Textile millers target global brand expansion

The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma), in collaboration with the Chainstore Association of Pakistan (CAP), hosted its first-ever Manufacturing Retail Working Session, bringing together leading Pakistani retail brands and textile manufacturers to strengthen domestic sourcing, develop internationally competitive products and create a pathway for Pakistani brands to expand into global markets.

The initiative forms part of a broader vision to increase Pakistan's textile exports by $3 billion within the next 12 months and $10 billion over the next few years, through greater value addition, stronger industrial collaboration and international expansion of Pakistani brands.

Speaking at the event, Aptma Chairman Asad Shafi highlighted Pakistan's unique retail landscape, where homegrown brands dominated the organised fashion retail sector, demonstrating the strength of local entrepreneurship, design capabilities and consumer understanding.

"Pakistan has already developed some exceptionally strong local brands that compete on quality, design and retail experience. The next step is to take these brands global. We should not limit our ambition to manufacturing products for international brands when we have the capability to develop, manufacture, establish brand and sell our own products to consumers around the world," said Shafi.

He noted that Pakistan had made considerable progress in value-added textile exports, with more than 80% of textile exports comprising value-added consumer products, including apparel and home textiles. "However, the country must now focus on capturing a greater share of the value generated beyond manufacturing."