Author: Sandeep Agarwal

PRPS Spring 2018 Collection For Women

Donwan Harrell, the designer and founder of PRPS, continues the evolution of his womenâ€™s line (launched Spring 2017) with a collection that stays true to the core DNA of the brand but builds upon the unique techniques and innovations used by Harrell. The brand continues its vintage Americana for its second Spring collection, which proved popular among consumers. The Spring 2018 introduces six new silhouettes and a variety of distinctive embellishments applied on various denim pieces. The collectionâ€™s standout silhouette is the culotte shape, an ankle-length trouser, cut with very full legs to resemble a skirt.

PRPS introduces unique ways of pricking, ripping and repairing denim, noticeably found in their menâ€™s collection and now introduced to the female consumer. A tri-color pant consists of three different denim fabrics, all in various shades of indigo and washed independently, sewn together to create a fashion-forward conversational piece.

Unexpected fabrics make an appearance in the collection, specifically a denim pant which incorporates tapestry fabric as an insert underneath the distressing. A standout outerwear piece includes a two-toned denim jacket with a â€œcold shoulderâ€ effect. Inspired by the rise of women utilizing oversized menâ€™s denim jackets aka ‘Boyfriend Jackets’ trend – so to say.Â While integrating two denim jackets, that are both washed independently, but then sewn together with a off the shoulder look. Metal eyelet embellishments decorate key stand out styles and include a mini skirt with an enzyme stone wash and intriguing uneven hem. There is also an oversized denim vest option, containing metal eyelets strategically applied throughout with a interlocking chain links. A two-piece mesh overtop tee contains a cinched extended hem.

The traditional Amex and Camaro fits were given noticeably detailed embellishments for Spring. The spring Amex pant includes a woven-esque pattern, achieved through a special laser cutting technique in which the denim fabric is precisely spot lasered. The Camaro fit particularly incorporates the lace up trend, Harrell applies the lace up motif along the ankles of the pant.

The womenâ€™s collection will be available starting in February at Nordstrom, Shopbop and Ron Herman among other notable retailers as well as online. Skirts range from $178 to $198, jeans from $198 to $268, jump suits from $278 to $298, and sweaters and jackets from $148 to $318. Harrell continues to push the innovation of denim construction and washing with a collection full of fashion pieces for the Spring 2018 season.

About PRPS

PRPS is a global lifestyle brand founded in 2002 by Donwan Harrell. Prps stands for â€œpurposeâ€ because everything you do in life should have one. Throughout both the Prps and Prps Noir. collections, the design philosophy remains true: the highest quality of fabrications, design integrity and attention for detail. With points of distribution in over 300 doors in 10 countries, some of the worldâ€™s leading retailers that sell Prps include: Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Fans include Ellen Degeneres, Gwen Stefani, Chris Pratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Gerard Butler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, LL Cool J, Vin Diesel and more. Prps is based in New York City but can be found worldwide at www.prpsgoods.com.

February 12, 2018
Levis Posts Highest Growth In A Decade

When there is a evident global pressure over consumer demand , Leviâ€™s financial result has come as sigh of relief for the International Apparel Industry. The pioneers of blue jeans- LEVIâ€™s posted a growth of 15% for the year ended 2017 and 20% growth in the 4th quarter ending November,26. The company has opened 53 directly-operated stores throughout the year and has managed to achieve a 13% growth in the Asian Markets in the last quarter of the year.Â The companyÂ is planning to open 100 new stores this year, mostly outside of the United States, as it concentrates on international sales and building markets in China, India and the Americas.

Analysis Of Financials

The net revenue for the Year ended on November,2017 for the Americas, Europe and Asia has been $2,774 , $1,312 and $818 millions respectively . Europe region has evolved as the leader in terms of revenue growth with 20% surge in a year. In the year 2016 , the net revenue for Europe region was $1,091 million which increased by $221 million in the year 2017 . The rest â€“ Americas and Asia experienced a marginal growth of 3% and 5% respectively when seen annually. Europe , however, gained a very decent sales of over 20% over 2016.Â

Net Revenues For Year Ended Nov. 2017 Vs Nov. 2016Â ( In $ Millions)

Net Revenues – Year Ended ( In $ Millions)

Particulars

Nov-17

Nov-16

% Change

Americas

2774

2689

+3

Europe

1312

1091

+20

Asia

818

778

+5

The 4th quarter was particularly good for Levis. European marketÂ grew 28% over the same quarterÂ Asia posted an uptick of 13% in terms of revenue growth. The market of America isnâ€™t too responsive and there are reasons behind it.Â Asian and European growth is on right track and will continue to grow in coming years. In the same quarter of 2016 , Americas contributed 62% in total net revenue which has been decreased by 4% in this quarter .

Net Revenues For Year Three Months Ended Nov 2017 Vs Nov2016Â ( In $ Millions)

Net Revenues – Three Months Ended ( In $ Millions)

Particulars

Nov-17

Nov-16

% Change

Americas

855

799

7

Europe

374

292

28

Asia

237

209

13

(source : Bloomberg)

Women Leading The Growth

Levi’s is experiencing a straight 10th quarter growth in women denim sales. This is a very good sign specially seen in context of ‘Athleisure’ trend chipping off the sails of many a retailer. However, Levi’s was wise enough not to board the ‘Athleisure’ bandwagon and focused on what they did best. Only they mae their denim products more adaptable , more flexible , more stretch for the new demands from the consumers. The growth for Levi’s seems to be hinged on two main terms : ‘Women’ and ‘ Overseas’ .

Chip Bergh, CEO , was expectedly ecstatic and said.

â€œOur growth and momentum accelerated in the fourth quarter, capping the strongest revenue year the company has had in more than a decade,â€ chief executive and president Chip Bergh said. â€œOur strategies are working and the investments that weâ€™ve made to diversify our business over the past few years are paying off, best demonstrated by the strength of the Leviâ€™s brand globally.â€

February 10, 2018
Is Clothing Market Dying In US ?

The recent Bloomberg report over the changes in consumer behavior of US customer raises serious questions on the pattern of income spending which seems to be anti-clothing and pro-travel & food . This is an early sign of a big problem for the Apparel Industry.

The Apparel Industry in US hasn’t been in a good shape for last few years and that is evident if you look at the number of bankruptcy filled by the Apparel Retailers in US over the years and still counting. Earlier , it has been perceived that due to competition from E-commerce and specially companies like Amazon , the stores have been failing to attract the customers but thatâ€™s not the whole story. There are just systemic changesÂ happening in consumer spending patterns which is reducing the space for everybody.

At a time in late 90â€™s , the share of clothing spending for US households was 6.2% .However after forty years , the share reduced by 50% to about 3.2%Â in-spite of the fact that both income and absolute spending by Americans has increased substantially during this period. What went wrong ? The share of Apparel has been eaten up by Travel, Dining out and other adventurous activities which offer more satisfaction toÂ consumer . The expenditure on ‘Experiences’ – mainly Travel and Food -has grown to 18% of spending according to the reports. Apart from that , expenditure on Technology alone accounts for 3.4% of spending which is now greater than that of apparel .

The choice and the flexibility to wear any kind of clothing has during most occasions has been one of the reason for the falling expenditure on clothing. There was a time when certain set of cloths were allowed . Formals in the office and casuals at weekends.Â However with time, companies have started allowing flexibility and then on Fridays’ casuals were allowed and then after some years , casuals took over the formals and are accepted for entire working days by many companies affecting seriously the purchasing of formal wears and this big reduction in one category has affected the per capita expenditure on clothing overall.

