Building on the foundation of low wage rate, our RMG sector has popularly been labeled by foreign buyers as a low-cost hub for high volume product sourcing. This is quite ironical that we are proudly selling ourselves as the cheapest human resource to ensure our growth driver RMG to stay competitive in the global market.Figure 1: The worst hit will be faced by Bangladesh’s 4.5 million workforces in this sector largely due to low productivity coupled with lack of skillsdevelopment schemes.Barely,

A focus group of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (KADIN) has requested the government to continue the policy of protecting the local industry in light of the China-US trade conflict and the alarming increase in imports. Non-tariff barriers can effectively protect the domestic industry, said KADIN deputy chairperson for industry Johnny Darmawan.Pic: ShutterstockDarmawan was speaking at the Non-Tariff Measures Group Discussion Forum last month.KADIN’s views match the statement of the incoming m

Hyderabad-based Sailesh Singhania Design House is working with 700 weavers across 22 handloom clusters across India that include Pranpur , Cholapur, Pochampally, Srikakulam, Gadwal, Upadda and Kota, according to fashion designer and owner Sailesh Singhania, who said it takes anywhere from three months to a year for a hand-woven saree to get off the loom.An increase in usage of natural yarns, handloom fabrics and sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics will help revive the handloom industry, Singhan

The 11th Bangladesh Denim Expo kick-started at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka on Tuesday, showcasing the latest denim fabrics, denim-made garment items and other accessories and machineries.Image Courtesy: A total of 100 exhibitors from 11 countries, including host Bangladesh, are reportedly taking part in the exhibition.Apart from the host country, other nations taking part in the expo are China, Japan, Italy, India, Singapore, Brazil, Spain, Pakistan, Turkey and Germ

Sweden’s Re:newcell is planning to launch garments made from circulose, a new material made from recycled cotton clothes that was developed to manage the waste generated by the fashion industry, which sees most unwanted or worn out garments end up in landfill or incineration plants. Less than one per cent of clothes are currently recycled, the company says.Pic: Re:newcellThe plan is to launch a range of garments made from this recycled fabric early next year through collaborations with selected

The Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States are strong markets for designer Anjali Bhaskar’s namesake label, whose designs offer the perfect blend of age-old craftsmanship and modern sensibilities, cuts and silhouettes, according to Bhaskar. Mumbai, Delhi and even some small towns in India work very well for the label as well.Pic: Shutterstock“We have considerable focus on embroideries and craftsmanship, and we believe that eventually the magic lies in the smallest of details,” she

A knitwear lifestyle start-up, 22 Factor, powered by Cobalt Fashion, a leading knitwear specialist, has unveiled an on-demand 3D knitting service offering. The service is an eco-friendly digital approach, revolutionising traditional knitwear manufacturing and allowing designers to produce garments in smaller quantities and minimise excessive production.Pic: Cobalt FashionThe fashion industry is the second most polluting industry globally. A minimum 39 million tonnes of clothing are discarded eac

The global back table and cart covers market was valued at $720 million in 2018 and is projected to expand at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 3 per cent from 2019 to 2027, according to a market intelligence report, which said this will be driven by a rise in the geriatric population and an increase in the number of surgeries.Europe accounted for a prominent share of the global back table and cart covers market in 2018, due to the increasing number of operation theatre facilities

HandTouch, founded in 2002, works with around 90 weavers in Bangladesh to revive traditional handlooms, according to chief executive officer Mohammad Ali Khan, who said the company has a production unit in Panchagar district and owns 60 handlooms. Saree is the most widely sold product in the domestic market and Europe is the major export market, he said.Pic: HandTouchIt exports to 14 countries, including Sweden and the Netherlands, and has limited exports to the United States, Khan told Fibre2Fa

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) recently allowed China to impose $3.6 billion in sanctions against the United States in a case that predates the tariff war now. The damages awarded are the third highest in WTO’s history, according to a WTO document. The amount is about half of that requested by China, which argued some US anti-dumping rules were illegal.Pic: ShutterstockThe case began before the 18-month-old. China now can ask the WTO’s settlement body to officially authorise retaliatory tari