Supply Chain news and archive

South Asian textiles: End of a competitive advantage? A critical review of the French Treasury's quarterly letter

The quarterly letter published by the French Treasury offers a detailed diagnosis. The textile and apparel industry remains the industrial and social core of the economies of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. As a pillar of exports, a mass employer and a key driver of female employment, the sector has long relied on a simple competitive...

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Alibaba to transform B2B sourcing with agentic AI

E-commerce giant Alibaba has announced the integration of agentic AI capabilities into the user journey of its business-to-business (B2B) marketplace. Launched under the 'AI mode' feature, this technological innovation aims to transform the processes by which professionals discover, evaluate and interact with suppliers. Even more impressive than...

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The Lycra Company opens second production facility in China

US fibre manufacturer The Lycra Company opened its largest spandex factory in the world in the Chinese city of Yinchuan on Friday. “This milestone underscores the company's continued investment in the Chinese market and highlights its strong commitment to building localised supply and distribution networks, as well as promoting advancements in...

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Retail

Textiles: Why Korean giant Sae-A is betting on nearshoring in El Salvador and the US

By bringing its production closer to the US market, the group is focusing on responsiveness and logistical control, while reducing its dependence on Asian supply chains. The move is indicative of a broader shift. The global textile industry is refocusing on proximity and industrial resilience. Global player consolidating its regional base...

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Following meeting with Trump: Xi warns of disrupted supply chains

Following a meeting with US president Donald Trump, China's head of state and party, Xi Jinping, has warned of a breakdown in supply chains. To drive economic growth, the stability of industrial and supply chains must be guaranteed, Xi said at the summit of heads of state and government of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in...

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Business|In-depth

A visit to Tendam's new Illescas logistics centre

At the invitation of Tendam and technology company Dematic, FashionUnited toured the new logistics centre that the Spanish fashion multinational has now brought to full capacity in the Toledo town of Illescas, Spain. This is a particularly strategic location, bordering Madrid, where the company has just established the new hub for its online...

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Tod's faces judicial administration over claims of "severe labour exploitation"

The Milan Public Prosecutor's Office has requested to place the Marche-based company Tod's spa under judicial administration for negligently facilitating "severe labour exploitation" along its production chain. The request from public prosecutor Paolo Storari is addressed to Italy's Court of Cassation, which has scheduled a hearing for November...

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news/background

Changemakers in fashion (part 5): Leanne Heuberger, CSR specialist at Zeeman

There are countless sustainability initiatives, but who in the fashion industry is truly driving the transition, whether their efforts are visible to the public or not? We interview changemakers, consultants, sustainability experts and activists in fashion. What can we learn from their work? In episode six: Leanne Heuberger, CSR specialist at...

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Fairs

CHIC Shanghai: China's garment manufacturers navigate trade conflicts and rising costs

Rising pressure surrounding the trade conflict between China and the US, as well as growing competition domestically and in other Asian countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh, demand new measures for China's garment manufacturers. To understand how manufacturers are handling the situation, while rising costs and consumer reticence shape the...

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Insights from PwC: The mindset of supply chain managers

Audit firm PwC surveyed 610 supply chain and operations managers about the digital transformation of supply chains. The aim was to identify their priorities and tensions, as the supply chain is still perceived as a cost centre, not a strategic lever. While the "Digital Trends in Opérations Survey 2025" report does not directly address the...

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Business

Asia holds the thread: Regional textile powers reinvent strategies amid global slowdown

While 2024-2025 financial results show a slowdown in consumption in several Asian countries – particularly for luxury groups like LVMH – the global textile sector continues to rely on the region. Several indicators from the first half of 2025 confirm Asia’s central role in global value chains. Between export growth, structural adjustments,...

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China criticises politicisation of global trade

Following the latest tariff threat from Washington, China indirectly criticised the US in the ongoing trade dispute. Vice premier He Lifeng, speaking at the opening of the supply chain expo in Beijing, said, "Currently, some countries, under the guise of risk reduction, are intervening in the market. They are imposing tariffs and enacting...