Dun & Breadstreet (D & B), the world’s leading provider of business information, knowledge insight & Axis Bank, the third largest private sector bank in India have awarded M/S Gujarat Eco Textile Park Ltd (GETP) a Luthra Group Company, for delivering exemplary performance in the field of eco friendly infrastructure project.

GETP, set up a modern Textile Park under the Scheme of Integrated Textile Park, Ministry of Textile, Government of India on PPA model wherein GOI contributed Rs 40 Crores in the form of grant.

The park has 8.5 MW Group Captive Power Plant, 60 MLD Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), 10 Million Kcal/hr Incinerator Plant and other infrastructures like storm water drainage, rain water harvesting, CC roads, Centre of Excellence building to house training centre, bank, trauma centre, workers canteen etc.

There are 24 Textile units already in operations which consists of Dyeing & printing, technical textile, weaving etc.

While receiving this prestigious award, Mr Luthra emotionally conveyed that the winner of award are all its stake holders i.e. Central & State government authorities, banks, contractors, employees etc as their support and guidance during concept to commissioning is unforgettable.

Dhiren N Sheth, President of Cotton Association of India (CAI), said while the production is not expected to be below 34 million bales, the consumption may not cross 25 million bales, thus, there would be a huge carry-over stock left for next year.

He cited widespread rains in the cotton growing regions, increase in cotton acreage as farmers received good price last season, and higher usage of Bt cotton as the factors that have spurred the production of cotton in India this season.

He stated that the seasonal conditions that existed in 2010-11 were favourable for growth of cotton and it acted as a catalyst for farmers to increase the acreage of cultivation under cotton this year.

Farmers also cultivated cotton on additional area as cotton gives higher net returns compared to other crops that grow during the same season, he added.

In addition to higher yields, farmers also benefited owing to a decline in production costs after they started cultivating cotton with Bollgard II technology. Today, Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies together account for nearly 90 percent of India’s total area under cotton cultivation.

Actually, the surge in India’s cotton production in the last few years can be traced to the rapid increase in area under GM cotton. The uptrend continued in 2010-11, when the country produced 32.5 million bales of cotton, Mr. Sheth said.

The CAI President said the likely slowdown in global economic growth in 2012 will also affect the demand for textile items, and hence the demand for cotton is likely to decrease in global market.

The model call is an opportunity for aspiring models to have a chance to grace the runway at this premiere fashion event. “We are showcasing the next generation of designers and it only makes sense to support them with the next generation of models,” said Junda Morris-Kennedy, Executive Director of Dayton Fashion Week.

Kyle Haggerty, MTV Made Coach and owner of K-2 Studios had this to say about the upcoming casting call, “I know talent when I see it. “You either have it or you don’t. It’s that simple,” Haggerty, is the Executive Producer of Dayton Fashion Week. Haggerty will be bringing to this event his wisdom and knowledge as the runway coach for Dayton Fashion Week.

The casting call will be held on Saturday February 25 at Delish Cafe -139 N. Main Street Downtown Dayton, OH 45402 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m- models must arrive by 10am. Female model requirements include: (without shoes) minimum height of 5’8”, size 2-4, and mature models are welcome.

Women must bring 3” heels and dress runway ready including full hair and makeup. Male model requirements: must be attractive, slender muscular tone, and (without shoes) minimum of 5’10”. Men should also arrive fashionably dressed. All models must be a minimum of 15 years of age. Participants under 18yrs. of age must have a parent or legal guardian present.

All participants must bring with them, two photos, one full body and head shot along with their measurements and contact information attached to the back. Those who have previous modeling experience please bring a resume listing all experience and a portfolio. Professional pictures are not required.

Dayton Fashion Week mission is to bridge the gap between national and international designers, premier retailers and prestige fashion media. The goal is to gain global exposure for Dayton’s emerging Fashion industry.

The event will set a new standard in terms of high-quality, New York-style runway shows complete with VIP seating, credentialed media access, and upscale promotional and after-parties that will attract thousands. Dayton Fashion Week is also giving back to the community by donating some of the proceeds from the event to two local charities- Hospice of Dayton and Clothes That Work.

CCRI has applied for patent for the umbrella prepared from a blend of coir and cotton.

Director of CCRI, US Sharma, said the research undertaken at CCRI’s Kalavoor-based headquarters, in the vicinity of Alappuzha, has established that coir has a capacity to block UV rays.

Pursuant to the research, CCRI had made a house from coir and after over two years of tests and trials, it was discovered that the lignin in coir has an ability to stop UV rays, Mr. Sharma said.

He added that UV rays, which are responsible for causing skin cancer, are the main roadblock in the way of umbrella manufacturers as an umbrella made from cotton or polyester cannot block UV rays.

The Institute has prepared two kinds of umbrellas, one of a usual size and the other of a bigger size that is normally used at beaches and golf courses.

Big umbrellas, prepared from cotton or polyester, are usually meant for providing a cover against sun’s rays on the beaches, but these cannot provide protection against UV rays. Golf courses in western countries also make extensive use of these big umbrellas as a temporary shelter.

The design and material used for preparing the frames of the coir umbrella is the same as usual umbrellas. However, in spite of its distinguished ability to provide protection against UV rays, the coir umbrella is not meant for use in rain.

Coir Board Chairman VS Vijayaraghavan informed that on receiving the patent, the Board would sell the technical expertise rights for these umbrellas to public parties.

He informed that some entrepreneurs have shown interest in the product during the ongoing Trade Fair at New Delhi, where different types of umbrellas prepared by the CCRI have been put up for display.

The 2012 Wool4Skool competition for year 9 and 10 Design and Technology-Textile students has been planned to align with curriculum learning outcomes in every state.

The theme of Modern Australia has been chosen to allow students plenty of freedom to express their ideas. Inspiration can be whatever Modern Australia means to them – music, sport, school, family, the beach, the country, urban life – their choice is as wide as their Australia.

Students submit sketches of their designs and a written statement of the inspiration, textiles and innovation used within their creation. The project has been designed across an eight lesson plan for teachers to easily implement in the classroom.

With entries not closing until July, students have plenty of time to gain inspiration and understanding of wool, while teachers have plenty of time to implement the project.

The winning entry will be made into a garment by Jonathan Ward, one of Australia’s top fashion designers. The winning garment will be featured in a fashion shoot for Girlfriend magazine and the winning student will meet Jonathan in his studio for a mini-masterclass in design and receive a cash prize of $2,500.

This competition also recognises the critical role teachers play in inspiring and developing the skills and interests of budding designers. Wool4Skool 2012 will provide a cash prize of $2,500 to the teacher who best incorporates Wool4Skool into their day-to-day class activity.

