Pakistan Textile Industry Hits Rough Patch


Pakistan has a diverse economy that includes textiles, chemicals, leather products, food processing, financial services, telecommunications, retail, automobile manufacturing, light and heavy armaments, agriculture and other industries. It is the 45th largest economy in the world in terms of official exchange rates ($144b) and 25th largest based on purchasing power parity ($410b PPP). Its service sector accounts for more than half of its GDP.

Pakistan’s textile industry is a major contributor to the national economy in terms of exports and employment. Pakistan holds the distinction of being the world’s 4th largest producer of cotton as well as being the 3rd largest consumer of the same. In the period July 2007 - June 2008, textile exports were US$ 10.62 Billion and accounted for 55% of the total exports.

As the economies in the US and Europe slow down, Pakistan's key exports of textiles and leather products are experiencing a slowdown in growth as well. According to APTMA, textile exports have declined by about 20 percent in 2008. The industry is bracing for more trouble ahead with continuing crises of electricity and gas, international market access, global economic slow-down,and adverse travel advisories.

According to Pakistan textile industry association, 90 percent of Pakistan's textile industry is losing money losses and facing closure. More than two months of production has been lost due to power cuts and gas shortages.

APTMA, Pakistan's textile industry Association established for the promotion and protection of the textile industry, says that the high cost of finance because of the nation's tight monetary policy has added to their continuing woes.

In order to pave the way for the IMF bailout, Pakistan's central bank raised its bank lending rate in early November by 2 percentage points to 15 percent. Since 2004 interest rates have risen dramatically. Kibor (Karachi Inter-Bank Offered Rate) has surged 261 percent. Likewise, the bank spread, on a weighted average basis, rose from 2 percent to an excessive 7.75 percent. This size of bank spread is among the highest in the world. These high rates were allowed as a policy to restrict money supply to satisfy the IMF conditions.

Federal Textile Adviser Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig told the News that Pakistan has a very low share of the international textile market. China tops the US market with a share of 36 per cent followed by Bangladesh 21 per cent, India 18 per cent, Morocco 19 per cent and Pakistan 13 per cent. South Korea has lost 20 per cent of the US market.

In the European market, China tops again with a share of 29 per cent, Vietnam 28 per cent, India 19 per cent and Pakistan only 1.5 per cent while the Philippines had lost 11 per cent of the market.

European buyers have told Baig that Pakistani garment manufacturers could cut their cost up to 45 per cent in sewing by improving efficiency.

“Labor productivity is very low,” said Baig. “Our regional competitors take 75 minutes to complete and produce one piece of cloth whereas we take 133 minutes for the same work. We also waste 30 per cent in finishing and 12 per cent in washing.”

According to a study of Pakistani textile and apparel sector conducted by Werner International, management consultants to the world textile, apparel & fashion industry, some of the garment units were over-staffed by 57 per cent. That was an internal negative factor whereas external factors included no duty-free market access to the EU and negative image and perception of Pakistan abroad.

Baig has asked Werner to submit a proposal for presenting a better image of the textile industry to global brands for achieving collaboration with them. In response, Werner is working on a three-year plan to help Pakistan garment manufacturers.

While Pakistan clearly needs to diversify and increase higher-value-added exports such as sophisticated machinery and high technology products and services, it is essential for it to maintain and enhance the current export levels of textiles, leather and other products for which there is an established export market. The export-oriented industries should get preferential treatment in getting access to necessary inputs of raw materials, financing and energy by government policies. Energy and communications infrastructure, in particular, need much greater focus to enable Pakistani exporters to continue to earn the much-needed hard currency.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Pakistan Textile Industry Report

Comments

Sobia Majead said…
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Riaz Haq said…
Here's a Dawn-AFP story about a modest job recovery in Pakistan's textile sector with rising exports:

KARACHI: After a year of unemployment and wondering if his family would be better off if he died, Pakistani textile worker Murad Ali has got the spring back in his step.

