Specials

As fast fashion and necessarily overproduction and overconsumption of clothes continues, fashion brands are going all out to woo the mindful consumer (read, women mostly), increasingly employing “woke” marketing tactics that illustrate a political and social awareness around race, LGBTQ+, feminism and the environment.

As of now brands and retailers that source from Bangladesh—and that have witnessed the industry’s sizeable safety and environmental investments—remain patient and committed. The long-term scenario, however, could be anyone's guess. texfash.com rounds up voices from across the globe.

Border posts remain clogged, orders and payments are stuck, and amidst all there’s also a lot of talk that the political upheaval in neighbouring Bangladesh could see shifting of orders to India. But, till government tweaks some policies, Indian apparel manufacturers making hay from the Bangla crisis appears wishful thinking.

Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) industry grew by a whopping 280% during the 15-year tenure of Sheikh Hasina Wazed's Awami League. Both the League and the RMG industry fed off each other, but with Hasina being ousted and public sentiments overwhelmingly against the Awami League, the country's political turmoil is bound to take its toll on the RMG industry.

Why does a designer have to lie? Why don’t we give the master craftsperson his/her due? Master embroiderer, craft exponent and revivalist Asif Sheikh answers these questions and more on the whats and whys that plague the handcrafted handloom industry.

Generative AI could become a game-changer for the fashion industry, adding between US$150 and US$250 billion to operating profits within three to five years. While the fashion sector has only started integrating AI, the opportunities and challenges it presents are evident across all business processes.

More than 11 million tonnes of textile waste end up in US landfills yearly. The problem is getting worse, but the apparel industry has the power to be part of the solution. It is with this thought and the urgent need to rein in the fast fashion pollution that Congresswoman Chellie Pingree launched the Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus to create climate-smart policies to reduce, repair, rewear, and recycle textiles.  She outlines her plans in this exclusive to texfash.

The St. Lawrence River and its estuary drain approximately 25 per cent of the world’s fresh water and more than 45 million people live nearby. By travelling along the river, microplastic contamination can eventually reach the Atlantic Ocean. This situation is worrisome as it helps predict future loads of microplastics in marine waters.

Shop hopping the summer sale? Before you step out, it is worth considering how you can sustainably add to your wardrobe while limiting its carbon footprint.

Japan-based fastening company YKK is focused on growth with a sharp eye on its target set for carbon neutrality by 2050. A company spokesperson engages with texfash to highlight the steps it is taking towards this goal.