Garment exporters seek exemption to use polybags

“Banning plastic used for packing export garments will cause a big impact on the garment manufacturing units. With no other alternative for packing, banning the manufacture and use of polybags would bring the garment industry to a standstill,” said Raja M Shanmugham, president of Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA).

The association also claimed that polybags used in packing garments were generally recycled and does not cause any harm to the environment. The state government issued an order in June, banning the use of throwaway plastics from January 1, 2019, to make the state free from environmental hazards. 

“Even the environmentally conscious countries have been insisting on the use of polybags for packing garments. Many foreign importers specify on using only polybags for packing garments. As we are purely operating with a focus on buyer’s market, the conditions imposed by them have to be followed strictly,” he added, in a statement. 

The TEA has sent copies of letters to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy, OS Manian, Minister of Textiles and K Phanindra Reddy, principal secretary, Department of Handloom and Textiles and other local officials. The exporter’s union has also attached a copy of foreign importers specifying that garments should be packed only using polybags. 

Tirupur was making exports to the tune of Rs 26,000 crore annually, with 45 per cent to European Union, 35 per cent to US and 20 per cent to other countries. The garment exporters fear that their exports have declined already due to GST and other factors, would be affected further due to the plastic ban.