AGP Executive Report

PLI Push in Technical Textiles: Faze Three Limited has been approved under India’s PLI scheme to make MMF fabrics and technical textiles, committing Rs 100 crore and targeting incremental sales at 2x base-year levels after a Vapi, Gujarat facility upgrade. Trade-Driven Textile Optimism: A Bloomberg roundup says Indian textile exporters of T-shirts, bed linen and towels are among the biggest stock winners this year, helped by new trade deals and a more supportive tariff setup. IPO Watch for Textile Investors: Aastha Spintex’s IPO allotment is set to be finalised soon, with guidance for checking status on NSE and BSE using PAN and application details. Anti-Illegal Waste Crackdown: OLAF says Turkish customs seized nearly 2,100 tonnes of mislabelled textile waste stored in a Turkish recycling warehouse, plus another 768 tonnes at Mersin port, after an Italy-linked scheme to dodge costly recycling rules. Quality & Testing Training: AATCC will host UV calibration training focused on best practices for accurate color measurement and fluorescent standards. Sourcing Event Expansion: Source Fashion in London opens next week with a sold-out, expanded show aimed at more resilient, transparent supply chains.

Repair Culture in Qatar: Stitch by Salma founder Umme Salma says more shoppers are choosing tailoring, alterations and repairs to extend garment life, valuing durability and long-term value even as fast fashion expands. Circularity Recognition in Brussels/Charlotte: Bank & Vogue highlights its textile reuse and recycling push after being recognized at the Textiles Recycling Awards in Brussels and taking part in Textile Recycling Expo USA, including a panel on retailers’ growing role in recovery systems. Textile Recycling R&D in the US: Reju opened its first North America Research & Development Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, to scale polyester and mixed-fabric recycling and move circular chemistry toward industrial deployment. EU/India Trade Boost: India’s apparel exports to the EU hit a record $4.66bn in FY25–26, with ready-made garments leading, as an EU-India FTA is expected to further lift textile and apparel flows. Textile Waste Awareness (Australia): Local op-shop volunteers warn donors to give clean, sellable items, as clothing volumes keep rising and much ends up in landfill or rag streams. Fashion Supply Chain Policy Shock (USMCA): The US will not renew USMCA in its current form, adding uncertainty for North American supply chains that include textiles and apparel. Italian Textile Machinery Watch: ACIMIT reports a tough 2025 for textile machinery—down domestic production and exports—urging innovation and sustainable transition ahead of ITMA 2027. Green Composites Deal (SAMPE China): ACC (Beijing) and partners signed a framework agreement to build an international green composite industrial platform using plant-fiber inputs like ramie and bamboo.

Investment Pulse (Qatar): Invest Qatar says Qatar pulled in $3.4bn FDI capex across 373 projects in 2025, creating 15,051 jobs, with over half of spending in greenfield and nearly half in medium-to-high tech. Workplace Safety (Pakistan): Campaigners renewed pressure on Hugo Boss after a worker in its supply chain at Arctic Textile Mills lost an arm while clearing jammed machinery. Skills & Policy (Bangladesh): Bangladesh’s education minister pledged stronger textile education, research and technical training via BUTEX, as the country remains a major ready-made garments exporter. Inclusive Employment (Bangladesh): BBDN and GIZ highlighted progress on disability-inclusive workplaces in the textile and leather sector, including return-to-work systems and updated training modules. Circularity & Waste Rules (Estonia): Estonia proposed Waste Act changes to push producer responsibility for textile waste collection and recycling by 2028. Fast-Fashion Clampdown (France): France’s parliament passed a bill targeting ultra-fast fashion platforms like Shein and Temu, adding fees and banning ads. Market Signals (UK): UK shop price inflation held at 1.2% in June, with clothing promotions helping keep summer essentials affordable. Sourcing & Compliance (Trade): A WTO/ITC/UNCTAD tariff review urges textile exporters to plan for non-tariff barriers and trade remedies beyond headline MFN rates. Materials Outlook: Reports point to continued movement in polyester feedstocks and caprolactam-linked pricing, while spunlace nonwovens suppliers push expanded home, medical and finishing applications.

