Ludhiana: The textiles ministry has launched a strategic offensive to reclaim India’s position in the global wool market, unveiling the Bharat Wool Mark and Pashmina Mark alongside a new export facilitation centre in this industrial city of Punjab.The indigenous certification system is designed to undercut established international benchmarks like Australia’s Woolmark. The move is a strategic attempt to bolster the authenticity of Indian exports and provide small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) with a low-cost alternative to expensive foreign branding.T K Rout, director of the textiles committee, said the industry is facing “stiff competition” and must reposition itself through rigorous standardization. “The Bharat Wool Mark and Pashmina Mark have been introduced to strengthen the wool value chain through branding and standardization,” Rout said. “A label will be supplied with products featuring a QR code, providing an inbuilt traceability mechanism for consumers to verify the product is genuine.“The digital tracking system is a direct response to the “copycat” trade, where synthetic fibers are frequently passed off as premium pashmina or wool in domestic and international markets. The initiative has been met with immediate praise from local industry titans. Mridula Jain, president of the Ludhiana Shawl Club, noted that while the Australian Woolmark remains a global gold standard, its high cost was often prohibitive for local weavers. The new government certification is available for a nominal fee of ₹10,000 for five years.“We have been demanding an indigenous version of international certification for years,” Jain said. “This is a welcome step toward building consumer trust.” The Ludhiana hub is one of six pilot clusters being established across India—including Surat and Varanasi—as the nation chases ambitious 2030 export targets. Beyond traditional wool, the committee revealed it is also exploring “new-age” sustainable fibers derived from banana and lotus plants.