All participating schools will receive a fabric pack of wool textiles and technical information to learn about innovations in modern knitted and woven wool fabrics. All students who complete an entry will be recognised with a certificate.

Woolgrowers who would like to promote Wool4Skool in their local school or area are welcome to contact AWI, their state farming organisation or woolgrower network for promotional posters and flyers.

Joining Mr Power on the Executive are Mr Geoff Fisken from Lal Lal, Victoria as Senior Vice-President and Jim McKenzie, Cunnamulla, Qld as Vice-President Treasurer.

Mr Power, a wool-grower from Orroroo, SA has served as a Director of WoolProducers Australia for seven years.

Power replaces long serving President and Director of WoolProducers Australia, Mr Don Hamblin.

“I acknowledge and pay tribute to Don for all his work for the wool industry over the last 14 years. We will miss his intimate knowledge, and we wish him well for the future”, Mr Power said.

Mr Power brings all-round industry experience, having worked in the shearing industry and now managing his own 2,000 strong Merino ewe flock.

He is committed to providing leadership on the issues facing the wool industry.

“I hope to maintain the best relationship possible with government, and those who represent us in the Parliament of Australia.”

Mr Power acknowledges the many challenges facing WoolProducers over the next 12 months and asserts that he will face these head-on.

These include
• Building the profile of WoolProducers Australia and ensuring a strong and viable peak industry body into the future.
• The roll-out of a new and improved National OJD* Management Program, and
• Ensuring a strong working relationship with Australian Wool Innovation.

When asked why he pursued the role of President for WoolProducers Australia, Mr Power said

“The wool industry has been good to me and my family and I intend to give something back. And this great industry remains an important contributor to our national economy.”

Prof. Andrew Mbwambo, Dean of Business School in Mzumbe University, Dar es Salaam, said the Government needs to have a policy aimed at protecting local cotton industries.

Speaking at a workshop on African Clothing and Footwear Research Network (ACFRN), Prof. Mbwambo said the local industries must be directed to use domestically produced raw materials.

Prof. Mbwambo, along with researchers from seven countries of east and southern Africa, is about to complete a study under the ACFRN project. Since its inception in 2001, researchers at ACFRN maintain close contact with Government officials responsible for the clothing sector in their countries. Representatives of industry and Government officials are regularly invited to stakeholders’ workshops and dissemination events.

One of them – Mr Ajay Sardana, Asst VP (Global Customers & Market Intelligence) at Grasim, is of the firm opinion that viscose staple fibre (VSF) will come in to its own in the near future and find a place in the consumer mind, subject to branding of the fibre.

Elaborating on the same, he said, “The consumption of VSF is rising in India. However the consumer is not aware that he may be using a product containing VSF, which needs to be worked upon. The need of the hour is to introduce compulsory garment labeling.

“Once labeling on clothing is made mandatory, consumers will know the composition of the clothing they are wearing. In present times, consumers attribute the softness of fabrics using VSF to cotton, a misnomer which needs to be removed”.

Speaking about the plans for branding VSF made clothing, he informed, “We have started co-branding with textile mills like Mafatlal and SKumars. School uniforms which are washed atleast 300 times a month loose colour due to repeated washing. Fabric made from blended VSF dyed yarn retains its colour even after multiple washes.

“Secondly, for promotion of viscose fabrics we invite budding fashion designers to our Textiles Research & Development Centre (TRADC) in Kharach – Gujarat. We provide internship and training to textile engineering students and to those from fashion institutes. We are also hosting a fashion show in Jakarta in order to promote VSF made clothing”.

Regarding fabric related innovations in the VSF industry, he revealed, “There have been fabric dyeing and processing improvements in the recent past. The Gujarat Commando Force has preferred fabric made from ‘Excel’ for its strength and moisture absorption properties”.

According to Mr Sardana, properties of Modal and Excel, which are second and third generation cellulosic fibres, are superior to VSF. Moisture absorption in Modal and Excel is higher than cotton making it more suitable by themselves or in blends with synthetic for apparel wear on account of comfort factor.

Throwing light on the applications of VSF he said, “VSF based yarns have large number of applications ranging from nonwovens to knits, apparels, gum tapes, sewing threads, carpets, upholstery and so on. Viscose is the most preferred fibre for nonwoven fabrics in hygienic and moisture absorbent applications such as baby wipes, skin care wipes and hospital gowns”.

Mr Sardana is of the opinion that use of pigments at spinning stage in VSF spun dyed fibres eliminates the need for subsequent dyeing of grey fabric, while providing high colour fastness and perfect shade uniformity, which in turns makes it an environmentally safe fibre.

This is particularly true as Bay Area residents spruce up their homes for the holidays. And one of the easiest, and most affordable, ways to beautify a home is with the addition of decorative pillows.

Norman S. Bernie Co. is announcing the arrival of a beautiful selection of upholstery fabrics remnants, including designer prints, velvets, chenilles, flat-woven jacquards, tweeds, and more at incredibly discounted prices. These remnants range in size from one yard to over 4 yards in length, and are sold by the piece.

And, in addition, Norman S. Bernie Co. has just received a brand new shipment of imported lush down pillow forms, now stocking these sizes: 16″x16″, 18″x18″, 20″x20″, 22″x22″, 24″x24″, and 27″x27″. All these beautifully soft pillow forms are offered at remarkably discounted prices.

To simply and affordably beautify the interior of a home at any time, but particularly now as the holidays approach, there is no better way than to add color and style with decorative throw pillows. And there is no better place to find wonderfully lush pillow forms and the most exquisite and affordable selection of decorative fabrics, including their brand new shipment of upholstery fabric remnants, than the San Francisco Bay Area’s finest decorative fabric supplier, Norman S. Bernie Co.

The Special Handloom Expo 2011, organized by Sikkim Handloom and Handicrafts Corporation Ltd., under the aegis of Development Commissioner (Handloom), Ministry of Textiles Government of India, would run till December 10.

Handloom artisans from seven States including Bihar, Nagaland, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Sikkim and West Bengal are showcasing their products at 40 stalls set up at the expo.

Besides, there is also a theme pavilion exhibiting traditional wears of various ethnic communities of the State like Nepali, Bhutia and Lepcha. The pavilion also showcases the handloom, Lukuni and Angora weaves.

Several other useful and appealing handloom items are on display at the expo, which was inaugurated by Neeru Sewa, Sikkim’s Minister for Commerce and Industries Department in the presence of other dignitaries.

The conference was hosted by Fibre2fashion the leading global B2B portal for the textile, apparel and fashion industry in association with the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) & Surat Art Silk Cloth Manufacturers Association (SASCMA).

More than 25 eminent speakers from the global and Indian manmade fibre textiles sector had lined up at the conference and kept the 300 plus delegates enthused with their informative presentations and panel discussions.

