Guess where Israeli police officers get their uniforms from? Kerala! That’s right. Maryan Apparel Pvt Limited, a lesser known dressmaker from Valiyavelicham, near Kannur in north Kerala, has been providing one lakh shirts to Israeli Police for the past three-and-a-half years.
It all started when an Israeli police commander along with the superintendent, lady officer, designer, and quality controller approached an apparel manufacturer in Kerala for sourcing uniforms for their police force.
“Israel Police team spent five days here inspecting the trial pieces we created and checking whether they fit well. Then again, after a few more weeks, they all returned to oversee our initial production,” said MD of Maryan Apparel Thomas Olickal to ToI.
They stitch the double-pocket shirts for them along with designing and attaching the trademark emblems on the sleeves. The company has supplied uniforms for Kuwait’s fire service and national guard as well. Soon they might start stitching and supplying uniforms for the Philippine Army.
“We are supplying uniform shirts to the Israeli police- both men and women officers- for the last three years,” Sijin Kumar, accounts and administration manager of the company told PTI.
Earlier, the company also used to supply trousers. However, now that order has gone to a Chinese firm.
The consignment goes through several quality checks as the Israeli officials check every minute details of the stitching and embroidery. However, now a Tamil-Nadu based company has been given the responsibility of checking the quality.
As per the factory Manager, Shaneesh TV the number of uniforms stitched at the unit depends on their requirements and can be anything between 50,000-1,00,000 annually. The company imports the material for the uniform from the US and the final product is made at the company’s own mill in Mumbai.
Besides Israeli Police uniforms, Maryan Apparel specialises in uniforms of army men, police personnel, security officers and health service workers of various countries across the globe. As per PTI report, they supply school uniforms, doctors’ coats, corporate wears, dress for supermarket staff and coveralls.
Maryan Apparel was launched at the state-run Kinfra Park in 2006 and later in 2008, it was shifted to Kannur with an objective to bring in some employment to local people after they become jobless due to the decline of the traditional beedi sector there. Around 850 people work here with the majority of women.
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