Fashion
Ashwin Chandran takes charge as new CITI chairman
Ashwin Chandran has taken over as the new chairman of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) starting September 18, 2025. Chandran takes over the chairmanship from Rakesh Mehra whose term ended on September 18 following the conclusion of CITI’s 67th AGM which was held during the day.
Dinesh Nolkha would become the new deputy chairman of CITI and Shreyaskar Chaudhary will take over as the new vice chairman of CITI.
A distinguished textile industry leader, Chandran is chairman & managing director of Precot Limited, one of the leading cotton mills in India which operates units in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. A former chairman of the Southern India Mills Association (SIMA), he is also a member of the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL). Chandran holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Textile Technology of UMIST, UK, and, also, a Post Graduate degree in Management from the University of Illinois, US.
An eminent presence in the textile sector, Nolkha is chairman & managing director of the Bhilwara-based Nitin Spinners Ltd, one of the leading manufacturers of cotton yarn, blended yarn, knitted fabrics and finished woven fabrics. Nolkha is a former president of the Mewar Chamber of Commerce and Industry and has also been chairman of the Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA). Nolkha is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and The Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of India.
A noted personality in the sphere of sustainability, Chaudhary is managing director of the Madhya Pradesh-based Pratibha Syntex Limited which is committed to transforming the textile industry through innovation, ethical practices, and a strong focus on environmental stewardship. Pratibha Syntex is India’s first Apparel Manufacturing Fair Trade Certified factory. The company is also India’s first ZDHC Certified Apparel Manufacturer. Chaudhary has a background in Textile Technology from UMIST, UK.
Underlining the priorities of his CITI Chairmanship, Ashwin Chandran said there was an immediate priority and a longer-term one.
The new CITI chairman said the pressing priority was to work closely with all stakeholders, including the government, to address the grave challenge which has been posed to the Indian textile and apparel sector through the United States (the single-largest market for India’s textile and apparel exports) imposing a 50 per cent tariff on Indian products with effect from August 27, 2025.
The longer-term focus would be on futureproofing India’s textile and apparel sector – the bulk of which is made up of MSMEs – to improve the global competitiveness of local textile and apparel companies. Greater emphasis would be laid on innovation, sustainability, capacity building (including through skill development), and knowledge sharing so that Indian textile and apparel enterprises can grow the size of their businesses both within India and overseas, and get to a position where they can derive the fullest benefits from the free trade agreements (FTAs) already signed by India and those on the anvil.
“CITI remains fully committed to be an important contributor to the Viksit Bharat mission,” Chandran said in a release.
India aims to create a $250 billion domestic textile industry by 2030. The country is also aspiring to more than double textile and apparel exports to $100 billion by 2030.
Ashwin Chandran, CMD of Precot Ltd, has taken over as chairman of CITI from Rakesh Mehra at its 67th AGM.
Dinesh Nolkha (Nitin Spinners) becomes deputy chairman and Shreyaskar Chaudhary (Pratibha Syntex) vice chairman.
Chandran’s priorities include tackling the US 50 per cent tariff on Indian textiles and driving long-term competitiveness through innovation and sustainability.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
The decline reflects subdued demand, particularly from Europe—a key market for UK clothing—and highlights ongoing challenges for the sector amid inflationary pressures, rising production costs, and competitive pricing from Asian suppliers. However, exports were slightly higher than the £*** million recorded in June ****.
Textile fabric exports in July **** edged up to £*** million (~$***.** million) from £*** million in July **** but were lower month-on-month, down from £*** million in June ****. Textile fibre exports dropped to £** million (~$**.** million) in July **** from £** million a year earlier but remained steady compared to the previous month.
Published
September 18, 2025
After showing at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), Portuguese footwear now takes to the catwalks of London Fashion Week (LFW) in partnership with the London College of Fashion (LCF), unveiling the first made in Portugal collection by Portuguese Footwear Award (PFA) winner Annie Purdy, to be presented at the Portuguese Embassy in London on September 18.
According to the press release sent by APICCAPS – the Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association, this collaboration with LCF, part of University of the Arts London (UAL), began in early 2025 with a masterclass on Portuguese footwear, as part of the Bioshoes4all project.
The Bioshoes4all project has enabled Portuguese footwear brands to team up with leading international designers to create exclusive collections which, since 2023, have been gracing the catwalks of New York, London and Paris for several seasons.
Aimed at master’s students, this awareness and knowledge-building session on the talent of Portuguese artisans and the industry landscape was led by Portuguese industry experts and award-winning designer Bianca Saunders, who has long been involved in Portuguese savoir-faire.
This was followed by the first edition of the PFA, designed to introduce future designers to production possibilities in Portugal, in which Annie Purdy won and went on to develop her first collection in Portugal, which has now been unveiled.
According to the young designer, a graduate of LCF-UAL: “The inspiration arose from the relationship between ‘craftsmanship’ and innovation, exploring how traditional skills can coexist with experimental and avant-garde design.”
“Access to in-depth knowledge of materials and high-quality manufacturing expertise allowed me to expand my concepts, knowing they could be realised with precision and durability,” she continued. “It gave me the freedom to experiment, without losing sight of feasibility and ‘craftsmanship’.”
“I learnt to consider a product’s longevity, function and life cycle from the outset,” she added in regards to her collaboration with APICCAPS. “From now on, I will continue to integrate these concerns into my practice, ensuring that my work always balances narrative, design integrity and sustainable responsibility.”
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Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
By
Reuters
Published
September 18, 2025
The sale of diamonds through tenders and auctions is opaque and inefficient and should be revamped for producers to earn more and to survive the current price slump, a leading gem trader said on Thursday.
Oded Mansori, co-founder and managing partner of Belgian gem trader HB Antwerp, said the impact on producers could be reduced by doing away with inefficiencies in the industry.
The diamond market is currently going through a prolonged downturn with demand hurt by global economic uncertainty and the rising popularity of lab-grown stones.
Producer countries such as Botswana have been hard hit by lower revenues, while miners such Burgundy and Lesotho’s biggest diamond mine Letseng have had to lay off workers.
“For years, miners relied on tenders and auctions, systems that look efficient on paper but in practice resemble a casino,” Mansori said in a statement, as the industry battles a crisis considered to be its deepest in history.
“Rough stones are pushed into opaque markets where value is anyone’s guess. When global demand softens, as it has in cycles over the last decade, producers are left exposed. Workers pay the price, while shareholders watch assets decline,” he added.
Rough diamonds are typically sold through a competitive bidding system where buyers place confidential bids on individual stones or parcels.
Mansori, whose company operates a profit-sharing model with miner Lucara Diamond Corp, says producers’ revenues should be tied to the eventual polished value of its stones “rather than gambling on rough sales in opaque auctions”.
Under its partnership with Lucara, HB Antwerp buys stones of 10.8 carat quality and above from the Toronto-listed company’s Karowe Mine in central Botswana at prices based on the estimated polished value of each diamond.
HB Antwerp accounted for 72% of Lucara’s $74 million diamond revenue in the six months to June 30, up from 65% the year before.
The trader says producers can earn up to 40% more revenue if they sell through this model.
© Thomson Reuters 2025 All rights reserved.
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