Topics lined up at the conference ranged on shortcomings of cotton fibre supply in the future to why manmade fibre textiles will dominate consumption in coming years along with presentations on latest global textile technologies.

Dr PR Roy – convener of the conference and also Director of fibre2fashion began the proceedings by saying, “One needs to keep eyes and ears open to the changes in the global textile scenario. Land to cultivate cotton is going to fall, with the same land competing with other remunerative food crops.

“Secondly water consumption across the whole cotton textile value chain is also very high. This puts a question mark on long term viability and prospects of the production of the natural fibre, since water is not a renewable resource.

“Two fibres in particular will dominate the global textile sector – polyester and viscose staple fibre. This conference will deliberate on what role manmade fibres will play in the future”, he winded up by saying.

This was followed by an address from Mr Arun Jariwala– Chairman, SASCMA, who said, “Between 1980 and 2010 Indian cotton output has grown by 81.36 percent while manmade fibre production has grown by 367 percent. The ratio of consumption of manmade fibre vis-à-vis cotton fibre in India is 39:61, while globally it is 60:40. This conference will help to plan the future course of the manmade fibres textile industry”.

Next to speak was Mr Rohit Mehta – President, SGCCI. He said, “Surat is one of the main centres in India for manmade fibre textiles. At a time when the industry is looking for answers to a host of questions, this conference will help in addressing the same. The renowned speakers will definitely throw light on these and many more”.

Mr Maheswar Sahu – IAS and Principal Secretary (Industries & Mines) – Govt. of Gujarat, began the inaugural address by saying “With the impetus given by Gujarat government, I hope 2-3 million spindles will be added in the next 3-4 years in Gujarat. However, value added in the Indian textile industry, will come from the technical textiles sector.

“In the next 5-6 years, there will be more than 5-6 million automobiles per year, rolling out of the state. This will create a big opportunity for the technical textiles sector in Gujarat”.

The last speaker at the inaugural session was global expert, Mr Robin Anson – Managing Director, Textiles Intelligence, UK who presented a paper on ‘Manmade fibre textiles to 2030 – India and China”.

Mr Sahu said on the sidelines of the International Conference on Manmade Fibre Textiles held recently in Ahmedabad, while reacting to a recent Frank Knight report which said that Gujarat was falling behind in other states in output from the textile industry”.

Speaking exclusively to fibre2fashion, he added, “We are envisaging that around 2-3 million more spindles will be installed in Gujarat in the next 2-3 years. Alongside, new generation powerlooms are also being setup. I am confident that this will help Gujarat, regains its glory on the textile map of India”.

Informing about the status of a proposal from a Chinese textile machinery manufacturer – China Texmatch to set up a plant in Gujarat, he revealed, “China Texmatch has not yet decided the location, however, it is seriously looking at Gujarat to set up the plant”.

“The Gujarat government is seriously contemplating setting up spinning textile parks to ensure that the cotton grown in the state is processed in the state itself, rather than sending it to southern states for spinning and getting the same yarn back in Gujarat to weave fabrics”, he revealed.

“Currently, we have 31 stores across India, covering all the key cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore and we are ready to expand across cities like Chandigarh, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai,” Mr. Abhay Gupta, Executive Director of BCC told fibre2fashion.

“With this extended network, BCC will be able to cover 8 out of 14 cities that are home to more than 50 percent of the total affluent people of the country,” he added.

Mentioning about BCC portfolio, he said, “Our portfolio covers all product categories in both men’s and women’s segments. We have ‘Royal Blues’ which houses the premium ethnic selection of reputed Indian designers. Then there is ‘Bench & Bar’ which offers customised outfits, especially for legal professionals. Another concept is ‘Su Misura’ which provides custom-made tailoring.”

“The exclusive fabric section is where one can find the finest variety in suiting fabrics from international brands like Drapers, Ermenegildo Zegna, Loro Piana, Lanificio Cerruti, and others. BCC is also in talks with some other top notch brands to enhance its portfolio,” he informed.

Explaining about BCC’s entry into home furnishings segment, Mr. Gupta informed, “Last year, we launched Blues Home – a one stop shop for all interiors segment requirement – to tap into the growing requirement and trend of shopping for luxury home furnishings. Blues Home has unique concepts like Versace Home, Ayaan – Indian heritage rediscovered, Jagtar – the best in Thai silk, and Obsession- contemporary and international range of rugs and carpets. Recently, we have successfully introduced a new brand called Arredoclassic – classical Italian interiors solution – to Blues Home’s portfolio.”

As usual every year, between January 24 and 26 in Plaza Mayor, Medellin, representatives from companies in the sectors of chemicals, fiber, woven string, weaving, textile machinery and garments and consumables, as well as textile merchandisers and finished products companies, will gather at the business showcase of Fashion System, the first event of the year for the world of textiles.

Carlos Eduardo Botero Hoyos, CEO of Inexmoda, explained that “This 24th edition of the fair will focus on Fashion System, suggesting thought upon the importance of the integration of each of the players in order to build a stronger country, together. Along those lines, we will share innovations that seek to respond to the needs of the sector and to make the fair a more business-oriented venue.”
Innovations at the fair

Inexjobs, an alliance between Inexmoda and Fashion Jobs
One of the most important novelties from the 24th edition of Colombiatex, will be the launching of the alliance between Inexmoda and Fashion Jobs, the first specialized and international employment network, seeking to gather professionals and entrepreneurs from the textiles, tailoring, design and fashion sector, who desire to work or employ new people. This will gather the labor offering, not only from Colombia, but also in international markets from companies similar to Fashion System.

Denim Review
In response to the evolution and the ‘winning streak’ of Indigo in the world, 14 of the most important national and international companies in this segment will gather once more at Denim Review, opening the way to the future based on innovation and textile leadership in indigos.

The venue, located in the Urban Zone of Plaza Mayor, is Inexmoda’s dare, thanks to the success in 2011 of its first edition, where thoughts on the present and future of jeans wear in the world will be discussed, and will serve as an inspiration and model for brands, showcasing possibilities for the segmentation of their portfolios,” added the Executive President of Inexmoda.

Textiles and Consumables Forum
The tendencies in textiles and consumables of the 2012 Spring and Summer season, will come again thanks to the Textiles and Consumables forum. At the event, entrepreneurs, buyers, students and designers will see a representative sampling of the fabric and trends offered during the fair.

Robin Anson – Managing Director, Textiles Intelligence – UK told fibre2fashion on the sidelines of the International Conference on Manmade Fibre Textiles held in Ahmedabad last week.

He added, “It will be very difficult to compete with low-cost countries and who also have developed core competency in production of clothing for exports like Bangladesh and Vietnam. On the other hand, the Indian textile industry, which is more than a century old, has complete proficiency in manufacturing of textiles”.

