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Ursula von der Leyen calls India–EU FTA the ‘mother of all deals’

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Ursula von der Leyen calls India–EU FTA the ‘mother of all deals’



Talks between India and the European Union (EU) are approaching a momentous phase, indicated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen while addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos yesterday.

“And right after Davos, the next weekend, I will travel to India. There is still work to do, but we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement,” she said, adding that “some call it the mother of all deals.”

EU-India talks are reaching a momentous phase, indicated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen while addressing the World Economic Forum.
“And right after Davos, the next weekend, I will travel to India….we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement,” she said, adding that “some call it the mother of all deals.”
The FTA talks began in 2007, were abandoned in 2013 and restarted in 2022.

As the EU is committed to de-risking its economy and diversifying supply chains by deepening ties with the world’s major growth centres, she saw the planned India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) as part of Europe’s broader strategy to champion “fair trade over tariffs, partnership over isolation, sustainability over exploitation”.

The FTA would create a combined market of around two billion people and account for nearly a quarter of global gross domestic product (GDP), giving European companies a crucial first-mover advantage in one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, she said.

“Europe wants to do business with the growth centres of today and the economic powerhouses of this century, from Latin America to the Indo-Pacific and far beyond,” she said.

A recent statement by India’s Ministry of External Affairs said European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and von der Leyen will be on a state visit to India from January 25 to 27. The two will be the chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations. The European leaders will also co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit with Prime Minister Modi on January 27.

Negotiations for the planned FTA first began in 2007, and abandoned in 2013. Talks were re-launched in July 2022.

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Philippines announces ‘flexible financing’ for garment manufacturers

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Philippines announces ‘flexible financing’ for garment manufacturers



The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently announced it would work with government financial institutions to provide ‘flexible financing’ to domestic garment manufacturers for automation, machinery and production equipment to make them more competitive in the global market.

Trade and industry secretary Cristina A Roque said foreign buyers told her automation is no longer optional, but has turned a baseline requirement globally.

The Philippines will provide ‘flexible financing’ to domestic garment manufacturers for automation, machinery and production equipment to make them more competitive in the global market.
Incentives under the DTI’s Board of Investments will support mechanised and digital garment production, while the Philippine Economic Zone Authority will offer a comprehensive package for export-oriented garment firms.

“They expressed a clear preference for exporters with modern, automated production equipment, as short lead time is now the deciding factor, especially for fast-fashion brands,” Roque was cited as telling a recent meeting with garments manufacturers by a domestic media outlet.

Therefore, the department will work with institutions like the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines to provide flexible financing, she said.

Incentives under the DTI’s Board of Investments will support mechanised and digital garment production, while the Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s (PEZA) incentives will offer a comprehensive package of fiscal and non-fiscal support for export-oriented garment firms located within PEZA special economic zones, she said.

The department will also study proposals by the domestic garment industry aimed at enhancing overall cost competitiveness, including potential reductions in value-added tax rates to levels comparable to those of ASEAN peers and expanded fiscal support for existing firms and subsidiaries.

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Egypt plans integrated textile industrial complex in New October City

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Egypt plans integrated textile industrial complex in New October City



Egypt will set up an integrated spinning and textile industrial complex in New October City with an estimated initial investment of $350 million.

The project will be developed under the private free zones system within Industria October Industrial City.

Egypt will set up an integrated spinning and textile industrial complex in New October City with an estimated initial investment of $350 million.
An agreement was signed recently for the complex between Elsewedy Industrial Development and Crystal International Group, a leading textile manufacturer.
The complex is expected to create around 20,000 direct jobs.

An agreement was signed recently for the complex between Elsewedy Industrial Development and Crystal International Group, a leading textile manufacturer.

Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel Al-Wazir witnessed the signing ceremony, the country’s state information service posted on Instagram.

Al-Wazir said the project aligns with the state’s strategy to revive the spinning and textile industry, boost domestic manufacturing and exports, raise value-added production and reduce import dependence.

The project will receive full government support if it expands to cover all stages of the value chain, he said.

The industrial complex will feature an integrated production system encompassing the spinning of natural and synthetic fibres, yarn production, advanced weaving, textile processing, finishing and dyeing.

