2021.09.17
INDUSTRY NEWS - 2021.09.17
1、選委會紡織及製衣界界別分組當選人向特首遞交建議信
2021選舉委員會紡織及製衣界界別分組當選人今日(16日)下午前往特首辦遞交業界建議信，向特首提出4項有關業界對特區政府施政的建議，並希望特首能將有關建議納入新一份施政報告。
紡織及製衣業界指出，在「十四五」規劃下，業界要邁向「工業4.0」大有可為，但亦要面對不少挑戰，故向特區政府提出4點建議，包括：編撰報告對行業規劃作整體研究、協調跨領域合作將工業與文化產業結合發展成新產業、支援本地設計師和有志發展自家品牌的業界同仁建立品牌、與17名已自動當選為紡織及製衣界選委的業界代表見面交流。
今日前往特首辦提交建議信的當選人包括：朱立夫、陳愛菁、許彼得、楊詩傑、鄭文德、羅正傑、方淑君、司徒志仁、邱允恭、呂䏈鳴、陳淑玲、梁嘉彥、黃守正、楊燕芝、劉培傑、蕭勁樺、顏金煒。香港紡織業聯會會長及紡織商會永遠榮譽會長陳亨利亦有一同前往。
資料來源：香港商報網 (2021年9月16日)
2、深水埗布行式微 憂「香港製造」消失
深水埗過去曾是本港紡織業「心臟地帶」，遍地開滿了製皮廠、布廠和飾品工廠。不過近年大南街一帶搖身一變，成為了「文青聖地」，咖啡店崛起，傳統布行及衣料店日漸式微。對於本地時裝設計師來說，要繼續堅持「香港製造」也變得舉步維艱。
香港時裝設計師楊展入行多年，坦言看盡本地製衣業的變化。由急速滑落甚至式微的情況，更變成本地設計師另一個難題。
楊展慨歎：「以前可以一日內完成買布，直接落工廠造衫，再回店舖繼續做設計。但現時要在香港找到合適的布料，並非易事。」他坦言，當布行消失，服務供不應求，材料成本又自然會增加。
他坦言，現時科技發達，可以上網訂購原材料，憂慮設計師都會為了節省成本而將生產北移，市場上的「香港製造」逐漸消失。
向洋服店拜師 全手工製西裝
除了布藝材料外，楊展認為手工設計時裝也逐漸式微。他舉例指，唐山裝、西裝裁縫等工藝已經「買少見少」，不少師傅都已經退休，擔心20年後就沒人再做。
因此，早前楊展就特意到「中興洋服」拜師學藝，學習以全手工縫製整套西裝，他笑言：「其實是自肥企劃。」
資料來源：香港經濟日報 (2021年9月17日)
3、科技商品化中心CMA+ 助合作企業產品升級
環境、社會和企業管治（ESG）是全球企業的熱門話題，在「工業4.0」背景下，本港製造業亦努力尋求升級轉型，希望在產品的設計及研發中做到減少碳排放，有商家認為，科技商品化能配合本港工業，推動創科和生產力。
香港中華廠商聯合會旗下的CMA檢定中心，成立5,000呎的科技商品化中心「CMA+」，提供實驗室予合作企業，方便其升級產品。
聚焦科研後量產前 完善產業鏈
該會會長史立德認為，基礎科研向來是香港優勢，然而本港科研往往停留在中、上游階段，未必切合廠商生產時的需要，而科技商品化中心所提供的服務，能解決香港應用科研不足的短板，以及推動產業鍵技術的突破。他又表示，本港的科研項目，未來可多聚焦在「科研後、量產前」的中間性測試環節，以完善整個創新產業鏈。
雅芳婷集團有限公司主席許章榮表示，以前業界對處理床褥而產生的碳排放準則不一，但酒店對ESG非常重視，該檢定中心測量出的數據，能幫忙計算產品的碳排放量，再配合科研升級床褥，有望可大大減輕本港的廢料問題。他又指，本港製造業相當願意推動綠色金融，期望能有劃一的標準。
理盈環保科技有限公司營運董事麥賢冠指出，在工業廢料循環再用的技術上，對比倫敦和新加坡的舊式工業做法，香港其實已較為領先，不少企業都擁有FSC環保認證，該檢測中心能幫助企業在向大中華或歐洲地區出口時提供認證。
資料來源：香港經濟日報 (2021年9月15日)
4、深圳機場：由閩抵達須檢測
【明報專訊】福建疫情鏈條繼續延伸，截至昨日8時，已累計報告本土陽性感染者139宗，其中確診病例120宗，無症狀感染19宗。其中至少36名學生感染，涉多間學校和幼稚園。在疫情前後出省的約3萬人，主要分赴北上廣深等一線城市，其中以深圳比例最高。深圳機場昨日已要求近期由福建抵深旅客接受落地核酸檢測，當地亦對密切接觸者進行流調排查。
福建省衛健委昨日（14日）通報，10日至14日8時，全省累計報告本土陽性感染者139宗，其中120宗確診中，莆田75宗、泉州12宗、廈門33宗；19宗無症狀感染均在莆田。莆田當局昨日稱，截至14日零時，累計報告陽性感染者85宗（均在仙遊縣），其中幼託兒童8人，小學生28人，涉及多所小學和幼稚園。廈門市昨日披露疫情最新信息表示，截至昨日上午11時，累計報告確診病例35宗，無症狀感染1宗。
廈門首宗確診與莆田病例有關
廈門首宗確診者姓吳，是莆田確診病例的家人，在同安區一家工藝品公司從事車間管理工作。吳姓患者在4及5日與莆田確診病例有密切接觸史，6日乘火車返回廈門。吳姓患者接觸的車間作業及管理人員較多，截至昨天，廈門新增的32例確診，均來自這家工藝品工廠。