When asked as to how much the global textile scenario had changed since he was last here in Ahmedabad in October 2011, he replied by saying, “Everybody was optimistic after emerging from the economic turmoil of 2008-09. But the developments in the last few months, has made most in the textile value-chain pessimistic”.

To the likelihood of an economic recession in Europe, he said, “Some countries are having deep economic problems. It is quite possible that in the next 12-18 months there is a possibility that we might revisit the scenario experienced in 2008-09, though not on the same levels.”

He added, “The finance ministries of a few countries will have to do a fine-balancing act, as if a bank in a particular country collapses, the impact will be felt in neighbouring European countries, wherever the bank has its network. Also, each country in the European Union is trying to ensure that the Euro zone is not broken, which could have a disastrous impact on all the countries of the region”.

“Though economic conditions in UK have improved from those in 2008-09, the country has a huge budget deficit. However the good news is that the UK government, has a plan in place to contain the deficit”, he informed.

When quizzed about the main reason for cotton textiles consumption being ahead of manmade fibre textiles in India, he said, “India since a long time has been a key producer of cotton. Secondly, the huge handloom industry is a big consumer of cotton yarn.

“Thirdly, at a time, when there were developments in MMF industry in other countries, duties on MMF textiles were very high in India in the recent past, which made cotton an attractive proposition.

“China too has a policy which favours manmade fibre textiles, which assures a reliable source of raw materials for the Chinese MMF textile sector and helped in creating a holistic growth of the segment. On the other hand the Indian government provided support and protection to the cotton farmers and others in the cotton value-chain”.

To another question as to which major areas the Indian textile and garment industry needs to improve or concentrate in order to keep its place in global export rankings, he answered by saying, “In my opinion, it was a big mistake on the part of the Indian government to put in so much effort to developing the apparel sector.

Mattress Overstock carries a variety of name brand mattresses at deep discounts, and by carrying Sealy, the largest manufacturer of mattresses in the US, they give their customers the widest range of comfort choices at every level. They have access to the industry’s newest designs and innovative product technology coming out of North Carolina where Sealy has its corporate offices. And having a relationship that works translates to more options for everyone at lower costs.

“We did not want to limit our ability to introduce new products and promotions to just one area and wanted to move quickly and be able to meet our growing customer needs more effectively. And with Sealy we are able to do that,” said Jim Becker, president of Mattress Overstock.

“Our customers are smart shoppers, and they appreciate the lower overstock prices we provide in high value merchandise.” According to Jim, “We saw a need for a storefront in the Northern suburbs to deliver the brand and comfort experience people expect closer to home. We chose McHenry because it gives us the flexibility and capabilities we need to meet the evolving needs of our brand, and will scale to support our growing business out here.”

Mattress Overstock, a mattress retailer, provides name brand sleep products at a fraction of the cost. Started in Houston circ. 2006 by Jim Becker, born and raised in Elmwood Park Illinois, Mattress Overstock is a brand dedicated to shaking up the mattress industry with innovative and affordable merchandise in-store and online.

The event will take place on January 24, 2012, at Plaza Mayor de Medellín, and will go on until the 26th of the same month.

“We are working on the identification of international buyers from the United States, Canada, Switzerland and Mexico to create business opportunities with Colombian exporters and to take advantage of the advantages offered by the Free Trade Agreements with these countries,” announced Maria Claudia Lacouture, President of Proexport Colombia.

During the fair, which was organized by the Instituto para la Exportación y la Moda – Inexmoda – (Institute for Exports and Fashion), Proexport Colombia will hold a business encounter between Colombian exporters and more than 400 international buyers, who will have the chance to visit the exhibitor stands directly with previously established appointments.

“This activity will allow them to get a more detailed view of the national offering, and the Colombian attendees to offer their products in a more personal and professional way,” said Lacouture.

The offering on display will include materials for the manufacturing of these products, like fabric, embroidery, lace, elastics, buttons and zippers, among others.

While the invitation will focus more on the United States, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, the Andean Community of Nations and Mercosur, international buyers are expected from 26 countries focusing on the search for consumable materials and accessories, as well as the complete package, i.e. the preparation of products with Colombian materials, according to client specifications for later sale in the markets abroad.

There are Opportunities in several international markets.

Proexport Colombia found that in the past few years, the country has positioned itself internationally, thanks to the quality of Colombian materials.

Opportunities have been identified in countries like Peru, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Guatemala, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Germany, Korea, United States, United Kingdom, Russia and Thailand.

According to the information from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, based o DANE figures, in 2010, exports from Bogota reached US$311.7 million.

“The current output of PET bottle resin is 190,000 tons per year. By the end of this year, new capacity will be operational, which will take our total PET capacity to 400,000 tons per annum”, a Shinkong company official told fibre2fashion.

Giving the details about current PET bottle resin prices he said, “We are currently offering at US $1,500 / ton (FOB Keelung – Taiwan). Our regular customer bid is at US $1,490-1,510 / ton (FOB), depending on different grades.

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corporation founded in 1967, subsequently developed into a joint venture with Toray Industries and Mitsubishi Corporation.

Its three plants in Taiwan totally produce 1,900 tons of polyester products per day. Additionally, the company also has manufacturing sites in China and Thailand.

Spandex is a manmade fibre in which a long chain synthetic polymer is composed of at least 85 percent of segmented polyurethane. It is a lightweight fibre used to make stretchable clothing. First produced in the early 1950s, spandex was initially developed as a replacement for rubber.

Bayer and DuPont together invented spandex and received a patent. DuPont later began industrial production and in the 1960s, Asahi Kasei and Toyo Boseki too developed production technology of spandex.

The fabrics produced using spandex carry characteristics of comfort, wrinkle resistance (for woven), bounce and retain shape. Its applications are varied which include swimwear, outerwear/sportswear, lingerie, bottom weight fabrics (denim/suitings), top weight fabrics (shirting/blouse) and the shoe industry.

In 2010, Asia accounted for nearly 84 percent of spandex output, with the American continent and Europe accounting for the rest. China with a capacity of 399,000 tons per annum accounted for nearly 70 percent of the global 575,000 tons per year spandex output.

The North American market is the biggest consumer of spandex in the world with a share of 53 percent, followed by Latin America with 10 percent, with Europe, China and other countries making up for the rest of spandex consumption. Indian usage accounts for just 2 percent of global consumption.

Mr Gupta said, “However, as a result of India clocking the second highest GDP growth rate and a robust growth in organized retail segment and branded clothing, Indian spandex usage is growing at 15 percent per year as compared to world’s expected growth of 7-8 percent per year”.

