Info Center: COVID-19 x Home Textiles Industry News
07/01/2022 - The Made in China plan is back, and it’s better (The Economic Times)
State planners released a five-year smart manufacturing development plan in late December that aims to digitize 70% of the country’s large enterprises. China will now focus on building and owning industrial robots, as well as upgrading equipment and processes used in the manufacturing sector.
07/01/2022 - Investment to push China's growth in 2022, but COVID uncertainty stays (FIBRE2FASHION.COM)
With an eye on the positive fiscal and monetary policies, the think tank projects that investments in infrastructure and manufacturing tend to stabilise before climbing next year. The report expects 8 per cent annual growth in fixed asset investment for 2022, well above the 5.4 per cent growth before the pandemic. Consumption, driven by rising household disposable income, will play a critical role.
02/01/2022 - Morgan Stanley lists 4 reasons why China’s growth could be better than expected in 2022 (CNBC)
09/04/2021 - Bath suppliers chasing a booming business (Home textile today)
Bath towel sales at retail jumped 12.0% to $2.9 billion, according to HTT Research. The bath accessories segment – comprised of accessories, rugs/mats and shower curtains/liners – rose 9.0% year over year to $2.7 billion
“The overall sale increase came despite all the supply chain issues,” Hill noted. “Still, we would have done better if we could have met all the demand.”
21/01/2021 - Textile Global Market Report 2021: COVID 19 Impact and Recovery to 2030 (Intrado GlobeNewswire)
Major companies in the textile market include Toray Industries Inc; Mohawk Industries; Indorama Corporation Pte Ltd; Beaulieu International Group and Weiqiao Textile Company Limited. The global textile market is expected to grow from $594.
23/06/2020 - Coronavirus: Chinese developer to start human trials in UAE for vaccine candidate (South China Morning Post)
A Chinese state-owned developer has been authorised to start phase three human trials of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate in the United Arab Emirates.
China National Biotec Group said the clinical trials were approved by the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention during a teleconference on Tuesday.
Its subsidiary, the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, completed phase two human trials of the inactivated vaccine candidate, which showed it was safe and produced high levels of neutralising antibodies. Another candidate developed by a second subsidiary of the group is undergoing phase two trials.
Vaccine developers are looking overseas for phase three trials – which involve thousands of people – because there are no longer enough cases of Covid-19 within China, so it is not considered suitable for testing. Two other Chinese developers, CanSino and Sinovac Biotech, have previously announced they will start phase three trials elsewhere – in Canada and Brazil, respectively.
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04/06/2020 - China eases international flight restrictions (Flight Global)
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will allow more foreign carriers to fly into Mainland China, as it rolls out incentives for airlines based on passengers testing positive for the coronavirus.
From 8 June, foreign airlines which were previously not allowed to operate to China will now be able to do so, but can only operate one flight a week to a Chinese city of their choosing.
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03/06/2020 - Approved travellers on new Singapore-China 'fast lane' need not serve quarantine but must do Covid-19 swab tests (The Straits Times)
Under the Singapore-China "fast lane" agreement, which will start next Monday (June 8), travellers on both sides will be exempt from rules that require everyone else to serve quarantine periods of up to 14 days, the Singapore Government said on Wednesday.
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30/05/2020 - Singapore, China agree on ‘fast lane’ arrangement for essential travel from early June (Southeast Asia)
Singapore and mainland China have agreed to allow essential travel for business and official purposes between the two countries in early June, according to a joint statement.
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28/05/2020 - Frankfurt confirms October date for world's largest book fair (CGTN)
The 72nd Frankfurt Book Fair will be held from October 14 to 18, the supervisory board has confirmed after weeks of speculation.
This is the second major exhibition in Germany to be confirmed as scheduled after a series of major shows were canceled since the virus outbreak spread. Earlier this month, one of the largest major technology conferences IFA announced it was taking place as an in-person event in Berlin in September.
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18/05/2020 - Asia shares dragged higher by S&P 500, oil and gold jump (Reuters)
Asian shares were hauled higher by S&P 500 futures on Monday and oil prices hit a five-week peak as countries’ efforts to re-open their economies stirred hopes the world was nearer to emerging from recession.
