The market is witnessing shortage of raw materials for the value-added textile sector, particularly polyester yarn, as importers have stopped clearing their shipments because of the uncertainty regarding new taxes. Javed Bilwani of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) said that around 1,200 containers of raw materials were stuck at the port and importers failed to get them cleared, as there had been no notification of reducing five percent withholding tax on raw material imports a

Textile mills in China, the world's largest consumer of cotton, will buy more fibre from bulging state reserves over the next five months, after a state stockpiling drive cut back domestic supplies, analysts said. A large sale of state cotton would further slow imports by China, the world's top buyer, particularly after U.S. cotton prices touched a 10-month high. State reserves are at a record high of 10 million tonnes, or more than 60 percent of global stocks, after the stockpiling effort p

Profitability of textile units has reached Rs13.2 billion in first half of fiscal year 2012-13 as compared to Rs1.1 billion in the same period last year as China continues to stock more and more yarn. Industry experts said that the multifold increase in profitability is primarily on the back of higher regional demand and absence of inventory losses that turned many loss-making companies into profits. On quarterly basis, profitability of 70 listed textile mills, representing 97 per cent of th

The Central Silk Board, upbeat about the recent increase in customs duty on raw silk import, says it wants to wipe out imports by 2022 with a string of pro-grower measures. It has begun, according to silk board member-secretary Ishita Roy. “Just five years ago our dependence on [silk from] China was around 10,000 tonnes. It has now reduced to 5,700 tonnes. We hope exports will start picking up,” she said. Exports in 2011-12 were worth Rs. 2,523 crore. Days after the Finance Minister raised

U.S. net textile and apparel fiber imports decreased once again in calendar year 2012 as a result of the continued sluggish U.S. economy. Total fiber product imports approached 16.9 billion raw-fiber-equivalent pounds in 2012, 2 percent below imports in 2011 and the second lowest since 2003. Meanwhile, total fiber product exports reached 3.5 billion pounds in 2012, nearly 5 percent below the previous year and the second lowest since 1995. As a result, U.S. net textile and apparel product imports

It’s easy to get the festival look this season at H&M. Starting this spring, H&M presents collections for every music occasion, whether for the heat of a dessert festival such as Coachella, the unpredictable weather of festivals like Glastonbury, or the summer-long party of Ibiza. As the season develops that means for women kaftans and cut-offs, uniform jackets, jeans and wellington boots, and then bikini’s and bohemian tops. For men, there are denim shirts and shorts, biker jacket

Lux Industries Ltd, a major player in Indian innerwear market, is set to invest Rs. 1 billion for expansion. There is huge growth potential in premium innerwear and undergarment segment in India, and to explore the same the company plans to invest Rs. 1 billion in plant, machineries, marketing and to introduce new products, Chief Operating Officer of the company Dilip Newar said. Intending to cater to urban and semi-urban youth, the firm’s premium innerwear brand ONN would unveil its late

he Shanghai’s education, quality supervision and other departments have jointly issued a statement that henceforth school uniforms must be double-inspected prior to handing over the same to students. The statement has been issued in the wake of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision’s announcement last month that a cancer causing aromatic amine dye was found in school uniforms produced in July 2012 by the Ouxia garment company. According to the statement, school

Three of Sri Lanka's brightest fashion designers of the future have been recognised with special awards for Creativity, Innovation and Inspiration respectively by Textured Jersey PLC, the country's largest manufacturer of knitted fabric. The three designers were chosen from 20 students who presented designs when the 34 that made up the seventh batch of the University of Moratuwa's Bachelor of Design Degree in Fashion Design & Product Development graduated recently. One of the universit