In this article, we’ll introduce you to the denim manufacturing industry in Pakistan, we’ll talk about the history of denim manufacturing in Pakistan; Common international quality standards, and a list of the top denim fabric manufacturers in Pakistan.
The denim manufacturing industry in Pakistan is as diverse as its size and bears weight of a major share of the exports of Pakistan. After going through dramatic changes in the past years, the industry has progressively evolved itself to be one of the most successful businesses standing in the country.
As such, to meet the ever-increasing demand for denim fabric, the industry has seen phenomenal growth in supply as production increased tremendously to meet both the domestic and export requirements of the product.
Presently, denim exports contribute substantially to the export GDP of Pakistan and is considered a burgeoning industry by value.
History Of Denim Manufacturing in Pakistan:
Denim has a large domestic consumer market with dynamic population growth within Pakistan. As the demand for cotton in the country increased – average sub-continental weather drives the standard consumer to wear lightweight clothes – initially, the textile industry struggled to meet the demand. Gradually, through the advancement of technology, modern machinery wove denim much more efficiently than by hand.
As such, the wide availability of denim and its ‘western’ image drove it to massive success. Manufacturers had no issue with cheap and plentiful labor and continued to expand their industries to meet the ever-increasing demand.
It is important to remember that denim is not a final product, but rather an intermediate one. As production houses weave the fabric, it is further sold to manufacturers for tailoring and designing.
The denim industry has seen a whopping 26% increase in terms of value from 363 million square meters worth Rs.45 billion in 2016-2017 to 434 million square meters worth Rs.57 billion in 2017-2018. (Pakistan textile journal 2019)
Today, exports of denim have reached US$750 million annually through the export of 584 million meters of denim fabric which has made a remarkable part of Pakistan’s export GDP. (PMDEA)
International Quality Standards for Exports of Denim Fabric:
Before international export, denim products must be checked for quality assurance. In order to be a key player in the business, the AQL (Accepted Quality Level) of denim must be high. Inspections of the products include fiber and fabric quality, size and fit standards and customer reclaims. The products cleared after inspection are sent for export.
Both the major and minor players in the industry must comply and follow standardizations before mass production of products. Some of the accrediting authorities for denim include;
- WRAP – Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production
- BSCI – Business Social Compliance Initiative
- BCI – Better Cotton Initiative
- GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard
- RCS – Recycled Claim Standard
- OCS – Organic Content Standard
List Of Top Denim Fabric Manufacturers in Pakistan
The denim industry of Pakistan is represented by PMDEA (Pakistan Denim Manufacturers and Exporters Association) which represents the major production houses of Denim in the country in addition to collecting data to generate progress reports for the industry.
Although there are numerous firms contributing to the net production of denim, there are about 40 major players in the industry.
These include Siddiqsons Denim Mills Limited, Pak Denim Limited, Al-Ameen Denim Mills Limited, Artistic Fabric Mills Limited, Mekotex Private Limited etc. to name a few. We’ll be discussing a few established and successful mills in the country below, chosen as they are both organic and efficient in work.
Siddiqsons Denim Mills Limited
Established in 1959, Siddiqsons Denim Mills Limited is distinguished for being the pioneer of denim manufacturing in Pakistan. The company was also declared one of the top 5 denim manufacturers in Asia in 2014. With a capacity of 2.6 million meters, Siddiqsons denim mills are fully equipped with machinery to perform services including
- Ball Warping
- Rope Dyeing
- Re-Beaming
- Sizing
- Weaving
- Slashing
Pak Denim Limited
Pak Denim Limited is one of the oldest and largest running denim fabric manufacturers in Pakistan with an annual production of 16.8 million meters. Instituted in 1997, the company forms a constitutional part of the industry producing 80% fabric for export and 20% for domestic sale. They also invest heavily in research and development to continue their ever triumphant legacy in the industry.
- Super stretch denim fabrics
- Cotton spandex denim fabrics
- Breathable cotton denim fabrics
- Coloured-design or printed denim fabrics
- Chambray denim
- Twill printed denim fabric
- Solid colour denim fabrics
Artistic Denim Mills Limited
Established and listed in 1993, Artistic Denim Mills Limited is one of the leading suppliers of denim fabrics in the world.
Their diverse range of denim products include
- Hyper Stretch denim fabric
- Promodal denim
- XFIT LYCRA® Fabric
- Organic Denim fabric
They have currently delved into the production of antimicrobial face masks due to their growing demand as a consequence of the Coronavirus epidemic of 2019.
Mekotex (PVT.) Limited
Laying the foundation in 1979, Mekotex Private Limited specializes in various textile exports including denim and cotton products. Equipped with their own energy production houses and textile mills, the company produces state of the art products which are accredited by various international organizations including WRAP, Organic exchange, BSCI and GOTS.
Conclusion
Denim Export is a largely researched and worked upon sector by the Pakistan Business Council. As textiles form the backbone of the country’s major exports, denim is a fundamental export and has significant augmentation to the export GDP of Pakistan. According to e-Trade Pakistan, the price of denim for international export ranges from $1.27 – $3.72/Meter depending on the selection of supplier and the specifications of the product.
In 2017, Pakistan ranked 2nd for the world’s largest export of denim at 17.6%, ranking only behind China with its share of 18.72%. (Global Denim Fabric Exports – 2017)
According to the above statistic from Artistic Denim Mills Limited, Denim has seen an increase in demand over the years and as a result, the exports of the company have only risen in the 10 year interval.
Denim Mills in Pakistan comply with international standards of sustainability and quality control. All fabric and garments exported are checked for quality and constitution before send off. As such, Pakistan has successfully established a reputation of reliability when it comes to textile export.
Denim is a flourishing industry both within and outside of Pakistan and many believe that it is the key textile to revive Pakistan’s exports. With many industries working to assist the quality and sustainability of denim products, denim export is projected to only grow in the future.
Established suppliers commit to high production quality, durability, and premium designing and customer satisfaction is almost guaranteed while buying denim from stores both at home and abroad. As global demand for denim increases and new mills and industrialists’ open shop for manufacture, the prospect of denim sales has a triumphant and evergreen future.