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Vision 2020To double our turnover by 2020 through value addition, process improvement and nourishing talent

MissionTo be an agent of positive change for the stakeholders and community by pursuing an ethical and sustainable business

about us

INTERLOOP LIMITEDAl-Sadiq Plaza, P-157, Railway Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan.Ph: +92 41 4360 400 | F: 92 41 4361 068 | www.interloop-pk.com

• Facing it Together: COVID - 19Cover Story

• Interloop Scholar Completes UG Internship in Turkey• Need based BS Scholarship at NTU• 2nd International Conference on Technical Textiles at NTU• 2nd Mobile Health Clinic for Rural Communities

We Care09

05

• International Womens Day 2020Back Story07

• Message from the CEO

Message04About us03• Mission / Vision• Values• Company Facts

24Health & Happiness

• Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself

• Ranikot Fort

• How to Stay Active while at Home in Self-Quarantine

I-Read

About Pakistan25

Inside the Loop11

• Managers' Dinner• SOCK COLLEGE at Interloop Headquarters• Chairman Interloop Speaks at MAP Seminar• TiE Crazy Conference• Innovation Release Conference• Stichd Sourcing Leadership Visits Interloop• MTO Batch 2019-2020• Apparel Export Seminar on Future Dynamics of Apparel Business Market • Target Awards Abdul Khaliq ‘Business Partner Technical Designer’ Accreditation• Sustainable Textile Bleaching Initiative• Long Service Awards for Non-Executives• Activities at Love & Learn Daycare: 1) Winter Celebrations at Plant 1 2) Sports Day at Plant 2

contents

Welcome Aboard21

Values

I C A R E

Act with Integrity

Nurturing a CaringCulture

Accept Responsibility,Be Accountable

Achieving the HighestStandards

Respect for Environment,Respect for the People

Annual Turnover to the tune of US$ 280millionPakistan’s 6th largest exporting firmLargest listed textile company on Pakistan stock exchange by market capitalizationMulti-category, multi-country partner providing end to end solutions to customersLarge well-equipped industrial infrastructure available throughout multiple locations

Responsible partner with deep relationships with the global brands & retailersDiverse team of 23,000+ people from 15 nationalitiesRecognized globally for ethical standards & sustainable business practicesDedicated Vertical Sampling and R&I Centres for customized solutions

Hosiery• 5,000+ knitting machines• 700 million pairs of socks production capacity annually

INTERLOOP LIMITEDOne of the world’s largest Hosiery manufacturers with a network spread

across 7 countries and 3 continents through affiliates

Yarns• 26 million kgs of top quality yarn manufactured annually• 5 million kgs annual dyeing capacity with 0.9 million kgs annual air covering

• Planned capacity of 1 million pcs/month in 2021 with current capacity of 500,000 pcs/monthDenim

Knitwear• Planned for a complete vertical setup by 2021 with a capacity of 5.4 million pcs/month & current capacity of 520,000 pcs/month

• Planned capacity of 540,000 pcs/month by 2021 with current capacity of 110,000 pcs/month

Seamless

• Interloop Denim• Interloop North America

In the Spotlight22• Interview with Shahid Majeed, Plant Head Denim

• Denim at a Glance

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cover storyThe World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on Mar 11, 2020, as it was causing a huge impact on peoples’ lives, families and communities, with millions falling sick or succumbing to this viral disease, globally. The pandemic has also presented a significant existential challenge for people as well as organizations all over the world because lockdown across countries to prevent the spread of the disease has created an economic crisis as all kinds of businesses have been shut down except those producing bare essentials.

Stock markets have crashed, businesses have filed bankruptcy and countries in emerging economies are struggling to provide for the underprivileged. In the face of this evolving global meltdown, organizations needed to respond quickly to help protect their workers and their bottom lines.

With the ever-evolving yet fluid situation, Interloop took immediate actions to keep its people safe & healthy during this global crisis by assessing organizational exposure, positioning itself to appropriately support key stakeholders, including employees and customers.

Interloop worked on a 3 pronged approach to combat COVID-19 at its end:

Awareness: Educate the People• At all Interloop manufacturing plants and offices,

awareness sessions were conducted, standees & posters were displayed, online communications were sent to all staff, and regular announcements were made through the Public Address System, by HR & EHS teams, creating understanding about COVID-19 and its prevention

• Interloop, as the immediate step, assured that all hygiene procedures & protective protocols, advised by the government, were adopted and followed throughout the company, diligently

Communication: Inform the People• For the safekeeping of our people, a complete guideline

on travel advisory was implemented within the company • Precise quarantine instructions were provided to

employees & their families keeping in mind their health & safety during the crisis

• An extraordinary leave policy was approved for the employees

• In case of virus symptoms detected in any employee, company-paid testing facility was offered for quarantined employees

• For any medical emergency, on-site doctor was available at every plant and his/her contact detail was recirculated among employees through email

• A regular communication flow was maintained from the CEO to the employees regarding the developing situation and taking self-care measures for people’s safety

• A cross-functional COVID-19 response team was formed and a dedicated helpline was set-up to address any issues faced by the employees

