Proud to Be Pakistani
By Shanaz Ramzi (Initial posted on pakistanlink.com )
People may be averse to buying local products for fear that the quality will be poor, but they do not realize that the same goods are being exported.
As a rule, Pakistanis, indeed like citizens of most developing countries, tend to be star struck by fhoren ka maal (foreign goods). The general attitude is that a product is bound to be of superior quality simply because it is imported, and by the same token, that the quality of locally produced items is likely to be suspect. However, while that may be true of certain local items, what many of us are not aware of is that a large range of our products have made a name for themselves beyond our shores and are being sought for the high standards they have come to represent. The fact is that an amazing variety of Pakistani items are being bought by the international market.
To get a fair idea of the kind of products that Pakistan is exporting, one can divide them into four categories. The first and largest category comprises commodities/raw materials, which are either sold by importers with their own company or outlet labels or used in products made abroad, as the case may be. In either case, consumers rarely discover that Pakistan has a role to play in these items being purchased by them.
The second category consists of finished items produced for well-known labels abroad, so that again, buyers are frequently unaware that the items they have purchased have been made in Pakistan, in most cases with 100 per cent indigenous materials. Often, Pakistanis holidaying in foreign lands pay an exorbitant price for a designer item, like a T-shirt, without realizing that they could have bought the same for a fraction of the price at a factory outlet in their own country.
The next category comprises products that are sold by the local brand name either in chain stores established abroad, or in reputed outlets. Customers are always aware that these products are made in Pakistan.
While the second and third categories concentrate on finished items that are more conventional - such as garments - the fourth grouping comprises exports of unusual items, such as flower petals, that might come as news to many readers.
Let’s first take a look at the commodities/raw materials grouping. Edibles such as agricultural produce - wheat, rice, fruits, etc. - seafood, raw cotton and yarn, processed and raw leather, marble and onyx rocks, herbs and medicinal plants, petroleum and petroleum products, and spices are among the main exports in this category. These are mostly unbranded goods, although some commodities like fruits and rice may carry the ‘Produce of Pakistan’ tag. Europe, the Middle East, China, Malaysia, Afghanistan, South America, Africa, Russia, Central Asia, Philippines and Vietnam are the principal countries to which one or the other of these items is being exported.
The second category, comprising finished goods or value added products, covers an impressive range of items, many of which are being made locally for renowned companies abroad. Ready-made garments are an important segment of this group and Pakistani T-shirts, shirts, nightwear and boxers are among the many items that are being sold at established outlets around the world, boasting foreign labels.
For instance garments carrying the ‘BUM’ label sold at Walmart are being produced by Tritex International, a Pakistani company. Their product range includes lounge wear, sleep wear, camisoles, tank tops and boxers. Of course, for products falling in this group, the labor and the materials are all local, but the design, color schemes, sizes and spec sheet are provided by the importers, and samples go through stringent quality control testing, which may include flame resistance (especially in satin night wear for children) and needle inspection (by metal detectors to ensure that broken needles are not left inside the garment).
Export garments are not just limited to the above mentioned items. Denim jeans, skirts, dungarees, pants and much more are being produced for foreign concerns. For instance, ‘Clothesline’ is exporting infant wear (bodysuits and ensembles) to Canada and Germany and boys’ and men’s wear (T-shirts, sweat shirts, polo shirts) to the US, Denmark, UK and Spain. Although none of their products carry their company name, all items exported to Canada and the US have the country of origin mentioned - it is a requirement by law - while those exported to Europe just say ‘Imported’. Their garments are sold under the brand name ‘Kushies’ in the shopping center ‘The Bay’ in Canada, and are available under various labels in street shops in the UK.
In fact, it is heartening to know that garments made in Pakistan are not just catering to the middlemen market abroad, but are being sought by the high-end consumer as well.
