Workshop on the role of International Standards
in Economic Development
Use of Standards in the Textile
Sector and the Challenges for the
SMEs
Presentation by
The Pakistan Permanent Mission to the WTO
HOW
DOES
THE SYSTEM
WORK?
HOW
THE SYSTEM
WORKS?
Pakistan textile industry
Textiles is the premier industry & backbone of
Pakistan’s Economy:
 Major Agrarian industrial sector.
 Generates about 60 % of exports
 Constitutes 46 % of Manufacturing Industry
 Employs 38 % of country’s work force
 Contributes 8.5% to the total GDP
 Major products are cotton yarn, fabrics, bed
wear, towels, woven & knit garments.
 Drives Banking, Shipping ,Transport
,Insurance, Machinery, Dyes/Chemicals
,Printing/Packaging & allied sectors.
Composition of Pakistan textile
exports
Textile exports (2007-08) US$10.777 Blns
Tents & Canvas ;
70.34
Art Silk &
Syn.Tex ;
489.982
Other textiles;
274.001
Towels ;
615.415
Cotton; 82.057
Yarn ; 1294.195
Fabrics ;
1231.62
Madeups Incl.
Bedwear ;
2423.723
Knitwear
(Hosiery);
1831.178
Ready Made
Garments ;
1498.499
SMEs the backbone of economy
Role in the Textile Industry:

Involved at processing, stitching and various
levels of the value chain

Labour
intensive
work
therefore
trained
manpower and quality control mechanisms are
extremely important

Case study of a Company and two clusters of
SMEs
Buyers Standards
Only
possible
with full
compliance
International
Standards
Industry specific
Standards
SME
Desire to
connect with
Int. market
National Regulatory Framework
Evolution of quality control regime in
Pakistan
Quality control and standardization institutional
framework exists since early 50s, few year after
independence in 1947.
The various components of this institutional
arrangement were:
 Pakistan Standards Institution (PSI)
 Central Testing Laboratory (CTL)
 Metallurgical and Industrial Research
Development Centre (MIRDC)
Evolution of quality control regime in
Pakistan
Current structure established in 1996
M/o Science and Technology
Standards
Development Centre
(SDC) [former PSI]
Quality Control Centre
(QCC) [former CTL]
PNAC
Technical Services
Centre (TSC) [former
MIRDC]
Pakistan’s global affiliation
Signature of MOU’s & MRA’s in the fields of Science &
Technology, Standardization,Quality
Assurance/Management, Product Certification and
exchange of technical information, human resource
development and capacity building to achieve the
objectives of TBT Agreement:
A) Between governments
Pakistan and the sovereign Governments of Saudi Arabia,
Morocco, Algeria, Sri Lanka
B)

PSQCA and another standardization bodies:
PSQCA and Turkish Standards Institution (TSE).

PSQCA and Yemen Authority for Specification,
Standardization and Quality Control (YASSC).

MRA signed with SASO, ASTM International USA, DIN
Germany, ANSI
Pakistan’s global affiliation
(Continued)
C) Affiliation in progress between :

Pakistan and the sovereign Governments of Asia
Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Countries, Brunei
Darussalam, Sultanate of Oman, Republic of South Africa,
Kingdom of Jordan, Republic of India, Malaysia, Russian
Federation, Kingdom of Norway, Peoples Republic of
China

PSQCA and SIRIM QAS International, Malaysia.

