Latest news with #JustStyle
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Woolmark launches guide for sourcing wool denim fabrics
Accessible both online and offline, Woolmark's new denim sourcing tool has two volumes that explore seven distinct themes: A Revised Classic, Special Treatments, Denim Shirting, The Denim Suit, Signature Denim, Thread Rebels, and Denim-Inspired Knits and Jerseys. These categories highlight the integration of wool into denim fabrics, enhancing them to a level of premium performance and offering consumers new and appealing options. Woolmark processing innovation and education extension general manager Julie Davies said: 'We have seen an ever-increasing demand for wool denim swatch requests through The Wool Lab over the past four years. The timeless appeal of denim is enriched with wool's skin-friendly softness, breathability, versatility, and durability, resulting in wardrobe essentials that transcend the ordinary." The specialised Wool Lab introduces novel blends such as wool-hemp, wool-lyocell, and 100% extrafine wool combined with luxury fibres like silk, cashmere, or paper. These combinations provide distinct advantages and open up possibilities for those at the forefront of innovation. Wool's inherent ability to regulate temperature renders wool denim ideal for year-round wear. It offers warmth without the initial cold touch often associated with traditional cotton jeans. A detailed technical toolkit accompanies The Wool Lab Denim. Created with input from a worldwide consortium of textile specialists, the toolkit delivers comprehensive insights into how wool performs within denim applications and provides advice on fibre selection, fabric construction, finishing methods, and eco-friendly practices. This resource is said to help designers and manufacturers to harness the full capabilities of wool in denim by merging innovative ideas with technical expertise. Woolmark introduced this resource at Denim PV in Milan, which took place in Milan Superstudio Più on 21 and 22 May. For the first time at this event, Woolmark exhibited a dedicated area showcasing the adaptability and enduring appeal of wool denim. Additionally, The Wool Lab guide is available digitally via The Wool Lab platform to ensure widespread access and support for the supply chain. In November last year, Woolmark secured A$4m ($2.6m) in grant from the Australian Government to back its new Australian Wool Industry Insetting Programme, which aims to reduce emissions within the textile supply chain. "Woolmark launches guide for sourcing wool denim fabrics" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BIRD Fashion Fair in China aims to connect global markets
China's inaugural BIRD Fashion Fair is scheduled to take place on 11-13 June 2025 at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center in Futian. It will feature more than 800 exhibitors from prominent womenswear hubs such as Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Zhengzhou. Exhibitors will showcase their latest offerings across an expansive 34,000m2, coinciding with other notable events like Intertextile Shenzhen for apparel fabrics and the sourcing trade fair Yarn Expo, both organised by Messe Frankfurt. The event location, Shenzhen, which is situated in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), is described as one of China's most vibrant economic zones and the fair will benefit from the region's influential role in shaping the domestic women's fashion sector. The GBA, with other fashion capitals like Guangzhou, has a GDP of more than $2tn and boasts advanced manufacturing capabilities, and expertise in international trade within a concentrated geographical area. In addition, the region is home to a number of womenswear brands, designers, and specialised suppliers. BIRD Fashion Fair will offer a platform for dialogue between China's brands and international markets. It aims to showcase progressive design, sustainable practices, innovative production technologies, and worldwide industry trends. Under the theme "BOLD / INTELLIGENT / RELENTLESS / DESIGN," the fair will foster global cooperation and creative partnerships. Across four halls, attendees will encounter a diverse range of womenswear products including blouses, dresses, trousers, jackets, knitwear, activewear, loungewear, sun protection clothing, and accessories such as bags, shoes, scarves, hats, and belts. Visitors can gain from personalised business matching services, curated fashion shows, trend insights presentations, and high-level forums, while industry leaders are poised to present new innovations and products. In addition, international visitors will receive services including multilingual assistance, one-stop solutions for hotel reservations and transportation guidance as well as pre-registration with complimentary admission. "BIRD Fashion Fair in China aims to connect global markets " was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Experts warn of disturbing factory conditions still happening years after disaster: 'This needs to be reversed'