An example of a local company that has made substantial inroads in the west is ‘Cotton and Cotton’. Manufacturing for the top-end brands in the US and the UK, their shirts are sold in Jermyn Street, Seville Row and Sax Fifth Avenue. They have also set up their own designer outlets in Canada and the US selling exclusively their shirts. In Canada the brand name they go by is Luigi Napoli while ‘Just
Interestingly, although these top of the line shirts have ‘Made in Pakistan’ tags on them, the frontline in both the companies is occupied by whites so that both companies are perceived as being western.
While there are a large number of manufacturers who are directly in touch with distributors or importers abroad, there are also many agents who act as a go-between the two. Sam International is one such company that has customers in Switzerland, Sweden and Belgium. Among the items being sent through them abroad are T-shirts, night shirts, denim tops, bed-sheets, towels, table cover sets, knitwear and woven apparel. They claim that the men and children’s wear being sent by them from Pakistan are being sold at high-end stores such as ‘Throttleman’ in Spain and Portugal.
Garments are only one of the numerous conventional items made in Pakistan for prestigious names. Terri items such as Terri-towels, bath robes, bath mats, bibs, and kitchen items such as napkins and tea towels are also being exported to various countries.
GIA Associates, Private, Ltd. is just one manufacturer whose exports cover practically all of Europe - France, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Denmark, Holland and the UK- for the last 27 years. They also export to Australia, New Zealand, and more recently, to the US. Their clients are mostly mail-order houses, including El-Corte, a major importer in Italy. However, they too admit that most of their European buyers prefer to have ‘neutral’ tags on their products rather than those boasting ‘Made in Pakistan’.
Home textiles are also being exported from Pakistan to various countries. Sajjad Textile Industries, for instance, exports bedding, comforters, bed sets, quilts and duvet covers in addition to towels, terri products, kitchen items and more recently, garments. Exported mainly to the US and Europe, and to a limited extent to S. Africa and Australia, all their products have a ‘Made in Pakistan’ tag. In the US, one can find their products in Walmart, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Sears and Mervin’s among other outlets.
Also, well-known local brands such as Gul Ahmed are not only exporting cotton fabric, but are into export of household linen and made-ups as well.
What many may not be aware of is that candies and sweets are also being exported from Pakistan -mainly to the US, but also to Europe and Africa. Hilal Sweets and Candyland are among the chief exporters of local sweets. Although their company name is not used on the products, their wrappers do carry a ‘Made in Pakistan’ stamp.
And who can forget Pakistan’s world famous sports goods? Sialkot’s football manufacturers have to their credit footballs that have been used in World Cup matches. While they have been imported by renowned brand names in the past, the industry had received a temporary set-back because of the stigma of child labour then attached to it, but are now back in the business.
In fact, Sialkot’s business community deserves a special mention. The sporting goods manufacturers and the businessmen of the steel ware industry of Sialkot (producing cutlery and surgical instruments) are building Pakistan’s first private sector airport which will help them to substantially increase their exports by reducing the cargo freighters’ transit time.
While most of the items mentioned in this category are produced for foreign brands the third grouping consists of items that are exported specifically as products of Pakistan. Durries, rugs and carpets are among the most sought after exports of our country from this category. Iran and Bukhara Palace is just one example of the many exporters of hand-woven carpets in silk and wool, dealing in both Bukhara and Persian designs, and their products are exported mainly to Europe - Italy, France, Germany, Greece and Cyprus.
Some carpet exporters have not confined themselves to the export of carpets alone. Salima Marble Works and Salima Bukhara Carpets, for instance, is a company that is exporting besides carpets, leather products (mostly jackets and purses), onyx handicrafts, wooden furniture and wooden and brass handicrafts. However, it must be mentioned here that although wooden furniture and handicrafts are being exported by Pakistan, the market for these products is far greater than is being tapped.
Interestingly, tents, camping equipment and bags made of heavy duty cotton canvas rank among our important exports as well, particularly at times of international crisis, such as mass refugee movements due to war and civil unrest, or natural disasters such as earthquakes.
