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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
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Bluezone Organizers Energized by New Format and ‘Edu-tainment' Program
Bluezone, the German denim B2B event organized by Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH, is in a state of transformation. In April, the organizer announced the departure of managing director, Sebastian Klinder. Peter C. Dumont and Florian Klinder were appointed new managing directors, tasked with the job to strengthen Munich Fabric Start as a one-stop shop sourcing solution for designers. More from Sourcing Journal Trade Show Organizers Brace for Geopolitical Headwinds Trump's Tariffs Are a Hot Topic Among Shoe Execs at Micam Milan Première Vision: Sustainability Slows as AI Gains Momentum Amid Industry Uncertainty A few weeks later the company announced format changes for Bluezone and Keyhouse, a startup and innovation-oriented event. Instead of being in separate buildings, both events will be held at the MOC alongside Munich Fabric Start and The Source on Sept. 2-4. Dumont said described the realignment as a 'forward-looking step,' adding that Bluezone will remain an independent denim hub with international appeal. The changes underscores Bluezone's effort to adapt and stay plugged into the evolving needs of the denim industry. Here Panos Sofianos, Bluezone's denim curator, shares his outlook on B2B events and what's next for the trade show. What is the role of a B2B event in 2025 and how is it evolving? Panos Sofianos: The evolving role of B2B Denim trade shows in 2025 is transforming from traditional trade shows that were primarily showcasing new products and material developments toward a broader approach. They will be still a platform to launch and present novelties, however the focus shifts toward networking, education, collaboration and implementing technology. Building and strengthening relationships within the industry is easier when you meet in person. Getting educated in seminars, workshops or trend forecasting sessions is possible on a broader scale when industry players with different expertise meet at one place. Establishing new collaborations on existing challenges is being enabled when you address the problem and concrete action points within the network of a trade show and its experts from different fields of competence. Furthermore, trade shows gain importance in sharing the latest technology tools and best practices on current challenges in the market. Sustainability, responsible practices, and e-conscious solutions toward a circular economy remain the main evolving topics that the denim industry still needs to focus on. In essence, 2025 trade shows will be about building relationships as a driving force for change, staying educated, driving innovation, establishing sustainability as a given fact, networking and connecting as well as creating memorable experience. Why do you think exhibitors and attendees choose to attend Bluezone? PS: Our 'edu-tainment' program with a broad range of expert talks, keynotes, panel discussions and trend forecasting is working very well. It underlines the importance for education, networking and connecting with like-minded people as well as encourages to address challenges in the market to find solutions together. As a denim-dedicated show, Bluezone has its own unique atmosphere that is appreciated by exhibitors and attendees alike. Besides that, the fusion of Bluezone and Keyhouse initiated last year turned out to be a very fruitful and interactive environment. Finally, the international portfolio of established denim mills and weavers that present innovative products, finishes and solutions is key to build on a constantly growing community. We are strongly committed to shift from a 'convenient' trade show to a groundbreaking tech-knowledge initiative. What are some challenges facing B2B denim events? PS: The ongoing global economic challenges as well as price discussions in the textile industry remain the main factors of causing insecurities which in the end make it very challenging to plan events accordingly ahead in time. Besides that, the discussion of the right date and quantity of denim events for the industry becomes a new challenge. The necessity for future B2B denim events will be to stay relevant and interesting enough with a selected portfolio and side program to attract the right buyers, product managers, designers and decision makers that choose Bluezone as their go-to denim and beyond show. How is attendance? PS: 2024 was a challenging year, however against the backdrop of the earlier mentioned economic challenges, we were very happy with the overall result. 2025 started with a good and strong show that recorded a slight increase in visitor numbers which makes us confident for the next months to come. There are trade wars and other conflicts brewing across the globe. How do you think these external factors will affect the denim industry's participation in events? PS: We must sustain and gain the denim game. Our world is experiencing a dynamic momentum where geopolitical liquidity is creating unexpected hurdles. The European textile industry must act and react with well-prepared plans and projects. What's next for Bluezone? PS: We are at a very early stage in the planning right now. You can rest assured that we will do our best to realize another unforgettable, inspiring and vibrant Bluezone and Munich Fabric Start in September that will embrace the relevant innovation fields and meet current market needs. The only thing we can confirm already is that the next Bluezone will be a multidisciplinary edu-tainment event. Stay tuned for more [including a] Buttenheim/Levi's road trip and a great retrospective exhibition with unique objects from'80s Italian denim brands and cars. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
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As CMA CGM Flirts with Red Sea Comeback, Will Others Follow Suit?
