2 Apparel Online Indiaapparelresources.com/wp-content/uploads/woo...CONTENTS February 16-28, 2015 WorldWrap Millennials strengthen hold on retail The second-largest US generation after

2 Apparel Online India

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CONTENTS February 16-28, 2015

WorldWrapMillennials strengthen hold on retailThe second-largest US generation after their baby boomer parents, Millennials or Generation-Y or Echo-Boomers (popular names for the generation) are forcing traditional retailers to strategize operations to meet their preferences...

BusinessStrategySmall- and medium-level buying houses facing

difficulties in quick shifting market scenarioThough most buying offices agree that order position is good

now and business is definitely back on track; however, it is also a reality that problems still exist...

HubUpdateLace makers of Surat on creative high The city of Surat is known for two very creative businesses – textiles and laces. Over the years, the manufacturers and traders have up-skilled their businesses with the result that today the textile segment is offering innovative designs and a wide product range...

Textile-HubIchalkaranji: Moving from greige

to processed fabric and exportIndia’s biggest cotton (greige) fabric producing hub Ichalkaranji in

Kolhapur district, Maharashtra, is witnessing a turnover of more than US $ 170 million per day...

H2FWeak euro affects mood at HeimtextilAccording to organizer Messe Frankfurt, there was an increase of around 3 per cent in visitors' attendance over last year with more than 68,000 visitors coming to see product displays of 2,759 exhibitors from 68 countries...

FashionBusinessDenim dominance: 90s embroidery fashion

revisited for the Fall of 2015After years of experimentation with washes, denims have

picked up the embroidery trend of the 90s; this was visible in the last three seasons...

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The number of worker-related violence is disturbingly on the increase in the garment export industry in the Delhi-NCR region. Over the last few years, big names like Viva Global, CTA Apparels, Modelama and Orient Craft have witnessed angry workers pelting stones and destroying property leading to riot-like situations, halting work and calling for immediate management intervention for damage control.

In all cases the situation could have been averted:

•Modelama:Aworkerdiedduetoelectrocution and his fellow workers vandalized the factory.

•VibhaGlobal:LabourUnionmemberstookthe advantage of some issues like lack of proper facilities to create unrest… aided by an NGO.

•CTAApparels:Workremainedclosedfor two days as workers union blamed factory’s management for forcing some workers to resign.

•OrientCraft:Tensionarosewhenalabourcontractor questioned a few workers who reported late for duty. An argument broke out and the contractor asked the workers to leave for the day.

The latest in the series is the brutal beating up of a worker at Gurgaon-based Richa & Co., leading to tension in the area. Even as we go to press, the situation is still not under control. According to eyewitnesses, the mayhem was a result of an alteration between the guards of the factory and a worker who reportedly turned-up to work10minuteslate!Whatcouldhavebeenhandled with tact if the guards were properly sensitized turned ugly, and in anger the guards are accused of beating the worker to death…Withinafewminutesofthenewsspreading like fire, the workers in and around the area converged at the factory and all hell broke lose.

There are many lessons to be learnt from these incidences and also many questions…

•Istheretoomuchofpent-upaggressionat garment factories, which just needs a trigger to ignite?

•Whythereisnotrainingofworkerson‘behavioural’ issues – on disciplining the workforce, hygiene, etiquettes and sensitivity to co-workers?

•Whythereisnotrainingfortheguardsand lower mid-management staff on how to defuse rather than escalate the situation?

•WhatistheroleofNGOsinsuchsituations?

•Whatistheresponsibilityofthemanagement?

There are many such questions which cannot be answered in a vacuum and it is important to take the larger picture to understand and analyze why such incidences are on the increase, as also their solutions…

I have on and off heard stories on how buying office staff treats merchandisers at export houses like ‘dirt’; only the other day I heard with a shock that how a senior from a leading buying office slapped a merchandiser of an export house in public for not having the fabric in-house on time. If so-called ‘educated people’ cannot control their anger, how do we expect people coming from the lower strata of society to be in control?

It appears that the nature of the apparel export industry is so performance-driven that single-minded focus on getting the job done has led to insensitivity and unrealistic expectations giving rise to aggression when unfulfilled.

Is it not the responsibility of the management to create a congenial atmosphere of mutual trust where issues can be sorted out amicably? Guards and supervisors should be sensitized on how to deal with ‘indiscipline’ and even ‘misbehaviour’. Many of the incidences would not have reached tragic proportions if the management had trained its people better and had been more proactive in keeping an eye on how people in authority were conducting their work.

And what about NGOs..., in my last editorial, I have already expressed my dissatisfaction at how they are conducting themselves… becoming instigators instead of healers. They claim to be doing so much for workers, but have they ever worked at the grassroot to make them confident and good-mannered citizens, so that they are not tempted to brawl but discuss their problems in a logical way. Many a times, we hear that they pump up the workers and indirectly harm their interest, by taking them on a journey which leads to discontent, not reconciliation.

Above all, there is a need to revisit the labour laws and make it easier for the worker and management to talk on an equal footing… with the atmosphere of change, the aam aadmi is now awakened to his power to be at par with those in important ‘seats’… The time is right to accept that change is the only way forward and do things differently. There is a need to act quickly before the tide swamps those in power!

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S DESK…

Are we tackling labour issues responsibly...?

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another form, we will get back the custom's

and excise part, which is actually paid by us.

Exporters have to be mentally prepared as

business is going to be more challenging

but they will also have the advantage of

free flow of fabric; when the WTO comes

in, duty will get free. So, there should be a

balance on both sides. I personally believe

that the Government is prepared to refund

the amount which is valid for us, but in

what form...? This has not come into the

regulations so the exercise is still going on.

Things will be clear in the coming months.

V. Prakash, Partner, Aeon Garments,

Tirupur Be it drawback duty, support or

incentive from the Government, and in any

form, is a must for exporters. From the last few

years we seem to have a new problem after

every few months, like now, euro and pound

are not in our favour, so naturally support

is required. But we should look at it from

another perspective, India is known for its

quality products, and quality has its own cost.

Especially in apparel manufacturing, a lot of

things are manual or involves labour, so even

if a single piece is rejected, even in our factory,

Vinod Kapoor, MD, Radnik Export, Delhi One thing is for sure, if duty drawback is

withdrawn, exports of garments will close

down. It is must for the industry; in fact,

it’s a big need. We need to see drawbacks

in context to the international scenario as

there is no level playing field for us. When

everything is so expensive for us, how do we

compete at the international level? There may

be discussions on what kind of incentive or

support will be there if drawback is on the

way out, but that much amount is needed, no

matter how it is being given.

Virender Uppal, Chairman, AEPC, Gurgaon Drawback will not go out; there

are subsidies which have to go. We will try to

make a balance and get whatever is possible,

but as this is Government’s strategy, can’t

say much about it. The Government is also

concerned about the exporters. We have time

till 2018 as the phase out will happen by then.

From next year, things will be in discussion

mode. The industry is thinking and working to

move beyond incentives, but drawback is just

a refund of duties, and not a subsidy.

Vivek Khandelwal, President, Garment Exporters Association of Rajasthan, Jaipur Drawback has two parts: one is

Custom's and Excise amount, which comes

back to the exporter; and the second is the

incentive part. So, probably, the second

part will go away, but somehow, maybe in

It is being speculated that duty drawback may be on the way out for exports… It is no secret that many in the industry work on duty drawbacks as their ‘margin’… Do you think it is time for the industry to move beyond drawbacks, or do you feel that the majority of industry will not be able to survive without such aid? TO P I C O F D E B AT E

MInDtree

mindtree

FEBRUARY 16-28 2015 | Apparel Online India 13

Change seems to be the underlining theme for India today… First it was Narendra Modi who crushed all the oppositions to take complete control in the Centre and now it is Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has inspired Delhi to vote for change and honest governance… In this scenario, what are the changes that you would like to see in our industry… share with us your vision for the future.

Q U E S T I O N

MInDtree

Be a part of our latest discussions...Post your comments on www.apparelresources.com

mindtree

it is a complete loss. Despite a lot of care, such things happen. So looking at all these things, reasonable support from the Government, in any form, is required.

A Sakthivel, President, TEA, Tirupur There is no move to remove duty drawbacks; unless GST comes in, they can’t do this. As of now, there is a delay in refund of duty; they have stopped paying it from December last year as they have less money. It is actually a refund of duties, and is not at all an incentive or aid. Support to the industry is a must be it in terms of subsidies or incentives.

VK Dhawan, President, AEMA (Apparel Exporter & Manufacturers Association), New Delhi Yes, all kinds of incentives are a prime need for the apparel export industry as we can’t survive without some kind of support. I don’t think the Government can escape without giving any other equal support. None of the forums have given such a message or even held a discussion; need not to say anything about the competition which India is facing from Bangladesh and Vietnam. So all these things are making business very tough.

Palak Kubadia, Proprietor, Kalakruti Apparels, Mumbai What I would like to suggest is that sometimes we hear about the misuse of duty drawback, so the Government should first stop it so that only genuine exporters can enjoy its advantages. Secondly, we are talking about ‘Make in India’ and on the other side, there is no level playing field. So, if the Government is supporting manufacturing, exports should be a priority as it requires more efforts for which exporters must have some extra advantages or support, else they can also focus on domestic business, which is comparatively easy at most stages.

Anil Buchasia, Director, Amrit Exports, Kolkata I will not say that the industry will not be able to survive, but these aids are a must. Such a scenario will add more difficulties to the garment exporters as they are already dealing with some unexpected problems in the industry. From the last few months, the way the euro is behaving, is making things very difficult. Big or small, any aid, support or incentive, is an important part of our cost calculations, so it will surely affect the industry. A few things are already against us, like interest rates are already high, and business is already very tough.


Not restricted to the USalone,onecanfind this upward mobile group of

consumers in all vibrant economies including China, Brazil, Russia and India, as they are spending billions and thereby drawing attention to their differential needs. Highly educated and globally connected, the millennials know what they want and can easily navigate the barrage of information online, and they constitute a huge demographic with enormous buying power. “A large portion of millennials has grown up, and by overlooking the fact that many are now parents, brands could miss changes in behaviour and consumption that directly impact their bottom line,” informs Jeff Fromm, EVP, Barkley and co-author of ‘Marketing to Millennials: Reach the Largest and Most Influential Generation of Consumers Ever.’

Technology is Mobile...Owing to the internet and smartphones, millennials are more informed shoppers than their older generation, a fact supported by The Intelligence Group’s recent survey shows that more than 70 per cent of 18-34 years old search for options online before going to astore.Withthevastamountof information easily available, they are savvy shoppers who

know how to compare price, quality and convenience. There is no denying that millennials have embraced mobile technology in a huge way, which makes them currently the largest group of smartphone users, as per Nielsen’s recent survey. In 2015, retailers would continue to see millennials using mobile technology to influence retail sales.

Wake up retailers...Luxurybrandsareeventuallygoing online too and this digital transition is parallel to the demographic one. UnityMarketing,anAmericanmarket-research firm, says that by 2026 the main consumers of luxury products will be millennials, people born in the1980sand90s.Whiletraditional retailers can use technology to win over this age group, like Burberry is trying to do, the newer ones can also use it to breakthrough. British luxury fashion house Burberry was amongst the first to spot the millennial’s potential when Angela Ahrendts, former CEO of Burberry made the digital courtship of millennials primary to her strategy for reviving the brand. Today, Burberry is truly digital with two-thirds of its staff being under 30 and using social media to talk to each other and to Burberry’s consumers.

Compared to their earlier generation, millennials as shoppers are less attached to

The second-largest US generation after their baby boomer parents, Millennials or Generation-Y or Echo-Boomers (popular names for the generation) are forcing traditional retailers to strategize operations to meet their preferences. According to Accenture plc, the spending of the US millennial population, currently in their 20s and 30s will be more than double to US $ 1.2 trillion by 2020 and account for one-third of all US purchases. These free-spending consumers are changing the retail scenario and retailers are going all out to target millennials and convert them to brand loyalists at a young age so that they are able to maintain these consumers for life.

Millennials strengthen hold on retailincreasing nuMber of retailers incorporate strategies targeted at the Millennials

WOrLdWrAP


brands and willing to create their own style, as revealed through surveys by Nielsen and the Boston Consulting Group. This generational trait is forcing retailers to rethink everything from the merchandising and marketing to their dressing rooms and logos. Not far behind is the American multinational retailer, GAP, whose ad campaign ‘dress normal’ is all about creating an individual style, as it uses taglines such as ‘dress like no one’s watching’. “People are looking to create a unique identity. They want to put together their own story rather than having someone else tell them,” reveals Allen Adamson, author and branding expert at Landor Associates.

Further, Aeropostale’s new product lines by blogger Bethany Mota are meant to convey ‘authenticity, emotion and relevance’. Many brands including Rue 21, Hot Topic, Forever 21, American Eagle Outfitters, Abercrombie & Fitch, ZARA, H&M, Target, Nordstrom, Hugo Boss, Versace, etc., are aggressively targeting the millennials, and a number of retailers are increasingly focusing on marketing campaigns to draw these consumers towards their brands.

Time is Right...Online shopping, shopping from mobile devices and new entries to the marketplace will continuously challenge retailers. But retailers who embrace these changes by integrating technology will win over millennials, believe retail experts, though they warn that just incorporating new technologies would not be enough. Though unlimited access to information through smartphones and apps may cater to millennials demand for shopping with the best price, retailers must also meet their need for instant indulgence. As per Accenture study, many members of the digital generation prefer visiting stores to shop online as no

shipping speed can compete with the instant gratification of purchasing in-store. This is supported by market research and consulting firm NPD Group, which says that millennials spend a higher share of dollars online than other generations but they still make 75 per cent of their purchases at brick and mortar stores.

Though millennials are the best-educated generation in the American history, they are also burdened with student debtandlowerwages.Sowhyare retailers targeting this generation, which loves to shop but rarely spend? The answer is in numbers... Accenture predicts that millennials will represent 30 per cent of all retail sales by 2020, and to tap this consumer group, retailers are leaving no stones unturned. Macy’s is vigorously expanding its activewear for women to target this consumer group as brands such as Nike, The NorthFace,UnderArmour,Calvin Klein Performance and its private label Ideology, which are currently being carried out in a smaller way at Macy’s, will be rolled out to a larger number of stores. “Our customer insights show that our millennial customers have a significant crossover in shopping activewear, so we believe that satisfying his/her total lifestyle must involve more fashion and function in our active offerings,” says Jeff Gennette, Chief Merchandising Officer, Macy’s Inc.

