NY futures gave up additional ground this week, as July fell 225 points to close at 83.23 cents, while December dropped 180 points to close at 83.28 cents. Spec liquidation and a lack of trade buying continued to depress values this week, with July settling right at an important 5-month uptrend line today. According to the latest CFTC report, which contains futures and options positions, speculators large and small liquidated about 3.6 million bales in the four weeks between March 19 and Ap

Seriously, what is up with this weather? Thank goodness for leather motorcycle jackets—the very versatile and rocker-chic layering staple for this extended cold-weather spell. And since summer's not coming any time soon (we know), those moto jackets are on tap for some extended mileage. For extra inspiration, let's look to style crushes January Jones and Olivia Wilde for two very different ways to wear the look. Dress it up: January went for the evening-out look by making the top da

Portland-based Columbia Sportswear reported 5 percent rise in its net sales for the first quarter of 2013. In its revised outlook for 2013, the company expects net sales to decline slightly. Net sales for the second quarter of 2013 are also expected to decline approximately 4 to 6 percent. The first-quarter net sales stood at 348.3 million dollars, compared with net sales of 333.1 million dollars for the same period of 2012. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates negatively affected first q

The authorities of the readymade garments in Ashulia, Savar closed their factories amid protest of the workers on Thursday. The agitated workers staged demonstrations as Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) was still on production. Earlier in the day, thousands of workers came to the street from Ashulia to Bailpail demanding vacation to mourn the deaths of building collapse and arrest of the building owner Rana. They locked into chase and counter chase with law enforcers and police opened blan

On 24 April 2013 Adidas and Indonesia Coordinating Committee of PT Kizone Workers and their union, DPC SPTSK-SPSI, announced an agreement potentially ending a 2 year long dispute. The company and the union agreed not to disclose the details of the deal, however according to the preliminary reports the company agreed on severance pay for 2,700 workers who remain without jobs following the closure of PT Kizone apparel factory in April 2011. The factory faced economic problems late in 2010 and

More than 2,000 workers at the Hung Wah I garment factory protested outside the Por Sen Chey plant over allegations the company had refused to pay seniority bonuses to outgoing workers. Touch Sar, the Free Trade Union president at Hung Wah I, said yester-day earlier negotiations between the union and the company, which had been co-ordinated by the Social Affairs Ministry, had proved fruitless. “We protest to demand only one point: money for finishing the contract. We demanded $150 a year f

The apparel industry is upbeat on talks for a free-trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU). Reeling under competition from Bangladesh and China, the industry believes the FTA would give it price parity with its competitors and raise exports to Europe by 30-40 per cent. Currently, Indian apparel exporters have to pay an 11 per cent duty to sell their products in EU; India charges 30 per cent import duty on garments from EU. If the EU FTA materialises, both regions would d

Branded apparel manufacturer HanesBrands has reported first-quarter 2013 net sales, operating profit and diluted earnings per share consistent with the high end of estimated preliminary results announced on 4thApril. While net sales for the first quarter were hampered by a sluggish retail environment, the company’s operating profit margin expanded 790 basis points over the year-ago quarter, benefitting from an improved cotton-cost and product-pricing environment and the company’s Innovate-to-Ele

Online fashion retailer Asos has announced that its international director Jon Kamaluddin is to stand down from his role after nine years. Kamaluddin, who joined Asos in 2004, will be stepping down from the Board in October this year; however he will remain with the e-tailer until December to ensure a “smooth handover”. The search for his successor is currently underway. Since Kamaluddin moved up to international director in 2009, Asos has seen its overseas sales grow to 59 percent of its over

The Ministry of Industry and Trade forecast that textile and garments would become the nation's top exports this year if the sector maintains the 19 per cent growth rate achieved in the first quarter. Dang Phuong Dung, deputy chairperson of the Viet Nam Textile and Garment Association, said total export turnover of the industry reached US$ 4.2 billion and there are many good points of a recovery for the industry. Le Tien Truong, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Textile and Garment Group, s