PSQCA and Bangladesh Standards Testing Institution
(BSTI).
Institutional and regulatory support by
the Government to protect environment
 National Conservation Strategy (NCS)
adopted in 1992
 The Environmental Protection Ordinance of
1983 was replaced by a new Act of
Parliament in 1997 i.e. Pakistan
Environmental Protection Act 1997
 The federal government offered incentives
of reduction in customs duties on import of
anti pollution equipment
Pakistan National Accreditation Council
Mission Statement
PNAC strives for improvement, competence and integrity of
conformity assessment bodies by providing them an
internationally recognized accreditation service and also
promote quality culture, which ultimately benefit the
consumers, producers, regulators and other stakeholders.
International Linkages
PNAC represents Pakistan in the following regional and
international forum:
►
►
►
►
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)
International Accreditation Forum (IAF)
Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC)
Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC)
There is cooperation between accreditation bodies in international organisations
Pakistan
PNAC
A case study of a Company looked at the following aspects of quality
which can be achieved through ISO 9000 certification
Increase in productivity
Trained manpower
Quality of raw material
Calibration of machines
Maintenance of machines
Quality productivity
Minimum hard waste
Minimum wastage in weaving
Minimum wastage in processing
Minimum wastage in cutting
Minimum wastage in stitching & packing
Minimum time for tea break
Minimum time for lunch break
Minimum time waste during prayer
Energy saving
Water wastages
Leakage in pipe & joint
Tap remain open
Collection of condensed water
Use of last treated water for 1st treatment
Re-cycling of water
15
Management requirements
Quality
Policies
1
1
Review of
contracts
Management
System
Subcontracti
ng of tests
Document
control
Purchasing
supplies
Equipment
1 Measurement
2 traceability
Accom. and
env. Cond.
1
3
General
Personnel
Test methods
and
m.validation
Sampling
1 Handling of
4 test items
Assuring the
Quality of
15 test results
Technical requirements
AB Pre Audit
Complaints
AB Application
Improvement
Reporting the
results
AB Doc Review
Preventive action
Service to the
customer
AB On Site Visit
Internal audits
Corrective Actions
Management
Review
Accreditation
House of Accreditation
Standards
Accreditation
Corrective Actions and AB Report
AB Document Review
AB On Site Visit
AB Application
AB Pre-Audit
21 Internal audits (4.14)
16 Reporting the results (5.10)
20 Preventive action (4.12) /
records (4.13)
19 Improvement (4.10) and corr
action (4.11)
18 Complaints (4.8) / non conf.
work (4.9)
15 Assuring the Quality of test
results (5.9)
17 Service to the customer (4.7)
12 Measurement traceability (5.6)
8 Purchasing supplies (4.6)
11 Equipment (5.5)
5 Subcontracting of tests (4.5)
10 Test methods and m validation (5.4)
4 Review of contracts (4.4)
9 Accom. and env. Cond. (5.3)
3 Document control (4.3)
7 Personnel (5.2)
2 Management System (4.2)
6 General (5.1)
14 Handling of test items (5.8)
13 Sampling (5.7)
1 Quality Policies (Organization) (4.1)
Technical Requirements
Management Requirements
22 Management Review (4.15)
A company before and after
ISO9000 certification
Wastages
Raw material to furnishing
Water
Before
25%
After
6%
30%
5%
Energy
20%
Man hour loss due to
machinery breakage
15%
Result: Increase in exports
2004-05 US$ 110,539,384
2005-06 US$ 125,360,094
2006-07 US$ 126,068,016
Nil
Nil
Survey of 2 clusters in Lahore and Faisalabad
 Conformity assessment checked for testing, certification,
calibration, accreditation.
 Positive co-relation found between percentage share of exports and
deployment of qualified staff for in-house testing and quality control.
Testing
28 tests carried on textile products: quality of colour fastness, Ezoyd
stuff, shrinking, yarn test, cracking, abri colour etc.

High level of awareness almost 80%; in house testing facility
available to 37%.


Foreign laboratories used on the demand of buyer only .

Use of local laboratories is common
The level of satisfaction from local laboratories was quite high in
terms of infrastructure, affordability, acceptability and service delivery.


Testing cost and time was a major concern for smaller firms
Testing lab in Pakistan: SGS, ATS, PCSIR, Intertek, Microtech, Tech Dyeing, T.T.I,
I.T.S .
Survey of 2 clusters in Lahore and Faisalabad
(Continued)
Certification
ISO 9000, ISO14000, ISO22000, WRAP, BSCI, OEKO-TEX, EALO,
SA8000
High awareness level, ISO 9000 was identified as the most
important, ISO 14000 as the second most important. Certifications
were through locally based foreign certification bodies.
Satisfaction score: (1-5)
Accessibility: 4.78
Technical skill: 4.62
Certification cost: 4.41
Over all cost to business: 4.50
Time taken for certification 4.48
Acceptability by export buyers: 4.75
Calibration
Awareness level 88.6 %, time taken was 1.94 however time was
around 8-9 days for using facilities outside the city
Joint Branding
50% already involved in joint branding, 43% interested in joint
branding- It brings premium price therefore an incentive for ensuring
compliance
Fields of determinations requested
A. Care Label Instructions:
Many countries have mandatory or voluntary
standards for care label instructions that apply to
either apparel or soft home furnishing products.




Colourfastness to bleaching
Dimensional stability
Appearance retention
Ironing
(EU & US joint proposal on textile labelling in NAMA
negotiation is supported by Pakistan)
Fields of determinations requested (continued)
B. Performance Testing:
To meet specific performance standards that affect
end use consumer of textile products, a variety of
tests are required. Some of these tests includes:
 Dimensional Stability to Washing and/or Dry-
cleaning
Colourfastness to Light, Crocking (Rubbing),
Washing, Bleaching, etc
Physical tests – Strength, Abrasion, Pilling
Resistance, etc
Chemical Tests – Finish Analysis, pH, etc
Fields of determinations requested (continued)
C. Eco – Textile Testing
The trend of green consumerism has been extended
to textile and apparel products. Major European and
USA textile product buyers have responded to this
public awareness by viewing their textile products
from an ecological viewpoint and are establishing
relevant requirements. Chemical analysis for EcoTesting includes:





Banned Azo Colorants
Formaldehyde Content
Heavy Metal Residues
Dye testing to carcinogenic compounds
Pesticide Residue
Fields of determinations requested (continued)
D. FLAMMABILITY TESTING
For apparel, it is especially important that the
material used are in compliance with the
flammability regulations. In particular, adult
apparel and children’s sleeper.
ROLE OF SME’S IN PAKISTAN
 About 3.2 million business establishments exist in
Pakistan.
 Out of which 99% are SME’s.
 They contribute 30% to GDP and 25% to export.
Recommendations
1.
Harmonization of all private standards
2.
Harmonization of private standards with
international standards where ever
possible
3.
Cluster development of SMEs through 3 C
approach Competitive cluster 
conformity connectivity with the market
4.
Incentives from the national governments
to promote compliance, i.e. duty free
import of equipment, tax breaks,
exemption from sales tax, national reward
system and SME of the year etc.
Recommendations
(Continued)
5.
Best use of Aid for Trade (Skill development,
mobile vans with training equipment,
strengthening of testing labs-chemicals.
6.
Effective participation of SME sector in the
standard setting process
7.
Effective implementation of special and
differential treatment provisions (article 12 of
TBT) for developing countries
8.
See things in a context, ban on trade is not a
solution . Country specific solutions is another
option.
9.
Promote public-private investment in testing
laboratories.
WTO Agreement On TBT
Buyers standards
Only
possible
with full
compliance
Industry specific
standards
International standards
SME
Technical
Assistance to achieve
compliance
Aid for Trade
Connected
with the
International
market
National Regulatory Framework
THANK YOU
List of Test required by buyers
Test
Methods
Colorfastness to Crocking
AATCC- 8
ISO- 105 X12
pH of the Water-Extract from wet processed Textiles
AATCC- 81
ISO- 3071
Fibfer Analysis: Qualitative
AATCC-20
ISO-3072
Fibfer Analysis: Quantitative
AATCC-20A/
ASTM D629
ISO-1833/
ISO-5088
Water Repellency: Spray Test
AATCC-22
ISO- 4920 /
BS 3702
Skewness change in fabric and garment twist resulting
from automatic home laundering
AATCC-179
Colorfastness to Perspiration
AATCC-15
ISO-105 E04
Dimensional Change of Garments after home laundering
AATCC-150
ISO-5077/ ISO
6330
Colorfastness to Water: Chlorinated Pool
AATCC-162
ISO-105 E03
Colorfastness: Dye Transfer in Storage; Fabric-to-Fabric
AATCC-163
ISO 105 N01/
N02
Colorfastness to Non-chlorine Bleach in Home laundering
AATCC-172
Antibacterial Finishes on Textile Materials: Assessment of
AATCC-100
Colorfastness to Bleaching with Hydrogen Peroxide
AATCC-101
ISO-105-N02
Colorfastness to Water
AATCC-107
ISO-105 E01
31
List of Test required by buyers
Test
Methods
Formaldehyde Content
Japanese law 112-1973, JIS L
1096-1979 / SFS-4996
Formaldehyde Release from Fabric, Determination of:
sealed Jar Mthod
AATCC-112
Colorfastness to Crocking: Rotary Vertical Crockmeter
Method
AATCC-116
Oil Repellency: Hydrocarbon Resistance Test
AATCC-118
Appearance of Fabrics After Repeated Home laundering
AATCC-124
Colorfastness to Perspiration and Light
AATCC-125
Wrinkle Recovery of Fabrics: Appearance Method
AATCC-128
Soil Release: Oily Stain Relese Method
AATCC-130
Colorfastness to Drycleaning
AATCC-132
ISO 105 D01
Colorfastness to Heat: Hot Pressing
AATCC-133
ISO 105-X11
Dimensional Change of Fabrics after home laundering
AATCC-135
ISO-3759
Fabric Weight
ASTM D 3776
ISO-3801
Wales and Coarses (Stitch Density)
ASTM D 3887
BS 5441
ISO-7768
ISO-9867
32
List of Test required by buyers
Methods
Yarn Twist/Yarn
ASTM 1422 / ASTM 1423
ISO 2061
Print Durability
AATCC-135 / 150
ISO-6330
Colorfastness to washing
AATCC- 61
ISO 105 C01 to C06
Colorfastness to Light
AATCC-16
ISO 105-B02
Tensile Strength
ASTM D 5034
ISO- 13934-2
Seam Strength
ASTM D 1683 / ASTM D 3786
ISO 13935-1 / ISO 13935-2
Bursting Strength
ASTM D 3786
ISO 2960 / BS4768
Tearing Strength
ASTM 1424 / ASTM 2261
ISO 13937-1 / ISO 9290
Pilling resistance
ASTM D 3512
ICI pilling Box ISO 12945-1 / BS
5811
Pilling resistance
(Martindale)
ASTM D4966 / ASTM D4970
ISO 12945-2
Stretch & Recovery
ASTM D 4964
BS 4952
Flammability
ASTM D 1230 / US CPSC CFR 16 Part
1610
Lead content
Nickle content
33
Besides International Standards some
private Standards are also incorporated
making the things more complicated.
These are as under:
WALMART
NIKE
CARRFOUR
KOHLS
JCPENNY etc.
34