Fashion news

Philippines’ combined textile and apparel imports fell 4.65 per cent year on year to $1.662 billion in January–September 2026, while exports slipped 0.38 per cent to $765.82 million, PSA data showed.
Textile yarn, fabric and made-up imports dropped 8.50 per cent, outweighing higher apparel imports.
September trade improved, with imports up 1.90 per cent and exports up 1.42 per cent year on year.

Philippines manufacturing PMI dropped to 49.1 in October from 49.6 in September, signalling a second straight monthly deterioration in factory conditions, S&P Global said.
Output and new orders stayed in contraction, while purchasing activity fell at the fastest pace in 11 months.
Employment declined again, but business confidence rebounded to a near two-year high.

Dutch consumer prices rose 3.7 per cent year on year in October 2026, with CPI up 0.7 per cent from September, Statistics Netherlands said.
October prices have averaged 0.5 per cent above September over 10 years, but seasonal effects influence month-on-month readings.
For retail and sourcing teams, it cited temporary clothing sale prices; HICP inflation rose to 3.3 per cent from 3.0 per cent.

Indonesia’s trade pact with Canada is set to improve access for garment exporters when it takes effect on December 1, 2026.
Canada will liberalise 90.55 per cent of tariff lines, with apparel duties projected to fall from 17.2 per cent to 0.1 per cent.
The assessment estimates C$70.5 million in annual apparel tariff savings and a 38.9 per cent first-year rise in imports from Indonesia.

Vietnam recorded a $7.31 billion trade surplus in October after a $1.3 billion surplus in September, its second consecutive monthly surplus in 2026, NSO data showed.
October trade reached $122.03 billion, up 3.7 per cent month on month and 47.4 per cent year on year.
January-October turnover hit a record $1.01 trillion; exports were $499.24 billion and imports $511.31 billion.

US Upland cotton net sales rose 28 per cent to 277,500 RB in the week ended October 29, 53 per cent above the four-week average, with Vietnam the top buyer at 200,500 RB.
Upland shipments fell 14 per cent to a marketing-year low of 137,800 RB.
Pima sales rebounded to 6,400 RB, led by India, while shipments more than doubled from 3,300 RB to 7,100 RB.

Retail turnover in the Netherlands rose 2.7 per cent year on year in September 2026, while sales volume increased 1.8 per cent, provisional CBS data showed.
Non-food turnover, including online sales, grew 4.6 per cent, but food-sector turnover fell 0.5 per cent as supermarkets declined.
Online retail turnover rose 4.5 per cent, with clothing and fashion retailers up almost 5 per cent.

Japan's Gunze Limited maintained its FY27 forecast for net sales of ¥132 billion (~$836.31 million) and operating profit of ¥8.8 billion (~$55.75 million), as first-half results met expectations.
For the six months ended September 30, 2026, sales fell 1.8 per cent to ¥64.08 billion (~$405.99 million), while operating profit surged 81.3 per cent, supported by improved margins and apparel

Japan's Goldwin reported a 0.9 per cent rise in H1 FY27 sales to ¥56.09 billion (~$355.37 million), while operating profit fell 31.7 per cent to ¥4.76 billion (~$30.16 million).
Gross margin improved to 52.8 per cent.
The group lowered its FY27 sales forecast to ¥141.50 billion (~$896.50 million) and operating profit outlook to ¥23.80 billion (~$150.79 million), citing weak demand and delivery delays.

India's Pearl Global Industries reported record H1FY27 revenue of ₹3,330 crore ((~$352 million), up 31.1 per cent year on year, while adjusted EBITDA rose 47.7 per cent and profit increased 63.6 per cent.The company plans to invest ₹675-725 crore (~$71-77 million) by FY30 to strengthen supply chains, improve efficiency and support its revenue target of ₹9,000-10,000 crore (~$952 million-$1.06 billion).

Brazil’s cotton prices fell 4.47 per cent month on month in October 2026 amid weak demand and cautious trading, although a weaker real supported a late-month recovery.Global cotton production is forecast to decline 4 per cent in 2026-27 to 25.75 million tonnes, while consumption is expected to rise 0.8 per cent to 26.1 million tonnes, creating a projected supply deficit of 353,000 tonnes, ICAC said.

The Bank of England raised its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 4 per cent, warning that UK inflation could reach around 5 per cent by mid-2027 as the Middle East conflict pushes up energy prices.The MPC voted 8-1 for the increase, citing stronger-than-expected economic activity and growing risks of persistent inflationary pressures.

