#Associations

2021-12-22

ITC Partnership with IAF to boost exports of garment manufacturers

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Apparel Federation (IAF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support associations of garment manufacturers as well as garment apparel manufacturing companies in addressing emerging challenges related to competitiveness.

In addition, the cooperation will support these institutions in understanding the governance structure of the global apparel value chain and industrial relations between brands and retailers and supplying garment manufacturers.

IAF will advise garment manufacturers on rules of origin requirements, address new buyer requirements in markets, reduce the environmental footprint of garment manufacturing and empower women’s work along the supply chain. ITC and IAF will co-create trainings in this regard.

Digitalization will also play an essential role in this agreement. Amid the pandemic, digitalization has become a crucial topic for the textile and clothing industry: brands, retailers and larger suppliers are expected to modernize their production and adapt to the latest trends.

Therefore, ITC plans several activities to address digitalization for GTEX/MENATEX partners and how to engage in a more collaborative relationship with brands and retailers using digital technologies.

Matthias Knappe, head of the Fibres, Textiles and Clothing Unit at the International Trade Centre, says: “The garment sector is an ever-changing industry that requires companies to closely follow global trends and requirements to be internationally competitive and continuously export. ITC wants to ensure that its partners and beneficiary companies in developing countries have the best support to meet the environmental and human rights requirements of global buyers.”

Matthijs Crietee, Secretary-General of the International Apparel Federation, confirms the importance of this partnership: “ITC, through its GTEX and MENATEX programmes, shares with IAF a strong focus on apparel industry associations, recognizing that through the support of these organizations many companies can be supported with the continuous improvement of their competitiveness. IAF welcomes the opportunity to have its knowledge and network join forces with ITC’s knowledge and network to provide optimal support to the industry associations and their member companies involved.”

This initiative is implemented under the International Trade Centre’s Global Textiles and Clothing Programme (GTEX) in North Africa, Middle East (MENATEX), Central Asia and Madagascar.

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.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues 2026 concludes with 50 international participants immersed in Brazilian cotton production

The Cotton Brazil Dialogues concludes its 2026 edition after a series of technical visits to farms, cotton gins and reference centers, as well as workshops focused on Brazilian cotton production. A total of 50 participants from 14 countries took part in the field trips. The initiative is led by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa) and the National Association of Cotton Exporters (Anea), with support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

European textile industry calls for €10 handling fee on ultra-fast-fashion imports

The introduction of the €3 customs duty on low-value imports marks an important milestone in Europe’s efforts to address the challenges created by the rapid growth of ultra-fast-fashion imports. Together with the abolition of the €150 customs duty exemption, it demonstrates that policymakers are willing to act when market distortions become impossible to ignore. However, the European textile and clothing industry considers this a first step rather than the final destination.

Business situation weakens slightly, but the industry stays cautiously optimistic

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has published the results of its 39th Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS), conducted from 14 to 22 July 2026 among companies along the entire global textile value chain. Worldwide, 10% of participants rated their business situation as good, 53% as satisfactory and 37% as bad — a balance of -26pp, down from -17pp in May but still well above the 2023 lows. All regions are now in negative territory, from South Asia at -3pp to North & Central America at -58pp.

Novel flame-retardant and recyclable fiber-reinforced composite

Airplanes and passenger trains must meet strict safety requirements, including fire safety standards. This calls for materials that are flame-retardant, lightweight, robust, and scalable. Empa researchers, in collaboration with their industry partner Elantas, have now succeeded for the first time in making such a material – a composite – fully recyclable.

WHILL selects Teijin’s tough, lightweight Carbon Fiber Composite for new last-mile mobility

Teijin Limited announced today that WHILL Inc., a global leader in inclusive mobility technology, has selected Sereebo® P CFP series, a carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) material, for key structural components of the upcoming WHILL Model C Lite. Sereebo® P CFP series provides high strength, light weight, design flexibility and system cost advantages to the Model C Lite, which is a battery powered, single-seat, last-mile device. This new model combines maneuverability with light weight and one-handed folding to ensure ease of handling and operation.

ZymoChem secures $4 million in renewed federal funding to advance U.S. biomanufacturing of critical materials and their supply chains

ZymoChem, the specialty chemicals company dedicated to bringing decarbonization, sustainability, and supply chain resiliency to the chemical industry through innovative biological manufacturing, today announced the resumption and expansion of its federal research portfolio. The company has been notified that previously paused work under a $5 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program is officially back on, to be joined by continuing collaborations with three of the nation's premier national laboratories.