Textiles Fan Inflation Fears amid London Fashion Week

Textiles Fan Inflation Fears amid London Fashion Week

Textile prices, like many raw materials, are soaring on resurgent post-pandemic demand and the rocketing cost of both energy and transport, industry experts say.

Cotton, linen, silk and wool, as well as synthetic materials derived from petroleum, faced surging prices in recent months, boosted also by the global supply-chain crunch.

As a result, red-hot inflation is now a major talking point at the industry's London Fashion Week showpiece, which runs until Thursday.

Price hikes represent a new challenge for the industry that has already been stricken by both Brexit and the Covid-19 health emergency.

- 'Impressive cotton surge' -

"The textile and clothing industry noticed an impressive surge in cotton prices," said the European association of textile producers, Euratex, in a statement sent to AFP.

"The restart of activity worldwide in 2021 and the increased demand from the textile industry have accelerated the mechanism of (market) tension on raw materials," it added.

"This has resulted in a shortage, and rising material costs."

Cotton, which had already surged almost 50 percent last year, peaked earlier this month at $1.29 per pound -- reaching a level last seen in 2011.

Organic cotton from key producer India has experienced buoyant demand due to low stockpiles.

The cost of wool and flax linen meanwhile