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The year 2020 has ushered in drastic changes in every aspect of life as we used to know it. Popularly labelled as the “Year of the Pandemic”, the world reeled under shock as normal life came to a complete halt and people were compelled to stay within the confines of their own homes. All business sectors including textiles initially suffered large losses as both retail and wholesale market places were shut down completely for the larger part of the year. However, necessity is the mother of invention and SMEs, which were earlier restricted to local market areas decided to jump on the digital bandwagon to keep up with the changing times. This has led to a revolution in retail and distribution alike as Indian markets have now gone digital as part of the “New Normal”.

Technical Textiles have emerged as the heroes that boosted Indian economy this year. With the whole world coming to a halt, this sector became even more relevant during the Covid-19 crisis when global manufacturing came to a grinding halt and the ban on export of critical medical equipment including N95 face masks and protective gears, made it impossible to import. To meet the demand of the domestic market itself was a herculean task. India was entirely import -dependent for PPE kits. From manufacturing 0 PPE kits in March, it soon rose to manufacturing 2.5 lakh a day in 60 days becoming the second largest manufacturer after China. Today, India stands to produce around 4.5 lakh PPEs and more than 1.5 crore masks a day.

In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, all nations have suffered at large across all industries. Textile Industry too has been no exception to the brunt faced due to the impact of the coronavirus. While most economies are still struggling to get up, India surprisingly has sprung back with the ferociousness of a panther from the third quarter onward. Despite the country

Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude”. Ralph Marston Despite India being the second highest producer of textiles and apparel in the world, its growth has been on a plateau for a long time for it is yet to achieve the coveted top spot of the world. On one hand, India is blessed to be gifted with availability of all types of natural and manmade fibres, large pool of manpower across the levels of hierarchy, presence of complete value chain

India’s textile and apparel industry can be labelled as that rocket which zoomed off to the skies but lost its fizz somewhere in between. Despite being the second-largest exporter of textiles and accounting for 5% of the global share of textiles and apparel, India’s first runners up crown face stiff chances of being taken away by smaller countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh. Currently, India ranks second only to the manufacturing giant China but whether this position will go up or down vastly depends on certain factors.

In this fast-paced world, “Slow Fashion” has become the most spoken about topic in the textile and fashion industry; and rightly so for sustainability in fashion is the immediate need of the hour. This year has cruelly depicted the impact of nature on human lives when the balance is disrupted.It is not only crucial but almost mandatory that as citizens of this Earth, each one of us do our part in converting sustainability into daily practice in our lives.

The downward spiral of the state of our environment has forced humanity to realise that sustainability is the immediate need of the hour. All over the world, both governments and industries have been coupling to lead toward sustainable development. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the adoption of SDGs by The United Nations.

This year has not only put a lockdown in everybody’s lives but also ensured that the “Big Fat Indian Wedding” was minimised to a trickling affair during the lockdown. It was deemed almost recession-proof - until COVID-19 hit. For all the couples and families who had the ideal Summer or Monsoon Wedding planned, grand venues were replaced by living rooms, exorbitant trousseau by family heirlooms and bulky guest lists by a mask-wearing minimalistic group of attendees. However, there is hope yet for people who have planned their weddings in the winters as with the arrival of “Unlock 5.0”, a shadow of the “Grand Weddings” can be recreated, albeit keeping in mind the “New Normal”.

Festivals bring with them joy and a sense of family. Homes are cleaned and decorated, aromas of delicacies waft in from the kitchens and families and friends gather together to celebrate. Food and gifts play an integral part in these celebrations. Traditional food items are shared together on tables full of loved ones and gifts are exchanged. For most people, festivals denote the annual distribution of gifts to their friends and family.

