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Use of DREF technology for specific end uses in technical textiles - case study

Written by: C. R. Prayag Bipasha Maiti A.J. Sonagra

*Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s ResearchAssociation, Ahmedabad (ATIRA), **M/s. Zenith Fibers Ltd., Vadodara

Abstract: 12px;font-family:Georgia'> Polypropylene Staple Fiber (PPSF) is fast out pacing other synthetic fibers in terms of market growth and is finding new and varied enduses over old and traditional synthetic fibers. It is now being used in themanufacture of Drinking Water Filter Cartridges. ATIRA is producing the special type of technical textile, the PP yarn needed for this, using DREF Technology. In this paper, a case study, where the specifications of the PPSF fibersand the DREF yarns and their performance in drinking water filter cartridgeshas been given, will be discussed in detail. Filter yarns spun on DREF 2 machines have captured a leading position in the filter cartridge market. The annual worldwide requirement of such filter elements is in the region of several million units. The body of the filter consists of a perforated cylindrical support, which is wrapped by means of precision winding with a highly voluminous yarn (800-1500 tex). The thickness of this covering dictates the micron value of the filter, e.g., 0.5-200 micron.  These filter elements are available mainly in the popular 250, 500, 750, and 1000 mm lengths. DREF Spinning Fehrer DREF 2 friction spinning is a versatile technology. It can be used for manufacturing everything from asbestos substitutes and secondary carpet backing yarns, to technical products such as cartridges for liquid filtration. 2

Fig 1: Fehrer DREF-2 Spinning Machine 3 This technology belongs to the open endgroup because the fiber strand (sliver) must be opened completely to individualizefibers and re-assembled to form a new strand (yarn). In DREF 2 spinning one ortwo carded slivers after leaving from the drafting arrangement are passed tothe main saw toothed opening roller. While the drafting arrangement createsonly a light drafting effect, the saw tooth roller opens the strand toindividual fibers. The separated fibers are lifted off the roller by a blowerand form cloud, descending towards two perforated drums. One suction stream perdrum draws the fibers into the convergent region. The newly arriving fiberscontact the rotating yarn and are thereby caught and twisted. This process is primarily suited for the production of coarser yarns and recycled yarns. The applications of DREF spun yarns are: Blankets for the hometex range and military uses, as well as for hotels, hospitals, camping plaids etc.; Secondary carpet backing for tufted carpets and filler yarns for carpet wefts; Filter cartridges for liquid filtration; Canvas for the military and civil sectors -Asbestos substitutes (e.g. heavy protective clothing and gloves, gaskets, packings, clutch- and brake linings, flame retardant fabrics etc.); Filler yarns for the cable, packaging, shoe and carpet industries; High-tenacity, core yarns for ropes, transport and conveyor belts; High tenacity fire resistant protective clothing ; Composites for the aviation, automotive and engineering industries etc. 1

At present, around 80 DREF 2 machines are spinning 30,000 t of yarns for liquid filtration. The main markets are Europe and the USA, where some 150 million filter cartridges are manufactured with DREF 2 yarns, a figure that represents 65-70% of global production. The leading US and European filter producers spin a wide range of DREF 2 PP-yarns at speeds of 160 - 180 m/min. A specialist manufacturer employs DREF products for over 20 types of cartridges that require compatibility with FDA foodstuffs legislation. The yarns employed generally consist of PP fibers in the 3.3 dtex, 40 mm range, which are highly resistant to micro-organisms and have a wide scope of chemical applications. 2 As per information available with us the demand of the DREF 2 PP yarns in India is about 800 tons per annum only for filter cartridges and it is likely to increase considerably in next one or two years. The fiber material of the yarns used is primarily selected with a view to the chemical properties and the temperature of the filtered substance. Manmade fibers account for the majority of applications, with cotton being prescribed mainly for environments where higher temperatures prevail.

Fig 2: DREF -2 Yarn Package and Wound Filter cartridges 4 PPSF has following unique properties: 1.  Lowest specific gravity of 0.91 (provides excellent covering). 2.  Negligible Moisture absorption (0.05). 3.  Provides very warm feel (warmer than wool and acrylic). 4.  Fabric containing PPSF wicks away moisture from skin to atmosphere due to the capillary action. 5.  PPSF is resistant to many acids, alkalis and solvents. 6.  PPSF is resistant to attack of mildew/moths/insects and a wide range of bacteria. 7.  Not prone to static charge generation. 8.  PPSF is dope- dyed in various shades/colours and there will not be any variation between fiber lots of the same shade. 9.  Not subject to light degradation, if UV Stabilized. 10. Highly resilient fiber. 11. PPSF is available in round cross-section and also in Trilobal shape (for superior sparkle/luster.) 6 The details of the PP fibers used for the manufacture of the yarn for the filter cartridge at ATIRA and the quality parameters are given in the tables 1 to 3. 

The most important characteristic of the filter element is its permeability expressed in µm. This indicates the minimum particle size (i.e. particle diameter) which will be eliminated to a minimum degree of 90%. Yarn package filter elements are used for separating particle sizes in the range of 0.5 to100 µm. Lowest possible price and high durability are the most important economic criteria. Moreover, lowest possible resistance to throughput (Δp) is desirable for every grade of permeability. Given the same type of yarn, permeability of the corresponding filter element directly correlates with the value of Δp. A higher Δp value means a lower µm grading of the filter element. The permeability of a yarn package filter element is in particular determined by the following parameters: -winding conditions (yarn path geometry, thickness of yarn layer, yarn tension during winding) -yarn parameters (yarn structure or spinning process, yarn twist factor, yarn count or rather yarn diameter, yarn uniformity) -Fiber material (in particular fiber fineness or rather fiber diameter) Given that all other parameters remain constant, finer fibers will increase the Δp values and at the same time, result in lower permeability. At the same time, filter elements of same permeability will feature lower resistance to throughput, i.e. lower Δp values if finer fibers are used instead of coarser ones. The influence of yarn twist factor on the resistance to throughput of filter elements is in the case of roving yarn. The lower the yarn twist factor, the higher the value, because the cavities between individual yarn strands are closer due to facilitated lateral compressibility of the yarn. The value often increases with the increase in yarn diameter in the range of yarn counts 800 to1500 tex. 8 font-family:Georgia;color:maroon'> Advantages of Friction-spun yarns over Flyer yarns (Rovings) for filter cartridges: -Better yarn regularity combined with high resistance. -Greater bulkiness of the yarn (20-40% more air volume) for better winding. Density compared to conventional filter cartridges. -Roving has to be highly twisted for winding into cones and this is not the case with Dref-2 yarn.  With the result the porosity of roving gets adversely affected Less flow resistance than flyer yarns specially in tight packages -Improved dirt particle retention and up to twice the filter service life -The fiber structures are relatively random and subject to high degree of twist. The yarns offer great regularity and increased strength. -The round yarn cross-section ensures limited deformation under transverse load. -Considerable reduced yarn production costs (up to 50%) due to lower yarn mass requirement, lower preparation costs, lower spinning costs (as a result of higher output 15 to 20 times higher than with conventional production processes and high efficiency as well as bobbin weights up to 10 Kg.) and lower personnel expenses. -Knot-free, uniform quality of the yarns guarantees faultless filters up to a filter length of 200 cm. -Constant micron value in the filter due to regular yarn quality -Because of the layer construction of the yarn, its surface is twisted very loosely providing the hairiness necessary for good filtration (higher flow rate with the same filtration effect). -The universal use of all the fibers preferably processed for filters such as F.D.A. (Food and Drug Administration) bleached cotton, natural cotton, polypropylene, PP (F.D.A.), polyester, acrylic, modacrylic, polyamide and other special fibres. 7

font-family:Georgia;font-weight:normal'>The process of manufacturing the PP DREF 2 yarn upto drawframe is similar to that of normal synthetic fibers and no additional font-weight:normal'> spin finish is required to be used Efficiency of 80-90% is achievable at 180 m/min speed in DREF 2 machine. The waste level is 1-1.5% which is very negligible and is recyclable. One of the main problems related to practical working is that of fiber melting which leads to end breakage, lapping on combing roller and damage to the combing roller. This calls for optimization of combing roller speed and material feeding speed. So, it is very easy to convert PPSF into yarn by DREF 2 technology and the yarn is most suitable for filter cartridges which have a very good market potential in India and abroad. The usefulness of PP fiber in the manufacturing of technical yams has been also highlighted through this presentation and many such uses can be found for the fiber. There is a need to study the available technologies and find the appropriate one for the particular end-uses. References:

