The textile branch of Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (IIP), situated in the United Arab Emirates, has become a new corporate member of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF).

Arise IIP identifies industrial gaps in African countries so that value can be unlocked and new industries can be created. The goal is to industrialize critical industries by implementing local transformations that increase output, efficiency, and cost, resulting in local value addition.

By establishing tailor-made special economic zones in Gabon, Benin, and Togo, the organization hopes to improve exports, facilitate local raw material transformation, and stimulate trade. Arise IIP will focus on developing value chains for the textile industry in Benin and Togo, from raw material sourcing to resource transformation, manufacturing, and exporting finished goods.

Arise IIP announced a partnership with FibreTrace, a leader in traceable fiber technology, in November to develop a new pilot program that will enable spinner-to-garment traceability for the Arise IIP spinning facilities at the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Benin – a first for the fast-emerging African textile sector.

By the end of 2023, Benin is expected to have a lint cotton processing capacity of 98,000 tonnes per year.

FibreTrace embeds luminous pigments on the cotton fiber at the spinning machine to ensure cotton traceability. The indestructible pigments can be read and monitored at every level of the supply chain, and each audit is logged on the blockchain, making the data secure, accessible, and irrefutable.

The ITMF, which was created in 1904, is the worldwide textile value chain's international forum. Its members are from countries that produce 90% of the world's textiles and apparel.

Dr. Christian Schindler, director-general of ITMF, said that Arise IIP will benefit from a unique worldwide network, ITMF's experience, and an international platform for the global textile value chain where international trends are debated by becoming a corporate member of ITMF. Similarly, Arise's initiatives in West Africa will help the ITMF and its members.

Rajaguru Raja, CEO of Arise IIP Textile Division, said that by joining the ITMF, they gain access to all of the important stakeholders in the worldwide textile and apparel value chain. As the globe becomes increasingly integrated, cooperation along the global textile value chain, as well as an awareness of its complexity and dynamism, is critical.