CMA CGM is reshuffling its deck of vessels to expand its presence in the Red Sea. Starting in June, the ocean carrier will reroute its Med Express (MEDEX) service—which connects ports across the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Mediterranean Sea—back through the Suez Canal. More from Sourcing Journal Carriers Ramp Up Trans-Pacific Capacity on Expected Demand Rally CMA CGM's $600M Vietnam Port Project Reflects 'Sharp' Container Demand Trans-Pacific Cargo Space Vanishing Fast Ahead of Tariff Deadlines According to a CMA CGM spokesperson, the container shipping firm is reallocating ships on a trade lane that had already been temporarily using the Suez route, and is not deploying additional vessels via the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. 'At this stage, the majority of the Group's vessels continue to be rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope,' the spokesperson told Sourcing Journal. 'CMA CGM does not plan to resume transits through the Suez Canal on a large scale in the short term, unless security conditions allow it. Until further notice, the CMA CGM Group will continue to seek escort assistance from the European Union Naval Force's Operation ASPIDES for its ships to ensure the highest level of safety for its crew members, vessels, and its customers' cargo.' The first westbound transit on the route will be with 9,700 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) CMA CGM Pelleas ship, which will leave Sri Lanka's Colombo Port on June 10. The ship will also conduct the first eastbound voyage for the service out of Jeddah Islamic Port in Saudi Arabia on July 24. The weekly service line will use a fleet 10 ships that can carry between 6,000 to 10,000 TEUs, and dock at ports including Nhava Sheva and Mundra in India, Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali in the U.A.E., Genoa in Italy and Barcelona and Valencia in Spain, among others. Fourteen ports comprise the MEDEX line, which last, Since late 2023, when the Yemen-based Houthi militant group began attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, CMA CGM had opted for MEDEX vessels to instead sail around Africa's Cape of Good Hope. The longer route adds between one and two weeks to total ocean transit times, and has been a key determinant in pushing up freight rates due to the ensuing capacity crunch. A Red Sea return would mark a big step for container shipping in returning to the conflict-ridden waterway, which remains a no-go zone for most ocean carriers concerned about the attacks. Although the Houthis haven't attacked a container ship thus far in 2025, and have appeared to indicate they won't be targeting non-Israeli ships any longer, the industry has still been hesitant about redeploying ships in the area. 'The open question for now is of course how many services we need to see from CMA CGM reverting back to the Red Sea before the other major carriers will re-assess and also revert back to a Suez routing,' said Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, in a post on LinkedIn. Companies have been avoiding a return largely because they cannot guarantee safety on the route, and because war-risk insurance premiums for carriers remain elevated compared to pre-Red Sea crisis levels. The higher freight rates also add an incentive, contributing to higher profits industrywide. Unlike the other major carriers, CMA CGM hasn't spurned the Suez Canal entirely since the Houthis began their onslaught on shipping. The France-based company opened up transit on a case-by-case basis in February 2024, and had already been working with the French Navy to help escort vessels through the Red Sea when necessary. This is a benefit major carriers like Denmark-based Maersk and Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) don't have. CMA CGM's fleet has regularly been sailing one service on the Suez route as part of the Ocean Alliance the carrier has with Cosco Shipping, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) and Evergreen. The weekly BEX2 (Phoenician Express) service from Far East to the Mediterranean has been in regular rotation since July 2024. That line stops at major Asian ports including Shanghai and Ningbo in China, Busan, South Korea and Singapore. It likely strayed away from Houthi attention because it transported cargo to and from Beirut, Lebanon, according to Alphaliner. On June 23, CMA CGM also plans to do a single Suez Canal voyage via its Far East-to-Mediterranean MEX service, when the 16,000-TEU CMA CGM Jules Verne leaves eastbound from Jeddah. The Ocean Alliance service is not a permanent shift. Both the services and one-offs have put CMA CGM far ahead of competitors when it comes to Suez sailings. CMA CGM ranked first in net tonnage of container vessels passing through the Suez Canal from January to April, representing 19 percent of cargo moved during that period. During the quarter, 486 container vessels sailed through the Suez Canal, amounting to 17,234 metric tons. During a meeting with the Suez Canal Authority earlier this month, CMA CGM's executive vice president of assets and operations, Christine Cabeau, hinted at the MEDEX shift. She indicated that the group wanted a second fixed service to traverse the canal. The Suez Canal Authority, which has seen substantial losses in revenue since the Houthi attacks began, is offering 15-percent rebates for container vessels opting to sail through the trade artery. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
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How Should Brands Think About Cross-Border E-Commerce Amidst Uncertainty?
Cross-border e-commerce is likely to face heavy impacts from the changing global trade landscape, particularly as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff strategy remains in flux. Data from FlavorCloud, which helps optimize cross-border shipping and returns, shows that apparel's cross-border conversion rates dropped by 5 percentage points—from 13 percent in February to 8 percent in March, when Trump started introducing, and in some cases soft-launching, what would end up being, in some cases, double or triple-digit duty rates. More from Sourcing Journal Can Tech Plug the Gaps Between Immigration Policies and Reshoring Aspirations? Federal Appeals Court Grants Trump Temporary Relief on Tariff Ruling April Air Cargo Demand Climbs 5.8% as De Minimis Reform Drives Pre-Deadline Surge Right now, the tariffs Trump set forth on 'Liberation Day' are on pause for most countries. Rathna Sharad, CEO and founder of FlavorCloud, said she anticipates that, once that pause is up—barring any further court intervention for overreaching, that is—Trump will introduce lower tariff rates on most countries. 'At the end of 90 days, I expect [rates] to be something more reasonable. We may have seen the worst of [it]. The 145 [percent tariff on China] was enormous, and it has impacted pretty much every single brand in a lot of ways,' Sharad said. Nonetheless, she advised that companies hoping to continue building out their cross-border business stop to consider their sourcing patterns, as so many companies have been since Trump began his second term. If prices on goods increase because of country of origin, and sending goods internationally is already more expensive, that could see companies passing a higher portion of the cost on to their international customers. Sharad said the smartest companies had already started building out a multi-sourcing strategy. 'It's not easy to implement alternative sourcing within a month or two. It takes a while to do that, but what is really important is that those that have made inroads [by] already thinking about multiple suppliers—or that were considering alternative sourcing options before—were able to make that switch relatively easily,' Sharad said. Fashion and apparel, as a category, has already been struggling when it comes to growth for cross-border e-commerce; FlavorCloud's data shows that, while other categories—like beauty, health and wellness, have seen rapid growth between 2024 and 2025, apparel and fashion has seen a 3.3 percent decrease. That pales in comparison to health and wellness' 201.2 percent increase and beauty's 46.6 percent uptick. Sharad said that slump could be attributable to two main factors: longevity in the cross-border market and price fluctuation. '[Apparel] has grown over the years pretty significantly, whereas these other categories are still brand new for cross border, so they're emerging,' she said, noting that apparel has also seen 'more significant price point and margin issues' than other sectors growing rapidly. For apparel companies, Asia, Africa and Latin America could be opportunity zones for further sales; in each region, apparel ranked the number one cross-border category in 2024. The report suggests that, while apparel is a top category in many markets, its stronghold varies by location based on pricing and delivery, which FlavorCloud contends should vary by region. Sharad said the company helps its clients determine those exact considerations, which she expects will only become more important as final—or semi-final—tariff rates come from world leaders. For apparel in particular, getting the mix right on products could help foster loyalty, which seems to be top of mind for many brands and retailers amidst uncertain economic times. Sharad said that, like domestic customers, international customers expect fast delivery, free or low-cost shipping and easy returns to stay truly connected to a specific brand. To be able to deliver on those considerations is likely to help retention rates, she said. 