One of thousands laid off by textile bosses last year, the father of four is now back at work and one of those to benefit from a surge in Pakistani exports in the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30.

Experts say rising global commodity prices, a government decision to prioritise power supply to industry and currency devaluation that has made Pakistani products more competitive, have fired an export boom.

Compared with the same period last year, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan says textile exports such as silk rose 25.8 per cent and agricultural produce, such as basmati, rose 6.2 per cent from July to February 7, 2011.

The textiles sector is one of the key drivers of the Pakistani economy, accounting for 55 per cent of all exports and 38 per cent of the workforce, according to official figures.

Bosses have rehired staff who were laid off, but Ali is only getting a third of the salary as a skilled garment worker that he used to command.

“I’m earning less than last year. It is difficult to live a better life due to price rises, but I’m happy,” Ali said.

He has re-enrolled his sons at school but his wife will continue to work as a maid. Money is too tight for her to go back to being a housewife.

“The situation has drastically changed in the favour of the country’s economy,” said textile tycoon Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, who employs more than 2,000 workers and predicts exports will rise 10 per cent for the fiscal year 2010 to 2011.

“Now with demand for Pakistani products rising internationally we are employing more workers.

“Our exports are getting healthier because of an increase in international commodity prices and the government’s will to give top priority to the country’s economy,” said Baig, an advisor to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The Asian Development Bank forecasts GDP growth for Pakistan of 2.5 per cent for fiscal year 2011 despite pressures from unprecedented floods in 2010, with a relatively modest rebound to 3.7 per cent for fiscal year 2012.
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Pakistan suffers from a profound electricity crisis that restricts production to around 80 per cent of its needs — a situation that will only worsen as the temperatures crawl higher in the coming months.

The budget deficit has grown to 5.5 per cent of GDP, above a 4.9 per cent target for the current fiscal year to June 30.

To fund the shortfall, the government borrowed $4.4 billion from the central bank from July 1 to February 28, a move that worsened inflation, rather than raise taxes and cut spending as the IMF and World Bank would like.
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Mohammad Sohail, head of the Karachi-based Topline Securities research and brokerage house, said the export boom would contribute to economic recovery, yet warned the gains were minimal.

“It is very fragile because the fiscal deficit is much higher than the target of 5.3 per cent because of the government’s heavy borrowing from the central bank,” he said.
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“Furthermore, the overall security situation in Pakistan is very uncertain, which is making the foreigners and local investors wary all the time.” Independent economist A.B. Shahid said rising international oil prices had hit the country’s economy hard, adding $4 billion to the oil bill.

Pakistan could have benefited more from 8-9 per cent export growth, he said, by exporting cloth in its value-added forms rather than raw cotton and yarn.

While Ali is content with life, he is also wary of uncertainties ahead.

“Life has become too insecure. Everyone is ill at ease. Let’s just wait and see.” – AFP
Riaz Haq said…
Here's a Daily Times story on Karachi Textile Expo 2012:

