The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) has now settled the footwear wage strike dispute. This comes after footwear employers tabled an improved wage offer last week, following a meeting held with them the previous week. On Friday, 19 June 2014, the offer was accepted by members. All indicators are that all our members have heeded our call and returned to work by yesterday, 23rd July 2014, showing an effective end to the strike. The settlement pa

Country’s textile exports have shown 30 per cent increase after getting the status of GSP Plus from the European Union, President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Dr Shimail Daud said here on Tuesday. “During the first two months of this year, the textile exports have shown 30 per cent increase whereby earning an additional amount of foreign exchange to the tune of $ 105 million,” Dr Shimail said while talking to a delegation of traders and businessmen. RCCI Senior Vice

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa formally launched the Sri Lanka Apparel Brands Association (SLABA) in the presence of a large gathering of key apparel industry players in Colombo. Minister Rajapaksa also launched the Association’s new website on the occasion. Actually, the Domestic Garment Manufacturers Association (DGMA), founded by the late AYS Gnanam, has now been rebranded as SLABA with Indradatta Dharmawardane as its new chairman. SLABA’s objectives are

Textile exports in the current financial year are expected to grow 25 per cent to $50 billion, Union textiles minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar said on Monday. He noted growth was sluggish last year, with exports registering $40 billion against a target of $43 billion. He said the industry is set to witness robust growth this year. After inaugurating the 59th National Garment Fair organised by the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India here on Monday, the minister acknowledged India’s labou

Powerloom weavers in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts have sought 50 per cent subsidy to go in for solar power. The association has appealed to the Union Government to increase the subsidy from the existing 30 per cent as the weavers do not have the financial resources to go in for renewable energy. They are hit by the power problems in the State for the last five years and are unable to run the units with diesel generators. A small-scale powerloom unit with 10 looms needs five kw energ

Global 2014/15 cotton mill use is forecast at 112.3 million bales, 2 percent above the previous season. Mill use in China is expected to rebound in 2014/15 to 37.0 million bales—up from an estimated 35.5 million bales this season and the highest in 3 years. During the last several seasons, China’s relatively high domestic cotton prices encouraged yarn imports and constrained domestic mill use. However, policy adjustments reducing price support levels are expected to boost cotton mill use in

The exports from Pakistan to European Union (EU) during the first two months of implementation of GSP Plus have showed northward trend, said the Minister for Commerce Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan in a statement while revealing the statistics of trade. According to sector-wise trade analysis of exports to EU during January-February 2014 there has been a substantial increase of 30.68pc in textile garments from last year's exports in January-February. The total exports of textile garments during t

Leather footwear and handbag exports are expected to top US$12 billion this year, achieving the target, the Viet Nam Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso) said. They were worth $10.4 billion last year to rank third in the country's list of key exports, Diep Thanh Kiet, Lefaso's deputy chairman, said, adding, "The exports were very good in the first half of the year, with footwear exports going up by more than 14 per cent and handbags by over 18 per cent." But Kiet and others at a semin

Two large German distributors and three major Spanish retailers in Europe are exploring opportunities to source high-end garments and footwear supplies from the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry reported. A DTI report identified the two large German distributors in Europe as Ariston Nord West Ring Schuh for shoes and Katag AG for garments. “Garments and footwear – all types. This is one sector that may defy the slow prospects for the eurozone,” stated the DTI paper, which was app

China may cut down on cotton yarn purchases this fiscal, slowing the good run that Indian spinning mills had last year. Recovering from a rough patch in the previous few years, spinning mills across the country wove healthier balance sheets last fiscal with a surge in demand in the Chinese market. Industrial boost Idle mills sprang to life across the southern States, boosted by healthy cotton production and the government’s decision to make yarn export eligible for benefits under the In