Whilethelifeoftheultra-mobile and ultra-digital generation goes on 24x7 as they have never known a world without computers or internet, but what millennials want is a seamless shopping experience which is more convenient, fasterandmemorable.Seenas the ‘future of retail’, this generation is redefining engagement models of various brands as they master internet, social media and mobile platforms. Nonetheless, the time is right to target this group and make them brand loyal!

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• In about a decade, a cohort born between the early 1980s and just past the millennium will make up 75 per cent of the workforce, according to the Brookings Institution.

•Recent surveys have found that members of the US Millennial Generation — roughly 80 million Americans born between 1977 and 2000, pride themselves on their individuality, and shop accordingly.

•According to Accenture, millennial men spend twice as much a year on apparel as non-millennial men, while millennial women outspent other generations by a third.

•Compared with their parents, millennials are far less likely to identify with a political party or to formally affiliate with a religion – key indicators of an independent streak, according to Pew Research Centre.

Facts about Millennials


ao: For Esprit, what does sustainability imply?Lary Brown: For us, sustainability implies being a fair partner for our suppliers, a responsible employer for our staff, a helpful supporter for our communities, and a considerate preserver ofnature.Westrivetoconductourbusinessinanethicalway that exceeds legal expectations, lessens our impact on the environment, and provides a high quality of life for our consumers and employees. It is a continuous journey in which we work every day to make a difference.

ao: What are the important social and environmental initiatives that Esprit is currently undertaking at its manufacturing destinations?Lary Brown:SocialandenvironmentalcommitmentispartofEsprit’sDNA.WhenDougandSusieTompkinsfoundedEsprit in 1968, they had the groundbreaking vision to create a fashion brand that is mindful of both people and nature. Today, westillliveandactinthisspirit.WehavebeenamemberoftheBusinessSocialComplianceInitiative(BSCI)since2005,and in 2013, we signed up as a Global Buyer Partner with the BetterWorkinitiative.EspritisactiveintheBetterWork’sprogrammes in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

In April 2013, Esprit was among the first companies to join the AccordonFireandBuildingSafetyinBangladesh.Signingthis

Accord complements our efforts to bring about sustainable and effective improvements in building safety in Bangladesh, and underpins the work to assure fair and safe workplaces that Esprit has been undertaking for a number of years.

Withhazardouschemicalsbecomingamatterofgraveconcern,Esprit joined a number of other large textile companies to form theZeroDischargeofHazardousChemicalsby2020(ZDHC),in November 2012. The members of the ZDHC have pooled their knowledge and resources to find ways to make textile production cleaner through elimination of toxic chemicals, particularly with regard to water pollution resulting from dyeing offabrics.Wearecurrentlyfocusingonourenvironmentalworkwithin the ZDHC, since we feel that this effort, which involves many of the largest companies of the global textile industry, has the mass and momentum to bring about the lasting and positive improvement in the environmental impact of our industry within a relatively short time.

UnderliningtheimportanceofacleanenvironmentinDecember 2012, we also made a commitment to work with our supply chain partners to eliminate potentially hazardous chemicals in the manufacturing of our products as a part of Greenpeace’s Detox Campaign. This commitment was renewed and updated in December 2014.

Also,EspritisaFoundingCircleMemberoftheSustainableApparel Coalition, and we are currently preparing to pilot

International fashion brand Esprit, which is mindful of both people and nature, is increasingly upping its sustainability quotient by undertaking new environmental and social responsibilities while creating high-quality fashion, and also making sure that its production processes respect the environment and the people involved. Recently, the company partnered with animal rights organization, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), to introduce PETA approved vegan hang-tags to mark Esprit’s vegan shoe and apparel style. In an exclusive interview with Apparel Online, Lary Brown, Vice President - Head of Global Sourcing Compliance, Esprit, discusses the sustainability measures that the company is undertaking, and why sustainability is at the core of its operations

Excerpts from the interview...

esprit eMerges aMongst leaders in sustainability

eMphasizes on environMent and people

Lary Brown, Vice President - Head of Global Sourcing Compliance, Esprit

sustAinAbiLity


the use of the Higg Index in 20 suppliers’ factories in several countries. Given the high level of technical expertise of Indian and Bangladeshi producers, we expect to engage them in our work on the Higg Index and Zero Discharge soon. Esprit is also currently in preparation of some smaller projects in India, which we will share once they are in place.

ao: Any challenges that you faced in implementing these sustainable programmes? Lary Brown: The greatest challenge in implementing programmes in social and environmental sustainability is to recognize that although Esprit is a large brand, but as a proportion of the total global apparel industry, we are actually quite small. Being a small part of this larger gamut means that we can only bring about systemic changes in collaboration with other stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, labour unions, consumer groups, our business partners and other brands. Bringing together diverse participants with differing agendas and getting them to align in pursuit of common goals take time and require huge amounts of dialogues and negotiations. However, it is the only real way forward. Esprit recognizes that we must do what we can in the areas where we have the power to make a change.

ao: Does Esprit incorporate customers’ inputs and suggestions to make its products more ethically relevant? Lary Brown: Customer feedback is very important to us since it allows us to understand what is really important to the people who wear our clothes... for example, we recently developed a hang-tag for our vegan shoes in cooperation with PETA, the animal welfare organization, in response to indications from customers that some of them value knowing which of our products is strictly vegan, to make buying decisions quicker.

ao: Future directions that Esprit will embark upon to advance its vision of environment and social sustainability? Lary Brown:ThenewBSCICodeofConductandrelatedchangestothewaythattheBSCImembersapproachsocialcompliance, promise to improve significantly the impact of BSCImembersonworkingconditionsintheirsupplychains.EspritsitsintheBSCISteeringCommittee,andisveryactivein promoting these changes. The other area where we expect to expend significant efforts in the near future is to assure that our products are manufactured in the most responsible way possible; we are working to decrease the water, electricity and chemical products usage and to use more sustainable raw materials, among others.

Westronglybelievethatwhateveryoutake,youhavetogiveback. It is our ongoing goal to pay respect to people, nature and future generations. Besides engagement across the supply chains and volunteers, Esprit’s head office employees across various departments have founded an internal group called ‘Esprit Cares’, which is targeting local charity initiatives and community services that serve both social and environmental purposes; similar ‘Esprit Cares’ teams are also in foundation across other Esprit market offices.

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Völkl, a sports equipment manufacturing company in Germany, andHeiQ,aSwisshigh-techcompanyproducing high performance sustainable effect for textiles, have recently launched Völkl’s performancewear collection, upgraded by HeiQ’s fluorocarbon-free Durable WaterRepellence(DWR)technology‘Barrier Eco’. Taking innovation to a new level, Barrier Eco provides the new collection with environment-friendly and water repellent features, resulting in an extraordinary level of performance. Its innovative

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3D structure repels water and snow effectively without any harmful fluorocarbons, making this technology suitable for outdoorwear, particularly jackets, pants and footwear.

The Barrier Eco, empowered Völkl range, will be available for outdoor enthusiasts worldwide by Fall2015.RobertSchlagenhauf,Division Manager of Völkl apparel and accessories informs, “Equipped with Barrier Eco, the Völkl performancewear collection provides a high level of water repellence without impacting the natural environment. Beside the high-performing and convincing textile treatment itself, we appreciate the supportive and innovation-driven teamwork with HeiQ.”

Adidas, Nau, REI, and Timberland are amongst the latest outdoor-apparel brands to rally around the Responsible DownStandard(RDS).Originallydeveloped by The North Face, but now managed by the non-profit Textile Exchange, the global animal welfare and traceability standard uses an established chain-of-custody process to help companies source down from ducks and geese that haven’t been forced-fed(acommonpracticeinfoie-grasproduction)orlive-pluckedfortheir feathers. The above retailers have joined a roster of global firms such as Eddie Bauer, H&M, Helly Hensen, Mammut, The North Face, etc.

“The many brands and companies that havesignedontoRDSdeservecreditfor their commitment. I’m proud of the scale that we have achieved with the RDS,andtheincredibleenergythatourInternationalWorkingGrouphasputintotherevision.Weanticipatefurther strong growth, particularly as we move into the home and bedding markets. Our goal is to protect the welfare of as many ducks and geese as possible,” reveals Anne Gillespie, Director of Industry Integrity at Textile Exchange.TheRDS,createdforindustry use, was designed to prevent ‘unnecessary harm’ to birds raised for food and industrial purposes. Its

primary mandate is to prevent practices such as live-plucking or force-feeding, while maintaining certain standards of food and water quality, housing, stock density and outdoor access, animal health, hygiene, and pest and predator control.

Fast retailing takes action after ngo reportIn response to a Hong Kong-based NGO’s allegations of inappropriate working conditions at factories from where it outsources garments, Japanese apparel retailer, Fast Retailing has initiated its own independent investigation, which has revealed several issues, including long working hours. In January, theStudentsandScholarsAgainstCorporateMisbehaviour(SACOM),andthe Hong Kong-based NGO had raised issues regarding the working conditions at the retailers’ factories Dongguan TomwellGarmentCo.,Ltd.andPacific(PanYu)TextilesLimited.

Regarding working environment, it has requested a Government agency to immediately conduct a thorough check of air quality, and based on results, put in place a plan to improve the working environment. “Respecting human

völkl & heiQ launch water repellent fluorine-free skiwear

retailers commit to ‘responsible down standard’

rights and ensuring appropriate working conditions for the workers of our production partners are top priorities for Fast Retailing, and in this, we are completely aligned with SACOM.Togetherwiththirdparties,including auditors and NGOs, we will check progress within one month,” said YukihiroNitta,FastRetailingGroupCEOresponsibleforCSR.

Fast Retailing has also instructed Pacific Textiles to immediately increase holidays for workers and ensure workers to take one mandatory day off per week, effective July, and make other necessary improvements in the working hours. Also, regarding overtime payments, the apparel marketer said that the current procedure is legal and the factory received permission from the local labour department to apply for the comprehensive working-hour calculation system, which means the factory did not commit any violation.

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stheUSmarketisnowonanupward projectile and buyers are now giving more orders, many of

the exporters with capacity for bulk quantities are now interested to work with bigger buying and liaison offices, abounding smaller offices that they worked for during the lean period to fill their lines. Delhi-NCR, known for many small- and medium-level buying houses are suffering more from this attitude. “I have suffered because of the callous attitude of some big exporters who did not think twice before dumping my order midway because a bigger buyer offered them more quantities,” shared an owner of a small buying house who didn’t want to disclose his name.

However, not all buyers agree to this trend and those working with certain exporters over a long period of time feel that the bigger exporters continue to give priority for the value and price that they can offer. “Good and big export houses are as usual supporting us in terms of timely deliveries and we have not felt any changes in their priorities. Texport Industries, Bangalore is one of them. The only issue we are facing is the price pressure,” says Vipin Bhutani, VP, Soul, a Delhi-based buying agency.

On the other side, European buyers are now asking for more and more sampling compared to last few seasons but not converting them into orders. Though it is a routine problem from buyer’s side but as it is on the increase, it is adding more worries to the buying houses, especially to those who are working with European market only. Paresh Vora, Production Head, H&G Textile, Mumbai says that to avoid this issue their company is asking for sampling charges, not to all, but with new buyers or wherever the number of samples is large. He also adds that to save the commission, buyers are now more interested to work directly with the exporters. “This trend is now increasing,” he shares.

In day-to-day operations most buying agencies are equipped to handle these kinds of market fluctuations, as these depend on mutual relations and understanding, but on the issue of policies, they are helpless. In a recent policy change, buying agents are now forced to pay service tax on receiving commission from overseas buyers, which are not only hampering their margins, but ultimately can be a reason of ordershiftingtoothercountries.Surprisingly,many small- and medium-level buying houses

(especiallyinDelhi-NCR)arestillnotfamiliarwith this matter while the Association of Buying Agents for Textiles, Tirupur, has raised this issue strongly at various fronts and seeks relief for the same.

M. Anand, General Secretary of the association and MD of Dean Textile, Tirupur shared with Apparel Online thatanamendmentinServiceTaxLawinbudget2014-15iscreatinghavoc.UnderthePlaceofProvisionofServiceRulesNotification No. 14/2014, the amendment madetorule2(f)haschangedthedefinitionofintermediary. The existing definition of term ‘intermediary’ included only ‘intermediary of services’, henceforth, the definition of term ‘intermediary’ was substituted with effect from 01-10-2014 to include ‘intermediary of goods’ also to its ambit. Resultantly, with effect from 01-10-2014, an intermediary of goods(forinstance,acommissionagentofgoods)shallfallwithinthepurviewofRule9(c)–PlaceofProvisionofServiceRules.“Whatevercommissionwearegettingfromoverseas buyers, is not completely our income as we have many expenditures and also we are getting foreign currency for the country sowedeserveexemptionfromthis.Wehavegiven a memorandum to the Government but still not got any positive response,” says Anand, adding that as of now they are paying it from their pockets, but in long-run, it will impact Indian exports. “In future, we will take the amount from overseas buyers, but since they are already tight on price front, they will ask us to build it into the price of apparels otherwise orders will certainly shift to other countries. In this situation, valuable foreign exchange earned by our country will be lost.” Underthesecircumstances,thelevyof service tax on intermediary of goods will be viewed negatively by the importers and buyers, feels Anand.

Anand also said that previously the intention of the legislature was not to tax both export of goods as well as services from India and the Judiciary also had the same view, which is evident from the various decisions rendered by courts of India, for example, ‘Microsoft Case’. “The focus of the Government should be on export growth, increase in foreign exchange revenue and not on taxing the export transactions, and thereby making our ‘Made in India’ products costlier and less competitive in International Markets,” he concludes.

