Blog: Sourcing powerhouse China sees shipments surge

Leonie Barrie | 14 December 2020

The volume of US apparel imports continued its upward trajectory in October, as retailers continued to recover from the pandemic lockdown and began to stock up for the holiday season. Sourcing powerhouse China saw its shipments increase year-on-year for the first time in 14 months.

In Bangladesh, the Ethical Trading Initiative is partnering with digital training supplier Quizrr to help 20 garment factories supplying retailers including Primark, New Look and Marks & Spencer operate in a Covid-safe way.

Vulnerable workers in the country's garment and leather export industries are also being assisted with EUR113m (US$136.6m) in funding from the European Union and Germany.

The aid comes as garment workers across the supply chains of major brands and retailers are reporting growing hunger and food insecurity as a result of falling income and job losses amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite efforts by the world's leading viscose manufacturers to move towards more responsible production, most fashion brands have made few or no commitments to clean up their viscose supply chains, according to new research.

And demand for new biomaterial innovations in the apparel industry far exceeds supply, a new report has found, with a common misconception being that these radical new materials are coming very soon.

Turkish denim giant Mavi sold 9.7 million pairs of jeans worldwide in 2019 – and is ploughing on with its global expansion despite ongoing uncertainties around the Covid-19 pandemic, its CEO and director, Cüneyt Yavuz, has told just-style.

The population of many major countries around the world is ageing. The big question is how will this affect consumer purchasing power – especially for clothing?

There are a lot of confused – often wrong – ideas about what helped push retail giant Arcadia over the edge. Here are some of the real reasons.

Retailer M&S is likely to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Debenhams department store closures.

And apparel giant H&M Group has soft-launched a new membership-based brand that sells apparel and home products at the price they cost to make.

Meanwhile, in other news, VF Corp has opened its first multi-brand store; President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for US Trade Representative has been welcomed by apparel and textile groups; and Lever Style is adding denim to its product capabilities with its third acquisition this year.