based on clients’ requirements rather than try to fit them into our gamut of services.” With client satisfaction being the bottom-line, Gabriel is more than keen to walk that extra mile to cater to their requirements. “We want to provide an affordable channel for our clients that suit their needs and requirements. Even if at times we cannot fulfil their requirements, we refer them to multiple factories as we have established a robust network with small to large-size, reliable garments manufacturing companies in Bangladesh.” The increased demands from the existing and new buyers have led Gabriel to now mull a green facility, expected to come up in 2020. He confirms about the same stating, “In the present set up, we can go up to six lines only. After that we will have to think about a new facility.”
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Garment exports earn less than expected Bangladesh garment export earnings in the July-April period of the current fiscal year 201617 has grown by 2.21 per cent to US $ 23.13 billion from US $ 22.63 billion in the same period of FY 2016, according to Export Promotion Bureau’s provisional data. But if measured on a scale of growth comparison, the country fell significantly as the growth on year-to-year basis last FY (201516) was 10.07 per cent in the same period.
of Development Studies, noted that a fall in price of garment products in the global market and appreciation of the taka against the dollar for a long period affected export earnings.
Abdus Salam Murshedy, President of Exporters Association of Bangladesh, commented, “In last 10 months, Bangladesh was losing its price-competitiveness in the global market due to
Since entrepreneurs are coming up with new investments for setting up world-class green factories in the Bangladesh' garment industry, export earnings might rebound in the coming days.
She further stated that relocation of factories was also a reason for the slow export growth as a good number of factories shifted their facilities to new buildings on safety grounds and so production at the units was hampered.
depreciation of the dollar, high cost of remediation and relocation of factories.”
Adding to that, Nazneen Ahmed, Senior Research Fellow, Bangladesh Institute
BGMEA shifting HQ to Uttara Following Supreme Court’s upholding on the 2011 High Court verdict which ordered demolition of the 16-storey building of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) reportedly built in an illegal way, the apex garment exporters’ body is now
planning to shift its headquarters (BGMEA Bhawan) from Karwan Bazar to Uttara (in Dhaka), following allotment of about 3 acres (110 katha) of land by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), recently. The BGMEA got the allotment letter from the RAJUK (the authority
to allocate land in the vicinity of Dhaka), which allotted the plot with the rider that the same cannot be used for commercial or residential purposes. It may be mentioned here that the High Court on April 3, 2011 ordered demolition of the BGMEA building within 90 days after a writ petition
was filed by a group of green activists. The BGMEA subsequently filed a review petition with the Apex Court, which put a stay on the High Court order. However, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court dismissed the review petition later maintaining that the building was built illegally and therefore must be pulled down, but granted a time period of six months to bring down the structure following another petition seeking time. According to experts, the BGMEA building reportedly stands in the way of the storm drainage system – one of the Hatirjheel integrated scheme’s prime objectives – to drain storm-water out of Paribagh, Karwan Bazar and Eskaton. RAJUK initially fixed the price of the land at BDT 220 million, and asked BGMEA to pay either in one instalment by June this year or in three instalments before the handing over of the land.
Envoy Group Chairman named ‘Business Person of the Year' With over US $ 32 billion in garment exports already, Bangladesh is home to some of the renowned apparel manufacturers and exporters globally. As the country moves ahead aiming to achieve US $ 50 billion in garment exports by 2021, the limelight is back on the entrepreneurs who have built these huge corporates on mere strength of their grit and determination. One such businessman is the Chairman of Envoy Group of Bangladesh, Kutubuddin Ahmed, who was crowned the Business Person of the Year at the 16th edition of the prestigious Bangladesh Business Awards for his superlative success as well as contribution to the economy, recently.
In his winning speech, Ahmed underlined that honesty and integrity are the keys to his enormous success. “If one is courageous, honest and sincere, he/she can be successful in any business,” Ahmed observed. Ahmed founded The Envoy Group in 1984 with a single garment manufacturing unit and employing about 200 workers, only to grow and expand into a conglomerate with diverse business interests but primarily focusing on readymade garments and textile manufacturing. Speaking on the occasion, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud (who was also the chief guest) stated that his Government
is trying hard to eliminate the bottlenecks related to land, gas, electricity and infrastructure while lauding the entrepreneurs for their contributions. “The award is not only honouring the business people; it is also
recognizing the contribution of the business community as a whole… They have succeeded because they have struggled,” the Minister said underlining that the life stories of these entrepreneurs are full of struggles.
Government to allow trade unions in EPZ factories The Bangladesh Government has now allowed the workers of Export Processing Zone (EPZ) factories to form trade unions. The decision came in the aftermath of frequent warnings that the country has been receiving from the European Union (EU) with regard to making some progress in the implementation of workers’ rights. At present, the EU is the single largest export destination for the readymade garments (RMG) manufactured in Bangladesh. Bangladesh, currently, enjoys duty-free market access to the EU countries for all products under the Everything but Arms (EBA) preferential tariff scheme. It is worth noting here that a suspension of this facility may
lead up to 12% tariff on imports from Bangladesh. Tofail Ahmed, Commerce Minister, raised the issue in a Cabinet
meeting wherein he requested that the amendment of the existing labour law be withdrawn from parliament so that further
amendment of the law could be made. He also added that if half of the members of the Workers Welfare Association (WWA) of the EPZ factories agreed to register as a trade union, then the WWA would be allowed to register as a trade union under Ministry of Labour and Employment. This year, on March 18, three European Commission bodies sent a joint communiqué which said it was necessary that the Bangladesh Government implement the four recommendations made by an International Labour Organization (ILO) Committee last year, or face the risk of being shut out from the GSP that it enjoys. A week later, the EU repeated this warning to the Government.
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NGO CARE reports sexual harassment in Cambodian garment industry
Indonesia rebooting its textile industry Indonesia has been witnessing a continuous increase in exports of textile and textile products in recent times. As a result, the Government is trying to revitalize the textile industry by introducing new machines and equipments and also issuing economic policy packages. Additionally, there are plans for a special regulation on incentives in the form of fiscal allowance for the export-oriented and labourintensive industry. Notably, under the incentive schemes planned, industrialists would also get income tax discounts for expanding their business.
Nearly one-third of women in the Cambodian garment industry experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months, according to a research report released by an NGO named CARE. This shocking revelation and the financial impact it caused has elicited mixed reaction within the industry. The research said that the financial cost of sexual harassment due to loss of productivity totalled around US $ 89 million. The study was conducted by CARE in cooperation with the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC). “The Government needs to tackle the issue in an industry that makes up almost a third of the country’s GDP,” averred Ath Thorn, President of Cambodian Labour Confederation. He further added that some workers continue working but feel sad because they have no one to help them, or they don’t want to show up in public because of Cambodian culture and that’s why many sexual harassment cases go unreported. However, Ken Loo, GMAC Secretary General, strongly disagreed with the findings by mentioning that sexual harassment incidences were not as prevalent as the research suggested and the financial loss was based on assumptions. “We don’t agree the occurrence is as high as the report
claims. This is an issue we do not condone, and of course we work to address this problem, but the loss is based on assumptions we do not necessarily agree with,” he commented.
