Printing in Pakistan is an important sector of the country's economy. There are a number of industries in the country that can benefit from it, including textiles and packaging. Moreover, printing is a fast-growing industry in the country that can offer many new job opportunities to a skilled labor force.
Block Printing
The art of block printing is a centuries-old craft in Pakistan and India. In most parts of the country, artisans use wooden blocks carved with designs to print. This process is costly and has been declining in the country.
However, some designers are taking the art forward. Some of them have collaborated with local artisans and are producing unique and exclusive apparel. Other designers offer services to embellish apparel with block prints.
Handwork Studio is a textile design studio that produces textiles with a contemporary design aesthetic. It has worked with artisans in Sind for three years. They also collaborate with artisans in Interior Sind to produce traditional designs.
Blocked is another successful brand that uses traditional crafts to produce contemporary apparel. Their fabrics are available in ready-to-wear, cotton, and formal wear. Wardha Saleem is a textile designer who focuses on designing bright colours and delicate embroidery. She designs formal wear, casual wear, and bridalwear for wedding seasons.
Digital Textile Printing
One of the fastest growing areas of the textile industry is digital textile printing in Pakistan. This technology allows the production of soft and sharp prints on fabric. It also offers many benefits, including a lower manufacturing footprint and less water and chemical usage.
Digital textile printing is more sustainable than conventional textile printing techniques. It reduces the environmental impact of the process and gives consumers opportunities to purchase environmentally-conscious textile products. The global digital textile printing market is divided into three segments: substrate, print process, and application. Each segment has a unique feature.
The most common method of printing on fabric is rotary screen printing. However, this method is not always applicable to the fast fashion industry, as it requires a high minimum order quantity. Digital textile printing is a solution to this problem. Another alternative to rotary screen printing is the use of reactive dyes. In this case, an inkjet printer prints directly onto the fabric surface using specially prepared dyes.
COVID-19
There is no doubt that the outbreak of COVID-19 in Pakistan has a huge impact on the country's economy. A series of bulletins issued by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) outlined the impact of COVID-19 on various economic sectors.
The most important impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Pakistani economy is the lack of growth. The country's GDP growth has slowed from 3.3 percent in FY18 to 2.4 percent in the first nine months of the current fiscal year. As for exports, Pakistan's exports rose 2.2 percent in the first nine months of the current financial year. However, exports in dollar terms only increased marginally.
As for remittances, these are vital for the country's external finances. Remittances are estimated to be equal to eight percent of the nation's GDP. This is largely because of the massive depreciation of the rupee. In January 2019, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reported a 5.6 percent year-on-year increase in inflation. Similarly, the food inflation in the country has also grown steadily.
Packaging industry
The pharmaceutical packaging industry in Pakistan is a growing sector with great potential. It is estimated that the size of the industry will reach around USD 5.53 billion by FY20. However, this growth rate will be slow in the next few years.
Pakistan's packaging industry is divided into four main segments. The first segment is the unorganized sector, which includes hundreds of small firms working in the informal sector. They manufacture cartons, packaging equipment, and plastic crates. The second segment is the organized packaging industry. Most packaging companies are based in Karachi. But there are also many packaging firms in other cities of the country.
The third sector is the manufacturing industry. Manufacturing accounts for approximately 13.5% of the total employment in the country. Many industries have started using plastic sheets for packaging their products. In addition, there are several packaging firms that produce environmentally friendly solutions. Some of these firms are Gravitas, R-Pac Pakistan, Fazlee sons, and Roshan packages.