Muhammad Saleem

Climate change is reshaping the sizing industry as rising temperatures and water shortages are hitting the production processes.  Waheed Khaliq, Chairman of the Council of Loom Owners Association, told WealthPK that sizing is a key step in textile production. “It prepares yarn for weaving by applying chemicals and starch to strengthen the fibers.

However, with rising temperatures and water shortages, this industry is facing big challenges.” He said the sizing industry could be called the foundation of the entire textile chain. “However, this sector is hurt the most when smog engulfs the region as officials waste no time sealing units in the name of environmental protection.” Khaliq insisted that the sizing industry alone should not be blamed for environment pollution.

“The environment department officials cause irreparable loss to the sizing industry when they seal the units for causing smog, and impose heavy fines on owners,” he said. He said the mistakes of others are being unfairly placed on the shoulders of the sizing industry, which is unjust.

Besides, he said climate change is reshaping the sizing industry — from chemicals and machines to worker health and environmental protection. Shoukat Ahmed, a former official of the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department, denied that the sizing industry is being targeted intentionally.

He explained that during smog seasons, multiple factors contribute to environmental pollution and the sizing sector is one of them. He said that climate change is leading to higher temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and water scarcity. Industries like textiles depend heavily on water and energy, and the sizing process in particular consumes large amounts of water to prepare yarn for weaving.

“With limited availability of water and rising heat, the chemicals used in sizing do not function efficiently. For instance, natural starch may dry too quickly or unevenly in hot conditions, which affects the strength and quality of the yarn,” he added. He stressed that amid climate change, the sizing industry must rethink its methods and adopt sustainable practices.

He warned that failure to adopt would harm production, which in turn would hit Pakistan’s textile exports. Shakeel Ahmed, a sizing unit owner, said that climate change is hitting their operations. “We mostly use natural starch and standard water-based sizing formulas. However, we are now facing problems with this formula due to unavailability of water and rising temperatures.”

He said that industry experts are advising them to switch to low-liquor ratio machines that consume less water during the sizing process, but they are unable to procure them due to financial constraints. “The drying time is also changing due to increased heat, as it has been observed that sometimes the yarn dries too quickly. This change causes weak spots or uneven coating, which can lead to defects in the fabric after weaving,” he explained.

“Given the circumstances, we need to upgrade both our chemicals and machinery to adjust to the new conditions,” he added. Shakeel also mentioned that government officials are asking sizing unit owners to recycle used water for reuse. However, he said setting up these recycling plants is beyond their financial capacity.

Credit: INP-WealthPk