According to Indonesian news agency’s report, the country’s exports of textile and textile products (TPT) were valued at US $ 2 billion in the first two months of 2017 – 3 per cent higher than those in the same period in the year 2016. “TPT industry is a labour industry, providing jobs to around 3
He further cited GMAC’s own monitoring programmes in factories which saw fewer sexual harassment cases reported than those cited by CARE: “In fact, the opportunity for sexual harassment is a lot lower than in other countries because most of the supervisors are female,” he remarked. Choun Mom Thol, President of Cambodian Union Federation, who had not read the report, opined that it was difficult to define sexual harassment in Cambodia, and also questioned whether CARE had its own agenda for conducting its research. “They conducted the survey, we have no idea about it, but CARE has its own mandate to conduct research for their own purposes,” he added. On the contrary, Adriana Siddle, CARE International Advisor, agreed that lack of education and awareness regarding sexual harassment meant that it was a subject that is difficult to comprehend. “CARE acknowledges that sexual harassment can be difficult for people to understand and it can be poorly understood in Cambodia,” she remarked.
million people,” confirmed Airlangga Hartarto, Industry Minister of Indonesia, who is optimistic that the country’s textile industry could compete globally but importantly it needs revitalization as the majority of factories, chiefly weaving and knitting factories, use old machines. “We have begun revitalization by using new machines and equipments which has shown positive results, but the programme has to be continued,” said Hartarto. However, the Minister added that if the TPT industrialists do not utilize the economic policy packages issued by the Government by increasing investment, then the TPT industry may lose the competition to countries like India, China, Vietnam and Bangladesh in next five years. The Ministry is also seeking cooperation agreement with Europe and US for tax benefits. Also, small industries would also be facilitated to boost exports. The Industry Ministry is also teaming up with the Trade Ministry to curb textile imports to protect the country’s textile business.
China targets textile polluters
China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) has stated that US $ 38.3 million fine has been imposed on textile companies for causing environmental pollution in the first quarter of 2017. MEP has brought to attention the case of a textile and dyeing plant in Zhejiang Province which tampered with water quality monitoring data after releasing untreated wastewater. Summons have been issued against people responsible for this act. Across China, MEP and its sub-offices issued punishments in almost 5,000 cases
where environmental protection laws were violated in the first quarter. The lawmakers in the country appealed to put more efforts for saving the environment and to bring supplyside structural reforms. This appeal was made during the session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. There were proposals for more investments to revamp islands and coastal zones and also to publish water pollutant indexes so as to make all information of water quality transparent. Some provinces like Shandong, Jiangsu and Fujian have seen notable surge in violation ever since wastewater treatment guidelines were introduced in the country two years ago. However, things are changing in Chinese textile sector. Transparent and specific goals for the textile industry have been laid out in China’s five-year plan as the country is evolving from a low-cost economy to one that manufactures products of higher value.
Pakistan eyes US $ 500 million increase in textile exports by June After achieving an impressive 6.2 per cent increase on year-on-year basis in March 2017 worth US $ 1.064 billion, Pakistan is eyeing more than US $ 500 million increase in textile exports in the next three months. The country’s Ministry of Textiles reports that the recent increase in the textile sector after a long dip is mainly due to the decrease in duties. An official says, “We have zeroed customs duty from 4 per cent. Likewise, sales tax has been zeroed from 5 per cent. We have also introduced made-ups.” He said it would take some time to get maximum benefit out of Government
support. “By the end of June, we are expecting an increase of US $ 500 to US $ 1,000 million in exports,” he stated while mentioning that Pakistan is determined to achieve this planned target.
Garment and textile businesses in Vietnam seek to capture Russian market Increasing demand to import over US $ 10 billion worth apparel products every year is making Russia a potential market for the garment and textile business enterprises in Vietnam. The Vietnam Textile &Apparel Association (VITAS) says that the businesses have received, and are receiving, several orders for jeans and jackets from Russian companies. “Russia has a cold climate and so its consumers have huge demand for jackets and jeans,” shared Vu Duc Giang, Chairman of VITAS.
Currently, Vietnam exports about US $ 320 million worth apparels to Russia every year, thereby constituting approximately two per cent of the country’s total exports. In next few years, it is expected that the figure may cross US $ 1 billion, which accounts for 10 per cent of total exports. “The constraint, however, is how to bring the products into the market at competitive prices as Russia is still facing economic difficulties, and snags in sales of apparel in the market which is not as strong as in the European Union,” opined Giang. Also, the geographical distance between Vietnam and Russia may hamper business, especially with regard to payment. He further added, “More bank branches should be opened in Russia for direct payment between businesses.” He also asked business enterprises to analyse and study the market before exporting to Russia and other northern European nations, in addition to making regular contact with partners for long-term cooperation. “Business enterprises should have strategies to beat the competitors on quality and price in the market,” Giang added. According to the Vietnam Customs, last year there was a surge of 30 per cent year-on-year to reach US $ 110 million in the garment-textile export turnover to Russia.
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CMP garment exports make US $ 1.8 billion for Myanmar in FY 2016-17 The cutting, making and packaging (CMP) garment industry which includes manufacturing of shoes, garments and bags in Myanmar managed to earn around US $ 1.836 billion in 2016-17 financial year ending this March.This
has reportedly been disclosed by Commerce Ministry of the country. Myanmar exports 33 per cent of CMP products to Japan, followed by the EU with 25 per cent. The country also supplies clothing items to South Korea, the US and Chinese markets.
CMP export contributed 16 per cent to total export earnings of Myanmar during the year. Last fiscal, the country had earned US $ 627 million from its CMP garment exports. It may be noted here that the garment and textile industry is a major contributor to the country’s economy and this industryis an increasingly popular ‘trade of choice’ for many low-income families, especially those from rural areas there. Over 400apparel manufacturing units are there in Myanmar, employing over 3,00,000 people including a large number of uneducatedwomen. Sweden’s H&Mand US’ GAP are among the major foreign fashion brands that have invested in garment manufacturing in Myanmar.
India invites Bangladesh for ‘Textiles India 2017' meet India has extended an invitation to Bangladesh to participate in ‘Textiles India 2017’ – positioned as the first-ever global B2B textile and handicrafts fair in the country, to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from June 30 to July 2, 2017. The mega trade event, to be inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will showcase the entire range of Indian textile products from farm to fibre to fabric to fashion. A delegation comprising Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) of India met senior members of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and
Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) in Dhaka to invite them to participate in the event. Participants will get an opportunity to hold B2B meetings with around 2,500
Sri Lanka's apparel exports decline
Sri Lanka’s apparel exports for the first two months of 2017 slipped 11.48 per cent YoY to US $ 788 million, with exports to the US falling 6.38 per cent YoY to US $ 368 million; exports to the EU dropped 19.14 per cent YoY to US $ 310 million; and exports to other markets tumbled 3.25 per cent YoY to US $ 110 million. According to Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters’ Association (SLAEA), apparel exports from the country for February fell 14.97 per cent YoY to US $ 377 million, with US $ 170 million or a 8.81 per cent YoY decline in exports to the US, while exports to the European Union (EU) fell 23.57 per cent YoY to US $ 155 million. Exports to other marketsfell 3.97 per cent YoY to US $ 52 million.
international buyers, international and Indian exhibitors and 15,000 Indian buyers.
“It’s a strange situation. We discussed this at the last council meeting and all the large producers said that their order books for January and February had been full, unlike in 2016,” SLAEA Chairman Felix Fernando was quoted as saying.
Prominent international speakers and industry leaders will speak on issues of concern for the various segments of textiles and handicrafts in the 33 round-tables to be held during the event.
The Index of Industrial Production maintained by the Census and Statistics Department has also noted decline in YoY growth for apparel manufacturing during January and February 2017.
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Er gonomics in Appar el Manufacturing – IV
E(r)gineering to Perfection
RaviVaidyanathan
The goal of ergonomics is to create a workforce that is healthy and safe, as well as productive. KSA has been highly successful throughout the globe with effective training to industrial engineers in various manufacturing set-ups. Effective usage of e(r)gineered workplaces can help you move towards ‘right-tech’ instead of ‘hitech’. The need is to apply yourself to effect a comfortable working condition reaping greater rewards than imagined, writes Ravi Vaidyanathan, Senior Consultant, KSA Technopak in its Apparel Operations practice, in this fourth article of the five-part series on ergonomics. He has been attached with the set-up of several engineered factories and the re-engineering of existing factories into e(r) gineered factories in India, Middle East and Africa.