Control Measures: Save the People• EHS & Support Services regulatory task forces ensured

implementation of all approved mandatory protocols & their continuity, including installation of hand sanitizers at multiple locations inside company/plants premises within easy access of employees and regular fumigation was carried out across all offices & factories for mass sanitization of the work floors

• SOPs were developed for security staff and gate control, provision of gloves, visitors’ protocol and symptoms screening points were set up at all entrances of the company as a strict measure of safety implementing

• Interloop closed its Hosiery, Spinning, Dyeing, Denim, Knitwear, and Active Wear Plants and Corporate Offices following the lockdown directives of the government

• Online and Digital tools, constant updates and Work From Home protocols were put in place by the MIS team so that the executive staff could work effectively from the safety of their homes. All staff was advised to follow the safety and social distancing guidelines communicated by the company

• A complete SOP was put in place and all preventive hygiene measures are being exercised on partial resumption of operations. Same will be followed on recommencement of full operations

Community Initiatives• Fulfilling our social responsibility, Interloop has

earmarked PKR 60 million to support the communities and will further enhance the contribution as per the growing requirement

• To ensure that our frontline doctors & medical staff were properly equipped and protected, Interloop has provided 100,000 masks to National Disaster Management Authority, and PPEs & Equipment to various hospitals in Faisalabad and Lahore

• We have partnered with Nestle Pakistan and Interloop Welfare Trust has donated 50,000 liters of milk for the people in need

• To help the underprivileged who are unable to earn their livelihood due to lockdown, Interloop has provided food hampers to 15,000 deserving families in Faisalabad and Kasur districts.

Interloop intends to take further measures as the situation unfolds in the coming days to manage Peoples’ Wellbeing. Our business is in a strong position and we have durable strategies in place to deal with this incredible challenge. We employ around twenty three thousand people and protecting their livelihood is one of our foremost priorities. We believe that to be effective, public health measures must be implemented with full engagement of all members of the society, and should be accompanied with clear and fair communication to enable people to make informed decisions to protect themselves and help achieve the public health goal of controlling this outbreak.

With the blessing of God Almighty, responsible and bold decisions of Interloop management and dedication of Interloop’s People, We will Face it Together!

Facing it Together: COVID - 19

message from the ceo

Navid Fazil Chief Executive Officer

Dear Stakeholders,

The coronavirus outbreak is a human tragedy having a growing devastating impact on the global economy. Amid this universal pandemic situation, millions have been affected around the world and most enterprises, communities and people are trying to cope with the current situation and looking forward to adopting the new normal, whatever it will be and whenever it will come.

At Interloop, we kick-started 2020 with some great achievements, including historic production and shipment levels in hosiery, commencement of production at our most modern denim apparel manufacturing plant and scaling up plans for the knitwear apparel & seamless active wear manufacturing pilot plants, positioning Interloop as a multi-category multi-country partner of choice for our customers. However, like all other enterprises of the world, we are also experiencing unprecedented circumstances and I want to thank all of you for your commitment to the continuity of our business.

Our priority has always been the safety of our people. Interloop, pledging to its mission, remained committed to safeguarding the interest and wellbeing of our employees, who are our most important stakeholders. During the last few weeks, we have worked tirelessly to transform our business practices, ensuring enhanced health & safety focused conducive environment and applications, for our employees, whether they work from home or at our functional manufacturing facilities. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, our HR & MIS teams have fully concentrated on educating our employees by providing training, support and resources that ensure a successful transition. Detailed instructions on various measures including awareness campaigns about disease & prevention, symptoms screenings, social distancing efforts and working from home options were cascaded down in time and at regular intervals through SOPs & multiple communications.

Whether it's our internal or external community, Interloop has always stood by its people in the hour of need and this time is no different. We earmarked PKR 60 million to support the communities and provided food hampers to 15,000 deserving families, 100,000 masks to National Disaster Management Authority, and PPEs & Equipment for the front line doctors & medical staff at various hospitals of Faisalabad, Lahore, Gujrat & Kasur. We also partnered with Nestle Pakistan and Interloop Welfare Trust donated 50,000 liters of milk for the people in need. The contributions are continuing and we will keep on providing complete support to our people.

Business decisions including re-strategizing, cost control and consolidation of production ensured that we remain in a strong position to deal with this challenge. To keep supporting our customers in these circumstances, we optimized production by initially scaling it down at some

plants, went for a complete lockdown later as per instructions from the government and are now operating partially at selected facilities. Concurrently, we are in regular contact with our customers, apprising them of the on-going situation and providing them best possible support required. We are prepared to take swift decisions to deal with any and all eventualities as the situation unfolds.

Our business is in a strong position and we have sturdy strategies in place to deal with this incredible challenge. We work with some of the world’s leading brands and retailers and enjoy great relationship with them. They are collaborating with us in this crisis as they value Interloop as a responsible partner of choice. I would like to assure you of Interloop’s unwavering commitment to all its stakeholders.

No big crisis is an isolated, neatly contained incident, and the COVID-19 outbreak is exceptional by any worldly standards. It has appeared with extremely high level of uncertainty and it’s a situation well beyond the experience of most of us. While we are trying to navigate through this crisis, we need to act smartly with resolve, resilience, return, re-imagination, and reform. I have full faith that we are up to the challenge and with the grace of God Almighty and by working together, sharing, and supporting one another, we will come through this as a stronger and more united team.

