#Associations

2021-05-27

Cem Altan to be new President International Apparel Federation (IAF)

On May 19 2021, the General Assembly of IAF members unanimously chose Cem Altan to become the next President of the International Apparel Federation. During the 36th IAF Convention, to be held November 6 to 9, 2021 in Antwerp, Belgium, the current IAF President Han Bekke will hand over the IAF presidency to Cem Altan after a tenure of 4 years extended by an additional year due to the COVID pandemic. Mr. Bekke will remain on the IAF Executive Committee as immediate past president.

Cem Altan is founder of Aycem Textiles and he is member of the Board of Directors of both the Istanbul Apparel Exporters Association (IHKIB) and of the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association (TCMA). In the boards of both associations, he is tasked with international affairs and therefore he has a strong experience in industry representation on an international level. Mr. Altan has been a member of the IAF Board of Directors since 2014. Additionally, he is head of Istanbul Fashion Week and Koza Young Designers. He holds a textile technology degree from Nottingham Trent University in the UK. He is a manufacturer with a strong association experience and a truly global outlook.

IAF chooses a new President after one or two tenures of two years from among the ranks of its Board of Directors. IAF is a global federation that represents, often through their industry associations, the interests of apparel companies in different stages of the supply chain, including brands, retailers and manufacturers. The IAF presidency reflects this diversity. Mr. Bekke is also President of MODINT, the Dutch apparel and textile industry association representing mostly brands. Now, the new President carries the manufacturing segment into the IAF presidency.

Following the decision by the IAF General Assembly, Mr. Bekke remarked that he is “delighted that Cem will take over the leadership of IAF and that [Cem Altan] has great support in our membership. With his longstanding experience in our supply chain, I am confident that the future of IAF is in good hands with him” according to Mr. Bekke.

Mr. Altan remarks that: “It is going to be a challenging two years for me taking over the presidency from Mr. Han Bekke who has led IAF for five years. Especially under COVID circumstances it was difficult for all of our sector to tackle many problems. Under the leadership of Han, we have worked hard to carry the garment industry to a cleaner, greener and more digitalized level. I will take this leadership from where Han left, carrying it further ahead. My new position requires lots of responsibilities, hard work, vision and cooperation.”

IAF Position on tariffs

The International Apparel Federation (IAF) represents the apparel manufacturing community across more than 40 countries—a global industry comprising hundreds of thousands of companies and millions of employees. Apparel and textiles are among the most globalized industries, historically foundational to industrial development around the world.

IAF and ITMF unite global fashion and textile leaders

The joint ITMF Annual Conference and IAF World Fashion Convention was held on September 8-10 in the historic city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This year’s convention, co-organized by the International Apparel Federation (IAF) and the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), and hosted by Uztextileprom, the Uzbekistan Textile and Garment Industry Association, and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Uzbekistan highlighted the crucial interdependence of our sectors.

Partnership ITC and IAF: Full supply chain profitability

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Apparel Federation (IAF) announce a partnership to stimulate innovation towards “full supply chain profitability” for apparel manufacturers and brands. The first phase of collaboration is research to be previewed at the 38th IAF World Fashion Convention, Philadelphia, October 23-24. Applying learning in autos and electronics, a joint study articulates how material suppliers and garment manufacturers create ‘smart flexibility’ by postponing production commitments closer to actual demand, unlocking capital from unneeded inventory and excess production. Smart Flexibility is a new approach that uses a mix of process and data tools enabling suppliers to create additional value for brands and manufacturers alike that supersedes the benefits of lowest cost global sourcing.

EDANA warns of consequences of misclassification of PET spunbond imports

EDANA would like to remind its members and industry stakeholders of the legal requirement to comply with the EU rules on customs classification when importing nonwovens from third countries outside the EU. In this regard, it was recently discovered that there appears to be a high level of customs misclassification occurring in our industry. This could have dangerous and costly consequences for importers.

Engineering depth and diversity for composites

Airbond is the latest member of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) to receive recognition for contributions to the composites industry. The engineering firm based in Pontypool, South Wales, has just received the Make UK Energy and Sustainability Award for its Lattice 3D Printing project.

Selenis to double capacity in Portugal by Q3 2027 - Accelerating the Global transition to circular and low-carbon polyesters

Selenis, a global leader in high-performance specialty polyesters and part of the IMG Group, has announced a transformational expansion of its industrial headquarters in Portalegre, Portugal. This strategic investment is set to double the site’s production capacity by the third quarter of 2027, significantly accelerating the industrial scale-up of bio-based, medical-grade, and circular co-polyesters.

Independent testing confirms no detectable PFAS in Milliken firefighter turnout gear fabrics

Independent laboratory testing has confirmed that Milliken fabrics used in the manufacturing of firefighter turnout gear contain no detectable PFAS, based on third-party analysis conducted by Forever Analytical, an independent laboratory specializing in screening products and environmental samples for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles returns in August as global sourcing hub and trend barometer for home textiles industry

Following the conclusion of Heimtextil last month, the flagship fair in Messe Frankfurt’s global home and contract textiles portfolio, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition will return 18 – 20 August 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). Building on the momentum generated in Frankfurt, the Shanghai fair will reinforce its position as the foremost home and contract textile platform in Asia – successfully bridging the gap between East and West, and connecting global product trends, supply-chain shifts, and buyer demand in one marketplace.

Express Print boosts production using an expanded fleet of Mimaki technologies

Express Print, a fast-growing Bulgarian provider of visual communication and soft signage solutions, has significantly enhanced its production workflow with a comprehensive portfolio of Mimaki digital printing systems. Based in Varna and active for more than 10 years, the company maintains a strong focus on the advertising sector. Over the years, it has steadily expanded its operations, driven by a clear vision to bring the full spectrum of large-format printing services in-house, avoiding outsourcing and ensuring complete control over production quality.