Pakistan's textile decarbonization agenda received a major boost as the Pakistan Readymade Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) officially joined the Apparel & Textile Transformation Initiative (ATTI). The move makes Pakistan the third country represented in the initiative, following Bangladesh and Turkey. PRGMEA represents more than 500 member companies across Pakistan's readymade garment sector.
MOU Establishes Pakistan's National ATTI Chapter
ATTI signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with PRGMEA to create a dedicated national chapter. The agreement covers a full scope of coordinated work, including a needs assessment, collaborative solutions design, and a contextualized development plan for Pakistan's garment and textile sector. PRGMEA committed to providing institutional resources, staff capacity, and member engagement to ensure effective implementation.
ATTI will support the association across each stage of its decarbonization roadmap. This structure mirrors the frameworks already active in Bangladesh and Turkey, forming a growing network of manufacturer-led national chapters.
ATTI's Manufacturer-Led Approach and Global Reach
ATTI launched in June last year during London Climate Action Week, under the International Apparel Federation's leadership. The program is explicitly manufacturer-led, giving industry stakeholders a direct voice in sustainability discussions. Miran Ali, former vice president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, captured the initiative's equity principle at launch:
"You cannot turn up in a country which is the second-largest exporter of apparel in the world, and then demand radical changes without ever expecting to spend even one penny on it. Yes, we need to make this industry more sustainable. But you can't destroy my country to make your clothes."
Pakistan's inclusion aligns with ATTI's core mission. As the organization stated, the addition "strengthens ATTI's mission to reduce fragmentation, coordinate efforts, and accelerate the sector's transition to lower-impact production."
Pakistan's Textile Sector: Scale and Carbon Footprint
The scale of Pakistan's textile industry makes this partnership highly significant. Textiles are the country's largest export product, and the sector employs roughly 40 percent of the total labor force, according to Pakistan's Board of Investment. In 2024, Pakistan ranked as the ninth-largest global textile exporter, shipping $19.5 billion worth of material, per data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
Environmentally, Pakistan's textile industry is the country's second-largest greenhouse gas emitter after cement. Estimates place its share at 5 to nearly 9 percent of national emissions — approximately 8.1 million tons of carbon per year. These figures make structured, scalable decarbonization a critical priority for the sector and its global trade partners.
For B2B buyers and suppliers monitoring sustainability compliance, Pakistan's formal commitment to ATTI is a meaningful signal. Stay updated on the latest textile news on textilezon.com as this transition unfolds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ATTI and what is its purpose?
ATTI, the Apparel & Textile Transformation Initiative, is a manufacturer-led program launched in June last year during London Climate Action Week. Co-founded by the International Apparel Federation, it supports garment industry associations in advancing practical, scalable decarbonization across the global sector.
Which countries have joined ATTI?
As of this announcement, ATTI includes national chapters in Bangladesh, Turkey, and Pakistan. Each country operates under a memorandum of understanding with ATTI to coordinate national-level decarbonization activities.
Why is textile decarbonization critical for Pakistan?
Pakistan's textile sector contributes an estimated 8.1 million tons of carbon annually and ranks as the country's second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions after cement. As the nation's largest export industry and employer of 40 percent of the workforce, sustainable transformation is both an environmental and an economic imperative.
