A steady growth in China’s e-commerce sector continues as online shops further integrate with physical stores, according to 100ec.cn, which said new retail and social e-commerce have become the driving forces for the boom. In the first half of 2018, total retail sales of consumer goods in China reached 18 trillion yuan, up 9.4 per cent year-on-year. Online retail market transactions rose 30.1 per cent in the period to 4.08 trillion yuan, or 22.7 per cent of the total, a report by the e-comme

Global buyers and investors have urged Dhaka to allow a ‘Transition Accord’ for the readymade garment (RMG) sector until a national body to take over the factory safety responsibility becomes fully prepared. Bangladesh Investor Initiative (BII), a group of institutional investors from 12 countries, is concerned over the imminent termination of the Accord in November. The decision for a transition monitoring committee was adopted in a meeting of various stakeholders in Dhaka in October last y

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) included certain Amazon marketplaces in its submission to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) identifying foreign markets that facilitate the sale of counterfeits. AAFA identified amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom), amazon.ca (Canada) and amazon.de (Germany) in its submission. The submission was part of USTR’s 2018 Special 301 out-of-cycle review of notorious markets, which identifies foreign physical and online market

Gerber Technology has acquired San Francisco-based Avametric, one of the world’s leading cloth simulation technology, to provide end-to-end 3D solution for the fashion industry. Avametric develops and enables fashion brands to deliver accurate 3D renderings of their products on customisable avatars for e-commerce and augmented reality (AR) applications. This move will position Gerber as the leader in 3D for the fashion and apparel industry. The acquisition follows 12 months of collaboration

Courtesy: Sonoco Sonoco, a diversified global packaging company, has taken over the remaining 70-per cent interest in the joint venture of Conitex Sonoco, a vertically integrated company manufacturing paper-based cones and tubes for textile industry. The Conitex Sonoco joint venture was formed in 1998 between Texpack and Sonoco’s former North America textile cone business. Texpack is a Spanish-based global provider of paper-based packaging products. Sonoco acquired the remaining 70-perc

Courtesy: Rotorcraft Rotorcraft, an innovator in spinning technology, will introduce New Generation Drafting (NGD) at ITMA Asia beginning October 15 in Shanghai. Combined into NGD, the Switzerland-based company provides a simple and effective solution for drafting that is second to none. NGD consists of the RT3 top arm and the mechanical compacting system Green Compact RoCoS. The well-known mechanical compacting system Green Compact RoCoS combines superior yarn quality with remarkable power

Courtesy: EFI Electronics For Imaging, (EFI), a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, has appointed William (Bill) D Muir as its new chief executive officer. His appointment will be effective from October 15. Muir will succeed Guy Gecht, who informed the board that he intended to step down as CEO upon the appointment of his successor. Gecht will remain a member of the board of directors and will be an advisor to the CEO. Muir will join EFI's third quarter earnings call,

The 10 per cent US tariffs on $200 billion worth Chinese products that became effective recently will have a modest impact on Taiwan, according to DBS Bank Ltd. Semiconductors, flat panels, electronic components and electronic products, which account for 65 per cent of Taiwan’s total exports to China, are spared from the US tariff list, DBS said in a report. Taiwanese firms manufacturing in China and those exporting intermediate goods to China are mostly from the electronics sector, Ma Tieyi

Fashion for Good and ZDHC are looking for innovators at the forefront of safer chemistry. In this call for applications, companies run for selection into the three-month Fashion for Good-Plug and Play Accelerator, and to take part in the ‘Friends of the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) event, to be held on December 7, 2018 in Amsterdam. The Fashion for Good-Plug and Play Accelerator is a 12-week curriculum that offers the opportunity to work alongside Fashion for Good; C&A Fo

Cotton output in the southern African country of Zimbabwe has risen by 76 per cent year-on-year to 130,000 tons in the 2018 marketing season. The output is the highest in nearly five years, and has been achieved due to the government support under the Presidential Inputs Scheme. Owing to steep increase in production, cotton exports are expected to jump.Under the Presidential Inputs Scheme, the government gave various free support initiatives to farmers to help them increase their cotton cultivat