莆田市疫情防控工作指揮部昨日凌晨發布通告，要求對所有社區全面嚴控，並在昨日下午開始全員核酸檢測。廈門市昨日亦開始全員核酸檢測，並要求所有中小學、幼稚園線上教學。廈門長途汽車站也發布通知，暫停各長途汽車站前往省內外各地的所有客運班車。
莆田廈門全民驗核酸
央視報道，國家衛健委工作組表示，從8月26日到9月10日，從莆田出省的人數初步估算約3萬人左右，疫情發生後已向各個省份發出協查函，敦促各地立即開展排查工作。據相關數據顯示，9月8日到9月11日，莆田出省前往廣東、浙江、江西、江蘇4省的人數最多。按城市分去向北京、上海、深圳、廣州、溫州、南昌等地的人口較多，其中前往深圳人數最多，佔比1.73%。據《南方日報》報道，福建泉州台商投資區疫情防控辦通報，3名福建確診者的密切接觸者的行動軌迹涉及深圳龍崗、福田多家公司、酒店和食肆。
深圳交通官博昨日消息稱，根據疫情防控需要，即日起福建抵深的所有航班，旅客在查驗「健康碼」綠碼和體溫檢測的基礎上，須在深圳機場進行免費落地核酸檢測，包括持有48小時核酸檢測陰性報告人員，同時建議旅客盡量選乘非公共交通工具離開機場，返回居住地等候核酸檢測結果。珠海機場也有類似的措施。
資料來源：明報 (2021年9月15日)
5、廣交會下月中舉辦 展期縮至5天
疫情陰霾下，第130屆中國進出口商品交易會（廣交會）下月15日如期舉辦，並恢復綫下展覽，但展期從過往三期減至一期，日數再「腰斬」至餘下5日，是近年最短的一屆。
恢復綫下展覽 綫上6萬展位
國新辦昨日（14日）召開新聞發布會，商務部副部長任鴻斌指，本屆以促進國內國際雙循環為主題，一方面發揮綫上展不受時空限制、低成本高效率的優勢，吸引更多高質量境外採購商參會，助外貿企業開拓國際市場；另一方面復辦綫下展，加大境內採購商邀請力度，助外貿企業發掘國內商機。
綫下展覽面積約40萬平方米，以品牌企業為主；綫上則保持原有約6萬個展位，為2.6萬家企業和全球採購商提供貿易合作交流平台。
任鴻斌指出，這是常態化疫情防控下中國舉辦的重大國際經貿活動，有利於維護經濟穩定復甦的良好態勢、展示擴大開放的堅定決心。展期的調整，則是考慮到疫情防控需要。
廣交會是中國規模最大的國際貿易活動，也被視為中國外貿的「晴雨表」，每年春秋兩季在廣州舉行。疫情之前，廣交會展期一般為20日，而近幾屆的總成交金額都在300億美元上下。最近三屆，展期已被「腰斬」至10日，完全採用綫上方式，官方稱參展採購商、展品數量創新高，但未披露成交金額。
資料來源：香港經濟日報 (2021年9月15日)
6、中國正式提出 申請加入CPTPP
中國商務部官網消息，中國商務部部長王文濤昨日向《全面與進步跨太平洋夥伴關係協定》（Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership，CPTPP）保存方新西蘭貿易與出口增長部長奧康納，提交了中國正式申請加入CPTPP的書面信函。
退訂13萬噸美大豆 高價購巴西貨
中紐兩國部長還舉行了電話會議，就中方正式申請加入的有關後續工作進行了溝通。
另外，中國據報取消購買13.2萬噸的美國大豆定單，改買更昂貴的巴西大豆，被指情況罕見。業界估計，美國沿岸剛遭受颶風吹襲，部分碼頭設施損毁，企業因擔心航運延期而退單。
路透社報道，本周初，中國企業購入4至6艘、將於10月和11月發貨的巴西大豆船貨，連同成本及運費在內，巴西大豆價格較芝加哥期貨交易所（CBOT）11月期貨溢價4.2美元，甚至更多。美國農業部周三（15日）已證實，有兩批大豆定單被取消，上述部分原定出口至中國，另有19.6萬噸銷往其他地區。
報道引述出口商指，美國墨西哥灣沿岸的出口碼頭，正從上月底颶風造成的破壞、洪水和停電中恢復，企業擔心其造成的航運延誤，可能會持續到美國出口旺季。
內媒搜狐網指，墨西哥灣沿岸包攬整個美國60%的糧食出口量，隨着重要港口設施關閉，迫使買家不得不轉向其他地區採購，加劇供應鏈混亂，甚至打亂芯片等各種貨物的運輸路綫。
受到進口放緩影響，內媒《期貨日報》引述數據指，截至本月10日當周，全國主流油廠豆粕庫存90.8萬噸，按年減少22.5%。
資料來源：香港經濟日報 (2021年9月17日)
7、Vietnam Delays Could Cost Nike 160M Pairs of Shoes This Year
A financial analyst is predicting the Covid-induced halt in Vietnamese manufacturing could cost Nike 160 million pairs of shoes this year.
The increased risk of “significant cancellations beginning this holiday and running through at least next spring” led Camilo Lyon of the investment firm BTIG to send a note to clients downgrading Nike from “Buy” to “Neutral.” The company’s stock ended the day down nearly 2.5 percent.