• New trends in machinery development for technical textiles - I-Express Textile-Nov,2005 ( www.expresstextile.com )
• http://www.fehrerag.com/fehrer/Artic08.htm
• www.wotol.com/machinery/fehrer-dref-2-ft-p13237/photo-1167129446945.jsp
• http://www.chinafrictionmaterial.com/eproduct-pp.htm
• http://www.pall.com/terms_38029.asp
• www.zenithfibres.com
• Manfred Gsteu, Tritz oberlehner-“DREF-Friction-spun yarns for filter cartridges”
• Mellind English, December 1990, pp.944-946

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A case study in the textile industry for the reduction of cost of quality

2019, Journal of Advances in Technology and Engineering Research

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The Evolution and Impact of Technical Textiles 

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Over the past few decades, industrial textiles have surged in prominence, with innovations reshaping sectors ranging from automotive to healthcare. While once relegated to mundane roles, textiles now form the backbone of critical safety systems, filtration processes, and structural reinforcements.

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Sustainable and ethical manufacturing: a case study from handloom industry

• D. G. K. Dissanayake 1 ,
• Srimala Perera 2 &
• Thushari Wanniarachchi 1  

Textiles and Clothing Sustainability volume  3 , Article number:  2 ( 2017 ) Cite this article

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Global fashion industry has bitterly evidenced the social and environmental implications associated with fast production cycles, overuse of resources, waste generation, environmental pollution and unethical labour conditions. Growing consumer awareness regarding social and environmental impacts of fashion products has led to create a new marketplace for sustainable and ethical products. This paper highlights craft practice as one of the potential avenues for achieving sustainability within the fashion industry. Through a case study drawn from handloom industry, this paper explores a manufacturing approach that is committed to fair-trade principles and designed to prevent waste. We argue that this study reveals a business model that could positively contribute towards generating employment opportunities and sustainable household income for the rural community. We conclude the paper by highlighting that this type of a fair trade and environmentally conscious manufacturing process could address the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic and environment. Findings of the study invite manufacturers to revisit and redesign current fashion production systems, especially when waste and labour issues are hindering the sustainability.

Sustainability could be explained in many different ways. Yet, for the fashion industry, sustainability means the ‘environmental protection, social justice, economic fairness and cultural validity’ (Parker, 2011 , p4). Globalization and technological advancements have made a dramatic change in production and consumption patterns of the world’s fashion. This global industry started to pose many challenges for sustainability efforts as fashion has become a throw-away commodity, and rapid phase production of short-lived products have become a normality. Cultural flavour of fashion has diminished as fashion became globalized and influenced by global trends. Vast availability of cheap, low-quality clothing allows overconsumption and premature disposal of fashion products (Niinimäki, 2011 ).

Textile and fashion industry is well known for exploitation of resources and unsustainable manufacturing practices, where environmental and social losses are often ignored (Beard 2008 ; Walker, 2007 ). However, the growing awareness among consumers regarding the social and environmental impacts of fashion consumption has made a significant influence on the purchasing decisions towards ethical and sustainable fashion. Possible integration of craft and contemporary fashion has gained much attention in this context, mainly due to its potential contribution towards more sustainable futures (Ferraro et al., 2011 ). Hur and Beverley ( 2013 ) explored the role of craft in promoting sustainable fashion, in terms of both production and consumption. Cox and Bebbington ( 2015 ) insisted that craft practice and social sustainability share common aspirations, and if craft would support to meet sustainable development principles, it may help craft products to access new markets. In this regard, it is commendable that a practical approach has been taken by the Ethical Fashion Initiative, in which there is an attempt being made to connect marginalized craftspeople from developing world to the international fashion industry (International Trade Centre, 2016 ). It is therefore evident that the craft practices in fashion could address environment as well as other broader dimensions of sustainability, as it tends to promote the well-being of the local producers and craft communities towards a sustainable lifestyle.

Globally, Sri Lanka is recognized not only as an export-oriented fashion manufacturing base but also as a home for a rich fashion craft industry. Sri Lankan fashion craft industry, which comprises mainly of handloom, batik, beeralu and embroidery, is one of the main income generator for rural communities and differently able people. With the developmental needs of the country in the post-war era, fashion craft industry is recognized as one of the most important industries for poverty alleviation, employment generation, enhancement of rural entrepreneurship and the development of new business opportunities (Export Development Board, 2013 ). Gradual development of local fashion craft industry not only generates economy but also promotes sustainable production and slow consumption. Nevertheless, an increasing global demand for environmentally sustainable products holds a greater potential for expansion of the global market for craft products. However, only a limited research has been carried out to highlight the importance of fashion craft industry in the context sustainable and ethical fashion movements.

Sri Lankan handloom industry

Handloom is a traditional weaving craft, practiced by generations of artisans to make attractive textile designs. Sri Lankan handloom industry is a highly labour- incentive and a decentralized sector of which the most of the manufacturing units are located in rural areas (Export Development Board 2013 ). It is also an environmentally friendly, low energy-driven sector where fair-trade manufacturing practices are appreciated and encouraged (Dhingra and Dhingra, 2012 ). In Sri Lanka, the handloom industry maintains a significant demand since its inception, due to its cultural artefacts, heritage and design capabilities. Sri Lankan handloom textile industry reached its peak in 1970s and experienced a decline after 1978, with the onset of the open economic policies and the growth of export-oriented apparel industry sector in Sri Lanka (Gomas, 2000 ). However, with the raising developmental needs of the country in the post-war era, handloom industry was repositioned as one of the most important industries to launch business opportunities for the development of local economy. As handloom textiles and handcrafted products have rapidly become major lifestyle statements for both national and international consumers, this industry now carries a significant potential for expansion, employment generation with lucrative export earning opportunities.

Further, Sri Lankan handloom textiles are highly recognized both locally and internationally not only for its innovative and modern design trends entwined with traditional craftsmanship but also for its premium quality. The products are often offered to global niche markets where handcrafted items of high value are preferred. In Sri Lanka, it is estimated that around 6,500 handlooms are in operation, providing around 10,000 direct employment opportunities (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, 2012 ). Seven hundred seventy-one production centres are owned by provisional councils whereas 962 units scattered around the country are privately owned (Export Development Board, 2013 ). The industry serves both local and international markets with a wide range of product categories such as ready-made garments, soft toys, bed linen, table linen and curtain. Export markets for handloom products include Italy, Germany, Australia, France, Spain, Japan, Korea, Sweden, USA, Vietnam, Lebanon, Thailand, UK, Norway, Netherlands, etc. (Ministry of Industry and Commerce, 2012 ). In the year 2012, the total value of exports brought by the handloom sector was estimated as USD 870,000.

Globally, the green movement and fair labour movement are steadily getting momentum. Consumers are increasingly demanding products that are ethically made and environmentally safe (Lewis and Potter, 2011 ; OECD, 2008 ). While the modern consumers are concerned about the social and the environmental impact of the product they purchase, they incessantly criticize traditional manufacturing processes with highly pressurized production environments and poor labour conditions (Koszewzka, 2011 ). This shift in consumers’ mind has led to a change in buying habits towards environmentally sustainable and ethical products (Shaw et al., 2006 ).