Textile Import Ban Debate (Nigeria): Nigeria’s Senate is pushing for a total ban on textile fabric imports, but the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise warns it could backfire—hurting the N10tn garment and tailoring ecosystem, disrupting supply chains, and boosting smuggling—arguing for competitiveness fixes instead. Circular Fashion Push (California): California’s SB 707 sets July 1 as the deadline for apparel and textile brands to register under an EPR system, aiming to speed up collection, repair, reuse and recycling. EPR & Resale Momentum (US): The same circular shift is already visible in fast-growing secondhand fashion demand, with the law designed to force broader compliance. Product Safety (UK Retail): Primark recalled a color-block purse over chemical risk, citing phthalates and other regulated chemicals linked to reproductive harm. Trade & Industry (Ghana): President Mahama broke ground on the Tema Integrated Industrial Park, a public-private push to expand manufacturing and exports. Home Textiles Trade (India): HGH India opened in Mumbai with 700+ brands and 50,000 buyers, with sustainability a key theme. Water & Textiles Innovation: UT Austin unveiled a water-harvesting jacket that uses specialized textiles to collect drinkable water from air. Compliance in Mills (Pakistan): Pakistan’s FBR hit its FY26 tax target and also moves to require surveillance cameras in textile mills from July 1.

PFAS Disposal Push: Environmental Clean Technologies (ECT) filed performance data with the US EPA for its Rapid Electrothermal Mineralisation (REM) process, aiming to destroy “forever chemicals” and convert fluorine to calcium fluoride. Textile Trade & Fraud: Italy’s Prato authorities, via the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, seized 7.8 million metres of fabric and 237,000 clothing items tied to a VAT/customs evasion scheme using fictitious EU buyers. Circular Materials Scaling: RE&UP launched its Fiber Club consortium to move next-gen recycled textiles from pilots to commercial supply, tackling fragmented sourcing and high upfront costs. Industry Expansion in India: Nitin Spinners plans Rs. 1,100–1,120 crore capacity expansion across spinning, weaving and finishing, targeting higher value-added fabric output. Bangladesh Investment Wave: Chinese firms proposed $9.21bn for recycled yarn and export logistics, including Payra Port recycled cotton facilities and Mongla port economic-zone plans. Policy & Waste Rules: UKFT urged the UK government to clarify Environment Agency guidance on textile waste vs reuse, warning it could disrupt circular sorting and export routes. Sourcing Risk Map: Fibre*Fashion’s 2026 index says trade shifts have compressed China’s lead, with India emerging as the durable top-tier winner.

Ultra-Fast Fashion Crackdown (France): France’s parliament has given final approval to a bill targeting ultra-fast fashion platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress, with rising per-item fees, advertising limits (including via influencers), and environmental penalties that can reach up to €20 per item by 2030, with proceeds earmarked for textile collection and recycling. Circular Textiles (Vietnam): Vietnam has invited H&M and its textile-to-textile recycling partner Syre to help shape new rules as the country tests how circularity can be built into its textile, garment and footwear sector. Pakistan Apparel Sustainability Push: Pakistan’s apparel industry has launched a national chapter of the Apparel and Textile Transformation Initiative (ATTI), aiming to support decarbonisation, water stewardship, climate finance and sustainable manufacturing to help exporters meet stricter buyer requirements. Textile Waste & Jobs Risk (Nigeria): Nigeria’s CPPE warns a proposed textile import ban could damage downstream industries worth about N17tn and threaten around 10m jobs, arguing reforms should come alongside measures that revive local production. Heritage & Materials: Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandrina is turning locally sourced cotton into archival-grade paper for manuscript conservation after supply-chain disruptions. Industry Skills Gap (TCF): India’s TCF Council calls for dedicated training centers to address shortages in sewing, pattern making, quality control and machine maintenance. Fashion & Culture: Zandra Rhodes donates archive garments to London’s Fashion and Textile Museum, while a Denmark excavation points to large-scale Viking textile production.

