ITMF was held in Mauritius for the first time. China Textile Industry Association led a delegation to attend the meeting.

The 2008 Annual Meeting of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) was held in Mauritius from October 12th to 14th. This annual meeting was co-organized by ITMF and the Mauritius Export Association (MEXA). The theme was “Challenges Facing the Green and Sustainable Textile Industry”. 150 representatives from more than 30 countries attended the meeting.
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In his opening speech, the Acting Prime Minister of Mauritius, Bibi Jong, first congratulated China on joining this organization as a major textile manufacturing country in the world, and said that the Mauritian government has taken various measures to reposition the Mauritian textile industry. Since the negative growth in 2005, the Mauritius textile industry has gradually recovered, achieving growth of 8.5% in 2007. The textile industry in Mauritius currently accounts for 6.5% of GDP, 11% of employment and 52% of domestic exports. In particular, Bibijung called on the government, industry, and other stakeholders to work together to actively and effectively respond to the challenges faced by the textile industry in the context of the current difficult international economic situation.
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Gaucule, Minister of Industry, Science and Research of Mauritius, delivered a keynote speech, reaffirming the Mauritian government’s determination to develop the clean textile industry, saying that this is an important component of the national strategy of Mauritius’s green economy, and reminded that “otherwise we have achieved nothing over the years. The credibility of the textile industry will suffer irreversible damage.” Regarding the current international economic situation, Gaokule believes that the global financial crisis has caused obvious economic recession in many developed countries. This is the strongest international economic turmoil since the 1930s. Fortunately, the banking industry in Mauritius continues to show a good development trend. The deposit profit margin of the largest bank in Mauritius increased by 50%, and the performance of other banks is also very outstanding. Gaokule believes that the establishment of a “Manufacturing Adjustment and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund” of 500 million rupees will help enhance the competitiveness of Mauritius’s manufacturing industry and small and medium-sized enterprises. When talking about the establishment of the “Textile and Fashion Institute”, Gocule said that the institute will keep up with the trend of the times and focus on the development, quality, improvement and innovation of design and products. It will definitely inject new vitality into the Mauritian textile and garment industry and promote the Mauritian industry. Shift to the production of high value-added products to meet the needs of the global high-end market.
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The Mauritian government has proposed a number of initiatives to develop the clean textile industry, such as the establishment of industrial waste audit regulations, wastewater discharge license management regulations, and national standards for wastewater discharge. The Industrial Waste Audit Regulations are scheduled to be implemented on December 1, 2008 and will provide accurate information on the sources of environmental emission reductions. This is a prerequisite for lowering industrial waste emission standards. Wastewater discharge license management regulations and national wastewater discharge standards are also being finalized, which will guide industrial wastewater, including the textile industry, into sewage pipes.
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The United Nations has listed Mauritius as one of the pilot countries to develop a national plan for sustainable production and consumption. At the same time, Mauritius is also implementing the EU-Mauritius National Strategy 2008-2013, which includes a plan aimed at reducing the adverse impact of industry on the environment and developing an environmentally friendly industrial system.
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ITMF is an important international organization in the world’s textile industry. It mainly provides members with relevant information through surveys, studies, and reports, and organizes annual meetings to help members understand the process of the industrial value chain and express opinions and views on future trends and international trends.
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In July 2008, China Textile Industry Association officially joined ITMF and sent a delegation to attend this annual meeting for the first time as a member.