How Is Denim Doing ?

Bloomberg expressed their deep concern over the numerous closure of stores of Denim Retailers in past few years and it says,

Micro-trends tend to flare up and flame out quickly, leaving larger trends in place for a longer time. Take skinny jeans, which roared onto the fashion scene in 2006 and havenâ€™t left. Theyâ€™re more distressed than ever, but the silhouette remains the same.Companies claiming to be the future of retailing have struggled.When you consider all these varied pressures on the clothing industry, itâ€™s not surprising that apparel store closures peaked last year. This doesnâ€™t simply reflect a shift to online shopping. E-commerce startups were founded to take advantage of the disruption in retail. But even they have stumbled, a sign of the deeper problems plaguing apparel.

The price of apparel items has been going down as the production cost has reduced due to the shifting of manufacturing in lesser expensive labor markets and being the price competitive in the market for longer term have become the true recipe of success now.Â Eg Leviâ€™s 501 original-fit jeans used to get steadily increase its price. However we can see that a pair cost $58 in 2009 in US , then rose to $64 three years later, only to fall back down to $59.50 last year.

H&M has proved this with its offering within the range of $25-$35 and has given strong competition to the big retailers in the US . They bring runway looks to the customers at $35 !Â H&M growth figures are there but the pace of growth of store addition is atÂ two decade low. One of the reasons for that is H&M is finding its difficult to clear its old stocksÂ which have become out of fashion from its wharehouses. Due to infiltration of E-commerce, consumer are well aware about the latest fashion and hence the company canâ€™t even the sale them at a discount.

On the other hand, Blaming Online retailers isnâ€™t the right thing as they themselves are not in the pink of their health . NastyGal went bankrupt last year and many E-commerce companies have sold out to the well known retailers at the end . Walmart bought the famous menswear brandÂ Bonobos last year . However there is one e-commerce clothing retailer which came into market in 2011 and listed itself on NASDAQ in last year in the month of November and gained 34% in its share price , the company name is â€“ Stitch Fix Inc. The reason of its success and survival was the companyâ€™s unique approach to deal with their customers .The retailer pairs algorithms and data to select customized outfits for its subscribers, giving shoppers a feeling of personalization and an easy, at-home experience. The same technique is being developed by Amazon also . Amazon has also taken over a software company which is developing such technology which will help the end user to find the best fit . According to the reports, Amazon has invested USD 70 Million in this project (detailsÂ here).

If the share of apparel purchases keeps on around 3% levels in the US , we can expect only shifts from one type of channel / product / category to another . There cannot be much growth expected across all categories. With formal wear usage going down drastically and over 50% Americans saying they can wear casuals to everywhere, it has been good times for casual wear market. However, even the growth in casual wear is not strong considering that the overall expenditure on apparel has gone down drastically. Due to this pressure , the average prices of apparel is , in any case, going down and that is bringing down the margins across the supply chain.
The ever increasing consumer awareness about Sustainability seems to be adding to the problem for apparel industry. Increasing information on the harm fast fashion is causing to the environment is reaching the consumers and has been affecting their purchase decisions. Though the number is still small, it is likely to get bigger in coming years adding to the woes of the industry.
Its not doomsday yet , but be prepared for tougher times !

February 8, 2018
Revised TPP Scheduled To Be Signed On March 8 , President Trump Regrets
The much awaited TPP is on the way and is going to be signed on March 8 in Chile despite President Trump ditching it. After the unprecedented exit of US from the TPP , its fate was in jeopardy but due to continuous efforts by all the remaining stakeholders , TPPÂ finally seems to be coming into picture and even without the United States, the rewritten pact will create a market of 495 million people and a combined annual economic output of $13.5-trillion (U.S.) or 13.4 percent of global GDP, While this is significantly less than the TPPâ€™s combined $28 trillion and 36 percent of global GDP, it will still be one of the biggest trade agreements in the world. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) totals about $20 trillion; the European Union $19 trillion; South Americaâ€™s Mercosur $3.5 trillion; the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Area (AFTA) $2.5 trillion; and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMSEA) $655 billion. Even though it is smaller than it was, the CPTPP is clearly one of the largest trading agreements in the world.

After the US , initially Canada looked little skeptical about the treaty however after addressing all issues of Canada, they agreed to sign this year . Japan took the driving seat and persuaded all the issues of all the countries -Â Canada ,Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile,Â Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam, and have reached a deal on a new Pacific Rim trade accord that does not include the United States.The new TPP deal will help Canada diversify trade away from the United States, where economic relations under the protectionist Trump administration have made it difficult for businesses to invest in selling to Americans. Though significantly smaller since the United States pulled out, as measured by GDP and trade, the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is still a powerful pact in its own right.

In the first executive action of his presidency, Trump withdrew from the TPP, signaling to the world his commitment to his â€œAmerica Firstâ€ campaign promises. Since then, his administration has been seeking (with scant success) to promote bilateral trade deals, renegotiate existing trade deals, and impose trade restrictions to â€œlevel the playing fieldâ€ for American businesses. Such actions have left the United States isolated on global trade map, as the rest of the world has continued on with multilateral deals, notably the Japan-EU and EU-Mercosur agreements. The Trans-Pacific Partnership was meant to be the crowning jewel in a new age of global trade, writing â€œthe rules of the road for trade in the 21st century.â€ Since Trumpâ€™s reversal, that new age of global trade had been called into question.

But now the TPP is back and, barring a few bumps along the way, seems to have everyoneâ€™s commitment. So what is new about it, and what has stayed the same?

Why Trump Withdrew From TPP?

When Trump withdrew from the TPP he also withdrew two of the most controversial provisions
1. One of the most ridiculed provisions in the TPP, the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provision, has been scaled back while a governmentâ€™s right to regulate its markets has been afforded increased protections. This was only possible after the United States withdrew from the deal: U.S. companies are the most frequent users of the measure, which allows companies to sue foreign governments over arduous regulations.
2. Another key provision the United States pushed for that has fallen to the side is the extension of copyright, or intellectual property, protections. Washington had negotiated for copyright to exist for the authorâ€™s lifetime plus an additional 70 years. While this is standard in the United States, it is not in the other TPP members, and with Washington out of the deal, copyright lengths will be shorter.
The removal of these two provisions highlights what happens when the United States is not involved in regional affairs: the region moves on without it. The United States under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama were the prime advocate for the two heavily unpopular provisions. Under President Trump, the remaining 11 members of the TPP were able to cast off policies they considered harmful to their economies and governments.

When Trump pulled out of the TPP last January, the deal was widely panned as doomed. Yet now the deal is back and less controversial to its signing members. Far from being dead, the CPTPP perhaps signals a new chapter in global trade, one without the United States.

The U-Turn

A major shift came recentlyÂ when Trump said in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he would consider rejoining the TPP if the U.S. could strike a â€œsubstantially betterâ€ agreement.In his addressÂ to the annual gathering of government and business leaders in the Swiss resort, Trump reiterated that he was open to the prospect of negotiating a multilateral trade deal with TPP members â€œif it is in the interests of all.â€

Experts in U.S.-Asia relations say a Jan. 23 agreement by Japan and the 10 remaining TPP signatories to promote a revised version of the deal without the United States â€” a so-called TPP 11 â€” appears to have propelled Trump to alter his approach to the agreement amid fears that Washington may â€œlose outâ€ if others move ahead with trade deals.