Policy Push (South Asia): Bangladesh’s textiles and jute minister says the country is moving both sectors toward “modern, sustainable and export-oriented” growth, backed by enforcement of the jute packaging law, cash incentives for exporters, and support for small jute entrepreneurs. Trade Expansion (Jute & Agri): Pakistan’s state trading body is seeking deeper Bangladesh trade, aiming to export rice, lentils, chickpeas, fertilizer and edible oil while importing higher-quality Bangladeshi jute and jute products; an MoU between the two trading corporations is nearing completion. India Cluster Support (Tirupur): India’s textiles minister urged Tirupur knitwear makers to accelerate shifts toward blended and man-made fibre production and sustainability, while promising help on women’s worker hostels, new industrial clusters, and advanced manufacturing tech. Budget Outlook (Bangladesh RMG): A proposed FY26-27 budget is framed as a potential boost for apparel via tax cuts, levy adjustments, MMF diversification support, renewable energy incentives, and lighter compliance burdens. Sourcing & Events (China): Shaoxing is accelerating textile upgrades with automation, digitalization and AI as it targets CNY1 trillion GDP; Intertextile Shenzhen also reported strong buyer turnout and a stronger innovation focus. Sustainability & Regulation (EU): Germany backs tougher EU rules to curb ultra-fast fashion, pushing for more recycled content and easier repair and recycling to reduce textile waste. Corporate Sustainability (Canada): Gildan earns repeat sustainability recognition from Corporate Knights and TIME’s Most Sustainable Companies list.

MSME Push in Bangladesh: Experts marking International MSME Day urged simpler rules, a one-stop digital licensing system, and better access to support services, noting nearly 90% of businesses remain informal and compliance info is scattered. Bangladesh Investment Drive: Twelve Chinese firms proposed $9.21b for Bangladesh, including waste-to-energy, gas exploration, and a Mongla Port Economic Zone with bonded warehousing and logistics. EU Market Stakes for Bangladesh: Bangladesh is negotiating an FTA and seeking GSP Plus to protect duty-free access as it faces LDC graduation, with about half of exports going to the EU. Nigeria Textile Policy Warning: CPPE urged Nigeria’s Senate to drop a proposed textile import ban, warning it could disrupt supply chains and threaten around 10m jobs, calling instead for cotton, power, financing, and competitiveness reforms. Nigeria Cotton Revival Plan: A textile expert backed a phased rebuild starting with certified seeds, extension services, security for cotton communities, reliable electricity, and long-term single-digit financing. Textile Recycling in Limerick: A councillor called for better coordination with textile recycling operators to stop overflowing bring banks while keeping recycling access clear for residents. Italian Machinery Workshop in Mongolia: ACIMIT and partners hosted an Italian textile technology workshop in Ulaanbaatar to support Mongolia’s modernization across wool, cashmere, spinning, finishing, and sustainable production. Textile Innovation Spotlight: A University of Texas jacket uses textile fibers to harvest moisture from air, producing up to about 1.5 pints of drinkable water per day in field conditions.

Bangladesh–China Investment Push: Twelve Chinese firms have proposed about US$9.2bn in Bangladesh during PM Tarique Rahman’s June 22–26 visit, spanning Mongla Port expansion, a Chattogram industrial park, highways, and waste-to-energy—aimed at tens of thousands of jobs and stronger supply chains. MSME Focus: Bangladesh’s industries minister called MSMEs the “lifeblood” of the economy, while India’s World MSME Day event in Hyderabad echoed the same push for jobs and entrepreneurship. Nigeria Textile Import Ban Backlash: Nigeria’s CPPE warned that a Senate-backed textile import ban could disrupt downstream fashion and garment work, threatening millions of jobs and supply chains instead of fixing structural issues like energy, credit, and logistics. Pakistan Cotton Market Disruption: Pakistan’s Karachi Chamber of Commerce flagged the sealing/occupation of the historic Cotton Exchange building, saying it has stalled hundreds of offices tied to cotton trade and hurts exporter confidence. Traceability Tech for Fibres: Lectra’s TextileGenesis is now powering NATIVA’s wool and cotton programs with a digital chain of custody to replace paper certificates and improve audit-ready traceability. Ultra-Fast Fashion Regulation Push (EU): Germany, France, and the Netherlands urged tougher coordinated EU action against ultra-fast fashion, targeting short-lived, low-quality textiles.

Leadership Move (India Textiles): Grasim Industries appointed Sangeeta Tanwani as CEO (Designate) for its Textiles business from Aug 1, 2026, with the CEO role starting Nov 1 as Kapil Agrawal exits to a new Aditya Birla Group position. Sustainability Data (Cotton): Cotton Incorporated released an ISO-compliant 2026 life cycle assessment for U.S. cotton fiber, using primary grower inputs from 753 growers to quantify cradle-to-gate emissions and key drivers for decarbonization reporting. Trade & Market Access (India): Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh said India’s FTA network now covers 56 countries and is expanding export potential for textiles. Circularity & Waste (EU): EU watchdog reporting highlights large-scale illegal textile waste trafficking into Turkey, adding pressure on enforcement and EPR-style systems. Investment Signals (Bangladesh): Eleven Chinese firms proposed $9.21bn investment in Bangladesh, spanning energy, logistics, manufacturing, and waste-to-energy—relevant for textile supply chains. Craft & Heritage (Textiles in Culture): A new exhibition on embroidered traditions across Morocco to Afghanistan spotlights SWANA textile heritage and identity through centuries-old techniques.