My prayers and best wishes for you and your families!

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back storyInternational Women’s Day 2020

As per history, the first National Woman's Day was observed in the United States on Feb 28. The Socialist Party of America designated this day in honour of the 1908 garment workers' strike in New York, where women protested against working conditions.

Celebrated on Mar 8 every year, the International Women's Day is dedicated to honoring the achievements of women throughout history and all across the globe, celebrating their social, economic, cultural and political achievements. It is typically a day for women from all different backgrounds and cultures to band together to create awareness and pledge for gender parity and women's rights.

On Mar 4, 2020 International Women’s Day theme “Each for Equal” was celebrated amidst a vibrant event at the Sports Ground of Interloop Limited, Plant 1, Faisalabad. It was an event exclusively for female employees who drove in from four Hosiery Plants and Spinning. This year’s theme was a call to action for gender equality, which is in accordance with the company’s philosophy, that acknowledges the contributions and achievements of the robust Interloop women. Interloop takes pride in being an equal opportunity employer by hiring women in all cadres including non-traditional areas and STEM jobs.

Guests of Honour at this occasion were Asma Ijaz Cheema; Assistant Deputy Commissioner Faisalabad, Ayesha Khan; differently abled artist and Farzana Zulqarnain; wife of Chairman Interloop Limited. The audience enjoyed the program that included motivational skits, charming dance, exciting games and song competition performed by Interloop women.

Inspirational speaker & artist Ayesha Khan from Faisalabad, related her moving story of building her own identity with

courage against all odds. Despite being born without limbs, she self-taught herself and expressed her emotions and creativity through art, by gripping the pencil between her left shoulder & jaw to sketch, paint or do calligraphy. Khan unveiled her beautiful work at the occasion. She expressed that there were no boundaries restricting expression, talent & creativity. These assets were beyond the limits of gender and disabilities.

Our second Guest of Honour, Asma Ijaz Cheema; a spectacular example of gender equality through her contributions within her challenging professional role, shared her thoughts and said that gender equality was a collective prerogative for all who support human rights.

Speaking on the occasion, Rahat Naseem, Deputy Manager Audit Interloop gripped everybody’s attention by sharing her success story. A bubbly personality with decades long experience, Rahat faced her worst nightmare when she got diagnosed with moderate Intestinal Cancer. It was a hard time when she was juggling with her personal & professional lives and fighting hard to beat the cancer through numerous chemotherapies. Now fully recovered, Rahat thanked Interloop management for their full support and her colleagues for all the prayers and best wishes in recovering from this deadly disease.

In her closing remarks, Farzana Zulqarnain appreciated the stage performances and expressed gratitude to the female employees for their enthusiasm, hard work and devotion to the company. The event proceeded with the awards ceremony and ended with delicious lunch for all in attendance.

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we care

In Mar 2019, Interloop Limited established a Scholarship Grant at the National Textile University (NTU), Faisalabad to enhance learning and exposure of NTU students by sponsoring one academic semester at an international university. Abdul Moeed, a Polymer Engineering Degree Program student, with a brilliant academic record & CGPA 3.92, went to Bursa Uludag University, Turkey as the first scholar and completed his BS Polymer Engineering Internship. During his 3 months’ internship, Abdul Mooed gained theoretical and practical experience of the subject and visited Batmez Tekstil and Bursalri Tekstil as part of his learning. Moeed has recently presented his report on Surface Analysis on Production & Management Process for Polymer Engineering to the NTU faculty upon his return to Pakistan. NTU’s management has awarded him with the acknowledgment shield for the completion of his academic year. We wish him all the best for his future endeavors.

In Sep 2019, Interloop Limited signed an agreement with National Textile University (NTU) Faisalabad, to establish a “Need-based Bachelor Sciences Scholarship Program” for enhancing the learning & exposure of meritorious students of BS Textile Engineering, Polymer Engineering, Textile Engineering Technology and Textile Apparel Merchandising.

Gul Khan, a BS Textile Engineering student, got selected as the first scholar to study under this scholarship program. Khan is a bright student and is hopeful that this opportunity will expose him to better learning and help shape a progressive future. Interloop Limited has initially awarded four Scholarships; one each year, to facilitate the complete academic fee of the 4 year Degree Programs, of old and new Interloop scholars. Interloop also supports multiple deserving commendable students through individual scholarships at various prestigious universities in Pakistan.

Interloop scholar working in the lab on a research hypothesisAbdul Moeed working on his research thesis

Abdul Moeed receiving acknowledgement shield from NTU Faculty

Tanveer Husssain, Rector NTU & Col. (Retd) Ijaz Ahmed Nasir, SA toCEO Interloop at the MOU Ceremony

Interloop Scholar Completes UG Internship in Turkey

Need based BS Scholarship at NTU

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2nd International Conference on Technical Textiles at NTU

Interloop was the main sponsor of the 2nd International Conference on Technical Textiles held at the National Textile University (NTU), Faisalabad on Feb 18-19, 2020. It was one of its kind conference where National & International speakers were invited to express their views and share research work covering innovation, as well as industry practices concerning the current era.