Twelve years have passed since the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh killed 1,138 people and injured more. However, garment industry workers and advocates say major fashion brands are still dragging their feet on meaningful reform. Nonprofits like the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and the Bangladesh Revolutionary Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) are sounding the alarm over stalled progress on workplace safety in the world's second-largest textile-producing country. Many brands tied to factories in the Rana Plaza — including Walmart, Urban Outfitters, and Amazon — have still not taken full responsibility, advocates say. "Twelve years since the Rana Plaza collapse, it is vital that worker safety remains safeguarded," said Salahuddin Shapon, president of the Bangladesh NGWF, to Just Style. He warned that factory safety committees are weaker now due to a 2022 labor code amendment that reduced workers' rights and gave more power to factory owners. "This needs to be reversed," he said. After the collapse, more than 260 brands signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety, a legally binding agreement for five years to improve factory conditions. But many major brands never signed on. Despite the international attention, dangerous working conditions, poverty wages, and union suppression remain widespread in Bangladesh's fast fashion supply chain. The CCC reports that only a few of the 30 brands linked to the Rana Plaza disaster have made meaningful contributions to worker protections since. These problems are not isolated. They're built into the fast fashion model, which churns out massive volumes of cheap, low-quality clothing designed to wear out quickly and be replaced. This results in a flood of textile waste that ends up in landfills and our environment, all while workers remain stuck in unsafe, underpaid jobs, hurting progress towards a healthier, greener future for all. Bangladesh has seen some progress, including a 2022 Employment Injury Scheme that provides limited support to injured workers and their families, and major strikes last year that resulted in 18 worker demands being met by owners. Still, advocates say stronger labor laws around workers' rights and injury compensation are urgently needed. "These 12 years have shown that real change can only happen if brands' behaviors and practices are regulated by robust legal obligations," said Kalpona Akter, labor leader and founder of the Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity, to Just Style. What should the government do about the fast fashion industry? Set strict regulations Incentivize sustainable options Use both regulations and incentives Nothing Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. One promising step via global effort is the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, a European policy that will require brands to take responsibility for their supply chains by 2026. But consumers also have the power to change things right now. Shopping secondhand at thrift stores or online, or supporting transparent, ethical brands, can help save money and reduce demand for fast fashion's exploitative practices. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
India-UK trade deal set to boost India's fashion export market
Chairman of the export promotion committee of India's Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and managing director of export company Kaytee Corporation Pvt Ltd Premal Udani is 'highly enthused' by the India/UK free trade agreement (FTA). He told Just Style: 'The FTA neutralises a 10% duty, thus giving India a level playing field with some of our neighbouring countries. We expect a minimum 30% increase in exports of apparel within the first year after the FTA is operationalised.' Chief mentor and past president of the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) Rahul Mehta, agrees adding: 'Considering that product categories such as t-shirts, trousers, dresses, shirts and blouses – all in which India has a significant strength in manufacturing - occupy a major share in the import basket of the UK, the FTA certainly provides us with an opportunity to increase our exports. It has also come at a right time, when our major competitor Bangladesh is going through political turmoil.' Branding the FTA "a game changer", N Thirukkumaran, general secretary of Tiruppur Exporters' Association told Just Style: 'India's textile exports to the UK, currently estimated at $1.3bn annually, is poised to increase very significantly (at least double in one to two years) once the FTA comes into effect.' This might take a year, as ratification and formalisation procedures are completed. The India-UK FTA also comes when international buyers are comparing potential so-called 'reciprocal' tariff rates (based on trade deficit data rather than actual protection) threatened by the US from 8 July. The Trump administration's proposed tariff (37%) on Bangladesh is substantially higher than what is proposed for India (26%). The US imported $79.3bn's worth of apparel in 2023, accounting