Small- and medium-level buying houses Facing diFFiculties in quick shiFting Market scenario

Though most buying offices agree that order position is good now and business is definitely back on track; however, it is also a reality that problems still exist especially for medium-level buying houses; be it the changing priorities of buyers as well as vendors, increasing demand for sampling from Europe but less conversion resulting into extra cost and useless exercise, or buyer’s priority to work directly with those vendors with whom earlier he was working through buying houses. A recent change in policy with regard to service tax is another problem which is claimed to have added an extra burden on buying agents/buying houses. Though these problems differ from company to company and buyer to buyer, AO takes a closer look on ground realities…

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Lace makerS oF SUraT on creaTive HigH Business growing for companies investing in Product Development

The city of Surat is known for two very creative businesses – textiles and laces. Over the years, the manufacturers and traders have up-skilled their businesses with the result that today the textile segment is offering innovative designs and a wide product range that has moved beyond man-made processed fabrics to cotton and cotton blends. Not far behind are the city’s lace manufacturers, who have invested not only in the latest machines but also in design team, to offer an amazing range of laces. What’s interesting is that every manufacturer is being driven by his desire to be differentiated from his competitors, and since Surat is a small city, most of the players are aware of each other’s strengths and have respect for individual competencies. Team AO recently met some lace manufacturers in Surat and was fascinated by their beautiful creations…

Though lace adds value to a garment, not all appreciate the creativity that goes into making this accessory

and many even feel that paying a few extra cents for a unique design is an extra expense, without realizing that it adds hugely to the final price of the product. Moving throughthelanesofSurattomeetsome well-established names in lace manufacturing, it became obvious that the city is full of companies that are either engaged in lace manufacturing or trading of lace. But it is only about 10% of this community that is spearheading the creative movement with R&D setups.“TheSuratlaceindustryhas been nurtured on copying of designs either from the movies or from leading designers! Till about a decade ago, no effort was made to invest in product development, but now things are changing,” says Dalpat J. Kaswala of King Laces,

which has 39 multi-head embroidery machines that are used exclusively for lace manufacturing.

His views are endorsed by many manufacturersinthecity.Whilefor some, product development has emerged as their need to stay relevant in a competitive market, for others it was the stepping stone togrowth.“Withourproductioncapacities increasing, we could not survive on reproducing what was already running in the market, so we decided to create our own market and also charge a better price for bringing something different,” says Paras Jariwal of Jariwal Industries. The company feels that what has worked for them is the range of automated machines that they have installed over the years to cater to different lace making techniques from needle looms to multi-shuttles to crochet to rapier machines.“Wemaynothavethelargest number of machines but we

“While we are doing our own developments for the local market, the requirements for the international market is more standardized and the play is mostly on colour.” Manoj V. Jariwala, Nilesh Ribbon Industries

Nilesh Ribbon Industries

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“Our integrated strength enables us to offer different finishes, colours and washes in laces all within a stipulated time and price framework.” Naveen Seksaria, looking after the schiffli division at Armo Synthetics

“With our production capacities increasing, we could not survive on reproducing what was already running in the market, so we decided to create our own market.”Paras Jariwal, Jariwal Industries

and also specializes in velvet and satin ribbons that are mostly used for garments going into international markets.“Whilewearedoingourown developments for the local market, the requirements for the international market is more standardized and the play is mostly on colour,” says Manoj V. Jariwala of Nilesh Ribbon Industries. He adds that the local market is getting very organized, while earlier, quality and collaborative development was the hallmark of working with international markets, the same is now increasingly becoming a part of working with the bigger brands in the Indian market. “Most of the well-established names in the local market are now creating catalogues on a seasonal or monthly basis and every person in the supply chain is part of the development process. This approach helps us in saving on inventories and getting orders from retailers who stock the goods in advance,” shares Manoj Bhai, whose 40% business is with exporters and 60% is coming from the local market.

Though many of the manufacturers have their own machines, Global LaceCollectionisworkingonavery unique model wherein it is a

domestic and international markets to keep the machines running throughout the year. “There is more work for exporters in the winters as we make summer collections that are produced between October and January. For the domestic market, since the wedding and festival season peaks during October to January, laces are required four to fivemonthsinadvance.Soworkingbetween both the markets is a year-round business for us,” he says. In fact, many of the companies that are working only in the domestic market are now exploring avenues for exporting to countries like the Middle East and Bangladesh. “Our laces are going to both these countries through agents who work in these markets, but now we are looking at making a direct entry, and we want to target companies to whom we can provide designs suitable for these markets,’ says Paras Bhai.

Among the lace making companies that have earned a good name among garment exporters is Nilesh Ribbon Industries. The company has around 125 Muller machines; it manufactures fancy laces for the domestic retailers/manufacturers

can claim to have the widest variety among the major players,” says Paras Bhai confidently.

The lace business has seen a significant jump in the last decade with many companies who were traditionally into fabric processing andprinting(astrongbusinesssegmentinSurat)havingenteredthelace arena. Among such companies is Armo Synthetics, which started making schiffli laces in 2005 and presently has 16 schiffli machines. The company is focusing majorly on product development and has a strong client base of domestic manufacturers and exporters of garments and home furnishings. “Our integrated strength enables us to offer different finishes, colours and washes all within a stipulated time and price framework,” says Naveen Seksaria, who is looking after the schiffli division at Armo since its inception. This integrated advantage has helped the company make major inroads into the very fast lead time-driven international markets with exporters accounting for 65-70% of their lace business.

Describing the lace business as seasonal, Naveen stresses on the importance of balancing work in both

Sensing future growth potential, many companies have a strategy in place to support expansion plans. While Nilesh Ribbons is investing in R&D and technology, King Laces is shifting to bigger premises to showcase its products more effectively. At Jariwala, the focus is on backward integration to ensure more creative innovations in yarn.

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“The Surat lace industry has been nurtured on copying of designs either from the movies or from leading designers! Till about a decade ago, no effort was made to invest in product development, but now things are changing.” Dalpat J. Kaswala and Mukesh B. Sangani, King Laces

“We are creators and our expertise is to visualize how the strengths of different manufacturers can be put together to develop a new concept which is very exclusive, high-end and difficult for others to copy.” Vasudev Kachiwala with his son Jitesh, Global Lace Collection

give more depth to our designs,” says Paras Bhai.

All the players were unanimous in their view that the market for laces is on the rise and what may be unpredictable is the type of lace that will appeal to the customer. “One of the advantages of having a variety of machines to manufacture laces is that we are never out of business, because lace in some form or the other is always in fashion,” says Paras Bhai. He also stresses that for companies that have moved up the value chain and can give fresh designs at regular intervals, the market is never slow. “In 2002, we made a decision to invest in R&D and that has helped us to grow and also make a name in theSuratmarket,whichis flooded with manufactures,” avers Paras Bhai. Taking the thought forward Naveen adds, “There is no point in competing with companies that survive by copying and undercutting prices; the only way to stay competitive is to be different.”

Suratisdefinitelyadynamicbusiness centre and one of the best features of the city is the adaptability of the players to movewithtime.“Likeallmarket-driven businesses we have also seen many ups and downs, but the willingness to change and invest in technology has kept the industry moving forward. Now, focus on product development will propel the lace industry to greater heights,” concludes Manoj Bhai.

manufacturer, but without machines.“Wearecreatorsandourexpertise is to visualize how the strengths of different manufacturers can be put together to develop a new concept which is very exclusive, high-end and difficult for others to copy,” says Vasudev Kachiwala of Global Lace Collection. In a shortperiodof7years(sinceitsinception after a break-up from itsparentorganization),the company has created a buzz in the market for its unique products. Vasudev Bhai has a sharp eye for details and a deep understanding of how the market works and what will click.“WhenIoptedoutofmyfamilybusiness, I took with me my creativity and market understanding but no machines, and I have turned this into my strength,” avers Vasudev Bhai.

Sensingfuturegrowthpotential,manycompanies have a strategy in place tosupportexpansionplans.WhileNilesh Ribbons is investing in R&D andtechnology,KingLacesisshiftingto bigger premises to showcase its productsmoreeffectively.“Wehaveexpanded our range hugely over the years and it is now becoming very important to showcase the range in a more professional way, so it became imperative for us to have more space,” reasons Dalpat Bhai. At Jariwala, the focus is on backward integration to ensure more creative innovations in yarn. “R&D has to happen at various stages and with three in-house designers, we are equipped to give fresh ideas, but where we still need support is on differential yarns to

The lace business has seen a significant jump in the last decade with many companies who were traditionally into fabric processing and printing (a strong business segment in Surat) having entered the lace arena. But it is only about 10% of lace manufacturers who are spearheading the creative movement with R&D setups.

Zari design from Jariwala Industries

Creativity is the hallmark at Global Lace Collection

A beautiful neck-piece from King Laces

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Growth prospect in export...With1,10,000powerlooms,Ichalkaranjicontinues to boast of being a strong centre for traditional powerlooms. But the focus is shifting to automation. Two years ago, there were 6,000 shuttle-less looms, and today the number has increased to over 10,000. The city, that has a population of less than 3 lakh people, offers the best quality cotton fabrics made at the shuttle-less looms, which produce thousands of designs. Even small entrepreneurs are doing good business here. Though 80 per cent of the firms have developed as family businesses, now most of the businesses are in the hands of the young people (30-40yearsold),whoareworkingeffectively and collectively to grow their business. In fact, almost everyone is on expansion mode as there is growing demand in the domestic market, besides which, bulk orders for exports are coming in, and companies have the funds. Even the Government has started promoting exports from Ichalkaranji, for which it is organizing seminars like Niryat Bandhu. Though most companies feel that price realization is better in domestic sales than in exports, there are issues such as credit risk and market fluctuation in domestic business.

Prakash Awade, former Textile Minister, Maharashtra (consideredthefatherfigureofthehub),isveryoptimisticaboutthefuture

growth of the city. He foresees concrete steps being taken and the results becoming visible in the next two years, which will make the city grow anew as an important export and garmenting hub. “Along with growing footprints in fabric export, our target is to develop this city as a garmenting hub as we havethefabric(eventhoughproducedlargelybysmall-scaleindustries).Garmenting has grown well here in recent years, and we want that the fabric-to-garment process should be completed here, not only for domestic markets but also for the export markets,” he says.

Companies like Ram Krishna (Jhanwar) Group have been motivating others as it has seen exponential growth in its fabric business; it is supplying to garment exporters as well as exporting directly. The soft spoken MD of the company, Deendayal B. Jhanwar, is amongst the few who are focusing more on marketing than on expanding their production. “Our priority is forging a stronger relationship with buying houses and international brands as they recommend us for our fabric, which is being used in making the garmentsforM&S,PoloRalphLauren,FifthAvenue,TSS,Walmartandotherrespectedbrands.Wearenowdirectly exporting processed fabric to SriLanka,besidesMexicoandDubai,and for Bangladesh, we are going through a buying house,” he says.

India’s biggest cotton (greige) fabric producing hub Ichalkaranji in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra, is witnessing a turnover of more than US $ 170 million per day. The city has grown significantly during the last decade or so, and its growth momentum is set to continue in the coming years. It is moving towards processed fabrics, there is an increased focus on export, and garmenting is also growing slowly but steadily. While weaving is the core business here, companies are installing sizing machines, wider width technology, and undertaking fabric processing and marketing activities as well. With the hub witnessing multi-directional growth, there is a lot of enthusiasm amongst companies. However, the fear of higher power tariffs being levied looms large over the industry, and is forcing many companies to consider shifting their base to nearby Karnataka, which is offering more and better facilities. This is posing a big challenge for Ichalkaranji. Team Apparel Online met companies of various levels to get a feel of the city.

icHaLkaranji Moving from greige to processed fabric and export

Airjet looms in the factory of Arihant Group of Industries Weavers engaged in drawing and denting operation

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Growing interest in processed fabric...There are some small- and mid-level firms in the city that deal exclusively in processed fabric and only for domestic market. Most of the big companies are making mainly greige fabric, while processed fabric is a small part of their business, though the share is growing. Jatin Cotton Mills, RatanMoti Texfab, and BirlaUdyogSamuhShrinidhiExportsare some companies that have a good setup for weaving and offer processed fabric also; they are catering to local as well as international markets. Processed fabric offers them good margins and the opportunity to widen their customer base, but lack of awareness about export mechanisms is posing a hurdle. “The hub is moving towards finished products as we are getting a direct demand for dyed fabrics. Garment manufacturers at the lower- and mid-level, who were earlier dealing with merchant exporters, are now coming directly to weavers like us. This trend started two years ago and is increasing,” says Pradeep Kumar Birla, MD, Birla Udyog Samuh Shrinidhi Exports. He informs that since companies get comparatively better margins, and they can cater to small orders, which widens their customer base and growth prospect, they are getting motivated to venture into processed fabric alongside greige, which they have been doing for decades.

At the same time, there are companies like Arihant Group of Industries and Jathar Textile, which are concentrating onlyontheirgreigebusiness.“Wearenotinterested in dyeing. In fact, the strength of most of the companies here is making greige like us, and can offer a variety of fabrics be it shirting, poplin, canvas, ordenim.WehaveexportedgreigetoRussia and we want to expand the same product category rather than getting into processed fabric,” says Sanjay Jain, Director, Arihant Group. The group rarely does dyed fabrics and that too mostly as a tool during slow market conditions to safeguard against loss.

Likemosthubs,Ichalkaranjitoohasamixed way of working; some companies are dependent on local traders for sourcing yarn; some have a direct association with spinners as they want better control on quantity, quality and payment terms; and there are some who workwithbothsegments.“Wesourceyarn directly from mills and not from local agents/traders as they charge almost2-4percentmore.Sincewehave

Direct from big players

Known for making value additions, Deendayal B. Jhanwar,MDofRamKrishna(Jhanwar)Group,has a very clear vision for the growth of his company, which has a capacity of 55,000 metres perdayandaturnoverofUS$20.28million(Rs.125crore).Withfullordersforthenextsixmonths, he is expecting 25 per cent growth. The company is doing well in excel and modal, and hasstartedyarnofLenzing,forwhichithasgota good response. Four months ago, it started supplying fabric to Tommy Hilfiger and Ankur Textiles. “New weavers are not coming to the factories, not even for shuttle-less looms. This is a big concern for the industry so we have more focus on marketing,” he feels.

Ram Krishna (Jhanwar) Group: Aggressively growing in value addition and export

Deendayal B. Jhanwar

Prakash Awade is diligently working for the upliftment of the hub. He is hopeful that an advanced fabric processing house and an exhibition centre willbesetuphereinthenexttwoyears.“Wehave placed our request to the GOI; land has been identified for the processing house which is within 5 kilometres of the city, and the upcoming exhibition centrewillbearound20,000sq.feetinarea.Weare trying to start a weaving training centre for women also as labour shortage is there and some women have started weaving under self-help group. DKTE will also help in it as it has already done a very good job in training sector. The Central or StateGovernmentshouldcomeforwardtosupportthe hub as its potential is yet to be explored fully,” he says.

Process house and expo centre in next two years...