Of the 51 talks and sessions during the two-day conference, 43 encompassed technical areas while the rest comprehended policymaking, future directions, and business development. Other topics discussed in the conference were related to textile-based composites, functional textiles, electrospinning, sustainability, technical yarns, performance coatings, biomaterials for technical textiles and digital clothing. The conference was graced by International speakers from USA, UK, Malaysia, Turkey and China while well-known orators from the local industry and academia also presented their research work at this significant forum.

Interloop sponsors such forums as they provide wonderful linkage between the industry and the academia, along with

international exposure and turn out to be promising opportunities for the stakeholders to share knowledge, best practices and innovative ideas for mutual discussion, and deciding the way forward for prosperity of the industry.

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inside the loopEvery year, Mr. & Mrs. Musadaq Zulqarnain, Chairman Interloop Limited and Chairman & CEO Interloop Holdings (Pvt.) Limited and Mr. & Mrs. Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop Limited, host Managers’ Dinner to celebrate the people taking the company forward. On the evening of Feb 29, 2020, the family welcomed the managers and above along with their spouses at the impeccably decorated Dynasty Hall, Faisalabad. As the live Jazz band created magic through instrumental tunes from the new and golden era songs, couples relished the comfortable get-together and chatted away as they helped themselves with seasonal juices and hors d'oeuvres. Senior leadership from Interloop North America, ESP (Interloop Europe) and managers & spouses from Interloop Limited’s Subsidiaries and Interloop Holdings also graced the event. Just before dinner, Musadaq called for attention, and on behalf of him

and his family and Navid and his family, extended gratitude to the managers for their meticulous work & dedication and a bigger thank you to their spouses for their consistent support. He presented a special acknowledgment shield to Hilda McDuff, VP New Business Development Interloop North America, for her exceptional role in managing business relationship with a prestigious global client, Amazon.

Dinner was served with a variety of salads, live grill and an assortment of buffet dishes followed by mouthwatering desserts and coffee, which was enjoyed by everyone. Towards the end, gift hampers were presented to the managers’ spouses. It was a delightful night, well spent and well–remembered.

Managers' Dinner

2nd Mobile Health Clinic for Rural Communities

Interloop Limited presented the 2nd Mobile Healthcare Service Unit to Lok Sanjh Foundation; the implementing partner of Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) in Pakistan, at 493 GB Mamukanjan on Jan 17, 2020. This Mobile Health Clinic is providing free Healthcare services to marginalized Rural Communities, especially women and children in and around Mamoukanjan and Samundari, comprising 50 villages and a population of approximately 7000 people

per village. In 2019, Interloop signed an agreement with Lok Sanjh Foundation to finance the provision of Mobile Healthcare services for marginalized rural communities in cotton-growing areas of 3 Union Councils in District Toba Tek Singh, Punjab. The 1st Mobile Health Clinic started operation in Feb 2019 in Toba Tek Singh and facilitates approximately 4000 rural community members weekly, especially, farmers, women cotton pickers and children.

A doctor checking an elderly woman in 493 GB Mamukanjan

National & International Speakers at the ICTT 2020

Interloop team attending the conference

2nd Mobile Healthcare Service Unit to Lok Sanjh Foundation

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SOCK COLLEGE at Interloop HeadquartersInterloop always focuses on investing in the professional and personal development of its driving force; its people. To provide thorough knowledge of manufacturing socks, from raw materials to finished products, to current employees and newly recruited MTOs, the 2nd SOCKS COLLEGE was held for Executives from Feb 3-4 and for MTOs from Feb 5-6, 2020 at Interloop Industrial Park, Pakistan. Keith Davis, Director Sourcing & Product Development Interloop North America, traveled to Faisalabad to conduct two sessions of Socks College, by sharing the essence of his 40+ years of hosiery experience with 26 executives and 30

MTOs. The two-day interactive session for each group covered the complete product life cycle of socks, from raw materials to knitting to processing and finishing. The participants also visited Interloop Spinning to see how yarns are being manufactured and VSF to understand the product development and samples production process. Keith empowered his class through related presentations, videos and book followed by a test at the end of the seminar. The executives thoroughly enjoyed these learning sessions. The top management also expressed its commitment to keep on organizing such sessions, regularly.

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Chairman Interloop Speaks at MAP Seminar

Marketing Association of Pakistan (MAP) regularly organizes talks of business leaders and decision makers in the public and private sector to create a platform where they can share their ideas and opinions about various important issues and suggest futuristic initiatives to manage bigger challenges faced by the country, including steps for improving international competitiveness of native trade. Musadaq Zulqarnain; Chairman Interloop Limited and Chairman & CEO Interloop Holdings (Pvt.) Limited addressed a distinguished audience of businessmen and marketing & business professionals during his talk, organized by MAP Lahore at Pearl Continental Hotel, Lahore on Jan 7, 2020. Speaking at the seminar, Musadaq shared the success story of Interloop Limited in the light of “Winning in a Disruptive World”. Relating to his experience, he suggested that to

survive in today’s dynamic and volatile environment, we needed to transform the way we worked by adopting new collaborative business models, manufacturing excellence, responsible partnerships & most of all, by staying ahead of the curve. Musadaq believed that there were huge opportunities in the textile hosiery and garment businesses that are yet to be explored. He advocated that to optimize the success of any business model, the management skills of our people needed to be enhanced through efficient development & training programs. He highlighted Interloop’s key success factors as investing in developing its People and inducting latest technologies, improving the work environment, implementing world-class practices and above all, working with a sense of purpose.

