Fashion
FTA to boost Indian textiles in New Zealand’s $1.9 bn market
According to the government, the FTA provides zero-duty access on 100 per cent of India’s exports across all tariff lines, benefitting labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, apparel, leather and footwear. The agreement aims to improve India’s export competitiveness, support MSMEs, artisans and women-led enterprises, and strengthen India’s integration with global value chains.
Indian textile and garment exporters are set to benefit from duty-free access to New Zealand’s $1.9 billion textile and apparel market under the new FTA.
The pact grants zero-duty access across all tariff lines, boosting competitiveness and exports.
Industry bodies say it will support MSMEs, employment, value-added exports and diversification amid global demand uncertainty.
S C Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), described the agreement as a game-changer for Indian exporters. He said comprehensive tariff elimination would significantly enhance the competitiveness of Indian textile and garment products in New Zealand while supporting employment-generating sectors. He also highlighted New Zealand’s commitment to facilitate $20 billion in foreign direct investment into India over the next 15 years as a strong signal of confidence in India’s manufacturing and export ecosystem.
The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) also welcomed the conclusion of the agreement. Durai Palanisamy, chairman, SIMA, noted that the FTA, following the recently concluded India–UK trade agreement, would further strengthen India’s growth trajectory by expanding market access and improving competitiveness.
Durai appreciated and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for securing zero-duty access for Indian textiles and apparel. He pointed out that while India’s overall textile and apparel exports stood at $36.9 billion in fiscal 2024–25, exports to New Zealand had already crossed $103 million, and this trend is expected to gain momentum given New Zealand’s annual textile imports of nearly $1.9 billion.
SIMA said the agreement would help Indian manufacturers strengthen their presence in value-added segments such as fabrics, garments and made-ups, particularly in a developed market like New Zealand that offers stable demand and high standards. The association added that the FTA would support employment generation, higher capacity utilisation and sustained sectoral growth, while also aiding export diversification amid volatility and demand uncertainty in the global textile trade.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
The programme is jointly implemented by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Customs Organization and UK Customs.
The UK has committed around $1.25 million in funding for the ‘Accelerate Trade Facilitation’ programme for the 2026-2029 period.
The programme is jointly implemented by UNCTAD, the World Customs Organization and UK Customs.
The latest phase will expand the programme’s capacity-building activities and introduce the Reform Tracker tool to up to three additional countries.
For more than a decade, the programme has supported over 30 economies to speed up the movement of goods and strengthen cooperation between the public and private sectors.
“We will build on the strong and sustained impact achieved by partner countries over the last 11 years of the programme, strengthening national trade facilitation committees and driving practical, lasting reforms that make trade simpler, faster and more inclusive while supporting economic growth,” said Megan Shaw, deputy director of international customs and border engagement at UK Customs in an UNCTAD release.
The programme will continue to place national trade facilitation committees (NTFCs) at the core of its work. NTFCs serve as coordination platforms where government agencies and businesses identify bottlenecks, agree on priorities and advance trade facilitation reforms.
UNCTAD has supported them through specialised training, including via its trade facilitation e-learning platform, and practical tools such as the Reform Tracker. The tool helps countries monitor progress on trade facilitation reforms and keep society-wide collaborators aligned.
“These reforms contribute to a trading environment that is faster, cheaper, more transparent and more predictable—conditions that help businesses compete and grow,” said Angel Gonzalez Sanz, officer-in-charge of UNCTAD’s division on technology and logistics.
The 2026-2029 phase will expand the programme’s capacity-building activities and introduce the Reform Tracker to up to three additional countries.
These efforts will help deepen digitalisation and improve coordination between border agencies—measures crucial to reducing costs and processing times for traders.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
The gross profit reached SEK 25,138 million (~$2.39 billion), with the gross margin improving to 50.7 per cent from 49.1 per cent a year earlier, supported by lower markdown costs and more efficient sourcing.
H&M has reported net sales of SEK 49,607 million (~$4.72 billion) in Q1 FY26, with sales down 1 per cent in local currencies.
Improved cost control lifted gross margin to 50.7 per cent and operating profit rose 26 per cent.
The net profit increased to SEK 704 million (~$75.05 million), while inventory fell 16 per cent.
Currency effects weighed on revenue despite stronger margins and improving sales.
The operating profit rose by 26 per cent to SEK 1,512 million, lifting the operating margin to 3 per cent from 2.2 per cent. Selling and administrative expenses declined by 1 per cent in local currencies and by 9 per cent in SEK terms, reflecting continued cost discipline, H&M said in a press release.
The net profit after tax (PAT) increased to SEK 704 million (~$75.05 million), with earnings per share (EPS) improving to SEK 0.45 from SEK 0.37. Inventory management also showed progress, with stock-in-trade falling 16 per cent to SEK 34,608 million, indicating improved inventory productivity.
However, sales in SEK terms were impacted by a currency translation effect of just over 9 percentage points due to the strengthened Swedish krona. The quarter began with weaker demand following strong Black Friday trading, though sales trends improved towards the end, supported by spring collections.
“Good cost control and improved gross margin contributed to strengthened profitability in a quarter marked by cautious consumption and large currency translation effects,” said Daniel Erver, CEO at H&M.
Looking ahead, H&M expects March 2026 sales to rise by 1 per cent in local currencies. The company also highlighted its sustainability progress, noting that 32 per cent of materials used in 2025 were recycled, while 91 per cent were either recycled or sustainably sourced.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
A total of 25 pilot investments led by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have progressed from the lab to near-market stage under RegioGreenTex, a three-year European Union (EU)-funded project that recently concluded. Most of these are expected to be commercialised within one to three years.
Twenty five pilot investments led by SMEs moved from lab to near‑market under RegioGreenTex, an EU-funded project that ended recently.
Most of these are expected to commercialise in one to three years.
Five regional hubs mapped SME needs and developed services and value chains as well as tools to help SMEs.
These are now open for collaboration and the pilot portfolio is primed for investors and adopters.
At least 70 per cent of the EU grant was allocated to SMEs. A total of 43 partners from 11 regions across eight countries participated in the project, leveraging their expertise towards a common goal of advancing industry and research.
RegioGreenTex was one of the first projects funded under the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument programme that focused on process, service and business model innovation, developing advanced textile recycling technologies, regional recycling hubs, and a digital ecosystem for matchmaking and capacity building.
Five regional hubs mapped SME needs and developed services and value chains as well as tools that keep helping SMEs, an official release said.
The RegioGreenTex Digital Tool keeps matchmaking, sharing trainings and hosting the participants’ knowledge base.
The Waste Wizard shows how artificial intelligence-enhanced matchmaking can link leftover textiles with the right reuse or recycling routes.
From recycled-content yarn processes (Tintex) to Recycrom low-impact dyeing (Officina39), ultrasonic quilting for full recyclability (Rovitex) and hybrid recycled-fibre yarns (Hilaturas Mar), the pilots showed concrete, repeatable ways to cut impact without losing performance.
The hubs are now open for collaboration, the digital tools are live and the pilot portfolio is primed for investors and adopters.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
UK commits $1.25 mn to trade facilitation programme for 2026–29
Sweden’s H&M’s Q1 FY26 sales dip but margins improve on cost control
Italy again miss out on Fifa World Cup as Bosnia, Turkiye, Czechs, Sweden qualify
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