Zara - apparel and textile industry company news 
TURKMENISTAN: Textile industry offers investment potential
17 June 2013
Turkmenistan's growing textile sector may in future provide opportunities for foreign investment through the privatisation of state-owned manufacturing units, a spokesman from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Ashgabat told just-style.
SPAIN: Inditex profit growth slows during Q1
12 June 2013
Spanish retail group Inditex saw profit growth slow during the first quarter, as cold weather in Europe slowed growth.
Sourcing shifts: Outsourcing options closer to home
3 June 2013
Finding a cheap and responsive outsourcing option closer to home is increasingly a key option for US and European brands.
Focus: North America retail market rebuffs recession
31 May 2013
North America may no longer take centre stage in the global apparel market, but the recession has by no means sounded the region's curtain call, according to Euromonitor International.
Gap hopes for a global alliance on factory safety
22 May 2013
The chairman and CEO of US retail giant Gap Inc says he hasn't given up on the idea of a global accord to tackle fire and building safety in Bangladesh - but that the current agreement largely backed by European brands and retailers "didn't make sense for us."
just-style's most read stories this week...
17 May 2013
The most-read stories on just-style this week include a rush by apparel brands and retailers to sign the new Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a report on what the agreement entails, and plans by M&S to shake up its supplier base.
Bangladesh safety accord still raises many questions
15 May 2013
There is no doubt that something needed to be done to improve safety standards at factories in Bangladesh making clothes for western brands and retailers. But the new Accord on Fire and Building Safety - details of which were reported on just-style yesterday - seems to raise nearly as many questions as it answers.
BANGLADESH: More retailers race to join safety accord
15 May 2013
More retailers and brands have joined the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh ahead of the midnight deadline (15 May).
What does the new Bangladesh safety accord entail?
14 May 2013
Yesterday (13 May) was a big day for the Bangladesh garment industry, with retailers finally signing an agreement to improve fire safety in the country's ready-made garment industry after two years of being caught in a stalemate. But what exactly does the new accord entail? Petah Marian takes a first look.
BANGLADESH: Marks & Spencer joins Safety Accord
14 May 2013
Marks & Spencer has become the latest retailer to join the new Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Accord, which is intended to improve safety in the country's garment factories.
BANGLADESH: Gap seeks modifications to Safety Accord
14 May 2013
US retailer Gap has said it will sign the new Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Accord, if the agreement on how disputes are resolved is modified.
BANGLADESH: Benetton and N Brown commit to safety accord
14 May 2013
Two more European retailers have this-afternoon signed up to the new Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, which aims to improve safety conditions in supplier factories.
UPDATE: BANGLADESH: Retailers rush to join fire and building safety accord
13 May 2013
Fashion firms H&M, Primark, C&A and Inditex (operator of the Zara stores) have joined the Fire and Building Safety Agreement, which is intended to improve safety in Bangladeshi garment factories.
INDONESIA: Fashion brands linked to polluting textile factory
19 April 2013
New research released this week has linked international fashion brands to a textile plant in West Java that is accused of dumping industrial wastewater containing a cocktail of toxic and hazardous chemicals into a local river.
HONG KONG: Water discharge monitoring service launched
19 April 2013
A new water discharge monitoring service has been introduced to help textile manufacturers eliminate pollution of waterways and demonstrate their environmental credentials.
ARGENTINA: Inditex hits back at slave labour claims
12 April 2013
Inditex has hit back at claims by an Argentinian worker rights group that it is producing garments under sweatshop conditions in the country.
AUSTRALIA: Online and luxury offer opportunity for fashion retailers
9 April 2013
The online and luxury segments are set to provide a silver lining in what is an otherwise gloomy outlook for Australia's fashion industry, according to research released by IbisWorld.
ARGENTINA: Inditex "surprised" by slave labour accusations
4 April 2013
Inditex has expressed surprise over allegations that immigrants and children have been producing clothing for its Zara fashion brand in "degrading" sweatshop conditions.
Focus: Apparel sales in Asia Pacific
27 March 2013
Apparel sales in the Asia Pacific region are continuing on a golden growth trajectory despite a slowdown in China. Domestic brands are continuing to hold their own, and foreign brands intent on making further inroads are increasingly focusing on lower-tier cities for growth.
HONG KONG: Ex-Inditex execs to lead Esprit's new strategy
21 March 2013
Hong Kong-based fashion retailer Esprit has added three more former Inditex executives to its team to lead the company's new corporate strategy as well as develop and implement some of its major projects.
SPAIN: Inditex FY profit surges 22% to EUR2.3bn
13 March 2013
Fashion retail giant Inditex, owner of the Zara brand, recorded a 22% increase in net profit in fiscal 2012, boosted by a double-digit sales increase and nearly 500 new store openings.
UK: French Connection slips to FY loss of GBP7.2m
13 March 2013
Fashion retail business French Connection Group slid to an expected full-year loss in the financial year ended 31 January, thanks to an 8% decline in revenues.
CAMBODIA: Campaigners call on brands to back wage rise
20 February 2013
Ahead of talks scheduled to take place next week on a potential rise in the minimum wage for workers in Cambodia's garment and footwear factories, campaigners are urging fashion brands to support an increase.
Outlook 2013: Apparel industry opportunities
4 February 2013
Opportunities the apparel industry should focus on this year include developing strategic relationships to improve flexibility across the supply chain; a focus on adding value through design, innovation and branding to protect margins; and the use of technology to integrate the multichannel experience.
BANGLADESH: Global union steps up call for action after fire
1 February 2013
Spanish retail giant Inditex is sending a joint mission to Bangladesh next week with the IndustriALL global trade union federation following the fire at an unauthorised subcontractor where seven workers died.
FINLAND: Inditex acquires Zara franchise in Finland
31 January 2013
Inditex has reached an agreement to purchase its Finnish Zara franchise, currently operated by the Stockmann Group.
US: Limited Brands makes toxic-free fashion pledge
22 January 2013
Apparel company Limited Brands, owner of lingerie brands Victoria's Secret and La Senza, has become the 14th major business to pledge to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals throughout its supply chain and across all products by 2020.
ITALY: Benetton commits to toxic-free fashion
17 January 2013
Italian fashion brand Benetton is to eliminate hazardous chemicals from its entire global supply chain and products by 2020.
CHINA: Apparel retailers turn to lower-tier cities
15 January 2013
International apparel retailers are looking to strengthen their presence in lower-tier cities in China amid increasing competition, a report by the Li & Fung Research Centre has found.
JAPAN: Fast Retailing to phase out hazardous chemicals
9 January 2013
Fast Retailing Co, operator of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain and Asia's biggest global fashion brand, is to eliminate hazardous chemicals from its entire global supply chain and products by 2020.