Reactions From US Think Tanks

â€œI believe that the ability of the 11 TPP countries to reach a final agreement has influenced the American calculus,â€ said Mireya Solis, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington.Â â€œThe notion in January 2017 was that if the U.S. was out, TPP was dead. The world turned out to be very different as the other countries were not deterred in bringing TPP to fruition,â€ Solis said, hailing efforts by Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam to sustain the deal.

Citing Trumpâ€™s talks with members of Congress, state governors and business leaders, who warned of the U.S. being locked out of trade deals such as TPP 11 and a free-trade agreement between Japan and the European Union, James Schoff, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank in Washington, said the latest development â€œis partly what prompted Trumpâ€™s comments.Â I think some people told Mr. Trump that the U.S. is in danger of â€˜losing outâ€™ if others move ahead with trade deals,â€ Schoff said. â€œSo heâ€™s trying to avoid losing.â€

One of the key factors that has changed Trumpâ€™s views on the pact is that â€œChinaâ€™s economic aggression has intensified globally,â€ David Malpass, U.S. undersecretary of the Treasury for international affairs, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying Saturday.

Schoff also argued Trumpâ€™s apparent TPP overture may be an attempt to slow the process to bring the TPP 11 accord into force. But such a maneuver, he said, is unlikely to work â€œbecause Mr. Trump does not have much credibility on this issue.â€

Japanese officials have welcomed Trumpâ€™s apparent shift on the TPP, but have said it will not alter Tokyoâ€™s march toward signing the pact in March as it seeks early enforcement.Japan, officials have said, has no plan to renegotiate the deal, either. The successful conclusion of TPP-11 will not only change the economic landscape of the Asia-Pacific, but more significantly, demonstrate clearly that the world will continue to move on without the United States.

A growing confidence in framing deals without bending to Washingtonâ€™s demands may well impact the outlook for existing trade deals that are currently being reconsidered by the U.S., most notably the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).With Mexico, Canada and the United States all part of the TPP, the trilateral was effectively going to act as a revamped NAFTA. But as NAFTA negotiations focus more on increasing barriers in hopes of reducing the U.S. trade deficit and not on seeking common ground between the three countries, the allure of the deal will invariably weaken for Canada and Mexico.

While even a successful TPP-11 would by no means mitigate losses that would be incurred as a result of a collapse of NAFTA negotiations, a new Asia-Pacific trade deal would increase expectations that sooner or later, the United States too would not be able to turn away from the opportunities that platform would offer.U.S. frustration in tackling the trade deficit with China is shared worldwide, and efforts to take steps to level the playing field with Chinese businesses would certainly be a welcome one.

President Trumpâ€™s dislike of multilateral deals may never change. But as the Trump administration begins to acknowledge the strength in numbers at the negotiating table, the White House will need to begin assessing trade objectives that go beyond simply reducing bilateral deficits.In the meantime, the TPP train is likely to leave without the United States on board, giving both Canada and Mexico a stronger bargaining chip against the White House.

T P P + EU- FTA

So this year is going to be a historical year for Vietnam as the country is going to witness two revolutionary multilateral trade agreements which will change the fate of the Vietnam in coming years , especially the Textile & Apparel Sector.

Sources :
February 6, 2018

Reports On Imports Of Denims To USA And EU From China For The Period 2016 To 2017

China has been the largest exporter of jeans to EU and US for a very long period. Though it still retains its premier position as exporter of denim apparel, it seems to have lost this position to Bangladesh in last couple of years. For US countries like Mexico are giving it a tougher fight as China gets less competitive. However, the giant that China is, it still is fighting to retain its position and some results are showing.

It would also be interesting to see how China fares in these two markets in both men’s and women’s segment. Which of this segment is going strong for China and which one it is losing out on. Lets check out in the report below :

Â Â Table Of Contents

S N.	Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Particulars
1.	Table showing the imports of all denimâ€™s apparels into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
2.	Graph showing the imports of all denimâ€™s apparels into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
3.	Graph showing the average price(usd/pc) of all denimâ€™s apparels into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
4.	Table showing the imports of menâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
5.	Graph showing the imports of menâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
6.	Graph showing the average price(usd/pc) of menâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
7.	Table showing the imports of womenâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
8.	Graph showing the imports of womenâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
9.	Graph showing the average price(usd/pc) of womenâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
10.	Table showing the imports of Jeans apparels into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
11.	Graph showing the imports of JeansÂ apparels into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
12.	Graph showing the average price(euro/pc) of jeans into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
13.	Table showing the imports of menâ€™s jeans into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
14.	Graph showing the imports of menâ€™s jeans into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
15.	Graph showingÂ the average price(euro/pc) of menâ€™s jeans into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
16.	Table showing the imports of womenâ€™s jeans into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
17.	Graph showing the imports of womenâ€™s jeans into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017
18.	Graph showing the average price of womenâ€™s jeans into EU from China for the period from 2016 to Sept 2017

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1. USA

a. All Jeans & Denim Apparel

The imports of denimâ€™s apparel into USA from China for the period 2015 was 133.13 million pcs with an average price of USD 7.5/PcÂ which saw a decrease of about 7% to 123.58 million pcs at an average price(usd/pc) of 7.8 at the end of the year 2016. The imports of denim apparel into USA from China for the first nine months of 2017 was 87.55 million pcs and if the same trend is followed the imports is likely to be 116 million pcs at the end of the year 2017 which is again likely to be less than the last year imports of 2016. So we see a clear fall in exports of denim apparel from China to US. Over a period of 3 years from 2015-2017, the decrease is more than 12%.

Year of Import

All Denim Apparel

(Million Pcs)

Total Value

(Million USD)

Average Price

(USD/PC)

2016

123.58

958.01

7.8

Sept|2017

87.55
(Expected 116 million)

670.20

7.7

b. Menâ€™s Jeans

The imports of menâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the period 2015 was 31.13 million pcs at an average price of USD 8.0/Pc which saw an increase of about 6% to 32.87 million pcs at the same average price for 2016. The imports of menâ€™s jeans for the first nine months of 2017 was 23.39 million pcs and the imports are likely to be 31 million pcs at the end of the year 2017. So in case of men’s jeans, we find that the exports are almost stable and hovering around 32 million pcs in the last 3 years. This shows that this segment is still strong for the Chinese exports. Though we can see that the average prices seems to have fallen by about 8% in 2017.

Year of Import

Men’s/Boys Jeans

(Million Pcs)

Total Value

(Million USD)

Average Price

(USD/PC)

2016

32.87

261.50

8.0

Sept|2017

23.39

(expected 31 million)

173.04

7.4

c. Women Jeans

The imports of womenâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the period 2015 was 102 million pcs which saw a decrease of 13% and the figure of imports came down to 89 million pcs in the year 2016 – a fall of about 12% in a year.. The imports of womenâ€™s jeans into USA from China for the first nine months of 2017 was 62 million pcs and if the trend in imports continues the imports is likely to be 82 million pcs atÂ the end of the year 2017. If this figure is achieved , then we will see another fall of about 9% in 2017 imports. Thus it is clear that while the men’s jeans imports into US from China are still strong, women’s jeans market share is being lost. Still the % share of women jeans in exports to US from China was over 70% while men’s jeans were about 30%.