The textile sector is likely to fetch more than $45 million export orders during three-day 9th Textile Asia 2012 International Exhibition, textile experts said Saturday.
During previous international event in 2011, Pakistan fetched more than $31 million worth of orders for different categories of textile products, they added.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Textile Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig inaugurated the 9th Textile Asia 2012 event at Karachi Expo Centre.
It is the largest annual textile and garment machinery show of textile industry of Pakistan.
This year more than 276 exhibitors from 39 countries representing 369 international brands are participating in the event.
Besides a large number of textile sector’s representatives along with 271 foreign delegates are attending the exhibition.
The demand for textiles in the world is around $18 trillion, which is likely to be increased by 6.5 percent. China is the leading textile exporter of the world’s total exports of $400 billion.
Export of China stands at $55 billion, Hong Kong $38 billion, Korea $35 billion, Taiwan $16 billion, and Indonesia and Pakistan $14 billion.
Pakistan has emerged as one of the major cotton textile product suppliers in the world market with a share of world yarn trade of about 30 percent and cotton fabric about 8.0 percent, having total export of $13.8 billion, which accounts for only 1.2 percent of the overall share. Out of this cotton fabric is 0.02 percent, made-ups 0.18 percent and garments is 0.15 percent.
Textile sector is the backbone of the country’s economy having 56 percent of total exports and 38 percent job creation in the manufacturing sector. Nearly all the world-renowned brands are manufactured in Pakistan keeping high standard of international quality and competitiveness.
Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton yarn and cloth in the world after China, which is number one besides, Pakistan ranks second in export of yarn and third in export of cloth and fourth largest producer and consumer of raw cotton.
The textile sector in 2011 has registered an impressive growth of 38 percent and it was expected after European Union’s (EU) duty free export of 75 products from Pakistan out of which 65 are textile products, the sector would fetch more than $25 billion export target. The EU facility is initially for two years, extendable for third year after which Pakistan would quality for Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) plus status to export duty free to EU as per revised criteria agreed with EU.


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\03\11\story_11-3-2012_pg5_12
Riaz Haq said…
Cotton availability in Pakistan rises 25% YoY, reports fiber2fashion:

There has been a substantial increase of more than 25 percent in arrival of cotton in Pakistan markets this season compared to last season.

Besides, there has also been a significant rise of 77 percent year-on-year in cotton exports from Pakistan this season.

Citing figures from Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA), Mr. Muhammad Azam, Secretary-General and Chief Operating Officer of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), told fibre2fashion, “Compared to total arrivals of 11,502,408 cotton bales of 170 kg each during 2010-11 season up to March 1, 2011, a total of 14,378,962 bales have arrived in market this season up to March 1, 2012. Thus, there has been an increase of 2,876,534 bales or 25.01 percent over the previous season.”

Informing about the number of cotton bales pressed by various ginneries across Pakistan, he says, “Up to March 1, 2012, this season, 14,301,516 bales were pressed at various ginneries. In comparison, 11,467,821 bales were pressed during the same period in 2010-11 season. Thus, 2,833,695 bales or 24.71 percent more bales have been pressed this season.”

Talking about cotton exports, he says, “The exports have boomed 77.89 percent this season. Pakistan exported 920,706 bales up to March 1 this season, against exports of 517,567 bales registered during the same period last season. Thus, 403,139 more bales have been exported this season.”

“The textile mills in Pakistan have consumed only 17.68 percent or 1,871,840 more bales this season compared to previous season. Up to March 1, 2012, textile mills in Pakistan purchased 12,462,112 cotton bales, against their purchase of 10,590,272 bales during the same period in 2010-11 season,” he mentions.


http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=109064
Riaz Haq said…
Here's Fiber2Fashion story on Pak textile manufacturers diversifying into retail brands:

For long, several globally renowned apparel brands have been sourcing their fabric and clothing requirements from Pakistan. But, there have been very few Pakistani companies with brands of their own.

However, some companies that are engaged in export-oriented textile manufacturing are now diversifying into retailing through setting up their own apparel brands.

One such example is the Karachi-based ZK Industries, which ventured into retailing of its own branded garments four years ago.

Explaining the reason for his company’s diversification into retail segment, Mr. Younus Muhammad Bashir, Managing Director of ZK Industries, told fibre2fashion, “When we manufactured for others, we were just vendors. As time passed, competition increased and we thought that when we can manufacture for other brands we can have our own brand as well.”

“Till 2008, we were just vendors and we entered into the retail business in January 2009 by opening our first outlet in Karachi. Today, we have seven outlets – six in Pakistan and one in Dubai – and there are few more stores coming up soon,” he informs.

ZK Industries’ retail business is doing well and the company plans to launch more new products. Although the firm’s main business is fabrics, it is venturing into retailing of ready-to-wear garments.

