Industry bodies have long demanded that the entire textile value chain be brought under the lowest 5 per cent rate to avoid inverted duty structures. They also urged the Council to refrain from imposing an 18 per cent tax on garments priced above ₹2,500, as recently speculated, warning that such a move could hurt categories like branded garments, winter wear, and ethnic wedding attire.

The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA), along with other trade bodies and export promotion councils, has specifically demanded that the entire man-made fibre (MMF) value chain be taxed at 5 per cent, on par with the cotton chain. This request was raised directly with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during an interaction in Chennai on September 2, 2025, attended by representatives of all major textile associations and export councils. A uniform GST, they argued, would resolve inverted duty issues, refund accumulated capital goods GST credit, and improve liquidity.

Indian textile and apparel industry is urging the GST Council to adopt a uniform 5 per cent rate across the value chain to avoid inverted duty structures.
Ahead of the 56th Council meeting, SIMA and CMAI have warned that a proposed 18 per cent levy on garments priced above ₹2,500 would hurt winter wear, wedding attire, and artisan-made clothing.

SIMA chairman Dr S K Sundaraman thanked the Finance Minister for engaging with industry representatives and recognising the unprecedented challenges faced by the sector due to US tariffs. He said the minister indicated that a major revamp of GST rates and systems is likely, paving the way for historic tax reforms that will ease business operations and enhance global competitiveness. Sundaraman also noted that Sitharaman has shown willingness to address inverted duty structures to ensure GST does not escalate costs for consumers.

The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) also called on the Council to avoid price-based taxation, cautioning against raising the GST rate on garments above ₹2,500 from 12 per cent to 18 per cent.

According to CMAI, such a move would severely affect middle-class consumers and the organised garment manufacturing sector, which is already struggling due to tariff wars. It stressed that higher-priced garments are not necessarily luxury items, but often costlier due to raw material prices, artisan handwork, and production complexity.

For instance, most woollen garments essential for middle-class consumers across North, North-East, and East India are priced between ₹3,500 and ₹7,000. Similarly, wedding wear typically ranges from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000, while artisan-made clothing commands higher prices due to the time and craftsmanship involved. Subjecting these categories to an 18 per cent GST would, CMAI argued, devastate purpose-specific clothing segments.

CMAI has urged the Prime Minister to intervene, emphasising that the garment industry is the backbone of India’s textile heritage and a vital source of employment for millions—particularly women, semi-skilled, and unskilled workers.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)

Stifel’s survey reveals an unprecedented breadth of choice between style categories and brands and suggests that Nike is losing a few steps with consumers.

US retailers referenced Nike shoes as most popular in 38.2 per cent of checks in Stifel’s Back to School sneaker survey—a 23.2-pps YoY drop versus 2024 and an all-time low dating back to the survey’s beginning in 2008.
Though Nike is losing a few steps with consumers, its popularity rose in top e-commerce sellers.
There’s a broadening landscape of shoe popularity across brands, styles and price points.

Nike’s popularity, however, increased in top e-commerce sellers. On retailer websites, Nike and Jordan products represented 46 per cent of top 20 styles.

There’s a broadening landscape of shoe popularity across brands, styles and price points, it noted.

“We see a more fragmented and dynamic footwear landscape with diversifying preference across brands, style categories, and price points,” a release from Stifel said.

New Balance’s brand momentum continues, led by favourable style trends while Adidas also jumped by more than 10 points in popularity YoY.

New Balance is gaining the most share, benefitting from style preference shift to Retro Runners. Similarly, continued relevance of the Terrace Style trend drove Adidas popularity references, led by the Adidas Samba and lookalike products.

Saucony, a Wolverine World Wide brand received its first-ever BTS survey mentions, demonstrating traction in new distribution.

Consumers have yet to push back on price, and Stifel observed only modest like-for-like price increases versus prior checks.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

Building on the success since launching licensed NFL products in 2022, Abercrombie’s aim is to redefine fan style through a fashion-first lens in partnership with the NFL. By pairing athlete-led campaigns and player-designed apparel with a lifestyle assortment, Abercrombie will help blur the line between outfits worn during game day arrivals and everyday wear for both female and male fans as well as for players. In addition, Abercrombie will activate across NFL tentpole events, including select NFL international games and within its retail locations worldwide.

The NFL has signed Abercrombie & Fitch as its first Official Fashion Partner in a multi-year deal, expanding beyond licensing into lifestyle and style-driven fan apparel.
The tie-up includes athlete-led campaigns, player co-designed pieces, and the launch of Abercrombie’s Style Concierge service for NFL players.
A major national campaign featuring top athletes will debut this season.

“As the NFL continues to evolve, we are partnering with brands that share our strategic vision,” said Tracie Rodburg, senior vice president of global partnerships at the NFL. “Naming Abercrombie & Fitch as an official sponsor reinforces our position as a growing leader in the fashion community, creating deeper connections with our fans at the convergence of fandom and fashion and celebrating our players’ dynamic style.”

The partnership demonstrates the league’s ongoing efforts to grow its fan base, especially with female fans. With women making up to close to half of the league’s fans, fashion and sports are intersecting in new ways to provide them with options to showcase their fandom authentically on game day.

“We’re uniquely positioned for this moment where sports, fashion and culture are converging like never before,” said Abercrombie & Fitch Co. chief executive officer Fran Horowitz. “We’ve been working with the NFL and premier NFL athletes for several years, so officially becoming a league sponsor is a natural progression. As a style authority, we’re creating products that let fans represent their team while expressing their personal style. This NFL partnership goes beyond licensing. It is about meeting the needs of an expanding audience. Together, the NFL and Abercrombie are helping to build fandom through fashion.”

As part of the partnership, Abercrombie will launch the Abercrombie Style Concierge, a first-of-its-kind service providing curated outfitting for select NFL athletes. The program offers direct access to Abercrombie’s in-house styling experts, tailored to each athlete’s individual style and schedule.

To celebrate the partnership, Abercrombie debuted a national seasonal campaign “Style Concierge” featuring players known for their personal style off the field, including Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions), CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys) and Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals). The campaign represents the largest advertising investment the brand has made in the sports space and will run nationally across linear, CTV and HBO Max as well as Meta, TikTok and NFL-owned channels. In addition to the campaign, each player has partnered with Abercrombie to design a limited-edition co-designed apparel, available for purchase this upcoming NFL season.

“Style has always been a part of the NFL’s DNA, from the history of the game to players’ gameday outfits,” said Kyle Smith, fashion editor at the NFL. “Partnering with Abercrombie & Fitch lets us honor that legacy while introducing a new generation of fans to looks that are timely, versatile and connected to the culture of NFL football.”

Abercrombie has teamed up with several NFL players to receive early access to the Abercrombie Style Concierge service. These players, including those featured in the “Style Concierge” campaign, are Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers), Drake Maye (New England Patriots), Cooper DeJean (Philadelphia Eagles) and Jake Ferguson (Dallas Cowboys). All partner athletes will also receive early access to the Abercrombie Style Concierge service.

“Performance starts with confidence, and for me, that means feeling good in what I wear,” said McCaffrey. “Abercrombie understands that style and comfort go hand in hand. This partnership lets us bring fans apparel that delivers on both fronts, so they can represent their team with the same confidence I feel when I suit up.”

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)