Year of Import

Women’s/Girls Jeans

(Million Pcs)

Total Value

(Million USD)

Average Price

(USD/PC)

2016

89.10

683.73

7.7

Sept|2017

62.60

(expected 82 million)

484.64

7.7

2. EU

a. All Jeans

The imports of denimâ€™s apparel into EU from China for the period 2015 was 93.30 million pcs in 2015 with an average price of Euro 7.3/Pc which saw a decrease of about 15% to 79.53 million pcs at an average price of Euro 6.8/Pc in 2016. Further the imports for the first nineÂ months of 2017 were 62.07 million pcs and if the same trends continues the import are likely toÂ be 82 million pcs at the end of the year 2017. So here we see a typical position. While the US market clearly shows a clear trend of falling imports from China, we see that China may actually export more jeans in 2017 to EU than it did in 2016. Thus if the projected figures are achieved, we will see about 82 million pcs of jeans being exported from China in 2017 against about 79 million pcs in 2016. However, there has been a price loss of about 7% in 2017. This is perhaps because of increasing competition from countries like Bangladesh who are much more competitive.

Year of Import

All Denim Apparel

(Million Pcs)

Total Value

(Million Euro)

Average Price

(Euro/Pc)

2016

79.53

540.83

6.8

Sept|2017

62.07
(expected 82 million)

392.05

6.3

b. Menâ€™s Jeans

The imports of menâ€™ jeans for the year 2015 was 36.18 million pcs at an average price of Euro 7.8/Pc in 2015, which saw a decrease of about 16% to 30.64 million pcs at an average price of Euro 7.0/Pc, further the imports of menâ€™s jeans for the first nine months of 2017 was 21.19 million pcs and if the same trend is followed the imports is likely to be 28 million pcs at the end of the year 2017. So from 2015 to 2017 , we see a fall of about 20% from 36 million to 28 million (expected) pieces of jeans imported.

Year of Import

Men’s/Boys Jeans

(Million Pcs)

Total Value

(Million Euro)

Average Price

(Euro/Pc)

2016

30.64

212.88

7.0

Sept|2017

21.19
(expected 28 million )

149.37

7.1

c. Women’s Jeans

The imports of womenâ€™s jeans into EU from China for the period 2015 was 57.12 million pcs at an average price of Euro 6.7/ Pc which saw a decrease of about 15% to 48.90 million pcs at an average price of Euro 6.7/Pc . The imports of womenâ€™s jeans into EU from China for the first nine months of 2017 was 40.89 million pcs which is likely to be 54 million pcs at the end of the year 2017. Thus we see another wonder – the exports of jeans from China for women’s jeans to EU may also be increasing. In 2016 the total exports were about 49 million pieces and this year the figure might touch 54 million pcs. This would be an increase of over 10% if the figures come as expected. This shows the resilience of China – inspite of increasing costs, they are managing the exports and even increasing them in some way or other.

Year of Import

Women’s/Girls Jeans

(Million Pcs)

Total Value

(Million Euro)

Average Price

(Euro/Pc)

2016

48.90

327.96

6.7

Sept|2017

40.89
(expected 54 million)

242.67

5.9

Thus on the whole, we can see that while China seems to have been losing share in EU market, it might recover some of it when we see the 2017 end figures. US market is also going down for them but men’s jeans are still holding out while women jeans exports are going down . On the whole, the dragon is fighting hard to retain its share.

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February 5, 2018

SS18 Collection By FDMTL , Japan

Japanese label FDMTL Â recently unveiled its lookbook for their new Spring / Summer 2018 collection. The label stands distinguished from many other brands in Japan in its uniqueness of distressed and combo fabric looks. The brand continues to offer selection of patchwork pieces come to fore as the Japanese-bred imprint is apt to purvey. In FDMTLâ€™s Spring/Summer 2018 collection, they continue their never ending experimental journey into denim while also including other pieces to show versatility and well-roundedness.Â The indigo items in the collection play with beautifully executed patchwork done with a vintage feel. Combo fabrics helps the lable to create cool visual effects with differential colors.The collection also underscores a workmanâ€™s casual aesthetic which is very elgantÂ in its simplicity.

The 3rd Edition of Vietnam show is scheduled to be held on June 27-28 at Riverside Palace, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The theme of the show would be ROCK N ROLL bringing into focus the important place that denim occupies in the rock and roll history. The entry in the show is through Invite only and the denim buyers can register at www.vmshow.denimsandjeans.com/invite.php to get an official invitation.

February 4, 2018
Vetements Fall 2018 Denim Looks

Vetements – the french designer label – has been in news ever since they launched in 2009. Headed by Georgia born designer – Demna Gvaslia – the brand has been bringing out collections which stand apart and are stocked from Pret-a-porter to Nordstrom. The label prides itself in being unpredictable with their various activities – whether its avoiding the traditional fashion calendar, using pictures only for a presentation in a car park ! , casting people on the street and so on. The element of surprise is always on for Vetements followers.

This element of unpredictability is what sometimes creates great interest in their collection. For their Fall’18 collection , they have either used embroideries, patches, stickers ,paintings differentially washed leg panels, frayed hemmed, overlappingÂ or a combination of these to get the desired looks for a streetstyle wear. Vogue termed this collection as FLEAÂ MARKET CHIC and it sounds perfectly worded ! Anti-fit and Anti – balance is another concept that they have used while stitching the different panels o the jeans/jacket to create patterns and an entirely differently angled aesthetic. Many of the pieces stand out while some others can be easily considered ‘funny’ !

Welcome Prosperity Textile at the 3rd edition of Denimsandjeans Vietnam – Rock N Roll Denim which is scheduled on June 27-28 at Riverside Palace, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.Prosperity Textile is an industry-leading denim fabric manufacturer with 80 million yards capacity, providing R&D, design and manufacturing services to global garment clients.To visit the show, buyers are requested to register at https://lnkd.in/fWFkAg7

February 3, 2018

Denim Supply Chain Agents In More Countries

Further to our previous two reports on agents in different countries ( here and here ) , we are bringing out our third report on some of the leading agents in Denim Supply Chain in some countries like Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Poland, Hong Kong, Korea, Finland, US , Colombia , Japan etc. Check out the report below for more details on over 30 agent companies.

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Portugal

Agent Name	Simbolo Iberico
Address	Praceta D. Nuno Alvares Pereira 20-5Â° Fv 4450-218tosinhos
Country	Portugal

Companies working for: Unitin Industrias Morera SA, Fabric Mfg.

Agent Name	JOANA SANTOS
E- mail	joana@quick-code.pt
Country	Portugal

Companies working for: ISKO

Agent Name	PAULO SANTOS
E-Mail	Paulo.Santos@quick-code.pt
Country	Portugal

Companies working for: ISKO

Agent Name	Alantrada Ltda
Country	Portugal
Address	Rua Da Preciosa 169 410-418 Matosinhos
Phone	+351917517327
E- Mail	Atlantrade@sapo.pt

Companies working for: ISKO

Agent Name	CARLOS FONSECA
Country	Portugal
Address	Felizardo de Lima 10 – 1 Dt 4100-237 Porto
Phone	+351916185693
E-Mail	carlosfonsecatexteis@gmail.com

Companies working for: TAVEX

Greece

Agent Name	RANIA MANTOPOULOU
Country	GREECE
Phone	+302310282494
Mobile	+306945392359

Companies working for: TAVEX

Poland

Agent Name	TRUST CONNECTION POLAND
Country	POLAND
Phone	+48512403010
Mobile	+48511699960
E- mail	marcin.laskier@gmail.com

Companies working for: TAVEX

Agents Name	TRUST CONNECTION POLAND
Country	POLAND
Address	Marysinska 45/3 91-850 Lodz
Phone	(48) 51 169 99 60
E-Mail	marcin.laskier@gmail.com

