Fashion
Only 21% of UK firms see export orders increase in Q4 2025: BCC
Half of exporters saw no change in orders, while 28 per cent reported a decline, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing UK trade. Smaller firms have been disproportionately affected. Just 19 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) reported rising export orders, compared with 39 per cent of companies employing more than 250 people, the BCC’s Trade Confidence Outlook showed.
Micro-exporters with fewer than ten employees fared worst, with only 17 per cent reporting growth, while 30 per cent saw a fall in orders.
UK exporters remain under sustained pressure as overseas demand weakens, renewing calls for an urgent UK-EU trade reset.
Only 21 per cent of firms reported higher export orders in Q4 2025, down from 31 per cent in 2018, according to BCC.
SMEs and micro-exporters were hit hardest, while large firms performed better, reflecting deepening structural challenges despite post-pandemic recovery efforts.
“For smaller businesses, the last seven years have been some of the most challenging ever to try and grow exports. Things started to take a turn for the worse as the trade implications of Brexit became clear in 2018 and they have been in the doldrums ever since,” said William Bain, head of trade policy at the BCC. “A succession of further shocks on top of that—from COVID, wars, supply chain disruption and tariffs—have turned exporting into an uphill slog where the path keeps getting steeper.”
“The Prime Minister’s trip to China and the real progress made on trade deals with the US, EU and India last year show the government understands the difficulties. But we need to see a real focus in 2026 on delivering what has been agreed. The BCC’s EU reset report sets out very clearly the big issues that must be tackled before the year is out,” added Bain.
A survey of more than 2,000 exporters highlighted the sustained impact of Brexit, COVID, geopolitical tensions and tariffs on UK export performance. Since 2018, fewer than 28 per cent of firms have reported higher export orders, with the figure averaging just 22 per cent since late 2024, despite the post-pandemic recovery. The data was collected between November 10, and December 8, 2025.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
Fashion
India’s Mafatlal Industries’ 9-month revenue climbs 25.9%
For the third quarter of fiscal 2026 (FY26), revenue from operations stood at ₹717.4 crore (~$78.04 million). For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, revenue from operations grew by 26.7 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to ₹2,987.2 crore (~$325.6 million), compared to ₹2,357.5 crore (~$257.0 million) in the corresponding period last year, driven primarily by the textile and related products segment and the consumer durables segment. The institutional business serving B2B and public sector clients contribute meaningfully to the growth.
Mafatlal Industries has reported ₹3,009.9 crore (~$331.1 million) revenue for 9 months, up 26.7 per cent YoY, driven by textiles and consumer durables.
Q3 revenue was ₹717.4 crore (~$78 million), affected by deferred orders during election periods.
EBIT margins improved to 6.4 per cent in textiles.
The order book stands at ₹1,200 crore (~$130.8 million), with gross debt at ₹52.8 crore (~$5.76 million).
Revenues from the textile and related products segment grew by 15.7 per cent YoY, with EBIT margins improving to 6.4 per cent compared to 5.5 per cent in the first 9 months FY25. Margin improvement was supported by the company’s continued focus on expanding the uniform solutions umbrella.
In the digital infrastructure segment, the company executed ICT Lab projects across 333 public sector schools, including annual maintenance contracts, supporting stable segment performance, the company said in a press release.
The YoY moderation in quarterly revenue was due to deferred order execution during the election code of conduct period in the states of Maharashtra and Bihar and is expected to normalise from Q4 FY26.
Operating EBITDA margins remained stable, reflecting the resilience of the company’s asset-light business model.
During Q3 FY26, following the Ministry of Labour and Employment’s notification on the New Labour Codes, the company reassessed employee benefit obligations and recognised an estimated incremental liability of ₹2.87 crore (~$312,830) as an exceptional item.
As of December 31, 2025, the company’s order book stood at approximately ₹1,200 crore (~$130.8 million), providing strong revenue visibility for the coming quarters. Gross debt stood at ₹52.8 crore (~$5.76 million), compared to ₹68.3 crore (~$7.45 million) as of March 31, 2025.
“We are pleased to report a satisfactory quarterly performance despite temporary delays in revenue recognition due to the election code of conduct in Maharashtra and Bihar. Despite these temporary delays, our margins grew, reflecting our focused strategy and asset-light business model. Our nine-month results surpassed last year’s performance, driven by strong growth in the textile and consumer durables segments. With a robust order book of around ₹1,200 crore (~$130.8 million), we are well-positioned for the upcoming quarters and remain committed to strengthening our uniform business, exploring value-added opportunities, and delivering sustainable results,” MB Raghunath, chief executive officer, said.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)
Fashion
South Africa textile imports edge up to $4.164 bn in 2025
In the corresponding period of ****, imports totalled **,***.* million rand, indicating broadly steady sourcing patterns. South Africa remains structurally dependent on imported textiles and apparel, sourcing heavily from low-cost Asian supply chains—particularly China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam—due to limited cost competitiveness, scale constraints, ageing machinery and persistent manufacturing bottlenecks in the domestic textile and apparel industry.
Exports of textiles and related articles grew at a faster pace, rising *.* per cent to **,***.* million rand (~$*.*** billion) in ****, compared with **,***.* million rand a year earlier.
Fashion
US’ Nike launches Air Max 95 City Pack inspired by global culture
More than a modern extension of a timeless icon, the City Pack collection salutes the Air Max 95’s pioneering spirit with four bold footwear styles and complementary apparel inspired by regional craft and street-level entrepreneurship.
Nike has unveiled the Air Max 95 City Pack, a global footwear and apparel capsule marking three decades of the iconic silhouette.
The collection features four city-inspired sneaker styles—Atelier, Hong Kong, I-95 and Seongsu—each reflecting local creative culture, community energy and street entrepreneurship, alongside updated sportswear influenced by motorsports and gaming culture.
Each piece is inspired by local communities and the intrepid athletes who call them home.
- The “Atelier” style honors the new collectives redefining the creative hustle in Paris’ “third space” studios, featuring a neutral gradient upper that fades into the Air Max 95’s signature black midsole.
- The “Hong Kong” colorway salutes the city’s bold cultural attitude. Red gradients on the upper mirror the glow of Hong Kong’s iconic neon-lit streets, while a remix of textures reflects the city’s own hustle — absorbing and remixing diverse influences to fuel an unstoppable pulse. Hidden in the glow of the Hong Kong night, the continuous exchange and friction of ideas sparks constant inspiration.
- The “I-95” design is forged from the strength of community, bike life around the I-95 highway, and the streets of Baltimore — featuring an all-black upper and distinct metal eyelets.
- The “Seongsu” colorway draws on the dynamic and evolving energy of Seoul’s vibrant neighborhood, known by its subway station number, 211 — connecting history and innovation through an expressive gray upper, black accents and red laces inspired by the city’s reimagined creative spaces.
City Pack apparel includes classic sportswear staples restyled to meet the moment of today, as well as striking pieces inspired by motorsports and gaming culture.
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
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