Textile Waste & Recycling: Oregon’s St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County is diverting nearly 3 million pounds of textiles from landfills by sorting donations into resale, reuse, upcycling, rags, and bales. Circularity & Community: Dayton’s 7 Circle of Kindness Community Recycling Drive returns June 27, collecting hard-to-recycle items and hundreds of pounds of clothing and other goods. Labour & Compliance: A US delegation urged Bangladesh’s BTMA to protect labour rights and align with ILO standards as it discusses post-LDC graduation competitiveness. Trade & Policy: India’s Commerce Ministry reviewed its Export Promotion Mission with EPCs, adding fixed DGFT committee schedules to speed facilitation. EPR & Regulation: California’s textile recycling law faces a July 1, 2026 deadline, while Europe’s Textile PRO Forum calls for harmonised EPR rules. Industry Events: ITM 2026 in Istanbul drew 48,257 professional visitors from 105 countries, underscoring global demand for textile machinery. Local Textile Culture: Bewdley’s River Festival features 18-foot canvas banners made by volunteers to raise awareness of river pollution.

Textile Recycling in India: Navi Mumbai’s municipal textile recycling facility was showcased as a national model at a New Delhi summit, with the project backed by household participation and training for women to support circular textile waste management. New Textile Park Jobs Push: Chhattisgarh is moving ahead with a Nava Raipur textile park, where Swift Textiles has started a ₹235 crore garment unit aimed at children’s apparel and knitwear, targeting thousands of jobs and export markets. Circular Tech & Machinery: Stäubli highlighted demand at ITM Istanbul 2026 for automated weaving preparation, Jacquard, and digital services focused on productivity and energy efficiency. Trade Talks With Sector Pressure: India-US “Mission 500” talks are said to be making “substantial progress,” but the key sector concessions and “competitive advantage” details remain unclear—raising stakes for textile-linked industries. Brand Expansion Using Indian Craft: Fabindia launched “Fabels” to enter western wear, blending global styles with Indian textile techniques like Ajrakh, indigo, Dabu printing, and hand embroidery. Policy & Compliance Watch: EU investigators and watchdogs continue to flag large-scale illegal textile waste exports and dumping, keeping enforcement pressure on supply chains. Local Industry & Employment: Ghana lawmakers urged sustaining the 1D1F factory initiative to tackle youth unemployment, echoing broader manufacturing-first approaches.

Freight & cotton pulse: Drewry’s World Container Index jumped 5% to $4,166/FEU, the highest since Sep 2024, as Transpacific demand stayed firm and capacity looks tight; meanwhile US upland cotton export sales slid 53% week-on-week (Pima also down) even as shipments rebounded, while ICE cotton futures bounced after a losing streak on a weaker dollar and firmer crude. Bangladesh investment & compliance pressure: PM Tarique Rahman says Bangladesh will open its first investment office in China soon to speed decisions and deepen manufacturing links; BGMEA also urged a science-based, realistic environmental compliance roadmap for RMG, warning current effluent standards are hard to meet. Trade & market access moves: BTMA asked the US to speed duty-free implementation for apparel made with US cotton/MMF; EU regulators backed tighter workplace cancer rules in a chemicals deal, and OLAF flagged large-scale acrylic-rich textile waste trafficking from Italy to Turkey. Circularity & materials: Europe’s textile waste rules tighten further as brands face limits on landfilling/incineration of unsold stock; Shenzhen’s Intertextile Shenzhen 2026 highlighted innovation-led sourcing, including smarter, more sustainable fibre choices. Regional industry support: ADB approved $42.2m to build Northeast India’s bamboo value chains, aiming at jobs and reduced imports.