Comparing manufacturing with retail, Mr. Bashir says, “Manufacturing business has a big volume while retail does not have such a volume. Manufacturing has a limited market and you meet limited set of people, and there is no direct interaction with the end consumers.”

“On the other hand, retail has its own charm. Whatever you sell in retail, you are paid immediately in cash for it. Moreover, being in the market and meeting new people everyday aids better idea generation. Being in direct touch with the consumers gives a better understanding of the consumer choices and preferences. The emergence of social media has made retailing even more interesting,” he concludes.


http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=110938
Riaz Haq said…
Here's Express Tribune of disproportionate impact of energy crisis on small textile mills:

The energy crisis has hit Pakistan’s textile industry badly, but not all textile companies are hurt: the largest players are doing just fine, relying on a combination of the advantages of their economies of scale but also government-sanctioned privileges not available to smaller industrial players.

At least part of the reason why the bigger companies are doing better than the smaller ones appears to be the natural advantages that come with being a larger player, such as having a vertically integrated business model.

Kamal Yousaf, CEO of the Kamal Group of Industries, a textile conglomerate based in Faisalabad, says that part of his group’s advantage over smaller rivals in their ability to harness synergies within the group. The weaving, processing and dyeing, garment manufacturing, and trading arms all work as a unit, helping the group weather price hikes in raw material or other issues.

The Nishat Group, meanwhile, benefits from the fact that it owns the fourth-largest bank in the country – MCB Bank – allowing it to avoid cash flow issues and raise capital for efficiency improvement projects. Nishat Textile, therefore, never has a problem in paying wages to its employees and was able to raise Rs1 billion to invest in a 6.2-megawatt power generation unit that runs on biomass. Electricity produced in this manner is expected to be about 6% more expensive than that provided by the grid, but is far more reliable at a time when Punjab’s industry is especially hampered by severe power outages that last several hours a day.

And many larger textile mills are able to purchase large stocks of raw materials that insulate them from price shocks. More than half the cost of producing a piece of clothing is often still the cost of cotton, even for some of the largest players.

Yet at least part of the advantage appears to be built in by the government. One of the biggest reasons why larger textile mills, particularly in Punjab, have been able to do well is that most have installed captive power plants that – despite operating at one-third the efficiency of the grid’s power station – are getting gas supplies to produce power at a marginally lower cost than what they would get from the grid.

However, these captive plants have been getting gas even at the expense of the rest of the grid, meaning that even while the largest and richest textile exporters save a few pennies on their production costs (power accounts for 3% of all costs for the larger firms), all of Punjab is going through massive power outages because the power plants that supply electricity to ordinary citizens and smaller industries are getting less gas, sometimes even no gas.

Meanwhile, smaller textile players have less reliable power from the grid, a supply that is made more intermittent by the fact that the fuel for the grid’s power goes to their larger textile rivals. At the same time, banks charge the smaller players higher interest rates, since they are viewed as bigger risks for not having their own captive power supply.

“The smaller guys cannot afford to run their factories on diesel generators,” said Muzammil Aslam, managing director at Emerging Economics Research....


http://tribune.com.pk/story/426553/while-small-players-get-squeezed-textiles-big-guns-are-doing-just-fine/
Riaz Haq said…
Pakistan-based International Textile Ltd (ITL) has deployed SAP’s business software solutions by entering into a partnership with SAP, to bring technology-driven success across its international textile manufacturing.

To support Pakistan’s Ministry of Textile Industry’s goal of reaching US$ 25 billion in textile exports by 2014, ITL has deployed SAP across finance, controlling, materials management and sales and distribution.

Adnan Khan, the director of ITL, said that in addition to improving ITL’s visibility and decision-making, SAP solutions have also helped ITL progress in vertical integration operating strategy, and support Pakistan’s growing textile-based economy.

In today’s data-driven world, SAP solutions will enhance ITL’s sales, distribution, and materials management, empowering ITL to compete at the highest level in the global market, he added.

