China

The lesson of the current US tariffs crisis roiling the trade world is this: you cannot keep relying on one country as your export destination. From now on it has to be ‘US Plus One’.

Perspectives are varied, and it is not an open-and-shut case against US Prez Donald Trump as his political opponents would have us believe. The tariff calculations could be questionable and the unilateral announcement should be decried, but what’s amply clear is this: trade will never be the same again.

Researchers have developed an environmentally compatible detergent made of tiny wood fibres and corn protein that removes stains on clothes and dishes just as well as commercial products.

The Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, one of the leading destinations for sourcing fabrics and accessories, gets under way today. As visitors start to throng the three-day event, Wendy Wen, Managing Director of fair organiser Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, talks about Shanghai and what to expect from the event.

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is one of the leading destinations for sourcing fabrics and accessories. The Spring Edition, to be held from 11-13 March, will turn the spotlight on a diverse range of products and services. Wendy Wen, Managing Director of fair organiser Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, talks about trends in the business of fabrics.

New innovative cloth developed by a research group at the University of Waterloo requires no bulky batteries or manual controls, the warmth generated by the fabric comes entirely from solar energy, making it an environmentally friendly, self-sustaining solution for winter wear.

Biomimicry to the fore again as Chinese scientists, inspired by the water-collecting abilities of desert beetles and spider silk, develop a yarn capable of harvesting water from fog, providing an innovative solution to water scarcity in arid regions. 

Researchers have used a combination of an HD digital camera and a cutting-edge software to develop a non-destructive and convenient method for measuring cotton growth. It does not require professional knowledge of computer and machine learning and thus, can be utilised by ordinary farmers or researchers.

Scientists have developed a fabric material that can convert body heat and solar energy into electricity and has the potential for energy harvesting, health monitoring and movement tracking applications. It can detect temperature changes and a range of other sensors to monitor pressure, chemical composition and more.

Leading US fashion companies are sourcing more from emerging destinations in Asia and the Western Hemisphere as they seek to reduce the China risk, shifting focus to India, Bangladesh and many more non-Asian countries, says the latest edition of the USFIA's 2024 Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study.