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NATIONAL
Officials in the Textile Department said two schemes of the Central government - Integrated Processing Development Scheme and Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks - expired in 2021. But, Tamil Nadu had projects pending under these schemes and applications pending too. Hence, the State government had appealed to the Centre to extend these schemes. Some of these projects were large-scale ones that would attract huge investments and be a boost to the textile industry in the State, the sources said. Speaking at a function held in Chennai to sign MoU for PM MITRA park at Virudhunagar, Minister for Handlooms and Textiles, Tamil Nadu, R. Gandhi, on Wednesday appealed to Union Minister for Textiles Piyush Goyal to revive and extend these schemes for the benefit of the industry in Tamil Nadu.
Source: The hindu
The Government has taken measures for easing access to credit for MSMEs. As reported by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) some of the measures taken by RBI for improving flow of credit to MSME sector are as under:
In addition to the above, following measures have also been taken to provide credit to MSMEs:
Rs. 5 lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS), for businesses including MSMEs.
Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS): Ministry of MSME has been operating Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro & Small Enterprises through Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro & Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) since July, 2000. Under this scheme upto 85% guarantee is extended upto credit facility of Rs. 200 lakh, for both term loan and working capital. Budget 2023-24 announced the infusion of Rs.9,000 crore in the corpus of CGTMSE to enable an additional credit of Rs. 2 lakh crore with reduced cost of the credit.
Rs. 50,000 crore equity infusion through Self Reliant India Fund.
New revised criteria for classification of MSMEs.
No global tenders for procurement up to Rs. 200 crore.
“Udyam Registration” for MSMEs, for Ease of Doing Business w.e.f. 1.7.2020.
(vii) Launching of an online Portal “Champions” in June, 2020 to cover many aspects of e-governance including grievance redress and handholding of MSMEs.
(viii) Inclusion of Retail and Wholesale traders as MSMEs w.e.f. 2.7. 2021 for priority sector lending.
(ix) Non-tax benefits extended for 3 years in case of an upward change in status of MSMEs.
(x) Launch of Udyam Assist Platform on 11.1.2023 to bring Informal Micro Enterprises under the formal ambit for availing the benefits under Priority Sector Lending.
As informed by Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro & Small Enterprises & Department of Financial Services the details of fund provided to the beneficiaries under the CGS, ECLGS, Credit Guarantee Scheme for Stand Up India and Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units in Uttarakhand and Bundelkhand region during the last five years are given at Annexure – I.
|
State Name |
Financial Year |
No. of Guarantee Approved |
Sanctioned Amount in Cr |
|
Uttarakhand |
2018-19 |
4,693 |
318 |
|
2019-20 |
11,158 |
482 |
|
|
2020-21 |
9,671 |
441 |
|
|
2021-22 |
10,048 |
629 |
|
|
2022-23 |
14,615 |
1041 |
|
|
Bundelkhand region |
2018-19 |
4,204 |
227.75 |
|
2019-20 |
4,805 |
212.25 |
|
|
2020-21 |
7,736 |
203.47 |
|
|
2021-22 |
7,586 |
322.21 |
|
|
2022-23 |
8,265 |
549.98 |
Source: CGTMSE (Data as on 28.02.2023)
|
State Name |
Financial Year |
No. of Guarantees issued |
Sanctioned Amount in Cr |
|
Uttarakhand |
2020-21 |
61,180 |
1,696.35 |
|
2021-22 |
8,250 |
907.35 |
|
|
2022-23 |
615 |
157.5 |
|
|
Bundelkhand region |
2020-21 |
37,760 |
477 |
|
2021-22 |
12,021 |
171.69 |
|
|
2022-23 |
316 |
29.39 |
Source: DFS (Data as on 28.02.2023)
|
State Name |
Financial Year |
No. of Loan Records |
Sanctioned Amount in Cr |
|
Uttarakhand |
2018-19 |
289 |
40.6629 |
|
2019-20 |
92 |
13.951 |
|
|
2020-21 |
44 |
7.7795 |
|
|
2021-22 |
14 |
3.25 |
|
|
2022-23 |
108 |
20.172 |
|
|
Bundelkhand region |
2018-19 |
101 |
13.4559 |
Source: DFS (Data as on 28.02.2023)
|
State Name |
Financial Year |
No. of Loan Records |
Sanctioned Amount in Cr |
|
Uttarakhand |
2018-19 |
28,237 |
715.741 |
|
2019-20 |
16,586 |
360.406 |
|
|
2020-21 |
10,759 |
242.84 |
|
|
2021-22 |
13,807 |
324.933 |
|
|
2022-23 |
15,858 |
364.377 |
|
|
Bundelkhand region |
2018-19 |
18,423 |
447.792 |
|
2019-20 |
8,480 |
152.556 |
|
|
2020-21 |
6,238 |
129.422 |
|
|
2021-22 |
19,318 |
179.238 |
|
|
2022-23 |
10,871 |
191.086 |
Source: DFS (Data on as 28.02.2023)
This information was given by the Minister of State for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Source: PIB