Circularity & Compliance: EU investigators (OLAF) say they uncovered large-scale illegal textile waste exports from Italy to Turkey, seizing thousands of tons and €12m in assets, with shipments allegedly misdeclared to dodge recycling rules. Brand Claims Under Scrutiny: The UK Advertising Standards Authority banned ads by Adidas, Calvin Klein and Uniqlo over misleading “recycled” fabric claims, saying the wording implied products were entirely recycled without support. Textile Waste-to-Value Tech: Nova Carbon and CMP Composites partnered to collect and recycle CMP’s carbon-fiber offcuts, with the first industrial use reported in small offshore wind turbine blades using recycled aligned fibers. Industry Investment: India’s Winsome Textile Industries approved about Rs 170 crore capex to modernise spinning, expand dyeing, and upgrade effluent recycling/ETP and sludge handling. Policy & Trade: Tunisia’s 22nd Investment Forum highlighted growing FDI in high-value sectors including technical textiles; separately, Bangladesh’s PM in China pushed Chinese investment and a planned Bangladesh investment office in China, while Pakistan-Iran trade revival faces banking and smuggling hurdles. Market & Supply Chain Signals: Crisil says West Asia tensions’ profit hit to India Inc may be limited as crude prices ease and shipping routes reopen. Design & Materials Spotlight: Louis Vuitton’s SS27 menswear editorial leans on surf-inspired materials and weathered textures, while Wales Bonner’s SS27 “Sun Poem” ties portraiture/documentary photography to tailored menswear textiles. Heritage Textiles: Archaeologists in Denmark report a major Viking Age settlement at Søften with large-scale flax processing and textile production tied to trade networks.

Bangladesh RMG Compliance Push: BGMEA urged Bangladesh’s environment ministry to adopt more practical, science-based rules for effluent treatment and to shift ZLD toward a phased, performance-based roadmap so exporters can stay competitive. EU Chemical Limits: The EU Parliament and Council reached a provisional deal tightening worker exposure rules for dangerous chemicals, a direct compliance headache for textile suppliers selling into Europe. Circular Textiles Deal: HKRITA signed an MoU with Jeanologia and Looptworks to scale hydrothermal recycling of blended textiles via its Green Machine 4.0, targeting high-purity polyester recovery. Bangladesh Export Slowdown: Bangladesh garment exports fell 3.41% in July–May FY26 to $35.31bn as demand weakened and costs rose, with pressure spreading beyond traditional markets. EU Anti-dumping on Textile Chemical Inputs: The European Commission imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) from China, Saudi Arabia and the US, a key intermediate used across textiles and other industries. India Polyester Cost Relief: India’s polyester industry asked for an extension of PTA/MEG duty exemptions to Sept 30, 2026 to protect MMF competitiveness amid logistics and raw-material volatility. US Forced-Labour Tariff Risk: Sri Lankan apparel exporters warned a US forced-labour-linked tariff framework could leave them paying higher duties than peers. Market Signals: ICE cotton futures slid for a fourth straight session as the dollar strengthened and crude eased, while UK manufacturing order books hit a near six-year low.

Bangladesh RMG Environment Push: BGMEA asked Bangladesh’s environment ministry for a science-based, realistic compliance roadmap for the ready-made garment sector, saying current Environment Conservation Rules 2023 effluent color parameters and ZLD expectations are hard to meet with existing ETP tech and that monitoring results can swing with rainfall and humidity. Bangladesh Factory Stress: New data says 151 garment and textile factories have permanently shut between Aug 2024 and Jun 2026, blamed on weak export orders, higher costs, raw material price pressure and global uncertainty, with government incentives now being sought by hundreds of distressed units. Pakistan Budget Signals for Textiles: Pakistan’s FY27 outlook is mixed, but exporters may get relief as a 1% turnover tax and advance tax on exports are removed, improving cash flow; the PSX rally also cited the move as a boost for textile stocks. India Surat Safety Checks: After a deadly Lucknow coaching-centre fire, Surat’s fire department is stepping up inspections in the textile hub, issuing notices for non-compliance with fire safety rules. Recycling Compliance Shift: US states are tightening packaging and producer-responsibility rules, raising demand for verifiable recycled materials—SMX says proof, not promises, will define the next phase of textile and plastics circularity. Denmark Viking Textile Find: Archaeologists uncovered a large, organized Viking-era textile production site in Denmark, suggesting advanced flax processing and a wider trade network. Circular Laundry Investment: Loop Linen Service broke ground on a $16.4M, 62,000-sq-ft Avondale laundry facility, part of a $25.1M investment to modernize operations and retain 125 jobs.