The performance textiles market is growing and continuously evolving. Also known as value-added textiles, performance fabrics have an added function such as being hydrophobic, antimicrobial, flexible or flame retardant. Smart textiles and e-textiles are also an advanced form of performance textiles. Also under the performance textiles umbrella there is sportswear, athleisurewear and outdoorwear. Digitisation has a lot to offer the growing performance textile industry. Heinz Eisenbeiss, head o

The knitwear, bedwear and readymade garments have outperformed all other products of textile sector, reporting significant exports growth significantly. This was led by volumetric growth of 21 percent YoY, 7 percent YoY and 9 percent YoY in knitwear, bedwear and readymade garments, respectively. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported textile exports for the month of Nov 2017, wherein textile exports have clocked in at $1.12 billion, (+7 percent YoY). This growth was primarily led by the

Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) Chairman Dr Khurram Anwar Khawaja has appealed to the government to withdraw duty on cotton yarn import in line with the proposed withdrawal of custom duties on raw cotton import from India. “PHMA appreciates the move to withdraw duties and taxes on the import of cotton to encourage the value-addition and also demanded the same relaxation for the import of cotton yarn, which is a raw material for value-added knitwear sector,” he

The global cooling fabrics market size is expected to be worth $3.24 billion by 2025, propelled by growing focus on fitness, sports, and leisure activities coupled with increasing health consciousness, according to a new report. Increasing research and government incentives are projected to accelerate production of such fabrics, thereby triggering demand. The market for such fabrics is expected to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1 per cent from 2017 to 2025, the report by S

China needs an annual growth of 6.3 per cent in 2018-2020 to achieve its target of doubling the 2010 gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020, Yang Weimin, deputy head of the country’s office of the central leading group on financial and economic affairs, said at an economics forum recently. Yang does not foresee any huge barrier in meeting that goal. China decided to double the 2010 GDP and per-capita income by 2020 five years ago to turn a moderately prosperous society. GDP expanded 6.9 pe

Grievances against government policies and regulations from all quarters of the textile industry and demands for amendments marked the year in Pakistan despite former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announcing a special package for textile exporters in early 2017. Cotton production crossed 10 million bales in the world’s fourth largest cotton producing country. Dipesh Satapathy offers a recap. Cotton production reached 10.685 million bales as of December 15, a 5.3 per cent rise over the correspo

Vietnam has prepared new regulations on formaldehyde and azo dyes limits in textile products manufactured, imported, distributed and sold in the country. The regulations have been issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and will come into effect on May 1, 2018. Earlier in 2017, the MOIT had published a draft regulation on the issue. The new regulations on requirements of formaldehyde and azo dyes in textile products were released on October 23, 2017. Earlier this year, the MO

The southern African nation of Mozambique is now developing its own national standard for sustainable cotton production, which will mirror the principles and criteria developed by Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). The new standard will also include additional sustainability criteria related to the parts of cotton supply chain not covered by the BCI standard. In an effort to revitalise its cotton industry, the Mozambique government has partnered with the BCI. The 2014 strategic partnership agree

Exports of home textiles from Egypt increased 4.8 per cent year-on-year in January-November 2017. Exports during the eleven-month period were valued at $664 million, as against $443 million registered in the same period last year, according to the Egyptian Home Textiles Export Council (HTEC), under the ministry of foreign trade and industry. Around 40 companies, under the aegis of HTEC, are going to participate in the Heimtextil International Trade Fair for home textiles, to be held in Frankf

Uzbekistan textile industry is considered to be one of the most dynamic and socially important sectors and ranks high among export-oriented industries of the country's economy. The Uzbek textile industry is mainly focused on cotton, silk and wool. According to preliminary data, light industry enterprises of Uzbekistan exported textile products for $1.1 billion in 2017. To date, about 7,000 enterprises of the industry are operating in the republic. Capacity for production of cotton fiber in th