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The art of textile coloring is very
old and was originally based on naturally occurring inputs the
derivatives of some of which are still in use. As of now, some 6,000
varieties of dyes are manufactured out of products.
Textile is the second largest
employment generating sector in Bangladesh after Agriculture and
consists of four sub-sectors including Textile Dyeing and printing.
The textile sector supported by favorable market conditions is
steadily expanding.
Main concentrations of textile
dyeing and printing are seen around Dhaka, Narayangonj, Narsindhi,
Comilla, Savar, Gazipur, Tangail, Pabna, Shazadpur, Serajgonj,
Kumarkhali, Kustia, Jessor and Rajshahi etc.
Approach and
Methodology
The JOBS Program, seeking to create
private sector employment, has identified eight sub-sectors
including textile dyeing and printing for baseline survey and study.
The approach followed included: a) identifying the problems suffered
and opportunities enjoyed; b) determining the causes of problems; c)
establish solutions; and d0 implementing measures to solve the
problems.
Textile Dyeing
and Printing Scenario
To be finished product dyed and
printed fabrics must go through a further process namely; finishing.
Again, dyeing refers to two types of materials e.g. dyeing of yarn
and dyeing of fabrics, While yarn is dyed in commercial scale in
hundreds of hand weaving pockets, cloth is both dyed and printed in
dozens of locales in cottage scale, as SMEs and as large
enterprises.
Current Cloth
printing practices include:
· Block
Printing, the oldest form of cloth patterning extensively pursued in
cottage and SE scales;
·
Batik Printing and
Tie-dyeing carried out mainly in cottage scale;
·
Hand Screen Printing
which is manual but has great advantage over block printing is seen
as falling under SMEs;
·
Roller / Rotary and
Flatbed are both semi-automatic and pursued both as medium and
large-scale industries.
Of the 43 units surveyed 7 are
SMEs and belong to block and batik hand screen groups, 37 are medium
ones and 1 is pretty large and does not come within preview of SMEs.
There are some 2 dozen of very large dyeing, printing and finishing
units in the country including some composite enterprise performing
all textile operations e.g. spinning, weaving, dye ing, printing,
and finishing. There may be around 350 medium scale units and 70
percent of the units surveyed belong to this group.
Focus Group Discussions (FGD) on
Textile Dyeing and Printing sub-sector brought into light the
existing state of things facing the sub-sector- in particular the
problems facing and opportunities enjoyed. The problems are
mounting and include; unabated inflow smuggled prints, high rates of
tariffs and taxes, inadequate water supply, frequent power failure,
discriminating tariff rates of gas and electricity, cumbersome
formalities to get water /gas connection and boiler permission,
shortage of working capital, non-cooperative attitudes of Banks,
violent law and order situation, banks sanctioning loans with out
ascertaining technical /financial feasibility of a project, etc.
Opportunities enjoyed were
identified as being expanding market, mutual cooperation and
exchange of information and technical help among the enterprises in
the particular locality, the existing multifaceted subcontracting
practices, etc.
The FGD also discussed issues as
policy framework, difficulty being faced in getting land, lack of
infrastructural facilities in industrial estates, etc.
State of the Art
The national consumption of cloth
is estimated to the tune 1,400 million of which around 910 million
meters are locally produced and the balance 490 million meters are
smuggled in to the country and most of this quantity is printed
fabrics. Only about 6-7 percent of the consumption of RMG sector is
met out of locally produced fabrics – mostly in the form of knit
fabrics.
Dyed and printed fabrics are used
in the form of sari, Kurta, Shelwar- Kameez, Stole, Scarf, Shirtings,
Lungi, Napkin, Wrappers, Cushion Covers, Bedspreads, Curtains,
Upholstery and other household lines. Brands of local products are
numerous and Dhaka based ones include Jhumka, Pakiza, Zoni, Chandni,
Zia, Pride, Standard, Prestige, etc.
For the purpose of mapping, the sub
sector is grouped into three broad categories e.g. (a) yarn dyeing
(b) block printing and (c) screen-printing. The market for dyed and
printed textiles may be grouped as being; (a) over 5 million hand
weavers plus small handloom / power looms factories procuring dyed
yarn; (b) thousands of whole sellers /retailers through out the
country; (c) makers of beddings, upholstery, and household lines
/upholstery ; (d) local ready made apparel makers; (e)
institutional buyers; and (f) RMGs.
It is estimated that about 70% of
the local consumption of cloth is dyed / printed.
The producers are the commercial
yarn dyers; block batik and tie-dye printers and the manual / semi-
automatic screen printers. The number of producers and their
production capacities have substantially increased over the years;
particularly at SMEs level.
