Seminar on “Textiles & Green Energy – The New Vision” Held in Jabalpur
On 11th June 2025, a seminar titled “Textiles & Green Energy – The New Vision” was conducted at the Readymade Garment Cluster Hall, Jabalpur, starting from 5 PM onwards. The primary objective was to gain insights into the operations of the Readymade Garment and Fashion Cluster of Jabalpur, recognized as the largest cluster in the region with over 450 garment and fashion units.
The event was jointly organized with support from Kasrawad Art Cluster, Shivalik Jankalyan Samiti, and Laghu Udyog Bharti, ensuring collaboration between multiple stakeholders in the regional textile ecosystem.
The welcome address was delivered virtually by Mr. Omprakash Mantry, President (2025–26), ITAMMA, from Mumbai. He remarked,
“We live in an era driven by rapid technological progress, calling for creativity and innovation. Sustainable and responsible development in textile machinery is essential for the garment, retail, and fashion industries. With digitalization and AI, it is now possible to track every stage from fibre to garment, connecting machinery manufacturers and processors with fashion and retail to meet global demands.”
N D MHATRE, DIRECTOR GENERAL (TECH), ITAMMA WELCOMED WITH A BOUQUET
Following the welcome speech, Mr. N D Mhatre, Director General (Tech), ITAMMA, presented on the topic “Role of Bharat’s Fabric, Branded Garments and Fashion Industry Including Export Potential in Global Textile Market.” He highlighted:
- Bharat's textile and apparel (T&A) sector employs 4.5 crore individuals.
- The garment sector creates 50 jobs per crore of investment, far exceeding the 8 jobs per crore created by spinning, weaving, and processing combined.
- Emphasis on garment-led growth for generating direct employment, strengthening downstream processes, and aligning with global brands.
- Suggestions to promote exports through subsidies, develop state-wise skill centres, and create Plug-and-Play infrastructure to install modern machinery.
N D MHATRE, DIRECTOR GENERAL (TECH), ITAMMA DELIVERING PRESENTATIONS
He also addressed the development of textile machines and accessories, stating that:
- Machine manufacturing relies on standardization, while fashion design is driven by creativity. These need to be integrated to deliver globally accepted, high-quality products.
- Although India has significant engineering talent, it is yet to build a strong global garment brand, and relies heavily on imported or assembled machines.
- There's a pressing opportunity to customize existing machinery by leveraging 5G and IoT-enabled Smart Manufacturing.
The seminar featured insightful presentations from:
- Ms. Seema Mishra (Kasrawad Art Cluster)
- Mr. Somesh Gupta (Gen. Secretary, Ready Made Cluster)
- Laghu Udyog Bharati
- Mr. Vineet Rajak, CEO of Fashion & Design Garment Association
- Mr. Rahul and team from Ashra Retail Pvt. Ltd., representing TATA Rooftop Channel
They discussed “Driving Solarisation in the Textile Industry” and were acknowledged for their sponsorship of the seminar.
An important concern raised during the discussions was that all 400 units in the cluster faced issues sourcing quality spares for their machinery. Many units were also exploring export opportunities. As a potential solution, a proposal was tabled to form a Spare Part & Accessories Portable Gallery-cum-Clinic, inviting ITAMMA members to showcase products and offer technical and product development solutions for the cluster.
The seminar highlighted key initiatives aimed at transforming the Jabalpur garment cluster into a technologically advanced, green-energy enabled, and globally competitive ecosystem.