SDC International India Pvt Ltd in India successfully conducted an 'Engaging Color, Coloration & Compliance with the dyers and Colourists’ at the ongoing ITMACH India 2019 exhibition in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. After the opening ceremony on 5th December 2019, Mr. Yogesh Gaikwad, director of SDC International, introduced SDC, its mission and its objectives to the delegates.

After the opening ceremony on 7th December 2019, Mr. Yogesh Gaikwad, Director of SDC International, introduced SDC, its mission and its objectives to the delegates. He welcomed the delegates, speakers & panellists to the seminar and gave an introduction of the days topic to all the guests followed by the lighting of the lamp by all the dignitaries. Chief guest for the event, SDC CEO Dr Graham Clayton, addressed the gathering of dyers, colourists and other textile value chain stakeholders on the conference theme. He presented various initiatives from the SDC to engage with members and non-members. He highlighted that unless associations adapt, they won’t survive. The SDC two key strategic strands are key:

1)To develop a Colour Education Pathway spanning Further and Higher educational years, through employment and into retirement. This pathway will include Technical and Design communities worldwide and at all levels of qualification including the SDC Designer’s Coloration Certificate, the SDC Foundation & Textile Coloration Certificate and of course the flagship ASDC, and related LSDC, along with CCol Chartered status and FSDC, Fellowship of the SDC.

2) To develop SDC Communities to bring together like-minded individuals based on either geographical or interest commonalities.
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This was followed by four technical sessions in which panel discussion were held.

The first panel discussion on 'Compliance in Textile Manufacturing' was moderated by Mr. Ullhas Nimkar, Director of NIMKARTEX Technical services. The panellists comprised DR Ruma Chakrabarti, Business head-India, Centexbel; Mr. Subhash Bhargava, Managing Director Colorant Ltd; Mr. Subaash Dhananjayan, Managing Director for India & South Asia, The Sting, a Netherlands-based retail brand. In a very interactive session, Mr Nimkar and the team of panellist highlighted the need to screen input chemicals like acids, salts for banned products too as in some cases heavy metals were found in salt. Textiles made of recycled material collected from the sea can also have chemicals that leached out due to prolonged exposure to sunlight.

The second panel discussion on ‘Solutions to sustainable textile colouration’ which was moderated by Mr. Anjani Prasad, Managing director and head brand performance textile specialities India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Archroma India Pvt Ltd. The panellists included Mr. Jayant Khera, Vice president South Asia, DyStar India Pvt Ltd; Mr. Siddharth Raj, Regional marketing manager-dyes responsibility, Huntsman International LLC; DR Binay Choudhary, Chairman, CU Inspection India Pvt Ltd; and Yawar Ali Shah, Chairman and co-founder, AMA Herbal Laboratories Pvt Ltd. It was a matter of concern raised by the panellist that a lot more needs to be done to a ‘cleaner’ colouration of textiles. Brands, Retailers and chemical manufacturers must collaborate and make collective contribution to sustainable textile colouration. Mr Anjani Prasad and the panel gave various example were waste from one industry was used to created durable products in another.

Post lunch session on ‘Brands response to call of sustainability’ was moderated by DR Siva Pariti, Global technical program manager, Sustex Solutions. Mr. Sumit Gupta, Deputy Director, GOTS and Ms. Vandana Arora, Manager, Back Selling & CSI Liaising, DyStar India Pvt Ltd, Mr Ashok Sarda, Vice President Zydex Industries and Venkat Ramana Bhat, Regional Materials Manager were among the panellists. The panellist provided examples of sustainable initiatives by brands, Mr Sarda highlighted the need for using pigments to reduce resources and create better managed colouration. Mr Sumit Gupta
highlighted the success of brands and designers who have embraced organic pathway. Ms Vandana put forward example of recycling by brands and that domestic brands must push much more towards attending a sustainable fashion brand. Mr Bhat briefed about the precautions taken by Colombia during sourcing their raw materials for their products.

Environmental expert DR Jaideep Dudhbhate, consultant at Dr JD Consulting, spoke on ‘Best available technologies for wastewater management’ in the last session.
All the sessions were very informative and interactive. Well appreciated by audience.

Vote of thanks was given by SDC CEO Dr. Graham Clayton with special thanks to all the dignitaries, Speakers, Moderators and panellist who contributed to sharing their knowledge to the esteemed audience. Also, a heartfelt thanks were given to the sponsors, M/s Archroma India Pvt Ltd, M/s Kiri Industries Ltd, M/s AMA Herbal Laboratories Pvt Ltd, M/s GOTS, ITMACH and ISFT for their contribution.