Green Pakistan Project: TMA holds technical workshop aimed at reducing water footprint in textile industry

KARACHI: The Towel Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (TMA), in association with German Cooperation, Sequa, and the VFI German Importers Association, organised a high-impact technical workshop under the Green Pakistan Project (GPP). Organised on September 29, 2025, at TMA House, Karachi, the workshop “Hands-on Tips for Reduction of Water Footprint in Textile Manufacturing” saw more than 50 industry heads, business entrepreneurs, sustainability managers, and compliance professionals converge.

Dr Achim A R Fehn, VFI Lead Trainer and Water Footprint Consultant, facilitated the session with a close examination of water usage patterns in textile production — especially in terry towels.

He noted marked differences between plants and stressed the urgency for effective strategies and technologies to curb water use. Attendees learned to measure and compute water footprints, incorporate water-saving programs into management systems, and implement innovative methods that improve both sustainability and operational effectiveness. Reducing water usage not only decreases water expenses but also reduces energy, gas, chemicals, and dyes—ultimately reducing effluent loads and enhancing environmental performance.

Dr Michael Arretz, GPP Project Director, presented an in-depth report on changing global frameworks for sustainability, such as the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG), EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and ESG standards. He emphasised that adherence to these standards is now imperative in order to sustain Pakistan’s textile exports to priority global markets.

Ather Bari, TMA Chairman, highlighted the need for practices of sustainability and mentioned that Pakistan has lost almost 80 percent of its freshwater availability in the last few decades.

He highlighted that the Green Pakistan Project is coming at a critical time to facilitate industries in adopting ethical water management, preserving Indus River systems, and building Pakistan’s brand as an ethical sourcing hub.

He said, “Water-conserving measures not only lower the cost of production but also lower chemical consumption, which makes our sector more competitive. It’s industry’s turn to show the way—before waiting for government action.”

The workshop ended with TMA’s firm pledge to promote sustainability throughout the towel industry. The Association committed to increasing training schemes, enhancing partnership with global organizations, and facilitating uptake of solutions like water recycling, green chemicals, and state-of-the-art water-efficient equipment. Through these measures, the TMA wishes to enable its members to achieve global compliance needs while making Pakistan a greener, more competitive, and stronger nation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025