Gergi Abboud, the managing director of SAP in Gulf and Pakistan, said textiles are one of the most important industrial sectors in Pakistan and SAP is committed to supporting the country’s industrial economic growth and ITL international expansion.

ITL is a global business, which services in the US, Canada, the European Union, and other important international markets. The company operates four business divisions including terry textiles, Muratec Jet Spinning (MJS), garments and trading. The product lines include yarn, wide range of terry products and related goods, fabrics, a full line of hospitality and healthcare products.

SAP’s Solutions for mill products, implemented by Siemens, Pakistan are expected to bring higher standards of performance at ITL enhancing the company’s leadership position and drive its international market expansion, which already includes customers in United States, the European Union, and Australia.

Textiles comprise 40 percent of Pakistan’s industrial labour. The World Economic Forum ranked Pakistan in the 49th position in ‘capacity for innovation’ in the Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014, highlighting the potential for business technology solutions in supporting economic growth.

Headquartered in Karachi, ITL has invested substantially in state of the art technology, including its ability to manufacture MJS Yarn and fabric. These products are manufactured on air jet spinning technology from Murata Japan. The company is acknowledged as having one of the largest MJS footprints in Asia. (GK)

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textiles-technology-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=168814
Riaz Haq said…
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Pakistan to France Ghalib Iqbal said that Pakistani fashion industry had registered a growth of 79 per cent recently which was one of the largest industrial growth rates in the world.

He was speaking at a fashion show of high end Pakistani textile products. The show was organized as part of activities of 37th edition of Texworld being held in Paris, France, said a message received here Wednesday.

The ambassador announced that a more elaborate fashion show would be held in Paris next year to present high end Pakistani textile designs.

This year, a total of 35 Pakistani companies have set up their stalls in the Texworld, out of which 12 have been sponsored by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) while others were participating on their own.

A total of 945 companies from 27 different countries are participating in the fair which is held twice a year in Paris.

President of the exhibition, Michal Scherppe welcomed and appreciated the participation of Pakistan in the fashion show organized as part of the event.

The show presented the designs created by Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture and Sarena.

The colourful and highly imaginative designs were appreciated by the spectators.

Earlier, the ambassador visited the stalls set up by Pakistani exporters and discussed with them the prospects of business development in France and assured them of full support and cooperation. –APP

http://www.samaa.tv/arts-culture/2015/09/pakistan-fashion-industry-registers-79-growth-ambassador/
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan’s first #global #fashion billionaire? #Khaadi #Karachi #textiles #rmg #garments https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/09/25/pakistans-first-fashion-billionaires/ … via @profitpk

The year 2017 is the first time the Pakistani clothing market hit Rs1 trillion in consumer spending (according to an analysis conducted by Profit based on data from the Household Integrated Economic Surveys, published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics). It is also the year the biggest brand in the industry – Khaadi – learnt about both the benefits and the costs of being the market leader, with a very public labour dispute and a string of negative stories published about it in the print media.

In the nearly two decades it has existed, Khaadi has gone from being a small store on the corner of a narrow street in Karachi’s Zamzama commercial area to become the industry-defining brand in Pakistan’s retail fashion sector. On the way, it has created, expanded, and conquered market that was virtually nonexistent prior to Khaadi’s launch in December 1999. Yet even as it stands as the clear champion of a rapidly growing market, Khaadi’s future has never been more precarious. In the next year or two, the actions of Khaadi’s management, particularly founder and CEO Shamoon Sultan, will determine whether it becomes a true national (and possibly global) corporate icon, or whether it will wither and fade away into obscurity.

While Khaadi clearly started as a passion project focused on selling khaddar clothing, it did not stay that way for long. Shamoon and Saira may have an artistic passion for the products they create, but they are clearly commercially focused as well, launching women’s clothing lines, pret, and lawn. The company sells both readymade garments and unstitched fabric.