Fair trade represents an ethical approach to product manufacturing. This is also an important approach to alleviate poverty in the global south while contributing to build a socially and environmentally sustainable international trade (Taylor et al., 2005 ; Raynolds et al., 2004 ; Shreck, 2002 ). Fair trade aims to support farmers and craftsmen who are socially and economically marginalized. Community improvement, women empowerment and mitigation of environmental impact of the production process are some of the key aspects of fair trade (Andorfer and Liebe, 2015 ; Bassett, 2010 ). Access to fair-trade business models not only guarantee higher income levels but also promote collaboration and positive cultural bond among associates. Moreover, people who engage in fair-trade supply chain add value to their own culture, their identity, environment and also to the product (Belgian Development Agency 2012 ). One essential feature of fair trade is to support local community to organize and operate collectively, which enhances trustworthiness among local communities. The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) represents a global network of fair traders who are committed to the WFTO fair-trade standards. This network may include manufacturers and retailers who are driven by fair-trade values. They signed up to follow a set of compliance criteria based on ten fair-trade principles that focus on fair prices, good working conditions and minimizing environmental impacts (World Fair Trade Organization, 2014 ).

One of the key focuses of fair-trade practice is to minimize environmental impact of production. Application of sustainable production methods and reduction of waste generation are among key priorities. Waste is a growing problem associated with environmental and social impacts, which remain unresolved to date (Sinha et al. 2016 ). Waste can also be an indicator of an inefficient process (Pongrácz, 2009 ) which ultimately makes monetary lost in two stages: first when raw materials are purchased and then at the time when waste materials are discarded. Moreover, waste, when dumped in open areas, causes several environmental and health issues. It is essential to decouple the waste growth from the economic growth to minimize environmental impact and also to conserve resources. In response to the waste issue, a zero-waste approach has been committed by many industries. This is based on the central notion that prevention of waste is more desirable than treatment of waste (Greyson 2007 ).

According to Zero Waste International Alliance ( 2015 ), zero-waste strategy aims at designing products and processes to avoid waste, i.e. eliminations of all discharges to land, and conservation of resources. Zero-waste system reuses discarded materials to make new products. This process reduces the exploitation of natural resources, avoids pollution, and saves the environment. Textile and apparel industry uses tremendous amount of materials and energy resources and produces a massive quantity of waste, leaving a huge negative environmental impact. Therefore, achieving zero material waste is one of the greatest challenges of the apparel manufacturing industry. Unfortunately, zero waste, potentially a preventive approach, is often misunderstood as unrealistic and impossible target to achieve within the boundary of today’s economic conditions (Greyson 2007 ). However, if zero-waste system is properly implemented, apparel manufacturing industry could possibly convert waste into something useful and economical. Rissanen and McQuillan ( 2016 ) highlighted that the concept of zero waste in fashion design addresses the inefficiency in fabric use and provides opportunities to explore new forms of creation.

Handloom industry could be a powerful sector for developing local economy, promoting ethical trade and sustainable communities in Sri Lanka. However, there is a little empirical research done to date regarding the actual benefits, especially when the industry is engaged in an environmentally conscious production and ethical trade. This paper draws a case study from Sri Lankan handloom textile industry to illustrate an enviornmrentally and ethically responsible manufacturing approach.

A case study approach was employed to investigate the sustainable and ethical manufacturing practices of a handloom textile manufacturing company based in Sri Lanka. Case study is considered as the preferred method when holistic, in-depth investigation is needed, as this method allows the researcher to closely examine the data within a specific content and investigate the real-life phenomenon (Yin, 2003 ). An in-depth examination of a single case has been used in this research, because the main purpose of this study was to gain a deep understanding of a specific theme of application and share the best practices. Single case allows better explanation of an application of a theory or principle. As Siggelkow ( 2007 ) emphasized, single case can be a very powerful example, if it represents a rare phenomenon. Generalization in this case could mean the application of finding to another single case, but not for the whole population (Mariotto et al., 2014 ). X Ltd has been selected as the case because it is the only fair-trade guaranteed textile handloom company in Sri Lanka, which allows generation of new insights that other textile handloom companies in the country have not yet been able to generate.

For this study, data were collected using semi-structured interviews and field observations. Interviews were conducted with the Factory Manager, Human Resource Manager and the Business Manager of the company. Sustainable manufacturing process and the adherence to fair-trade principles were investigated in detail and verified by using two consecutive field visits.

X Ltd started in 1991 with 15 women employees, gradually developed into a social enterprise that empowers women entrepreneurs, which then led to a buildup of sustainable communities. It is a design-led handloom textile manufacturing company that has gained a solid reputation for supplying 100% cotton, handmade products of superior quality and innovative designs. As one of the dominant suppliers of quality handloom products in Sri Lanka, X Ltd gained a significant market share for a variety of handloom textile-based products such as handloom clothing, hand-crafted soft toys, household linen and also various types of accessories. The company also captures a place in the global market as a supplier of sustainable, handcrafted products. Approximately 85% of the company exports are sent to European countries such as Germany, UK, Netherlands, France and Italy. Further, X Ltd also caters to other export markets such as Australia, USA, Japan, India, Korea, Thailand, Norway, Sweden, China and Maldives. Products are showcased in some of the world renowned trade exhibitions such as the Frankfurt Gift Fair.

X Ltd owns four major production facilities located in the rural areas of the country. Main production facility comprises of a dye house, a weaving centre, a cutting room, an apparel manufacturing section and also toys and accessories manufacturing section. Additionally, there are various decentralized weaving centres or home-based weavers linked to the four major production facilities. Main production facility supports not only decentralized weaving centres but also home-based craftsmanship where discarded handloom textiles are converted into useful by-products. The company also owns retail shops in various cities in Sri Lanka to sell their products locally.

Case study reveals that the manufacturing practice of X Ltd represents some of the key elements of sustainable fashion. Their products are manufactured with an environmental and social responsibility in mind. Significant time is spent to develop unique designs, leaving space for creativity, with premium quality and longevity. Handloom fashion clothing is designed to be trans-seasonal and caters essentially to a high-end, niche market. Unique fashion designs give the consumers a personalized feeling and satisfaction of wearing a quality, handcrafted product.

X Ltd is committed to fair-trade principles with a special focus on community-centred sustainability through empowering poor, particularly women and differently able people. X Ltd is a member of WFTO since 2012 and committed to follow ten fair-trade principles, as described in the “ Fair-trade practice ” section. Moreover, manufacturing process has been developed to achieve ‘zero material waste’, which is further explained in the “ Zero-waste manufacturing ” section.

Fair-trade practice

X Ltd subscribes and maintains ten fair-trade standards prescribed by WFTO, as follows:

Creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers

This principle focuses on poverty alleviation through trade forms by providing opportunities for marginalized small-scale producers. X Ltd assists people who demonstrate weaving and craft skills yet struggle to find initial capital to purchase raw materials or unable to access a suitable market to sell their products at a reasonable price. X Ltd provides those people with various advocacy schemes by;

Providing raw materials, product designs and any other resources required to run a home-based production.

Providing residential training regarding product designs, expected quality levels and required skills for them to develop independent production facilities.

  Appreciating and promoting their design ideas.

  Committing to purchase their products at a fair price.

Moreover, company works with the local communities and encourages them to create working groups. They are provided with adequate resources such as raw materials and credit facilities to purchase machinery to start community-based manufacturing centres (for weaving or creating by-products from material waste). X Ltd is committed to buy their products by paying a fair price, which, in return, helps the community to be employed and raise their living standards.