Prakash Awade

A B.Tech in Textiles, Sandeep Patani, Director, has added manufacturing to his family business of trading, and in the long-run, plans to start theirownprocessinghouse.Withexperienceinexporting(fittedbedsheetofPCtoWalmart),itis now meeting regular export orders for fabrics toUK,TurkeyandChina.Thecompanyhasacapacityof10lakhmetrespermonth(viscose,modal,tensile)andalsooffersgreige,bedsheetsandmade-ups.Sandeep’syoungerbrotherwho is a B.E. in Chemical provides the technical know-how and handles the finishing. A sizing plant is going to come up soon. “Nobody here is focusing on developing the market as it requires collective efforts with the help of trade bodies or theGovernment,”observesSandeep.

Jatin Cotton Mills: Fabric and home furnishing

Sandeep Patani

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a good cash flow, we don’t have any payment issues. Mills usually expect a minimum order for 8-10 tonnes of yarn, and since our requirement is for the same quantity, we don’t have any issues,” says Sandeep Patani, Director, Jatin Cotton Mills.Similarly,whilesupplyingfabrictothe domestic market, which is the main customer base of this hub, manufacturers reach customers mostly through agents though a few do have direct customers.

The city has a huge number of agents who supply the locally made fabrics all over India, and there are about 50 fabric manufacturers with in-house production facilities for making good quality fabrics and doing an annual business of US$8.11-16.22million(Rs.50-100crore)orevenmore.ArvindGroup(Mardafamily),WoventexIndia,SultanpureTextile Mills, and Jai Durga Textile are some of the leading players here, known for producing various kinds of cotton-based fabrics from suiting to shirting to denim to home furnishing to industrial fabric with a lot of blends. However, the hub is not strong when it comes to product development or R&D, but it can produce any kind of fabric.

Potential in garmentingBombayRayonFashionsLimitedhasits garment factory here, but overall, garmenting is yet to emerge more strongly and in a more organized manner. The city does have training centres like the Kranti Garment Parsiksan Kander, which claims to have trained about 5,000 women, who found work in the garment industry but mainly as job workers for making handkerchiefs, caps, etc. Ratan Moti that has its own brand, is outsourcing stitching from Indore and other cities due to non-availability of labour in Ichalkaranji. Companies entering garmenting in this city usually start at a low-level, for instance, Jai Durga Textile that recently started with 40 stitching machines as a job work, though it has plans to expand itsoperations.Whatisalsomissingisin-house dedicated training, especially in weaving and garmenting, though some like-minded people are trying to set up a weaving training centre for women. Though associations like DKTE and BITRA have done a good job in training workers, but the industry is still missing trained weavers.

Mixed opinion on infrastructure...The industry has a mixed reaction about thecity’sinfrastructure.Whilesome

Direct from big players (contd.)

Arihant Group of Industries: Different working ways and aggressive growth plans

Ratanmoti: Vertically integrated group crossing US $ 16.22 million (Rs. 100 crore) mark

Jathar Textile: Known for voile and poplin

Headed by Directors Sanjay Jain and Ritesh Jain, the company is doing double of its existingcapacity(150lakhmetresperyear).Anew unit of 20,000 square feet with an investment ofUS$2.92-3.08million(Rs.18-19crore)willbe ready in four months. Already exporting to Russia, the company is offering shirting, poplin, canvas, and denim fabrics, though plain fabric is its core product. Its annual turnover is more than US$8.11million(Rs.50crore).SanjayJainandRitesh Jain, opine, “One has to be very humble; owners should be involved in each and every work issue such as labour.”

With15differentfactories,Ratanmoti,oneofthemost respected names in the hub, is expecting good growth in processed fabric, and is also planning to start making trousers now that its casual and formal shirt brand ‘Relish’ is doing good business. The Group’s current weaving capacity is 21 lakh metres per month and it is expanding into sizing and automation in weaving. The Group is also doing training activities with textile committees and experts. Rahul and Ritesh Patni, the new generation say, “Five years down the line, we will be in a very good position in exports.”

Withatotalcapacityof5lakhmetrespermonth,voile in 100 per cent cotton is the main product of the company. It is exporting poplin to Korea, and has plans to add a processing house in the next three years for which they already have 6 acres of land. It makes fabric of 63 inches width and is planning to start bed linen with a wider width. Vishnu B. Jathar, Director, doing an annual businessofUS$3.57million(Rs.22crore)peryear and expect 15 per cent growth. “Due to change in customs/anti-dumping duty in some countries, we are facing a challenge, as we were cheaper by Rs. 2 per metre of poplin as compared to China, but now China is cheaper just because of change in policies,” he says.

Sanjay Jain and Ritesh Jain

Rahul and Ritesh Patni

Vishnu B. Jathar

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companies feel that it is okay, there are some companies that have a negative opinion, especially of the roads and sanitation. Though there is an aerodrome inKolhapur(whichis33kilometresaway),but there is no flight service to Kolhapur, which is the biggest hurdle for the opening up of this market. Manufacturers want the local authorities to focus more on improving the connectivity of the city’s roads and the highway. Though the power supply is satisfactory, but the subsidy provided by the Government to the weaving sector can end anytime, which makes peopleworryalot.Withalotofmigratorylabour, the hub is beginning to face more shortage in the city’s resources, which can become a critical issue in the near future.

Karnataka luring companies...The Karnataka border is about 40 kilometres from here. The state offers a better site for locating factories at a distance of about 100 kilometres from Ichalkaranji.TheKarnatakaStateGovernment is also offering more facilities than Maharashtra, which is attracting Ichalkaranji-based companies to invest there.

Direct from big players (contd.)

The capacity of the company is 84 lakh metres per year. It is now expanding its weaving for which it is investing about US$1.94million(Rs.12crore).About50 per cent of its fabric goes to garment exporters, and to clients like Raymond Zambaiti,BombayRayonFashionLtd.Pradeep Kumar Birla, MD is doing abusinessofUS$4.05-4.86million(Rs.25-30crore)peryearandexpect 15-20 per cent growth this year.

“Usingmodal,linen,Lycra,viscose,and filament viscose yarn, we have a capacity of 3 lakh metres per month and we are adding 10 more shuttle-less looms in the next one year with aninvestmentofUS$1.29million(Rs.8crore).Thedressmaterial,shirtingand lightweight materials particularly in dobby, are our main products,” says, Atul Bawne, CEO, Sara Fabrics.

Birla Udyog Samuh: Targeting clients for processed fabric

Sara Fabrics: Dress material is its strength

Pradeep Kumar Birla Atul Bawne

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Union Textiles Minister SantoshGangwarhasurged

the Orissa Government to submit a proposal to set up a textile park. The Minister said this while attendingtheNationalWorkshopon Promotion of Handloom with Fashion in Bhubaneswar recently.

He said priority on allotment of textile parks would be given to

states, which currently do not have any textile park. Currently, there are 61 textile parks in the countryandtheUnionMinistryplans to set up 13 more in the 12thFiveYearPlan.

UndertheintegratedTextilePark scheme, the Centre grants a subsidy amount of 40 per cent subject to a ceiling of Rs. 40

crore. According to Gangwar, if a textile park is set up at an investmentofUS$16.22million(Rs.100crore),itcangeneratejobs for 2,500-3,000 people. “Though there are 63 textile parks in the country, Orissa does not have one, so the Centre will like to see a textile park being set up in the state,” he added.

Kalol(Gujarat)basedSintexIndustriesexpects

trial runs on 100,000 spindles of the 300,000 spindles at its new spinning project in Pipavav to commence in April, with commercial production expected tostartinSeptember.Workonthe remaining 200,000 spindles is in full swing and production is expected to begin on them by the end of this year.

Sintex’stextilebusinesshasseen consistent growth in the last four quarters and better utilization has seen EBITDA margin expanding to

28 per cent from 23 per cent in the same quarter of last fiscal year. Efforts are being made in the textile division to add new customers and penetrate deeper into existing customers with an enriching product portfolio as a major focus area.

Revenues from the textile segment drove up by 22.5 per centyear-on-yeartoUS $30.30million(Rs.186.8crore)atSintexIndustriesinthe third fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2014. Capital employed at the textile division amountedtoUS$368.23

million(Rs.2,270crore)asonDecember 31, 2014 compared toUS$259.71million(Rs.1,601crore)onDecember31,2013. In its vision for 2015, Sintexhastargetedhighergrowth, better utilization and improved margins, and for 2016, spinning is expected to boost further growth. In 2017,SintexexpectsROCEtoimprove by 300-400 bps and expects topline growth of 25 per cent from new products and segments and alongside achieve toplineofoverUS$1,622.19million(Rs.10,000crore).

sintex’s new spinning project to commence commercial production in september

During the quarter, home textilesmajorWelspunIndia

commissioned India’s largest spinning facility under one roof in Anjar, which positions it on the path of expansion and growth through backward integration and automation. According toWelspun,outofatotalinvestmentplanofUS$405.54million, 50 per cent has already been invested, and the rest will be invested over the next 18-24 months.

Half of the investments are for vertical integration and the rest will be for automation or to increase production capacity. ChairmanBKGoenkasaid,“Wewill continue on our growth journey, achieving new milestones and scaling new heights. Our focus over the next few quarters will be to increase our branded sales, as well as to improve our share of sales from innovative products.”

Driven by strong volume growth in sheets and rugs, the revenue

ofWelspunIndiasurged22percent year-on-year in the third fiscal quarter ending December 31,2014.WelspunsaidthatsalesdroveuptoUS$218.15millionin the third quarter of fiscal 2015 againstUS$178.77millioninthecorresponding quarter of fiscal 2014.

Operational EBITDA margin was higher at 25.3 per cent vis-à-vis 21.8 per cent, on account of commissioning of the 170,000 spindles spinning mill, leading to higher vertical integration.

Welspun to strengthen its vertical integration and automation

textiles Minister urges orissa to apply for textile park

Tex Find

Fabrics are no longer constricted to being a commodity to cover one’s body; they have slowly and steadily moved forward in the 21st century, and there is no end to what textiles can do. Withtechnologyonthe increase, taking fabrics to the next level, researchers at UniversitéLaval,havedeveloped a new smart textile which is able to monitor and transmit the bio-medical information of anyone wearing it. Between the intricately placed cotton and wool yarns lie threads of copper, polymers, glassandsilver.Whenentwined together, these materials create a fibre that works as a sensor and picks up information, and acts like an antennae to transmit it. The fabric is capable of collecting all kinds of data, in fact, the surface of the sensor fibre can be tweaked to measure a variety of information, including glucose levels, heartbeat, brain activity, movement and spatial coordinates. This fabric has the potential of experimenting with a number of highly useful applications.

new technical Fabric that picks up and transmits vital data developed

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H O M E F A S H I O N F U T U R E

The Heimtextil fair held at Frankfurt, Germany is considered as a premier event for home and contract textiles.

It highlights the latest innovations and consumer trends, and is a ground for sourcing high-quality home furnishing products such as bed linens, upholstery, furniturefabric,cushions,etc.Leadingtextile manufacturers from all over the world bring to this fair their best products, enabling sourcing professionals to find the right vendors and place good orders. This year too, global suppliers, including from India, Turkey and China, converged at the fair in great numbers to showcase innovative products, fabrics and the latest designs.

Mumbai-based Textrade International that has an advanced manufacturing systeminSurat,metmanynewbuyers from European countries. Its top-of-the-bed products garnered a lot of interest, and the company is positive about getting good orders. “The fair was overall better than last year, but due to a weak euro buyers are following a ‘wait and watch’ strategy; so a lot would depend on the euro’s movement,” said Laxmikant, Senior Manager (Sales & Marketing), Textrade International.

Amit Tayal, Director-Marketing, Delite Internationaladded,“Lookingat the overall situation, and especially at the euro affect, I feel that for now, the fair was like a missed opportunity. Footfall was good and buyers were really interested in the products, and we can hope for good orders, but if the currency remains the same, the market will not pick up.” The company is known for its floor coverings. At the fair, micro

fibres and tie and dye were trending in floor coverings.

Despite the euro concern, many companies, especially the mid-level ones, were quite happy with the response from new buyers from Europe and other countries. Mohit Chawla, Partner, Charu Worldwide, Delhi, informed that he met 15 prospective buyers, the smallest of whom had three retailstores.“Wewereparticipatingafter 4 years and had displayed quilts and curtains for the first time. Most

of the European buyers whom I met appeared to be very enthusiastic. Actually, Europe is cautious, not slow, as buyers are really looking for products that are easy to sell,” he added.

Delhi-based Arvind Impex (India) was also satisfied with their participation this year. According to Manoj, Export Manager of the company, their booth wasvisitedbywholesalersfromUSandCanada, and since the company works mainly with wholesalers, the fair proved to be fruitful. Apart from companies offering home furnishing products, there were some fabric companies like UniversalTextileMills/JaipuriaSilk

Mills, Bangalore, Kottex Industries, (PratibhaGroupofIndustries),Surat,etc. Yogesh Mittal, Director, Kottex Industries commented, “Our focus was on linen fabric and we met some potentialbuyersfromJapan,USand India, who evinced interest in our products.”

There were some companies that returned from the fair disappointed because of the poor response to their products. Ghansyam Singhal, Proprietor of Singhal Exports, Jaipur, who displayed towels, bed sheets, table covers, and napkins, could not understand the reason behind poor response to his products. “Whereastowelsareconcerned,wecan understand that Bangladesh and Pakistan have an edge over other countries in Asia due to the policy on duty, but we were very confident about our bed sheets and were expecting some interested buyers. But we did not get any good buyers from whom we can expect orders in future,” he rued.

Styletrendsvisibleatthefairincludedflorals, African designs in earthy shades of brown with colourful accents, exquisite woven linens and trims, geometrics and animal prints, vibrantly coloured embroidery, digital prints, fringed elements, etc. and a visibly increased focus on sustainable products. “This has been the most successful Heimtextil for many years; we have not only extended our lead as the world’s most important event for home and contract textiles, but can also confirm the positive outlook for the economic climate,” commented Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board, Messe Frankfurt.

According to organizer Messe Frankfurt, there was an increase of around 3 per cent in visitors' attendance over last year with more than 68,000 visitors coming to see product displays of 2,759 exhibitors from 68 countries. Most of the Indian participants expressed satisfaction on the high footfall and also because there were more genuine buyers this year. Some exhibitors pointed out that the big buyers were missing, but the small- and mid-level buyers who suit Indian capabilities better, made up by being present in good numbers; however, a weak euro was a game spoiler for the Indians.

Weak eUro aFFecTS mooD aT HeimTexTiL

EUROPE CAUTIOUS, NOT SLOW

“Ethno design and pastel shades are set to be a major trend for our stores this year. At present, much revolves around the subject of sustainability and customer well-being. However, holistic home concepts and implementation at the point of sale are also focal points.”