“I
ncreased customer satisfaction, speed delivery, reduced lead times, tighter order prices, relationships, stricter human rights laws, world at war, recession, exchange fluctuations, new trade treaties, low productivity, complaining workforce…, all these spin my head; and in addition I have my customers breathing down my neck on my factory efficiency levels. How do I get my factories to work effectively to achieve higher efficiencies with a more pleasant working atmosphere?” asks the managing director of an apparel manufacturing firm. Operator using a workaid –trouser clamp
Operator using a label dispenser
In return, the production manager of the firm thinks, “How do I get to increase my working efficiency down to the operator level? My operators complain of aching backs and do not agree with time standards set by my engineer. The sewing operators do not feel comfortable in the seating bench provided to them, the bundles are kept in cartons and operators feel they need to bend so many times in a day, leading to backache. Besides, the lighting at needle point is insufficient sometimes while working with dark coloured fabrics; even the label-tagging operators in my packing section complain about pain in wrist at the end of the day. There are so many adverse circumstances under which they have to perform while doing their job. What do I tell my engineer to look into? How do I get
my efficiencies up?” This brooding becomes a part and parcel of every production manager’s daily routine. Optimising the output to the maximum, with respect to the given input, constitutes the efficiency of any manufacturing process. Many manufacturing companies yearn to achieve excellence in productivity by high efficiencies. In order to affect the maximum out of any machine/ operator, it is important that the area of work is planned or engineered. Engineering has been the backbone of almost all manufacturing industries across the globe. To get highefficiency, one also has to make sure that the machine operator is comfortable while on job. Poor design of sewing machine systems, besides reducing productivity, can lead to many health problems for the operators. The angle of the head, lower than its natural position, causes strain on the neck and shoulder muscles, which may lead to headaches and some cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). Normally in the industry, the operators’ reaches are greater than recommended and can lead to back pain and strain on the shoulder and elbow joints. Repetitive motion caused by the foot pedal can lead to CTDs in the foot. Excessive noise and poor lighting can also lead to hearing and vision problems. Proper ergonomics is the solution to these problems. There is an
Pick-upShelf LabelTray
Left Extension
1 Denotes the operator (hand preference, height) and the operator seating (height, width, back rest, width). 2 Denotes the machine type, folder position, knee lift position, needle positioning. 3 Denotes the machine bed (flat, submerged, raised, width, length, surface. 4 Denotes the centre bench (material pick-up position, distance from operator). 5 Denotes workaid provided (extensions, carousels, trolleys, clamp, stands, trays etc). 6 Denotes disposal equipment (stackers, stands, bins)
urgent need to address workplace engineering and its relationship with ergonomics. These two concepts go hand-in-hand, and hence I prefer calling the improved operational process as an e(r)gineered operation.
E(r)gineering a workplace To be able to engineer a workplace, there are some key parameters that an engineer needs to comply with. These parameters deal with the measurement of work content of any operation being carried out in the factory. Any operation, which is being engineered, should be studied in totality in advance. The purpose of studying the operation is to provide a smooth work process for the operator, besides effecting savings in time to do the operation. For e(r)gineering an operation, the following activities need to be carried out by the engineer: • SAM (Standard Allowed Minute) of the operation needs to be assessed on the current method and equipment. This would provide us with a target to work upon. • During this assessment, the engineer should be able to study each element of the operation including the motion of the operator doing the operation. • Once analysed and timed, the engineer needs to draw schematic
Carousel
FACTS When the e(r)gineered method is compared to the old method, an improved work technique along with definitive savings in operation time would be noticed. Across the factory, this makes a huge opportunity for overall efficiency build-up.
Baker’sTrolley
diagrams (preferably visual than mental) to see possible eliminations or combination of motions. Once the operation is fully analysed, the engineer should look at reducing the work content of the operation by the following effective means: • Pick and dispose method • Material handling support • Material positioning and aligning method • Sewing technique and burst reduction • Last, but not the least the working posture of the worker The focus under each of these elements would need to be in training the operator in mastering the right technique to perform the operation. Method Selection – The ergonomic way identifying the right method greatly depends upon the comfort/ease provided to the operator for performing the operation. The areas which need to be kept in mind should be: • Workplace positioning with reference to material movement, lighting, impact of natural light etc. • Height of the sewing machine with reference to operator seating (in case of seated workplaces) or operator height (in case of standing workplaces)
Fabric RollTrolley
• Operator seating or standing comfort • Material pick-up position and distance (bundle pick-up or overhead single piece movers) • Sewing aid (folder etc.) position • Material dispose position • Material handling aid (workaids &attachments) To plan the sewing workstation, the following could be used by the engineer for an ergonomically correct method. The four main aspects while planning the sewing station are lighting and noise, sewing table, chair and foot pedal.
Ergonomic tips The table should be modified to be adjustable between 26" and 28" high and the depth of the table limited to about 21". All access to and from objects to be placed within 15" to the right or left of the user to limit reach requirements. Also, the sewing machine platform (head) should be at a tilt of 15-20 degrees below the horizon to keep the workpiece in the normal line of sight. For any seated work, a footrest is recommended. For a traditional sewing station, a double footrest with a foot pedal incorporated for use by either foot could be designed. Users of sewing machines traditionally sit on the front of
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EXAMPLE SHOWING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AND UN-E(R)GINEERED AND E(R)GINEERED METHOD OF CUFF ATTACHING. UN-E(R)GINEERED METHOD SEQUENCE - CUFF ATTACH
Operator reaches for the body
E(R)GINEERED METHOD
Trims sleeveplacket
Use of a carousel as a work-aid. An e(r)gineered workaid (reduces bending, tilting, moving, handling while doing this cuff attach operation)
Reaches for cuffs
Handling to position
their chairs to more easily operate the foot pedal. With foot pedal modifications, a full-size seat needs to be provided to the operator. Proper seating requires adjustable height, seat depth, lumbar support, and armrests (sewing table suitably modified could be used as armrests). To counter the tendency to lean forward while sewing, an additional posture aid like a front pad attached to the table could be developed to allow the user to lean forward with the workpiece and still maintain a proper posture. The final consideration needs to be for environmental aspects like lighting and noise. The light should be at about 7-7½ feet from the ground. The centre of optical intensity should be ½" to the left of the needle point. An ideal luminosity index should be 1000lx. The noise level of industrial sewing machines should be around the 90db limit for safe exposure, depending on the type of material and speed of stitching. Hearing protection like earplugs, in case of higher decibel levels, should be put in. Based on the above, the engineer needs to plan the method to comfort
In order to affect the maximum out of any machine/ operator, it is important that the area of work is planned or engineered.
ESSENTIALS To be able to engineer a workplace, there are some key parameters that an engineer needs to comply with. These parameters deal with the measurement of work content of any operation being carried out in the factory.
the operator. A well thought-out and documented operation leads to better workplace engineering. To elaborate on each of the following, the following diagrams schematics could explain these better. Let’s take the example of a workplace which uses a conventional centre bench for material movement. In the above example, the focus of engineering the workplace would lead from an ‘ergonomic’ analyses and subsequent planning of the aids provided to the operator. In this case, based on all the above, the engineer plans the workplace engineering in such a way that the operator is provided with maximum ease, minimum displacement and focused operating technique (maximising needle time). When the e(r) gineered method is compared to the old method, an improved work technique along with definitive savings in operation time would be noticed. Across the factory, this makes a huge opportunity for overall efficiency build-up. To analyse motion movement and subsequent e(r)gineered techniques, there are various software available
online as well as mobile apps to guide the engineers assess the risk and decide the most appropriate option. Besides the above, there are several other options for material movement across the operational floor in a factory. These could be various modes of Unit Production Systems (UPS) like ETON, SwitchTrak etc. Even in those, engineering of the workplace would constitute the crux for operator comfort and efficiency build-up.