The company began expanding its presence, first within Karachi, then on to Lahore and Islamabad, followed by eight other cities across Pakistan. By 2010, Khaadi felt confident enough to make its first foray into international retail, setting up a in Dubai, followed quickly by a store in Abu Dhabi. In 2013, Khaadi began opening stores in the UK.

While Khaadi has been remarkably successful, its success needs to be placed in a broader context: the rise of the Pakistani middle class, specifically the rise of the working woman, who has enabled families to rapidly expand their household incomes and move out of subsistence living and towards a truly consumption-oriented economic existence.

Pakistan’s female labour force participation rates have increased dramatically, from 16.2% in 2001 to 23.4% in 2015, the latest year for which data is available from the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. As a result, household incomes have risen to Rs34,707 ($333) per month, according to data from the 2016 Household Integrated Economic Survey. That represents an annualized increase of 9.3% per year over the past 15 years (5.7% in US dollar terms).

The rapid rise in spending on clothing also appears to be causing a shift in patterns of what types of clothes Pakistanis buy. In 2002, according to PBS data, more than 68% of total spending on clothes went to buying unstitched cloth and other accessories and only 13% of spending went to readymade clothes. In 2016, the proportion of consumer spending going to readymade clothes was 33%, with unstitched cloth and accessories going down to 50% of total spending.

Readymade garments are, by far, the fastest growing segment of consumer spending on clothing and footwear, growing at an astonishing 24.2% per year (20.1% in US dollar terms) over the past 15 years to reach a market size of Rs356 billion ($3.4 billion) in fiscal year 2017, according to Profit’s analysis of PBS data. The overall clothing market, as noted at the beginning of this article, has reached Rs1.1 trillion ($10.3 billion) during that same period.
Riaz Haq said…
Textile industry in Pakistan an open example of resistance economy


https://nation.com.pk/03-Jun-2018/textile-industry-in-pakistan-an-open-example-of-resistance-economy

The textile industry in Pakistan is the largest manufacturing industry in the country and no doubt it is an explicit example of resistance economy.

For years, the textile sector has been the country’s backbone as it provides employment and export revenues.

The textile sector in Pakistan contributes 57% to the country’s exports. The textile industry is the second largest employment sector in Pakistan.

Pakistan is the 8th largest exporter of textile commodities in Asia and textile sector contributes 8.5% to the GDP of Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention that the exports of textile products posted a growth of 12.8 per cent year-on-year to $4.4 billion in 2017-18.

The total textile sector exports reached $7.72bn value-wise in July-January 2018 versus $7.2bn in the corresponding period of last year, reflecting an increase of 7.18 pc

In the 1950s, textile manufacturing emerged as a central part of Pakistan's industrialization, shortly following independence from the British rule in South Asia. In 1974, the Pakistan government established the Cotton Export Corporation of Pakistan (CEC).

Between 1947 and 2000, the number of textile mills in Pakistan increased from 3 to 600. In the same time spindles increased from 177,000 to 805 million.

Cotton spinning is perhaps the most important segment in the Pakistan textile industry with 521 units installed and operational, says a report by IRNA news agency.

Synthetic fibers prepared with nylon, polyester, acrylic, and polyolefin dominate the market.

Three types of filament yarn are also produced in Pakistan. These are acetate rayon yarn, polyester filament yarn, and nylon filament yarn.

Textile products manufactured from wool are also famous across the country and they include woolen yarn, acrylic yarn, fabrics, shawls, blankets, and carpets.

Artificial silk is also produced in Pakistan. This fiber resembles silk but costs less to produce. There are about 90,000 looms in the country.

There are many famous clothing brands in Pakistan who use locally produced fabrics due to its high quality.

According to consumers the fabric produced in Pakistan is high in quality as compared to fabric produced in other countries.

In recent years, Pakistan has faced competition from regional players including Bangladesh, India and Vietnam.