A clutch of issues including inflation, energy security and climate change would be discussed in the G20 second framework working group meeting scheduled to begin in Chennai on Friday, chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said here on Thursday. The second G20 framework working group (FWG) meeting under India’s G20 presidency is set to take place in Chennai on March 24 and 25. The chief economic adviser (CEA) Nageswaran and Clare Lombardelli, chief economic adviser, UK Treasury, will jointly co-chair the meeting. Over 80 delegates from G20 member countries, invitee countries, and various international and regional organisations will participate in the meeting. Speaking at a press briefing on the two-day deliberations, Nageswaran, said : “The framework working group of the G20 finance track will discuss global macro economic issues of relevance today. It will deliberate on how international policy cooperation can be enhanced to achieve strong sustainable balance and inclusive growth across G20 nations.” He said under India’s G20 presidency, the group will be focusing on macroeconomic impacts of food and energy insecurity, climate change and transition pathways. In the Chennai meeting of the FWG, the members will focus on sharing policy experiences on these issues and discuss the way ahead on how FWG discussions can inform the G20 finance ministers and Central bank governors who will be meeting in Washington D C on April 12-13, 2023. The CEA said since the first working held in December last year in Bengaluru significant progress has been made on the priorities and deliverables. “The second working group meet in Chennai will further make advancements on these,” he said. Also read: FM: 90% GST paid by top 22% companies As a prelude to the FWG meeting, the Reserve Bank of India has also been arranging events to make G20 discussions more inclusive and people-centric from March 16, 2023. On the sidelines of the G20 FWG meeting, a panel Get live Share Market updates and latest India News and business news on Financial Express. Download Financial Express App for latest business news.
Source: Financial Express
Ritesh Kumar Singh is founder and chief executive of policy research and advisory company Indonomics Consulting in New Delhi. For a country like India, free trade agreements can help businesses to overcome the limitations of a comparatively small domestic market and reap the benefits of economies of scale. FTAs can also catalyze inbound direct investment by companies seeking new export platforms. Amid intensifying tensions between Washington and Beijing, it would make sense for New Delhi to embrace bilateral free trade deals, as multilateral liberalization is going nowhere while at the same time countries and corporations are looking to reduce the risk of overreliance on China-based manufacturing. Yet many domestic Indian manufacturers strongly oppose FTAs due to worries about losing market share at home to imports. Indeed, in respect to Japan, South Korea and the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- India's counterparties in three operational FTAs -- imports have risen more than exports since those agreements came into force. As a result, left-leaning trade analysts argue that India should go slow on signing new trade deals. They note that India's average import duty is higher than those of most of its trading partners, especially Canada, the EU and the U.K., three of the major parties with whom it is now negotiating agreements. This gap implies that India would likely have to commit to more tariff cuts than the other side would in any final agreement. Some are also wary of India investing effort in new FTAs that might involve commitments to implement tougher regulatory standards on labor, the environment, intellectual property rights or investment protection, as these are seen as reducing flexibility for domestic policymaking. These economists argue that India can use a combination of tariff barriers and production-linked subsidies to push up manufacturing through import substitution. Exports, they hold, will happen as a byproduct; in short, they see no conflict between blocking imports and promoting exports simultaneously. What this school of thought fails to account for is that for local producers, import barriers increase the relative attractiveness of the domestic market vis-a-vis relatively tougher overseas markets. This can undermine exports, especially since much of what India sends overseas is undifferentiated commodities with low pricing power, such as steel and textiles. Import barriers also make indigenous companies complacent and can lead them to neglect research and development. This in turn can hold back improvements in quality and cost efficiency, making exporting even more difficult. To make matters worse, most of India's exports, such as refined petroleum products and petrochemicals, depend heavily on imported elements. In labor-intensive sectors where import content is less significant, such as apparel, India is losing out to countries such as Vietnam that enjoy better access to major consuming markets, thanks to Hanoi's broader ranges of FTAs, including one with the EU. Direct and indirect import curbs also contribute to inflation, which tends to