SRINAGAR, Feb 24: The export of renowned hand-knotted carpets from Kashmir has received a significant boost as the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration (NABL) has renewed the accreditation of the Carpet Testing Lab at the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT). NABL is the sole authority responsible for granting accreditation for various testing methods nationwide.
The IICT Testing Lab, distinguished as the first accredited textile laboratory in Jammu & Kashmir, has successfully met all necessary criteria for renewal, adhering to the Quality Management System in accordance with NABL guidelines and the recommendations of appointed experts.
Zubair Ahmad, the Director of IICT, shared that this renewed accreditation validates the lab’s capabilities, including the Geographic Indication (GI) tagging and labeling of Kashmir’s hand-knotted carpets through a Cloud-based QR Code Mechanism. “The renewal of accreditation, under No.12654, follows a thorough technical audit and on-site evaluation conducted by NABL experts on November 9th and 10th of last year,” he noted.
Since its establishment in 2022, the IICT lab has tested and certified approximately 16,000 carpets, significantly enhancing their export potential. “We encourage all carpet sector business partners to utilize our lab for GI testing and labeling, as this will increase sales and foster buyer trust, especially against the backdrop of counterfeiting challenges,” he advised.
Additionally, the Director highlighted that the IICT lab became the first in Jammu & Kashmir to receive prestigious NABL accreditation in the textiles sector in 2023, aligning with ISO/IEC standards. “This renewal will greatly assist in the testing and quality certification of not just hand-knotted carpets but also other non-GI textile products from the Kashmir valley, ensuring compliance with ISO standards,” he added.