Examples Some of the proven work-aids which affect a lot of ergonomic comfort and greatly contribute to operator performance are illustrated below. Some of these workaids have been able to cut down the operator fatigue level, measured by distance moved up to 18%. These work-aids have proven to be widely used throughout the industry effecting savings in material handling reduction and minimum operator displacement. There are NO work-aids which fit well under all conditions. They need to be e(r)gineered to suit the purpose.
TRADE STATISTICS
Q1 2017, sees gains in volume-wise apparel imports by the US, at last! January-March
2017
US apparel imports have rebounded in March this year from a low level last year. Shipments have been relatively stable in volume terms over the first quarter of 2017 though the value of the imports has fallen in the period. Seeing the fluctuating import trends in Q1, year 2017 is still under 'uncertainty' for the country. Moreover, President Trump’s administration might work on reforming tax policies in the year ahead to keep retail consumers least affected by the rising costs.
‘Facts and Forecast’ for US Apparel Industry
Global Apparel Imports by the US: Jan.-Mar. 2017
80%
41.5% of apparel sold in the US in 2016 were imported from China.
Total Increase in Quantity
1.51 %
60% of US women who shop clothes online are from 25 to 45 years of age.
decline in US apparel manufacturing in 2decades.
Total Decrease in Value
1.96 %
USD 20 mn Fashion Week in NY contributes to USeconomy.
3000 clothing stores to close in US this year.
Percentage Decrease in UVR
3.29 % (Average UVR in the review period was US $ 2.94 as against US $ 3.04 in the same period last year)
USD
385 bn projected size of US apparel industry by 2025.
Total global apparel imports by the US - Jan.-Mar. 2017 (Qty in mn SME & Value in US mn $) Jan.-Mar.2016
Jan.-Mar.2017
%Change
Type ofApparel
Change in Value Cotton
4.22 % MMF
1.39%
Wool
7.29 % Silk & Veg
Qty
Value
Qty
Value
Qty
Value
2895.348
9579.80
2831.234
9175.892
-2.21
-4.22
Wool
24.981
454.17
23.56
421.069
-5.69
-7.29
MMF
3315.801
8746.02
3482.637
8867.722
5.03
1.39
Silk & Veg
107.588
521.73
102.072
458.586
-5.13
-12.10
Total
6343.72
19301.72
6439.50
18923.27
1.51
-1.96
Cotton
12.10 % Total apparel exports to the US by 6 major manufacturing destinations - Jan.-Mar. 2017
Change in Quantity
(Qty in mn SME & Value in US mn $)
Jan.-Mar.2016
Cotton
2.21 % MMF
5.03 %
Wool
5.69 % Silk & Veg
5.13 %
[The information has been extracted from US custom site and further analyzed.]
Jan.-Mar.2017
%Change
Countries
India Bangladesh China Pakistan
SriLanka Vietnam
Qty
Value
Qty
Value
Qty
Value
299.77
1076.86
302.341
1044.358
0.86
-3.02
517.63
1454.93
512.21
1368.513
-1.05
-5.94
2357.317
6090.22
2396.599
5753.459
1.67
-5.53
135.85
307.17
130.918
309.442
-3.63
0.74
126.73
534.74
124.744
527.058
-1.57
-1.44
814.82
2579.21
898.124
2765.211
10.22
7.21
Unit Value Realization (UVR) Trend from Top Apparel Exporters to US (January to March 2017)
Top 3 Apparel Exporters to US in 2017 3500
Rest of the world US $ 3191.41 million; 54.85% share
Value in US million $
3000
6%
4.50 4.00
4%
3.50
2500
2% 3.00
2000
0%
2.50
No. 1 is China US $ 1377 million; 23.67% share
1500
2.00 No. 2 is Vietnam US $ 810.14 million; 13.92% share
1000
No. 3 is Bangladesh US $441.39 million; 7.58% share
500
-2%
1.50
-4%
1.00 -6% 0.50
0 Jan-17
Feb-17 China
Vietnam
Bangladesh
-8%
0.00
Mar-17 Rest of the world
India
Bangladesh
China
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Vietnam
UVR 16
3.59
2.81
2.58
2.26
4.22
3.17
UVR 17
3.45
2.67
2.40
2.36
4.23
3.08
-3.90%
-4.98%
6.98%
4.42%
0.24%
-2.84%
% Change
US Apparel Imports
US General Imports of Cotton (March 2017)
General Customs Value and Y-o-Y Percentage Change
General Customs Quantity and Y-o-Y Percentage Change
8.00
10%
12%
910.00 7.00
10%
810.00
5%
710.00
6.00
8%
610.00
0%
510.00
5.00
6%
410.00
-5%
4.00
4%
310.00 210.00
-10%
3.00
2%
110.00
2.00
Values (in US billion$)
0%
10.00
-15%
Feb-17
Jan-17
Yarns
Fabrics
Made-ups
Apparels
Mar-17 Y-o-Y % change
Quantity (in millionSME)
Y-o-Y % change
Item-wise quantity increase/decrease in apparel imports by the US: Jan.-Mar. 2017 (Qty in doz, legwear in dpr, babieswear in kg) Exportsto USA Total Imports byUSA APPAREL TYPE
China
India
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017
Babieswear
24,394,120
24,977,643
2.39
10,621,304
Foundation Garments
15,067,612
15,752,589
4.55
8,632,448
Jackets &Blazers
Bangladesh
%Change
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017
10,856,777
2.22
2,084,154
1,784,832
-14.36
2,956,742
8,186,190
-5.17
477,957
416,840
-12.79
914,210
Vietnam %Change
2016
2017
%Change
2,702,077
-8.61
1,866,759
2,411,606
29.19
1,413,665
54.63
485,005
1,133,036
133.61
6,081,540
6,506,427
6.99
2,797,874
3,106,988
11.05
97,937
144,799
47.85
330,343
424,287
28.44
1,104,508
1,159,394
4.97
Ladies Blouses
15,734,195
15,595,653
-0.88
6,437,108
6,026,241
-6.38
2,412,523
2,347,477
-2.70
848,830
867,688
2.22
2,142,226
2,363,064
10.31
Ladies Dresses
17,658,549
18,043,654
2.18
7,899,197
8,168,216
3.41
1,499,908
1,590,746
6.06
611,249
548,940
-10.19
3,233,089
3,415,203
5.63
4,952,113
4,039,302
-18.43
1,851,019
1,586,013
-14.32
284,088
214,118
-24.63
324,427
251,554
-22.46