Another export item fast gaining in popularity is our local pickles, jams, spices and spice mixes, which have found their way onto shelves practically all over the world. National Foods is one brand name that comes immediately to mind. For the last 15 years the company has been exporting pickles and spices to various countries and has been creating product ranges especially for the international market. Hence, a buyer of say, pickles, in one of the importing countries has the added option of selecting from mild, hot and extra hot varieties.
While pickles and spices are reportedly the hottest selling items of the group, jams, jellies and custards are also being exported. All these items carry the company name and ‘A product of Pakistan’ label. Of late, cooking pastes have also been introduced especially into the Australian market, which are being sold by the name of ‘Raj masala’. Mild in taste, they are popular with foreigners while a similar paste, more suited to the Pakistani and Indian palate, is being sold in Canada, the US, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and England by the name of ‘Rivaaj cooking paste’. Although these pastes are being sold under different brand names, their packets have the company name and the country of origin mentioned.
A relatively new entrant into the world of exports of edibles is Mon Salwa. Their items are being sold under their own brand name in Houston and Chicago, while in the UK items are being made for Tahira Stores who distribute them to ethnic stores in France, Germany and Holland. These products carry the company name, ‘Quick Food Industries’ and specify that the product is made in Pakistan. Similarly, in the Middle East, they are being supplied to Al-Kabir in the UK and although are being sold by that name, carry the local company details.
And finally, there is the category of non-conventional items that are being exported by Pakistan. One would be surprised to learn that washing machines, engineering goods such as electric transformers and water pumps, and sanitary fittings rank among our exports.
Another unusual item is flower petals that are being used abroad for pharmaceutical purposes. Medicinal herbs and spices, and molasses - a byproduct of our sugar industry - are also exported and used for pharmaceutical purposes. Similarly, naphta, a byproduct of the petroleum refining industry, and lately natural indigo, are also among our non-conventional exports.
So, as one can see, Pakistan has a fascinating range of items that are being bought by the international market. Our only problem seems to be that we have not marketed ourselves as well as we should, so that our ‘Made in Pakistan’ label has not become the symbol of quality that it should have. Also, considering there are untapped markets waiting to be explored, our exporters need to wake up and get their act together, if they want to be counted among the major exporters of the world. There is no dearth of items that can be produced for foreign consumption, but markets have to be developed.
For instance, of late, two new markets have become very active - Afghanistan and Iraq - of which the former practically survives on Pakistani products ranging from fresh fruits to milk packs, salt to naans, glass for construction material to cooking oil and tobacco products. However, a lot is being smuggled, so is not officially accounted for.
Pakistani exporters also need to focus on Africa, Russia and the former Soviet countries, and develop markets in these areas. For some reason, our textile sector, particularly, seems to be content with concentrating on Europe and has not made any substantial headway in these markets. The government, for its part, also needs to enhance Pakistan’s image because unless the ‘Made in Pakistan’ label is recognized as a quality symbol, exporters will fail to get decent prices for their products. An aggressive promotional campaign identifying Pakistan with quality products is the need of the hour.
Currently goods of the same or inferior quality to ours, exported from other countries are fetching higher prices as their label inspires more confidence in the importer. Advertisements should focus not just on the conventional markets, but on new markets as well, such as Africa, Latin America and Russia.
And finally, better facilities must be provided to develop industries that are still in their nascent stages. There is a large market for our handcrafted furniture in developed countries, waiting to be tapped. Packages could be developed with home furnishings - curtains, upholstery fabric, rugs, etc - which would make our products more desirable from the importers’ point of view.
Having said that, one must admit that the government has not been entirely oblivious of its responsibilities. The food promotions done at Harrods and Selfridges in the recent past were steps in the right direction as was the carpets’ promotion exhibition at Bloomingdales in New York. Such endeavors are very effective as the end user/buyer is educated about the product’s quality and country of origin. However, a more consistent approach needs to be adopted for an enhanced image of our label, which will in time be of supreme benefit to our exports and economy.