Companies working for: TAVEX

Korea

Agent Name	A-ONE TEXTILE CO., LTD.
Country	Korea
Phone	+82246609440
E- Mail	david@aontex.co.kr

Companies working for: Kilim Denim

Agent Name	CALIK KOREA
Address	81-11 Hwa Jin Bldg 301 Nonhyeon Dong, Gangnam 135-818 Seoul
Phone	+8228210105
E-Mail	saksu@calik.com

Companies working for: CALIK DENIM

Hong Kong

Agent Name	BLUE RICH
Address	Rm C, 4/F, Gee Lok Ind Bldg 34 Hung To Rd, Kwun Tong
Country	Hong Kong
Phone	+85236221782
E-Mail	furuichi@bluerichintl.com

Companies working for: CALIK DENIM

Agents Name	NATURAL DENIM LTD
Country	Hong Kong
Address	Bb09, 2/f, Morlite Buliding, No.40 Hung To Road
Phone	(852)6624 9351
E-Mail	charleslo@calik.com

Companies working for: CALIK DENIM

USA

Agents Name	STUDIO BERT FORMA INC.
Country	USA
Address	1312 South Boyle Avenue Unit B 90023 Los Angeles (CA)
Phone	(1)213 6253500
E-Mail	camryn@sbfusa.com

Companies working for: TEXTIL SANTANDERINA

Agents Name	STUDIO BERT FORMA NY
Country	USA
Address	237 West 37Th Street # 701 10018 New York Ny
Phone	(1)2127308939
E-Mail	heather@sbfusa.com

Companies working for: VELCOREX SINCE 1828

Agents Name	R PLUS CREATIONS EMILYN EDILLON
Country	USA
Address	13924 Panay Way #p603 90292 Marina Del Rey
Phone	(1)424 – 228 – 5111
E-Mail	rplus3@rpluscreation.com

Companies working for: Toray International

Agent Name	CALIK DENIM USA
Address	168 Michael Drive Red Bank, 07701-5345 Nj
Country	USA
Phone	+17328562856

Companies working for: CALIK DENIM

Agent Name	DARYL MEAD
Country	USA
Phone	+13233851377

Companies working for: W Denim

Agents Name	HANCOTT USA
Country	USA
Address	1250 Long Beach Ave Ste 121 CA90021 Los Angeles
Phone	+1 213 718 0567
E-Mail	jpark@hancott.com

Companies working for: KILIM DENIM

Agents Name	LORI DAVIDSON
Country	USA
Phone	(1)323 93 78 052
E-Mail	lorid50@gmail.com

Companies working for : CALIK DENIM

Agents Name	MANON CLAVEL
Country	USA
Address	262 W. 38TH STREET SUITE 604 10018 NEW YORK, NY
Phone	(1)2126434205
E-Mail	manon@manonclavel.com

Companies working for : KASSIM DENIM

Agents Name	MONALD DENIM
Country	USA
E-Mail	hakan.anuk@calik.com

Companies working for : CALIK DENIM

Turkey

Agents Name	TEKIN DEMIRCI
Country	Turkey
Address	Keresteciler Sitesi, Fatih Cad. No. 23 Kat 2 Daire 7, Merter
Phone	+90 532 211 17 70
E-Mail	kassim@superonline.com

Companies working for : KASSIM DENIM

Agents Name	CYS TEKSTIL SANAYI VE TICARET LTD SIRKETI
Address	Yenibosna Merkez Mah. Degirmenbahce Cad.NÂ°17 Istwest A1/B Blok Daire: 113 34192 Bahcelievler-EstambulÂ
Country	Turkey
Phone	+905325081141

Companies working for : TEXTIL SANTANDERINA

Agents Name	Denim Killc
Address	34 Istanbul
Country	Turkey

Companies working for : AZGARD-9

Agents Name	DESTEK TEKSTIL DOKUMA SAN. VE DIS. TIC. LTD
Address	YÃ¼zyil Mah. Tekstilkent Is Merkezi Blok A 21 No: 34235 Esenler / Istanbul
Country	Turkey
Phone	+902124381961
E-Mail	cem@ceplikci.com

Companies working for : QUICK SERVICE TEXTILE MAROC

Agents Name	KAMA
Country	Turkey
Address	Tesvikiye cad no. 103 Ikbal Is Merkez Kat 534367 Tesvikiye – Istanbul
Phone	(90)5322540430
E-Mail	sedef.eker@kamaltd.com

Companies working for : TAVEX

Finland

Agents Name	FALCK TEXTILE OY
Address	YRJÃ–NKATU 12A 100120 HELSINKI
Country	Finland
Phone	+35840900438
E- Mail	tuuli@falcktextile.fi

Companies working for : TEXTIL SANTANDERINA

Colombia

Agents Name	FLORAL SA
Address	CRA 52-N 19-80 AV. GUAYABAL
Country	Colombia
Phone	+574444886
E- Mail	luisignacio@gco.com.co

Companies working for : CALIK DENIM

Belgium

Agents Name	GAP GUNEYDOGU TEXTILE
Address	Avenue Louise 326, BTE, 1050 Brussels
Country	Belgium
Phone	+32026440508
E-Mail	gakyuz@calik.com

Companies working for : CALIK DENIM

Agents Name	SELS BVBA
Country	Belgium
Address	Schoolstraat 13 2275 Gierle
Phone	(32)14554412
E-Mail	sels.alain@telenet.be

Companies working for : VICUNHA TEXTIL

Tunisia

Agents Name	HANCOTT
Country	Tunisia
Address	Rue Tabka, Immeuble Alhallara App. NÂ° 3 Saknes 5000 Monastir
Phone	+21698626531
E-Mail	chokri@hantekstr.com

Companies working for: KILIM DENIM

Agents Name	HORIZON TRADE INTERNATIONAL
Country	Tunisia
Address	3 Rue Zouhaier Essefi CitÃ© Les Sapins 2013 Ben Arous
Phone	+21671385835
E-Mail	imed.ht@gnet.tn

Companies working for: CALIK DENIM

Agents Name	TAVEX TUNISIE M. WASSIM TILOUCHE
Country	Tunisia
Address	TAVEX TUNISIE M. WASSIM TILOUCHE
Phone	(216) 255 00502
E-Mail	wassim.tilouche@tavex.com

Companies working for: TAVEX

Agents Name	TEXBOOK
Country	Tunisia
Address	Immeuble ClÃ©opatre Bureau A 4-07 Centre Urbain Nord 1082 Tunis
Phone	216(62) 5707481
E-Mail	hichem.majdoub@gmail.com

Companies working for: TEXTIL SANTANDERINA

China

Agents Name	HANCOTT CHINA
Country	China
Address	No.b904, Yueaizhiye Square, Sanyuanli Rode, Baiyun Area,
Phone	+86 20 3634 1865
E-Mail	shoesmaster8@naver.com

Companies working for: KILIM DENIM

JAPAN

Agents Name	KOBA INTERNATIONAL LTD
Country	Japan
Address	ROOM 701 MAEDA BLDG 2-13 KITAKYUHOJI-MACHI 2-CHOME 541-0057 OSAKA
Phone	(81) 662 640 656
E-Mail	shuhei@koba.co.jp

Companies working for: VELCOREX SINCE 1828

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January 24, 2018

Consumption Of Jeans In Netherlands From 2014 To 2017

Netherlands is often called the Jeans capital of the world. The country is very “Jeans Savvy” with consumers very much conscious of the type and quality of jeans they wear. Besides, some of the most well know denim brands are headquartered at Amsterdam including G-Star,Â Tommy ,Â Pepe Jeans, Levis Vintage, Scotch & Soda , Denham- to name a few .The Jeans school by House of Denim enables more denim technicians to be created every year . Amsterdam Denim Days with Kingpins, Blueprint and City CenterÂ twice a year draws the best of denim fashionistas from around the world. Not to forget ,Â Amsterdam also hosts some of the best denim shops globally !

