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Global yarn production increased in Q2/2013 in comparison to the previous one as a result of higher output in Asia, North and South America while production remained practically unchanged in Europe. Year-on-year global yarn production was up as well with Asia and South America recording higher and Europe and North America lower output. Worldwide yarn stocks were slightly higher due to higher inventories in Europe and Asia while stocks in South America were down. On an annual basis global yarn stocks were up with all regions recording higher inventories. Yarn orders in Europe and Brazil fell in Q2/2013. Also compared to last year’s quarter yarn ord...

Cellulosic fibre production is set to continue growing rapidly in the coming years, according to Issue No 165 of Textile Outlook International from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence.   Faced with soaring raw cotton prices in 2011, many textile and apparel producers switched to man made fibres or started to use a greater proportion of man made fibres in blends.   Significantly, cellulosic fibre production worldwide rose by a healthy 11.0% in 2011 compared with a 3.7% rise in global demand for fibres of all types. Furthermore, cellulosic fibre production grew by an even faster 12.0% in 2012 while world fibre demand contin...

China’s leaders meet where the economic and political agenda for the next decade will be discussed. In a brief report announcing that the four-day meeting had opened in Beijing, state news agency Xinhua said it would discuss “major issues concerning comprehensively deepening reforms”. Areas expected to be discussed include liberalising the financial sector, state-owned enterprises and reforming China’s household registration system. The talks are held behind closed doors. The Third Plenum is the third meeting of the Xi Jinping-led 18th Central Committee. It is important because the grand plans that come out of this meeting could affect everyone in...

Reda, one of the world’s most important weavers of superfine wool, has committed to a long term investment in Australia’s superfine woolgrowers. An historic agreement will see the best superfine wool, defined in industry terms as 1PP, to be purchased exclusively by the luxury weaver at an industry premium price. With the support of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), Reda’s Global Directors, Francesco Botto Poala and Fabrizio Botto Poala have headed an international media tour to Australia to highlight the source of the IPP bales to the world and marks the launch of the brand’s 150th anniversary celebrations. The tour group has attended a wool aucti...

Eurozone factory orders rose for a fourth consecutive month in October, leaving factories unable to keep up with demand, according to a survey. Manufacturers in the 17-country eurozone saw their backlogs rise higher as stocks of finished goods continued to fall. The Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) stood at 51.3 in October, up from 51.1 in September. Any reading of above 50 suggests expansion. Markit said that only France and Greece, out of the 17 countries that use the euro, failed to enjoy improved conditions. The organisation’s chief economist, Chris Williamson, however, said that the pace of growth was “modest overall”. “W...

The International Wool Textile Organisation Congress will take place at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town which is located not far from the V&A Waterfront and in a very recently modernised area of Cape Town. IWTO is in the process of setting up the event website but if in the meantime if you have any specific questions about the Congress please contact meetings@iwto.org. Online registration is expected to open latest by mid-January 2014. A draft programme for the event can be found on the IWTO website.   The theme for the Congress is ‘Wool.Passion.People’ focusing on the holistic sustainable nature of wool which includes the social, economic and envir...

A continuing programme of investment and innovation from a UK wool processing company reaps rewards.   ‘It may seem to be a rather insignificant subject to many but branding is ultra important in this modern age. Huge corporate entities spend fortunes in order to create the right image for themselves and for their product ranges and the wool industry is no different!’, says David Gisbourne, the Managing Director at Haworth Scouring and Haworth Combing companies.   ‘We have the largest early stage processing facilities of its type. Millions of pounds worth of new investment has gone into making the Bradford based companies, leaders in their field, ...

The European Commission has said the European economy has reached a “turning point”, but the eurozone will grow less quickly than previously expected. The Commission said there were “signs of hope” that had started to turn into “tangible positive outcomes”. But in the eurozone – the 18 nations that use the euro – it predicted growth of 1.1% next year. This is the second downward revision of 2014 eurozone growth this year, after it was cut from 1.4% to 1.2% in May. The Commission forecast that the eurozone would grow 1.7% in 2015. In the EU as a whole, it expects 1.4% growth next year and 1.9% in 2015. It said overall EU growth would be flat this y...

In its latest market intelligence report AWI focused on economic conditions in countries relevant to the wool production chain. Surveys of consumer confidence are widely used to assess the level of optimism held about the general outlook of the economy and personal finances – this is important since it relates to the willingness of consumers to invest in discretionary purchases, such as houses, or suits.   The report suggests that lower consumer confidence can mean reduced sale volumes or sales prices. So what has been happening to consumer confidence in major wool consumption markets since January 2013? The following chart shows month-month chang...

