Worldview: Africa’s Used Clothes Importers Dispute Waste Claims

🌍 Africa’s used clothes importers dispute campaigners’ waste claims. Talking on the inaugural Textile Circularity Convention, organised by the Bureau of Worldwide Recycling, on Sep. 17 in Brussels, Belgium, African representatives refuted what they described as “unverified” claims made by sustainability campaigners and worldwide media that 40 p.c of secondhand clothes imports into the area are of such poor high quality that they find yourself in landfill as textile waste. Marlvin Owusu, govt member of the Ghana Used Clothes Sellers Affiliation, and Teresiah Wairimu, chair of the Mitumba Consortium Affiliation of Kenya, claimed that the true determine is within the single digits. “We’re enterprise individuals… we solely import sorted garments and we’re main the best way on constructing a round economic system via textile use … It is rather insulting to listen to we’re importing waste,” stated Wairimu, who defended the sector as a significant employer and supplier of inexpensive clothes on the continent. [BoF Inbox, The Telegraph Uganda]

🇨🇳 Mytheresa launches new model title in China and WeChat programme. The posh e-tailer has rebranded as Meilinshi for the market and launched a mini programme for the tremendous app, following the current appointment of Dede Chan Brignoli as Better China president. “When a number of Western retailers are abandoning their presence within the area, Mytheresa underlines its long-term dedication to China [with this move],” stated Gareth Locke, the corporate’s chief development officer & managing director. [Fashion United]

🇮🇳 Amazon appoints Samir Kumar as its new India nation supervisor. The e-commerce main has introduced that the corporate veteran will assume the position on Oct. 1, changing Manish Tiwary who resigned in August. Kumar will successfully add the India market to the roster of different worldwide markets he leads comprising the Center East, South Africa and Turkey. Becoming a member of the agency in 1999, Kumar helped arrange the India enterprise in 2013, creating it within the intervening years alongside Amazon’s SVP for rising markets Amit Agarwal. [Economic Times]

🇧🇷 Comme des Garçons to open first South America retailer in Brazil. The avant-garde luxurious model led by Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo has partnered with Iguatemi to open a boutique within the Brazilian shopping center large’s São Paolo procuring centre. It follows a string of different directional manufacturers coming into the market via Iguatemi in recent times comparable to Balenciaga and Loewe. [Valor International]

🇮🇳 India’s ready-made garment exports enhance 12% in August. Exports rose to $1.26 billion within the month, regardless of international headwinds such because the Purple Sea delivery disaster and excessive logistics prices, stated the nation’s Attire Export Promotion Council (AEPC) chairman Sudhir Sekhri. “FTA (free commerce settlement) accomplice international locations like Japan and Korea have additionally began yielding optimistic outcomes,” stated AEPC secretary normal Mithileshwar Thakur. [Economic Times]

🇯🇵 Levi’s brings trademark lawsuit in opposition to Japanese model FullCount. The American attire large has filed a lawsuit in a California courtroom accusing the Japanese denim model and US retailers Franklin & Poe and Normal & Unusual of counterfeiting and trademark infringement over its purple ‘tab mark’ and embroidered ‘Arcuate mark’. Regardless of two prior injunctions in 2009 and 2018 requiring the defendants not manufacture, produce, supply or promote Levi’s emblems, the corporate claims that they proceed to infringe on them. [Sourcing Journal]

🇮🇳 Indian equipment model DailyObjects raises $10 million. The Gurugram-based model has secured the funding in a collection B funding spherical led by Mumbai-based wealth administration agency 360 One Asset. Based in 2012 by Pankaj Garg and Saurav Adlakha, DailyObjects is a DTC model promoting trend and tech equipment. “We’re equipped for a bigger footprint,” stated Adlakha. [Economic Times]

🇰🇷 David Kang opens a South Korean-focused consultancy in Paris. The previous head of the shuttered Paris department of Korean multi-brand retailer Tom Greyhound, a subsidiary of Hyundai Group affiliate Good-looking Corp, is launching Paris Artwork Membership, a consultancy that may dealer offers for South Korean manufacturers in Europe and vice versa, as first reported by WWD. [BoF Inbox]

🇨🇳 Michael Kors names Chinese language actress Yang Zi as its model ambassador. The American trend model has tapped the actress with over 62 million followers on Weibo, recognized for roles in movie and TV collection comparable to “Dwelling With Children” and “Misplaced You Without end,” to endorse its merchandise. [Jing Daily]