All these denim centric activites ensure NetherlandsÂ a very strategic place in global denim scenario. It also ensures that the denim consumption in Netherlands is quite high. Is it higher than or lower than US / Brazil / Japan etc which are considered the places with very highÂ per capita consumption.Â Well, lets see in the report below and prepare to be astonished !

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Note: We have considered all kinds of exports from Netherlands and Imports into Netherlands before arriving at consumption figures. Production is negligible in Netherlands, so the same has not been considered.

1.Menâ€™s Jeans

First we will have a look at what is the status of men’s jeans consumption in Netherlands. Starting fromÂ 2014 we find that the consumption of jeans wasÂ 35 million pcs with a VERY HIGH PER CAPITA consumptionÂ 4.26 . This is an incredible figure and more than double of that in US (which is aobut 2 jeans per men) .This clearly shows that perhaps Netherlands has the highest consumption of men’s jeans globally.
This consumption fell byÂ 5% as the consumption fell to about 33 million pcs withÂ a per capita of 4.01 in the year 2015. However the fall was temporary and it again increased by 22% in 2016 to reach 40 mllion pcs .Â If we come to 2017, we find that the consumption of menâ€™s jeans for the first eight months of 2017 was about 23 million pcs and if the same trend is followed the consumption is likely to be about 35 million pcs at the end of the year 2017. It is also interesting to see that the consumption of menâ€™s jeans varies from 68% to 70% of the total jeans consumption for the three consecutive year from 2014 to 2016, and the same ratio in consumption is likely to be seen in the year 2017. This clearly indicates that Netherlands is primarily a men’s denim like Germany and unlike UK.

Year	Quantity (In Pieces)	Population (approx.)Â	Per Capita (Qty/Population)
2014	35,815,534	8,400,000	4.26
2015	33,882,584	8,450,000	4.01
2016	40,546,603	8,500,000	4.77
2017 (Eight Months)	23,937,082	8,550,000	NA
2017 (Projected)	35,905,623	8,550,000	4.20

2.Womenâ€™s Jeans

We already know that this market is dominated by male jeans. Lets look at what females are upto 🙂 The consumption of women’s jeans is about 50% of that of men’s jeans.Â The consumption of womenâ€™s jeans for the year 2014 was about 16 million pcs with per capita of 1.94 ,which saw a decrease of about 6% to 15 million pcs with a percapita of 1.80 , further the consumption increased about 6% again to 16 million pcs with a per capita of 1.90 in the year 2016 . The imports for the first eight months of 2017 was 12 million pcs and if the same trend is followedÂ the consumption is likely to be 18 million pcs .Â Thus we see that the average consumption of women’s jeans in Netherlands is about 1.9 jeans approx in the last 3-4 years and expected to be more than 2 in 2017 end figures. It is much lower than men’s jeans but it is ACTUALLY MUCH HIGHER than most markets around the world. It is equal to US men’s jeans consumption – a figure which itself speaks about the kind of importance jeans holds in the minds of Dutch womenÂ !

Year	Quantity (In Pieces)	Population	Per Capita (Qty/Population)
2014	16,283,494	8,400,000	1.94
2015	15,217,085	8,450,000	1.80
2016	16,145,387	8,500,000	1.90
2017 (Eight Months)	12,398,855	8,550,000	NA
2017 (Projected)	18,598,283	8,550,000	2.18

3.Total Jeans Consumption (Men + Women)

When we look as a country , we find that the figures average out to certain extent but we still look at consumptions of more than 3 jeans per person per annum. This , we can safely say, is the HIGHEST PER CAPITA consumption of jeans around the world. We think that “JEANS CAPITAL OF THE WORLD ” is the right title for Netherlands when we look and understand the figures here. It also somehow gives more hope to the industry that there is a possibility that other markets may also see increase in consumptions down the line and pave way for the industry to grow.

Year	Quantity (In Pieces)	Population	Per Capita (Qty/Population)
2014	52,099,028	16,800,000	3.10
2015	49,099,669	16,900,000	2.91
2016	56,691,990	17,000,000	3.33
2017 (Eight Months)	36,335,937	17,100,000	NA
2017 (Projected)	54,503,906	17,100,000	3.19

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January 23, 2018

Vietnam EU FTA In June End ?

Vietnam has been in the news for last few years due its back to back bilateral trade agreements with many countries including Russia and Japan. The TPP and FTA debates were the most favorite ones and a lot has been written till date on the potential prosperity and fortune of Vietnamâ€™s Economy keeping all these trade agreements in the center. After the exit of the USA from TPP , the discussions on TPP almost ceased as US was the major player in the TPP. However, FTA with EU seems round the corner.

Undoubtedly ,the trade is pacing up in the country by leaps and bounds , especially the apparel segment has been growing and even after the TPP fiasco , the country is performing very well in the US market.After having achieved about $31 billion in 2017, as per report, VietnamÂ Â is targeting exports of US$34bn in 2018 as it looks to invest more in technology to increase productivity and shorten delivery times, and increase its focus on markets such as Australia and Russia.In the year 2017, Vietnamâ€™s garment-textile exports to major markets like the US, the EU, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Russia increased by 7.2 percent, 9.23 percent, 6.1 percent, 11.8 percent and 56 percent, respectively.

Background Of EVFTA ( Europe-Vietnam FTA)

Negotiations for an EU-Vietnam FTA were launched in June 2012.The EU considers the FTAs with individual ASEAN countries as stepping stones towards an agreement in the regional framework, which remains the ultimate goal and on 2nd December 2015, after nearly 3 years with 14 rounds of negotiations, the Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, H.E. Vu Huy Hoang and the European Commissioner for Trade, H.E. Cecilia MalmstrÃ¶m had signed the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Both parties were to finally ratify the same and the FTA was to be effective from 1st January 2018.

Nearly all customs duties â€“ over 99% of the tariffs will be eliminated. The small remaining number is mainly due to the transition period. Vietnam will liberalize 65% of import duties on EU exports to Vietnam at entry into force and the remaining duties will be eliminated due to the next ten years; EU duties will be eliminated over a seven year period. The market will be opened for most of EU food products, i.e. wine, spirits and frozen pork meat will be liberalized after seven years and dairy products after a maximum of five years. The EU will eliminate duties for someÂ products in the textile and footwear sector. The EU has offered access to Vietnamese exports via tariff rate quotas (TRQs), because some sensitive agricultural products will not be fully liberalized. Furthermore, the agreement will contain an annex with provisions to address non-tariff barriers in the automotive sector. Vietnamese exports of textile, clothing and footwear to the EU are expected to more than double in 2020 as a result of the FTA. The FTA will also help to increase quality of investment flows from EU, accelerate the process of sharing expertise and transfer of green technology and the creation of more employment activities.

Vietnamese Exports Certain products that are sensitive for EU producers, particularly in the textile apparel and footwear sectors, will have longer liberalisation periods of up to 7 years. A specific example of this are leather shoes, which will have a long liberalisation period of 7 years, while less sensitive products such as synthetic shoes, will be fully liberalised from day one..

