Sustainability programmes to be implemented in Karur textile cluster

Select exporting companies producing home textile products in Karur will be part of a three-year sustainability programme implemented by the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB).
Devyani Hari, Senior Director (Programmes) at the CRB, told The Hindu that it is implementing Life Cycle Assessment programme (InTex India) and Eco Innovation programme, funded by the Kingdom of Denmark, as a part of the UN Environment Programme. Karur and Surat apparel clusters have been identified for the Life Cycle Assessment programme and the beneficiaries in Karur will be finalised within a couple of months.
The programme, which will run till September 2027, targets small and medium-scale businesses to equip with knowledge and capability to identify environmental hotspots in the life cycle of a product and document the details.
The CRB will also work with the Union Ministry of Textiles, form cluster coordination committees, and share inputs for policy formations, she said.
According to a press release, at a workshop on 'Advancing Sustainability & Circularity in Karur Textile Cluster', organised recently in Karur by the Karur Textile Manufacturer Exporters Association (KTMEA) along with Karur Handloom Export Cloth Manufacturers Association (KHEXMASS), CII, Karur Knitting and Weaving Factory Owners Association and Karur Dyers & Bleachers Association and the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) and Intellecap, more than 100 textile manufacturers and exporters participated.
The aim is to promote sustainability and circularity among the textile and apparel industry in Karur, said a press release.
P. Gopalakrishnan, president of KTMEA, emphasised the need for sustainable growth, to stay updated with the latest international and national developments and to showcase the strength and the potential of the Karur cluster.
The release added that the InTex India programme will provide hands-on support for Life Cycle Assessment to atleast 15 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and develop a knowledge sharing mechanism to facilitate exchange of knowledge, experiences and success stories across different textile and apparel clusters the country.
Under the EU Switch Asia - SME Decarbonization, Intellecap, through its Circular Apparel Innovation Factory (CAIF) initiative, will empower SMEs with knowledge, tools, resources and financing to align with global sustainability standards, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in global supply chains. This 42-month initiative focuses on reducing the environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions of 250-400 SMEs across key clusters in India's textile and apparel value chain, including Karur, said a press release.

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The Hindu

11-06-2025

• The Hindu

Sustainability programmes to be implemented in Karur textile cluster

Select exporting companies producing home textile products in Karur will be part of a three-year sustainability programme implemented by the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB). Devyani Hari, Senior Director (Programmes) at the CRB, told The Hindu that it is implementing Life Cycle Assessment programme (InTex India) and Eco Innovation programme, funded by the Kingdom of Denmark, as a part of the UN Environment Programme. Karur and Surat apparel clusters have been identified for the Life Cycle Assessment programme and the beneficiaries in Karur will be finalised within a couple of months. The programme, which will run till September 2027, targets small and medium-scale businesses to equip with knowledge and capability to identify environmental hotspots in the life cycle of a product and document the details. The CRB will also work with the Union Ministry of Textiles, form cluster coordination committees, and share inputs for policy formations, she said. According to a press release, at a workshop on 'Advancing Sustainability & Circularity in Karur Textile Cluster', organised recently in Karur by the Karur Textile Manufacturer Exporters Association (KTMEA) along with Karur Handloom Export Cloth Manufacturers Association (KHEXMASS), CII, Karur Knitting and Weaving Factory Owners Association and Karur Dyers & Bleachers Association and the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) and Intellecap, more than 100 textile manufacturers and exporters participated. The aim is to promote sustainability and circularity among the textile and apparel industry in Karur, said a press release. P. Gopalakrishnan, president of KTMEA, emphasised the need for sustainable growth, to stay updated with the latest international and national developments and to showcase the strength and the potential of the Karur cluster. The release added that the InTex India programme will provide hands-on support for Life Cycle Assessment to atleast 15 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and develop a knowledge sharing mechanism to facilitate exchange of knowledge, experiences and success stories across different textile and apparel clusters the country. Under the EU Switch Asia - SME Decarbonization, Intellecap, through its Circular Apparel Innovation Factory (CAIF) initiative, will empower SMEs with knowledge, tools, resources and financing to align with global sustainability standards, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in global supply chains. This 42-month initiative focuses on reducing the environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions of 250-400 SMEs across key clusters in India's textile and apparel value chain, including Karur, said a press release.

