Date:06/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/06/stories/2008090657250100.htm

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Textiles Committee to help bulk purchasers

R. Vimal Kumar

Photo: M. Balaji

Technical assistance: Testing facility to assess quality of clothing as per ISO 17020 norms at the Regional Laboratory of Textiles Committee in Tirupur. —

Tirupur: The Textiles Committee, a body under the Ministry of Textiles, will now on extend technical assistance to bulk purchasers procuring clothing and apparels from Tirupur region to test the quality of the products according to ISO 17020 norms.

The committee has recently obtained the ISO 17020 certification from the Quality Council of India, the apex accreditation body for quality management, becoming the first organisation in Asia to acquire such an accreditation.

Accordingly, the buyers can assess the quality of products pertaining to count of warp and weft, dimensions of the piece (length and width), weight per square metre and fastness properties to washing, rubbing and exposure to sunlight, at the regional laboratory of Textiles Committee situated in the heart of Tirupur.

“The inspection statistics will help the bulk purchasers evaluate the quality levels of the products vis-À-vis the international standards/specifications, which in turn will enhance their confidence levels,” Textiles Committee deputy director D. Dhandapani told The Hindu.

According to him, the suppliers will also benefit from such stringent quality assessment once their products pass the test.

“They can use the test results to widen their base in niche market segments both within and abroad,” Mr. Dhandapani said.

Awareness campaigns

The Textiles Committee plans to conduct an array of awareness campaigns in the city during the months of September and October to popularise the new testing and inspection facility offered by the organisation according to the ISO 17020 standards among buyers, buying agents and manufacturers.