penalize the poor. In any case, barriers are unfair to Indian consumers, who should be allowed to maximize the value of their limited disposable income. Many Indian trade skeptics fail to acknowledge the value of imports to the country. A significant part of India's imports are industrial inputs and intermediate products, which are further processed for domestic consumption and exports. For instance, cheaper steel from FTA partners Japan and South Korea is processed into components for automobiles. India's new FTA with Australia will allow for the import of coal and raw wool at lower landed prices, which will benefit downstream industries, including power generators and textile companies, and ultimately, consumers. FTAs are a necessary but not sufficient condition for increasing exports. But New Delhi should not sign new trade pacts without proper consultation with affected industries. When it has failed to do this, one result has been rules of origin for preferential import treatment that are difficult to comply with. For example, Japan's stringent rules on sourcing have effectively denied Indian clothing exporters favorable access under the two nations' FTA. Another factor hobbling exporters is knee-jerk export curbs that make India an unreliable supplier. An ad hoc approach to quality and safety norms, especially with respect to food and medicine, has not helped either. Imports will continue to rise whether India signs new FTAs or not, because there is an insufficient supply of domestically available substitutes at competitive prices in many cases. India has no FTA with China, yet its imports from the Middle Kingdom continue to steadily rise despite all attempts to check them. India's competitive strengths are hampered by excessive raw material protectionism and a control-freak bureaucracy. New Delhi's policy of bolstering the rupee helps a select few importing cronies but it penalizes all exporters. While critics worry about the burden of harmonizing domestic intellectual property rights standards with those of the EU, they fail to acknowledge how lax IPR standards and enforcement have disincentivized investment in R&D in India. Notably, only 66,440 patent applications were filed in India in the fiscal year ended March 2022, according to the country's Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks. Similarly, a rigid stance regarding bilateral discussion of labor and environmental standards clashes with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's own efforts to update archaic labor rules and promote green energy. Still, it must be acknowledged that India's FTAs could be improved. Fortunately, the government is reviewing those it has signed and is preparing for further action. In respect of new ones under consideration, it is important that New Delhi look past its obsessive focus on safeguarding defensive trade interests and take a more proactive stance. As part of this, New Delhi should put more emphasis on trade in services, where it often has a comparative advantage. Instead of zealously protecting its tariff walls, it should use them as a bargaining chip to get trade partners, especially developed countries, to remove nontariff barriers that hamper Indian exports. It is tempting for India's trade bureaucrats and proponents of self-reliance to think that New Delhi can block imports while successfully pushing exports. This ignores that the exports of one country are always the imports of another. Trade is a two-way street, and exports are too big an opportunity to pass over. FTAs can be a major channel to drive India's exports at a time when multilateral trade liberalization is not happening.
Source: The asia.nikkei.com
India and Russia will host a mega business meeting here next week amid plans to push bilateral trade to $50 billion this year, from a record $31 billion in 2022 following a sharp increase in energy and fertiliser imports by India. The 'Russia-India Business Forum: Strategic Partnership for Development and Growth' will take place on March 29-30 as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The main focus of the forum will be IT, cybersecurity, technological sovereignty, smart cities, transport and logistics, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, officials said, adding that the focal point of the forum will be a plenary session on 'Technological Alliances in the Greater Eurasia'. The trade target for 2025 was earlier fixed at $30 billion. But the figure was surpassed in 2022 due to India's oil imports from Russia, and there are expectations that the figure will touch $50 billion in 2023. "The Russia-India cooperation format is one of the drivers of region-wide efforts to improve the architecture of inter-state relations in the Asia-Pacific Region. The forum is designed to strengthen business ties between the Russian and Indian business communities, to support Russian businesses entering the Indian market...," said a statement by Anton Kobyakov, adviser to the Russian President.