Patric Gehlhaus, Category Manager, Galeria Kaufhof/Metro Group

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mThe misconception of menswear trends remaining unchanged, surely were shattered with London’s display of Fall/Winter ’15-16 collections. Although most designers built on Spring ’15 and Autumn/Winter ’14-15 trends, there was plenty

of innovation too in every collection. With menswear designers on the rise, acrobats were hired to entertain in London. Mary J. Blige took to the stage in Milan and Rick Owens entertained in a less-than-discreet way in Paris. From Andy Warhol like artsy collections to floral buttons on tuxedos, to Lego face masks at Agi & Sam, each line was exciting as they completed the looks and told an interesting

story through various inspirations. Bright colours were a big dose of fun in some collections where neon pink even made it to the model’s hair. Trend analysts at FFT narrow down the top five trends to take away from the season.

enswear

While previous seasons repeatedly reflected the obsession with oversized coats or jackets, knits are in focus this time as they are

big this season in more ways than one. Whether it’s a chunky knit pullover sweater, a lightweight pullover sweater tucked in, or an open printed cardigan sweater, any and all varieties were seen on the runway. Roberto Cavalli’s knit resembled a laidback robe coat, cinched with a knot. Salvatore Ferragamo opted for length as his textured version was open from the front and went up into a cosy muffler. Versace kept things classy and simple by throwing on a lightweight oversized shrug on a brown leather jacket. Most of the collections that incorporated this trend stuck to neutrals like greys, blacks, browns and beiges.

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It seems that designers from London to Paris are giving the classic pinstripe suit a modern makeover. Suits with super-thin lines/pinstripes worn by Wall Street frequenters are a

thing of the past; instead, collections embraced a thicker version of the trend and modified them into chalkier stripes like the ones presented by

Ami and Givenchy. Where Givenchy decided to match the striped coat with a similar printed shirt underneath, Ami went a little dandy with a blue V-neck T-shirt inside, and Saint Laurent kept the 70s vibe going with a thin tie. It was Kris Van Assche who used the collage technique and incorporated not only a different shade but a different texture to the formalwear blazer.

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The obvious and the biggest trend in London this season was relaxed pants, and Rory Parnell-Mooney’s look, seen at the MAN collective show, sums it all up with the high-waisted and baggy fit on the

pants. Taking inspiration from the ascetic wardrobes of monks, as well as punk aesthetics, designers cut their trousers dramatically large. We’ve been hearing about a move towards generously cut tailoring for a while now with nothing much in the way of change from most brands, but it seems A/W ’15 is the season where designers indicate this trend will stick. E. Tautz presented billowing woollen trousers in several shades of grey; some cut straight with a generous break, others slightly neater and cuffed. It was at Joseph, though, that wide-legged trousers looked their most wearable with the broad trouser styles being the definition of classic meets contemporary.

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Revolving around the Burberry collection, which was very bohemian in the classical sense, Christopher Bailey tapped into the 70s zeitgeist, already

very much in evidence at the London menswear collections. Both Burberry and J.W. Anderson featured plush fabrications in 70s styling, creating a richly opulent mood for A/W ’15. Dense pile,

soft handle fabrics in rich dark tones were worked across formalwear and outerwear for a relaxed take on male glamour. Wide wale cord, velvet, suede and sheepskin were key fabrics and rich ginger shades, cream and buttermilk added to the 70s mood. Designers made use of short pile fur on outerwear and casual tops. These plush fabrications added a rich, tactile element to simple shapes in addition to 70s details and styling.

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Fresh in our minds, given its popularity for A/W ’14, shearling is set for an even more remarkable comeback this season. Topman Design got the ball rolling at its distinctly 1970s infused show with a statement

shearling coat, completed with cuff and trim details. Coach presented its first foray into ready-to-wear

menswear, offering a range of shearling outerwear in onyx, beige and dark mossy green. Elsewhere, at Tom Ford’s 1960s inflected presentation, the fabric cropped up again, this time in the shape of a coat, parka and two cropped jackets. Burberry Prorsum proffered some ornate and patterned options, while at Margaret Howell, there was a double-breasted shearling cropped coat that was wearable but not without its subtle and eye-catching details. It was James Long, though, who took this 1970s classic and gave it an all-new look by creating several denim and leather shearing styles.

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mid the rise of bespoke monograms and

personalized patches, denim customization has taken hold of every cuff, collar, and back pocket worth its grommet and buttonhole. Highlighting has become the focal point and the huge 90s motifs have narrowed down to become more tribal like. “ForourA/W’15-16collection,denim has surfaced as a major fabric.Wearestillworkingwith a lot of washes, coating and contrast printing, but embellishments have been taken a notch higher in this collection. Back pockets of shorts and bottoms are being embroidered in bright colours using chain and cross stitches. Gems, colourful rhinestones and rivets are being adorned on cuffs, collars and yokes to highlight the areas and keep the sober minimalistic look alongside,” says Swati Jankoli, Sr. Merchandiser, Shrijee Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd., an exporter of readymade denim garments that specializes in value addition.

From simple studs, to all-over sequins, embellished jeans are

a big trend for Fall. Denim gets a bit more multifaceted than usual as value addition finds a serious following among designers. In the recently concluded runways of Pre-Fall 2015, distinct interpretations came alive and turned a new chapter in denim embroideries. Chanel garnished its bottoms with tonal embroidery which gave the effect of embossing, while Dolce & Gabbana went for an extravagant version with gems, sequins and beads harmoniously placed on the edges. Imaginations ran wild when designers injected colours on the runway by making use of patchwork and multi-coloured sequin. Naeem Khan presented a mash-up of matte and shiny sequinsonacropjacket.Subtleyet intricate butterflies were brought into play in shiny threads using the medium of embroidery on jackets and cropped trousers by Valentino.

Reinventing the fashion from the past, designers at export houses flooded their collections with statement denim pieces, and the

After years of experimentation with washes, denims have picked up the embroidery trend of the 90s; this was visible in the last three seasons. Embroidery on denims has come a long way from the threaded daisies, rainbows and peace signs of the 60s, to the current day minimalistic motifs and rhinestones. Denims have witnessed a variety of value addition techniques sans embellishments in the last few seasons, with techniques like jacquard, tone-on-tone printing and patchwork charming their way into the collections of designers and exporters. But with the revival of embroidery on denims in the last S/S 2015 and Pre-Fall 2015 runways, design teams at export houses have picked up this growing trend and started to develop kitsch and crafty versions using rhinestones and colourful geometric embroidery.

90s Embroidery Fashion Revisited for the Fall of 2015Denim ominance

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embroidered denim trend is being translated in chambrays as well. Workingonsimilarlines,Bittoo Overseas, exporter of readymade garments, has developed a collection with chambray, which creates a trompe-l’oeil effect of heavyweight denims. Elaborating further, Loveleena Dubey, Designer of the company, shares, “ForourA/W’15-16collection,weare developing a range of indigo dyed chambray garments with ‘aari’ embroidery in shaded wool. Weareadorningourmaxisandtunics with an amalgamation of beadwork and ‘aari’ embroidery. Chambray is a thread tied and dyed with indigo to create a replacement for heavyweight denims most suited to the Fall season.Wearegettingagreatresponse from our clients and they are liking this low on cost embroidered version of denim.”

Other than using denim’s lighter version and imposing embroidery on it, exporters are also trying their hand at embroidering withlace.Withtheinfluxofinducing feminine elements into menswear and vice versa, such developments have caught on to denim as well. Delicate and feminine fabrics such as lace and nets are used in various ways and patterns to decorate denims. Rajesh Sachdeva, Managing Director, Upper Class Fashions Ltd., discussing his collection and use of nets, says,“Weareembellishingdenims in every way possible as denim is and will be the winter fabricforthenext10years.Weappliquédlaceinthemidstofthe fabric, on plackets, shoulders and back yokes on the opaque denim base. The see-through and diaphanous quality of lace renders an ultra-feminine touch to the tough jeans, and the juxtaposition creates a brilliant visual appeal. Carrying this visual story forward, we are even creating lace like effects on denims through embroidery andprinting.Wearedoing

pearl printing on denims in intricately laid patterns and are using shaded thread to work with thread embroidery and couching.”

Though the market is sending out a positive feel towards embroidered denims becoming a trend staple, there are some exporters who feel that the trend is still taking a backseat in comparison to prints and jacquard denims. “For us, denim washes are still doing the best, followed by prints and then embroidery. Embroidery has definitely improved since the last season, but it still has not been able to overthrow the reign of washed and printed denims,” explains Jaikishan Chhaproo, Merchandising Manager, Jostars Orgotech Pvt. Ltd. (Bhawani Shankar Impex), exporter of readymade men’s, women’s and kids’ tops. Corroborating with the view Swatiadds,“Thoughwearemaking embellished denims, it is still the least done item in our collection. Denim being a very important fabric, it is being manipulated with washes, prints andjacquards,etc.Wearegettingmore enquiries for our jacquard camouflageshirt.Lookingatthegrowing demand for embroidery on denim, we are expecting an increase in demand for them in the coming seasons.”

Withamyriadofexquisitedetailsand intricate embellishments adorning the traditional pair of jeans, embroideries are slowly and steadily making their way into our wardrobe. And with embroidery impressing the designers and fashion critics season-on-season, the denim trend of the 90s is all set to rule the Fall of 2015. The feminine accents are further helping the casual pieces of denim make fierce fashion statements, so we foresee a clean and minimalistic embroidery trend ruling the fashion industry soon.

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the berry palette is less upbeat this fall and observes a darker and more luxurious approach. last fall/Winter, burgundy was the new colour to emerge, still unexplored – deep reds, burgundy and oxblood being a rich and luxe trend. right now, berry tones are still slightly on the pink side, treated with high key lighting and there is a soft, slightly romantic feel – very feminine and gentle. there was a clear shift towards darker backgrounds, a bit moody and misty. it starts getting a lot darker in any sense with a touch of decay. fabrics such as velvet, silk and leather look the best when they embrace this trend, which is also a reminder of the pantone color of the Year – Marsala.

PANTONE 14-2808 TPX

PANTONE 17-1563 TPX

PANTONE 18-4140 TPX

PANTONE 12-6208 TPX

PANTONE 12-0910 TPX

COLOUR STORY A/W 2015 by FASHION FORWARD TRENDS

CandiceSwanepoelhasturnedher hand to designing with a capsule denim collection for mothers.TheSouthAfricanmodel who is attracted to projects that allow her to ‘help in some way’, agreed to work on the collection in part because it benefits a cause close to her heart: Africa-based non-profit organization Mothers2mothers, which approached her with this project. Candice met the team and knew that it would be a perfect partnership not only to try her hand in designing her own line and learning what it takes, but to also help a great cause at the same time. The collection is available at Mother.com as well as at selected online boutiques including Stylebop.com.

Target unveils its first plus-size clothing lineLessthanaweekafterthe retailer defended its controversial decision tosellLillyPulitzerforTarget – pieces larger than size 18 exclusively online, the chain announced that it is launching a new in-house plus-size apparel line after 7 years. Ava & Viv, which is Target’s first new clothing brand since 2008, will hit stores and Target.com in mid-February.

Sodi launches collection for Macy’sLatinsuperstarThaliaSodi,songstressturnedstylist, has teamed up with Macy’s to debut her new line of apparel, shoes and jewellery. “The collection is inspired by my own personal style. I’m very active, I’m a mother, I’m married and I have friends to go out with.SoItrytoembraceall of my lifestyle,” said Sodi,whoprefersprintoverplain.Sodi’slineispricedbetweenUS$50andUS$100.

Alessandro Michele hired by gucciGucci has confirmed that its head accessories designer, Alessandro Michele, is its new Creative Director. “After a considered and thorough selection process, Alessandro Michele has been chosen to assume the role as Gucci’s Creative Director, based upon the contemporary vision he has articulated for the brand that he will now bring to life. Alessandro and I are fully aligned on this new contemporary vision needed by the brand and we will be continuously inspired by that new identity in our respective roles and duties. Alessandro’s talent and his knowledge of the company and the design teams in place will for sure allow him to move quickly and seamlessly in implementing his new creative direction for the collections and the brand,” said Marco Bizzarri, President and CEO of Gucci.

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Dusk Berry

Candice swanepoel releases denim collection



fabric for the fall With innovative interpretation...

Weed rending

Tweed has, over the years, continued to be a winter wardrobe staple for everyone, irrespective of gender or age. This versatile fabric, used for making jackets, trench coats

and skirts, not only keeps the wearer warm, but also adds

a dignified touch to the attire. Earlier considered

as a quintessential fabric for uniforms of college professors, tweed is being reinvented with innovative interlacing and weaving techniques to create edgy

jackets, flirty dresses, and curve-hugging shorts.

Sidelining the typical wool, tweed’s potential as a fabric is being explored and translated into distinctive metallic and silk avatars. In their quest to impart newness to the archetypical staid old tweed, fashion designers, exporters and fabric manufacturers are attempting to translate ideas into reality and attract real-time orders.

The Oxford dictionary defines tweed as a closely woven, rough, unfinished woollen fabric, with a flexible texture, similar to cheviot or homespun, made in plain, twill or herringbone weave. Today, tweed is no longer seen as a conservative fabric; rather, it is becoming bolder, brighter and better, season after season. It is being created in a variety of patterns

and is not restrained by subdued colour effects achieved through two- or three-ply yarns. Yash Sadh, Managing Director, Parmeshwar Creations, who is creating fringed kaftans in tweed informs, “As usual, tweeds are high on demand this Fall.ForourA/W’15-16collection,we are developing tweed kaftans andjackets,butwithatwist.Weare creating diamonds with block drafting, and have loops in-between for making a fringe, which brings an unusualedgetothedesign.Weavingtechniques open up a huge scope for experimentation, and in tweeds they facilitate newer, exciting versions every season.”

Owing to their property of moisture-resistance, durability and ability to withstand harsh climates, tweeds have become a desirable fabric for informalouterwear.Workinguponthis,Chanel,Maiyet,MSGMandother fashion giants took up tweed as the main fabric in their Pre-Fall 2015 collections. Thome Browne, in the pursuit of achieving the finest form of luxe outerwear, showcased tweeds in extraordinary editions, especially tweeds woven with threads of paper and rubber. Rajan Jindal, Partner, Raghav Worldwide, manufacturer, exporter and supplier of silk, tweed, fleece and other fabrics shares, “An amalgamation of conventionality and comfortability is making tweed amust-haveensemble.Wearecreating tweeds in a variety of fibres and giving it a melánge effect, which from a distance looks very painting-

VALueAdditiOn

Earlier considered as a quintessential fabric for uniforms of college professors, now tweed has been reinvented in innovative interlacing and weaving techniques to serve edgy jackets, flirty dresses, and curve-hugging shorts.


like.Wearealsotryingtoinducechenille and fleece yarns during the weaving of tweed to give it a tactile finish.”

