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| Issue date:08/12/2009 |
| ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel - Dec 2009 Issue |
| Source:Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel |
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| Asia's textile and apparel industry have intensified material research to attract potential buyers who try to meet increasingly personalized styles of end consumers, Pony Liu reports |
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| Exhibitors at the recent Shanghai Intertextile fair agreed the worst time had past for the industry |
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At the Intertextile exhibition held in Shanghai in October 2009, international and Chinese exhibitors were cautiously positive about the future trends. "The worst moment for the textile industry has left behind us, however, no one can tell when the industry will really pick up," said Zhuang Jiaren, General Manager of Fujian Zhonghe. Fujian Zhonghe is a fabric developer and producer based in Fujian province of China.
A key indicator for market pickup is retail market sentiment, according to Mr Zhuang.
"The situation in the Chinese retail market is not so bad, compared with the quite miserable market environment in the US and Europe. New products there were sold at discounted prices immediately after being put onto the shelf. Quick-responding retailers like Zara continue placing their orders regularly. Other players appeared to place orders prudently as they preferred to keep down the inventory," said Mr Zhuang.
International players like Cotton Incorporated from the US also appeared cautious. "Consumer confidence remains mild in the US," said Wang Jiarong, chief representative of the US Cotton Incorporated in China.
Mr Wang explained that, despite signs of recovery in recent months, the US consumers have tightened their spending after the severe financial crisis they experienced. Moreover, the saving rate of the US population is rising.
Figures from the US Commerce Department showed that personal savings as a percentage of disposable personal income was 3.3% in September 2009. The saving rate was around zero during the housing boom as Americans tapped home equity loans and other ways of credit in previous years. Now, US consumers are building a buffer against the threat of job losses and more economic hardships they may face.
As a consequence, it will take a relatively long time for the global consumer market to recover, and it is a challenge for the Chinese textile industry, he added. This also generally holds true for export-oriented textile and apparel manufacturers in Asia.
Small batches accommodate varied designs
Whether the external environment is favourable or not, business has to go on. More fabric and apparel producers in China, for instance, are innovating in material use and design.
Personalized style is a buzzword at the Shanghai Intertextile fair.
In order to produce apparel that are unique and personalized, small batches of production are progressively expected in the market.
Zhang Yintang, deputy general manager and chief engineer of Jining Ruyi Knitting said: "The high-volume production of some thousands or ten thousands pieces of apparel in a single color is now not that popular. The industry is heading to a high diversity in color variations, for example. Enterprises have to adapt to the manufacture of smaller batches. To cope with the market changes, the company has planned to establish a small area at the facility to produce small quantities of textile and apparel products." Mr Zhang mentioned that the Shandong province-based company had the experience of manufacturing custom textile and apparel to European clients.
Besides supplying small batches, Jining Ruyi Knitting is exploring engineered fabrics targeting medium- to high-end knitwear segments. By integrating such new fibers as XLA into its own products, the company is able to enhance the fiber performance and product value, according to Mr Zhang.
Fujian Zhonghe showcased China-made fabrics at the September 2009 Premiere Vision in France |
Mr Zhuang at Fujian Zhonghe also observed the need of small-batch production. At the September 2009 Première Vision (PV) exhibition in France, the company launched a service of supplying fabrics in batches at a minimum of 100 meters in a single color. The company has been known in the western textile world lately as it was one of the three exhibitors from China at the PV fair, presenting numerous products including premium blended and woven fabrics made of cotton, cashmere, wool, silk and Tencel. Mr Zhuang believed that the company's fabrics are of international quality, and it works with international fashion trendsetters like the Armani Group
Famous in China, Fujian Zhonghe operates a provincial research center in Fujian, which development efforts on cotton fabrics for leisure wear was recognized nationally in 2007 by the China Textiles Development Center (CTDC). CTDC is a government-supported national organization to promote research and development in the Chinese textile and apparel industry.
Another market trend lies in the segment of leisure wear, which is increasingly popular especially in emerging markets like China.
To tap the opportunities, Jiangsu Sunshine Group launched a range of wool/cotton blended apparel for leisure occasions. The new range is taken to the market considering that all-wool products, being relatively expensive, are less attractive amid the economic downturn.
Jiangsu Sunshine Group is a leading wool manufacturer in China, and exhibited for the first time also at the Première Vision exhibition in September 2009, showcasing its latest development of woollen fabrics.
Furthermore, improved material technology is required to achieve special hand feel and appearance, for instance, a crinkled effect can be made with fabric blends, according to Han Yewen, Marketing Manager for Europeans markets at Jiangsu Sunshine Group. "Our newly developed wool blends are presented at this (Intertextile) exhibition. You can find similar use of these wool blends on suits of international brands," said Mr Han.
Greener products and practices inevitable in future
Greener textile and apparel products are becoming a major product category in the market, and other critical successful factors for manufacturers are comfort, fashion and functionality, said Mr Wang at the China office of US Cotton Incorporated.
Greener textile and apparel products are inevitably a trend of the future product development, and "it is nice to see that Asian manufacturers are now more aware of this fact," Mr Wang mentioned.
Dean B. Turner of Cotton Incorporated |
Cotton being a natural fiber is often considered as a green product by general consumers. At the Intertextile fair, Dean B. Turner, Senior Vice President, Global Account Management at the division of Global Product Supply Chain for Cotton Incorporated, presented "Storm Denim" technology, which provides water repellency, protection from moderate snow and humid weather, while maintaining the breathable and comfortable properties entailed with cotton denim.
Besides, developers of manmade fibers embrace regenerated resources, while chemical providers look into eco-friendlier ways of textile and apparel processing.
Using 97% of recycled resources of plastic bottles, Invista's Coolmax EcoMade gives classic Coolmax fabric performance for absorbency, wicking, durability and abrasion resistance, as well as demonstrates good results when tested for whiteness.
Peter Wu (left), Dow Corning's Asia Technical Manager for Textiles, and Hermia Min |
Greener processes are equally important to the development of green fibers, and Dow Corning introduced GP 8000 Eco Softener into the Asian market. The softener is a ready-to-use textile enhancer that can be used in different stages of garment or fabric wet finish processing to provide a natural, soft hand. It has good compatibility with enzymes used in garment or fabric finishing and is temperature- and shear-stable, explained Hermia Min, Asia Commercial Manager, Textile & Performance Chemical Industries at Dow Corning.
Dow Corning GP 8000 Eco Solution saves up to 50 liters of water on every pair of jeans and provides faster processing time, using less energy to finish jeans, the company says.
Dow Corning also launched a new set of silicone rubbers to better serve the China and Asian regions through its Xiameter web-enabled business, Ms Min added. The Xiameter business is a no-frills model offering cost-effective products, including textile softeners and more through streamlined services and a web-enabled order platform.
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Copyright © Adsale Publishing Limited. Credit goes to Adsale Industry Portal when used.
We reserve the right to take legal action against any party who reprint any part of this article without acknowledgement. For enquiries, please contact the Editorial Department. |
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