Source: Economic times
India expects to achieve its highest ever exports of $32 billion to the UAE this fiscal even as the two sides plan to integrate their customs and logistics portals for real time tracking of shipments for priority of entry in ports, as part of the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). “India’s exports (to the UAE) are around $28.3 billion. We are hopeful to touch an all time high of $32 billion exports this year,” said an official. As per the official, the two sides are also working on customs facilitation wherein their logistics and customs portals would get integrated and help in real time data exchange and tracking of ships for priority of entry in ports. A review of the CEPA, which came into force on May 1, 2022, is likely in May. On a monthly basis, around $1.3 billion of India’s exports are going on zero duty as against $2.72 billion of total outbound shipments. Almost 6,944 certificates of origin were issued in February as against 5,754 in November last year as exports of gems and jewellery, automobiles coffee, tea, and articles of iron and steel, among others rose in June 2022-February 2023 on-year. “There is an increase in the CEPA utilisation,” the official said. However, India’s exports of apparel, and iron and steel to the UAE shrank in the period. Apparel exports declined due to the global headwinds while shipments of iron and steel fell despite the government removing export restrictions on them. As per the official, their exports are expected to pick up in the next fiscal. India’s overall goods exports to the UAE rose 10.4% on-year in June 2022- February 2023 at $23.03 billion while imports increased 12.9% at $38.95 billion.
Source: Economic times
Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami, UK's Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat on Thursday held discussions on bilateral and wider security cooperation between India, UK. "HC @VDoraiswami met @TomTugendhat, Minister for Security, for a wide ranging discussion on bilateral and wider security cooperation," Indian High Commission in the UK tweeted on Thursday. Doraiswami recently met Commandant Major General Zack Stenning OBE at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and discussed engagements in the Professional Military Education domain. Taking to Twitter, India's High Commission in London said, "HC @VDoraiswami visited the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst @BritishArmy on 17 Mar 2023 and had productive discussions with the Commandant Major General Zack Stenning OBE about engagements in the Professional Military Education domain." India and UK share a good relationship. Recently, both the country signed the Young Professional Scheme where Vikram K Doraiswami was also present. The event took place at the High Commission of India in London. Further details and implementation dates will be shared soon regarding the scheme. "HC @VDoraiswami & PUS Home @MatthewRycroft1 signed & exchanged the letters for formalising the Young Professional Scheme at an event @HCI_London today. Further details and implementation date will be shared soon. @MEAIndia @PIBHomeAffairs @ukhomeoffice @DoC_GoI @ANI @DDNewslive," the official handle of the High Commission of India in London tweeted.