BRAC Bank completed Bangladesh’s first fully digital, end-to-end export documentary collection for a garment shipment to the UK, cutting document processing time from 40 days to one using blockchain technology and electronic trade documents.The transaction involved NAZ Bangladesh, Matalan and Lloyds Bank, the bank said.

Australia's wool market eased for a fourth week, with the EMI down 25 cents to 1,698 Auc/kg and 21 cents lower in US-dollar terms.
Australian Wool Innovation said 25,022 bales were offered, 21,618 sold and the pass-in rate halved to 13.6 per cent.
Superfine clearances improved, but crossbred indicators stayed under pressure ahead of a 30,919-bale Week 20 forecast.

Under Armour is expected to face second-quarter sales pressure as promotions, cautious consumers and limited innovation weigh on demand.
Seeking Alpha sees revenue at $1.22 billion, down over 8 per cent year on year, and a 1-cent loss against a 6-cent profit.
International markets offer scope, but competition, weak brand recognition and limited retail partnerships may constrain growth.

Himadri Speciality Chemical's consolidated Q2 FY27 revenue rose 57.9 per cent year-on-year to ₹1,691.43 crore (~$178.9 million), but earnings conversion weakened as EBITDA rose 27.5 per cent and PAT 31.3 per cent.
Gross margin narrowed to 30.8 per cent and EBITDA margin to 17.9 per cent as material costs outpaced sales.
Standalone volume reached 146,806 MT, with realisations driving most growth.

The European Union made product identifiers mandatory for goods sold online and declared for customs from November 1, 2026, to improve traceability and detect unsafe or non-compliant imports.Declarations must include merchant, non-standardised manufacturer and standardised product identifiers.The rules apply across all 27 member states, with more comprehensive data requirements planned for July 2028.

Brazil exported record 3.37 million tonnes of cotton in 2025-26 and is forecast to lead 2026/27 volumes, but the US still dominates Vietnam by value.
TexPro shows US raw cotton sales to Vietnam at $1.51 billion versus Brazil’s $623 million, while Brazil led in China and Bangladesh.
A $75-per-tonne customs discount for Brazil is tempered by quality, freight, finance and Santos port risks.

Africa’s apparel sourcing contenders rank competitively, but US order data and TexPro figures show uneven gains, weaker pricing and rising Asian sales into African markets.
Kenya shipped about $617 million of apparel to the US in 2025, ahead of Madagascar, Lesotho and Mauritius, while AGOA volumes rose 27.6 per cent but value fell 4.1 per cent.

Indian Railways loaded a record 145.07 million tonnes of freight in October 2026, up 8.32 per cent year on year, Ministry of Railways said.
Commodity growth was led by food grains, up 26.3 per cent, and domestic coal, up 16.0 per cent; domestic containers rose 6.3 per cent.
April-October FY 2026-27 loading rose 4.67 per cent to 978.78 million tonnes, above 935.10 million tonnes a year earlier.

Hugo Boss has taken a more cautious stance for the rest of 2026 as weak demand, lower store traffic and realignment hit sales and wholesale orders.
Currency-adjusted group sales fell 5 per cent and revenue fell 4 per cent to €946 million; retail declined 8 per cent.
Wholesale revenue slipped 2 per cent, inventories fell 14 per cent and EBIT outlook was cut to €250-300 million (~$281-$337 million).

Bangladesh and South Korea agreed to form a working group to address trade and investment barriers and explore Korean investment in shipbuilding, ports, logistics and electronics.The move follows the conclusion of CEPA negotiations.South Korean firms also expressed interest in maritime, port and logistics opportunities, as Dhaka seeks investment and technology transfer.

Asahi Kasei has raised its FY26 operating income forecast to ¥290 billion, up 25.4 per cent YoY and 17 per cent above its May view.
First-half operating income rose 54 per cent to ¥165.4 billion as healthcare, materials and AI-linked electronics strengthened.
Materials profit more than doubled; electronics gained on Pimel materials and glass fabric, with FY26 capex focused on electronics.

Bangladesh’s RMG sector faces buyer-confidence risks after wage protests halted more than 500 factories on November 1 and nearly 700 the next day.
Earlier gas and power shortages cut daily gas supply by 450–500 million cubic feet and caused 30–40 per cent production-capacity losses.
A six-member wage board aims to set revised pay by December 2026, with new wages to be paid in January 2027.