910,670
790,639
-13.18
Legwear
75,653,270
75,562,844
-0.12
45,095,405
48,425,501
7.38
576,459
691,133
19.89
61,554
8,840
-85.64
622,929
599,881
-3.70
Men's Shirts
10,734,151
10,618,608
-1.08
2,177,521
2,132,540
-2.07
790,998
996,623
26.00
3,213,668
2,822,580
-12.17
1,251,634
1,268,652
1.36
Nightwear
10,323,575
10,352,712
0.28
5,983,303
5,684,845
-4.99
754,644
777,286
3.00
389,597
542,728
39.30
962,520
1,042,222
8.28
Suits /Ensembles
3,634,468
3,364,183
-7.44
1,745,976
1,630,382
-6.62
201,402
191,431
-4.95
105,447
41,038
-61.08
662,600
667,451
0.73
Sweaters
1,750,315
1,389,397
-20.62
1,332,396
983,600
-26.18
9,498
9,266
-2.44
111,136
81,132
-27.00
61,595
43,491
-29.39
Ladies Skirts
Trousers
77,570,583
79,689,220
2.73
21,393,474
21,584,802
0.89
1,726,943
1,524,485
-11.72
13,555,434
13,831,724
2.04
11,671,846
14,468,761
23.96
T-Shirts
139,611,469
138,775,828
-0.60
22,768,088
22,077,644
-3.03
6,681,392
6,848,062
2.49
5,560,943
5,266,314
-5.30
19,855,452
19,701,536
-0.78
59,423,289
59,726,546
0.51
11,677,843
11,868,355
1.63
4,717,123
4,633,588
-1.77
6,446,349
6,874,467
6.64
9,684,462
10,004,166
3.30
Undergarments
Item-wise value increase/decrease in apparel imports by the US: Jan.-Mar. 2017 (Value in US mn $) Exports to USA Total Imports byUSA APPAREL TYPE
China
India
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017
Babieswear
527.58
536.83
1.75
216.81
Foundation Garments
667.29
698.75
4.71
322.69
Jackets &Blazers
Bangladesh
%Change
2016
2017
218.64
0.84
54.65
288.84
-10.49
34.33
Vietnam
%Change
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017
%Change
50.30
-7.95
47.65
58.97
23.77
47.55
59.17
24.43
27.24
-20.65
19.74
34.75
76.07
22.57
74.69
230.90 -1.95
928.87
945.40
1.78
362.01
384.58
6.23
15.85
18.89
19.17
45.00
53.63
19.17
190.34
186.63
Ladies Blouses
1,052.17
1,041.43
-1.02
401.52
369.15
-8.06
179.91
179.34
-0.32
49.29
47.58
-3.46
118.24
129.02
9.12
Ladies Dresses
1,485.33
1,444.20
-2.77
663.13
613.19
-7.53
134.93
140.60
4.20
23.34
20.79
-10.91
228.44
225.22
-1.41
Ladies Skirts
304.60
243.36
-20.11
105.10
83.89
-20.18
22.16
16.00
-27.80
14.09
11.11
-21.13
56.05
43.31
-22.73
Legwear
426.86
417.28
-2.24
235.29
236.37
0.46
3.79
4.17
10.17
0.67
0.05
-92.86
3.85
3.38
-12.19
Men's Shirts
892.37
834.88
-6.44
198.11
179.75
-9.27
63.08
66.85
5.98
183.89
154.54
-15.96
101.39
100.67
-0.71
Nightwear
436.23
411.62
-5.64
247.83
222.97
-10.03
24.54
26.97
9.94
11.74
13.79
17.43
44.31
42.19
-4.78
Suits /Ensembles
348.71
320.61
-8.06
87.97
74.76
-15.01
19.50
22.47
15.27
5.36
3.40
-36.49
48.07
44.93
-6.54
Sweaters
178.24
150.88
-15.35
129.05
100.77
-21.91
0.74
0.65
-12.57
6.71
4.67
-30.34
1.61
3.19
98.01
Trousers
4,782.71
4,667.37
-2.41
1,200.78
1,128.46
-6.02
123.98
100.49
-18.94
737.07
699.98
-5.03
689.58
779.40
13.03
T-Shirts
4,850.28
4,797.52
-1.09
975.79
900
-7.77
268.73
265.006
-1.39
142.26
130.23
-8.46
754.12
775.14
2.79
864.50
837.33
-3.14
179.55
188.69
5.09
77.61
75.57
-2.63
72.04
70.54
-2.08
122.12
117.99
-3.39
Undergarments
Will EU pin the growth in its apparel imports…? January - February 2017 Announcing the setback on market recovery, EU’s clothing imports have fallen in the month of February. After a surging start in the year, Chinese and Bangladesh’s shipments to EU have plunged over a stabilization of unit prices which are no more declining. However, amidst dismal performance in apparel trade by EU, World Trade Organization (WTO) has predicted EU will gain pace slowly in the year ahead with a positive average apparel import increase by 3% on Y-o-Y basis.
Global apparel imports by the European Union during January to February 2017
‘Facts and Forecast’ for EU Apparel Industry
Total Decrease in Quantity
4.80%
6,00,000
45 %
81 %
are produced by Italy.
of women employees in EU apparel sector.
Total Decrease in Value
are expected to be created in EU by 2025.
2.98% Apparel imports of the EU: Selected Countries (Qty in mnKg &Value in mn Euro)
Percentage Increase in UVR
1.89%
Change in Knitted
3.45%
Jan.-Feb.2017
%change
Qty
Value
Qty
Value
Qty
Value
Knitted
420.16
6747.92
405.67
6704.54
-3.45
-0.64
Woven
353.87
7529.64
331.23
7148.11
-6.40
-5.07
Total
774.03
14277.56
736.90
13852.65
-4.80
-2.98
Knitted
142.28
2177.78
136.37
2074.52
-4.16
-4.74
Woven
146.71
2816.10
132.22
2555.78
-9.88
-9.24
Total
289.00
4993.88
268.58
4630.30
-7.06
-7.28
Knitted
28.06
482.57
27.71
474.72
-1.27
-1.63
Woven
18.54
505.14
17.08
458.24
-7.87
-9.28
Total
46.61
987.71
44.79
932.96
-3.90
-5.54
Knitted
112.21
1397.56
107.76
1442.61
-3.97
3.22
Woven
69.70
1142.28
66.72
1118.01
-4.27
-2.13
181.91
2539.85
174.48
2560.62
-4.08
0.82
Knitted
9.32
157.35
6.75
148.47
-27.56
-5.65
Woven
4.49
107.59
4.01
103.99
-10.74
-3.34
13.81
264.94
10.76
252.46
-22.10
-4.71
Knitted
16.67
178.25
17.21
198.16
3.23
11.17
Woven
17.29
252.44
17.77
264.76
2.78
4.88
Total
33.96
430.68
34.98
462.92
3.00
7.48
Knitted
6.86
151.87
7.81
169.36
13.82
11.51
Woven
16.57
394.32
14.45
375.89
-12.80
-4.67
Total
23.43
546.19
22.25
545.25
-5.00
-0.17
WORLD
Average UVR in Jan.-Feb. 2017 was Euro 18.80 per kg of fabric equivalent
Quantity
Jan.-Feb.2016 Country/Category
Value
0.64%
CHINA
INDIA
BANGLADESH
Total SRILANKA
Change in Woven Quantity
6.40%
Value
5.07%
[The information has been extracted from EU custom site and further analyzed.]