The onset of Navratri ushers in the feeling of festivity and excitement in the air. With numerous major festivals like Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali and Christmas trailing behind each other, it is popularly called as the festive quarter of the year. This is marked with an increase in family get-togethers, house parties and of course binge shopping. The fact that this period also coincides with the most popular wedding season of the country also adds to the existing market rush. No wonder then these couple of months are labelled as the “Golden Period” for retailers with them raking in more moolah in these few months than probably the whole year combined.

Think of winters and immediately three things pop into our mind- hot beverages and desserts, Christmas vacations and of course, winter shopping! In India, as per common belief, the departure of Diwali is supposed to signify the arrival of winters. The annual cleaning of this festival always includes the age-old tradition of taking out the heavy winter wear and preparing them for the cold months ahead. However, with houses converting into apartments with minimum storage spaces and retails offering lucrative discounts to lure customers, seasonal shopping has gradually replaced heritage pieces. India being a geographically diverse country, winters here range from European-style chilling weather in the North to spring-like weather with occasional gusts of cold wind in the South. Due to this, the requirement of winter wear varies from state to state. While winters in India start from as late as November, Europe begins to experience the chills as early as September.

With the arrival of 2020 came the arrival of “The new Normal” which has totally revolutionised the normal life as we used to know it. The residence which had become a place to simply crash in at the late hours of the day for most urban families has metamorphosed into multifunctional spaces which are now home,school,office and entertainment zones all rolled into one. As aptly stated by a German report,” Now that we are spending more time at home and having to share that limited area with our cohabitants, we need to work on optimising the available space. Partitioning off or zoning our interior between various activities and people, or during different times of the day, presents an easy option. The so-called broken plan — with screens, curtains and plants in the absence of walls — creates digital detox zones while other members of the household carry on with their work.

At 25% of the global total, India is the world’s largest producer of cotton. It also has the largest area which cultivates cotton on earth representing about 38 % of the earth’s total area. The history of the cotton industry in India dates back to as long as 3000BC when it was exported as a bartering tool to Europe and Asia. Not much has changed since then as India still exports cotton in huge volumes to these continents-the only difference being the form of payment and the expansion of areas to which it is exported.

The Indian domestic textile and apparel industry contributes 2.3% to India’s GDP and constitutes 13% of the country’s export earnings. Exports in the Textiles & Garments industry are expected to reach US$ 300 billion by 2024. Hence, it is no surprise that the last decade has seen an influx of clothing and textile brands in the Indian market. With its domestic consumption of US$ 97 billion and exports worth US$ 40 billion, India has emerged as the third-largest consumer market and the fifth-largest textile exporter in the world.

The impact of technology in the textile industry has expanded and progressed massively over the years. Due to phenomenal advancements, the textile industry is continuously evolving with new innovations, with the latest advancements being the introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) as an integral part of the textile process and products.

Considering the larger schema of a sustainable environment, waste management has never been more important than it is today. The textile industry, though considered to be one of the major contributors to environmental waste, is one of the most proactive domains implementing new techniques and processes to manage waste and reduce environmental pollution. In recent times, the focus on waste management has increased rapidly, as the world is realising the effects, as well as the dire need, to save the environment through diligent actions.

In a recent study conducted by Euromonitor International (EI), it is estimated that Sportswear and active sports apparels industry has crossed the $500 bn mark in 2018, and growing rapidly. The domain itself is lucrative, yet challenging, and constantly on the verge of innovation, both in functionality, as well as style. The segment is divided into four different groups, based on different aspects of the material, performance, functionality and so on.

The ‘Go Green’ initiative, which is commonly discussed as part of industrialisation and automation, is neither hype nor an exaggeration. Climate change, global warming, pollution, and the threat from non-biodegradable materials & industrial wastes are real and with the advent of new technologies, businesses have to consciously make an effort to choose the right technologies, not only through the perspective of increasing productivity or convenience but also sustainability.