Following the trend of texture, which is a craze this Fall, many designers created 3D effects using tweed as a medium. 3D nub-slub yarns and fur yarns were used to create a fur like surface. Rebecca Taylor also played with different textures by adding frayed denim shoulder patches to a tweed tunic, which gave an illusion of distorted thread effect. KarlLagerfeldcreatedasymphonyof stripes for Fendi’s Pre-Fall collection by adding fur yarns on the outerwear to form tweed disguised as fur. Adding a tinge of brightness tothemostlydulltweeds,Warehousecreated a neon tweed coat, which was a revelation to the tweed fraternity.

Sohil Sarvaiya, Partner, Pankaj Mercantile Company, discussing the trend for wovens this season, adds,“ForourA/W’15-16collectionof shawls and stoles, we have concentrated mostly on woven designs. By incorporating a mix of tweed jacquard designs, we created striped designs, which give our collection this year a competitive edge. Our stoles of self-woven fabrics are so rich that they do not needanyvalueaddition.Wehavedone an unusual combination of organic paisleys and geometric twills that has never been seen before. In my opinion, with prints and embellishments getting

over-used and exhausted, self-woven fabrics is the segment to watch out for.”

Unisexfashion,whichisabigtrend, is drawing inspiration from men’s wardrobes, especially nicely tailored tweed jackets and trousers, and overflowing into womenswear. Chanel has created artisan-friendly multi-coloured tweed for the modern women, and has garnished

the jackets in its collections with varied buttons and frayed edges. On the other hand, Prabal Gurung has played with the combination of pastel, metallic and neutral stripes in slub yarns to present an exquisite tweed version. “Tweed is and will be a Fall favourite till aslongasIcanimagine!Withits versatility of being made in different fibre compositions, tweed

has become a designer’s favourite fabric for experimentations and explorations. Be it creating loops in block draft or adding bright colours to the neutrals, tweeds are being produced in a plethora of ways,” observes Abhishek Khanna, Partner, K. A. International.

Yetanothervariationoftweedisbeing created by incorporating fringes on the body and hems, and the fabric is being manipulated in a variety of ways. The runways of Pre-Fall 2015 saw numerous adaptations of the fabric with fringes. Thakoon showcased a rich and textural affair where oversized tweeds came with rows of yarn fringes, which were sparsely scattered across the body of the tweed jackets creating an interesting3Dsurface.Workingonsimilarlines,MSGMletstheyarn fringes hang loose on their tweed capes, while Milly, making use of the double cloth weaving technique, left yarns unwoven to create loops. Designer Rachel Zoe had her kicky shorts suit rendered in vaguely multicolour fringed tweed. Also incorporating fringes in their tweed styles in distinctive ways, Saraf Textile Mills has been creating tweeds in their individual styles. S.M. Saraf, Managing Director of the company explains, “Wearemakingloopsoutoftheloose ends and leaving the middle weaving. A lot of yarn fringes when folded together to create loops, give a chalk and cheese kind of extreme contrast effect!”

Owing to the property of moisture-resistance, durability and ability to withstand harsh climates, tweeds have become a desirable commodity for informal outerwear. Working upon which Chanel, Maiyet, MSGM and other fashion giants took up tweeds to be the main fabric in their Pre-Fall 2015 collections.

MSGM Thakoon Rachel Zoe Chanel

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Pearl Global Industries Ltd.,theonlyIndian

apparel manufacturer with multinational operations and factories in India, Bangladesh and China, and a total turnover of more than Rs. 4,000 crore (US$640million),isinvesting around Rs. 20 crore(US$3.2million)forexpansions in its factories in Bangalore and Chennai. The expansions will raise the manufacturer’s production capacity by 7 per cent to 5.35 million pieces per month.Withtheadditionof 1,250 machines, the company will have a total of 9,750 sewing machines. Of the 450 new machines that will be deployed in Bangalore(adding150,000garmentpiecespermonth),250 machines will become operational by this month, while the remaining 200 machines will be operational by May 2015. At Chennai, it will install 800 new machines for producing an additional 200,000 pieces a month, and the unit will get commissioned by December 2015. The company has taken a 60,000 sq. ft. facility in Peenya, Bangalore, on long-term lease, while in Chennai it has acquired a 4.72 acre land. The investment amount is funded through internalaccrualsandTUFS(TechnologyUpgradationFundScheme)loan.Thecapacities are expected to generate additional revenues ofRs.100-150crore(US $16.19-24.28million).

pearl global to add 1,250 machines; enhance capacity by 7 per cent

Jaipur-basedSarafTextileMills;partofSarafGroupwhichhasinterestin

various different businesses recently added a new factory of 500 machines in 70,000 sq. feet(singlefloor)area.Nowithastotal3factories with 1,000 stitching machines. The company offering men, women and children wear is expecting 50 per cent growth this year. Vimal Saraf, Director of the company shared his view about market and reason for expansion, “Market is very poor due

Vimal Saraf with this wife Suneeta Saraf, who is looking after product development in the company

to currency devaluation all over the world except dollar, but fluctuation of dollar is an issue for all. Buyers are asking for lesser prices for fabrics, as crude oil prices have declinedwhileSurat-basedpolyesterfabricsuppliers are still asking Rs. 2 per metre and saying there is no impact on them for the same.”

The company is working on a good scale nowastheirfacilityisapprovedbyWalmartand other good players. “My son is joining the business and having edge of his better overseaseducation.Weareconfidentof buyers’ response as well as our own preparation, and ready to take risk within a limit. Our buyers have also expanded in various markets, and bulk capacity makes us more cost effective and we have reduced our margins to little, tightened our suppliers for prices, similarly we put extra checks on quality right for fabric sourcing stage, now we are more particular on outsourcing of printing work. China’s share of business coming to India keeps us motivated,” adds Saraf.Thecompanyisplanningtobemoresystematic to allot a particular factory for a particular segment/product which will make factory more specialized and streamline theprocess.Swimwear,whichwasstartedby the company one and half years ago, is fetching good orders.

saraf textile Mills adds new factory, eyes 50 per cent growth

Siddarth Kukkar with the newly launched bag collection of his company

andhiresomemorestaff.Weareofferinga variety of bags like clutches, travel bags, carry and laptop bags, etc.

Established in 1984, the company has earnedcertificationslikeWRAP,SedexandISO.Itisfocusingonbothdomesticandexport markets, and is associated with many onlineretailers.“Wehavebeenworkingwith many brands and retail stores in the domestic market, so we decided to launch our own brand ‘Paprika’ which has got a good response. Our focus now is to start online retailing and later we will open brick and mortar stores also,” reveals Kukkar.

siddarth organisation starts production of bags and home furnishing products

A well-known garment exporter of Jaipur, SiddarthOrganisation(companyof

SiddarthGroup)hasenteredintothehomefurnishing segment with cushions and accessorieslikebags.Whilecushionsarepurely for the export market, bags are for export as well as for the domestic market. Withthesenewproductsandtheirrecentlylaunched domestic brand of womenswear and accessories ‘Paprika’, the Group, is currentlydoinganannualbusinessofUS$7million(Rs.35crore),andexpectinggood growth. Siddarth Kukkar, the young Director and face of the family-owned business informed Apparel Online,“Weare offering digital printed and embroidered cushions.Whenourexistingbuyersaskedus for cushions, we felt that even new buyers can be added for our cushions. As we are using the same infrastructure and resources for garmenting, it was easy for us to expand intohomefurnishing,butforbags(PUleather),wehadtoaddsomenewmachines

industryWire



Team NSDC and officials of Punjab Government in a meeting

Brawl at Richa & Co.; worker badly injured

On 12th February conditions were tensed

inUdyogViharPhase1and2(Gurgaon),afteraclash between a worker and security guards of Richa & Co. turned bad when the worker reportedly got some serious injuries. The situation worsened when other workers of the same company started throwing stones at the factory premises and damaged cars around the factory, after getting to know that the security guards of unit no. 236, Phase 1, had beaten a worker. There were strong rumours of his death as he was seriously injured. Many nearby factories were closed down for the day and heavy police force was deployed at the spot. Apparel Online approached the management of the company for clarification, but no comments were available.

To enhance the textile footprint in Punjab, an interactive

session was organized in whichIIC-NSDC(InternationalInnovations Corps-National SkillDevelopmentCorporation)team members along with senior government officials and industry representatives discussed the way forward. The meeting was chaired by B Purushartha, Director, Department of Technical Education & Industry Training, Punjab, who said that the present

number of ITIs are not sufficient to meet the industry’s needs; the curriculum should be upgraded, and more ITIs are required to be trained in the textile and apparel sector.

It was suggested that the ITI in Ludhianawouldstarta3-monthpilot training course in areas recommendedbyCharanjivSinghofKnitwearClubandShawlClub.As per his recommendation, the course should include practical training in stitching, linking,

over-locking, flat-locking, folding, buttonholing/stitching, screen printing and laser printing. The courses would be aligned withSectorSkillCouncils and each batch would have 20-30 students for a 2-month course.

NSDC and Punjab Government working together for skill solutions

MinisterofStateforTextiles,SantoshKumar

Gangwar, has assured the industry that certain problems that are leading to delay in TUFS(TechnologyUpgradationFundScheme),willalsobetaken care of and that all the complaints will be addressed as soon as possible. The Ministry would also look into the delay in payment of duty drawback to apparel exporters and find time-bound solutions to resolve all issues pertaining to it. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 5th edition of Tex-Trends India 2015 at New Delhi.

A few days back, Tirupur ExportersAssociation(TEA)brought the issue before the Finance Ministry, seeking immediate intervention and aquickresolve.A.Sakthivel,President, TEA, said that the amount pending to Tirupur aloneisaroundUS$34.04

Minister of State for Textiles, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, addressing the press conference

million(Rs.210crore)asTirupur’s monthly exports of US$486.34million(Rs.3,000crore)hasadutydrawbackof 7 per cent. Duty drawbacks have been stopped since December 2014, which is causing great concern to the industry. The Minister added that a new textile policy is likely to be announced after the Budget.

VirenderUppal,Chairman,AEPC, thanked the Ministry for accommodating major demands

of the apparel sector in the new duty drawback schedule for 2014-15, and said that the duty drawback system has been streamlined and bottlenecks have also been removed in the new schedule.

Recently, AEPC was applauded for receiving the prestigiousWorldCustomOrganization Certificate of Merit award, which is given for rendering exceptional service to the international customs community.

Textile Ministry to look into TUFS and duty drawback payment delays AMH SSC offers ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ Programme

Apparel,Made-Ups& Home Furnishing

SectorSkillCouncil(AMHSSC)setupby the Government of India under the Ministry of Textiles, AEPCandNSDC,hasintroduced Recognition ofPriorLearning(RPL),aproductivityenhancement programme, at almost 1/20th of the cost. Dr. Roopak Vasishtha, CEO of the Council, said that under this system the AMHSSCwouldberequired to identify a manufacturing unit of apparel, made-ups and home furnishings, and all the workers would be assessed by an empanelled assessing agencyofAMHSSC.This agency would then identify the skill gaps, based on which, the training providers of the council would prepare appropriate short-term training programmes of 1-5 days for the workers. The training would be provided either before or after work hours so there would not be any loss of productivity at the factories. The trained workers would be assessed once again and they would be given a certificate. The aim of the programme is to enhance productivity, reduce rejection, reduce lead time, and curtail wastage. Many view the programme asaCSRactivityasit seeks to uplift the workers.

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In the meanwhile, ATDC is continuously expanding; recently it has opened a new Skill Development Centre in Vadnagar, Gujarat with the help of Sardar Patel Trust. The centre is equipped with 42 machines and will add 20 more machines, given the interest of local women to join the programme. P K Yadav

Questions on the working of ATDC(ApparelTraining

& Design Centre formed undertheaegisofAEPC)arestill unanswered. The recent news that a three-member committee has been formed by the Ministry of Textiles to investigate the working of ATDC and for checking issues like quality of training being provided and subsequent job placements of the students, seems to be either unfounded or squashed. It is rumoured that the top brass of AEPC objected to the investigation and requested the Ministry to stop the investigation orders. An official of the Ministry confirmed to Apparel Online that two of the so-called ‘investigating officers’(oneanIASofficerandtheotheraDirector)didnot receive any written order for the investigation, nor were they even aware that such a

committee had been formed! Whatdeepensthemysteryisthat an e-mail on behalf of the so-called ATDC scam team members was circulated to the industry bigwigs, claiming proof against corrupt officials in ATDC.

ATDC investigation ends before starting

After three months of the raid at ATDC Jaipur and two other ATDC centres in Rajasthan,

SRM(SeniorRegionalManager-SMART) PKYadavhasnowbeensuspended.Earlier,he

was transferred from JaipurtoRanchi.Yadavclaimed to be clear in the matter but a notice was issued by ATDCtoYadavon25thNovember last year, for allegedly breaching the conduct rule of ATDCGSR,andforirregularities such as bogus claim of hiring security guard and office boy at ATDC

Rajasthan, which led to pecuniary loss to ATDC. There were allegations of irregularities in the leasing of buildings for ATDC at a much higher rent than the prevalent rates for ATDC Bhilwara CentreinShahpura,besidesrecoveryofsomeseals/stamps of exporters from the faculty room ofATDCMalviyaNagar(Jaipur),causingconcern.

ATDC Ranchi’s SRM Suspended

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Displaying casual shirts, Harshoni Shah, Senior Merchandiser, APD Exports, commented along the similar lines, “Buyers’ response was not as good as expected. I met 10-12 buyers but only one of them talked about slightly better quantities; apart from that, everybody was asking for 100-300piecesandforourminimums.”Sheaccepted that generally her company does not develop any products for the fair; rather they were here to show their strength and capabilities. According to her, buyers now want their developments executed by vendors. APD Exports has Europe as its main market.

Shrawankumar Sadh, Partner at SK International (Export) Co., Mumbai, who is participating from past 4 years said, “Even if we find a single but good buyer, it would be okay as it would meet our expenditure. As suppliers are more, buyers are decreasing; so too much expectation is not justified.”