With two months of “virtually no unit production” at Nike’s factory partners in Vietnam, the analyst estimated the company has lost 40 million pairs a month, or 80 million pairs total. Looking to the remainder of the year, Lyon predicted it will see another four months or so of 50 percent production capacity.
The stark numbers come nearly two months after S&P Global Market Intelligence’s global trade data division, Panjiva, warned that Nike “may run out of Vietnamese sneakers.”
According to a report published by the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso) at the end of August, 80 percent of leather and footwear manufacturers in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, An Giang and Kien Giang had ceased production due to social distancing and labor shortage. Enterprises in the central and northern provinces were reportedly operating at 50 percent to 70 percent capacity.
Vietnam accounted for more than half, 51 percent, of Nike’s footwear unit production last year. Per BTIG’s discussions with its in-country contacts, that number was “going to go a lot higher this year,” Lyon said in an interview with Yahoo! Finance.
“That is, until Covid-related shutdowns mandated by the government began about two months ago,” he added.
Despite the company’s size and power, Lyon said he didn’t see any feasible way for Nike to pivot its manufacturing capabilities elsewhere to make up for the losses any time soon—including up to spring next year.
“Look, Nike is the best company in the world, it’s also one of the largest,” Lyon told Yahoo! Finance. “So, when we talk about them shifting their production, we’re talking about a battleship turning… On footwear, the complexities mount even more so relative to apparel… If you think about how many hands, how many pairs of hands, go into making a pair of shoes, it can be north of 30 people touching one pair of shoes, where for apparel, maybe like three or four people.”