Impact Of FTA

The impact of the FTA is expected to be significant, considerably increasing trade flows between Vietnam and the EU in various areas. Vietnamâ€™s exports of textile, clothing and footwear to the EU are expected to more than double in 2020 as a result of the EVFTA, according to law firm Duane Morris. It will not only be Vietnam and the EU that benefit from the boost to trade. â€œVietnam is a production base for Korean businesses exporting globally, so Vietnamâ€™s efforts to develop FTAs are very important for Korean companies, and they have a lot of interest in the EU deal,â€ Hwang Soon Sung, counselor at the Korean Embassy in Hanoi, told OBG.

The FTA also includes better market access for EU investors, and strengthens regulations on intellectual property. EU firms will be able to bid for many public contracts and will gain improved access to sectors like banking, insurance and maritime transport. Industries such as food production and construction materials will also be opened up to greater EU investment.The text of the FTA reflects the ambition shown by Vietnam during the negotiation process. Implementation of its provisions will help Vietnam to enhance the quality of its economic governance in line with the sustainable development commitments embedded in the FTA. By enabling a more business-friendly environment, this will have positive impacts not only in terms of increasing market access opportunities to the EU, but also for its own domestic industry.

â€œThe EU remains fully committed to invest in the development of the country, as our strategic partnership goes beyond trade issues and development cooperation,â€ Bruno Angelet, the EUâ€™s ambassador to Vietnam, told OBG. â€œVietnam is a now a benchmark for the other ASEAN countries that are willing to engage in FTA negotiations with the EU.â€

When EVFTA will be implemented, it would become one of the most ambitious and comprehensive investment agreements that have been signed between the European Union (EU) and a developing country. After the agreement is put into effect, Vietnamese enterprises can get access to a potential market with the population of more than 500 million people and the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$15,000 billion which accounts for 22 per cent of global GDP. By contrast, investors coming from EU can enjoy a market that has the most rapid economic growth in the region with the population of more than 90 million people. Economic experts said that once it will be approved from the parliament and implemented, it will contribute about 2.5 per cent to Vietnamâ€™s GDP in 2020 and 4.6 per cent in 2025.

Implementation Date

Gellert Horvath, Co-chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) said that EU and Vietnam are striving to promote the preparation of EVFTA, hoping to sign the agreement in the mid of 2018.

The FTA was supposed to be implemented in January itself but there has been some delay and the EU officials feel that by Mid 2018, the agreement would be effective . Thus its looking like July 1st might be the effective date of implementation of the agreement.

Vietnamese Apparel & Textile Industry So Far

Vietnam is understood to have earned US$31 billion from exports of textile and garment this year, a ten per cent increase compared to last year. A report of The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) shows that in 2017, Vietnamâ€™s exports of garment products to the US reached US$12.53 billion, 9.4 per cent higher than 2016; the figures for EU and Japan are estimated at US$3.7 billion and US$3.05 billion respectively.

According to Le Tien Truong, General Director of Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group, the textile and garment export turnover this year has increased by 40 times compared with a decade ago when Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). He stressed that this growth was particularly impressive considering that imports fell 0.85 per cent.

Viet Nam has also boosted its exports to China with new products such as yarns and fibers and reached a turnover of US$3.2 billion which is equal to the figure for Japan, the third largest export market of Vietnam for more than 20 years. In addition, the Eurasian economic union (EAEU) has also marked the return of Vietnamese textile and garment to the markets in the former Soviet Union. In the years 2016-2017, exports to Russia grew at a rate of 56 per cent and now have reached approximately US$200 million. FTA with Russia is helping push the figures.

“Russia is a major potential market for Vietnamese textile and apparel exports, as Russiaâ€™s total imports reached US$9.8 billion, but Vietnam has only a 1.8% market share currently,” said Truong.

Since the Vietnam Textile and Garment Association and the Vietnam Textile and Garment Group have been deeply involved in the negotiation process of most of FTAs, they have been enabled to update the information promptly and therefore, proactively recommend options for the negotiating delegation to take advantage of the textile and garment industry. In order to promote the advantages of FTAs, Truong suggested that the government, ministries, and departments should promote new economic cooperation, especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.

Is TPP Dead Or Is There Still Something Cooking ?

After the exit of USA from the much talked TPP with Vietnam , the remaining 11 members of the TPP, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, made significant progress towards sealing a deal in Da Nang in Novemberâ€™17. Itâ€™s thought that the new deal, rebranded as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), might be signed as early as March. Once it has been ratified by member parliaments, it may be expanded.

The US saw the TPP as a way of containing Chinaâ€™s influence in Asia Pacific. But in its absence, China may join further down the line, as well as the likes of South Korea and Indonesia. Currently, TPP chapters on state-owned enterprises, along with those on intellectual property and competition, would be difficult for China to meet.However, recently there has been interest by UK to join this group.

â€œWhile the UK has strong incentives to want in to the TPP, it is less clear why the Pacific countries would want to expand the deal to the Atlantic and the UK. The UK market is not insignificant, of course. Getting additional members into the TPP helps the existing countries by increasing the size of the overall market included in the agreement,â€ writes Deborah Elms, CEO of the Asian Trade Centre in Singapore, in a recent blog post.

Countries such as Vietnam would welcome access to the UK garment and footwear market, for instance, which, while smaller than the US, is still sizeable.

â€œIn fact, we have UK investor clients who have already invested in capital equipment in Vietnam to produce garment exports for the UK market. They and their Vietnamese partners had expected the EU-Vietnam FTA to enter into effect sooner, so they are still struggling with high EU duty rates. The TPP might just save their shirts, so to speak,â€ says Burke of Baker McKenzie.

As it stands, the idea is far from reality. Opposition figures in the UK have criticised the government for disengaging from more pressing issues closer to home. However, once the UK exits the EU the pressure to seal substantial agreements around the world will be huge. If the UK joins the TPP, the game will be more interesting for Vietnam and other stakeholders.

To date, Viet Nam has passed 10 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, including ASEAN Free Trade Area, five ASEAN+1 FTAs, and FTAs with Japan, South Korea, Chile , Russia and the Eurasia Economic Union.
Viet Nam has also concluded FTA negotiations with the EU and was negotiating Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).About 60 countries had already negotiated or were negotiating FTAs with Viet Nam, which accounts for 90 per cent of Viet Namâ€™s trade

FTAs have played a vital role in the development of not only Vietnam but also other countries in the world. Free Trade Agreements have proven to be a key driver of economic reform and the most effective instruments to boost trade and investment. Experience has shown that each time an FTA is ratified and implemented, it has a rapid and significant impact on the participating countriesâ€™ economies, largely because it secures trade/services and long-term investment which are the top priorities for sustained and successful business development. That is why Vietnam, since the start of the open door policy, has followed a consistent and effective strategy of developing FTAs with its major trade partners and its FTA with EU will turn outÂ to be its largest agreement affecting its economy.

Disclaimer : The data and information have been taken from the various local and international newspapers and government websites and compiled here.