Transparency and accountability

This principle highlights the requirement to be transparent in managing all aspects of the business. By adhering to this principle, X Ltd keeps records of all of its transactions and maintains evidence whenever possible. For instance, records are maintained for employee training, skill development programmes, welfare facilities and payments to third parties. Employees’ register is regularly updated for both in-house workers and those who work remotely. Company also maintains an event calendar for annual training programmes and welfare activities which are financed by the annual budget. An annual report is prepared including all the necessary information as per WFTO standards and presented in regular audits. In order to ensure the transparency and accountability, X Ltd provides updates to WFTO at regular basis regarding their events and actions.

Fair trading practices

X Ltd works cooperatively with its employees and maintains long-term relationships, especially with the employees who work remotely. Operational relationships are based on mutual trust, respect and effective communication. There is a guaranteed purchase of products manufactured in home-based or community centres. In case of quality issues or any other manufacturing defects, employees are retrained and the confidence is rebuilt, as the whole idea of fair-trade practice is to give these economically disadvantaged people a helping hand to raise their livelihood. This concept of trading goes beyond the commercial aspects of a business as an employer, and workers are continuously committed to develop and maintain fair trading practices. Moreover, if anyone in the surrounding community is interested in joining the business as a sub-contractor or an individual weaver, X Ltd provides necessary resources to start up the business such as initial training, loan facilities, raw materials and machineries. For those who are willing to be employed in the main production facility, several welfare facilities are provided by the company in order to create better working conditions. For example, bicycles are donated for the people who need to travel a long distance, and child day-care centres are operated within the premises so that parents could keep the children in their vicinity in the day care centre while working in the weaving centre. Women are encouraged to enrol their child to the day care centre, and they are allowed to visit their children during the lunch break, etc.

Payment of a fair price

A fair wage is paid for the employees who work in the production facilities, and the opportunity is given to earn incentives for any extra units produced beyond the target level. For home-based workers or decentralized working groups, raw materials are provided and a guaranteed minimum price is paid for each of the unit produced. X Ltd has an open policy to disclose the cost breakdown of any product manufactured, which facilitates workers to ensure that they are getting a fair price. X Ltd also allocates a percentage of the annual profit for employees’ training, development and welfare facilities.

Ensuring no child labour or forced labour

Recruitment of employees and payment structures are based on the national labour law. People below 18 years of age are not recruited, and child labour is strictly prohibited, even in a home-based working environment. Production efficiency target is set for 50%, and the employees are not forced to exceed the target. However, an incentive is paid for the individuals who exceed the daily target with the expected quality. Decentralized or home-based workers experience a very flexible working environment, and their targets are considerably lower than the factory targets, yet it is agreed upon to complete a specified amount of pieces within a given period of time. Individual circumstances are considered, and manageable targets are set for people who have personal commitments, as fair-trade practice always promotes ethical working conditions.

Commitment to non-discrimination, gender equity, women’s economic empowerment and freedom of association

X Ltd does not discriminate its employees based on their gender, disability, religion or race. Both male and female workers are employed; however, female employees represent the majority of the workforce (95% are female workers). Nevertheless, the management represents 50% of male and 50% of female workers. There are also differently able employees working in production facilities and in home-based centres. They are given special attention and provided with achievable production targets. Particularly, women employees are empowered and encouraged to take the leadership of the business. The nature of the business facilitates empowering women as most of weavers or craft workers are women who may ultimately become entrepreneurs or the leaders in weaving or craft centres.

While there are no restrictions to join trade unions, company has developed an internal system to listen and resolve the issues or concerns of the employees. Small groups comprising of few employees and management representatives are formed for the purpose of providing a platform to discuss any concerns or issues of employees. Those discussions usually lead to identify problems and provide appropriate solutions. Management representatives of each group forward the discussion minutes to the ‘think tank’ team which is comprised of senior managers. They evaluate the issues and forward the recommendations to the board of directors for further action. The company has been able to resolve several employee issues through this initiative, which can be recognized not only as a friendly approach to deal with employees’ concerns but also as a platform where several ideas for business improvement would emerge.

Ensuring good working conditions

X Ltd is committed to provide safe and healthy working environment for all of its employees as per the guidelines provided in the national labour law. Employees are educated regarding health and safety requirements through regular awareness programmes organized by the company. Frequent audits are conducted to ensure safety working conditions, both in production facilities and decentralized working centres.

Providing capacity building

X Ltd supports to develop skills and capabilities of the employees, from home-based weaver to the top management. New employees receive 6 months training that focuses on process awareness and skill development. Management staff undergoes an assignment-based training in each section of the company, which in turn would help to improve their knowledge regarding the working process of each of the sections and the skill/knowledge required to fulfil each of the tasks. Moreover, company-sponsored education or training programmes (skill development, quality, leadership, etc.) are provided to the employees, including home-based workers, in order to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Progress of each employee is evaluated through an employee appraisal system, which is held once in every 3 months, and the employees are further developed using follow-up action plan.

Promoting fair trade

X Ltd promotes the concept of fair trade both locally and internationally through awareness programmes, displaying fair-trade logo or a label and taking part in various fair-trade fares. In several occasions, company management has been invited to give promotional speeches in world fair-trade conferences.

  Respect for the environment

While handloom industry is recognized as an environmentally sustainable industry due to its low energy and resources used, X Ltd has taken further sustainable initiatives to improve its environmental performance. Raw cotton is imported from India and dyed in a company-owned dye house by using standard German dyes, which are less toxic. Waste water from the dye house is treated and released to agricultural fields, and the dye sludge is sent to be reused in the cement industry. The production process focuses on achieving zero material waste, as explained in the “ Zero-waste manufacturing ” section.

Zero-waste manufacturing

X Ltd takes a responsible approach to avoid landfill or incineration of textile waste and to promote reuse of waste 100% to create various by-products. ‘Zero material waste’ is the goal of this approach where waste fabrics from one manufacturing process are used as input materials to create another product. Fabrics are woven entirely by using handloom machines, and the output could be either a handloom saree or a fabric. If the product is a saree, it is woven for the required dimensions without generating any waste material. Other handloom fabrics are mainly used to produce handloom apparel, household linen, accessories and soft toys.

Handloom apparel products are limited in designs and quantities. As the fabrics are colourful and attractive, designs are meant to be simple, yet those garments are suitable for many occasions due to their premium quality and rich appearance. Waste fabrics generated from the apparel manufacturing process are used to create diverse range of by-products, as shown in Fig.  1 . These waste fabrics are used very systematically and creatively and selected carefully for each of the by-product based on the size of the waste material. For example, the largest pieces of fabrics are used to create products such as bed runners, pillow cases or tablecloths. Next size set of waste fabrics is used to create products such as table mats, soft toys and laptop covers. Subsequently, remaining sizes are used to manufacture purses, patchwork products (table mats, appliqués for cushion covers, small soft toys, etc.). The smallest set of waste fabrics are used to manufacture accessories such as hair bands, necklaces, key tags and home decorations. X Ltd connects with a number of local craft workers and provides them with waste materials to manufacture those by-products.

Product range: achieving product diversity through zero material waste approach

As the company policy is to divert all wastes from landfills, even a small piece of fabric is not wasted, rather reused to make something useful and marketable. Tiny pieces of fabric off-cuts are utilized to produce thin layers of sheets as shown in Fig.  2 . The production process of creating such sheets includes grinding small fabric pieces and mixing them with glue, squeezing using rollers and pasting back into fabric to make colourful, thin layers of sheets. Those sheets are exported to Sweden to be used for packaging purposes or craft work at nursery schools.

Craft sheets created from waste fabrics

Not only waste fabrics but also waste threads are reused to make very creative lamp shades in various shapes and attractive colours, as shown in Fig.  3 . Premium quality is integrated into all products that target high-end consumer markets, both locally and internationally.