Given this environment, Lyon said BTIG cannot see any way for Nike to hit the low-double digit revenue growth it forecasted back in June. Even if the company were to shift the supply that otherwise would go to wholesalers to its direct channels—“a pretty cataclysmic shift against the wholesale partners in their favor”—it would not be enough to get it back on track. Based on BTIG’s supply chain checks, Lyon said the firm is estimating revenue could come in flat to low single digits in fiscal 2022, a period that began June 1.
“We’re at a loss for ways of finding how Nike can quickly resolve this issue today,” Lyon told Yahoo! Finance.
BTIG’s note came as state media announced Monday that Ho Chi Minh City would extend its restrictions—previously set to expire Wednesday—once again, this time until the end of the month. A program that would have allowed vaccinated individuals more mobility was also delayed.
According to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, Vietnam has recorded 613,375 confirmed coronavirus cases and 15,279 deaths since the pandemic began. Of that total, 357,627 cases and 10,191 deaths were recorded in the past month.
So far, the country has administered more than 28 million vaccine doses. Just over 5 million individuals, or 5.24 percent of the population, are fully vaccinated. According to state media, 7.8 million of Ho Chi Minh City’s 9 million residents had received their first dose and 1.3 million had gotten their second. The Southeast Asian country has approved seven vaccines for emergency use, including the United Arab Emirates’ Hayat-Vax vaccine on Friday.
Whether or not Vietnam is able to eventually vaccinate its way out of the ongoing outbreak, many businesses besides Nike are facing a tough time today due to the country’s attempts to tamp down infections. Last month, Adidas estimated that new Covid-19 lockdowns in Asia, combined with tensions with China, could cost it more than $592 million in lost sales in the second half of the year. A couple weeks ago, Chico’s revealed it had moved 9 percent of its overall production out of Vietnam and into other countries. Last week, Lululemon said pandemic-related closures in the nation had impacted 20 percent of its second-half inventory.
Source: sourcingjournal.com (13 Sep 2021)
8、US urged to pay fair prices for Bangladesh garments
US brands and retailers are being urged to pay fair prices for the garments they source from Bangladesh, something that will help create a safer and more sustainable industry.
The president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Faruque Hassan, made the call for US brands and retailers to be more rational when it comes to the prices they pay for garments, at a roundtable held in Washington DC.
“Our factories are increasingly investing money for safety and sustainability. Besides, production cost has gone up by more than 30% in last five years. On the contrary, the price of our apparel is declining every year. While it’s a fact that in a free market economy price cannot be dictated, but nobody can justify a lower price to produce socially fair goods,” he said.
“It is the collaboration and partnership between brands and our suppliers that has helped us to achieve tremendous growth so far and future cooperation and partnership will help us to maintain this,” Faruque Hassan added.
The roundtable was attended by senior US government officials including Christopher Wilson, Assistant US Trade Representative for South Asia; William Jackson, Assistant USTR for Textiles, and Jennifer Larson, Director for South and Central Asia of the US Department of State; Maureen Haggard, Director for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour of the US Department of State; former Bangladeshi diplomat Farooq Sobhan, BGMEA Vice President Miran Ali, Ambassador Teresita Schaffer from the McLarty Associates, representatives of US-Bangladesh Business Council, American Apparel and Footwear Association, Walmart, Target, as well as senior officials of the Bangladesh Embassy.
Hassan briefed the US Government and relevant stakeholders about how the readymade garment industry of Bangladesh has undergone massive transformation over the last few years to become one of the safest industries in the world and have the highest number of green garment factories across the globe. He also apprised the participants of the steps and measures taken by the industry to ensure workers’ wellbeing.
He urged the US government to consider reducing duty on apparel products from Bangladesh and for the US to encourage the exploration of investment opportunities in textile industries in Bangladesh, particularly in the non-cotton segment.
He also stressed the need for a unified code of conduct as multiple audits are not only waste of time and money, but also the audit fatigue makes compliance difficult for enterprises.
Last month the Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi told attendees at the ‘Men’s Apparel Guild in California’, in Las Vegas that the Bangladesh government aims to increase the volume of garment exports to the US. The aim is to gain a bigger market share in a country where he says Bangladesh already sends US$7bn worth of garments each year.