Audience keenly listening to Chairman Interloop Limited and Chairman &CEO Interloop Holdings (Pvt.) Limited at the Seminar

Musadaq Zulqarnain; Chairman Interloop Limited and Chairman &CEO Interloop Holdings (Pvt.) Limited sharing Interloop’s success story

TiE Crazy ConferenceInterloop Limited encourages entrepreneurial mindset and is always at the forefront to collaborate with compatible enterprises like TiE to promote entrepreneurship prospects in the country. TiE Crazy, a flagship event was hosted by TiE Lahore on Jan 25, 2020, that featured seven hand-picked

speakers in a TED-style series of talks. The performance-based conference was meant to showcase the entrepreneurial passion of individuals who have defied norms and gone against all odds in what might be perceived as ‘crazy’ by most, to achieve their objectives.

Speakers at the TiE Crazy Talk

Innovation Release ConferenceInterloop’s Research & Innovation Center released its volume 8 of new sock innovations at the “Innovation Release Conference” which was held on Jan 23, 2020, at the Interloop Industrial Park, Faisalabad. Head of Research & Innovation (R&I), Yaser Riaz welcomed the distinguished guests whereas; Muhammad Tanveer briefed the road map of the event to the participants. This year R&I came up with 14 new concepts covering sustainability, aesthetics and performance. Section Heads of R&I, Arif Butt, Farooq Rauf, and Talha Salman presented the sock concepts as per their respective areas to the stakeholders including representatives from Sales & Merchandising, PD and Sourcing. Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop Limited, in his inaugural speech highlighted that innovation paved the way for engaging new customers and it was the responsibility of the marketing teams to carry it forward and make this happen. Faryal Sadiq, VP Sales & Marketing also shared her thoughts and urged the teams to devise strategies through which these innovations could

excel smoothly & broaden the horizons for Interloop’s business.

Different Departmental teams at the Innovation Release Conference

Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop Limited highlighting the importance ofinnovation in offering newer products & solutions to customers

New socks concepts covering sustainability, aesthetics & performance

Stichd Sourcing Leadership Visits InterloopOn Feb 10-11, 2020 Stichd Sourcing Team; Bas Van Den Hoogen, Sourcing Manager; and Josephine Hoekman, Sourcing Coordinator visited Interloop Denim & Hosiery Plant 3, Lahore and Spinning & Hosiery Plant 4 at Interloop Industrial Park, Faisalabad. Josephine was introduced to Interloop’s Sales & Merchandising team as the new sourcing coordinator. Both teams discussed lead-time, certifications,

and sustainable supply chain initiatives & planning, along with expansion and diversification of business into seamless active wear. Stichd team appreciated Interloop’s commitment towards capacity building, skill development and innovative technology initiatives that paved the way towards strengthening the business partnership between both stakeholders.

Stichd & Interloop teams at Hosiery Plant 4Bas Van Den Hoogen & Josephine Hoekman of Stichd inspecting a

sample sock at Plant 4

Female participant presenting her crazy idea to the audience

Audience during a question answer session with the speaker panel

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MTO Batch 2019-2020

Every year, Interloop Limited inducts fresh graduates across its various functions through its flagship Management Trainee Officers Program. The six-month working contract provides MTOs exposure to a variety of operational and strategic roles, thus creating enormous learning and grooming opportunities for the young & fresh appointees. A systematic selection process includes general and subject-based written tests and assessment centers comprising extempore speeches and group discussions. Final interviews are conducted, leading to the selection of the new batch of MTOs.

On Feb 3, 2020, the Corporate HR team organized a combined ceremony for MTOs Batch 2018-19 who successfully passed-out after completing 12 months with Interloop and warmly welcomed 66 new MTOs of the 2019-20 Batch. Aqeel Ahmad, Assistant Vice President People & OD, and Naveed Ahmad Khan, DGM Sales & Merchandizing shared their valuable thoughts to inspire and motivate the young

professionals in the making. During the ceremony, 18 MTOs of the 2018-19 Batch were awarded appointment letters by AVP People & OD.

Following the ceremony, an extensive orientation session was arranged for the new MTOs in which they were briefed about the company & its operations and toured different functional areas and divisions.

Over the next six months, these MTOs will undergo a planned learning and development pathway including extensive Training, Projects, and Assignments. The final assessment of MTOs will be conducted on project reports, presentation evaluation scores, competency-based scores and overall behavior in their respective departments. As per company policy, successful MTOs will be offered permanent jobs based on evaluations & assessments.

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Future Dynamics of Apparel Business Market Seminar

Apparel Export Seminar on Future Dynamicsof Apparel Business Market Japan International Cooperation Agency - JICA’s Apparel Industry Support Project organized the Apparel Export Seminar ‘Future Dynamics of Apparel Business Market’ on Feb 28, 2020, at Pearl Continental Hotel, Lahore. The session was attended by representatives from Interloop Knitwear and Denim, along with business leaders from many Apparel manufacturing organizations.

