UK import duties on apparel from India have run as high as ** percent, with fabrics at * percent and yarns at * percent, as per the UK Trade Tariff and the UK Fashion & Textiles Association. CETA removes these duties for qualifying Indian goods. The UK Department for Business and Trade estimates duty savings of around £*** million for UK exporters at entry-into-force, rising to £*** million within ten years.

For inbound trade, the impact is just as direct. According to TexPro data, UK textile and apparel imports from India totaled $*.** billion in ****. The two apparel chapters alone—knitwear (HS **) and woven garments (HS **)—account for $*.** billion. Stripping a ** percent duty out of this basket implies up to $*** million in annual duty savings, to be split between UK buyers and Indian suppliers through price negotiation.

The Korea Customs Service (KCS) has recently said that it will exempt additional shipping costs from tariffs on imports rerouted due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The measure, aimed at easing supply chain disruptions as the key Middle Eastern shipping route has effectively been closed since US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, will apply retroactively to imports reported since March 1 that have already faced sharp increases in shipping costs.

Eligible shipments include vessels from the Middle East using alternative routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, emergency air cargo transport and ships stranded in the strait due to the conflict, South Korea’s customs authority was cited as saying by a domestic news agency.

The Korea Customs Service will exempt extra shipping costs from tariffs on imports rerouted due to the Strait of Hormuz closure.
The measure, aimed at easing supply chain disruptions, will apply retroactively to imports reported since March 1 that have faced sharp shipping cost hikes.
The exemption will cover not only standard freight charges, but also demurrage fees and transportation insurance premia.

The exemption will cover not only standard freight charges, but also demurrage fees and transportation insurance premia.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

Indian textile and apparel company Raymond Lifestyle Limited (RLL) has reported record financial performance for fiscal 2026 (FY26) ended March 31, with total income crossing ₹7,000 crore (~$743 million) for the first time, driven by strong domestic demand, premiumisation and growth across branded businesses.

The company posted total income of ₹7,034 crore (~$746.87 million) in FY26, up 11 per cent year-on-year (YoY). EBITDA rose 23 per cent to ₹804 crore (~$85.37 million), while EBITDA margin improved to 11.4 per cent from 10.2 per cent a year earlier.

Raymond Lifestyle Limited has reported record FY26 performance, with total income rising 11 per cent YoY to ₹7,034 crore (~$746.87 million) and EBITDA increasing 23 per cent to ₹804 crore (~$85.37 million).
Q4 income grew 15 per cent, driven by strong demand across branded textiles, apparel, and garmenting.
The company highlighted benefits from the US-India trade deal.

Profit before tax (PBT), before exceptional items, increased 63 per cent YoY to ₹200 crore in FY26.

Commenting on the performance, Satyaki Ghosh, CEO of Raymond Lifestyle Limited said: “This past year, we prioritised revenue scale and consumer reach to build a robust foundation for future operational leverage.” He further said that the company, as it enters its ‘Year of Consolidation’, will focus on building a high-performance culture while emphasising sustainable profitability and stakeholder value creation.

Q4 income and EBITDA register strong growth

In the fourth quarter (Q4) of FY26, total income increased 15 per cent YoY to ₹1,810 crore (~$192.18 million). Quarterly EBITDA surged 53 per cent to ₹152 crore, with EBITDA margin improving to 8.4 per cent from 6.3 per cent in Q4 FY25, Raymond said in a press release.

The company said growth was supported by strong consumer demand across branded textiles and apparel, despite a challenging global environment and higher investments in marketing, retail expansion and digital transformation initiatives, including SAP S/4HANA implementation.

The branded textile segment reported revenue growth of 14 per cent YoY to ₹831 crore in Q4 FY26, while EBITDA more than doubled to ₹115 crore from ₹51 crore a year earlier. EBITDA margin improved sharply to 13.9 per cent due to better product mix, premiumisation and operating leverage.

Branded apparel revenue rose 20 per cent YoY to ₹469 crore during the quarter, supported by growth across large-format stores, exclusive brand outlets, multi-brand outlets and online channels. EBITDA for the segment increased to ₹19 crore from ₹2 crore in the same period last year.

The garmenting business recorded the strongest growth among segments, with revenue rising 38 per cent YoY to ₹342 crore in Q4 FY26. The segment returned to profitability with EBITDA of ₹14 crore compared to a loss of ₹7 crore in Q4 FY25.

Raymond Lifestyle attributed the recovery to improving demand following the US-India trade deal and onboarding of new customers ahead of the anticipated UK and EU free trade agreements.

However, the company cautioned that escalating geopolitical tensions involving the US, Israel and Iran are increasing freight and raw material costs through higher energy prices.

The high-value cotton shirting segment posted 6 per cent revenue growth to ₹197 crore, though EBITDA declined sharply due to the absence of a one-time subsidy received in Q4 FY25.

The company ended FY26 with a net cash position of ₹179 crore, compared to ₹90 crore a year earlier, despite capital expenditure of ₹180 crore during the year.

Ghosh added that the company remains committed to ESG goals, including increasing renewable energy usage, reducing emissions and advancing circularity initiatives such as Zero Liquid Discharge and Zero Waste to Landfill programmes. “By integrating digital agility with transparent oversight, we are building a resilient, future-ready institution for all stakeholders,” he said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)