The Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA) is planning to collaborate with Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global safety science company to enhance certification and standardization in the apparel industry. As per a senior official at ATIRA, talks began as a 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 a 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 standardization of the apparel industry," the senior official at ATIRA stated. 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 R A 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 another achievement. 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.