Total PAKISTAN
VIETNAM
EU Apparel Imports (Month-wise Comparison)
UVR Trend from Top Asian Apparel Exporters to EU (January to February 2017)
General Customs Value and Y-o-Y Percentage Change
(UVR in Euro per kg of Fabric Equivalent)
8.00
6%
30.00
6%
4%
5%
7.00
25.00 2%
6.00
4%
0%
20.00
3%
-2%
2%
5.00
15.00 -4%
4.00
1%
-6%
10.00
0%
-8%
-1%
3.00
5.00 -10%
-2%
-12%
2.00
Jan-17
0.00
-3% India
Bangladesh
China
Vietnam
UVR16
21.19
13.96
17.28
23.31
UVR17
20.83
14.68
17.24
24.50
%Change
-1.70%
5.16%
-0.23%
5.11%
Feb-17
Values (in Euro million)
Y-o-Y %change
Item-wise quantity increase/decrease in apparel imports by EU: Jan.-Feb. 2017 (Qty in mn kg) Exports to EU Total Imports byEU APPAREL TYPE
Babieswear Foundation Garments Jackets &Blazers Ladies Blouses Ladies Dresses Ladies Skirts Legwear Men's Shirts Nightwear Suits /Ensembles Sweaters Trousers T-Shirts Undergarments
China
India
Bangladesh
Vietnam
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017 %Change
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017 %Change
21.64 9.44
19.75 8.68
-8.74 -8.08
8.08 6.02
6.92 5.09
-14.44 -15.55
3.49 0.05
3.35 0.05
-3.95 14.38
5.49 0.98
5.27 1.02
-4.04 4.15
0.16 0.26
0.15 0.35
-11.37 32.39
24.37 21.64 29.41 8.64 35.12 51.14 21.80 7.45 75.97 200.30 106.32 24.12
20.68 20.57 27.59 7.20 31.33 48.27 20.95 7.36 78.20 188.02 101.81 20.99
-15.12 -4.95 -6.18 -16.63 -10.80 -5.61 -3.89 -1.27 2.94 -6.13 -4.24 -12.96
12.41 6.56 12.63 3.62 18.02 9.75 7.34 4.62 28.40 57.42 14.72 11.98
10.20 7.24 11.45 2.99 16.41 8.62 7.09 4.40 28.18 50.00 13.97 10.62
-17.82 10.41 -9.32 -17.38 -8.94 -11.53 -3.35 -4.91 -0.75 -12.91 -5.12 -11.41
0.56 4.33 3.77 0.56 0.33 4.83 4.38 0.26 2.04 7.16 9.20 1.48
0.45 3.95 3.37 0.46 0.34 4.65 4.58 0.32 2.21 6.91 9.10 1.32
-19.42 -8.83 -10.59 -18.02 1.85 -3.80 4.40 21.58 7.87 -3.49 -1.10 -10.67
2.34 2.90 2.76 1.30 0.29 20.13 4.23 0.37 20.55 57.75 49.43 4.33
1.91 2.67 3.15 1.05 0.30 18.42 3.27 0.57 21.26 55.83 46.55 3.32
-18.15 -7.94 13.99 -18.63 0.75 -8.50 -22.78 52.68 3.49 -3.32 -5.82 -23.36
2.18 1.00 0.83 0.23 0.07 2.05 0.41 0.11 1.13 6.96 1.37 0.36
1.69 0.75 0.71 0.25 0.25 2.11 0.46 0.10 1.11 5.72 1.52 0.44
-22.46 -25.25 -14.63 8.73 253.95 3.12 12.90 -11.69 -1.88 -17.70 10.74 20.12
Item-wise value increase/decrease in apparel imports by EU: Jan.-Feb. 2017 (Value in mn Euro) Exports to EU Total Imports byEU APPAREL TYPE
Babieswear Foundation Garments Jackets &Blazers Ladies Blouses Ladies Dresses Ladies Skirts Legwear Men's Shirts Nightwear Suits /Ensembles Sweaters Trousers T-Shirts Undergarments
China
India
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017 %Change
436.23 335.45
436.83 333.37
0.14 -0.62
169.78 177.41
157.68 158.41
600.34 641.88 801.85 184.01 322.05 1076.72 260.23 138.63 1486.87 3313.24 1664.35 398.69
509.76 609.23 759.15 167.63 328.28 1015.77 256.17 126.56 1514.92 3152.19 1635.28 380.89
-15.09 -5.09 -5.33 -8.90 1.94 -5.66 -1.56 -8.71 1.89 -4.86 -1.75 -4.46
270.20 190.87 340.62 68.08 121.72 207.78 72.90 56.88 624.28 726.77 263.19 168.95
216.30 180.98 318.61 63.58 124.64 182.53 74.32 51.65 606.08 630.14 243.23 156.70
Bangladesh
Vietnam
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017
%Change
2016
2017 %Change
-7.13 -10.71
73.39 2.90
76.68 3.64
4.48 25.21
95.17 30.24
100.83 36.29
5.95 20.03
4.81 14.71
4.51 18.60
-6.16 26.50
-19.95 -5.18 -6.46 -6.60 2.40 -12.15 1.95 -9.20 -2.92 -13.30 -7.58 -7.25
13.78 137.91 110.68 14.82 4.39 113.32 55.58 5.34 39.33 125.66 163.22 25.05
11.73 126.91 96.80 12.90 3.82 109.83 56.99 6.82 42.32 118.32 158.22 22.72
-14.86 -7.98 -12.54 -12.98 -13.03 -3.07 2.54 27.58 7.59 -5.84 -3.07 -9.32
38.07 63.79 43.43 19.30 3.26 311.40 47.49 4.87 311.08 813.84 543.56 64.18
32.68 62.64 49.99 16.72 3.68 290.53 40.68 6.69 326.92 805.13 553.76 63.15
-14.18 -1.80 15.11 -13.39 12.92 -6.70 -14.35 37.28 5.09 -1.07 1.88 -1.60
49.12 20.12 19.75 5.18 1.08 54.18 4.73 1.99 22.74 135.17 29.35 9.71
40.05 17.68 15.71 5.29 1.86 55.75 3.58 2.03 24.32 125.27 27.81 13.23
-18.46 -12.15 -20.46 2.17 73.07 2.90 -24.27 2.00 6.95 -7.32 -5.23 36.23
Canada Apparel Imports January-March 2017
Clothing imports by Canada do not see a sigh of relief Continuing the lowering trend, Canadian apparel imports have fallen in value terms in Q1 of 2017 if compared with the same period last year. However, the country has predicted to see value growth in the rest of the year mainly due to the price competition among leading clothing brands. Additionally, increase in e-commerce shopping; popularity for athleisure within the country might play a crucial role in increasing the domestic clothing demand.
Canada Imports in Value
B’Desh Exports in Value
6.62%
1.25% While the knitted segment fell by (-) 0.71%, the woven segment registered negative growth of (-) 1.77% in value terms.
Bangladesh did not see any positive trend in its apparel exports to Canada. During the review period, knitted garment exports fell by (-) 6.69%, whereas woven segment was down by (-) 6.57%.
Japan Apparel Imports January
- February 2017
Japan falls sharply in February apparel imports During the first two months of 2017, Japan could not maintain the balance in clothing demand between rising trend of athleisure and the lowering of the rest of the apparels in the country. Rising popularity of athleisure indicates a solid future for Japan in this segment but the main concern is falling imports as in February 2017, the third largest economy of the world, recorded drastic downturn in values by around 36% as compared to the value it gained in January. As predicted earlier, e-commerce might surge the market gradually in the year ahead.
Bangladesh Exports in Value
Vietnam Exports in Value
4.85%
2.63%
The country witnessed downfall in value-wise apparel exports to Japan by (-) 4.85% though it recorded hike in volume by 2.25% during the review period.
On Y-o-Y basis, the country got boost both in values (2.63%) and volumes (5.80%) of its apparel exports to Japan.
WORLD WRAP
MEXICO PREPARES TO BE THE NEXT LUXURY DESTINATION; SHOWCASES STRONG GROWTH YEAR-ON-YEAR Always playing second fiddle to luxury markets such as that of Brazil, Mexico is getting its due recognition not just by luxury brands, but also by industry experts who are looking at Mexico’s luxury market as one having the most promising growth potential in the next five years. Despite international factors having some impact on the Mexican economy, including the devaluation of the Mexican peso against the US dollar, the retailing environment has remained steady due to moderate inflation rates that have favoured consumption and therefore had a positive influence on the performance of the retailing industry in 2016.
ccording to Euromonitor International, the Mexican economy is showing powerful signs of rebound, due to strong economic recovery in the USA and robust private consumption. There is also optimism, due to reforms carried out by the Government, particularly in terms of improved fiscal position and higher energy and telecommunication investments. But the country of 120 million has not always been as economically dynamic as it is now! Also, giving further impetus to the Mexico market is a growing feeling of nationalism that has resulted from President Trump’s policies. Experts believe that this has led the Mexicans to become more patriotic
A
and focused, supporting and elevating things that are happening in Mexico in order to curb their dependency on the USA. Mexico – which is Latin America’s second largest market, the second most populated country and the market with the second highest number of millionaires and billionaires, is seeing an influx of luxury brands. This push has also been generated through tourists who had a total economic impact of US $ 19.6 billion in 2016, a 10 per cent jump from 2015 and a 54 per cent increase from 2012, as per estimates of MSL Group for the Mexican Tourism Board. Also, the country’s millionaire
population, i.e. 1,73,400 is projected to increase by 40 per cent over the next decade. The statistics for the country are working in favour of luxury and the impact has been quite visible as Mexico’s luxury market grew to US $ 3.56 billion in 2016 up by 55 per cent from US $ 2.3 billion in 2011, growing at a compound annual rate of 9 per cent as per Euromonitor International, making it both the largest and the fastest growing luxury market in Latin America. The low import taxes on goods is making the goods sold in Mexico to be similarly priced as the US and the weak peso is encouraging many to buy locally, rather than purchasing it in theUS.
