As the 2012/13 season, ending on June 30, enters its final stages, the volumes of wool available from the various major global producing centres continues to diminish, with relatively modest auctions held in Australia and New Zealand this week. A lack of buying interest continued to weigh heavily on auction values in Australia. The Australian Wool Exchange’s (AWEX) Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) declined by a further 2.91%, to 966 Australian cents per kilo, clean, its lowest level since last

Undaunted by the former sanctions regime, Myanmar’s home-grown garment industry is thriving, industry experts say. They attribute the success to the industry’s ability to cater to local tastes. Over the past five years, local garment brands have been taking over more space because of their competitive price and good quality, some say. Unlike export-oriented businesses, they can employ and pay staff year-round without the need to wait for orders from overseas. “We can pay the same wages thr

Most Vietnamese footwear businesses have received steady orders, for the second and third quarters of 2013, according to the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso). Many producers are now turning to new markets, such as the US and Japan, in addition to their traditional consumers in the EU. Statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs show that revenue from footwear exports hit US$1.73 billion by the end of March, up 16.1 percent over same period in 2012. Footwea

Flickr/verypurpleperson The average conversion rate on retailer websites sits in the low- to mid-single digits. In comparison, the average conversion rate in off-line stores is over 60%. Closing this gap could represent one of the largest sources of growth opportunity for retailers today, and yet our work with retailers suggests they are not focusing on the crucial ingredients to make it happen. Retailers have a secret sauce that many multi-category online retailers don't: high qualit

H&M H&M decided to use plus-sized model Jennie Runk to be the face and body of its new beachwear collection. But what makes H&M's decision so laudable is how casually it handled breaking fashion norms. There was no press release or loud declaration on its website. It just so happened that when consumers clicked on the "new beachwear" section on the retailer's website home page, they were greeted by images of a six foot tall woman with curvy proportions you're more likely to

Wool & Prince press kit A start-up called Wool & Prince purports to have a men's dress shirt that can be worn for 100 days without washing. The business has generated a lot of buzz on Kickstarter, raising more than $246,000 in just a few days. "We found that guys love jeans for their versatile, low-maintenance nature, but didn't have an above-the-waist option that even came close...until now," the brand writes on the Kickstarter page. Wool & Prince reached its goal of

Brian Bedder/Getty Images Karlie Kloss is Victoria's Secret's latest Angel. The 20-year-old could take the place of Miranda Kerr, the longtime brand ambassador who just confirmed her departure. While 40 models walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show every year, only about 10 models hold the coveted title of Angel. The gig involves constant appearances on behalf of the brand. Kloss is known for her distinctive walk and her distinguished fashion career. She's the first Angel in

Guess has announced the appointment of Sharleen Ernster Lazear as Chief Design Officer, overseeing all product categories for the Guess brands, and reporting to Paul Marciano, CEO of Guess. "We are very happy to welcome Sharleen to guide a strong vision for Guess brands and I will work side by side with her," said Paul Marciano, adding, "She understands the Guess aesthetic and the importance of creativity and innovation at Guess as well as how important our denim heritage is to us for the last

Main corporate news were those of British online fashion giant, ASOS, saw its underlying pre-tax profit beating analysts’ forecasts of 25 million pounds by reaching 25.7 million in the six months to February 28, and compared to last year’s 23.1 million pounds. Cherokee also reported financial results for its fourth quarter and full year. ASOS reported six-month group revenue increased 33 percent to 359.7 million pounds, with trading momentum strong, as highlighted by a good number of analysts t

The garments industry is hurting from the increasing cost of doing business in the country, particularly expensive labor and power costs. According to Marites Agoncillo, executive director of the Confederation of Garment Exporters of the Philippines Inc. (CONGEP), labor is the highest cost component in garment manufacturing and is also a major factor that influences decisions in investment locations. At the moment, operations of most members of CONGEP are concentrated in Regions 3, 4A, 4B