Source: Business-Standard
The Government of Uttar Pradesh and Quality Council of India, in collaboration with industry associations - ASSOCHAM, FICCI, IIA and PHDCCI - launched the Uttar Pradesh Gunvatta Sankalp (Uttar Pradesh Quality Mission) at Lucknow today. The Sankalp was inaugurated by Deputy CM of UP, Shri Brajesh Pathak and launched by the Minister of Cooperation (IC) Shri J. P. S. Rathore in the august presence of Shri Awanish Awasthi, Shri G. N. Singh and Prof. D. P. Singh, Advisors to the Chief Minister of UP, Shri Anil Agrawal, DGP (Training and Telecom), Shri Ajay Shankar, Former Industry Secretary to Government of India, and several key officials of the State Government. Several policy makers, industry leaders, practitioners and academia, aimed at promoting and prioritising quality across various sectors in the state of Uttar Pradesh and make it a reality for every citizen in the State. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, inaugurating the Sankalp emphasised on the fast-growing and changing face of the state, powered by robust law and order, business-friendly environment, hefty global investments and a strong focus on social and governance reforms. Despite the global pandemic, UP in the last five years ensured ease of doing business, investment (capital inflow), manufacturing and exports, unprecedented progress in employment, production and procurement in agriculture and allied sectors, infrastructure and connectivity and tourism (especially religious-cultural) as well as gross state domestic product - all on the pillars of quality and citizen-centricity. He applauded the important role that QCI has in upholding the ethos of quality in making Uttar Pradesh the growth engine of India. Shri J. P. S. Rathore, Minister of Cooperation (Independent Charge) resonated this sentiment. “The feasibility of a USD 1 trillion economy was once questionable, but now it has become a distinct possibility with this ‘double-engine’ government. Good governance has had a huge impact on diminishing the mafia culture, and bureaucrats' perseverance has contributed to UP's achievement of moving from a BIMARU status to a state of achievers. This is attracting investment to the State. The adoption of technology has been successful in reducing corruption and facilitating the transfer of benefits through initiatives like Kisan Samman Nidhi and PM Jandhan, contributing to changing the economy and overcoming poverty. However, the quality of products needs to be improved, and the adoption of technology must be ingrained in the DNA of every citizen. The QCI has a critical role to play in achieving these targets and ensuring quality every step of the way.” “UP is the first state that we have chosen to launch the Gunvatta Sankalp. Through this initiative, QCI is increasing its depth into the grassroots to impact real change for improving the life of every Indian citizen,” remarked Shri Jaxay Shah, Chairperson, QCI. He espoused that QCI intends to propel the interventions taken by the Uttar Pradesh government by driving quality through leveraging the services across sectors like education, health, MSMEs, and skilling. The Sankalp reinforced the need for Uttar Pradesh to transcend from “Aatmanirbhar Pradesh” to “Daata Pradesh” where Uttar Pradesh provides services back to nation. It aimed to contribute to the state's vision of becoming a knowledge superpower and take leadership in adopting transformative digitalisation, imbibing culture of transparency and accessibility, optimizing land and water usage, charting a comprehensive infrastructure and waste management strategy, and a quality movement that is led by the industry. “UP’s soaring rank in all quality parameters is attributed to the industriousness of the people at the helm of the State Government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Gunvatta Sankalp is a reflection of that commitment. This Gunvatta Sankalp, the first of its kind being organised by QCI in India in partnership with a State, focuses on four key pillars - quality as a driver of the USD 1 trillion economy, MSMEs, healthcare services and education and vocational training” said Dr. Ravi P. Singh, Secretary General, QCI. The roadmap from the UP Gunvatta Sankalp will chart the way forward for quality in the State where QCI would be a partner in stead with the government. The Quality Council of India, established in 1997 by the Government of India and the Indian industry, is the apex organisation in India responsible for establishing and operating the third party national accreditation system, improving quality across sectors and advising the government and other stakeholders on all matters concerning quality. It has established constituent Boards that offer accreditation in respective areas - such as NABL for labs and NABH for hospitals, NABCB for certification and inspection bodies, NABET for education and training. Its National Board for Quality Promotion is responsible for running the national quality campaign. The Chairperson of QCI, nominated by the Prime Minister of India, is Shri Jaxay Shah, CMD of Savvy Group of Companies.
Source: PIB
The Andhra Pradesh government has notified the Industrial Development Policy (IDP) for five years starting April 1, 2023, through G.O. Ms. No. 22, dated March 19, one week before the expiry of IDP 2020-23. Applicable to various sectors, including textiles, the new IDP has been so drafted that national and international industrial trends, changes in relevant policies of the Government of India, learnings from international experiences, especially in the promotion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprisesm (MSMEs), and views of all stakeholders have been taken into account. The policy will be in force from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2027, and operational guidelines for incentives mentioned in it will be notified separately. ovision of incentives will be subject to the following conditions: the incentives will be restricted to 100% of the Eligible Fixed Cost of Investment (EFCI), excluding the cost of land, and limited to 20% in each one of those years. Besides, only brownfield projects where the EFCI and capacity expansion are greater than 50% are entitled to the incentives. The IDP 2023-27 identified 12 sectors as thrust areas in view of their social and economic significance. They are chemicals and petrochemicals; pharmaceuticals and bulk drugs; textiles and apparels; automobiles and auto components; electronics and IT; agro and food processing; engineering, medical devices; defence and aerospace; machinery and equipment; renewable energy component manufacturing; and futuristic segments of industry such as Industry 4.0 manufacturing, biotech, green hydrogen and electric vehicles. The new policy outlines nine pillars of accomplishment, namely economic growth; portled development; enhanced logistical ecosystem; developing world-class ready-tooccupy industrial spaces; end-to-end investor facilitation; employment generation; strengthening employable manpower base; entrepreneurship development and reinforcing start-up culture; and bringing women, minorities and under-privileged sections to the forefront of economic development process Emphasis has been laid on the allotment of land by the A.P. Industrial Infrastructure Corporation within 21 days of receipt of applications, and realignment of the land lease regulations.