'They're coming back because they love the products, because they're not getting those products locally,' Sharad said. As she thinks about what's coming down the pike, she said unreliability continues to loom—so diversifying sourcing strategies would be a wise move to help make pricing most palatable for customers, and for brands themselves. 'Moving to multiple sourcing partners is an important thing for brands to invest in in the long term, because you don't know when the tariff implication is going to hit you. The one thing we know for sure is that the U.S. is front and center, and tariffs are the household name right now, simply because of the pace with which the changes came and…the magnitude of it,' Sharad said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trans-Pacific Ocean Freight Rates Continue Their Ascent on More Front-Loading
Trans-Pacific ocean spot freight rates have kept their foot on the gas in the wake of a rush of imports from China into the U.S. as trade and tariff uncertainty pervades between the countries. On Friday, the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) calculated a surge of nearly 31 percent from the week prior out of the Chinese city across all markets, with West Coast-bound spot rates skyrocketing 58 percent to $6,243 per 40-foot equivalent unit (FEU). Rates soared 46 percent to $5,172 per container headed to the East Coast. More from Sourcing Journal How Should Brands Think About Cross-Border E-Commerce Amidst Uncertainty? As CMA CGM Flirts with Red Sea Comeback, Will Others Follow Suit? Can Tech Plug the Gaps Between Immigration Policies and Reshoring Aspirations? The weekly 30.6 level gain to 2,072.71 points represents the second-largest individual gain tracked by the index, following the final week of December 2023 as ocean carriers began avoiding the Red Sea en masse. Abercrombie & Fitch is one apparel retailer that has already baked in higher freight costs for their second quarter, chief financial officer Robert Ball said in a Wednesday earnings call. All the major indices that monitor ocean freight rates have indicated significant jumps to close out May, with the SCFI showing the highest increases. According to Drewry's World Container Index (WCI) posted Thursday, freight rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles leapt 17 percent to $3,738 per FEU in the past week and 38 percent since May 8. Spot rates to New York have risen 14 percent in the past week to $5,172 per container, and have accelerated 42 percent in the past three weeks. These numbers buoyed the overall WCI to 10 percent growth to $2,508 per container, marking the first double-digit rise in the composite index since last July. For Freightos, Asia-to-U.S. West Coast prices increased 13 percent to $2,788 per FEU, according to data revealed on Wednesday. The Freightos Baltic Index (FBX) bucked the trend of the other benchmarks, with Asia-to-U.S. East Coast prices seeing a bigger jump than their West Coast counterpart. Spot freight rates per container increased 20 percent to $4,223. 'Surging demand and these restrictions on capacity from out of place vessels and port congestion [at Chinese ports] are putting significant upward pressure on container rates,' said Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos, in Wednesday's weekly update. 'Rates are at their highest level since late February, and GRIs announced through mid-June could push prices up thousands of dollars more if demand stays elevated and congestion remains an issue.' Ongoing front-loading of imports will lead to big increases in spot rates on June 1, according to data from Xeneta. 'Average spot rates will rise at least 18 percent from the Far East to U.S. West Coast and 14 percent into the U.S. East Coast,' said Emily Stausbøll, senior shipping analyst at Xeneta. 'Data is being received from shippers paying far higher rates than this, so the market has the potential to increase even more dramatically in early June.' While a June spike could be in order, the combination of importers' front-loading and ocean carriers moving more shipping capacity to the trans-Pacific trade lane could be what slows rates down in the second half of 2025. Drewry's Container Forecaster expects the supply-demand balance to weaken again in the latter six months, which would cause spot rates to decline again for the back half. But the volatility and timing of rate changes will depend on the outcome of the ongoing legal challenges to President Donald Trump's tariffs and on possible capacity changes related to the introduction of the U.S. port docking fees on Chinese ships, which are uncertain. Xeneta's Stausbøll projects a longer-term decline in the third quarter as well, particularly when the expected period of front-loading ends. 