He further informed, “Currently Indian direct consumption of bare spandex is around 6,000 tons per annum, all of which is imported, with 37 percent being consumed by the circular knitting sector, followed by air covered yarns with 27 percent, 19 percent from core spun yarns and the rest by narrow fabrics”.

He added, “The spandex fibre may also find usage in the furnishing industry (Elastic webbing for sofas), load carrying (anti-shock webbing) and elastic braids for underwear, shoe industry, stationary and elasticized cords – round braids in the near future”.

Indorama Industries is the first Indian investment in spandex filament production using dry-spun CP technology with equipment from Italy, PR China and Japan, with a capacity of 5,000 tons per year to be set up in three phases. Commercial production is scheduled to commence by March 2012.

SABIC will showcase its range of polymer solutions that offer customers both technology and sustainable benefits. They include SABIC Vestolen A Rely, SABIC LD/LLDPE, SABIC PP Homo Polymer spun bond resins, Polyethylene Terephthalate tape fabric, and SABIC PP Stiffpact.

A significant highlight of the SABIC pavilion will be Hyundai’s QarmaQ Crossover Utility Vehicle. SABIC has helped Hyundai to achieve several goals with the QarmaQ including reducing part weight to lower fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; achieving new design freedom for increased safety, comfort and aesthetics; and consolidating parts to lower system cost and achieve additional weight reduction. Due to extensive use of advanced materials, QarmaQ is 60 kg lighter than a comparable vehicle made with traditional materials.

Pointing out to SABIC’s continued resolve to retain its strong customer base, Khaled Al-Mana, SABIC Executive Vice President, Polymers Strategic Business Unit, said that the company’s customer-focused strategy has made its patrons well aware of SABIC’s range of clearly superior products and services, and its strong commitment to quality. “Our strategy has brought in rewards.

For example, in 2010, the company’s polymer production reached more than 10 million tons, up from the 8 million tons in 2009. SABIC is now the third largest producer of polypropylene in the world, an improvement from the previous fourth position. It retains its global ranking as the world’s third largest producer of polyethylene, and plans to become the world’s second largest producer of polyolefins by 2015,” Al-Mana said.

At present SABIC has a number of polymer projects which have just gone on-stream or are currently underway. These projects have brought, or will bring, important additions to SABIC’s product range. For example, in 2010 SABIC’s huge SAUDI KAYAN petrochemical complex in Jubail began production of polymers and other petrochemical products. Likewise, the start-up of SHARQ’s expansion project in 2009 brought new supplies to SABIC customers in 2010.

During a presentation on “CAFTA Vrs Asia: Competitive Strategies for the Region’s Strengthening” as a part of FOROTEX 2011, Patricia Figueroa, Executive Director of the Chamber of the Textile, Clothing and Free Zones in El Salvador (CAMTEX), said one of the main challenge being faced by the country’s textile sector is to achieve a greater commitment from the Government in the coming years.

Patricia said the Government should show greater commitment towards the textile sector as it accounts for about 45 percent of total exports of El Salvador, and contributes 18 percent to its industrial GDP and 4.1 percent to GDP.

Walter Wilhelm of Walter Wilhelm Associates said El Salvador should not restrict itself to the US market and should also explore other countries. He added that the changes occurring in China and the current economic volatility provide a good opportunity for countries in the region to explore new markets.

The forum deliberated on issues such as compliance with customs regulations, CAFTA-DR, and foreign investors’ perspective on El Salvador.

In line with the new organizational structure, Clement Woon, an internationally experienced executive will succeed Thomas Babacan as Segment CEO on 1 January 2012. Oerlikon’s CEO, Dr. Michael Buscher, said: “We have seen strong improvement in our Textile business, resulting in record margins.

With the announcement we are positioning the Segment even closer to our largest customers, consistent with our strategy to further increase efficiency and profitability. I would like to thank Thomas Babacan for his dedication to Oerlikon and welcome Clement Woon to the company.”

Announcement supports the continuation of the focus on operational discipline, lifting the underlying performance of Oerlikon Textile to a new level, building on an already strong market position in Asia.

The refocusing of Oerlikon Textile comprises three key elements:
• Simplified organization with consolidation from five BUs to three
A new Manmade Fibers BU will comprise Oerlikon Barmag and Oerlikon Neumag. The new Natural Fibers BU will consist of Oerlikon Schlafhorst and Oerlikon Saurer. The structure of the Textile Components BU remains unaffected by the realignment. Branding will not change.

• Shift of key Oerlikon Textile management to Shanghai
Oerlikon Textile Executives, including the CEO and CFO, will relocate to Shanghai in the first quarter of 2012. By end of 2012 more than 40 % of all Textile senior management positions will be based at Oerlikon’s new office in Shanghai.

• R&D investments in Germany and China
Oerlikon Textile will increase its 2012 R&D investment in Germany to around CHF 60 million (worldwide to around CHF 80 million) and start ramping up R&D capacity in China. The German R&D organization will focus on the continued development of ground breaking innovations such as the recently launched Autocoro 8 from Oerlikon Schlafhorst. The Asian R&D capability will specialize in regional adaptation.

After successful contribution over many years, Thomas Babacan will hand over his management responsibilities as Segment CEO to Clement Woon (52, a citizen of Singapore) on 1 January 2012 and leave the company. Clement Woon, an executive with extensive international experience, particularly in Asia, has a strong background in both the technology and service industries. He will be Oerlikon’s first Segment CEO based in Asia. The position of Oerlikon Group COO will be eliminated.

With a presence in this region for almost 50 years, Oerlikon Textile’s sales in Asia will reach around 70 % of total sales in 2011. “To ensure the continuation of this success, we will manage the textile business directly out of its most important market and at the same time strengthen R&D capabilities, especially in Germany”, said Group CEO Buscher.

The Indian Council for Development of Cotton Textile Exports (TEXPROCIL) participated for the first time in the Exhibition, which saw about 20 percent of foreign participation, with the domestic companies accounting for the rest.

The motto of this year’s exhibition was “The Best Uzbek Textile – Successful Competition to Textile from China and Turkey”. While some foreign companies showed willingness to buy Uzbek textiles, other companies looked for establishing partnerships with local firms for supplying quality chemicals and dyes, yarns and accessories to them.

Domestic firms showcased wide range of high-quality textile products. Ready-made garment and knitted items were also presented at the event by local companies. The exhibition also presented foreign embroidered fabrics and textile art appliqué, sewing accessories, knitting machinery and synthetic fibres.

A special Buyer Programme was also held for the first time to increase foreign participation in the event, especially visitors from all regions of Uzbekistan, the CIS and other countries. This yielded positive results and companies from India, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and other countries showed interest in Uzbek textile products and in developing business partnerships.

The Sleep Number AirFit Adjustable Pillow is available in three options for additional personalization: CoolFit Foam, Memory Fiber and European White Goose Down.

