The Punjab-based textile industry has lost 40 percent of production capacity after being exposed fast to unbearable electricity load shedding since 2011. According to the available data, the Punjab-based textile industry was exposed to four hours a day load shedding in 2011, followed by six hours a day in 2012 and 2013 and eight hours a day in 2014. The incremental surge in load shedding for the Punjab-based textile industry is resulting into widespread unemployment besides a substantial drop

Bangladesh's apparel sector will continue to thrive due to retailers' growing confidence and the country's ability to supply garments at competitive prices, said officials of Foreign Trade Association, a Brussels-based platform mainly of European retailers. The platform with 1,400 active members has different wings such as Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) and Business Environmental Performance Initiative (BEPI). “My guess is that Bangladesh's garment sector will continue to gro

DESIGNER labels Armani, Ralph Lauren and Fendi are among manufacturers whose clothing failed recent quality tests by the city’s quality watchdog. Other well-known international brands and retailers whose goods fell foul of the watchdog included Marks and Spencer, Lacoste and Muji. Problems were encountered with fiber content, color fastness, excessive levels of formaldehyde, a high pH index and labeling, the Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau said. Retailers were o

Turkey, the biggest importer of US upland cotton last year, buying 1.1 million bales worth about $500 million announced the investigation into possible dumping of US cotton in the country, the US government and an industry group said, the third dispute over US cotton in recent years and a sign of rising tensions in global trade as prices sink. The move was significant for several reasons. It came just four days after the US regulators cleared the way for a 1.25 percent anti-subsidy duty on T

Vietnamese-made textile products at present enjoy a preferential tariff in Japan due to ASEAN+1 (ASEAN plus Japan) and the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement as similar items from China are subject to 15-20% tariffs. Preferential tariffs may no longer be a competitive advantage for Vietnamese goods over those from China in the Japanese and South Korean markets after the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement is signed. The 10 member states of the Associatio

Central Chairman APTMA S M Tanveer has warned that the textile industry exports worth 2.5 billion dollar would be at risk if energy supply remains uncertain. Furthermore, he apprehended that the industry would be reluctant from undertaking further investment if energy supply was not ensured timely by the government. He was addressing a press conference at the APTMA Punjab office on Thursday evening. Chairman APTMA Punjab Seth Muhammad Akbar, Central Vice Chairman APTMA Wisal A Monnoo and Senio

Apparel exporters fear losses as production and shipment are being interrupted due to the latest spate of the general strikes being enforced by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Jamaat is enforcing the strikes in protest at the punishment handed down to its leaders by international crimes tribunals. Due to the strikes, exporters may fail to maintain lead time and some of the businesses may face discount and air shipment as transportation is being interrupted, apparel exporters said. On We

Garment exports grew by 16% in September to $1.3 billion, helped by rising costs in China and non-compliance issues in Bangladesh. During April-September period, the shipments rose by 17.6% to $8.3 billion. "Increasing labour cost in China, non-compliance of large number of factories in Bangladesh, high rate of inflation, currency appreciation, with the competing countries have provided India a big opportunity in view of its relative advantage," Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Vire

The Pakistan government has announced Rs 3,000 per 40 kilograms support price of cotton. This was informed by Minister for Textile and Industry Abbas Khan Afridi on Wednesday at the National Assembly. Also, Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has been directed to purchase the cotton from the farmers. The Minister said thatthe government was committed to protect the interest of the farmers and TCP had started to purchase cotton from the farmers. During the first 8 month of current fiscal

Indian nonwoven market expected to account 8% share in the Asian nonwoven market by 2016, according to the International Nonwoven Fabric Association Asia branch, who believes that the region is influenced by a hot development trend. In the past three years, the India nonwovens market is said to have achieved significant growth. At present, the nonwovens production in India is about 125,000 tons – 140,000 tons as per the organisation although there is no market research, but through the estima