Lamp shades created from waste threadsᅟ

Environmental and social challenges faced by the global textile and fashion industry should be dealt with the development of a range of solutions. As consumers increasingly respect the environment and ethical practices, sustainable and fair trade certified fashion products are in demand. Fair trade is a recognized strategy for rural development in the Global South. While traditional welfare approaches have failed to address the labour issues associated with the international trade, fair-trade movement has remarkably bridged the Northern consumers’ interest on ethical purchasing with the Southern producers’ efforts of gaining fair returns. This type of a concept is extremely important for uplifting living standards of the rural communities and the fashion consumers who are longing for ethical and green products.

This case study provides a good example of the application of fair-trade principles in the textile handloom industry. Here, it is evident that there is a definite potential of this practice to establish a new direction in environmentally and socially responsible textile and fashion products. Fair-trade principle is a globally recognized approach for fair terms of trade. Community benefits from the fair trade are easily identified through the study. The key benefits would be the increase of employment opportunities for the people who require paid work, empowering individuals, capacity building, improving the quality of life and strengthening the social cohesion within a community.

It is well understood that the 30 years of civil war in Sri Lanka destroyed the infrastructure, injured the country’s productive forces, weakened the moderate influential people and resulted in identity withdrawal. Furthermore, during these extended periods of war, local women often suffered directly or indirectly as their husbands and adult children took up arms. Textile handloom manufacturers in North and North East regions were heavily affected by this situation, and thus, the industry experienced a decline. In attempting to redevelop these communities in the post-war era, bringing together populations and the use of stabilizing projects cannot be fully achieved using the traditional economic models which are merely driven by profits. Alternatively, fair and sustainable trade could provide a valid and beneficial approach in rebuilding communities. Fair-trade approach could open up opportunities for local producers in the war-affected areas to earn sustainable income and improve future prospects for their communities. Therefore, it is vital to invest on restoring this industry in war-affected regions and assist them to align the business with fair-trade principles. This type of an initiative would help to achieve a rapid improvement on the well-being of the local populations and enhance the pacification of relationship with former rivals. In this regard, this case study provides a feasible trading approach that could be adopted to rebuild the textile handloom industry in the war-affected regions of Sri Lanka.

Home-based or community-centred working models evident through this study provide a viable employment option for rural women who want to contribute to family earnings but unable to travel long distances due to family commitments. Nevertheless, many rural women in Sri Lanka tend to go abroad as domestic workers to raise their living standard, which leads to several social issues including the safety and protection of the children and the unrest among family members. A home-based or a village-based employment opportunity could resolve many of those issues and would provide a flexible working environment for women to balance their work life and family life. It is therefore evident that the fair-trade approach could become a potential solution for the issues of poverty and well-being of the rural community of Sri Lanka.

Successful application of the concept of ‘zero material waste’ in X Ltd boldly confronts the common understanding of ‘achieving a waste free manufacturing environment is unrealistic’. Moreover, this study proves that zero-waste approach carries obvious potential for positive economic growth. Indeed, product diversification of X Ltd is achieved through the zero material waste approach, in which waste materials are used as resources to design various by-products that cater to different market segments. For instance, soft toys, fashion accessories and patchwork products are designed using waste materials, and they can be introduced to a different market to that of their core products. While most of those products have already gained access in the global market, rapid increase in the global demand for sustainable and fair-trade products would open up new trade avenues.

Achieving business success whilst respecting the three pillars of sustainability (economic, social and environmental) is still a struggle to many businesses. In this context, this study demonstrates a potentially viable business model that interlinks the environment, human well-being and economic benefits for the success of a business. Key features of this model could be highlighted as community-centred production, guaranteed minimum price leading to a stable income for workers, more accessibility to export markets through fair-trade labelling, enhancement of producer self-confidence, reduction of disputes, resistance to conflicts and respect for the environment.

Recommendation for future research

Sri Lankan craft sector is still under explored to understand its potential to reap economic benefits. Furthermore, conventional economic data always underestimates the capacity of this sector and its potential for the development of microeconomies. Many small-scale producers seem to be often ignored, and therefore, an accurate representation of the economic, social and cultural impact of this industry is lacking. Hence, it is recommended to conduct a detail study of the handloom sector to discover the current status and also to update statistical data of the sector that would support further research and analysis.

This case study demonstrated the application of fair-trade principles using a single case. It is recommended to conduct similar type of studies with other handloom manufacturing organizations in Sri Lanka to enable comparative analysis and verification of the impacts of fair trading. It is also worthwhile to investigate the possibility of applying fair-trade principles to other community-based craft industries in Sri Lanka, in order to make those industries economically, socially and environmentally sustainable in the long run. Moreover, fair-trade impact assessment on craftsmen in enhancing capacities and improving their quality of life needs to be explored through direct dialogues with them.

Conclusions

The study attempts to explore the possible connection between craft practice and sustainable development. This research demonstrates the successful application of fair-trade principles in developing sustainable trades and communities. It also suggest a sustainable business approach that could possibly be adopted by other textile handloom manufacturers and craft businesses. If this model was to be expanded significantly with the inclusion of communities affected by war, it would positively influence local economy and also the society by alleviating poverty, rebuilding collaborative relationships among different ethnic groups and safeguarding the cultural identity of Sri Lanka.

Sustainability is soon changing from an option to a necessity. As the global demand for sustainable and ethical products surge, application of sustainable and ethical aspects in developing textile handloom products would help to improve the recognition and also the market share in the local and global markets. It is therefore recommended to explore other community-based craft practices in Sri Lanka and investigate the possibility of turning those to profitable businesses by aligning them with sustainable development and fair-trade principles.

This research is limited to a single case study and cannot be generalized to a wider population. However, this study invites other craft practitioners to revisit their manufacturing processes and investigate the possible application of sustainable and fair-trade principles into their businesses to harness the social and economic development.

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Authors’ contributions

DGK designed the research and methods. DGK, SP and TW conducted the field visits and collected the data. DGK and SP drafted the manuscript. TW provided the technical help. All authors read and approved the final manuscript submission.

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Dissanayake, D.G.K., Perera, S. & Wanniarachchi, T. Sustainable and ethical manufacturing: a case study from handloom industry. Text Cloth Sustain 3 , 2 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40689-016-0024-3

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Received : 30 August 2016

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Getting Technical: A case study with Balas Textile

In our latest customer case study, we spoke to Sabrina Mimoune, Quality Manager and Alan Badrov, Lab Manager at French company Balas Textile, to discuss the importance of testing technical textiles and their experiences using James Heal’s instruments.

A leader in technical fabric production

Balas Textile is a manufacturer of technical textiles, specialising in the production of water repellent and technical fabrics, primarily serving the military, PPE, luxury goods and sports apparel sectors. Balas Textile is vertically integrated with its own in-house testing laboratory, along with weaving and knitting. However, Balas Textile does not manufacture clothing, it provides fabrics that will be used in the manufacture of the final garment.

“We undertake a number of different test types. From physical properties, to laundering, comfort testing to torque testing.” 

In-house laboratory for reactive and proactive testing

Sabrina has worked in the Balas Quality Department for the last three years, and Alan has held the role of lab manager for four years. During this time, the company has re-developed its in-house textile testing capability and invested in an internal laboratory for R&D as well as quality and production testing. Working closely with James Heal’s channel partner in France, VVC , Balas Textile chose to equip the lab with James Heal instruments, due to their trust in the brand and the quality of the instruments.