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16/05/2020 - Breakingviews - U.S.-China trade escalation singles out hostages (Reuters)
The U.S.-China trade war is escalating, not just in rhetoric about the coronavirus but also in the world of high technology. Further restrictions on China’s Huawei Technologies by the administration of President Donald Trump heighten trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, as does the decision of Taiwan’s TSMC to build a $12 billion chip plant in Arizona. Multinationals like Qualcomm and Apple are now vulnerable, too.
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15/05/2020 - Coronavirus: What’s going to happen to China’s economy? (South China Morning Post)
The coronavirus pandemic has been pummeling the global economy, causing many governments to take extraordinary measures to prevent financial collapse. The initial outbreak of what is now a global pandemic happened in China, and months later the country seems to be recovering. But as the government tries to jump-start the nation’s stalled economy, it faces huge challenges. Heiwai Tang, professor of economics and associate director of the Institute for China and Global Development at Hong Kong University sheds some light on the situation.
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06/05/2020 - Germany separates exhibitions from ‘mass gatherings’ (Exhibition World)
Germany’s national government and the 16 Länder states have agreed that ‘Messen’ (exhibitions) are now on the list of activities that are explicitly listed as possible, rather than being classed as ‘Grossveranstaltungen’ (mass gatherings), which remain banned until the end of August.
The ruling means that tradeshows could run again in principle.
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04/05/2020 - Masked and standing apart, the world tiptoes out of lockdown (Reuters)
ROME/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Italy and the United States were among a slew of countries tentatively easing coronavirus lockdowns on Monday to revive economies as global deaths surpassed a quarter of a million. World leaders and organisations pledged $8 billion to fund a possible vaccine and treatments, many hoping explicitly to ensure that no country on Earth would be left out, but the United States did not contribute.
Italy, among the world’s hardest-hit countries, allowed about 4.5 million people to return to work after nearly two months at home. Construction work can resume and relatives can reunite.
30/04/2020 - ITMF Survey About The Impact Of The Corona-Pandemic On The Global Textile Industry (Textile World)
Orders in East Asia dropped visibly less (-28 percent) than in all the other regions (-40 percent and more).It can be assumed that this region, which was hit first by the Corona-crisis, is also recovering first from it. Especially China and Korea were able to contain the epidemic successfully.
In the last few weeks, most Chinese textile companies have ramped up production significantly. Likewise, off-line retail stores have reopened, and consumption is picking up again in East Asian countries. It remains to be seen what the consumption behavior will be like in China, Korea and other places once shops are open again.
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20/04/2020 - COVID-19: Positive test results for anti-viral textile finish imminent (Innovation In Textiles)
Melbourne, Australia based HealthGuard Corporation, a leader in non-invasive healthcare, has announced that its HealthGuard AMIC/PLB has been tested using live Corona Virus at the Guang Dong Detection Centre of Microbiology. The company claims that its HealthGuard AMIC/PLB anti-viral textile finish has been independently tested to be 99.9% effective against killing spores of Corona Virus (H1N1), SARS and Influenza Virus when applied correctly to fibres and fabrics.
“We are expecting excellent results on Human Strain COVID-19. That testing report will be available very soon,” Dr Christopher Harvey, President of HealthGuard, told Innovation in Textiles.
“HealthGuard products are easily applied by padding onto piece goods or spraying onto fibre in the tow. No changes in finishing need to be made,” Dr Harvey added.
“HealthGuard AMIC/PLB has been independently tested to be durable up to 50 wash cycles whilst retaining efficacy.”
“We foresee the application of HealthGuard AMIC/PLB treatment on all bedding, mattresses and pillow fillings, to be used on cruise ships, aeroplanes, trains, public transport seating, all hotel soft furnishings, public institutions and aged care facilities.”
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April 2020 - COVID-19 Lockdown: Impact on Textile Industry (Fibre2fashion)
It is a battle with an invisible enemy. The virus that started in China’s Wuhan has now affected almost all parts of the world, and is seen as one of the worst periods in human history. Almost all major economies, including China, the United States, India and many European nations, are under complete or partial lockdown. The pandemic has shaken up both the human race and the economies of these countries.