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Mexican Presidents’ economic reforms, over the past couple of years, are expected to boost Mexico’s growth in the Latin American fashion market. Experts believe it is arguably the most exciting, emerging market economy apart from the BRIC country cluster. The MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey), are being closely monitored by analysts and investors as they are showcasing favourable future demographics, critical market mass and wealth indicators. Though Brazil still remains the single most important developed market in Latin America, Mexico is still silently closing in. Euromonitor estimates that Mexico’s apparel and footwear market is currently worth US $ 29.6 billion, but in just four years’ time, the size of the Mexican market will grow by US $ 10 billion. The ready-to-wear designer market will grow by 50 per cent during the same period, from US $ 1.9 billion this year to $ 3 billion in 2018. Looking at the year-on-year growth in the market, luxury brands such as Dolce &Gabbana have recently rolled-out three stores in a year, which was outdone by Prada, opening up two boutiques within a week – one in the nation’s capital and another in Cancún. Also, Saint Laurent is planning a flagship store next year, while others such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, Theory, Emporio Armani, Coach, Michael Kors, Dior, Gucci, Tory Burch, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany &Co., Ferragamo, etc. are already present in the country. Increasingly, luxury brands
ESSENTIALS The MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey), are being closely monitored by analysts and investors as they are showcasing favourable future demographics, critical market mass and wealth indicators.
and departmental stores are expanding at superfast speed in affluent cities such as Guadalajara, while shopping malls are mushrooming around the country in second tier cities like Querétaro and Puebla. Apart from luxury brands, the middle market and high street brands are expected to continue to be strong, as H&M is continuously expanding its Mexico presence further, by swiftly opening eight more stores in the country within the next couple of years. Also, Mexico boasts of new arrivals such as Forever 21, and the age-old ZARA that have been active in the Mexican market for much longer. Mexico is giving further impetus to internet retailing, which generated strong double-digit current value growth in the country in 2016. This is also demonstrated by a surging market growth in mobile-based segments and the largest telecom investment levels in the region. The total retail value of the Mexican m-commerce market is expected to grow to US $ 5.5 billion by 2019, a 148 per cent expansion in real terms over 2015. This will offer new platforms for luxury brands to engage with many new would-be luxury consumers, especially in the more affordable luxury area. Evidently, the statistics and the ever-changing retail environment are showcasing Mexico as a potential market for not just high street and mid-segment brands, but also luxury brands, as the market witnesses a huge influx and has the potential to grow year-on-year.
DIRECTIONSBY
Flights of Fancy Detail In Focus: Florals
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e are all very well acquainted with the collective fascination surrounding solid, moody colours, bold animal prints and structured silhouettes that are synonymous with the Fall/Winter season in general. However, this season, designers decided to take on inspiration from all corners of the world of nature and botanical gardens and relay it onto fabrics using varied techniques. The detail of choice has come to pass as the dainty floral, seamlessly transitioning its inherent nature for the colder months of the year. Swirling prints of florals and paisleys, mixed-and-matched in a variety of colourways and patterns that cause the eyes dance and the brain go into a bit of a tizzy, will be adorning most ensembles in the months to come. The updated value additions this season, include traditional floral motifs, tropical palm prints, an affair with sporty outerwear being balanced alongside techniques that encompass patchwork, 2D renderings, appliqués and lace embroideries, all reinvented for Fall/Winter 2017-18. We were forced to look past layers of illusion owing to delicate fabrics, like intricate lace, fluffy tulle or silk chiffon decorated with floating florals embroidered and sewn in patches and 3D appliqué work – often embellished, but never dull. Although embodying different aesthetics and clientele, designers and brands alike, seemed to reach out for achieving same accent. For proof, you can check out our analysed and researched report curated for the upcoming season to get a cue into the wide usage of the floral detail as a trend, across various product categories and techniques.
Micro Floric For starters, micro florals aren’t the new kid on the block when it comes to prints, but what makes these specifically stand out is the fact that this season, florals venture out of their confined summery territory to exude femininity to the darker side of the Fall/ Winter season. Designers and high fashion labels generously sprayed micro-bud patterns over dresses in varying sizes ranging from the mini to the midi to the fulllength styles in moodier tones as compared to their Spring/Summer counterparts.
Balenciaga
LuisaBeccaria
UllaJohnson
VanessaSeward
Zimmerman
Fit Bloom A trend typically reserved for the boys, this season saw us re-evaluating gender stereotypes in a big way by introducing trends that seamlessly transition into one another. As comfort and utility-based outerwear continues to take centre-stage, designers shift their focus on performance as much as they do on style – juxtaposing the two together. Voluminous silhouettes playing on proportion, shapes, lengths and colour, found their way onto hi-tech materials giving rise to the puffer/padded jacket for the colder months. A dainty and softer touch has been lent on to seemingly sporty padded/puffer jackets by introducing floral renditions over these luxe outerwear pieces for the coming season.
Dolce andGabbana
Mulberry
Preen
MonclerGrenoble
UllaJohnson
Wallpaper Florals It might come across as odd but florals were taken a bit far from their norm of being associated with feminine, flowy silhouettes and were presented as the print of choice for all-over head-to-toe looks embracing the same story throughout an ensemble. Designers and brands both are pulling out all the stops for the head- totoe looks by introducing bold, oversized florals and repetitive flowery pattern placements over ankle-length dresses, coordinated pant-suits and maxi coats.
Au Jour Le Jour
Dolce andGabbana
Gucci
Joseph
ToryBurch
Garden Party As a designer, it is impossible to not represent the ongoing social agenda around you. So when all the boundaries around us seem to be blurring, it comes as little surprise to see the ingenious concoctions of different styles of prints and fabrics coming together on numerous runways. Whether it was the seamless juxtaposition of proportions, size and colour of floral placements with one another or a more contrasting approach in amalgamating different patterns – mix-and-match is a key trend in keeping it together this Fall!
Dries VanNoten
Joseph
LuisaBeccaria
SimoneRocha
Versace
Watercolour Florals This season saw garments being hand-dipped in watercolour to create museumworthy pieces. Abstract and artistically rendered brushstroke florals appeared over sheer dresses, silky button downs, satin skirts and jackets. The floral canvas followed a palette of olive greens, rusty browns balanced alongside pastel blues and pinks.
AlbertaFerretti
BrockCollection
Blumarine
Mulberry
JohnGalliano
TECHNIQUES
Frou Frou Delicately constructed chiffon and sheer dresses infused with laser cut appliquĂŠ flowers lent a whimsical vibe to 2D renderings. Designers went all out and injected high-end floral patchwork onto luxe materials such as velour, fur, leather and even suede. Everyday materials such as denims and knit sweaters were adorned with embellished versions of floral motifs that set well with both feminine and masculine silhouettes. Colourful appliquĂŠs of embroidered pansies adorned countless looks encompassing sheer and satin materials, all exuding a whimsical and dreamy charm.
Dolce andGabbana
Fendi
Gucci
MaryKatrantzou
Versace
Lace Lift Boundaries of taste and prudence were seemingly pushed and tugged at for the Fall/Winter 2017 season which saw the rise of a maximalist attitude translated through the use of guipure lace presented in a myriad of floral designs. Lace was embroidered, layered, patched and mixed to unveil a fabric strong enough to hold its own alongside other luxe offerings of the season such as velvet, velour and brocade. Flower-on-flower fantasies were created to compliment even the most serious looks that steered towards menswear suiting trends.