The textile industry, just through its sheer volume of applications, has a critical impact on the global environment. It is estimated that the customers today are aware of their actions and envision a sustainable future. This approach has rapidly increased the demand of the textile industry to carry out focussed innovation in the fields of eco-friendly clothing and sustainable textiles. The modern-day consumer is willing to buy less and pays more for clothing which is good for the environment, safe on the skin, or simply has some added benefit for the larger good of the society. In fact, different studies conducted by research agencies, for millennials (between 25 and 30 years of age) and Gen Z (between 18 and 24 years), show that 32% of customers are willing to pay more for brands which are committed to sustainability, 50% customers willingly buy from brands because they are committed to the green approach, while 28% customers stated that they would stop buying clothes from brands if they found out that the brands are not committed to the cause. This just goes to show the changing mindset of the new generation of buyers.

A few days ago, news concerning the anti-dumping duties imposed on imported nylon filament yarn, was making rounds in the power loom weaving sector, much to the disappointment of weavers. The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), the body responsible for overseeing these policies, announced anti-dumping duty between 5% and 16.9% on different kinds of yarn. At a time when the industry is looking bleak and on the verge of getting back on track, this has proved to be a nightmare and the step has found opposition from various weavers and governing bodies.

The evolution of textiles and modern-day yarns is focussed on 2 aspects. As one group of researchers aims towards creating environment-friendly, natural fibres, the other group is working towards improving functionalities and creating high-performance fabrics. One of the most recent developments in textiles pertaining to both these aspects is the introduction of nanotechnology in fibres.

In the post-COVID era, facemasks and PPE kits have become as natural as any other uniform. But with the fear of the spread of disease and health concerns looming over the public, the demand for antiviral clothing and hygienic textiles, treated with various antimicrobial compounds, is going to be the long-term course.

In 2019, the Kids Apparel market in India crossed the US$15 billion mark. The nature of the Indian consumer to be influenced by the western culture, along with the increased spending-capacity of the average Indian parent, is one of the major reasons for this spurt in growth. Online shopping culture is another factor. At a CAGR of 10.5%, it is expected that the Kids apparel market will be of US$22.4 billion by 2023, which is around 22% of the total Indian Apparel market.

The automobile industry has remained as a growing market, that has led to cluster development of various ancillary industries. One of the beneficiaries, which has seen a steady growth in recent years, is automotive textiles, which are engineered fabrics developed as per the needed application in vehicles. Automobile textiles find applications in the manufacturing of, not just cars, but also in mass transit vehicles like buses, trains, heavy-duty trucks and even in defense vehicles.

As people become more and more aware of the necessary practices of safety during the ongoing COVID pandemic, health organisations like WHO and CDC have strongly recommended the use of facemasks as a primary precaution to avoid mass spread of the disease. A few months back, no one would have guessed that facemasks would be the next fashion trend. The future market share of this upcoming industry is estimated to cross the $50 billion mark by 2025. This silver lining to a looming black cloud comes at a time when the textile industry is struggling to overcome the drop in the market demand for apparels and other textiles.

The world today is in the phase of Industrial Revolution 4.0, which came with the advancements of digitalisation, robotics and artificial intelligence. Industry 4.0 has become more than just a namesake term. It is estimated that the introduction of IoT and AI will bring about a 30% increase in productivity, along with a cost savings of more than $200 billion, across different sectors.

Now that the dust has settled on fervent analysis of the Rs. 20 lakh crore relief-package announced by Government of India, it is sounding to most industry segments as ‘Go Figure Out For Yourself (G-FOFY)' package. Well it also translates to ‘being Atmanirbhar’ by choosing to undertake certain steps to recover from this mega economic crisis and prepare for growth in a new-normal world.

Sustainability has never been more relevant, there is much stronger demand for adopting sustainable materials, manufacturing processes so that the finished product has least negative impact on our environment. This desired transition to sustainable practices in textiles is also driven by consumer movement that has voiced preference for ‘sustainable garments’. At Sutlej Textiles, we are developing a range of ‘Sustainable Yarns’ using specialized fibres that are inherently eco-friendly. Many of these yarns have functional properties due to special attributes of these fibres and offer great value to customers.

