Page 58 - February-March-2019

Value Creation
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an opportunity for Pakistan’s
Textile Industry
Mujeeb Ullah Khan
Mujeeb Ullah Khan . CEO . iTextiles Pvt. Ltd.
TEXtalks: What is the concept behind iTextiles®? selling products through aggressive pull marketing.
Mujeeb Ullah Khan: iTextiles® was established in
2006 by a group of professionals from Dupont and is
still flourishing in Pakistan textile industry. The main
concept behind iTextiles® is to bring innovation,
imagination and intelligence in textiles that’s what the
“i” in “iTextiles” also represents. Everything that
iTextiles does revolves around the concept of
innovation, value selling and marketing for the
customers. Briefly I can say iTextiles® is where
innovation and value matter.
TEXtalks: Starting off as a trading concern for fibers in
2006, how far has iTextiles come and what are the
growth prospects?
Mujeeb Ullah Khan: iTextiles® was never a trading
concern, we have always been a marketing company
February/March 2019
TEXtalks: What is the corporate philosophy of
We conceive an innovative concept and develop
finished product based on consumer insights and
then source the material globally, making it available
for manufacturing of these customer centric
products.
Today, iTextiles® is fully capable of and committed to
creating value for partners in all aspects of the supply
chain, working along side both manufacturing
business and retail partners to provide integrated
solutions in market generation, sourcing, branding
and sales. we have complete portfolio of
performance textiles across the board based on four
key concepts which are Protection, Durability,
Comfort and Sustainability.
educate them how to brand and how to produce it
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consistently. So iTextiles® provide a complete
iTextiles®?
Mujeeb Ullah Khan: iTextiles® is driven around solution from raw material to technology to marketing
innovation and growth followed by ethics,
and to branding story.
compliance and equal opportunity. So, we
continuously seek to introduce/develop something
TEXtalks: What new innovative developments, iTextiles
that is innovative and new for the market based on has brought to the military uniforms?
Mujeeb Ullah Khan: We have an MOU with NTU where
future consumer insights.
we are jointly doing research to develop light weight
TEXtalks: What products is iTextiles® dealing with? and comfortable Bullet proof vests, helmets and
boots for domestic and international markets.
Mujeeb Ullah Khan: Our portfolio can be divided in 3
major segments: Fashion, Military & workwear and
Home textiles. In these segments we offer everything
required for Protection, Durability, Comfort and TEXtalks: How was the response for the newly
developed Military uniform at IDEAS 2018?
Sustainability. Mujeeb Ullah Khan: iTextiles® & NTU jointly received
Fashion: I would say our flagship product is LYCRA an excellent response and many leads form IDEAS
which provides stretch. In last 5-7 years the demand 2018. We already had follow-up meetings with major
for stretch in bottom weight apparel is around 90%. stakeholders. I think it’s the right time to announce
Another very important concept in performance the collaboration of NTU and iTextiles®. Now
textiles is of Moisture Management and we have a customers also understand what we are trying to do
big portfolio around quick dry and moisture control. and what they actually want. If you have noticed in
Military: we have a complete portfolio including fashion, athletic wear and leisure wear are merging
uniform, vest, carrier vest, helmets, ballistics, bullet so there is an athleisure concept. In workwear,
proof jackets and bullet proof shoes. performance and comfort are merging. Similarly, in
Home Textiles: We offer products for soil release, military they understand that they need a product
anti-microbials and moisture management plus we which provides protection with minimum fatigue.
also focus on the hand-feel. iTextiles® have the iTextiles® have the required knowledge, technology
knowledge and technology to make existing products and expertise and hopefully will develop a solution
better in terms of softness and comfort. addressing all their concerns.
TEXtalks: Which iTextiles Fibers have the highest TEXtalks: Any suggestion for the Pakistan textile
demand in Pakistan Market? industry in terms of growth and value addition?
Mujeeb Ullah Khan: Currently in apparels market Mujeeb Ullah Khan: There is a strong desire for value
highest demand is of LYCRA because of its unique added products but unfortunately this desire is driven
stretch performance. Furthermore, we also have T400 by market forces where profits in commodities are
which is in demand as it provides very less growth not present. However, value creating has to be done
and high stretch when combined with another fiber not because technical textile is more profitable but it
from our portfolio “Danufil”. is the future of textiles. Since technical textile is
mainly non cotton which is itself high in price, so we
TEXtalks: How do you see the scope of value-added need to develop a competitive environment where
fibers in Pakistan Market? these products can be produced at the right market
Mujeeb Ullah Khan: Rather than value adding we value. Secondly, we need to understand how
should call it value creating. For example, cotton technical textile will look like in next 10 years and
worth 40 cents is sold for a 40 dollars pair of jeans, develop accordingly rather than just trying to get
the more you move towards the right, the better value business at a better price. Today, Pakistan’s textile
you get. But from fabric or garment to be closer to 40 industry has an opportunity to flourish in technical
dollars, you have to create value rather than add textiles as this still only exists in Europe, where the
value. In the modern day it’s not just about the cost is very high. To a certain extent we have created
product, you have to create value in the way how you value in denim products by creating awareness for
brand it and how you tell the story of the product to the customers regarding a right pair of jeans for
the consumer. That’s the service iTextiles® is riding a motorcycle or for athletics or for a gym
providing. It’s not about just providing raw material workout. Similarly, in technical textile we should not
which will give them a better price for the final just work to replace business from other countries,
product but it’s also teaching them how to present it rather we need to develop something which is also
to the consumer (primarily importer and retailer). We appreciated by the customers globally.
February/March 2019