Just in time for the holiday season, Sleep Number is taking personalization to an entirely new level with the launch of its exclusive, new Sleep Number AirFit Adjustable Pillow. The AirFit Adjustable Pillow combines the support and comfort of air with the innovation of adjustability to provide the most personalized pillow and sleep experience possible.

“We believe everyone is unique and, therefore, everyone deserves a bed and bedding that offer individualized comfort,” said Annie Bloomquist, chief product management and merchandise officer at Sleep Number. “After 25 years of offering personal comfort and adjustability in beds, we’re excited to offer our customers a pillow that is distinctively Sleep Number. It’s a personalized, innovative gift that provides real benefits each and every night.”

Great sleep starts with a pillow that fits, and customers can discover better sleep with the AirFit Adjustable Pillow because the pillow will adjust based on their individual sleeping position, size and shape.

Sleepers just turn the dial and relax in their favorite sleeping position while the revolutionary pillow adjusts to their individual size and shape to give them better support, alignment and a perfect fit. The AirFit Adjustable Pillow is available in three options for additional personalization based on sleep preference.

Select Comfort Corporation is leading the industry in setting a new standard in sleep by offering consumers high-quality, innovative and individualized sleep solutions, which includes a complete line of SLEEP NUMBER beds and bedding.

It is said that the very first manufacturing of blended polyester/viscose yarn in India was begun by the erstwhile Rajasthan Spinning and Weaving Mills Ltd (RSWM Ltd) in the renowned manmade fibre textile hub of Bhilwara.

He put up a strong presentation on the challenges faced by the cotton fibre textile industry and as to why synthetic textiles have better growth opportunity over cotton textiles.

He said, “India is the third-largest cotton producer in the world. Area of cotton cultivation is significantly larger than any other country in the world accounting for about 25 percent of global cotton area, but average yields are the lowest among the top-10 global cotton producers.

He said, “Although area and yield gains have boosted cotton production 2.4 percent annually in past years, but progress in raising yields toward levels achieved by other major global producers has been slow. In addition to low yields, the quality of Indian cotton is often poor because of an array of technical, economic, and institutional factors.

“About 65 percent of cotton area is not irrigated and is dependent on erratic monsoon rainfall, a share that has remained relatively constant for from many past years. Poor and uncontrolled seed quality is another pervasive problem in cotton cultivation.

“Large gaps between average on farm yields and the potential of existing varieties also stem from poor management practices, including use of inappropriate varieties, seed rates, seed spacing, and fertilizer dosages. Taking all these factors into account, the synthetic or man-made fabric is the ultimate answer to address all these limitations”.

Addressing the challenges faced by the manmade fibre textiles mills in Bhilwara he said, “There are certain challenges that every market faces and Bhilwara is not an exception. The growth in industrialization in Bhilwara has been associated with the increase in environmental pollution particularly that relate to ground water and atmosphere, which needs to be addressed urgently.

Secondly, textile processing consumes a large amount of water in dyeing and finishing operations. In order to reduce excessive water consumption, a new dyeing process should be initiated. The use of super critical fluids, especially supercritical carbon dioxide, as dyeing media completely avoids water pollution and dyeing takes place without using water at zero discharge.

“The second way to reduce water usage is to shift towards highly functional and value-added textiles, by using plasma technology, which modifies surface of textiles fabrics without altering properties and can impart functional properties such as water repellence, long term hydrophilicity, improved softness, antistatic, antibacterial, etc.

Gevo has succeeded in converting isobutanol, produced from biomass by employing its own highly effective production method that uses synthetic biology, to synthesize para-xylene employing conventional chemical process used in commercial operations.

Toray used terephthalic acid synthesized from Gevo’s biobased para-xylene and commercially available renewable mono ethylene glycol (MEG) as raw materials, and successfully produced the PET samples by applying a new technology and PET polymerization in June this year. This biobased PET has exhibited properties equivalent to petro-based PET in laboratory conditions.

Toray has also succeeded in the production of a fiber using this fully renewable biobased PET for the first time in the world.

PET has one of the highest production volumes among petrochemical products in the world. Around 40 million tons of polyester fiber, for which PET is the source, is produced worldwide annually. Polyester fibers are widely used in our daily life as well as in industry, and it is one of the core products manufactured and sold by Toray.

The success of this trial, albeit under laboratory conditions, is proof that polyester fiber can be industrially produced from fully renewable biomass feedstock alone. This is a significant step that would contribute to the realization of a sustainable, low-carbon society.

Toray is planning to exhibit this laboratory-scale fully biobased PET fiber samples at Eco-Products 2011, which will be held at The Tokyo Big Sight in December 2011.

Under its management policy that all business strategies must place priority on the global environment in an effort to help realize a sustainable low-carbon society, Toray has been promoting the development of biobased polymers while expanding the businesses related to biobased materials such as poly lactic acid (PLA).

The expansion of biobased polymers is an important initiative central to the Group’s Green Innovation projects under its new medium-term management program “Project AP-G 2013”, launched in April this year.

Under the corporate slogan “Innovation by Chemistry”, Toray will enhance its efforts to develop advanced materials to contribute to the progress of a sustainable, recycling society.

Stephan Gunold, responsible for Marketing at GUNOLD GmbH, states: „A lot of our customers asked for a wider range of colours, especially for these two embroidery threads. At long last! Now we can offer the desired and trendy wide range of colours while maintaining our high-quality and colour fastness.“ POLY 60, made of 100% polyester, is ideal for monograms, small scripts and fine, intricate details. FILAINE is made of acrylic and has this unique wool-like feel to it.”

“The size 12 thread convinces even at a high stitch speed. Now the new wide range of colours allows embroiderers to use these threads in a variety of different applications. Whereas Poly 60 is mainly the choice for promotion wear, the new colours of FILAINE follow the current trend of fashion wear.”

It goes without saying that our range of colours is well-balanced, making sure that fashion designers as well as advertising professionals will find their desired, special colour shades.

FILAINE is characterized by its needlework look and wool-like appearance yet it is extremely robust during processing and particularly convincing through high tear and rub resistance. It is even recommended for embroidering on jeans.

Whether precious embroideries on woollens or knits, vintage-style patterns for traditional costumes, or colourful ethnic clothes, FILAINE is the ideal choice for rustic embroideries with that typical needlework look. And given that currently rough-textured fabrics come into fashion, the new 18 additional colours of FILAINE have been added just at the right time.

Embroideries with tiny details or small scripts of 3mm and up will no longer pose a problem at all if embroidered with POLY 60. During the production process a special manufacturing technique is being applied, ensuring the exact thread weight. Afterwards the thread is thermally set which influences elongation and shrinkage in order to achieve optimum properties for an embroidery thread.