Japanese Apparel industry specialists presented Japanese market dynamics and customer trends through various presentation demos and infographics accompanied with detailed studies. They shared success stories and successful business models

catering to customer requirements which gave better understanding of Japanese and Chinese Apparel Industry dynamics, market expectations in terms of price and product quality, and how Pakistani Apparel companies can penetrate these markets. The seminar also included a talk on the real-time export challenges faced by the Government of Pakistan, and to resolve them and encourage more exports.

This interactive seminar proved to be a great learning & networking opportunity for Interloop delegates, and future business perspectives were also discussed between Interloop, JICA and PQC.

Target endowed Abdul Khaliq, Sr. Officer Marketing, Interloop Limited with the esteemed award of ‘Business Partner Technical Designer’, at Target Corporation Head Quarters, Minneapolis, USA on Feb 12, 2020. This award has empowered Khaliq to assess socks for FIT & EOF Approvals on Target’s behalf, which implies that Interloop does not need to dispatch the FIT samples to the Target team for approval, and Khaliq can evaluate and approve these on their behalf. This is a progressive step which will lead to process efficiency & will accelerate the process in the supply chain.

As a part of Target’s vendor empowerment strategy, Product Development personnel were invited to submit design samples which were evaluated by Target, and selected candidates were awarded accreditation. Target Business Partner Technical Award

Abdul Khaliq, Sr. Officer Marketing receiving Business Partner Technical Designer Accreditation Award from Faryal Sadiq, VP Sales & Marketing Interloop

Target Awards Abdul Khaliq ‘Business Partner TechnicalDesigner’ Accreditation

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Sustainable Textile Bleaching InitiativeTraditional Textile Bleaching is an important step in textile processing whether the product has to be processed for white or colored. However, the traditional process uses extensive water and chemicals, generating a higher negative impact for the environment. Being aware that Pakistan is already facing water scarcity, companies need to use fresh water wisely in their processes to avoid running out of fresh and clean water. At Interloop Limited, sustainability driven initiatives are continuously being put in place to reduce water, chemical and energy usage in its operations. On Mar 5, 2020, Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop inaugurated the new Sustainable Textile Bleaching Project at the Interloop Industrial Park, Faisalabad. Through this project, up-gradations are being made in the existing processing machines which will now be re-designed for multiple fill and drain system. Process optimization and

engineering controls will make this project get high reproducibility with significant water, chemical and energy reduction. In this newly developed system, once the fabric is bleached, the chemicals will not be drained but collected in two separate storage tanks and will be reused multiple times, thus saving significant amount of water and chemicals. By using this new method, there will also be significant reduction in the pollution load of wastewater at the effluent treatment plant, as most of these chemical recipes will be reused in the system. The newly established system is fully developed, optimized and in use for bulk productions. By providing water, chemical and energy efficiency, this project has the potential to offer one of the best solutions towards sustainable textile processing, along with healthier living environment and improved fresh water situation in the country.

The environmental impact of this Project includes:

SAVINGS

IMPACTS

Water Saving 94,500 Liters/Day - 34,492,500 Liters/Year

Steam Reduction 3,785 kg/Day - 1,362,600 kg/Year

Electricity Saving 60 kWh/Day - 21,600 kWh/Year

Chemical Reduction 157 kg/Day

Daily Water use for families (based on 6 members family) 29,842 Families

Tree seedlings grown for 10 years 1,984

Long Service Awards for Non-Executives Every year, Interloop Limited recognizes and celebrates the long association of its non-executive employees with the organization in many ways; the Long Service Awards being one of them. This year, the Long Service Awards Ceremony was held on Feb 26, 2020, at Hosiery Plant 1, Faisalabad. The occasion epitomized the acknowledgment and gratitude of the management towards its people who have worked with the organization for a significant amount of time and have contributed their share in the success of the business. The company recognized 540 employees who have completed 10 years of service with Interloop.

Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop Limited along with Aqeel Ahmed, AVP People & Organization Development and Heads of

Departments graced the ceremony with their presence. Navid accredited the determination and hard work of the awardees who helped the company to achieve business & performance excellence. On this occasion, he reiterated that for Interloop, its people were its biggest asset.

The Long Service Awardees were presented with a recognition shield, one-month gross salary, monthly scholarship for one eligible child from Nursery up to Graduation and nomination for the Hajj draw. The event ended with prayer for prosperity of the people and the company followed by delightful refreshments.

Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop Limited acknowledging the awardees fortheir commitment & hard work

Gulbahar Liaqat, Officer HR welcoming the awardees at the event

Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop Limited & Aqeel Ahmed, AVP People &Organization Development with an awardee

A Long Service awardee with Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop Limited

Long Service awardees keenly listening to the CEOSustainable Textile Bleaching Progress MonitorNavid Fazil, CEO Interloop discussing the progress of Sustainable Textile

Bleaching Initiative with the team

Navid Fazil, CEO Interloop Limited with the project team of Sustainable Textile Bleaching; a water recycling project at Interloop Industrial Park

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Activities at Love & Learn Daycare

Sports Day at Plant 2Love & Learn Daycare, Plant 2 celebrated Sports Day on Mar 3, 2020, to encourage physical exercise, promoting a healthy environment for the children. After the recitation of Dua, the energetic event progressed with a welcome speech by Zunera Mehdi, Daycare Administrator. The youngsters were dressed in bright colored Red and Blue attires, representing their teams and enthusiastically participated in the March Past. Toddlers and Preschoolers competed in multiple games including water pouring, balls collecting, spoon race and frog race. The winners were presented with medals while all the participants were offered gift hampers. It was a fun-filled day for the children where they learnt to compete individually and in teams as their bond grew stronger with their peers.

