Textiles Committee organizes webinar to facilitate the domestic PPE industry

31 August 2020: Through painstaking efforts of the domestic industry and the Ministry of Textiles and its constituent organizations like the Textiles Committee, the Office of the Textile Commissioner, Central Silk Board, etc., India has emerged as the second largest producer of PPE (Body Coveralls). India has also significantly invested in the manufacturing of various Masks.

The PPEs are categorized as Medical Devices and are governed by intricate regulations in various countries. So a need was felt to understand these regulations and collect them in one place for appropriate dissemination and capacity building of the domestic industry to prepare them for the quality conscious export market.\

So, to further educate the exporters and the domestic PPE industry, the Textiles Committee, the Statutory Body under the Union Ministry of Textiles, hosted a webinar titled “Meeting Challenges of PPE Export Market.” The webinar highlighted the various requirements of PPEs (Masks, Respirators and Coveralls) like classification, manufacturing, certification, documentation etc. This webinar was attended by more than 250 participants from the PPE and textile industry.

It may be noted that the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a notification on August 24, 2020, thereby amending the Export Policy of Personal Protection Equipment/Mask allowing free export of 2/3 ply surgical masks, medical coverall of all classes and categories (including medical coveralls for COVID-19) as well as gowns and aprons of all types. Further, a monthly export quota of 50 lakh has also been allowed for export of N-95 / FFP2 Masks or its equivalent.

This is the second in a series of webinars planned by the Textiles Committee across country to facilitate awareness about international regulations and other requirements for export of PPE to US, EU and other important destinations.