ATIRA, UL in talks for ready-made garments testing, certification

Facility to primarily cater to consumer product testing, certification of textiles, garments, toys

In a bid to enhance certification and standardisation in the apparel industry, the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA) has begun talks for a possible collaboration with the US-based Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global safety science company.

As per a senior official at ATIRA, the talks began as part of UL's recently inaugurated testing facility in Gurgaon. Spread over 20,000 sq ft, the facility set up by UL in Gurgaon, will cater primarily to consumer product testing and certification in categories such as textiles, garments, toys and leather.

"We already have testing laboratory that work on different value chain of textiles and technical textiles industry.  Hence, talks are on for a possible collaboration with UL for testing and standardisation of the apparel industry," the senior official at ATIRA stated.

Accredited by NABL (National Accreditation Board for Laboratories) as per the ISO-17025 standard, the UL laboratory houses world-class equipment and provides a testing facility at par with global standards. Various kinds of testing including physical testing, performance testing, ecological testing and enhanced chemical testing for the apparel industry can be carried out at this laboratory.

"We have begun discussions with ATIRA since we intend to take benefit of the institute's expertise.  Our focus area will be to ensure that garments and fabric manufactured in India meet global compliance yet meet Indian requirements," said RA Venkitachalam, Vice President and Managing Director, Emerging Markets, UL.

On its part, UL will look to lab test ready-made garments and offer certification wherever the products meet global compliance. "This will mean better products as well as stringent standards. We will work with global buyers and Indian manufacturers and their supply chain and support the local apparel industry in improving quality and standard compliance," Venkitachalam added.

For ATIRA, the tie-up will be yet another feather being added to its cap.  ATIRA already houses Asia's first testing and certification laboratory in geotextiles at its campus, which has been set up in association with German lab, Geoscope.

Set up at a project cost of Rs 250 crore, the CoE includes facilities in verticals other than geotextiles as well. For instance, the institute has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the likes of Karl Sruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, Bremen University of Germany, and National Composite Centre, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

The MoU with Karl Sruhe Institute of Technology, Germany encompasses development of new technologies in composites, while that with Bremen University of Germany is for providing training programmes and certificate courses in composite.