Pakistan is currently facing a large-scale energy crisis. The government manages the deficit through daily power cuts (or blackouts). These power cuts have significantly impacted manufacturing industries in Pakistan.
Riaz Haq said…
Woven together, the rise and fall of southern Pakistan’s Banarsi sari

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1858791/fashion

Banarsi silk was a luxurious hand-woven fabric once made in the city of Khairpur, in Sindh
No official data exists on the history of the industry and the stories are told by the weavers themselves
SINDH: At the Banarsi Silk Weavers’ Colony in the city of Khairpur, in Sindh, 47-year-old merchant Zafar Abbas Ansari was waiting, hoping for a few additional orders of silk Banarsi saris as Eid Al-Fitr approached.
The sari is a garment native to South Asia, where a long piece of cloth is wrapped elaborately around the body — usually in cotton or silk — and worn with a matching blouse.
Although the city does not make Banarsi any longer — it is now made in Karachi, more than 400 km away — customers still come to the city to purchase the fabric.
Inside the deserted 70-year-old market — once a bustling place — Zafar’s shop is among the last three Banarsi shops left. His family is one of the 40 weaver families who brought the industry to Khairpur when they migrated from India in 1952.
“It is almost two decades since Khairpur stopped producing Banarsi saris after the industry’s collapse. However, even today, the brand is popular among customers. They keep demanding Khairpur’s brand,” Zafar told Arab News.
In its heyday, Khairpur’s Banarsi sari was synonymous with luxury, with vendors supplying the fabric not only locally but also exporting to Pakistani families living in the UK and other European countries.
Inside Zafar’s shop, unstitched pieces of colorful saris — the blouse, the petticoat and main sari fabric — are displayed. The shop shows off different varieties of saris, including the traditional katan — a plain woven fabric with pure silk threads — chiffon, as well as synthetic fabrics.
“Banarsi sari has distinction and standing,” Zafar said proudly. “It is worn by royal families because of its grace and elegance. In some families it is an essential part of the bridal trousseau.”

The price of a sari depends upon its type. The most expensive sari fabric available in the Khairpur market currently is worth Rs45,000 ($300) a piece
Khairpur’s Banarsi Silk Weavers’ Colony is named after the city of Banaras in India (now Varanasi) because of the silk weavers who migrated from there.
There are no official records, and the story of the garment comes from the weavers themselves. They say the history of the Banaras sari industry in Khairpur is linked with Ghulam Saddiquah Begum — the wife of Khairpur state’s then ruler, Mir Ali Murad Khan Talpur of the Talpur dynasty.
Saddiquah Begum herself came from Bahawalpur state, and in 1949, the weavers said, during a visit to India’s Hyderabad Deccan, she offered Mohammed Yusuf Ansari — a sari trader from Banaras — the chance to start manufacturing in Khairpur.
She is said to have offered her state’s support for the establishment of the manufacturing units required.
In 1952, about 40 families of the Ansari clan migrated from Banaras to Khairpur and sari manufacturing began on handlooms. Later, the saris were exported to other countries.
Arab News could not independently verify this information.
According to Anjum Sajjad Ansari, grandson of Muhammad Yusuf Ansari and a representative of the Banarsi Silk Weavers’ Association Khairpur, at its peak there were 400 handlooms in Khairpur. Today, not a single handloom remains.
“At Khairpur’s Banarsi Silk Weavers Colony today there are 16 houses of traditional weavers. However only three are involved in this business of selling Karachi-made fabric,” Anjum said.
Like elsewhere, the Banarsi brand was associated with pure silk thread work. Initially, Khairpur used silk imported from China, but later the silk came from Punjab’s Changa Manga as Pakistan developed hatching silkworms and silk fiber producing factories.
The whole family engaged in the manufacturing process, including silk weaving, dyeing, warping, and reeling. It took between two to three days’ work to complete a single sari.
Textile industry in Pakistan an open example of resistance economy,one of the biggest textile in pakista
Adamjee Enterprise

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