January 22, 2018

Pakistan Exports Of Denim To US and EU | 2016-17

Pakistan is one of the most important apparel exporting countries for denim and it has been increasing its exports of jeans and other denim apparel exports to both US and EU . Lets have a look at how Pakistan has been performing in the last 2 years in this report.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Table of Contents

S N.	Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Particulars
1.	Table showing theÂ imports of denims(menâ€™s+womenâ€™s)Â into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
2.	Graph showing the imports of denims(menâ€™s+womenâ€™s)Â into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
3.	Graph showing the average price(usd/pc) of denims(menâ€™s+womenâ€™s)Â into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
4.	Table showing the imports of menâ€™s jeans into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
5.	Graph showing the imports of menâ€™s jeans into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
6.	Graph showing the average price(usd/pc) of menâ€™s jeans into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
7.	Table showing the imports of womenâ€™s jeans into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
8.	Graph showing the imports of womenâ€™s jeans into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
9.	Graph showing the average price(usd/pc) of womenâ€™s jeans into USA from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
10.	Table showing the imports of all jeansÂ Â into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
11.	Graph showing the imports ofÂ jeans into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
12.	Graph showing the average price(euro/pc) of jeans into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
13.	Table showing the imports of menâ€™s jeans into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
14.	Graph showing the imports of menâ€™s jeans into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
15.	Graph showing the average price(euro/pc) into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
16.	Table showing the imports of womenâ€™s jeans into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
17.	Graph showing the imports of womenâ€™s jeans into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017
18.	Graph showing the average price(euro/pc) of womenâ€™s jeans into EU from Pakistan for the period 2016 to Sept 2017

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1.USA

a. All Denims Apparel

The imports of denims apparel to USA from Pakistan was 23.51 million pcs in 2016 with an average price(usd/pc) of 8.3 , out of which imports of mens jeans for the same periodÂ was 10.40 million pcs with an average price(usd/pc) of 8.1 which accounted for 44% of the total imports . However the imports of womens jeans was 12.85 million pcs with an average price(usd/pc) of 8.5 which accounted for 66% of the total imports in 2016 which shows that Pakistan exported more women jeans than men’s to US. Further, in the year 2017 , the total imports till sept 2017 was 18.76 million pcs with an average price(usd/pc) of 8.8 out of which the imports of mens jeans was 8.20 million pcs with an average price(usd/pc) of 8.5 which accounted to 43% of the total imports whereas the womens jeans contributed 57% of the total imports with 10.49 million pcs with an average price(usd/pc) of 9.0. The figures for 2017 also show that Pakistan will be increasing its exports in 2017 over 2016 giving it a positive status in the US market.

Year of Import	All Denim Apparel (Million Pcs)	Total Value (Million USD)	Average Price (USD/PC)
2016	23.51	196.13	8.3
Sept\|2017	18.76	164.28	8.8

b.Menâ€™s Jeans

Year of Import	Men’s/Boys Jeans (Million Pcs)	Total Value (Million USD)	Average Price (USD/PC)
2016	10.40	83.72	8.1
Sept\|2017	8.20	69.54	8.5

c.Womenâ€™s Jeans

Year of Import	Women’s/Girls Jeans (Million Pcs)	Total Value (Million USD)	Average Price (USD/PC)
2016	12.85	111.36	8.7
Sept\|2017	10.49	94.29	9.0

2. EU

a.All Jeans

The imports of Jeans to EU from Pakistan for the year 2016 was 102.48 million pcs with an average price (euro/pc)of 7.5 out of which the imports of mens jeans for the same period was 69.32 million pcs with an average price(euro/pc) of 7.6 which accounted about 68% of the total imports whereas the imports of womens jeans for the same period was 33.16 million pcs with an average price(euro/pc)of 7 .3 which accounted to 32% of the total imports for 2016. Thus the situation in EU is reverse. Pakistan exports more of MEN jeans to EU compared to WOMEN jeans. Further in the year 2017 the imports of all denims was 78.81 million pcs with an average price(euro/pc) of 7.5 out of which the imports of mens jeans was 51.37 million pcs with an average price(euro/pc) of 7.7 which accounted to about 75% of the total imports whereas the imports of womens jeans was 27.45 million pcs with an average price(euro/pc) of 7.1 which accounted to 25% of the total imports in 2017. If we extrapolate the figures of exports till September 2017, we will find that Pakistan might be exporting more than 110 million pieces of total jeans to EU in 2017 which would be 6-8% more than 2016. Thus there is a clear growth here also for Pakistan.

Year of Import	All Denim Apparel (Million Pcs)	Total Value (Million Euro)	Average Price (Euro/Pc)
2016	102.48	765.93	7.5
Sept\|2017	78.81	589.45	7.5

b. Menâ€™s Jeans

Year of Import	Men’s/Boys Jeans (Million Pcs)	Total Value (Million Euro)	Average Price (Euro/Pc)
2016	69.32	525.09	7.6
Sept\|2017	51.37	394.08	7.7

c. Womenâ€™s Jeans

Year of Import	Women’s/Girls Jeans (Million Pcs)	Total Value (Million Euro)	Average Price (Euro/Pc)
2016	33.16	240.84	7.3
Sept\|2017	27.45	195.36	7.1

Women jeans are also cheaper at an average price of Euro 7.3Â compared to Men’s jeans price of about Euro 7.6. Thus men jeans are more costly and are being exported in bigger quantities as well.

Pakistan is enjoying a golden period when it comes to its apparel exports specially denim. As we can see from the figures above, Pakistan is able to increase its share in both US and EU markets inspite of there being stagnancy in these markets.Â The growth is likely to continue in the near future as well as the country consolidates its gains.

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January 17, 2018

Wrangler Pays Tribute To Cone Denim With Its Limited 27406 Collection

The news of the closing down of 112 years old Cone Denimâ€™s White Oak Mill was a shocker for the industry . The biggest loss was the famous classical ConeÂ selvedge denim which wonâ€™t be produced in US now as it was the last American mill to produce this iconic fabric.Though the production is lost, there is still a way to pay tribute to such a beautiful journey of US selvedge denim .

Wrangler launched its limited collection named 27406 collectionÂ using the last of the selvedge denims produced by Cone.Â 27406 Collection , named after the zip code where the denim is cut and sewn in the Wranglerâ€™s hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina, is crafted by Wranglerâ€™s team of skilled sewers and fabric cutters. The collection uses denim from the Cone DenimÂ® White Oak Plantâ„¢ and the expert sewing and fabric cutting team from the Wrangler Service Support Center crafted each piece for the collection. The selvedge styles are constructed from denim woven recently in White Oak.

Denim in hand, the team cut the fabric and hand-stitched the belt loops, pockets, signature W, and iconic Wrangler patch. Once complete, each piece isÂ stamped on the inside, numbered and signed off on by the sewer who completed it. For this collection, the Wrangler Service Support Center acted as a small manufacturing facility with the design creation, fabric development and manufacturing happening within a 3-mile radius.

Look for the signature detail of the selvedge edge on the inside waistband, inner cuff and front placket. On each jacket, youâ€™ll find four unique features: an American flag sewn into the waist, and a riser label above the left chest pocket. Finally, the defining â€œWâ€ stitch on the front pockets, inspired by cattle-branding. The â€œWâ€ first appeared on the pockets of Wrangler jeans in 1947, signifying â€œWestern Wear.â€

Scroll down to see some of our best pick from the collection, the headline of each article has its name , price and number of pieces manufactured.

27406 MEN’S SELVEDGE DENIM JACKET | $265.00 | Only 88 Units

27406 MEN’S RIGID SLIM FIT SELVEDGE JEAN | $ 225.00 |Only 149 Pairs

27406 WOMEN’S DENIM JACKET |$265.00 | Only 62 Units

WRANGLERÂ® 27406 WOMEN’S RAW SKINNY JEAN |$225.00 | Only 152 Pairs

January 14, 2018