Puma North America Inc plans to spend at least $40 million to open a distribution centre in Whitestown and hire 90 people. The sports footwear and apparel firm is reportedly negotiating a lease to open in a 635,000-sq-ft building. The amount will be spent to equip the facility for distribution operations, according to paperwork filed with Boone County, Indiana.Puma North America, an unit of Puma Group based in Germany, expects to begin equipment installation in August and start hiring in the com

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and three othergroups—the Fair Labour Association, the Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability and the Social Accountability International—recently sent a letter to the Myanmarexpressing concerns over serious workers rights issues. It was addressed to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.The letter expressed the associations’ increasing concern over serious and repeated violations of fundamental rights to freely associate, to organise a

Eurofins& Footwear Spain has become the first European accredited laboratory by Spanish Accreditation Body (ENAC) to test the safety of children's footwear under UNE 59300. ENAC accreditation, entitled Eurofins as a premium testing partner by the recognition of its top quality standards and qualified technicians to entrust products.In September 2018, a new mandatory standard, UNE59300 entered in force in Spain, applicable to children's footwear up to size 34. The standard includes me

Global garment companies are failing to meet living wage promises to workers, according to a study published by researchers at the University of Sheffield last month. The experts said it would take a ‘step-change in approach’ for major corporations, including Nike, Primark and Adidas, to pay wages that ‘meet the basic needs’ of workers and their families.Over the last decade, leading global corporations have made commitments to deliver living wages to the workers who make their clothes.But an in

Finland’s Infinited Fiber Company has developed a technology that allowswaste to be used repeatedly, preserving 100 per cent quality, according to its chief executive officer Petri Alava. The fibre generated is new, soft, comfortable, of high quality, has excellent dye uptake, and is anti-bacterial. Nothing is left from the original waste, he said.Pic: Infinited FiberThe process comprises a mechanical shredding sequence where contaminants like buttons and zippers are removed and textiles are shr

Indian leather exporters recently urged the finance ministry to reduce the rate of goods and services tax (GST) on footwear to boost exports and promote the growth of the sector. The issue was raised by Council for Leather Exports (CLE) chairman PR Aqeel Ahmed at a pre-budget meeting chaired by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on June 11.CLE hassought reduction of the GST rate to 12 per cent on footwear priced above ₹1,000, according to a news agency. GST rate on footwear worth up to ₹1,000 w

Destination Maternity, a leading maternity apparel retailer, has reported net income of $0.1 million for Q1 FY2019 ending May 4, 2019, compared to net income of $0.2 million for Q1 FY2018. Net sales for Q1 FY2019 decreased 8.7 per cent to $94.2 million. Sales were down due to net closure of 32 owned and 88 leased locations, and decrease in comparable sales.Pic: Destination MaternityThe comparable sales for Q1 of fiscal 2019 decreased 7.2 per cent from Q1 of fiscal 2018, said a press release by D

Around 30 per cent of exhibitors at the Interfiliere Hong Kong show for intimates and swimwear in March this year were original manufacturers, according to show director Marine Veillon, who said fabric producers accounted for 28 per cent of the exhibitors, followed by lace manufacturers at 22 per cent. Rest were accessories and embroideries manufacturers.Pic: Interfiliere Hong KongThe organisers see a clear growth in consumption of both innerwear and swimwear in Asia, led by China. Growing dispo

Auro Weaving Mills in Baddi, India, has installed a JetSpray humidification system from Condair to humidify its warping section. The humidifier is creating the ideal air humidity to reduce fibre shedding from the yarn and airborne fly, as well as maintain yarn moisture content and minimise yarn breakage during processing.Auro Weaving Mills is a unit of the Vardhman Group, which has 22 manufacturing facilities across India & employs more than 25,000 people. The Auro factory manufactures the h

Market conditions in the West are dragging down India’s overall textile and apparel exports. However, India’s trade with South East Asia has been growing over the last few years. This trend will get stronger as regional connectivity improves further and ASEAN retail markets grow mature. We take a look at India’s textile and apparel trade with South East Asia, and the economic outlook for the region.India’s T&C exports to South East Asian countries have been improving and witnessed a positive