Discovering Textiles from across the world

  Fair Trade for the Textile Sector A business model finding much preference world over is Fair Trade. Together with organic, eco-friendly, sustainable, Reach certification, GOTS…..are important in the world of trade. Fair Trade which in its simplest sense means the trade is fair to the producer groups.  One of the first areas where Fair Trade has been implemented was in the procurement of food products especially coffee, cocoa. Fairtrade marks a host of products many covering food, beauty essentials but for the textile industry, Fair Trade cottons is what is relevant. Fair Trade cotton products covers the entire spectrum of home furnishings, men’s wear, women’s wear, chidren’s clothes, toys…..With cotton being emphasized the world over, for the textile sector, using Fair Trade cotton in production of garments or being certified as Fair Trade producer of it is beneficial to garner greater business.   The concept of Fair Trade The earlier era where NGOs and Co-operativ...

    The International Standard - GOTS The first global standard for certification of organic textiles which is well known and equally popular is GOTS – the acronym for Global Organic Textile Standards. The focus of the standard is to have a global recognized requirement to ensure organic status of textiles. It covers the process from harvesting of raw materials to the labeling to reach the end consumer. The harvesting has to be done using environmentally and socially responsible means as also the manufacturing. Such a certification ensures that textile processors and manufacturers will be able to export their organic fabrics, apparel, garments and textiles under one certification across the globe. The certification will be accepted in all the major markets. And it will stand for ethical manufacturing and the end product is organically certified.  The standard is applicable to textiles made from using at least 70% certified organic natural fibres. It covers processing, m...

Given this thrust on organic cotton, it is but natural that there should be put in place a system or a set of guidelines for its certification. It is also a way to ensure that the tag organic cotton is used consciously and not frivolously to make a fast buck. Apart from the international norms, APEDA (Agriculture produce export development agency) has recently come out with Indian Standards for Organic Textiles (ISOT) in association with NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) under Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. These standards were launched in July 2012. The reason for coming out with such a guideline is that with the growing demand for organic textiles, there needs to be a consolidated body to support organic claims of the textile industry. ISOT has been developed under the NPOP with a particular focus on Indian manufacturers of organic textiles. Also since there are standards for organic food across the world and there needs to be an imperativ...

One of the oldest and the most popular of natural fibers used in the textile industry is cotton. It is one of “the” important of commodities or products traded in the world.  It is the bane of Indian exports, India and cotton simply go hand in hand. Try this for statistic,  India is expected to produce 25.5 million bales of cotton in the year 2012-13 as per USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) October crop Production Report.  Major portion of the cotton is produced according to modern farming practices using chemical fertilizers and pesticides or as it is popularly termed “the conventional way”. The high incidence of the use of chemicals is seen as one of the biggest bane in its farming.  It is with this view that there is an increasing thrust on organic cotton. The quantities of organic cotton are still fledgling, it is said to be growing at an impressive 20% per annum. Understandably so, given India’s niche with cotton, India is amongst the top major prod...

  I had chanced upon this cloth at a local exhibition here, they looked rustic, intricate and were being sold by artisan from Congo. They didn’t understand a word of English. Interpreters provided by the Embassy were able to tell the price of each through translation and nothing beyond. With my textile fund budget exhausted, I let go of it and providentially maybe will find another opportunity to get it. I shot several photographs and it lay on my laptop, till research revealed it was the venerable Kuba cloth. Kuba cloth is a woven tradition of the Kuba people of Democratic Republic of Congo formerly Zaire. There are over 18 ethnic groups who weave Kuba cloth. Woven out of Raffia, the fibre of the Raphia Vinifera Palm, the process is time consuming. The weaving is done by the men while the embroidery or embellishment is carried out by the women. The process involves preparing the fibre, dying it using natural colours, weaving the basic cloth, embellishing the woven cloth with embro...

