Sewbots pave the way for the apparel factory of the future 8 Jun 2017

Leonie Barrie

While the use of robotics in the apparel production process remains a frustratingly elusive panacea, fully automated worklines for T-shirts and workcells for jeans operations are finally on the horizon – and with them the potential to disrupt and redesign the traditional clothing supply chain.

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China's share of EU clothing imports continues to slip 8 Jun 2017

Michelle Russell

The leading position of China as textile and apparel supplier to the EU has continued to be eroded by the increasingly vigorous entry of other production zones, a new report shows.

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Texprocess 2017 – Digitalisation takes shape in fashion value chains 6 Jun 2017

Leonie Barrie

The digital pieces of the fashion supply chain puzzle are starting to come together, according to executives at the recent Texprocess apparel technology trade show in Frankfurt, Germany. And they advise that not only does digitalisation have the potential to provide agile support for existing products and reduce time to market for new ones – but that now is the time to start planning to make digital part of your strategy.

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Vietnam and China lead US apparel import gains in April 6 Jun 2017

Michelle Russell

While Bangladesh has recorded yet another decline in apparel imports into the US, more than half of the top-ten garment supplier countries booked gains in April, with double-digit increases seen by both Vietnam and China.

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Sri Lanka apparel makers see delays following floods 5 Jun 2017

Munza Mushtaq

Just days since floods and landslides ravaged parts of Sri Lanka, the country's apparel manufacturers are warning they may need more time to honour current orders. But they are also confident the sector will recover so that 2017 exports are not seriously affected.

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India ban on cattle trade hurts leather sourcing sector 5 Jun 2017

Raghavendra Verma

A sudden shortage of leather in India, prompted by government religious policies on reducing cattle-related trades, is forcing major fashion brands to look for alternative sourcing destinations.

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Amazon's rise fuels fewer bricks and more clicks 2 Jun 2017

Leonie Barrie

While all retailers appear at risk of losing some market share to online giant Amazon, analysts suggest some are more vulnerable than others.

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Texprocess 2017 – New software solutions for speed and efficiency 2 Jun 2017

Leonie Barrie & Beth Wright

Digitalisation was a buzz-word at the recent Texprocess apparel technology trade show in Frankfurt, Germany, with new tools allowing data to flow seamlessly from digital design and development all the way through the supply chain to help garment manufacturers cut costs, improve quality, increase productivity, speed time-to-market, reduce waste and stay competitive.

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Guatemala makers shrug off Trump trade concerns 1 Jun 2017

Ivan Castano Freeman

Just when things seemed to be getting better for Central America, the proposed US Border Adjustment Tax and possible changes to the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) are unnerving maquilas. 

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How Asos is embracing the challenge of transparency 31 May 2017

Beth Wright

Visibility of the entire supply chain is the building block to both short and long-term progress in sustainability and ethical trade, according to Tara Luckman, fabric and sustainability manager at online apparel retailer Asos. "All roads lead to transparency. If our practices in the fashion industry are not good enough to tell our customers about, then they're just not good enough."

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Collaboration key to driving responsible sourcing 25 May 2017

Michelle Russell

The key message at this year's Copenhagen Fashion Summit was that the global apparel and textile industry needs to take a holistic view on how it tackles sustainability and responsible sourcing – with collaboration the key to making any real impact.

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What are the top threats to global supply chains in 2017? 23 May 2017

Leonie Barrie

Risks ranging from cargo theft to terrorism incidents remain among the biggest threats to global supply chains in 2017, according to a new report.

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Texprocess & Techtextil 2017 – Material innovations 18 May 2017

Beth Wright

A number of new smart fibre and fabric concepts were on show alongside eco-innovations for more sustainable clothing and footwear at last week's Texprocess and Techtextil trade shows in Frankfurt, Germany. Electro-osmotic membranes, eco-efficient textiles and recycled yarns were among the highlights.  

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Cambodia clothing sector faces up to skills gap 17 May 2017

Poorna Rodrigo

Cambodia's apparel industry – of critical importance to its national economy – is struggling to retain experienced workers, which means the sector is facing a chronic skills shortage.

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Technology and sustainability help transform denim industry 12 May 2017

Mindy Ran

Technological innovation continues to transform every step of the jeans industry from fibre blends, alternatives to indigo dyes, use of sustainable resources, and new developments in fit and finish.

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Brazil's textile and apparel recovery shifts into gear 11 May 2017

Ivan Castano Freeman

Brazil's textile and apparel sector expects to generate 10,000 jobs this year and lift revenues by 1% to BRL123bn ($39bn) as Latin America's largest economy begins to emerge from its worst recession in history. 

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Bangladesh Accord – New phase should protect unions 11 May 2017

Guest author

Apparel companies involved in a widely hailed effort to protect garment workers in Bangladesh factories from harm need to take another step to make sure the gains are sustainable. Making that happen depends in large part on workers' ability to organise and to call out dangerous conditions without fear of being beaten or fired, says Aruna Kashyap, senior counsel for the women's rights division of Human Rights Watch. 

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Retail’s newest trend – Buying things that don’t exist (yet) 10 May 2017

Guest author

It seems like every week we read another story about the death of the high street, with various retailers switching to a more digitally integrated and online-first strategy. Just recently, the luxury retailer, Gucci unveiled a partnership with Farfetch’s F90 to deliver luxury accessories in 90 minutes. These tactics are very much to capture consumers who’ve switched behaviours from high street shopping to online browsing, represented by a growth of 16% in online purchases between 2015 and 2016 in the UK.

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Bangladesh remediation "a moving target", despite progress 9 May 2017

Ed Zwirn

Just a little over four years after the Bangladesh Rana Plaza building collapse that killed more than 1,100 workers, key participants in the global garment supply chain met in New York City to assess progress in protecting garment worker safety, and brainstorm steps to ensuring future progress.

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EU fashion brands support relaxed origin rules for Jordan 9 May 2017

Liz Newmark

Implementing the European Union (EU)-Jordan agreement struck last July to simplify EU rules of origin (RoO) can only be good for European clothing brands and retailers, experts agreed at an event in Brussels last week to launch 'New Trade and Business Opportunities in Jordan'.