Kerala garment factory stitches uniforms for Israeli police

Thiruvananthapuram: Despite the political differences in Kerala over Israel's action on Palestine, Kerala continues to have a firm business tie-up with the Israeli police force.

An apparel factory in Kerala's Kannur district has been supplying uniforms for Israeli police personnels over the last six years. Every year, around one lakh uniforms for Israeli police personnel are being exported from the Maryan Apparel Factory at Koothuparamba in Kannur.

Maryan Apparel factory in Kannur.

The firm which has been supplying uniforms to many other countries has much social relevance too as around 1,300 of the 1,500 employees are women. The firm also provided employment to many who lost their jobs after the beedi industry of Kannur faced a crisis. The Mumbai headquartered firm is run by Malayali businessman Thomas Olickal.

Factory manager of Maryan Apparel, Shijin Kumar told DH that they received orders for supplying around one lakh uniforms to both male and female police personnel of Israel this year also. "We received the first order six years ago. A team from Israel visited our unit and were satisfied by our products. Thereafter we have been getting orders every year," he said.

Different types of fabrics, including those produced by the factory itself and those imported, are used. The apparel factory also used to get orders for uniforms for jail officials of Israel.

The 18-year-old Maryan Apparel has been focusing on uniform manufacturing and has been supplying uniforms to security agencies in many countries like the Philippines and Kuwait. The firm's production unit was initially in Thiruvananthapuram. Later it relocated to Kannur with the intention of providing employment to scores of beedi workers who were rendered job less.