  The reason for talking of this certification is how from a small place in Italy - Prato, the wool manufacturers / industry has joined hands to launch its own eco-friendly label. The industry promotes the label that in-turn promotes the industry. The mills in the area benefit by the promotion for the label which promotes their business also. The benefit of the label also accrues to the mills. India has umpteen number of such pockets which collectively produce a huge number of yarns, fabrics, garments, accessories and raw material. Industry associations active in these pockets can look at bringing out their own certification process relevant to their members and promote it world over. Each player has a certification which is advantageous to his business. Such a collective certification will add value to the cluster. Prato’s wool industry has joined together to launch a new label for eco-friendly regenerated wool products called Cardato Regnerated CO2 Neutral. The label is a Joint...

Our series on certification continues... Bluesign from bluesignTM Technologies ag is to put simply a set of standards which covers the entire chain of textile production. It covers all the stakeholders from the manufacturers of raw material, the component manufacturers to the ultimate consumers, it covers the entire production process chain in the textile industry. The company itself defines the standard as, “The declared objective of the independent bluesign® standard is to put a reliable and proactive tool at the disposal of the entire textile production chain - from raw material and component suppliers who manufacture e.g. yarns, dyes and additives, to textile manufacturers, to retailer and brand companies to consumers.” As Peter Waeber, CEO puts it on their website, “Production processes that are designed around maximum resource productivity with a view to environmental protection, health and safety, represent an assurance for manufacturers and retailers that today's quality ...

In a similar vein, to provide a distinct identity to crafts handmade in India whether it is products, accessories or fabrics, AIACA – (All India Artisan and Craftworkers Welfare Association) has launched the craft mark. AIACA licences the craftmark to businesses, NGOs, Self Help Groups and Cooperatives for use on its products, tickets or labels. The biggest advantage of having a craftmark is that it is a distinguishes between products which are machine made. It also sees to it that the consumer is not conned into buying a machine made product as a handmade product. Broadly, Craftmark certifies or stands for the fact that the product has been made without the use of child labour and the guarantees the hand made process of the craft. The Craftmark has its own developed system of rating and standards. It has also compiled processes as used in the various craft in the country be it Kalamkari, Sujni, Mangalgiri weaving or tie and dye. Craftmark also organizes symposiums, workshops, has stor...

 In the arena of labeling and certification, The Flower a voluntary scheme which encourages businesses to market and sell products and services that are “kinder to the environment”.   There was a time when if a product was produced in the handloom, the seller said so and the buyer bought it in good faith. The honesty of the word of mouth might persist but to give credence there has been brought in place a system of labeling and certification. Each set of label has its distinct benefits, advantages and lays down certain criterion for selection. There is also put in place a scheme for marketing so that the certificate holder gets the benefit of putting on the label.   The Flower as it is popularly called is the symbol of the European Eco label. The label is given for a host of categories excluding pharma products. It is a voluntary scheme which encourages businesses to market and sell products and services that are “kinder to the environment”. The presence of the mark h...

 One of the most widely accepted and strictly enforced is REACH. Regulating the use of chemicals in the process of manufacture, this certification from Europe has had far reaching ramification with manufacturers / importers & exporters to EU rushing to be REACH compliant. REACH is the regulation by the European Community on chemicals and their safe use. It looks at the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances. REACH is made up of the first letters of each of the above in the definition. It came into existence as a law in June 2007. The reason for its enforcement was the wide prevalence of using chemicals in the growing / manufacturing processes which had harmful side effects. A large amount of chemicals was being used, with little or no information on its effects or what it was. This was a process of gathering the information to provide greater safety, responsibility in its handling. Another problem was that the policy on the use of chem...

World over, there are a number of certifications available. What is pertinent, is to choose that which fits the products of the business. To be precise, the certification which adds value to the products and is a step forward in the process of brand creation. Since the process of obtaining the certification is long drawn out requiring considerable paper work and internal controls, it is better to go in for that which suits the product. And at the same time is valued by the customer. Many of the certification are tilted towards the broad based concepts of eco-friendly, fair trade or ethical business practices. In this piece we look at another three such practices which are gaining in popularity. Many of these certificates are de rigor in the Western world and developed countries. With India aiming to reach the same levels and a section of the population slowly getting used to similar standards as abroad, it will not be long before these are accepted practices in India and customers actu...