Subsequently the embroidery will not be distorted, even when heavy laundering is required. This polyester embroidery thread which is made of premium EU polyester is colourfast to chlorine. Furthermore, high water temperatures of up to 95 degrees Celsius do not compromise its integrity. Since this thread is incredibly tear resistant as well as resistant to abrasion, it retains its vibrancy even when subjected to tough industrial conditions. The new 27 additional colours of POLY 60 make it easier to find the right choice for garments that are subject to routine heavy usage.

DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR will run simultaneously with the China Building Construction Expo encompassing green building products, technology and design. By organizing these events alongside DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR, VNU brings together the flooring industry with representatives of the real estate, architecture, interior design and construction engineering sectors.

“It’s an opportunity for networking across the construction industry and we hope it creates powerful synergies for everyone,” said David Zhong, president of VNU Exhibitions Asia.

DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR attracts new exhibitors. Some of the new exhibitors joining Domotex in 2012 include Forbo, Nora, Berry Alloc, Invista, Mapei, and Lumber Liquidators, among others. Both Pakistan and Turkey have announced that they will install country pavilions to showcase their hand-made carpets. New education program include events for sports and leisure flooring, hospitals, and an enhanced demo area for installation products.

While the floor covering trade show is seeing strong growth in its resilient and hand-made carpet segments, wood and laminate flooring will remain the signature products at DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR 2012 according to organizer VNU. “With the uncertainty due to the ITC case now behind us, the industry is now back to focusing on business and market expansion.

This show provides the international flooring industry the opportunity to expand and investigate new markets and partnerships. China is evolving from being the largest producer of flooring in the world to also the largest consumer and this creates new opportunities for our manufacturers and the entire global flooring industry,” said Zhong.

DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR encompassing totally 11 halls (126,500 Sqm gross) of Shanghai New International Expo Center is the second largest floor covering trade fair in the world after DOMOTEX HANNOVER and the largest floor covering event in Asia-Pacific.

Besides DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR, DOMOTEX HANNOVER, the world’s leading trade fair for carpets and flooring coverings which will take place from 14 – 17 January 2012. As a platform dedicated to the Middle East North Africa region, Deutsche Messe’s DOMOTEX Middle East hosts the flooring industry from 12 – 14 September 2011. Finally DOMOTEX Russia will be held in Moscow from 26-28 September 2012.

The plan to support the textile sector has been funded by the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund of the European Union, in collaboration with the Government, through the SERVEF. The plan has so far resulted in employing 120 workers who had become unemployed due to the closure of textile units. It has also succeeded in creating 17 new companies.

Within seven months of the implementation of the plan, a total of 839 socio-orientation sessions were conducted which helped 95 percent of participants in the plan to assess their chances of finding employment.

The focus of the plan was on regions which had highest presence of the textile sector such as Vall d’Albaida, l’Alcoià and Comtat. Of the 359 persons who had lost their jobs in the textile sector as a result of the crisis and participated in the plan, 120 got employed. Thus, the plan achieved the rehabilitation of about 34 percent in its first year, in accordance with the objectives framed at the start of the plan.

From among the 120 people rehabilitated, 103 have got full-time employment. Of these, 47 percent were absorbed by the textile industry, 20 percent by the service sector, and 10 percent by the public sector.

Moreover, according to Mr. Ceballos, the commitment to entrepreneurship has led to the creation of 17 companies. This will help in revival of the productive fabric of the Vall d’Albaida, l ‘Alcoià and Comtat, hard hit by the crisis.

One more informative session which caught the attention of the stakeholders and industry leaders of the textile sector at the recently concluded ‘International Conference on Manmade Fibre Textiles’ held in Ahmedabad, was the presentation by Mr Kishore Shewale who spoke on ‘Warp Knitting Technology for Innovative Textile Applications’.

Mr Shewale is currently the Product Head – Warp Knitting with A.T.E. Enterprises Private Limited and is responsible for Karl Mayer business in India.

Giving details about the technology he said, “Warp knitting is by far the most versatile and a high productive fabric production system in textile industry. Although this industry is present in India since many decades, it is not widely known or popular like other fabric forming processes such as weaving and circular knitting.

“Warp knitted fabrics can be produced in various structures such as rigid and elastic, open or closely knit structures, in flat or tubular or also in 3 dimensional form. The fabric widths can go up to 6.6 meters or even in multiple of this width if it is a net structure. Warp knitted fabrics are often mistaken as woven or circular knitted fabrics though there is a distinct difference in the fabric structure and characteristics.

“Warp knitting machines are mainly classified in two sections or groups – Tricot and Raschel. Basic knitting elements on the Tricot machines are guides, needle, tongues and compound sinker and those on the Raschel machines are guides, needles, tongues, stitch comb bar and knock over comb or trick plate.

“The complete knitting cycle due to one revolution of main shaft or 1 rpm of the machine, which forms a loop in vertical direction, which is known as ‘Course’ – similar to pick in woven fabric can be divided in to four different movements of guide bar, swing –in, overlap, swing–out and underlap”.

Providing an overview of the warp knitting industry, he informed, “Indian warp knitting industry is scattered in different pockets like Mumbai, Surat, Delhi, Ludhiana and Amritsar mainly producing 2 bar and 3 bar tricot fabrics. The main application areas are ladies dress material and saree, lingerie and outerwear, furnishing fabrics, shoe fabrics, automotive fabrics, agrotextiles and interlinings.

“Till 2009, the major market in India was for used machines, imported from Europe, USA, Korea and Taiwan. Due to steep competition with Chinese manufacturers dumping cheap goods in India, the investment in new machines was not favorable.

“The sluggish market trend started to change suddenly by end of 2009 and the business started getting fresh enquiries for new machines from existing players as well as new entrants and mainly due to non-availability of used machines worldwide at reasonable prices further helped new machinery business.

I am here to meet Amit Agarwal, the third generation scion of the Jindal family. All of 34 years, Amit still retains a boyish look. His personal office is huge; a rarity in big cities and one side of the wall is lined with books on various subjects.

He has an illustrious lineage. He is the son of a doctor couple. His father – Dr Yamunadutt Agarwal was a gold medalist while in college and also a renowned physician, before the call to join the family business came. His mother is still a practicing gynecologist and is attached with prestigious hospitals in Ahmedabad.

Amit did his schooling from St Xavier’s School in Ahmedabad. Completed his Bachelors in Management from KS School of Management and post-graduation from KATZ University – Pittsburg – USA, majoring in finance.

While in school and college, he was a sports freak, a pastime which he has not been able to pursue wholeheartedly, ever since he joined the family business way back in 1999. He has represented the Ahmedabad District team at the state level in hockey. However, he still loves to play a game of squash, as and when time permits.

