UK clothing and homewares retailer Next updated its trading guidance in an unscheduled announcement today (19 June) where it reported the full-price sales from the first seven weeks of its second quarter (Q2) were up 9.3% in comparison to last year. This stands in stark contrast to its previous guidance, which predicted a decline of 5%. The retailer said it smashed its full-price sales estimates by £93m ($119m) attributing this over-performance to two factors: Change in weather – The onset of warmer weather has made a significant difference to the brand’s performance, particularly coming afte ..read more

Textile Exchange recognises that cattle rearing is a significant driver of deforestation and so its initiative aims to bring about collective action and transform the leather industry’s impact on natural ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Brands that join the initiative are expected to take several measures, including setting leather sourcing requirements, mapping supply chains to the slaughterhouse level, making financial investments to increase the supply of traceable and deforestation-free leather, implementing traceability systems, and committing to respect human rights throughout the entir ..read more

The De Minimis Reciprocity Act of 2023, introduced by US Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D and Tammy Baldwin, seeks to address the abuse of trade laws by Communist China and other nations, which currently allows them to import small dollar goods into the US duty-free. By barring Chinese exports from the expedited “de minimis” channel and adjusting the threshold for duty-free imports to match that of trade partners, the proposed legislation aims to foster reciprocity and enhance transparency at US borders. It has long been a bugbear of US lawmakers that Chinese firms including Shein and Temu are using ..read more

US April apparel imports show China taking heavy hit from forced labour measures Apparel imports to the US from China saw the biggest decline of the top 10 major suppliers as fashion brands look to reduce their China exposure. America’s questionable employment of prison labour is adding to domestic clothing makers’ woes ‘Made in America’ – it should be promising for US-based clothing manufacturers. But a loophole awarding contracts to US prisons means they are fighting a losing battle. And then there’s the forced labour concern. AAFA’s CEO and president Steve Lamar, tells us more. ILO to revie ..read more

In the early hours of 8 June, sections of a building housing a textile factory in the Tit Mellil industrial zone of Casablanca Morocco collapsed, leading to six workers’ deaths. The building was undergoing construction work to build four additional floors when the fatal accident occurred. According to IndustriALL, three of the victims worked for the building contractor and the other three were from the textile factory. The union called Syndicat National des Travailleurs du Textile et du Cuir (SNTTC-UMT) claims the construction was not in line with legal standards and suggests the responsibilit ..read more

This announcement highlights the company’s commitment to mitigating its environmental impact and advancing towards decarbonisation. Interloop has set ambitious targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. These targets include a 51% reduction in direct emissions (Scope 1) and indirect emissions (Scope 2) in alignment with the 1.5°C pathway. Additionally, the company aims to achieve a 30% reduction in emissions across its value chain (Scope 3) by 2032. “We have significantly ramped up our investment in clean energy and continuous process improvement to reach our targets,” said Navid Fazil, C ..read more

The fashion industry, known for its creativity and trendsetting, is undergoing a remarkable transformation thanks to the infusion of technology. As traditional practices are challenged, disruptive innovations are paving the way for a new era of sustainable and customer-centric fashion. Last week’s Tech for Fashion event organised by Reaktor aimed to shed light on these developments. Held on 15 June, it served as a vibrant platform for industry leaders, tech enthusiasts, and forward-thinking businesses to converge and explore the intersection of fashion and technology. A fusion of fashion and t ..read more

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retail sales rose in May as consumers continued to spend despite economic challenges. “Consumers continued to spend on household priorities in May, supported by gains in the job market and wages,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Retailers recognise the ongoing pressure on cost-sensitive consumers and are offering competitive pricing, a wide product mix and convenient shopping options to help stretch family budgets.” The US Census Bureau said overall retail sales in May were up 0.3% from April and up 1.6% year over year. In April, sal ..read more

This year’s International Textile Machinery Association (ITMA) 2023 international conference suggests the European textile industry is well positioned to lead the global sector towards a more sustainable future. Brenda Dionisi reports. This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. The post ITMA 2023 weds innovation to sustainability appeared first on Just Style ..read more

The collaboration includes Vietnam-based manufacturers Fashion Enterprise, and R&T Industry, not-for-profit The Woolmark Company, polyester fibre producer Indorama, cloud based SAAS platform FibreTrace and Garment Assembly. The Woolmark Company sponsored the Indorama testing and provided crucial support. Indorama, a Woolmark-certified spinning expert based in Thailand, successfully applied the FibreTrace technology to the wool tops. Fashion Enterprise and R&T Industry were responsible for commissioning the pilot and played vital roles in the weaving and knitting processes, resulti ..read more