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GOTS hosts roundtable for

textile industry in US

The Global Organic Textile Standard has recently hosted a popular roundtable for the textile sector in
Charleston, SC, US. The GOTS roundtable takes place around the globe to connect the stakeholders and
to help them with the opportunities and facilitate a feedback to the GOTS GOTS on specific sectorial or
regional needs.

The roundtable attracted brands, trade associations, textile manufacturers, organic certification agencies,
and organic cotton farmers. The attendees heard and discussed presentations on topics ranging from
general 2017 GOTS progress, particularly in the apparel and home textiles sector, to supply chain integrity,
current and future markets, and international opportunities.

From the Organic Trade Association (OTA), one of the GOTS founding organizations and co-host of the
roundtable, Gwendolyn Wyard talked about how GOTS intersects with United States Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program and Monique Marez reported on OTA’s recent marketing
survey; why today’s millennial consumer is tomorrow’s organic parent.

Best practice examples how GOTS strengthens the US textile and apparel industry were presented by
Marci Zaroff (Metawear) and Eileen Mockus (Coyuchi), both US pioneer enterprises. Furthermore, Angela
Wartes-Kahl from Oregon Tilth Certification Organisation (OTCO), one of the GOTS accredited third party certifiers

Government to support the

modernization of textile sector in Pakistan

The Federal Secretary for Textile Division (Ministry developing new product for the international
of Commerce and Textile) Hassan Iqbal has said markets. He further added that the government
that the government will ensure technological up was striving to boom the country's textile and
gradation of the textile industry. He said that garments sector and continued by saying that the
advanced technology had become vital to flourish government would also encourage the products
Pakistan's textile sector by encouraging the textile under Prime Minister's Incentive Package.
and garments' exporters at every level.
He showed his faith in the need that all the
He gave these remarks while addressing the processing of the textile material is done in
"Interactive Session of Business Community" held Pakistan. "We could produce the best cotton in
at the PRGMEA House Sialkot under the auspices Pakistan by utilising the advanced research and
of Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers technology," he added. He also urged the exporters
and Exporters Association (PRGMEA). Central to ensure early diversification of their traditional and
Chairman PRGMEA Ejaz A Khokhar presided over non-traditional export products with the competitive
the session where a large number of the textile and prices in the international trade markets. While
garments exporters were present. addressing the exporters, he suggested to improve
the quality of export products as per international
The federal secretary also announced 2% cash standards for better success of textile export sector
bonus for the textile and garments exporters for of Pakistan.

April/May 2018