The 2013 International Mohair Summit (Wednesday 30 October – Saturday 2 November) will be a showcase for the South African Mohair Industry, whilst placing the Eastern Cape as one of the leaders globally, in mohair production. The Summit hopes to encourage interest in international trade in Mohair, and is being held in Jansenville- known as the Heart of the Mohair Industry, that produces over 50% of the world’s mohair!   With this in mind, the Fashion Collective taking to the catwalk at the Summit’s Opening Dinner on Wednesday 30 October, will showcase local Eastern Cape Designers and Models, alongside their International colleagues… who will trave...

A free-trade zone in Shanghai, China’s economic hub, has been launched as the world’s second-biggest economy prepares to test long-awaited economic reforms. Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng attended the opening ceremony for the zone, which covers 29 sq km (11 sq miles). Mr Gao said the zone would help “implement a more active opening-up strategy”. Restrictions on foreign investment will be eased inside the area, and interest rates will be set by markets. Among other measures to be trialled inside the zone are allowing China’s heavily-regulated currency, the yuan, to be swapped freely for other currencies, China’s State Council said. Eighteen sectors,...

A surge in crossbred prices failed to extend to the showpiece bale of a 12.9 micron bale of NZ hogget merino wool at the Christchurch wool sale. The final bid at $34 a kilogram went under the reserve price for the 173kg bale set by Ithiel Ltd merino farmers John and Stacey Waldron from Central Otago. The fineness of the wool, laser-scanned at 12.9 microns, and its production without sheep covers or raised under a roof was unable to tempt international buyers. John Waldron said they were disappointed to see the bale fall under expectations, but had no regrets about testing the market at the Christchurch auction. He said they had taken a year to pre...

Overall orders of textile machinery for the third quarter of 2013 dropped 7% compared to the previous quarter. ACIMIT President Raffaella Carabelli stated that “the slowdown in the Chinese market is taking its toll abroad, whereas in Italy a general lack of confidence is hurting a recovery in investments.”   Italy’s textile machinery sector numbers around 300 manufacturers, with roughly 11,400 workers. Production for the industry in 2012 amounted to 2.4 billion euros with exports accounted for 83% of total production.   Based on an economic study conducted by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machine Manufacturers, the overall index for o...

The Campaign for Wool launched a special interiors promotion this Wool Week to encourage manufacturers, retailers, designers, editors and consumers to nominate their OneWool product of choice to celebrate during the Wool Week in the UK ( October 14th to 20th). OneWool – the new promotion for interiors – will harness the skills, design talent and energy of all those that work with the fibre to create fabrics, art, furnishings and flooring and celebrate the beauty, diversity and practicality of real wool in home décor. This new promotion follows on from the success of Wool House – the major interiors and lifestyle showcase that was held in March 201...

With London firmly cementing its place as the home of menswear, high-profile men’s fashion magazine GQ UK is celebrating Merino wool in this lucrative market, with a special six-page feature paying homage to the noble fibre in the magazine’s October edition. Titled Fleece Academy, the feature collaborates with more than 15 internationally acclaimed fashion designers, some of whom also support The Woolmark Company’s Cool Wool campaign. E. Tautz, Jonathan Saunders, Richard Nicoll, Lou Dalton and Christopher Raeburn all recently presented their Spring Summer 2014 range at London Collections: Men, which had a strong focus on Cool Wool lightweight fabr...

The Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee (AWPFC) has forecast Australian wool production to decline to 345 million greasy kilograms for the 2013/14 season, down by 1.4 per cent from the 2012/13 season total of 350 mkg. Committee Chairman Russell Pattinson commented that “the slight decrease in seasonal production reflects two major factors – an increase in sheep turn-off for slaughter in 2012/13, which has reduced season-opening sheep numbers for 2013/14; and an expected reduction in average fleece weight resulting from the dry seasonal conditions that were experienced in many woolgrowing regions in the first half of 2013”. Mr Pattinso...

www.woolbuy.net is a new interactive website that has attracted over 30 companies in its first week online. This website allows buyers to list their wool products, from greasy wool to yarn, and allows buyers to scroll through wool products available for sale. ‘It is in fact an eBay for the wool industry’, says Victor Chesky CEO of International Trade Publications, the company that has launched this website. ‘Our website is totally free to all users and specific to the wool industry. Buyers and sellers can communicate directly without the involvement of any third party.’ ‘We are very pleased with the number of companies that have listed their produ...

Chinese imports of Australian raw wool increased by 7% year-on-year from January to July 2013 to 114 million kilograms, worth US$1.2 billion. The value declined by 1% due to the softened wool prices according to the August AWI Market Intelligence report. For July 2013 raw wool imports were 14.4 m kgs, up in volume terms and 10% in value terms on July 2013. In its latest newsletter AWI summarises the improving exchange situation for Australian wool growers in the declining Australian dollar against the US dollar, while highlighting the challenges this poses for wool traders and exports. Foreign exchange changes can affect others further down the pi...