Latest apparel and textile analysis

With abundant growth opportunities in the pipeline at Under Armour, the performance apparel, footwear and accessories brand has said it aims to look back on 2014 as a pivotal year in its diversification. And five of its business categories bringing diversity to its story are footwear, women's, connected fitness, direct-to-consumer and international.

SOURCING: Bangladesh Accord calls on firms for more funding 25 Jul 2014

More than a year after the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh and the Accord on Fire and Building Safety is calling on retailers and clothing brands to contribute more funding in order to complete its factory inspections.

Source Summit 2014: Quote/unquote 25 Jul 2014

A raft of fashion industry experts gathered in London this week to discuss integrating sustainability into businesses through 3D (social, environmental, commercial) initiatives. Views were shared on the challenges faced by manufacturers and brands, and the opportunities driving change within the industry. Here are a selection of quotes from the annual Source Summit, organised by the Ethical Fashion Forum.

Who has signed the Bangladesh safety accord - update 25 Jul 2014

More than 170 companies have now signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh following the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory building in Dhaka, which killed more than 1,100 people last year.

ANALYSIS: New pricing strategy pays off for Nike 24 Jul 2014

Sporting goods Nike is raising its prices at a time when other companies are turning to increased markdowns and heavy promotional activity to drive traffic. And analysts say the strategy is single-handedly driving growth in the US sneaker market, as well as helping the company to carve out a new competitive advantage.

IN THE MONEY: Hanesbrands praises supply chain efficiency 24 Jul 2014

Hanesbrands has praised the efficiency of its supply chain, describing it as "a clear contributor" to earnings, helping the underwear maker outperform in its second-quarter.

SOURCING: Alliance members buying more products from Bangladesh 23 Jul 2014

The group of North American brands and retailers - including Wal-Mart Stores, Gap Inc and VF Corporation - working to improve safety in Bangladesh's ready-made garment factories appears to be sourcing more products from the country as efforts to upgrade the industry take hold. But one year on, progress is "far from over", with the total cost likely to be in the region of $150m and take 12-18 another months to complete.

TECHNOLOGY: Change management key to PLM project success 23 Jul 2014

It's one thing to invest in a product lifecycle management (PLM) system - but another altogether to get the most value out of the solution. Indeed, according to industry experts speaking in London last week, PLM projects should be driven from a business perspective if they are to deliver real gains in terms of revenue, margin improvement and inventory efficiency - with users on board from the beginning.

MYANMAR SNAPSHOT: Textile and apparel industry in brief 22 Jul 2014

Burma, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia bordered by Laos, Thailand, China, Bangladesh, and India.

IN THE MONEY: VF Corp bullish for second-half growth 22 Jul 2014

After booking a double-digit increase in second-quarter profit, driven by revenue growth at its outdoor and action sport apparel segment, it's no surprise apparel giant VF Corporation is confident in its second-half outlook.

ANALYSIS: Clothing seen as central focus for new Tesco CEO 21 Jul 2014

Clothing remains one of Tesco's more exportable offers and is likely to remain a central focus for the retail behemoth when incoming CEO Dave Lewis takes the reigns, an analyst has suggested.

Indian apparel exporters discuss policy changes 18 Jul 2014

Raghavendra Verma

Indian apparel exporters have demanded a series of favourable policy decisions from the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government while welcoming foreign buyers at the 53rd India International Garment Fair, held in New Delhi this week.

ANALYSIS: Mothercare pursues "aggressive" plan of recovery 17 Jul 2014

Mothercare officially welcomed boss Mark Newton-Jones into the fold today (17 July) as the retail group revealed its UK performance is beginning to stabilise.

ANALYSIS: Wolverine evolves to exceed new consumer demands 16 Jul 2014

Wolverine Worldwide has said it is paramount the US clothing and footwear company evolves to meet and exceed the demands of the new consumer, after it revealed plans to close 140 stores as part of a strategic realignment.

Nicaragua apparel makers see bleak future from TPP 14 Jul 2014

Ivan Castano Freeman

Nicaragua's apparel industry is expected to grow 8% to $1.5bn this year, fuelled by rising exports to the US. But while the numbers are encouraging, there are fears they may not last long.

US retailers' June 2014 sales roundup 11 Jul 2014

An improving employment picture, favourable weather for purchases of summer clothing, and heavy promotions fuelled better-than-expected sales for US apparel retailers in June - but analysts have warned that headwinds remain.

SuperGroup FY trading update: What the analysts say 11 Jul 2014

UK fashion retailer Supergroup, owner of the Superdry brand, yesterday (10 July) booked what it says was a strong financial performance for its full-year, which came in marginally ahead of market consensus. Analysts offered a generally optimistic view of the results.

ANALYSIS: Vietnam soars as US apparel imports decline in May 8 Jul 2014

Despite forecasts suggesting US imports would continue to rise in May - in part to offset the threat of possible industrial action and disruption at major West Coast container ports this summer - the latest data in fact shows apparel imports were down year-on-year. While Vietnam was one of the few countries bucking the overall decline, shipments from China and Bangladesh showed fluctuating fortunes.

M&S Q1 trading update: What the analysts say 8 Jul 2014