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CCI, the US-based apex body for promoting cotton worldwide, has come out with support for India's campaign against the increasing use of manmade fibres.
Manmade or manufactured fibres are classified as either regenerated fibres or synthetic fibres. Regenerated fibres are made by reformulating existing raw materials, normally wood pulp. Synthetic fibres are formed by causing chemical reactions between materials, usually oil based.
CCI serves as the central forum for consensus-building among producers, ginners, warehousers, merchants, cottonseed processors/dealers, cooperatives and textile manufacturers. The organization is the unifying force in working with the government to ensure that cotton's interests are considered.
Globally, cotton garments command a 38 per cent market share, and the rest are manmade fibers. But in India, cotton garments have a market share of 55 per cent.
But cotton traders say India's market share of cotton is coming down because of stiff competition from manmade fibers.
"Manmade fibers are threatening the cotton industry," says Ashish Dhir, the India and Pakistan representative of CCI.
According to Dhir, 90 million Indians are engaged in cotton-related activities. "If the market share of manmade cotton increases, it would directly affect around 5 million are cotton farmers in the country," he said.
CCI in collaboration with apex cotton associations is organizing awareness programmes across India about cotton and the need to check the growing market share of man-made
One such programme called `Cool with Cotton' was organized in Kolkata on Tuesday, where designers presented their designer wear of ivory-coloured long skirts with silk blended mulmul tops.
"The body can breathe in cotton clothes and remains cool with fine textures and colours," Pali Sachdev, a designer said.
Mona Lamba and Pali Sachdev, two of the most innovative designers of India, said cotton can do wonders even in grand evening parties, besides being the most suitable fabric for Indian weather.
Dhir says fashion shows with models walking on the ramp can create awareness among a niche segment of the population which can trickle down to the mass in due course of time.
CCI would also soon launch consumer campaign for the better promotion of cotton garments in India.
India is the third largest producer of cotton in the world after China and USA accounting for about 14% of the world cotton production. It has the distinction of having the largest area under cotton cultivation in the world ranging between 8.00 million to 9.00 million hectares and constituting about 26% of the world area under cotton cultivation.
The yield per hectare is, however, the lowest against the world average, but over the last two years has shown a promising potential to touch the world average production levels in the near future.