Workshop On Filtration, Medical Textiles & Absorbent Hygiene Products’
Handlooms and Textiles Secretary Vishwanath Shegaonkar (third left) handing over certificate to a participant at the valedictory of the training workshop on ‘Filtration, Medical Textiles and Absorbent Hygiene Products’ in Coimbatore on Wednesday. (from left) Technical and Education Director of EDANA Jean-Michel Anspach, Chairman and Managing Director of the Palladam Hi-Tech Weaving Park M. Senthil Kumar and President of the South India Small Spinners Association G. Soundararajan (second right) are in the picture.The development of technical textile industry in the State will increase employment and provide livelihood to more people, Vishwanath Shegaonkar, Secretary of the Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi Department, said here on Wednesday. Speaking at the valediction of the three-day workshop on “Filtration, Medical Textiles and Absorbent Hygiene Products”, organised by the Office of the Textile Commissioner jointly with European Disposables and Nonwovens Association (EDANA), an international association for nonwovens, he said Tamil Nadu had been doing well in all sub-sectors except ginning since cotton was procured from the Northern States. As against the cotton consumption of about 100 lakh bales, the State produced just five lakh bales annually.
Hence, the cotton requirements had to be purchased from other States. The State had 50 per cent of the country’s textile mills and these units contributed nearly 47 per cent of the country’s total yarn production. Textile mills came into being in the State almost 60 years ago and Tamil Nadu now had almost all the sub-segments – garmenting, hosiery, processing and handloom. On the technical textiles front too the State had several users of these products. As many as 12 categories of technical textiles were made in the country. Though these had been manufactured for several years the emphasis was more now.
Chairman and Managing Director of the Palladam Hi-Tech Weaving Park M. Senthil Kumar said availability of non-woven fabric was key to development of the technical textile sector. Hence, manufacturing of non-woven fabric should be encouraged by Tamil Nadu. The South India Textile Research Association was a centre of excellence for medical textiles and hence entrepreneurs here had an opportunity to get details about this segment. Medical tourism was also growing here. However, most of the medical products were imported. These could be manufactured within the country. President of the South India Small Spinners’ Association G. Soundararajan said the Government assistance should reach the units on time, especially in times of need.