Apart from companies showcasing apparels, accessories and fabrics, there were some companies from the home segment as well. Gencheck Fashions, with specialization in quilts and linen curtains with hand and cut work,wasafirsttimeparticipant.“Whateverthe reasons are, footfall is not much this time, but the queries are genuine and buyers are from chain stores, which is a good thing. Weexpectatleastonegoodbuyertoconnectwith us,” said enthusiastic Suchita Gupta, Director of the company, at the beginning of the fair.

Organized by the Ministry of Textiles and supported by the Ministry of Commerce

& Industry and AEPC as lead Council, Tex Trend is touted as the biggest Indian sourcing fair. According to the organizers, 1,538 buyers pre-registered for the fair this year. But going through the displays, it was disheartening to see the lack of innovation, with very few companies having something new to display. But exporters have their reasons for showcasing regular products, like costofdevelopment(whichisadeterrent)coupled with the fact that buyers give their own designs and only look for capability and not innovation as such; and lastly, the lack of backend support in raw materials, especially fabric. “As a whole, product development in our industry is not strong because the base of all creativity, which is fabric in a wide variety, isnotavailable.Wheneverwegivesomethingto fabric mills/suppliers, they never appear enthusiastic and only after strong pursuance they agree to develop the fabric but ask for unrealistic timelines and high prices. But we still manage; be it by importing fabric or following up with Indian suppliers,” said Vimal Saraf, Director, Saraf Textile Mills, Jaipur. Talking about his experience at thefair,headded,“Weareawell-knowncompany with a variety of products and our stall also had a good location, but still none of the big buyers or buying house/agent working for them met us. If we are given a list of registered buyers, we could have looked out for them and also prepare our collections accordingly.”

The 5th edition of Tex Trend that recently took place at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, offered a complete range and variety from the textile chain – yarns, fabrics, apparels, home furnishing, accessories and fashionable jewellery. However, the fabric segment was very small with only a few big participants like Arvind, Vardhman and Bindal Exports, who also showcased some new developments. But from the apparel exporters, who formed a major chunk of the 400 participants, nothing different or directional was seen. The apparel exporters shared that they mostly met buyers asking for very small orders of 100-300 pieces. Looking at the scale of the fair and the current situation of the market, most of the exhibitors felt that if they got to meet even one new buyer from whom they could expect orders in future, along with meeting their regular buyers, they would deem their participation a success.

Apparel exporters @ 5th Tex Trend... As usual dominated by small buyers

grupo cortefel, spain

cape union Mart, south africa

pJsc Melon Fashion group, russia

tFg, thailand

penti giyiM, istanbul

cape union Mart, south africa

Faisal al-Rasheed general trading & contracting group co. W.l.l., kuwait

zaza group, Japan

the pass group, australia

Fashion World, south africa

gulf Mysore gen trdg. co. W.l.l., kuwait

silk land trading ltd., uae

amadeus Maj, denmark

al noaimia trading co. l.l.c., uae

ayako yokota, spain

dacal Fashion, spain

iindustria e comercio Jolitex lTda, brazil

sharda group, usa

aromas del sur, spain

kirens international ltd., uk

tejidos brugues s.l.u, spain

Flower clothing, australia

list of major chain stores: buyers who confirmed their visit to the fair, shared by aepc with media but not with participants

Casual shirts of APD Exports, Mumbai Quilts of Gencheck Fashions, Delhi Scarves of SK International (Export) Co., Mumbai

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Tirupur knitwear exports touch US $ 2,424.43 million in first 9 months of current FY

Tirupur’s knitwear exports have clocked US $ 2,424.43 million (Rs. 15,000 crore) in the first nine months of the ongoing fiscal year, marking an increase of 19 per cent and 18 per cent in rupee and dollar terms, respectively, compared to the corresponding period in 2013-14, said A Shaktivel, President of Tirupur Exporters Association. He is also hopeful that the knitwear exports from Tirupur would cross US $ 3,394.21 million (Rs. 21,000 crore) in 2014-15 with the same growth trend and could touch US $ 5,818.65 million (Rs. 36,000 crore) in 2016-17.

Bangladesh Exports may fall short of target for current fiscal

Bangladesh is unlikely to reach its export target set for the current fiscal year in the wake of the prevailing political unrest that has already taken a heavy toll on the country’s economy. The Government has set US $ 33.2 billion export target for the fiscal year 2014-15 to earn US $ 27.5 billion from the nation’s potential garment sector. The target is 8.85 per cent higher than that of last year’s earnings of US $ 30.19 billion. According to the Export Promotion Bureau, in the first half of the current fiscal year, Bangladesh earned US $ 14.9 billion, which is 4.42 per cent less than that of the export target of US $ 15.6 billion for the period.

Global waterproof textiles market to reach US $ 1.73 billion by 2020

Grand View Research Inc., a US-based market research and consulting company, claims that the global waterproof breathable textiles market is expected to reach US $ 1.73 billion mark by 2020. The waterproof breathable textiles section includes densely woven fabrics, membranes and coated fabrics. Membranes are expected to emerge as the largest textile segment over the next six years. The Asia Pacific market is also expected to see high growth in the next few years in this segment.

TRADE SNIPSUS Retail stable, import of apparel registers increase in value and volume with MMF products leading growth

US Import Analysis – Jan.-Nov. 2014

exPOrtstAtistics

Analyzing apparel imports of the US in the 11-month period from January to November 2014, it is obvious that though the imports have not seen massive increase, the American market is definitely on the upward projectile. During the period under review, imports registered 3.11% growth in volumes and 2.50% growth in values. While garments produced from man-made fibre saw good growth during this period with 8.93% increase in value and 8.62% increase in quantities, products manufactured using cotton declined (-) 2.87% in value and (-) 2.21% in volumes.

US Dollar getting stronger…

TheUScurrencygainedagainst all 31 of its major peers in 2014 and for American companies this means that earnings denominated in other currencies will purchase fewer dollars. From its mid-2014 level to early January 2015, the broad trade-weighted dollar jumped 10 per cent; its fastest six-month gain since the 2008 financial crisis, catching some companies unprepared. “There’s going to be some pain for large corporations, but broadly speaking, the increase in the dollar is something the USeconomyisabletoabsorb,”saidMichelleMeyer,SeniorUSEconomistatBankofAmericaCorp.inNewYork.This only goes to show that the USeconomyisincreasinglybecoming stronger.

India continues to show growth in exports to US…

In the 11-month period from Jan.-Nov. 2014, Indian exports of apparel have registered growthintheUSmarketwith5.73% rise in value and 7.90% increaseinvolumes.WhiletheaverageUVRoftheUSimportsin the first eleven months was US$3.20,IndiaregisteredanaverageUVRofUS$3.55downfromUS$3.63inthesameperiod last year. Bangladesh continues to register downfall in exportstotheUSwithdeclineof(-)3.50%invalueand(-)6.47% in volumes, the average

annual level is 3.084 million new jobs. The level of long-term unemployment has been a major concern for policy makers and business owners, but the good news is that over the last 12 months, the number of long-term unemployed(thosewhohavebeen jobless for 27 or moreweeks)hasdeclinedby828,000 workers.

Decent job creation, falling gasoline prices, delivered balance sheets and low interest rates. These trends reinforce the overall economic view that the USeconomyisshiftinggears–where consumption, not capital spending, will drive overall economic growth.

UVRforthefirstelevenmonthswasUS$3.02,upfromUS$2.92in the same period last year.

Job creation in US at all time high…

During the month of January, the economy created 257,000 jobs, outstripping estimates. It is surprising,buttheUSeconomyis turning into a jobs machine. Aftercurrentrevisions,theUSeconomy created 3,116,000 jobs during 2014. This is the highest raw new jobs creation level since 1999. The rapid pace of raw jobs creation during 2014 was carried forward into the beginning of 2015 as job creation on an

TOTAL US GLOBAL APPAREL IMPORTS — JAN.-NOV. 2014

TOTAL APPAREL EXPORTS TO THE US BY INDIA AND ITS COMPETITORS — JAN.-NOV. 2014

Countries Jan.-Nov.'13 Jan.-Nov.'14 % Change '13-14

Qty Value Qty Value Qty Value

India 825.69 2994.36 890.91 3166.06 7.90 5.73

Bangladesh 1591.30 4652.39 1488.38 4489.38 -6.47 -3.50

China 9607.61 27692.58 10007.13 27759.60 4.16 0.24

Pakistan 545.08 1380.77 541.11 1355.77 -0.73 -1.81

Sri Lanka 360.05 1512.16 372.47 1601.56 3.45 5.91

Vietnam 2239.48 7497.66 2536.83 8590.53 13.28 14.58

Qty & value in mn M2 & US $

Type of Apparel Jan.-Nov.'13 Jan.-Nov.'14 % Change '13-14

Qty Value Qty Value Qty Value

Cotton 11401.18 39768.50 11149.52 38628.18 -2.21 -2.87

Wool 206.54 3458.24 214.13 3784.71 3.67 9.44

MMF 11133.89 29639.27 12093.80 32285.18 8.62 8.93

Silk & Veg 271.82 1143.27 272.80 1159.03 0.36 1.38

Total 23013.43 74009.29 23730.25 75857.10 3.11 2.50

Qty & value in mn M2 & US $



Good growth in dresses for Indian exporters

In the eleven months under review, the US registered growth of 4.63% in value and 3.21% in volumes in ladies dresses. India was one of the major beneficiaries of the increase in the dress category and export of the product from India saw good growth of 13.91% in value and 12.44% in volumes.

Bangladesh sees gains in suits/ensembles

Among the new products of exports from Bangladesh, suits/ensembles have not only remained steady, but have also shown growth in a year where volume of imports by the US have declined, though value increased 4.48%. Bangladesh registered 21.79% increase in value and 24.39% gains in quantities in the eleven-month period under review.

India continues to grow in nightwear

One of the categories that are continuously giving good returns to the industry is nightwear. Though not really a very big category in the export basket with exports worth only US $ 104.51 million in the first eleven months of 2014 , nightwear is among the fast moving products today with 35.29% increase in volumes and 36.08% gains in value of exports in the period under review.

Despite slowdown in US, blouses show steady growth from India

In the first eleven months of 2014, India registered 5.40% gains in volumes and 6.70% rise in value of exports to the US in blouses. This is a positive sign, considering that the US import of blouses was on the decline with values decreasing (-) 4.72% and volumes decline of (-) 8.02%.

Core programmes in undergarments see overall decline

A very basic category like underwear, which has been a growth category in the past, saw declines in the first eleven months of 2014. While in Bangladesh the decline was (-) 12.14% in volumes, the values of exports decreased (-) 3.64%. From India the values decreased (-) 3.97% and volumes saw decline of (-) 8.39%.

Export of T-shirts slows down for Bangladeshi Exporters

T-shirts have been among the big-ticket items from Bangladesh, but this year things have slowed down. Though the country registered gains in the first eleven months in values with 1.23% rise, the volumes of exports in the category to the US saw marginal decline of (-) 0.43%, as compared to the same period last year.

Not a very huge market for India, Canada is a focus market and more and more exporters, mainly from the Delhi-NCR region are exploring growth opportunities. Orders from the market have however remained small and the economy too is shaky at the moment, adding to the slowdown. According to the industry, many smaller buyers from the country are showing interest in sourcing at the situation should be clearer in 2015…

Canada saw 1.80% growth in apparel imports from various destinations in the first eleven months of 2014; knitted garments were the major contributor with an increase of 3.18% in value.

The Canadian market was a growth market for Indian exporters with values increasing 2.88%. While the knitted segment saw a growth of 5.43%, the woven category saw marginal growth of 1.09%. The country is ranked at eighth position in knitted and seventh in woven category in the imports by Canada.

Bangladesh was a loser in the market and could not register growth in the reviewed period with (-) 2.87% decline in value of exports. While the knitted garments were down by (-) 3.14%, the woven categories registered a decline of (-) 2.63%.

Like in many other markets, China has stagnated in the Canadian market and registered a decline in exports of (-) 0.78% in value. The country could register gains in only the knitted category with increase of 0.12%, while there was decline in the woven category by (-) 1.72%.

In its exports to Canada, Vietnam saw value of exports increasing by 23.04%. The increase was registered in both the knitted and woven segment of 23.57% and 22.49%, respectively.

Canada Apparel Imports: Jan.-Nov. 2014

India registers growth of 2.88% in value of exports to Canada

exPOrtstAtistics

APPAREL TYPETotal Imports by USA

Exports to USA

India Bangladesh

Qty % Change

Value % Change

Qty Actual

Value Actual

Qty % Change

Value % Change

Qty Actual

Value Actual

Qty % Change

Value % Change

Babies Wear -3.46 1.35 5,737,595 190.69 22.95 -0.68 10,318,025 182.60 -3.62 29.59

Foundation Garments -6.04 -4.75 1,234,300 83.92 6.30 6.19 2,143,656 43.41 -30.00 -30.54

Jackets & Blazers 6.96 8.07 590,572 95.52 13.59 23.60 2,057,309 243.02 -1.41 4.55

Ladies Blouses -8.02 -4.72 6,688,903 501.12 5.40 6.70 1,740,821 101.15 -23.26 -21.15

Ladies Dresses 3.21 4.63 3,466,101 314.27 12.44 13.91 1,006,005 40.74 -7.63 -9.29

Ladies Skirts 4.50 2.87 922,371 73.37 -9.75 -14.67 819,794 33.21 -11.03 -11.68

Legwear 0.96 6.17 3,261,076 13.04 20.76 12.34 – – – –

Men's Shirts -1.55 3.14 2,248,292 211.56 -13.19 -1.38 11,092,087 673.84 1.08 5.62

Nightwear 9.94 8.21 3,325,502 104.51 35.29 36.08 1,408,450 49.93 -17.62 -23.87

Suits / Ensembles -6.30 4.48 535,771 72.90 1.05 -4.12 369,227 28.48 24.39 21.79

Sweaters 18.84 14.13 77,353 8.53 125.45 109.07 1,048,024 58.71 21.57 17.65

Trousers -2.76 -2.83 4,478,042 319.84 3.34 -0.31 33,729,300 2035.48 -9.26 -7.00

T-Shirts 1.19 2.11 18,662,188 809.84 1.36 -73.27 16,455,885 480.99 -0.43 1.23

Undergarments -1.57 0.53 13,632,683 224.25 -8.39 -3.97 20,617,531 238.84 -12.14 -3.64

Value in mn US $ and Qty in dozens, Legwear in dozen pairs, Babies Wear in Kg

ITEM-WISE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN TOTAL APPAREL IMPORTS BY US FROM INDIA AND BANGLADESH: JAN.-NOV. 2014 AS AGAINST JAN.-NOV. 2013



dominanceintheinterliningbusiness.“Wedon’twant to compromise on the type of quality that we commit,” asserts Manish. The factory is also equipped with a technical lab for required testing procedures to ensure all quality standards are as per international norms.

