French luxury goods group booked strong double-digit sales growth in the first half of 2019 and a record operating margin of 29.5% – but investors have instead focused on a slowdown in sales growth at its key Gucci brand.
Total revenue generated by Kering's brands in the six-month period amounted to EUR7.34bn (US$8.2bn), up 18.6% as reported and 15.2% on a comparable basis.
Novetex Textiles has opened The Billie System, its new Tai Po textile mill, the first in Hong Kong in over half a century. A key component of this mill is a waterless system which upcycles textile waste.
The system is almost entirely automated, and able to process up to three tonnes of recycled fibre per day, which according to Novetex can be further blended with virgin material to produce yarn for various products and garments.
China is still an economic powerhouse, despite the fact that its growth is slowing.
The country’s economy grew 6.2 percent in the second quarter, down from 6.4 percent the period before. It’s the slowest pace since 1992, and a dramatic decrease from a dozen years ago, when growth was 14.2 percent. However, a January research report from eMarketer projected China will overtake the U.S. as the world’s biggest retail market this year. That’s why it remains vital that brands connect with the country, especially at the digital level.
Hydrofend™, a solution-dyed polyester designed to balance high water resistance with breathability, is now available from Trivantage, a one-stop shop for fabrics, hardware, and accessories.
“Our goal was to create a fabric that lets little water in and water vapor out,” said Dan Fouratt, director of business development for Trivantage. “Hydrofend achieves this balance.”
Apparel and footwear group VF Corporation, whose brands include The North Face, Vans, Timberland and Reef, has reported revenues of $2.3 billion for the first quarter of its current fiscal year, the three-month period ending June 30.
This is an increase of 6% compared to the same quarter last year.
The group’s outdoor segment increased its revenues by 7% to $610.6 million, which included a 9% increase for The North Face. The increase for the group’s active segment was 8% year on year, reaching $1.2 billion; within this segment, Vans increased its revenues by 20%.
Stemming from stories about the effect of plastic pollution on animals to microplastics in the Marianas Trench, awareness is growing about the impact of plastic waste on the environment. This, plus awareness of sustainable materials, has led to increased consumer adoption of environmentally friendly products with special attention given to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), also known as polyester.
Cotton is perhaps the most recognized fiber in the apparel market, and is used, either in its pure form or blended with other materials, to make much of the world’s clothing.
The soft, fluffy staple fiber grows in a boll around the seeds of a cotton plant, and the fiber is nearly pure cellulose, the most abundant organic polymer on Earth. Fibers from the cotton plant are spun into yarn or thread and made into fiber, yielding soft, breathable textiles. Cotton is the most widely used natural fiber in clothing today.
Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana and DKNY have all attempted to crack one of the fastest-growing markets - Islamic fashion.
What started as brands targeting wealthy Muslims with one-off fashion lines for religious occasions, has grown to a global trend for women who prefer to dress conservatively.
According to the Pew Research Center, Muslims are the world's fastest-growing major religious group. By 2050, it estimates there will be 2.7 billion Muslims worldwide, making up 29.7 percent of the global population.
While far from the top 10 list of textile and apparel suppliers to the U.S., Portugal is offering the supply chain something it desperately needs: flexibility.
At Texworld USA in New York City Monday, exhibitors in the Portugal Pavilion took an opportunity to bring their competitive offerings to light at a time when sourcing has been upset over changing trade relations, and companies are looking for new places to manufacture product.
Chinese sportswear group Anta has announced that it has become a member of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). It said this decision was part of efforts to execute its “sustainable development philosophy”.
BCI is a Geneva-based organisation that works to promote greater sustainability in cotton production around the world. It is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2019.