ICE cotton futures fell for a fourth session as a stronger US dollar, weak grain markets and favourable US harvest weather pressured prices.
The December 2026 contract lost 100 points, or 1.26 per cent, to 78.06 cents per pound, taking its four-session loss to 377 points.
USDA said 52 per cent of the US cotton crop was harvested by October 25, above the five-year average of 45 per cent.

France’s household confidence indicator fell five points to 80 in October 2026, its lowest level since June 2013 and below its long-term average of 100, INSEE said.
The savings climate dropped two points to 118 but stayed above average, while the major-purchase balance lost four points.
Households also reported weaker personal finances, higher unemployment fears and stronger price-rise.

Bangladesh and Malaysia are opening FTA negotiations in Dhaka as Bangladesh seeks preferential market access before LDC graduation.
Additional Commerce Secretary Khadiza Nazneen leads Bangladesh’s team, while 30 Malaysian delegates attend talks aimed at advancing an agreement by next year.
Bangladesh exported $282 million to Malaysia and imported $2.29 billion in fiscal 2024–25, official data showed.

IGERS has opened an €8 million (~$8.9 million) automated textile-recycling plant near Novara,
Italy, authorised to treat 19,200 tonnes annually.
It will process used clothing, scraps and surplus stock, using blockchain for traceability.
With EU textile EPR schemes due by 17 April 2028, its impact will depend on throughput, fibre quality and offtake.

Rieter’s nine-month sales rose 96.3 per cent to CHF 898.6 million (~$1.083 billion), while orders grew 70.1 per cent, driven by Barmag’s consolidation.
Organic sales and orders fell 2.1 and 10.5 per cent respectively.
Margin pressure and weak recovery prompted an operational EBIT margin forecast of minus 2–0 per cent, with sales at the lower end of CHF 1.3–1.5 billion.

India’s 11 per cent import-duty exemption on eligible raw cotton runs through October 31, a key deadline for spinners and yarn exporters.
The May 30 relief covers June 1 to October 31, while duty had resumed on January 1 after a similar 2025 exemption.
Lower output and yield make imports and carry-over stocks important; CAI estimates 62 lakh bales of imports and 93.59 lakh closing stocks.

Germany’s economy likely stagnated in the Q3 of 2026 after first-half growth, as low Rhine water levels, weaker exports and subdued domestic demand weighed on activity, the Bundesbank said.Harmonised inflation rose to 3.3 per cent in September from 2.9 per cent in August, driven by energy costs.
The central bank expects growth to recover in Q4, subject to Middle East developments.

Canada and the UAE have signed the Canada-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement after 47 days of talks.The CEPA, expected in 2027, will cut or remove tariffs on over 99 per cent of current Canadian exports to the UAE.Ottawa also cited progress on a $70 billion UAE investment pledge, including logistics, energy and business-link agreements.

Avery Dennison’s Q3 2026 results, due October 29, 2026, should clarify inventory normalisation, earnings impact, RFID demand and any FY2026 guidance changes.
Management estimated Q2 customer inventory stocking added about $0.25 per share to adjusted EPS, with a similar Q3 headwind expected.
Apparel and general-retail RFID trends will indicate the platform’s growth trajectory.

Woolmark has launched Return to Real after Ipsos research in five markets found 82 per cent prefer natural fibres over synthetics when price, style and fit are equal.The survey covered the US, France, Germany, Italy and China; Merino wool beat polyester in every market.It also found 67 per cent would pay more for clothing made mainly from natural fibres, while 71 per cent value certification.

Turkiye's seasonally adjusted retail trade confidence index rose 1.1 per cent month on month to 112.5 in October 2026, while services confidence fell 2.4 per cent to 109.2.
Construction confidence edged up 0.4 per cent to 83.3, the Turkish Statistical Institute said.
Indices above 100 indicate optimism; below 100 indicates pessimism.

India’s textile industry expanded to nearly $190 billion in FY2026 and is targeting $350 billion by 2030, Rubix Data Sciences said.
Textile and apparel exports fell 2.7 per cent to $35.8 billion in FY2026, while imports rose 17.1 per cent to $9.6 billion.
Exports including handicrafts rose 10.3 per cent year-on-year in April-August 2026, with cotton textiles up 18.0 per cent.

UK manufacturing output is expected to stabilise in the three months to January after a broad-based fall in the quarter to October, the CBI survey shows.
New orders fell in October at the slowest pace since April 2025, while domestic and export orders declined and competitiveness weakened in major markets.Costs remain high, prices trail cost inflation and investment plans stay weak.

