Eco-friendly Pakistani textile attracts global buyers

Manufacturers stress environment-friendly products provide enhanced market access

FRANKFURT: The initiatives taken by Pakistan's textile industry for environmental protection are being appreciated around the world.

At the Heimtextil 2020, the largest global exhibition of home textile products, being held in Frankfurt from January 7-10, buyers from the US and Europe, especially the large retail chains, expressed keen interest in Pakistan's eco-friendly textile products.

During the exhibition, the textile industry of Pakistan was cited as an example of protecting the environment.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on the sidelines of the inaugural press conference, Head of the United Nations Office for Cooperation Lucie Brigham praised the initiatives of Pakistan's textile industry, particularly the denim manufacturers, for turning their processes more environment-friendly.

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She stressed that the textile industry played a vital role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.

She was the view that Pakistan's textile industry had to make its products and processes environment-friendly in order to improve the country's overall competitiveness. Brigham expressed pleasure that Pakistan's industry was rapidly moving towards eco-friendly practices.

The UN official called for strengthening synergy between the government and the industry in order to enhance the sustainability of Pakistan's textile sector. She emphasised that the UN was providing complete support to its member states, including Pakistan, in lifting capacity.

Speaking at the press conference, Messe Frankfurt Textiles and Textile Technologies Vice President Olaf Schmidt said meeting environmental protection requirements was one of the most important challenges facing the textile industry at present.

Talking about Pakistan, he termed the country's textile sector progressive and a rapidly growing industry. At the event, representatives of Pakistani export firms highlighted that competition in the global market was becoming easier for the companies producing eco-friendly products as they received good prices.

Fashion Art International Director Mohammad Asif said his company manufactured towel products and had been exporting for about 20 years. Its major buyers were from the US and Europe.

"Our customers demand environment-friendly products and we have no other option left but to make our processes eco-friendly," he said.

He added that his company invested Rs40 million over the past two years to make its processes environment-friendly and received the Sustainable Product Manufacturer Certificate a year ago from Oeko-Tex.

He pointed out that the demand for "Made in Green" products was increasing rapidly. Made in Green is a label issued by Oeko-Tex for textile products which ensures that an article has been tested for harmful substances.

He added that major global textile chains only purchased products from the manufacturers possessing the Made in Green licence.

Yunus Textile Director Sales and Marketing Mohammad Imroz Iqbal said under the Made in Green licence, the water used in the process must be disposed of through environment-friendly methods.

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"From threads to fibres, dyes and chemicals, everything must be processed through environment-friendly methods," he said. "Also, nature has to be protected from the gases emitted during the process."

The focus on eco-friendly products was gaining momentum throughout the world, he said and added that the trend in Pakistan was very limited.

Iqbal said the companies making eco-friendly products were given priority, over the firms relying on traditional methods of production, which improved their market access and provided good value for their products.

Al-Karam Towel Industries Chairman Mehtabuddin Chawla said eco-friendly processes and products were the only way for Pakistan's textile industry to survive in the global market.

"Our buyers force us to introduce eco-friendly processes and products from farms to shelves," he said. "We are working with cotton farmers to produce eco-friendly cotton as well."

Chawla stressed that the entire industry had to shift towards the Made in Green concept and the government's support was necessary in that regard.

A total of 231 Pakistani companies are participating in Heimtextil 2020. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan has set up a national pavilion for the small and medium-sized firms, which include 56 such companies.

Three young designers from Pakistan presented their eco-friendly fabrics and designs for the first time in the exhibition's 50-year history.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2020.

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