Fibre2Fashion

09-06-2025

• Fibre2Fashion

Karur textile cluster to deepen focus on sustainability & circularity

A crucial awareness workshop on 'Advancing Sustainability & Circularity in Karur Textile Cluster' was organised in the Karur textile cluster last week. The event brought together local manufacturers, exporters, industry associations, and government officials to discuss and commit to greener practices. Major programmes aimed at promoting sustainability and circularity will support the industry in adopting environmentally friendly production methods. Eminent speakers from the government and industry set the context for the workshop discussions. P Gopalakrishnan, president of Karur Textile Manufacturers Exporters Association (KTMEA), in his inaugural address, emphasised the need for sustainable growth, staying updated with the latest national and international developments, and showcasing the strength and potential of the Karur cluster. An awareness workshop on 'Advancing Sustainability & Circularity in Karur Textile Cluster' gathered manufacturers, exporters, and officials to promote eco-friendly practices. Industry leaders and experts shared sustainable initiatives and global trends. Programmes by CRB, Intellecap, and InTex India aim to support SMEs in adopting circular models. M Prabhu, chairman of CII - Karur District, delivered an industry address reaffirming CII-Karur's vision and commitment, and shared good practices from other sectors that could be adapted by the textile industry. R Kaliyappan, president of the Karur Handloom Export Cloth Manufacturers Association (KHEXMASS), highlighted the spirit of sustainability and the responsibility to leave a cleaner, greener planet for future generations. M Palanivel Rajan, chief operating officer of Asian Fabricx Private Limited, shared information about the progressive practices at Asian Fabricx and also highlighted sustainable initiatives undertaken by the Karur cluster. S Periasamy, a senior textile expert and sustainability advisor to the Tiruppur Exporters Association, addressed the workshop on 'Global Trends and the Relevance of Sustainability & Opportunities for SMEs'. Key programmes were also discussed, with relevant information shared with industry participants. Dr. Prabhat Bhuddha Dev from CRB and Siddharth Lulla from Intellecap presented their initiatives and invited SMEs to actively participate. InTex India has initiated a project for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Karur cluster, which will provide hands-on support for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to at least 15 SMEs. The programme will also engage key stakeholders in developing and implementing a vision for a sustainable and circular textile cluster in Karur. Intellecap, through its Circular Apparel Innovation Factory (CAIF) initiative, is implementing the programme 'Catalyzing the Green Transition of India's Textile & Apparel Value Chain', with support from the European Union under its Switch Asia Initiative. This 42-month initiative focuses on reducing environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions across 250–400 SMEs in key clusters of India's textile and apparel value chain. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)

Economic Times

30-05-2025

• Economic Times

Interest rates, dollar sales boost RBI income by 27%

RBI's FY25 net income surged by 27% due to higher global interest rates and dollar sales, enabling a record surplus transfer to the government. Increased returns from foreign currency assets and forex transactions significantly contributed to this rise. The central bank also strategically increased its gold holdings to bolster its asset mix and manage risks. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Income from Forex Transactions Up 33% Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Price Stability, Liquidity A surge in global interest rates and gains from dollar sales to stem the rupee's fall boosted the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) FY25 net income by 27%, enabling it to transfer a record surplus to the central government and help bridge the fiscal gap. North Block's money manager also demonstrated the prudence it expects from mainstream lenders, boosting gold holdings in its overall asset mix to mitigate quality slippage central bank's net income rose to ₹2.69 lakh crore last fiscal, up from ₹2.11 lakh crore a year earlier, as its investments in overseas assets yielded decade-high returns, its annual report shows.'Income from foreign sources increased 38% to ₹2.58 lakh crore,'' the annual report said. 'The rate of earnings on foreign currency assets was 5.31% during the year compared with 4.21%'' in the year before that.A sharp increase in the returns from foreign currency assets (FCA) of the central bank helped it last week pay a dividend of ₹2.69 lakh crore to the government, up from ₹2.1 lakh crore a year ago, giving the Centre a fiscal space of 0.12% of payout was higher despite an increase in the contingency risk buffer (CRB) to a maximum 7.5% of the RBI's balance sheet under a revised economic capital framework (ECF).'Earnings on FCA improved significantly on account of better returns on the dollar,'' said Dipanwita Mazumdar, economist at Bank of Baroda . 'This becomes critical given that our forex reserves held by the RBI have been increasing and are being invested in various avenues.''Interest income from investments in foreign securities was up 48% to ₹97,007 crore against ₹65,328 crore in FY24. 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'Indeed, if the provisioning was maintained according to the old framework, the dividend would have been ₹3.5 lakh crore.'Under the revised ECF, the CRB is 4.5–7.5% of the central bank's balance sheet.'The dividend announcement, though lower than market expectation, was still larger than the budgeted estimate by 0.15% of GDP,'' said Anubhuti Sahay, Head of India Economics Research, Standard Chartered forward, domestic economic activity is expected to strengthen from the lows of the first half of FY25, said the annual report. The economic outlook is an important deciding factor in arriving at the CRB inflation is expected to ease and move further toward the legally mandated target in 2025–26, said the annual report. 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The increase on the assets side was due to a rise in gold holdings, domestic investments and foreign investments by 52%, 14.3% and 1.7%, the liabilities side, expansion was due to an increase in notes issued, revaluation accounts, and other liabilities by 6.03%, 17.32% and 23.31%, assets constituted 25.73% while foreign currency assets, gold (including gold deposit and gold held in India) and loans and advances to financial institutions outside India constituted 74.27% of total assets as on March 31, 2025, against 23.31% and 76.69%, respectively, as on March 31, share of gold in net foreign assets increased to 12% as at end-March 2025 from 8.3% as at end-March 2024, mainly due to revaluation gains from gold credit to the government expanded during the year owing to the liquidity injection through purchase of G-secs via open market operations during January–March 2025.