Alexander McQueen
Fendi
NinaRicci
Stella McCartney
Mulberry
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RECLAIMING THE ESSENCE OF WOMANHOOD TOP TRENDS
FROM
SPRING/SUMMER 2 01 7
hile Spring/Summer 2017 runways were long done, and dusted in September 2016, now is the time when each trend actually reaches the surface and comes into its own. The season saw what everyone has been talking about for the longest time in the industry and surprisingly enough, it is not a fashion trend. Spring 2017 saw the actualization of ‘see now, buy now’ at major luxury brands like Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger. Yet, it is still too soon to actually estimate if fashion’s calendar is ready for such a big revolution.
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Nevertheless, the collections were not only ground-breaking in terms of their business model but the process of Creative Directors moving from one fashion house to another was quite a revolution in itself. Thanks to the designer shake-ups at major luxury houses like Lanvin, Saint Laurent and Dior; the process of sifting through spring collections of 2017 is essentially a practice in extrapolating the reformation of fashion history in its own right. For some houses like Christian Dior, which got its first woman ever at the creative helm in the form of Maria Grazia Chiuri, it was obvious to see the way a new designer’s personal stamp completely restructures a fashion
R U N W AY
C O L L E C TI O NS
house’s voice. Hence, the season was abundantly dotted in a sort of destruction of traditional notions of being a woman and holding out a megaphone to contemporary and confident working woman of tomorrow. Post some rigorous research, analysis and discussions with industry experts on what will dominate shelves this Spring/Summer season…, the fashion team at Apparel Online presents a collation of the big trends for the upcoming summer collections!
1 Dolce &Gabbana
Thanks to the movements of Creative Directors from one luxury house to another as seen at Lanvin, Saint Laurent and Dior; the process of sifting through Spring 2017 collections is essentially a practice in extrapolating the reformation of fashion history itself.
2 NinaRicci
JilSander
1. FLORALS, ALWAYS What is a Spring/Summer trend story without florals? As is fitting for any Summer collection, Spring 2017 offered a rip-roaring bouquet of florals on the runways. On the international catwalks, florals are more wallpaper ready than ever, affirming an outlook towards a bold and bloomingtomorrow. Designers are approaching the flower story very graphically making all its colours pop and back on the streets, we are seeing a new global lesson in using the power of flowers from the spring collection that revolves entirely around the story of our unstoppable modern working girl who is as stylish as she is hardworking. The designers have unanimously agreed on using minimalistic florals to set a contrast on monochromatic stripes.
The modern woman loves her fancy ruffles and clouds of tulle but doesn’t shy away from exposed hardware details or strong shoulders either. She has no problem setting her soft florals over contrast stripes that can range anywhere from nautical awnings to fine pin-tucks. She approaches colour in a very ‘noholds-barred’ way; borrowing from tropical green/blue as well as hot pinks and neons.
2. POLAR STRIPES Stripes in all their shades are going very strong this season, according to him. Looking at the panoply of multiple
coloured striping on the runways everywhere from Miu Miu to Elie Saab corroborate with the same. Stripes are being used to imbibe structure into our wildly coloured summer dreams this season. The head to toe striped looks are as saturatedas they are sensational and are being made in colours that go from basic to hyper primaries in an instant, appearing to be directly inspired from sportsweargarments.
3. SHOULDER BOULDER Flamboyant sleeves is another detail that we feel strongly about, calling it out as an impertinent feature to put a finishing touch to any garment. While exporters are employing the trend in smaller beats by adding pleating and smocking or a few ornamental buttons, on the international runways, 1980s is ripe in the air and it is going beyond basic metallics and miniskirts. Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent show was perhaps the biggest throwback to this Nancy Reagan era, complete with the
leather sleeves and mega shouldered outfits but from Balenciaga to Kenzo the bold shoulder and its partner in crime, the bellowing sleeves were a staple to every collection.
4. HARD WORKER Discussing the working girl aesthetic would be incomplete without getting into some workwear inspirations. A direct result of our army fatigue is this new utilitarian trend seen through plentiful details like cargo pockets, nylon anoraks, hyper visible cord drawstrings. Even though details are everything, utility was also the central linchpin for collections like Marni, Vetements and Off-White. A step ahead from militia, workwear and functional details like pockets and oversized zippers are getting a high fashion makeover. This goes to show the industry’s readiness to understand the real customer and get down to doing somebusiness.
5. HIGHLIGHTER HUES In terms of colours, Summer 2017 offers quite a mixed palette. While we’re spotting a flurry of clinical whites and watery blues on one end of the spectrum, an interesting return is the eye-catching trend of palatable neon. Designers at Balenciaga and Missoni among a slew of others are really looking at brighter shades and neon hues as well as plenty of natural colours for this summer.Fashion houses are gobbling up on our fixation with athletic gear and trying to permeate references of the same into high fashion apparel, he adds.
6. PINK PALANQUIN
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4 Marni
5 Balenciaga
6 Valentino
Pink is officially the new black! And we are not talking about the basic, Rose Quartz, colour of the year pink; this season has caught hold of the ‘in your face fuchsia pink’ in all its glory. It is a coming of age for the millennial woman, who started out rebelling against the femininity of pink and later giving it the cult ‘Mean Girls’ status to completely embrace womanhood;
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Successfully carrying forward to 2018, there are some trends that are surely on every design teams’ mind , starting from exuberant sleeves; earthy references like khaki, camel hues or animal oriented safari prints; fitness/yoga inspirations; as well as a sense of mix-match styling everywhere. and not being embarrassed in doing so. You can call it as the take-charge magenta or feminist fuchsia but every fashion house from Valentino to Issey Miyake did not shy from using it in traditional silhouettes that let the colour shine even more than we imagined was possible.
in a big way. Our research upholds this trend’s surge, but we will add that though frilling is going to be massive this season, thecommercial application is mostly in the form of smaller, detailed value additions. However, runway presentations all over the world went with the ‘go big or go home’ philosophy for thistrend.
7. ROUGHING RUFFLES 8. DECONSTRUCTION
Ruffles are a detail that most women have strayed clear from in the last decade. However, as femininity emerges in its all new avatar, designers become susceptive of thechange and are bringing back fashionable frills cleansing it with modern touch. Production teams firmly agree with comeback of party girl favourite ruffles
As a reflection of a society that is constantly breaking and putting itself back together, designers created clothes that also followed a ‘stitched back to life’ approach thisseason. From deconstructed shirting style seen at numerous shows to asymmetrical hemlines at plenty others, normalcy is
completely out of the picture. From Burberry’s destructive outerwear pieces and Monse’s niche take on shirting to Louis Vuitton’s haphazard silhouette, destruction is getting more fashionable than ever.
9. SURE IN SHEER From ethereal whites and intricate lace to sultry black and red dresses in sheer fabrics like tulle and chiffons, sheer is a big winner this summer. Looking at the runways proves that layering is going to be a major trend and light, sheer fabrics like viscose blends and viscose are instrumental in making that happen. The see-through trend of gossamer light georgettes, dainty tops and half opaque gowns are the bulwarks of the fearless woman of the 21stcentury as seen at the runways of Lanvin and Chanel. The austere nakedness of sheer is interestingly all about covering up where garments with open front layered with solids are becoming commonplace.
10. INNERWEAR IS IN
7 Off-White
8 Monse
9 Marco DeVincenzo
10 MiuMiu
Juxtaposition of abstract opposites is a big theme this season and the new wave of innerwear pieces reimagined as outerwear options is as antithetical as it gets. The hyper visibility of stylish bralettes in conjunction with silk sleepwear robes worn as outerwear are no longer scandalous. Designers have taken to the trend by giving it a luxurious touch inlingerieinspired gowns and crystal-clad brassieres. While garment exporters may find it hard to instill innerwear details into their ready-to-wear offerings due to manufacturing costs, they can achieve the look through small details like pretty pin tucks, Victorian collars and yoga inspired details. Embroidery and textured fabrics are also playing a big role in bringing this look to life.