Winter Celebrations at Plant 1On Jan 10, 2020, working mothers at Interloop and their children gathered at the Love & Learn Daycare, Plant 1 to enjoy and celebrate various winter activities organized for the children to learn and differentiate between the 4 seasons. To create the perfect ambiance, the teachers decorated the center beautifully with winter-themed ornaments, a snowman, and artificial snow balloons while all the games and songs were themed around the winter season.

Early year learning among children is more effective through interactive games and activities and a set curriculum, which is prepared with keen interest and thorough curriculum by skilled and trained staff at Interloop Daycare centers. Mothers, children & teachers thoroughly enjoyed the fun-filled activities together and mothers appreciated the role of daycare staff in organizing such a delightful event.

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New Management Hires

Syed Muhammad Kazim Hussain has joined Interloop Denim as Deputy General Manager Laundry in Mar 2020. He is a seasoned professional with 15 years’ diversified experience in Research & Development and Bulk Execution in Garment Wet Processing in various organizations, around Pakistan. His last role before joining Interloop was General Manager Washing at Artistic Milliners.

Previously, he has worked on different key positions with US Apparel and Nishat Apparel, Lahore and Beximco Group, Dhaka. He earned his degree in textile engineering from Textile Institute of Pakistan, Karachi. His areas of interest include reading newspapers & books and spending time with family.

Syed Muhammad Kazim HussainDeputy General Manager Denim

Dorothy McNee joined Interloop North America as Business Development Manager Denim in Jan 2020. She has extensive knowledge of apparel, textiles and denim industry. Most recently, she was the principal owner of I.T.S. Group International Sourcing where she represented leading denim mills working with US Retailers and Denim Brands.

She has a strong background in Product Development, Design Management, Raw Material Sourcing, and Textiles. Her passion for sustainability and upcycling has been a focus for her in areas related to textiles and products. Dorothy traveled to Pakistan to work with the denim team to strategize on customer acquisition and product development for key US customers. Her focus will be on building business affiliations with strategic denim partners for Interloop.

Dorothy McNeeBusiness Development Manager Denim

Interloop Denim

Interloop North America

Maj. Zubair Ahmed Khan (Retd) has joined Interloop Denim as Chief Security Officer in Mar 2020. Zubair has 27 years’ experience in ranking up to Major in the Pakistan Army while serving in Infantry Battalion, Infantry Brigade and Senior Headquarters, with specialty in the field of Operational Security, Administration, Recruiting, Relief and Rescue. His hobbies include long drives, and

exploring the cultural heritage of Pakistan.

Maj. Zubair Ahmed KhanChief Security Officer Denim

welcome aboard

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Denim at a Glance

Interloop has entered the Denim Apparel Manufacturing Segment and set up a production facility with minimal environmental impact, prioritized worker well-being and maintaining high standards of operational and cost efficiency. The Plant started operations in Dec 2019, with current production capacity of 500,000 pcs per month, to be enhanced to 1 million pcs per month by 2021. The plant has been designed in line with Lean concepts, will promote gender diversity and is expected to achieve a 50:50 male to female ratio. The production facility has been focused on acquiring LEED Platinum Certification and will be the most technologically advanced and sustainable Denim Apparel production facility in this part of the world.

The scope of operations includes Cut & Sew, Laundry and Packing & Accessories. Eco-friendly technologies are being used to replace aggressive processing agents and reduce water consumption. Installed auto-cutter for the quality precision with minimum cutting wastages due to cut on zero buffer. Also, installed automated back pockets in stitching with an installed capacity of 720 sewing machines, to reduce the dependencies on trained operators. The laundry area is fully focused on sustainability, leading the way for the industry in Pakistan. To achieve our sustainability targets, we have installed the

latest automated lasers, Tonello Core & Up Technology, Triveneta Green Dryers, and Jeanologia Ozone Technology at the facility. Laser machines have been commissioned to replace manual processes for minimizing the impact on workers and improving quality. Overhead hanging systems have been put in place to ensure a Lean manufacturing system. Built-in quality measures have been put in place to minimize defects and rework. The implementation of new and eco-friendly technologies will have favorable impacts both on our people and our planet and will enhance worker safety, boost productivity and minimize the risk of work-related accidents or long term illness.

At Denim Plant, experienced and expert resources have been hired on senior positions to train a fresh workforce through PSDF (Punjab Skill Development Program). 70% of our workforce has been trained from scratch in a span of 4 to 16-weeks, depending upon the complexity of the operation. Interloop Denim takes pride in its people who are young, talented and highly experienced in their fields. So far, the Facility has achieved its production and quality targets and has also passed the audit of various top brands and retailers including Inditex, Macy’s, Wunche, Takko, KIK.

in the spotlightInterview with Shahid Majeed, Plant Head Denim

Brief introduction of yourselfI am a Textile Engineer by profession and Plant Head at Interloop Denim. With 20 years’ experience in the Textile Industry, my key areas of focus have been denim and non-denim manufacturing. Professionally, I have also been associated with US Denim Mills, Crescent Bahuman and Crescent Textiles Mills Limited. Academically, I hold a bachelor’s degree in Textile Engineering with specialization in Textile Chemistry.