South African retailer Pick n Pay’s online clothing sales surged 137 per cent in H1 FY27, supported by its asap! app.Clothing store turnover rose 3.9 per cent, although like-for-like sales declined 0.7 per cent.Group trading profit increased 58.1 per cent, while its headline loss narrowed to R299 million as turnaround efforts progressed towards FY29 break-even.

Paraguay's apparel imports rose 24.1 per cent to $166.963 million in January-September 2026 (3Q), while exports increased 24.6 per cent to $109.439 million.
Trousers and shorts led both flows; T-shirts, coats, socks and shirts were other key categories.
The apparel trade deficit widened to $57.524 million from $46.704 million as higher import values outweighed export gains.

Research from Locus Robotics says 61 per cent of Gen Z apparel shoppers bracket purchases, compared with 15 per cent of Baby Boomers, adding returns pressure.
It also found 79 per cent of Gen Z and 75 per cent of Millennials have bought apparel, beauty or skincare after social-media discovery.
Stores still led recent purchases, but retailers face a wider omnichannel mix.

France’s manufacturing business climate rose four points to 105 in October 2026, moving further above its long-term average of 100.Global and foreign order books strengthened; foreign orders were the highest since April 2022 and transport equipment rose to 111.Supply-side obstacles stayed high at 31 per cent, while machinery and equipment improved to 107.

Canada's Gildan Activewear has completed the sale of HanesBrands Australia to BBFIT Investments for approximately Au$700 million ($490 million) in cash.The company plans to use the net proceeds to repay outstanding debt.The divestment supports Gildan's ongoing integration strategy, with a focus on operational priorities, capturing synergies and strengthening its portfolio of brands.

India’s crude oil and LNG imports stayed firm in the first fiscal half as Brent climbed to $114 per barrel, raising costs across refining, fertilisers, city gas and petrochemicals.
Crude arrivals reached 22.26 million tonnes in September; April–August LNG volumes were about 7.5 per cent higher year on year.
With over 85 per cent crude import dependence, downstream margins remain exposed.

US consumer confidence fell in September as The Conference Board index dropped 6.7 points to 81.9 and conditions and expectations weakened.
Present Situation slid to 109.3 and Expectations fell for a third month to 63.6 as views on business, jobs and income worsened.
Inflation expectations rose to 6.1 per cent, interest-rate concerns increased and planned durables and services spending softened.

ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai, has signed an MoU with Trust ARS Rubber Private Limited, Chengalpattu, to transfer technology for protective gloves for cotton-picking workers.
The agreement is expected to support commercialisation and wider availability of the gloves.
The reusable gloves are designed to protect hands from sharp cotton bracts while retaining flexibility and comfort.

India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has concluded a two-day Germany visit, with Berlin talks focused on trade, investment, advanced manufacturing, research and emerging technologies.He met German Federal Chancellery adviser Levin Holle and leaders from Siemens Healthineers, Bertelsmann and Volkswagen.Indian delegates joined sectoral roundtables with German industry.

Brazil's finished apparel and home textile imports overtook textile materials in value during January–September 2026, marking a shift in import composition.
Combined imports of the three segments rose 11.2 per cent year on year to $5.283 billion, according to TexPro.
Apparel imports jumped 28.5 per cent to $2.321 billion, while materials slipped 0.3 per cent as fabric imports fell.

US has revised Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods, adding carpets and valves while removing packing boxes, plywood sheets, paper items and equipment.Effective October 30, 2026, the changes apply regardless of USMCA origin and alongside Section 232 tariffs, with some duties at 50 per cent.The move further modifies July and September measures imposed after US-Canada trade talks broke down.

Euro area general government gross debt rose to 88.8 per cent of GDP at the end of Q2 2026 from 88.4 per cent in Q1, while the EU ratio increased to 82.9 per cent from 82.5 per cent.Year on year, the ratios also rose in both blocs, Eurostat data showed.Greece, Italy, France, Belgium and Spain had the highest debt-to-GDP ratios; debt securities made up over four-fifths of debt.

European Parliament trade committee MEPs will visit China on October 27-29 to discuss Beijing’s trade policy, its impact on European firms and jobs, and scope for dialogue.The delegation will visit Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai, raising concerns over raw-material dependence, excess capacity and market access.The EU’s deficit with China has recently reached €1 billion (~$1.12 billion) a day.