The whole sellers / retailers’
characteristics depend upon the particular products they deal with.
For instance, those dealing with dyed yarn or batik / tie-dye
products are local shopkeepers, while those dealing with screen
prints are city based large traders and practically control the
market and production activities. Majority of the get their –
fabrics printed on subcontracting basis.
Inputs suppliers of the sub sector
mainly refer to the dyestuffs importers and whole sellers
/retailers. Main concentrations of inputs suppliers are seen in and
around Narayanganj, Dhaka, Narsingdi, Pabna, Serajgonj, Kustia,
Comilla, Jessore, and hundred of other growth centers around
hand loom pockets. There is apparently no problem in the
availability but the prices are steadily going up.
Ultimate consumers of dyed and
printed fabrics are the millions of households. However, such
fabrics pass through intermediaries such as dressmakers, drapery /
linen makers, etc., who are technically consumers in relation to the
producers. Export based garment manufacturers have of late started
using some locally printed fabrics. Besides, there is a large of
group institutional buyers. One important finding is that the choice
of the ultimate consumers is fast tilting in favor printed fabrics.
Survey Findings: - Field survey was
conducted in 11 major locations and covered 79 respondents including
43 producers, 13 wholesalers /retailers, 11 inputs suppliers and 12
consumers in addition to intense informal discussions with
institutions, officials and knowledgeable individuals.
In terms of investment 24 units
were found to have invested between TK 1 lakh and 20 lakh, 13 units
between TK. 20 lakh and 100 lakh and the rest 6 units above 100 lakh.
The per unit investment did not exceed TK. 5 million in 70 percent
enterprises. Except a solitary rural unit all the units are located
in urban or semi- urban areas.
The employment size in 35 units
varies between 6 and 50 and in the rest unit’s employment sizes
above 50 persons. The sub sector is highly labour intensive where it
is possible to create an employment in a small printing unit at a
modest investment cost of only Tk. 7,200. The average per unit
employment size is to 40 and average per employment cost is TK. 186,
490.
Ownership is dominated by
proprietorship with 29 units owned by individuals, 7 partnerships
and 7 units being private limited companies. Only 6 units were
established before 1974 as against 32 units having been established
after 1985. The sub
sector is seen to have in the
threshold of expansion.
Entrepreneurs are relatively young,
all of them are educated and 3 of them are female. They have
initiatives and most of them promoted their enterprises overcoming
odds and through their own endeavors and mistakes.
The entrepreneurs in a particular
locality maintain close cooperation among themselves discussing
problems, production, and technical and marketing issues and trying
to mutually resolve such issues. But there is no mechanism of
exchanging information on important trade, production and marketing
matters. The existing trade association (BTDPIA) lacks experience
and initiative to introduce such a mechanism.
Major problems they faced during
the setting up of the enterprises include financial difficulty,
problem of getting land and power / gas connections, lack of working
capital, lack of skilled workers, marketing problem (smuggling),
uncertain policy decisions, hostile law and order situation, etc.
Solutions to these problems suggested are; systematic credit
facility, institutional support, skill training, technology
development and peaceful law and order situation.
The entrepreneurs are mostly the
first generation industry owners with 35 of them setting up or
acquiring their own enterprises and 8 getting the ownership by way
of inheritance.
Most of them selected the
particular line thinking that the pursuit was profitable and 60
percent of them enhanced their investment after they have set up
their enterprises.
Subcontracting is a dominant
practice in and significant characteristic of the industry in
different forms particularly when majority of the units do not have
all equipment and they get the wanting process done in other units
in order have the printed fabrics fully finished. Moreover, the
wholesalers mostly procure their merchandise under regular
subcontracting arrangements.
About two-third of the units cannot
use their full capacity due to the shortage of skilled workers.
Moreover, the technology used, is mostly traditional requiring its
upgrading to compete with imported fabrics which are better in terms
of quality and design. Majority of the entrepreneurs is willing to
go for improving their technological level if required financial
support was available.
Supported by expanding demand 80
percent entrepreneurs have their plan to increase investments mostly
out of own resources and some of them would simultaneously ask for
borrowing support.
Effluent discharge from textile
dyeing and printing units is a severe health and environment hazard
asking for either centralize arrangement for disposal of such
effluent where the units are concentrated in an industrial area or
where they are located in isolated places every such unit can have a
specially designed two-chamber tanks for such disposal.
Recommendations: - By the 2000,
textile sector will have additional investments in 156 spinning
mills, 371 weaving mills and 371 dyeing, printing and finishing
units. For this purpose apart from revamping the policy framework
and institutional base, a tailored credit line will have to be
introduced. For the kind of JOBS Program, it will ask for
intervention through an experienced institutional mechanism.
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