Source: The Hindu
Jointly organised by the Wool and Woolens Export Promotion Council (WWEPC) and Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL), the 3rd edition of India Fashion Tex 2023-Reverse Buyer Seller Meet (RBSM) witnesses more than 1,000 buyers across 30 countries. The 3-day event, organised in Delhi sees participation from more than 100 exhibitors. Representatives of various leading export houses also visited the event. As per the organisers, there were more than 3,500 visitors across three days overall. Romesh Khajuria, Chairman, WWEPC, said “We have witnessed an overwhelming response from more than 1,000 international buyers, and have also received enquiries for the export orders, this itself is a positive step for the Indian textile industry. Further, we will learn from this and hold a successful next edition with new ideas and continued support from all our partners.” Various exhibitors displayed woollen-based Indian and western apparel and merchandise including – Pashmina shawls, stoles, scarves, mufflers, kurtis, blazers and caps crafted by Indian weavers and artisans.
Source: Apparel Resources
The central government has decided to move the head office of textile commissioner from Mumbai to Noida. This has disappointed power loom owners in Maharashtra, reported TOI. The decision has baffled the power loom owners in the Western state saying that most of the textile units are located in Maharashtra. Power loom owners from Ichalkaranji said a similar attempt was made by the Centre two years ago, but it faced stiff opposition from the elected representatives. They have decided to write to Union Textile Minister Piyush Goyal expressing their opposition to the plan to shift the office. For the past 80 years the office of the textile commissioner has been in Mumbai. Ichalkaranji, which was once called the Manchester of Maharashtra, has 9,000 power loom mills. “We are unable to understand the rationale behind the move, especially when the operations have been running smoothly from Mumbai over the past eight decades. Power loom owners do not hail just from Maharashtra. Many of them are from Gujarat and other southern states. They find it easier to travel to Mumbai for work,” Vinay Mahajan, president of the Ichalkaranji Powerloom Owners’ Association. According to Mahajan, around 55 per cent of power looms in the country are based in Bhiwandi, Malegaon, Ichalkaranji and Solapur. “The textile commissioner’s office plays a key role in implementing many schemes and policies of the Union government. If the office is shifted out of Mumbai, we will be left at the mercy of elected representatives to meet the textile commissioner,” he said
Source: Knn India
INTERNATIONAL
Now in its fifth year of existence, the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) Women in Textiles brought together many of the industry’s female leaders and future leaders for opportunities to network, commiserate and collaborate. The summit, which took place in Charleston, S.C. March 1-3, has nearly doubled in attendance since its inaugural run in 2019. Nearly 120 textile professionals gathered for the latest event to reconnect, learn and gain inspiration with peers who share similar experiences and journeys in a traditional male-dominated manufacturing sector. These women were able to share their experiences through several networking events and activities; gain insights into paths to success; and hear compelling speakers with timely, relevant messages. The unique event featured engaging sessions, straightforward interaction and connectionbuilding opportunities during business sessions and activities that included receptions, dinners, history and ghost walks and a morning Mentor Walk & Talk through the timehonored streets of Charleston. Indeed, the summit provided a forum for growth and leadership for these women seeking growth, empowerment and rapport. The gathering explored how women are contributing to the success of their organizations and the industry at large. The summit also included engaging roundtable discussions, where participants learned more about each other and the challenges they face. Topics included CRM Systems & Marketing Automation; Supply Chain; Maximizing Motivation and Engagement; Time Management; and Mental Health & Wellness Advocacy in the Workplace. Another highlight was “Rapid One-Ones,” likened to “speed dating,” where attendees lined up and spent a couple of minutes speaking with another attendee to learn more about their background and experience before rotating to the next person. Co-emcees Debbie Grant, chief of staff at MMI Textiles, Brooklyn, Ohio, and Jenny Nichols, global marketing manager – Engineered Coated Fabrics at Trelleborg, Greenville, S.C., led the sessions with confidence, aplomb and humor.