Instruments used in the Balas Textile Lab

Balas Textile use a number of James Heal textile testing instruments in their laboratory including:

• AquAbrasion
• Spray Rate Tester
• Perspirometers

“We are very happy with the knowledge and support provided by James Heal and VVC,” says Alan. “We consider VVC a very important partner, as we trust that they will follow our journey to continuously improve the laboratory. We can rely on the support from both VVC and James Heal for technical requirements. We always get quick responses and strong support.”

With a vision to continually evolve and improve the lab, says Alan, Balas Textile plans to triple the size of the lab in the coming year and need more testing equipment. “It is of no question that we will continue to work with VVC and we will specify James Heal instruments for their exceptional quality and precision”, added Alan.   

An evolution in demand

Sabrina says that Balas Textile has seen a surge in demand from the international military sector, who are exploring ways to make military textiles more durable whilst prioritising safety and comfort. The latter focusing on making the materials more lightweight yet robust, and more breathable with good moisture management and wicking properties. Furthermore, personal protective fabrics have been a growing category for the manufacturer, says Sabrina, with a rise in fashion influence in the design and fit of PPE, and more awareness of ‘feeling good’ and prioritising wearer comfort.

“Having an in-house laboratory has been fundamental to Balas Textile being able to respond rapidly to market demand, allowing us to quickly focus our R&D testing on new fabrics such as anti-stain technology or odour-resistant fabric, using the lab for exploring new and novel materials.”

Early adopters of new technology

A good example of the Balas Textile approach to R&D was being one of the first textile manufacturers to purchase a James Heal Aquabrasion testing instrument in 2019. The Aquabrasion is a wet abrasion tester based on the traditional Martindale instrument. It uses a controlled pump system to dose fabric specimens with liquid which keeps the specimen wet for the duration of the test. De-ionised water can be used to replicate rain, or a perspiration solution can be used to replicate sweat.

“Testing for abrasion under wet conditions is a very interesting concept,” comments Alan. “We were intrigued to try this out and test our swimwear materials using the Aquabrasion, rather than a tensile tester, using the standard abrasion test (ISO 19247-2).”

So far tests have been conducted continuously using only tap water. The next step with Aquabrasion, adds Alan, is to test using chlorinated water as well as perspiration, to explore the impact these have on the material’s performance in true ‘user’ conditions.

According to Sabrina, the Aquabrasion has attracted a lot of interest from visitors to the internal laboratory, with many questions about the machine’s purpose and applications.

“We have found that the Aquabrasion is versatile as it can be adapted to specific use cases. It is an accurate and precise alternative to how we’ve tested materials before, such as swimwear. We’ve gained much more insight into real-life conditions than with other instruments we have used to conduct this test method before.”

And finally

In conclusion, Balas Textile has made significant investment in expansion of the lab and testing facilities, making improvements in energy consumption and purchase of new equipment amounting to almost €400,000 in 2022, further strengthening their partnership with VVC. 

VVC Sales Manager Grégoire Ghilbert added, “Balas Textile is a long-standing partner of VVC. Our collaboration around the development of their laboratory and the calibration of their equipment are always extremely constructive and allow our mutual teams to develop their skills.

It is with pleasure that VVC continues to accompany Balas Textile in the implementation of new performance wear tests such as Aquabrasion.”

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Towards Industry 5.0 Challenges for The Textile and Apparel Supply Chain for The Smart, Sustainable, and Collaborative Industry in Emerging Economies

• Published: 19 September 2023

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• Yigit Kazancoglu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9199-671X 1 ,
• Sachin Kumar Mangla 2 , 3 ,
• Yalcin Berberoglu 4 ,
• Cisem Lafci 1 &
• Jitender Madaan 5  

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Industrial revolutions often seek to strengthen the separation of human and machine labor by going one step further, toward automation and digitalization, and the transfer of tough and dangerous occupations to robots. As it strives to include robots in people's daily activities and work, the introduction of concepts such as I5.0 is a step forward in enhancing human-machine interaction and provides some possibilities and challenges for firms. Therefore, this article mainly focuses on studying and concretely examining the challenges faced by businesses transitioning from I4.0 to I5.0 by providing case examples from the textile and apparel supply chain. After a detailed review of the current literature related to the I5.0 challenges, the I5.0 challenges were listed in general. Then, the fuzzy Decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory approach has adopted into the challenges to reveal causal interactions between them thus, prioritizing the substantial challenges to be focused on to influence the entire textile and apparel supply chain.

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Kazancoglu, Y., Mangla, S.K., Berberoglu, Y. et al. Towards Industry 5.0 Challenges for The Textile and Apparel Supply Chain for The Smart, Sustainable, and Collaborative Industry in Emerging Economies. Inf Syst Front (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-023-10430-5

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Arvind Limited ( Case Study)

Amrit Layak

Department of Textile Technology

Government College of Engineering and Textile Technology, Serampore, India

BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY:

Arvind Limited (formerly Arvind Mills) is a textile manufacturer and the flagship company of the Lalbhai Group. Its headquarters are in Naroda, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, and it has units at Santej(near kalol). The company manufactures cotton shirting, denims, knits and bottom weight (khaki) fabrics. It has also recently ventured into technical textiles when it started Advanced Materials Division in 2011. It is India's largest denim manufacturer. Sanjaybhai Lalbhai is the current Chairman and Managing Director of Arvind and Lalbhai Group. In the early 1980s, he led the 'Reno-vision' whereby the company brought denim into the domestic market, thus starting the jeans revolution in India. Today it retails its own brands like Flying Machine, Newport and Excalibur and licensed international brands like Arrow, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein through its nationwide retail network. Arvind also runs three clothing and accessories retail chains, the Arvind Store, Unlimited and Megamart, which stocks company brands.

INTRODUCTION:

Textile industry is the second most polluting industry after the Chemical Industry. The concept and need for sustainability is the prime factor for this industry. The Water act 1974, The Water Cess Act 1977, 1981 Air Act, 1986 Environmental Protection act, The National Green Tribunal act 2010 mandated for a sustainable business model and Arvind is no exception. In 2019 a project SU.RE (Sustainable Resolution) which led the industries strongly in addition of prevailing laws to move towards sustainable fashion that contributes to a clean environment. The proverb, well begun is half done is apt when it comes to sustainability. Arvind believes that sustainability must be at the source and must be embedded in the production line to yield a value chain therefore it believes on six core inputs, and manage, enrich and getting the inputs "fundamentally right" and that truly makes the business model sustainably sound. Arvind's business model is not only confined to follow the prevailing regulation laws but also tend to set up a benchmark among the industries to reduce the use of natural resources as possible and to use an alternative which will not only be sustainable and environment friendly but also inculcates its mantra into its each and every product.

THE RISE OF ARVIND (A MANIFESTATION OF HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS):

