About Us

All Pakistan Power Looms Association (APPLA) is the national voice of Pakistan’s power- loom and weaving micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Headquartered in Faisalabad, the country’s largest weaving cluster we represent owner-operators, factory units, job-work houses and allied suppliers across Punjab and beyond. Our members form the backbone of Pakistan’s woven textile value chain, supplying grey cloth to processors, garment makers and exporters at home and abroad.

Our Mandate

• Policy & Tariff Advocacy: Engaging federal and provincial authorities on energy pricing, taxation, import duties and sectoral incentives to keep mills running and jobs protected. APPLA and allied bodies have a long track record of mobilising on electricity tariffs and fuel adjustments when sector viability is at risk.
• Cluster Development: Working with chambers and industrial-estate companies in Faisalabad to improve infrastructure, utilities, safety and access to common facilities (e.g., proposed weaving city initiatives, shared services, skills and testing).
• Standards & Compliance Support: Guiding members on labour, ESG, and product- quality requirements demanded by processors and international buyers.
• Skills & Productivity: Promoting training for loom operation, maintenance and efficiency improvements—from conventional power looms to shuttle-less upgrades.
• Market Linkages: Facilitating connections between weavers, processors and exporters to strengthen local supply and export readiness.

Why the Power-Loom Sector Matters

Textiles are Pakistan’s largest industrial employer and export earner—contributing roughly 52% of total exports, employing ~3 million workers directly (and many more indirectly), and adding materially to manufacturing output and GDP. Within this, weaving is pivotal: Pakistan has an installed base in the hundreds of thousands of power looms (commonly cited around 350,000–375,000), mostly concentrated in Faisalabad and surrounding districts. A resilient weaving base is essential to keep processors and garment exporters supplied with fabric.

Our Work in a Challenging Environment

The weaving MSME ecosystem operates under tight margins and cyclical shocks—energy prices, cotton/yarn volatility, and demand swings. APPLA consistently raises members’ concerns with policymakers and utilities when tariff spikes or outages threaten livelihoods and export pipelines. Media reporting has documented periods when thousands of looms have shut and jobs were lost, underscoring the urgency of pragmatic, pro-industry solutions that balance fiscal realities with employment and export growth.

Our Ecosystem & Partnerships

We collaborate with chambers (e.g., FCCI in Faisalabad), industrial-estate authorities, and public bodies working on regional industrial planning, skills and infrastructure. Faisalabad alone accounts for the overwhelming share of weaving activity in the division, making cluster-level planning essential for competitiveness and formalisation.

Who We Represent

• Independent power-loom units and cottage-industry operators
• Small and medium weaving sheds supplying grey cloth
• Job-work houses serving processors and garment manufacturers
• Allied traders, spares and maintenance providers

Our association maintains a presence in Montgomery (D Ground) / central Faisalabad, reflecting our historical roots in the city’s weaving bazars and industrial clusters.

Governance

APPLA is led by an elected council of industry practitioners who set strategy and oversee committees for policy, utilities, skills, compliance and member services. We uphold transparent representation of MSME interests and coordinate closely with peer associations across the textile value chain.

What We Stand For

• Competitiveness: Reliable energy, fair tariffs and cost-reflective policies for MSMEs
• Modernisation: Gradual technology upgrades and productivity gains in weaving
• Formalisation: Easier compliance pathways for small units to access finance and schemes
• Jobs & Inclusion: Protecting and growing decent work in Pakistan’s largest industrial employer
• Export Readiness: Stable fabric supply into processing and garment exports