DHAKA The number of garment workers testing positive for COVID-19 appears to be increasing - raising fears that factories may have to close again to limit the spread of the pandemic.Photo: BGMEAIt comes after eight more garment workers tested positive for the virus on the same day in the Savar district of Dhaka, bringing the total number of infected readymade garment (RMG) workers in the district to 20.Bangladesh's health minister Zahid Maleque warned a recent inter-ministerial meeting of st

Disruption created by COVID-19 is so impactful that China has slipped from 2nd rank to 4th in its denim apparel exports to USA after Q1 ‘20, according to OTEXA.Chinese shipment of blue denim apparels plunged massively by 63.11 per cent to US $ 67.79 million in Q1 ‘20 from US $ 183.75 million in Q1 ‘19.This drastic fall has reduced China’s share in denim apparel exports to USA to 9.71 per cent in this year from 22.67 per cent in the corresponding period of the prior year.Mexico, Bangladesh and Vi

Fashion retail is working its way back to action. Could this mean that factories can look forward to fresh orders?As days pass by, the urgency to get back to business is growing. At one end, there are fashion retailers who have buckled out of business or downsized considerably like Warehouse, UK, Oasis, Cath Kidston, Laura Ashley, John Lewis to name a few, and others who have declared themselves bankrupt like Debenhams, Arcadia Group, JCPenney, Nordstrom, J Crew, but then there are many more who

This crisis has presented an opportunity for brands to create a community by showing they care and to maintain top-of-the-mind recall with customers by pushing products that they need right now and by engaging them through various challenges on social media.Marketing is a dynamic field; one that has to adapt skilfully to the every new event shaping our world. As we find ourselves in the midst of a situation that is pretty much as extraordinary as imagination may go, the nuances that go into mark

On March 2, Reuters published a news where it was expected that Indonesian textile makers to get windfall from coronavirus outbreak. The Indonesian textile-to-garment company had initially forecast a 15% rise in sales this year.But now the scenario is totally smashing. Indonesian Filament and Fiber Producers Association (APSyFI) recently said that 80 percent of textile companies have intermitted operations while facing cash flow issues.According to APSyFI around 70 percent textile and garments m

In the first three months of the year US imports of denim decreased significantly. For the year to date until February, US companies imported 14.32% less blue jeans – of which 97% are denim – at $497.08 million. The downturn was driven by China’s 63 percent drop to $55.77 million, with factories shut down as the nation swept COVID-19. In the first two months of the year Mexico’s largest Denim supplier has declining to US$ 91.98 million in shipments by 27.2%.Certain suppliers in the top 10 that r

AMSTERDAM — The Policy Hub for Circular Economy, a project led by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), is inviting textile industry stakeholders to contribute ideas to a post COVID-19 "green industry recovery plan".The organisation, which was set up to unite industry leaders behind policies that promote circular practices in the apparel, footwear and textile sectors, is inviting industry leaders to.The responses will contribute towards the Policy Hub's efforts to come up with i

Indian commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal recently urged Indian missions abroad to help identify business opportunities for domestic firms, exporters and make India a preferred investment destination. The minister, along with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, interacted with 131 missions through video conference, a ministry statement said.Pic: Shutterstock“We should aim for an economic growth higher by 3x … Discussion have happened at the highest levels where clear instructions ha

subsidiary US Cotton, the nation's largest manufacturer of cotton swabs, is collaborating with the, the Gates Foundation, UnitedHealth Group and Quantigen to step up production of spun synthetic swabs, needed to diagnose Covid-19. US Cotton has developed a fully synthetic, polyester-based Q-tip-type swab.Pic: Parkdale MillsThe US Food and Drug Administration has announced that these synthetic swabs - with a design similar to Q-tips - could be used to test patients for the coronavirus. The FD

Thehas requested the government to extend the Interest Equalisation Scheme for a minimum of two years and at a rate of 5 per cent for all apparel exporters. It has also requested extension of packing credit and forward contract by six months, andan increasein working capital limits by minimum 25 per cent.Pic: Shutterstock“Given the extremely volatile and uncertain cash flow situation of the apparel exporters, we request you to kindly announce continuity of the interest subvention scheme which ex