Cotton prices slightly rose in China amid tight supply and lower demand. Import prices were sharply higher, leaving room for a new increase in domestic prices. With US embargoes looming, however, processors continue keeping stocks at extremely low levels. Already confronted with excess production, China's spinners are waiting for more information about the coming level in apparel exports. As US embargoes are looming on China's exports in a few major apparel categories, cotton buying was suspen

World textile market leader Saurer Textile has acquired Grap Group.By acquiring Graf Group, Saurer continues in its strategy of strengthening its spare parts and service business. Saurer? Total Solution offer is thus extended to include solutions for carding and combing machines.Saurer signed a purchase contract to acquire 100% of the share capital of Hogra Holding AG, the parent company of Graf Group. The acquisition is expected to be completed in fall 2005.Hogra Holding AG, domiciled in Freien

End of global textiles agreement leads to worsening labour conditions in the PhilippinesNew ICFTU report submitted to the WTODespite having ratified all eight core labour standards, labour violations in the Philippines continue unabated, according to an ICFTU report released today to coincide with that country's trade policy review at the WTO this week.The report shows serious shortcomings in the application and enforcement of all eight core labour standards, in particular in the clothing and te

Footwear industry insiders from China and some European countries are calling for a solution to China's trade disputes with the European Union (EU). "We hope the EU's anti-dumping suit against China can be solved through negotiations instead of imposing trade barriers," said Massimo Donda, president of the Italian association for footwear retailers. Just like the textile frictions that were settled through consultations between Beijing and Brussels, he said he believes the two sides should find

A crucial vote last night in the US senate saw senators give their thumbs up to CAFTA - the Central American Free Trade Agreement. The battle will now pass to the House in July where the outcome is expected to be closer than that in the Senate where the vote was eventually won 54-45. Just a day after the Senate Finance Committee voted to send CAFTA to the full Senate, a close vote eventually gave the bill the green light. It will now come under scrutiny in the House of Representatives after

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi said in Beijing Monday that China hopes France will play a positive role in promoting the steady development of Sino-EU textile trade. Wu told visiting French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade Christine Lagarde that textile trade is an important part of Sino-EU trade and it has been proved that problems in textile trade can be solved through exchanges and consultation. China and the European Union signed a textile trade memorandum in June which prevented text

Global cotton production and consumption are expected to face hard situations of imbalance in the year 2005-06 due to the prediction of decline of more than 10 percent comparing the record production in the last year.While consumption, will sustain to rise with economic growth and rising Asian demand, especially from China. It is obvious that a delicate balance between production and consumption is driven to disruption if the picture of supply is unclear. Thus, it results higher cost. Internatio

India's composite textile mills are adopting new trend of outsourcing from the independent weavers to cater big orders of leading retail majors like Wal Mart, JC Penney and GAP.This new trend would enable them to raise their production capability to meet the requirements of the retail biggies.Following removal of quotas regime, competition in the global textile markets has move up, which lead such manufacturing tie-up arrangements.The Indian Cotton Mills' Federation (ICMF) and the Powerloom Deve

Despite recent rains, Australian shorn wool production is forecast to be slightly lower in 2005/06 as a result of the drought in the eastern states and South Australia.In the latest figures released today by the Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) Production Forecasting Committee, the forecast for Australian shorn wool production in the 2005/06 season is 470 million kilograms (mkg), one per cent down on the 2004/05 season. Committee Chairman Dr David James said fleece weights for the upcoming sprin

The export figures figures released reecently by the FTSI (PC&C), DGCI&S, Kolkata indicate a decline in the export of Manmade Fibres, yarns & fabrics besides madeups.In March this year, exports stood at Rs 824.49 crores (US $188.63 million) compared to Rs 933.98 crores (US $207.00) last year same period, showing a decline by Rs 109.49 crores.The trend is somewhat a cause for concern as boom was expected following the ending of the MultiFibre Agreement begining January this year. The