Source Textile World
Policy on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) will see fashion brands and retailers given incentives to improve a product's end of life. This in turn will lead to higher quality product in the market, says Sarah Gray, lead analyst atsustainability campaign group WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme). WRAP publishes two reports today [Thursday 23 April] that provide evidence for key policy-making on textiles in the UK, and that will help usher in extended producer responsibility (EPR) for the fashion and textiles sector. With textiles and clothing leaving the fourth largest environmental footprint after housing, transport and food - the clothing sector is a prime area for policy intervention. In the case of greenhouse gas emissions for example, the industry is responsible for between 4% and 8% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. EPR is a proven way to give brands and retailers full responsibility for the whole value chain of their products, including what happens after disposal. Fashion brands and retailers keen to prepare for future changes to policy should work together with the reuse and recycling sector. Taken together, our research makes the case for action clear. The analysis compares policy options [for fashion retail businesses] including tax incentives, restrictions on landfill and incineration, and financial support for recycling and reuse. Recommendations are provided about those likely to achieve the best outcomes, based on feedback about which are practical and offer better social, economic, and environmental outcomes. WRAP found that an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme is needed as part of a package of policy measures, for maximum effect. The first report developed a long-list of Textiles Policy Options for government, produced with our stakeholders across the textiles industry including members of the Textiles 2030 voluntary agreement, and beyond [Textiles 2030 is a voluntary inititaive with fashion brands and retailers which seeks to reduce the industry's carbon and water footprints, and accelerate progress towards circularity]. We examined the pros and cons of a variety of options including VAT reduction (on textiles with recycled content) and eco-labelling to signal which products have a lower impact on the environment. We looked too at restrictions on landfill and incineration, and additional collections and bring banks for used textiles from households so they no longer end up in landfill and incineration. The Textiles Policy Options found that an EPR scheme for textiles would be viable, and recommended it should be introduced for textiles, supported by additional policy measures including improved product design and support for development of recycling infrastructure. The report also recommended a full cost benefit analysis be carried out to assess the likely impacts that the new policy would have. The second report is a social cost benefit analysis for textiles policy, worked on with Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and Eunomia Research and Consulting. The findings here confirmed the recommendation for EPR to facilitate the move to a circular economy for textiles. While EPR cannot address all policy objectives as it focuses on product disposal at the end of the value chain, supporting measures are recommended, including eco-design requirements. A clear conclusion from both reports is that a mix of policy measures is needed for the optimum results, and WRAP recommends EPR be introduced for UK textiles. There are already established routes to collect and resell used clothing and textiles that are in good condition, by donating them to charity. Nevertheless, large quantities of textiles still end up in the residual waste bin every year, which could have been recycled. An estimated £140 million worth of clothing is sent to UK landfill each year. Effective policy drivers including EPR could improve the quality of textiles products being placed on the UK market. Eco-design requirements will mean that textiles products need to be designed and made so they are suitable for reuse, repair, and recycling. We also need there to be sufficient funding for local authorities so that recycling and reuse of used textiles are viable options. There is currently a lack of sorting infrastructure in the UK to ensure that used textiles end up in the right place to get the best outcome from them. Additional funding could support new sorting infrastructure to sort used textiles into grades according to their quality or condition, but also to sort out textiles by fibre type, making them easier to recycle. Further funding could then be used for developing new recycling facilities for those textiles that are no longer good enough to be worn again, so that they don’t need to be sent to landfill, either in the UK or overseas. These are outcomes that EPR is well-placed to provide. Through Textiles 2030, WRAP continues to work with industry to implement changes to how our (more than 120) signatories including the likes of Primark, Next, and Marks & Spencer do business. The initiative has ambitious targets, including halving carbon emissions linked to its signatories by 2030. The voluntary agreement has an important role in bringing businesses together but more must join to help further its impact, not least with policy initiatives looking to address the clothing sector and put the onus on producers to pay for our clothing waste.