• The Beginning-1897:-  At that time when there was hardly any manufacturing activity in India, Lalbhai Dalpatbhai set up his first mill, the Saraspur Manufacturing Company.
• The Spirit of Swadeshi-1931:-  In response to Mahatma Gandhi’s call for Swadeshi during the struggle for Indian Independence, the Lalbhai family founded Arvind Mills, creating a capacity to compete with the world’s finest textile mills.
• Swadeshi goes Global-1935:-  Arvind's butta voiles were being exported to Switzerland and United Kingdom (UK), thereby realizing the full potential of the spirit behind Swadeshi.
• Textiles to dye for- 1952 :-   After two decades of success in the textile industry, Arvind set up India’s first dye and chemical plant, under the aegis of Atul Products Ltd, in order to reduce the nation’s dependence on imported dyes, and chemicals.
• Innovating the future-1973:-   The Narottam Lalbhai Research centre was established to further the company's technical capabilities. The Centre was home to many path- breaking innovations in the years following its establishment.
• Denims Takes Wing- 1980: -  Flying Machine, India’s first denim apparel brand, was launched to meet the aspirations of the emerging youth segment.
• Innovating the future-1985: -  Renovision, a new strategic plan for the Company, was introduced. It was to put Arvind and India on the global map of denim manufacturing. Just as India, a protected economy, was opening up to the world, Arvind had firmly shifted its focus on domestic to international markets.
• India's first denim manufacturers-1986 :-   Arvind’s – and India’s – first denim manufacturing plant was commissioned at Naroda Road, Ahmedabad. Arvind was soon to emerge as a global leader in denim production. By the end of 1987, Arvind also started manufacturing high-value cotton shirting.
• Global Brands come knocking- 1993 :-  Through tie-ups with V.F. Corporation (USA) and Cluett Peabody & Co. USA, for manufacturing and marketing, Arvind was able to offer high quality global apparel brands like Lee Jeans and Arrow Shirts to the Indian market.
• CSR Focus of Arvind-1995:-   To formalize its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, Arvind launched the ‘Strategic Help Alliance for Relief to Distressed Areas’ (SHARDA) Trust.
• Development through a unique partnership - 1996:-  As a part of its CSR efforts, a unique Private-People-Public partnership was launched with SHARDA Trust, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and residents of the Sanjay Nagar slum coming together to transform this into a model of urban planning and low-cost housing.
• The World class Santej facility gets commissioned -1998:-   Santej shirting facility, with a capacity of 34 million metres, was commissioned this year. Over the next 20 years, Santej became globally recognized as the benchmark for sustainable practices in the textile industry.
• The New Arvind-2008:-   To accurately reflect the multi-faceted nature of the organization, the name of the Company was changed to Arvind Ltd. from Arvind Mills Ltd.
• Expanding the international brand basket :- Beginning 2011, Arvind has brought in some of the biggest global fashion brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, Ed Hardy, Hanes, Nautica and Elle to India
• Better Cotton, Now in India -2011:-   First Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) bale produced from India, from the Arvind farm project in Akola. BCI seeks to grow cotton responsibly by controlled application of water & use of approved fertilizers; thereby dramatically reducing the footprint of cotton farming. Arvind is one of the largest implementation partners of BCI in India.
• Creyate-2014:-   A brand created to fulfil everyone’s individualities. Creyate offers fine, bespoke menswear with a degree of customisation never seen before.
• Khadi gets Reimagined: -   With the birth of Khadi Denim, the legacy of Swadeshi, which had inspired the founding of Arvind, came full circle. Each single yard of Khadi Denim is spun, dyed and woven by artisans carrying on centuries-old handloom traditions. It is perhaps the most sustainable denim fabric ever made: no chemicals, no electricity, no high technology, no use of depletable resources.
• E- Shopping- 2016:-   Arvind launched Nnnow.com, a one-stop shopping destination for trendsetters across the country.
• Made in Arvind-2017:-  Building on an 86 year legacy of craftsmanship, innovation and fashion leadership, Arvind launches its own Ready-To-Wear brand.

SUSTAINABILITY (Economic and Environmental)

The objective is to enable 30,000+ employees, to translate the “Fundamentally Right” philosophy into practice in their day-to-day decisions across all six key inputs – Cotton, People, Money, Energy, Water, and Chemicals. In each of these areas, ARVIND has achieved significant advances. For example, Better Cotton initiatives are reducing the environmental impact of cotton cultivation.

• Better Cotton Initiative -  In tune of their sustainability philosophy "fundamentally right" which focuses on input management, Arvind spends a great deal of time and effort in reducing environmental impact on cotton cultivation. Arvind was the first textile major in India to partner with better cotton initiative that grows cotton by carefully controlled application of water and use of approved pesticides and fertilizers thus dramatically reducing the environmental footprints of cotton farming. Arvind highlights 52% increase in the numbers of BCI farmers between 2016-2014 to 2015-2016. It also highlights that 5 year comprehensive plan to drive BCI ahead and develop Organic Cotton seeds.
• Workforce -  Arvind believes that for any company the people are their important assets. Arvind focuses on talent management as three key areas - Continuous learning to improve occupational health and safety, Training and development & Industrial relations. Arvind highlights 8963 man days training given during the reporting period, 56% decrease in injuries between 2013-2014 and 2015-2016, Project NEEV (a comprehensive, competency-based standards for identifying employee potential and structuring career growth.
• Economy -   Arvind carefully invests in expansion of their capacities, nurturing their talent pool, advancing in technology, employment generation and giving back to the community and as well as environment. In the following year of 2013-2014 and 2015-2016 there has been an 8% increase in their revenue, 5% growth in profit before tax , 5% growth in operating EBITDA, and 51,947 million economic value distributed.
• Energy  -  Arvind's philosophy towards energy conservation is summed up to five words, "Ever Watt saved, is a Watt Earned". This approach enables multiple tangible benefits - improved energy security, reduced energy costs, enhanced productivity and lower emissions. Some highlights of the financial year 2014-2016 are - 60,400 kWh cumulative power saved in Bengaluru through daylight harvesting system, Over 3 million kWh saving through introduction of energy saving led lamps at Santej, first Indian company to get certification in the Composite Textile Industry-denim fabric category, 11.78% decrease in GHG emissions at Naroda.
• Chemical Management -   The look and feel of clothes is obtained by the use of chemicals and dyes. In the interests of sustainability, it is important that the use of these chemicals is easily controlled, monitored, as far as possible reduced. Arvind highlights some of its key initiatives in chemical management which are- Creating and supplying of, “Skill kits" to each department to allow them to quickly manage hazardous chemical spills, Salt- Recovery through Zero liquid discharge system, manufacturing easy wash fabrics for reducing the use of detergent and chemicals at the consumer end.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY)

• One of the fundamental values that are embedded into the very DNA of Arvind Limited is the belief that only in a healthy society can healthy businesses flourish and to ensure this, businesses must positively impact society.
• The Founders were instrumental in setting up pioneering institutions for sustaining and improving Educational, Social, Cultural and Religious conditions in Ahmedabad – the primary center of the Company’s businesses. Ahmedabad Education Society, Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad, Center for Environmental Planning and Technology, H L College of Commerce and Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology are examples of some of the institutions they set up.
• Thus, Arvind has been supporting initiatives of educational, social and cultural renewal much before the term ‘CSR’ – Corporate Social Responsibility – was coined. Arvind’s CSR activities so far have been carried out through SHARDA Trust and NLRDF working urban and rural settings respectively. Arvind Foundation – a recently set up section 8 company will now lead company’s CSR initiatives.
• Arvind's energies are focused on four distinct development segments - Education, Empowering Tribal Women, Slum rehabilitation and Health
• Education -  is Arvind’s flagship educational programme under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Gyanda literally means ‘Fountain of Knowledge’ What the programme attempts to do is to mentor children from the urban poor families, studying in municipal schools run by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, and provide them with supplementary education. The idea is to ensure that these children not only complete their education up to Class XII, but go on to graduate.
• Empowering Tribal Women:-  Arvind has initiated a unique residential programme to work and skill young women from the rural areas. These young women, all of them educated up to class XII, are chosen on the basis of their academic qualifications, dexterity test, aptitude test and health check-ups. Once selected, the company takes care of all their basic needs – housing, food, health and transport – as well helping them in pursuit of higher education. As a result of this unique design at the end of the four-year programme, a young woman could save up to Rs. 5 lakh, as well as pursue higher education and gain a degree/diploma –enough to give her a head start in life.
• Slum Rehabilitation-  The story of the Sanjay Nagar slum and its residents showcases Arvind’s long-term commitment to the betterment of the city of Ahmedabad and its people. In 1996, as a CSR project, Arvind envisioned the possibility of rehabilitating the slum dwellers of Sanjay Nagar to safer, better built and comfortable houses. And once the vision was in place, Arvind made it happen, by co-creating these homes in a unique three-way partnership between the people of Sanjay Nagar, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Arvind.
• Health-  Considering the lack of facilities for credible, affordable and quality primary healthcare in Ahmedabad, Arvind Limited has planned to establish Arvind Medical Centers in Association with Swasth India Foundation. Swasth India Foundation is a social enterprise working to provide quality healthcare for all and is Mumbai's largest non-governmental provider of primary healthcare and dental care.

