In a recent Chintan Shivir or brainstorming session on technical textiles, organized by the National Technical Textiles Mission, growth opportunities in hometech and clothtech were explored. The event was held in Rajkot, Gujarat, India, and was attended by Piyush Goyal, Union minister of commerce and industry, consumer affairs, food, and public distribution and textiles, and Darshana Vikram Jardosh, minister of state for textiles and railways.
The session, which was jointly organized with the Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) and Indian Technical Textiles Association (ITTA), included participation from over 50 major industries in the application areas of home textiles and cloth textiles such as industrial sewing threads, adhesive tapes, labels and batches, furniture and coated fabrics, mosquito nets, fibrefill, filter fabrics, household wipes, stuffed toys, among others.
The primary focus of the session was on investment and export opportunities and prospects of hometech and clothtech in India and the world. The event also included dialogues with leading hometech and clothtech industry magnates, a presentation by the Gujarat state, and an interactive Q&A session with the leadership.
Goyal also chaired the second meeting on the textile advisory group on man-made fibres (MMF) with stakeholders of the MMF value chain. During the session, the minister addressed a session on Sustainability and Circularity in Textiles – Future Roadmap, where he highlighted the importance of sustainability in the flagship schemes of the ministry like the Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS) and PM MITRA (Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel).
The promotion of recycling facilities was also given impetus under ATUFS and PM MITRA parks. Goyal also visited Somnath and saw the Handicraft and Handloom Expo being organized on the occasion of Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam.
Under the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ Initiative, the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam is being conducted in Gujarat from April 17-30, 2023, to celebrate the cultural links between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. The event is being held in four different places—Somnath, Dwarka, Rajkot, and the Statue of Unity at Kevadia.
At the soft launch of the e-commerce website of India’s ministry of textiles dedicated to handloom and handicrafts in Rajkot, Goyal highlighted that some manufacturers and exporters are ensuring twice the value upon receiving ESG compliance certification. He also talked about the export target of $100 billion for the textile sector by 2030 and an overall target of $250 billion by 2030.
Goyal added that an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) Task Force in the textiles sector will be created, keeping in mind India’s commitment towards sustainability.
The brainstorming session on technical textiles in Rajkot marks a significant step towards the development and growth of the hometech and clothtech industries in India. The participation of major industries and the presence of Union ministers highlights the government’s commitment towards promoting sustainable development in the textile sector.