Source: Drapers Online
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) released the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s announcement of updated goals to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing. “We are pleased with the Biden Administration’s recognition of the critical need for plastics and prioritizing research to make them even better,” said PLASTICS’ Vice President of Sustainability, Patrick Krieger. “Our industry has always been committed to taking sustainable materials and making them better and we look forward to working with the administration to develop innovative plastics whether by developing new biobased feedstocks or improvements in more recyclable plastics.” The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, including Equipment Suppliers, Material Suppliers, Processors and Recyclers, representing over one million workers in our $468 billion U.S. industry. PLASTICS advances the priorities of our members who are dedicated to investing in technologies that improve capabilities and advances in recycling and sustainability and providing essential products that allow for the protection and safety of our lives. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members, and the sixth largest U.S. manufacturing industry, more globally competitive while supporting circularity through educational initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, convening opportunities and policy advocacy, including the largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE2024: The Plastics Show.
Source Textile World
Public around the world generally expects relief and better lifestyle to emanate from government policies, while businesspersons desire transparent policies so they can operate on a level playing field despite a boom and bust. However, in Pakistan they desire relief under all circumstances. Whenever the economy is under pressure, the businesspersons play the employment card, warning the state that there would be widespread unemployment if their demands for relief and subsidies are not accepted. There are times when the depression is because of global gloom and the government is not in a position to provide needed relief. There are times like the one we are currently passing through when the domestic economy is in turmoil along with global recession because of the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war. One can understand that our population that is predominantly illiterate cannot understand the limitations of the state under these circumstances. Businesspersons however are fully aware of the limitations of the state to provide any relief to the public or businesses. Domestic economic turmoil and global recession has resulted in a wave of layoffs in Pakistan. Some of these relate to global recession and some to domestic policies, where the government lacking resources cannot help. Entire retrenchments are blamed by the businesses on faulty government policies. But they do ignore the fact that layoffs have now become a permanent feature in the developed and even emerging economies because the trade volumes have shrunk. Amazon, the largest retail and ecommerce outlet, gave marching orders to 19,000 employees in January and last week another 9,000 were removed from their jobs. Twitter is constantly pruning its workforce and so is Microsoft. In Vietnam, thousands of workers lost jobs as export orders from western buyers declined. India posted an export decline of over 20 percent in the last nine months that obviously hit employment in the textile sector badly, Cambodia is also going through this process. Only Bangladesh is an exception where its textile sector has been proactive. Its government imposed similar restrictions on L/Cs as slapped by the Pakistani government. Bangladeshi government jacked up the power and gas tariff above Pakistan’s. Still its textile and clothing industry is posting growth. It has periodically upgraded technology that is paying off. The decline in exports of textile and clothing in Pakistan is of the same level as in India, which is a fast growing economy. The unemployment in this sector is there in line with the current global trends. The apparel sector managed to control the decline as it is dominated by small and medium enterprises when the owners know their jobs well. Even most of those garment exporters that have scaled up, attained this status by graduating from the SME sector. The basic textile sector is in trouble as its cost of production is higher than competing economies. There is not much protest as we must understand that Pakistan’s economy is sustained by the informal sector that provides employment to the majority of workers at really low wages. All other formal sectors of the economy are also posting large negative growth because of huge rupee depreciation (it does not impact exporters much), the restriction on imports is impacting them the most. The government at present has no choice but to squeeze imports as much as possible. Then it has to set priorities. Import of wheat and edible oil cannot be curtailed. The import of crude oil and petroleum products has to be given priority. The next priority is the import of pharmaceutical raw material and after that come inputs of exporting sectors. Foreign exchange reserves are so low that even these priority imports are curtailed. Government has dragged the threat of default through strict measures. Relief would come once the International Monetary Fund programme resumes.
Source: The news