The textiles industry has evolved in significant measure over the last decade, with innovation at its helm. As the industry spread vertically to overcome global boundaries and create a world-wide market, its lateral expansion is focused on ingenious methods, materials and machinery to meet these ever-growing needs. Natural fibres like cotton, silk, linen and wool have always been favourites, but the evolution of textiles made of man-made-fibre & synthetics have been commendable. The quality of textiles has improved with the refinement of textile manufacturing process and the development of functional properties that has enhanced the customer experience. Natural fibres in their organic forms and synthetic fabrics developed out of recycled materials, are indicators of a shift among consumers to adopt sustainable materials as ecologically responsible beings.

With changing times, globalisation of business has given employees exposure to Human Resource Management practices and its positive impacts on Employee Engagement, Employee Performance and its direct relationship to Organisational Performance.

Considering the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the global economic chain, the Indian Textile market looks towards a very unsteady future in the coming few months. With a risk of more than 1 crore people becoming unemployed, governing bodies and agencies are working on a war-footing to avert a major crisis.

As the world fights the ongoing pandemic of the dreaded COVID-19 virus, the textiles industry is refocussing on alternatives during this lockdown and charting its return to normalcy. Experts have forecasted a market crash of more than USD 300 billion for the textile industry, with the major 2 markets of USA and Europe, combined, estimated to fall 40% and 45% respectively, in the year 2020.

The textile industry is the second largest sector of global trade market, in terms of economic activities, with the market estimated to reach USD 1,230 billion by 2024, from USD 920 billion in 2018. However, being a lucrative market on one end, the industry is like a double-edged sword, which requires a high level of monitoring and adaptation to proper guidelines to reduce its side-effects on the environment. The goal of sustainable fashion is to create flourishing ecosystems and communities through its activity. This may include: increasing the value of local production and products; prolonging the lifecycle of materials; increasing the value of timeless garments; reducing the amount of waste; and to reducing the harm to the environment created as a result of production and consumption. Another of its aims can sometimes be seen to educate people to practice environmentally friendly consumption by promoting the green consumer.

The textile industry is the second largest sector of global trade market, in terms of economic activities, with the market estimated to reach USD 1,230 billion by 2024, from USD 920 billion in 2018. However, being a lucrative market on one end, the industry is like a double-edged sword, which requires a high level of monitoring and adaptation to proper guidelines to reduce its side-effects on the environment. The goal of sustainable fashion is to create flourishing ecosystems and communities through its activity. This may include: increasing the value of local production and products; prolonging the lifecycle of materials; increasing the value of timeless garments; reducing the amount of waste; and to reducing the harm to the environment created as a result of production and consumption. Another of its aims can sometimes be seen to educate people to practice environmentally friendly consumption by promoting the green consumer.

The consumers in the evolved markets now prefer to use products that are manufactured with naturally available raw materials that are free from artificial ingredients or grown without chemical additives – these are broadly categorised as ‘organic products’. Acting on this significant consumer trend, corporations are using all their resources towards developing natural products, organic raw-materials, and eco-friendly processes. It’s no surprise, then, that the Textile Industry is rapidly seeing an increase in the demand for organic clothing. The organic textile market, consisting of clothes and home textiles made from materials like organic cotton, jute, wool, silk, etc., can, thus, be considered the next stage of the textile industry evolution.

Born on 19th November, 1935, as the only child of an Irish working-class family in Salem, Massachusetts. Welch graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 1957

Free Trade Agreements between two countries is one of the best ways to build international relations, as well as grow symbiotically. India, with its growing prosperity and large consumer base

The Budget 2020-21, presented by Hon’ble Finance Minister, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, was welcomed with great eagerness by the Indian Textile Industry, as it positively addressed many of the existing issues of the Indian textile manufacturers