What are the fundamentals of your work style?New challenges interest me and I accept them head on to find end-to-end solutions. I believe that a well-trained team leads you to performance excellence and impacts business excellence, directly. My leadership role is to build and coach a skilled team that qualifies to produce smart future leaders.

How interesting has been your journey with Interloop?Very interesting! Breath-taking really! It had a great impact on my professional career, as I experienced first-hand unique ways of operations, best practices of Lean and a build-in quality approach in the apparel industry. Garment manufacturing is a human resource intensive business compared to fabric. It also helped me in developing my human resource skills.

Which personality has inspired you the most in your life?My mother has inspired me the most. She has taught me self-belief and how to handle challenges, patiently.

How do you manage your work-life balance?Build a strong team, do sound planning, set clear goals and then delegate tasks, is my mantra to strike a work-life balance. If you have a strong team it saves you extra time that you would have otherwise spent at the office.

What has been the most incredible moment of your life?Becoming a textile engineer was an incredible thing to happen in my life. While I was studying at University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore, I appeared in the admission test for National Textile University, Faisalabad, half-heartedly and despite being acutely prepared for it, I got admission along with other 42 students. As I look back on my journey after becoming an accomplished textile professional today, it still amazes me.

Where do you see the department in the next five years?A lot has changed due to the global pandemic crisis. Initially we were looking forward to full throttle working in the initial six months of 2020. We are now working on revised strategies and are positive that we will work this around. My ultimate goal is to be one of the top 5 denim companies in Pakistan with 60k capacity/day within the next 5 years.

What advice would you like to give to your younger colleagues?My two cents for my younger colleagues would be to stay focused and accept new challenges while working smart. Resilience is the key to success so give it your best shot!

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How to Stay Active while at Home in Self-Quarantine

Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself William W.Li, MD

Excercise DailyStretches, Yoga, Walks, Zumba, Weights & Skipping

Learn New ThingsOnline Courses, Books Crosswords & Quiz

Choose Healthy FoodsDrink Water, Avoid Overeating, Eat Fruits and Vegetables Avoid Sugary Drinks and Snacks

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about pakistanRanikot FortThe Ranikot Fort also known as Dewar-e-Sindh (Great Wall of Sindh), with a circumference of about 26 km or 16 miles, is reputed to be the largest unexplored fort in the world. Since 1993, it has been on the list of tentative UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is located in the Kirthar Range, about 30 km southwest of Sann, in Jamshoro District, Sindh, Pakistan. Ranikot is the most talismanic wonder of Sindh. Visible from five kilometers away its massive undulating walls twist and dip over the hills. Its walls are built with dressed sandstone and reinforced with 45 bastions along the outer wall, of which 7 are rectangular and the remaining are round. All modified through the ages to accommodate the use of gunpowder, this perhaps makes it the largest fort in the world.

The original purpose and architects of Ranikot Fort are unknown. Some archaeologists attribute it to Arabs or possibly built by a Persian noble under the Abbasids by Imran Bin Musa Barmaki who was the Governor of Sindh in 836. Others have suggested a much earlier period of construction attributing to at times the Sassanians Persians and at times to the Greeks. Despite the fact that a prehistoric site of Amri is nearby, there is no trace of any old city inside the fort and the present structure has little evidence of prehistoric origins. “The size of Ranikot defies all reasons. It stands in the middle of nowhere, defending nothing” writes Isobel Shaw. So why was this fort built here in the desolate terrain of the Kirthar range? Many theories have been developed to answer this question. According to Ishtiaq Ansari, the Talpurs

had sent their families to Thar and Kachchh when Afsharids attacked Sindh during the times of Kalhoras. However, after acquiring the rule of Sindh, they wanted a safe and secure place where they can send their families during troubling times. This might have prompted them to rebuild this fort to their needs. Rahimdad Khan Molai Sheedai holds the view that its location in Kohistan on the western frontiers of Sindh gave it its strategic value. Whereas Mazher Ansari is of the opinion that, it was first constructed in the Achaemenid Dynasty of the Persian Empire (550 – 330 BC).

As this empire stretched from Turkey in the west, where a similar wall is constructed near the Caspian Sea called The Great Wall of Gorgan, which is 155 km in length and to the east up to River Indus in Sindh, where this majestic fort is located.

Connect with your CreatorPray, Be Grateful, Meditate, Have Faith, Replace Fear with Hope

Avoid Information OverloadWatch News Once, Use Reliable Sources

Keep a Daily RoutineSet Timetable, Goals, To Do List, Maintain Personal Hygiene

Laughter TherapySmile, Tell Jokes, Watch Comedies

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employees corner quranic verses

TRANSLATION:And when i am sick, it is He who cures me. (80) Surah Ash-Shu’ara

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Long Service Awards for Non-Executives

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