'While tariffs are lower, they are still higher than they were previously, so there is every likelihood this will subdue consumer demand,' Stausbøll said in a May 21 blog post. 'Once shippers have built up inventories, they will not continue to front-load imports. Demand will therefore ease and carriers will once again be struggling to fill their ships. This means the traditional Q3 peak season will arrive earlier in 2025, but it should not take too long for spot rates to soften and continue the downward trend seen during Q1.' Currently, the base tariff rate on the majority of Chinese products is 30 percent after the U.S. and China entered into a 90-day tariff rollback. The agreement lowered the tariff rate from 145 percent for U.S. importers until Aug. 14. 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
a day ago
- Business
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EU's Textile Recycling Excellence Project Creates New Blueprint
The European Union-funded Textile Recycling Excellence (T-Rex) Project wrapped with the completion of a blueprint for scaling textile-to-textile recycling processes for post-consumer polyester, polyamide 6 and cellulosic materials. The blueprint, which spotlights insights and recommendations for each phase of the value chain, has been informed by in-depth analysis conducted by the T-Rex consortium throughout the project. That analysis included assessing the technical feasibility, economic viability and environmental impact of the recycling value chain. More from Sourcing Journal EXCLUSIVE: Feben's Mini Twist Finds Pulp Friction With OnceMore Is Europe Ready for a Textile-to-Textile Recycling 'Tipping Point'? Trump Threatens EU With 50% Duties, Says Trade Talks 'Going Nowhere' The plan was formulated to address four key challenges: technical scalability, business viability, environmental impact and policy recommendations. Within technical scalability, two major obstacles stand in the way of textile-to-textile recycling—inefficient sorting processes and the need for pre-processing of garments. Current manual sorting methods have proven to inefficient and costly to scale, but advancements in automated sorting technology such as near infrared (NIR) and AI-powered systems could improve yield, throughput and identification of multi-layer or blended garments. Though the market potential of textile-to-textile recycling in the EU looks promising—with volumes of post-consumer textile waste suitable for recycling projected to reach 1.2 million metric tons by 2030—business viability remains challenging. That's primarily due to limited access to quality feedstock and a lack of infrastructure at scale. Scaling textile-to-textile recycling in Europe will require coordinated financial, regulatory and industrial efforts to overcome these issues. Ensuring textile-to-textile recycling reduces the environmental impact of fiber production hinges on both the type of material being recycled and the specific recycling technology used. Energy efficiency during the recycling process, as well as the entirety of the manufacturing and supply chain is critical for decreasing environmental impact. While the EU has some of the most progressive regulatory protocols for textile sustainability through its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), the T-Rex Project calls for additional governmental support and oversight. Proposed initiatives include economic incentives, end-of-waste criteria, recyclability standards and setting realistic, achievable targets for recycled content. According to the European Environmental Agency, more than 6.95 million metric tons of textile waste are generated annually in the EU, and that's projected to increase to 7.3 million metric tons by 2030. Much of that waste is incinerated or ends up in a landfill, with only 2 percent of post-consumer textiles in Europe diverted to fiber-to-fiber recycling. The T-Rex Project launched in 2022 to help combat that problem, assembling 13 stakeholders from across the textile value chain, including Adidas, Aalto University and Infinited Fiber Company, to develop a plan for closed-loop recycling of post-consumer household textile waste in the EU. While the project's recommendations create a framework for implementing scalable textile-to-textile recycling, the group maintains that this should be just one aspect of a larger-scale effort to reduce textile waste. That strategy should also prioritize reuse, repair and demand management of garments and other textiles. The full T-Rex blueprint will be available on the project's website,