CONCLUSION:

The Arvind Limited is Corporate group believing in "Fundamentally Right" as their mantra in this needed sustainable world. It is one of the leading brand in India with a revenue of 5,407 crores INR (US$760 million). For a company of this big business model and a focused campaign it is not feasible to make this business model a circular one overnight but they are always trying to become such. However their efforts and their sustainable approaches and quality of their products make them as one of the biggest and loved brands in India.

REFERENCES:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvind_(company)
• https://www.arvind.com/
• https://www.mondaq.com/india/waste-management/624836/environment-laws-in-india
• https://www.arvind.com/sustainability
• https://www.arvind.com/corporate-social-responsibility

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REF2014 is revealing that textile research may have lost its identity

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology

ISSN : 0955-6222

Article publication date: 2 March 2015

Stylios, G. (2015), "REF2014 is revealing that textile research may have lost its identity", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology , Vol. 27 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCST-01-2015-0006

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Volume 27, Issue 1

Well the genie is now out of the bottle. The so much talked about REF2014 that will dictate the allocation of the research funding of HEIs in the UK has been completed and the results are published ( www.ref.ac.uk ). What remains is how the £2 billion will actually be allocated along with the recommendation narratives of the peer review for every department. The excellence of research has been translated into three components; outputs, impact and environment, accounting for 65, 20 and 15 per cent, respectively. Impact and environment are being introduced for the first time and it is expected that impact (to UK economy, to industry and society) will be given more weighting in the next assessment in 2020.

I have written about research, its impact and its assessment in previous editorials (Stylios, 2013, 2014) and I have said that whether we like it or not we cannot go away from the fact that any government would want to try to allocate its funding by rewarding the best and promising schools/departments, so that those that have international leading outputs can continue to do good research. It’s easy to argue, it is transparent and with no risk. After all in science we make decisions by measuring and testing materials and in such a context we are familiar with these processes. Indeed what we are doing in journals like this one is nothing less than measuring by peers the best research results written in papers and promoting them by publication. Therefore I will not try to engage in any more arguments for or against REF, but lets read on.

So 154 UK universities participated in REF with 190,000 research submissions and 7,000 impact case studies made by 52,000 academics. The results of REF2014 are published by the Higher Education Funding Council for every HEI apportioning the proportion in each of the 36 units of assessment (there were 67 units of assessment last time in RAE2008). Overall Oxford’s submission has the highest grade point average in ten of the 36 units of assessment and if we are to rank universities only on outputs, jointly at the top are the Institute of Cancer Research and the London school of Economics, followed by Oxford, then Cambridge and Imperial College. The government must be happy, the UKs world leading research (4*) has moved from 14 per cent in 2008 to 22 per cent in 2014, if we include internationally excellent (3*) the figure is more impressive at 50 per cent against 37 per cent in 2008, a staggering 72 per cent! (Figure 1). Three quarters of the HEIs had at least 10 per cent world leading research (4*) and the top quarter had at least 30 per cent world leading, 44 per cent of impact was judged outstanding across all submissions. I know that a lot of good research takes place in universities and that staff are working hard so this is good for the UK’s research and education.

Figure 1 The overall REF2014 results including outputs, impact and environment, compared to RAE2008

There are, however, questions that are being asked about this process. It is estimated that universities have spend almost £50 million last year in polishing up their submissions, and there are questions about the £12 million cost for administration of the REF by the government; imagine how much research you can do with this amount of money. Then universities have spent much more on poaching of academics for boosting their submissions. Academic time for preparing REF is another huge hidden cost that needs to also be taken into account. There are also questions on the process itself; panels rely entirely on their own assessments, there is undoubtedly some lack of expertise and limited time; if one assessor only reads every output then we have a problem, in any case how can I read 1,200 journal articles whilst carrying on doing my normal duties? To do this properly I will probably need the best of two years doing nothing else! Excluding low-performing staff may not be a good strategy long term, demoralising, creating classes between teaching and research and most importantly missing of someone in a small office working out something that may change the world are worrying thoughts. Well with the recommendations of the peer review coming out any time soon and for the announcement of the actual funding allocation in March 2015 these questions will refuel and not go away. HEIs have accepted that they are already in the next research assessment period, expecting to be assessed again in 2020.

Textiles are not named in any of the units of assessment, but they can be found in unit 34 Art and Design, in unit 13 Electrical and Electronic engineering, Metallurgy and Materials and maybe some activity in unit 15 General Engineering. Schools/departments were free to choose materials or art and design or general engineering, but we see most returns in Art and Design, some in Materials and less in Engineering. Because some submissions have strong focus in design and others in technology, referral of outputs to other panels with more expertise may have been practised. We see textiles underpinning design and fashion as its main material in one side of the spectrum and SMART, interactive, multifunctional technical textile material science and technology in the opposite side with some work in the interfaces. In unit of assessment 42 Art and Design where most of textile activity has been reported with 84 institutions competing, overall Reading is in the first place scoring 56 per cent in internationally leading outputs (at 4*), however, their outputs are in typography and graphics and not in textiles, Manchester is sixth, Leeds 13th and the University of the Arts in London 15th. In Impact the School of Textiles and Design of Heriot Watt University (my own institution) scored 90 per cent (in fact the winning case study was mine on “Developing Technical Textile Products and Processes” and B Christie’s on “Unlocking Colour Chemistry”). The overall ranking formula weighs not only the quality of the outputs but the total number of staff submitted. But if we were to examine closer where textile research has taken place, it will not be surprising to identify it in universities that had a decade ago dedicated textile departments, these are Heriot Watt University, being the only one that retains textiles in its name, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham Trend. My predictions are that as we try to blend textile design and technology, and considering the demands of design from our undergraduate courses, the identity of textiles may disappear.

What conclusions can we draw from this assessment for textiles and clothing? Well, the first realisation is that a lot of good textile research is being done in design schools. I see that the bridging design with textile science and technology is in the core strategy of many research active institutions, as I have been advocating for more than ten years. There is also extremely important research in material departments where blue sky but also applied research takes place in SMART, multifunctional and nano textiles, and further a field in general engineering, schools that do composites for cars, aeroplanes and buildings, soft wearable electronics that experiment with textile sensors done in electronics departments, in chemistry dyes and pigments for digitally printing textiles and we can go on. Whether or not textiles is lost its identity, and why comes from the fact that most of the textile research ten years ago was done in textile specialist departments; Leeds, Manchester, Heriot Watt, there is no school or department now that even has textiles in its name, with the exception of my own. We have shifted from fundamental problems in textile science to researching technical textiles (multifunctional, SMART, Nano, etc.) prompted by funding from government. The undergraduate textile courses that underpinned research have disappeared. Although the research in technical textiles is good and has benefited universities and industry, we should also continue to advance our understanding in the fundamental areas of textile science such as modelling, measurement and material/production interactions, which is also part of research excellence. I am always optimistic, I predicted 20 years ago that computers will be part of our clothing, look at modern aeroplanes, medical devices, buildings, roads, filters, telescope lenses, they all have a textile something in them.

In this fist issue of Volume 27 I wish to all our readers, authors and editorial board a healthy, prosperous and productive 2015.

George Stylios

Stylios, G.K. (2013), “Research intensity landscape in textiles and clothing”, IJCST, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 87-89

Stylios, G.K. (2014), “Discussing research impact”, IJCST, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 2-4

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