He is married to Deepti and they have a 3.5 year old daughter – Samaira. He does not prefer to tweet, but at the same time is very outgoing and loves to stay in touch with friends and family either in person or by phone.

While growing up, there was a lot of stress on education, considering that both his parents are doctors. He stands up for honesty, sincerity and spirituality – values ingrained by his family. He says with conviction – “If you have the will, it is not difficult to be honest in business”.

The biggest quality he admires in his father and would like to inculcate is to never be stressed out. According to the senior Agarwal, a stressful and tense situation leads to wrong decisions. Amit also wants to be fair, generous and be a good human being like his father. His father also always reminds him to never loose hope, as when you give up, you end up loosing everything.

The foundation of the Jindal Group was first laid in 1976, when Amit’s grandfather set up a fabric processing unit. In 1986, they started printing and processing of bedsheets for third party exports. In 1989, they started home textiles exports of their own and were among the first in the country to venture in to home textile exports in that period.

Since 1989 and till 2003, focus was solely on home textiles exports. In 2003, they backward integrated and set up a weaving plant, which was followed up by setting up a denim fabric manufacturing plant in 2005. After 2005, they started weaving bottom weight fabrics. Alongside the denim capacity was also increased and a yarn dyed shirting unit was also set up.

(i) Sugar packed for export but which could not be exported will be exempted from the operation of the Order on the basis of an assessment by and request of the Department of Food and Public Distribution. For such exemptions, separate guidelines will be prepared.

(ii) Following will be out of the purview of the above reservation:

(a) Sugar fortified with Vitamins;

(b) Packaging for export of the commodities;

(c) Small consumer packs of 25 Kgs and below; and

(d) Bulk packaging of more than 100 Kgs.

(iii) In case of any shortage or disruption in supply of jute packaging material or in other contingency/exigency, the Ministry of Textiles will, in consultation with the user Ministries concerned, relax these provisions further, upto a maximum of 20% of the production of foodgrains and sugar.

The decision will provide relief to 3.7 lakh workers employed in jute mills and ancillary units as well as support the livelihood of around 40 lakh farm families. Besides, it will help to protect the environment because jute is natural, biodegradable and reusable fibre.

Under the Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987 (JPM Act), the Government is required to consider and provide for the compulsory use of jute packaging material in the supply and distribution of certain commodities in the interest of production of raw jute and jute packaging material and of persons engaged in the production and for connected matters.

The demand was put forward by PCGA Chairman Ammanullah Qureshi, along with ex-Chairman Muhammad Akram and association spokesperson Shehzad Ali Khan.

In addition, the PCGA officials reiterated their demand that the Government must direct the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) should start purchasing cotton.

They stated that the monopoly of textile industries is detrimental for crop cultivators, as the buyers employ tactics like delaying procurement to earn higher profits.

They claimed that cotton cultivators and ginners in the Sindh region are at the mercy of the textile industry, which is procuring their produce at nominal prices.

Mr. Qureshi said that banks had ceased debt limits of the ginners, which has rendered them unable to procure raw cotton (phutti) from the farmers on cash. He thus restated his demand for implementing the relief package for ginners in the flood affected regions, remit loan mark-ups and easing the terms and conditions for granting loans.

He recommended that the Government should immediately step forward and procure low grade and grade III cotton, else the ginners would be compelled to cease buying ‘phutti’.

He further stated that in spite of the Sindh region losing two million bales of cotton due to floods, the country is still expected to record an output of 14 million cotton bales this season.

The PCGA Chairman said farmers have invested large efforts to reap bumper crop this season, but in spite of this there has been no appreciation from the side of the Government.

He recommended that the Government should end all restrictions on cotton exports and there should be no requirement for depositing the surety amount or following complicated procedure.

In 2006-07, the Environmental Pollution Controlling Authority constituted by the Hon. Supreme Court under the Chairmanship of Bhurelal (Bhurelal Committee), in consultations with Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), had identified around 120 textile processing units in the vicinity of Narol as one of the major industrial sources of air pollution in the city of Ahmedabad.

“Subsequently, we requested L.D. College of Engineering to survey each and every individual unit, see what capacity of boilers have been installed by individual members, what are their existing pollution control measures, and then come with a conclusion identifying deficiencies, if any, and their rectification, which if implemented and maintained properly, can contribute to the control of pollution,” Mr. Nitin Thakkar, President of Ahmedabad Textile Processors Association (ATPA) revealed to fibre2fashion.

“A team, under the guidance of Dr. NS Varandani, Head of Department of Environmental Engineering at L.D. College of Engineering, collected the required information through a detailed survey of the units. Based on the data collected and experience, the team has developed and designed the APC Systems for different capacity boilers using different fuels,” he informed.

Speaking about the survey Dr. NS Varandani exclaims, “The fact that installations and operation of the developed system is going to be expensive remained continuously on my mind and had a killing effect. It took us 13 months to logically complete the work to our satisfaction.”

Explaining about the new APC system, he states, “The APC system is so developed that the Quench Tower will operate in series with Bag Filter and not in parallel. This means that there is no provision for by-pass of the fuel gases, but at the same time it provides effective control of the fuel gas temperature which other wise damages the filter bags. The system also provides for the automatic operation controls. I am fully confident that the developed APC system, when installed, operated and maintained as suggested, will definitely bring the pollutants in flue gas under control.”

“Initially, the APC System will be installed at 87 units at Narol,” avers Dr. Varandani.

Click here for APC system drawings and brief description.

He succeeds Andreas EULE, CEO of Cordenka, whose mandate has expired but who will remain a member of the Board as past-President.

Andreas EULE comments:
“I am delighted that Giulio BONAZZI has been elected to follow me as CIRFS President.

“He has been actively involved in CIRFS for several years, most recently as its Vice-President. He has a very successful record in the man-made fibres industry, leading a successful company which is the global leader in its products. Giulio BONAZZI understands the positive contribution that CIRFS makes to the industry’s development and how CIRFS can help the industry meet its current and future challenges.”

Giulio BONAZZI adds:
“Andreas EULE has given a strong lead to CIRFS in his period as President, in showing how it can continue to play a key industry role by constantly adjusting to changing needs. I look forward to carrying on this mission over the next three years.

“The current situation of the man-made fibres industry, in Europe and also globally, is impacted by a recent economic slowdown. However, the European industry – the second largest in the world – has strengths in innovation, quality and sustainability which provide the base for its future development. CIRFS will continue to work, in a positive way, to help the industry build on its strengths.”

European Man-Made Fibres Association (CIRFS) is the association for Europe’s € 11 billion man-made fibres industry, representing the industry to the European authorities and providing the industry with a wide range of services. Its members cover more than 85% of European man-made fibres output.