Source: www.just-style.com (14 Sep 2021)
9、3D Tech Festival returns for 2021
The 3D Tech Festival organised by fit specialist Alvanon and its apparel knowledge hub Motif returns next week, with speakers including Jami Dunbar, senior vice president global product supply at Under Armour, and Nicholas Paganelli, 3D product specialist at Ralph Lauren.
The online 3D Tech Festival will take place 21-23 September, addressing the themes of ‘Adopting 3D and Digital Product Creation (DPC)’, ‘Digital Transformation’ and ‘the Metaverse’.
The latest 3D innovations are blurring the lines between the digital and physical worlds, creating a Metaverse in which fashion professionals can design, develop, sample, and sell apparel in a virtual world before making the product.
The free to attend conference will be divided into three key themes:
1. Adopting 3D and Digital Product Creation (DPC): practical ‘real world’ advice and expert insight on how we can adopt end-to-end digitalized product development and management strategies to survive and thrive.
2. Digital Transformation, Technology and Innovation: digital advances transforming the way the global fashion industry designs, produces, fits, sells, delivers and communicates with ALL stakeholders and consumers.
3. Welcome to the Metaverse: entering the virtual world of the metaverse has become a necessity for brands. Our speakers will bridge the gap between reality and digital, and digital and metaverse.
“Since last year’s conference, the accelerated progress we have made as an industry would have been unimaginable pre-pandemic. We have learned a lot in a very short space of time,” says Janice Wang, CEO of Alvanon. “It is time to share our experiences and insight once more and ensure we are delivering on our ambition to do things differently and better.
“Digital Fashion is currently a US$40bn market, and growing as the wearer base and enabling technology expands. It’s very important for future designers to know about the skill-set that they need to develop.”
Joining Wang, Dunbar and Paganelli on the speaker roster is Dr Jeanette Friedrich global head of ISPO Group, Lena Lim, COO at at Browzwear, Hans Peter Hiemer managing director of Assyst GmbH, and Caley Taylor, 3D design team lead at CLO Virtual Fashion
Source: www.just-style.com (13 Sep 2021)
10、Redress Design Award winner blends sustainability with commercial appeal
Taiwan’s Jessica Chang (pictured above) has taken out this year’s Redress Design Award, winning the opportunity to work with the design teams of VF Corp’s Timberland brand.
Chang impressed the judges by incorporating waste materials into designs to connect with and inspire consumers. They said her collection demonstrated creativity in sustainable design as well as strong marketability and commerciality.
“Winning this chance to work with Timberland is a life-changer for me,” said Chang. “Entering this complex industry as an emerging designer is daunting because, so often, everywhere we look we see bad news and complexity. We know we can bring change. Yet it is hard to magnify our big ideas as start-up designers. The Redress Design Award has given me confidence – we are all in this together to make a positive change!”
Chang will start work with Timberland immediately, along with VF’s Sustainability and Responsibility team to ensure that the materials and design strategies meet the company’s sustainability objectives. She will get to design sustainable capsule collection with Timberland that will go on sale in 2023.
The Redress Design Award is considered the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition.
“The awards showcase what is possible when emerging designs are given an opportunity to innovate around sustainability,” said Sean Cady, VF’s VP, global sustainability and responsibility, and one of the judges.
“We believe cultivating creative, up-and-coming talent is both good for business and a necessity for the future of our planet. Watching our global teams embrace this sustainability competition and mentor the next generation of designers is incredibly rewarding.”
Ten finalists from the US, UK, Germany, India, and Greater China participated in virtual events for this year’s award which took place over the first 11 days of this month.
The event included educational challenges and master classes on advancing sustainability and circular design in the fashion industry through sustainable production solutions.
Emerging designers secured their place in the finals of the competition by impressing judges with entries that offered climate-positive apparel through zero-waste patterns, prolonged garment lifecycles, end-of-life disassembly, upcycling and minimal washing needs.
Meanwhile, a capsule collection designed by last year’s Redress winner will hit Timberland stores this Spring. Vietnamese designer Le Ngoc Ha Thu spent nine months working with the Timberland global design team to create the Chinese New Year-themed collection.
Source: insideretail.asia (14 Sep 2021)
11、UNIQLO -「LIFE WEAR MAGAZINE」ISSUE 05 - 2021 FALL & WINTER
Neighborhood Living
Source: www.uniqlo.com.hk (13 Sep 2021)