Being abreast with the latest technology is what makes the company stand apart from its competitors. Additionally, the company is constantly on its toes regarding the market needs and is attentive to details and products of the company. Apart from an eye for detailing, the company also has dedicated sales personnel, which keep a close connect with the distribution network. “Every day we are learning from the market and changing with the flow,” adds Varun Fotedar, Vice President-Operations.

Apart from its quality systems and imbibing latest technology, the company is also focusing on getting nominated through a complaint setup that focuses on sustainability including water recycling and ETP plant. The company has an ETP plant which does primary, secondary and tertiary treatment and is also in the process of getting its interlinings certifiedundertheOEKO-TEXStandard100certification, which will give them an edge in the industry. The management’s vision is to be the leading interlining supplier with the best quality products at most competitive prices along with having a steady growth rate through creative excellence and team work.

The core management group at Talreja Textile Industries is working on a unique business model of collective responsibility. Today, the next generation is remodelling the

business to get a bigger share in the interlining business and also move up the value chain. “Wearealreadyamajorplayerinthedomesticsegment with a sizable share in the market, but now we want to take the next step of growth,” says Manish Rupani, the young Director of the company. The efforts are on developing additional products and scaling up the production facilities so as to service the emerging institutional buyers.

Catering to mid- and high-segment buyers with 7-8 days of delivery, if it’s a regular product from the factory and 20-25 days for specific products, the company apart from production also provides technical help and customizes products according to specific needs. The company’s continued focus on manufacturing under ‘no tolerance’ motto in quality standards helps in maintaining the company’s

TaLreja TexTiLe inDUSTrieS PUTS STraTegieS in PLace

Though interlining may be a niche product, but it takes technical expertise and sound knowledge to deliver, and Talreja Textile industries Pvt. Ltd., an iSo 9001:2008 certified company, has been successfully doing it for the past six decades. a leading manufacturer of Woven Fusible interlinings, the company markets its products through an established brand name ‘Talco', which is synonymous with high-quality and reliability. catering to export markets, domestic markets and requirements of the defence sector, the mumbai-based company is revamping its existing facility, incorporating latest technology in interlinings and focusing on nominations from national and international brands.

Varun Fotedar, Vice President-Operations and Manish Rupani, Director, Talreja Textile Industries Pvt. Ltd.

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Focuses on nomination through a compliant setup

55 A

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Technical support and after-sales service have been touted by every technology provider and manufacturer as their top priority and the only way to find success in the highly competitive global market. But the industry rarely witnesses strong moves in this direction, and in one such move, Chinese sewing solution pioneer Jack Sewing Machine Co. Ltd. held the first agent conference in India at Hotel Crown Plaza, New Delhi on 4th February. This effort was further strengthened by the presence of Zhao Xin Qing, Chairman of Jack Sewing Machine Co. Ltd., who highlighted the importance of India in the future growth plans of the Chinese sewing solution juggernaut. On the eve of this event, Apparel Online spoke to Vincent Guo (VG), Director General Manager, Jack Sewing Machine Co. Ltd., who shared the vision and plans of Zhao Xin Qing for the country.

Visiting India after 15 years, Zhao Xin Qing, Chairman of JackSewingMachineCo.Ltd.

emphasized that the Chinese President, Xi Jinping is looking at India as major trade partners. JACK, as the biggest manufacturer of sewing machines in the country, is committed to walk on the same path, and henceforth there would be a renewed thrust to capture a major chunk of the garment manufacturing industry. The event was an opportunity for the company to share future plans and strategies of

making them the largest consumer of apparels but also because both the countries are still engaged in apparel manufacturing in a major way both for the export and domestic markets. Consequently, India is the second biggest market for JACK after China and the most important market among all overseas markets. To further strengthen our presence in the Indian market, we will focus more on the technical support and service aspects of our business this year, for which we would be opening two service centres

JACK for the Indian market, along with the schedule of training programmes for the coming two years with its dealers. Most of the dealers from North India were present, along with some bigdealersfromSouthIndia.

Excerpts from the interview...ao: How important is India as a market for JACK?VG: The prospects of the apparel industry are bright in both China and India because not only do both the countries have the largest populations,

each in New Delhi and Bangalore, and recruiting an additional 112 people for the same. Another focus of JACK would be on understanding the demands of the Indian market, both for domestic manufacturing and export market for which we have visited a lot of dealers and manufacturing factories. In the process, we have realized that the demand of the Indian market is quite different from the Chinese or any other market. In other markets, every sewing machine we supply is equipped with an underbed trimmer but it is not the case in India.

Team JACK (left to right) – Bill Chen, Sales Representative of South Asia; Sudhakar Varma, Assistant Director of South Asia; Zhao Xin Qing, Chairman; Vincent Guo, Director General Manager; and Jerry Yu, Director of South Asia

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DECLARESINDIAASTHEFOCUSMARKETFORFUTUREGROWTH

Jack seWing Machine holds dealer conFerence


ao: Tell us more about the findings and analysis of the survey conducted by you in the Indian market...VG: Our biggest client-base in India is composed of small- and mid-sized apparel manufacturers, who were using some or the other kind of black umbrella sewing machines and have now graduated to use ‘white’ sewing machines. But this transition has not been successful as the operators are not able to handle the high-speed machines to their maximum potential. For them it is like driving a car after driving a horse cart. Hence, through our service centres, we would train the technical staff of our nationwide dealers, who would in turn provide training to such operators.Withatechnicallystrong dealer network in India, we would be successful in penetrating deeper into different garmenting hubs such as Ludhiana,Tirupur,Panipat,etc.

Another finding of our survey was that in terms of quality of sewing and overall performance, sewing machines from JACK are at par with similar machines from a leading Japanese brand, and are even cheaper by at least 20%. But the perception of apparel manufacturers is skewed towards buying sewing machines

of Japanese make, even though they are also produced in China. But now, some factions of the industry have started recognizing the quality and performance of Chinese sewing machines. As a matter of fact, for the last 7 years, JACK has been awarded as the No. 1 Chinese sewing machine company for selling the highest number of sewing machines on a global base.

ao: How will the training of technicians be conducted… In which all areas would the training focus on?VG: As the first step, training would be given to the technicians of JACK India and to that of our bigger dealers such as IIGM. The technicians of our dealers would be then responsible for training technicians of sub-dealers and local agents. It would be difficult to get Chinese technicians to train all the Indian technicians due to language and cultural gaps. The present recruitments we have made are only for service and support, and none of the people would be involved in sales. The sales activities would be solely undertaken by our 12 dealers and sub-dealers throughout the country.

Presently, most of the technicians of our dealers cannot repair

the electronic components of a computerized sewing machine from JACK and they can only repair the metallic spare parts proficiently. Hence, the ongoing training programmes will enable the technicians to repair the electronic components of the sewing machineswithease.Webelievethat in three years’ time, the demand for computerized automatic sewing machines would exceed the same of basic machines, due to the strong technical support structure, which we are looking toestablish.Subsequenttothe training programmes, all our technicians would be able to rectify all machine-related issues, including the same of PCBs, in less than 24 hours, which as per our knowledge no company is able to offer in India.

ao: Beyond the training programmes, what would be the direction of JACK’s plans for India? VG: Our growth lies in the small- and mid-sized apparel manufacturers, who cannot afford to spend such money on sewing machines. Therefore, as of now we will focus majorly on basic sewing machines but in the future we will develop machines which can give the manufacturers lot more features within the same price bracket. The focus would be on increasing the market share and building the industry’s trust in our machines, and then we will start introducing better technologies.LastyearoursaleswerenearlyUS$20millioninIndia, while catering to 20% of the market and we want to double our share within next 5 years.

A training session in progress at the dealer meet

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EMBROIDERY FABRIC / LACESEMBROIDERY FABRIC / LACES


birla celluloses s/s16 collection at preMière vision paris draWs Focus on natural Fabrics

Birla Cellulose, the umbrella brandoftheUS$40billion

Aditya Birla Group, showcased its latest collection of nature-based fabrics made with minimal technical interface at Première VisionYarnsheldinParisrecently.The over-arching theme of the S/S’16collectionsfocusedaroundnature and consumers’ desire to live a natural lifestyle. Birla Modal andBirlaSpunshades,whichhave sustainability and fashion credentials, were leveraged in two collections, namely, Forager and Discipline, both of which highlighted the structural uniqueness and the tech interface of Birla Modal blendedfabrics.WhiletheForagercollection focused around the concept ‘less is more’, and meets the growing demand for sustainable living, the Discipline collection showcased cellulosic fibres extended through the use of natural dyes and hand block printing techniques.

Birla Cellulose’s regular consumer research in main consuming markets of Europe, China, India, and Indonesia, reveals that viscose is appreciated for its comfort and fluidity as it is a fibre with a natural heritage. Its Amicor blended knit structures have antibacterial features that combine fluidity with functionality; Amicor acrylic is lightweight and easy to care; Coolmax blended activewear has moisture management with comfort features; Birla Modal, made from the choicest wood pulp, has a natural tendency to be cool in summer and warm in winter, while natural dyes bring in an additional layer ofsustainability.BirlaSpunshadesbrings value to its knitted tops and leggings by savings in water, chemicals, auxiliaries and energy. The company’s collections every season are consumer-aligned and highlight people’s desire for natural and sustainable products.

Progressive yet cautious, ATM Exports believes in growing

slowly yet steadily and never loses sight of the prevailing market conditions. This forward-looking company keeps abreast of the latest international trends and continuously updates its offerings and capability to meet evolving demand from international buyers, with a strict quality control policy in place. The company also invests regularly in R&D to develop innovative products at its state-of-the-art production facilities. Over the last two years, ATM has added machines for making embroideries such as Aari, Chenille, Dori and SoutacheWork;lacessuchasNeck-Laces,Jhallar-LacesandJacquard-Laces;andmachinery for handling different kinds of yarns to give a new look to crochet fabrics.

This Faridabad-based company’s expertise lies in making crochet fabrics, cotton jacquard tapes, fine laces, embroideries, laser cuts, neck patchesandothertrims.Withitsupfrontapproach, ATM plans to become more technically sound so as to provide a wider range of integrated designs to its customers. Tanuj Goel, Director, ATM, Exports informs that they are working mostly with exporters who are looking to place bulk orders, and with some small though serious players for whom quality is a priority. Giving his assessment of the

Tanuj Goel, Director, ATM Exports, presenting his products to Jagadish Hinduja, MD, Gokaldas Images at one of the fairs he participated in

current market situation, Tanuj says, “The market is very competitive and it is becoming very difficult to maintain the balance between production cost and the price that the buyer is asking for. Weforeseethemarketbecomingevenmore challenging in times to come and only production-efficiency and strict quality control will help one to survive. Wearelookingforstronggrowthinfuture and are gearing up to meet new demands.” According to him, the latest trends prevailing in the lace market

are for fine, delicate and intricately designed laces.

Though the company has kept pace with changing

market needs and has recently also added hi-speed hot- fix stone pattern-making machines and laser cutting machines,

ATM believes in taking a cautious approach

when expanding its current capabilities or

venturing into new product categories. “Business is becoming more and more competitive and demand keepschangingeveryday.So,investingin new technologies or expanding the infrastructure is risky because one does not know when demand for a particular productwoulddecline.So,youhavetolook beyond the immediate market’s demands and trends, and move very cautiously when expanding business,” concludes Tanuj.

atM exports adds Machines For eMbroidery, laces and Finishing oF crochet Fabric

“We foresee the

market becoming even more challenging in times

to come and only production-efficiency and strict quality

control will help one to survive. We are looking for strong growth in future and are gearing up to

meet new demands.” – Tanuj Goel, Director,

ATM Exports

resOurcecentre


EMBROIDERY FABRIC / LACES

EMBROIDERY FABRIC / LACES BUTTONS / BUCKLES

BUTTONS / BUCKLES

HANGERS / PACKAGING ACCESSORIESELASTICS / TAPES

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alok Malhotra shifts from buying to Manufacturing

Alok Malhotra, former Hub Leader-Indian sub-continent for PVH

Amit Aneja, Regional Sr. Manager– Raw Material, PVH

Alok Malhotra, former Hub Leader-Indian sub-continent

for PVH, controlling the region from Dhaka, has joined as Director FFI Global(Fibres&FabricsInternationalPvt.Ltd.),aBangalore-basedexport

house. The reasons could be many but the most apparent is that he is back home... to the city of Bangalore where he spent the longest period while heading Tommy Hilfiger’s office. In the meanwhile, Nitin Prasad, Director & Country

Head, PVH India, is extending his role to look after the region.

FFI Global, owned by Anupam Kothari, is a state-of-the-art denim producing company that

manufactures about 12 million pairs of jeans annually. The company was recentlyawardedthe‘NiryatShree’Gold Trophy for Best Exporter of theYearbytheFederationofIndianExporters Organisation. In 2013, Anupam Kothari signed up to invest in Marithé&FrançoisGirbaud,aFrenchfashion label known for its jeans collection. By signing the agreement, FFI became the worldwide master licenseeforMarithé&FrançoisGirbaud(excludingcountriesandproductsalreadyunderlicense).The agreement between the two companies is for 15-year duration.

Considered as a pioneer in denim, theMarithé&FrançoisGirbaudbrand generates annual sales estimated at Euro 200 million and operates more than a dozen stores in France and Europe, it also has a presence in about 2,000 multi-brand outlets worldwide.

Movement within pvh

Amit Aneja who joined PVH’s Bangladesh officein2013asRegionalSr.Manager-

Raw Material, where he was heading the Indian sub-continent for raw materials sourcing, has now joined PVH’s Bangalore office. “My job profile is the same; it’s just that I have returned to my home country. Prior to PVH, Amit was a consultant to Coach Inc. for four years, where he was

developing innovative fabrics and exporting them to various countries, like China, Vietnam, Philippine, Bangladesh and Thailand. “My expertise in textiles goes beyond 23 years, and even before joining Coach, I worked for premium

brands like Gap and JCPenney. My five years stint with a Chinese firm in Indonesia honed my technical skills, thus enabling me to face challenging situations of the trade,” shares Amit.

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