Trade

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.

A joint initiative by leading textile associations and export promotion councils, the Indian textile-apparel sector has come up with a five-point agenda that outlines immediate policy interventions needed to drive the industry toward a collective goal of US$ 100 billion in exports by 2030.

Uganda is the fifth largest importer of second-hand clothing in Africa, and the Owino Market in capital Kampala is key to the trade in the country. A recent report looked at Owino and its impact on business and livelihoods. Study author Jennifer Wang talks about the fine print in the report.

Amidst ongoing fears that the European Union could severely curb or ban SHC exports, a report from Mozambique warns that if this ecosystem is jeopardised, the repercussions on the millions already living in poverty will be quite damaging.

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.

EURATEX has published its trade policy priorities for 2024–29, outlining the key steps needed to secure a resilient and competitive future for the European textile and clothing industry. The ‘position paper’ addresses critical challenges such as market access, regulatory compliance, and the alignment of trade, industrial, and energy policies.

To unlock the potential of recycled textiles and second-hand clothing, a new research proposes practical reforms to modernise outdated customs codes, introducing new codes, and create clear standards, and trader incentives that will enhance trust, trade efficiency, and transparency to better support the expanding textile circular economy.

A new study that evaluated textile susceptibility to fungal contamination during transit found that while cotton and suede are most susceptible to fungal contamination, leather, polyester, and imitation suede were found to be the least susceptible.

Failure to adequately consider the challenges faced by key trade partners to adapt to the ambitions of the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles risks jeopardising the success of the strategy, a multi-country study into the potential effects of the strategy has concluded.

A report that analyses the socioeconomic impact of the second-hand clothing industry in the EU, the UK (EU27+), as also the three African countries of Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique, says that the sector generated a cumulative €3 billion of revenues in Europe alone in 2023.