The approach is expected to enhance product quality, reduce waste and strengthen the competitiveness of Egyptian textile products globally.

The complex is expected to create around 20,000 direct jobs.

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Warped begins worldwide debut in Italy with its menswear line

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Warped begins worldwide debut in Italy with its menswear line


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January 21, 2026

Warped, a proudly Australian menswear brand, made its debut at the recent Pitti Uomo 109, unveiling its first-ever collection for Autumn–Winter 2026/27. Warped channels a strong, functional and authentic masculinity, free of artifice: a man capable of moving with equal ease through the Australian outback or a metropolis, without ever betraying himself. This vision translates into a collection that combines ready-to-wear, streetwear and active-functional pieces, underpinned by rigorous material research, responsible production, and a strong connection to Australia’s history and identity.

Jack Cassidy Williams, right, wearing Warped alongside one of his sons

The brand is so steeped in the free-spirited, authentic ethos of Mitch “Crocodile” Dundee, a cult figure of 1980s cinema who helped shape the image abroad of the no-nonsense Australian, that even the founder- who arrived in Milan with his two sons, aged 18 and 15, already active in the company- looks like the very character created by Paul Hogan.

“Crocodile Dundee is not just a film to us; it’s a way of being in the world. It’s about a man who hunts crocodiles with his bare hands in the outback and stays true to himself even under the dazzling lights of the metropolis,” Warped founder Jack Cassidy Williams explained to FashionNetwork.com. “It’s the story of a man who enters a sophisticated system without changing who he is. Functional, direct, honest. This is who we are. We’re not here to bend to fashion’s unwritten rules, but to bring our own way of doing things: less artifice, more reality.”

Warped

“Everything in the collection is handmade by my family. We design it, select the fabrics, create the patterns, and develop everything together- my children and I- in Australia. Traditional garments with modern finishes, in terms of handle and functionality; we even offer waterproof clothing, such as GOTS-certified waterproof cotton. Then there’s denim. All the fabrics are 100% made in Italy,” Cassidy Williams continues. At the heart of the collection is extensive fabric research: 100% RWS wool; high-stretch scuba fabrics and bi-stretch wool; cotton denim with a 3D weave effect; water-repellent cottons, viscose and viscose/linen blends for suits, jackets and trousers; high-performance, ultra-comfortable fabrics; and kangaroo-leather laces- a material five times as strong as cowhide- hand-finished with raw edges and authentic details.

“The collection is, in a way, a tribute to America, because the theme is the so-called ramblin’ man, or the free man; it’s basically about my whole life,” says the Australian entrepreneur. “All those people who decided to forge their own journey, to walk the path of life without following someone else. Like Hank Williams, Jack Kerouac, Duke Ellington, Bird, Muddy Waters, Pinetop, or Woody Guthrie- men who honoured life. Nowadays it’s so difficult to be free that freedom really is a state of mind. It’s our first collection through and through; we practically finished it before boarding the plane,” Cassidy Williams laughs heartily, then slips on a floppy wide-brimmed hat, slings a kangaroo hide over his shoulder and, as he pretends to crack a whip in the air, looks even more like Mitch Dundee- all after letting us taste a kangaroo salami and crocodile snacks…

Warped

“Our family has a textile tradition of great depth- more than sixty years- so Warped also works with the best global manufacturers in the mid-luxury segment: lace from France, fabrics from Italy, and other high-quality materials sourced from factories in Turkey, Japan and Korea,” Jack Cassidy Williams continues. “These factories were chosen not for trend’s sake, but because they’re unique- each one different from the next.”

Warped’s menswear collection for Autumn–Winter 2026/27 comprises around 40 looks spanning ready-to-wear, streetwear, and active-functional pieces. Jackets, suits, trousers, shorts, shirts, and T-shirts sit alongside a street and sportswear offer that includes hoodies, joggers and technical garments, all designed to be comfortable, durable, easy to care for, and genuinely wearable day to day.

Alongside the Warped men’s line, the company presented the Golden Age Sportswear (G.A.S) label in Milan, while the Warped Woman, and G.A.S Woman’s Street collections will debut in Italy from next Spring/Summer.

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