for about one-fifth of global imports. Bangladesh was the largest US supplier by value, supplying 9% of US apparel imports ($7.1bn), followed by India ($4.6bn, or 5.8%), according to APEC. India wants to leverage this strength throughout the value chain, from fibre to fashion, in ongoing bilateral trade talks with the US: 'We expect that a India-US bilateral trade agreement should be in place by June end,' predicted Mr Udani. "We expect that the Indian apparel industry will be a major beneficiary of such an FTA.' One benefit from the Trump administration's perspective is that India's substantial appetite to buy US products, from cotton to agriculture to oil to defence equipment, and the fact that India's traditional exports such as clothing do not compete with many American manufacturers are facilitating factors, he said. India's domestic textile and fashion market is also substantial - growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.59% from $172.3bn sales in 2022 and expected to reach $387.3bn by 2028, said the India Brand Equity Foundation. There are however challenges in India. 'Our capacities are not enough, our scale is inadequate, and our supply chain timelines are not geared. We also do not have the ease of access to appropriate raw materials, especially of MMF [man-made fibre] fabrics which Bangladesh enjoys,' said Mehta. To this end, the Indian government, the garment industry and the AEPC are working in tandem to expand production capacity, train additional personnel and diversify India's fabric base, said Udani. In the short run, large capacity exporters may gain from Bangladesh's losses because they can deliver the quantities needed by major buyers, but medium and small players will also benefit from the FTAs that India is pursuing, which also includes talks with the European Union (EU), said Thirukkumaran. Higher visibility of Indian exporters at major US trade shows, such as Apparel Sourcing New York, MAGIC Las Vegas, and Texworld USA, is also attracting buyers. With the anticipated increase in India's production of MMF fabrics, technical fabrics and performance fabric, Indian apparel manufacturers are likely to expand their production base from traditional cotton products, said Thirukkumaran. India's increasing emphasis on environment, social and governance (EGS) practices is a major attraction for the global brands catering to the increasingly conscious clientele, to look to India as a sourcing hub, said Thirukkumaran. Tiruppur, in Tamil Nadu, for instance, is rapidly emerging as a global leader in ESG practices. The textile and knitwear hub generates 1,950MW of renewal energy and treats 130m litres of wastewater per day through advanced zero liquid discharge systems achieving 90% water reuse, according to the Tiruppur Exporters' Association general secretary. Earlier this month (May), the UK fashion and textile sector welcomed the 'landmark trade agreement' with India but said caution must be exercised to maintain a level playing field. "India-UK trade deal set to boost India's fashion export market" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New issue: Fashion's technology transformation
AI is already transforming the fashion supply chain but many fashion brands and manufacturers are combining its benefits with trusted tried-and-tested systems. In the latest issue of Just Style's digital magazine we explore how much technology is too much and what will be the wider impact on the fashion supply chain and the people behind it in the future. Read it for free online on all devices. AI is also influencing PLM software with industry experts suggesting its greater intelligence, flexibility and connectivity is making a cloud-first strategy more vital than ever for boosting profits and streamlining operations. Plus, PLM cloud software firms are also making it easier for brand and manufacturers to align with sustainability legislation and the growing demand for end-to-end supply chain traceability. In an exclusive interview with Just Style, Lever Style's executive chairman Stanley Szeto explains why adaptability, digitalisation, and reduced order sizes will be critical to a fashion brand's success in 2025. Just Style reveals the world's biggest fashion companies from US sports brand Nike to Zara‑owner Inditex and German sportswear giant, Adidas. Grey Matter Concepts CEO Rachel Landau tells Just Style India has the potential to be a dominant player in the global textile and fashion industry and explains why now is the time to start forging meaningful partnerships in the region. Plus, global garment manufacturers share the main sourcing trends on the horizon as well as the opportunities and challenges affecting the fashion industry from global trade uncertainty to making sustainability more affordable. You can subscribe here to receive email notifications when a new issue is available. As always, don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and let us know your thoughts on this issue. "New issue: Fashion's technology transformation" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
