How to Understand Gul Ahmed Brand: History, Export Shutdown & Comparison with Other Textile Companies
Gul Ahmed Textile Mills Limited is one of Pakistan’s most iconic textile and fashion brands, famous for its premium quality fabrics, stylish prints, and powerful retail presence through “Ideas by Gul Ahmed.” With decades of experience, the company grew from a textile manufacturer into a household name, offering clothing, accessories, and home textiles to millions of loyal customers. Recently, however, a major decision to stop its export apparel operations has raised important questions about its future strategy and competition in the market.
Legacy and Global Reach
As one of the pioneers of Pakistan’s textile industry, Gul Ahmed successfully expanded into international markets like the US and UK. For years, it was a leading exporter of apparel and fabrics, building a strong reputation abroad. At home, the launch of “Ideas by Gul Ahmed” revolutionized fashion retail by making high-quality fabrics and ready-to-wear accessible across Pakistan.
Export Apparel Shutdown in 2025
This closure was driven by multiple challenges, including:
- High costs of nominated fabrics and imported materials
- Energy price hikes in Pakistan
- New government taxes (advance turnover tax)
- Strengthening Pakistani Rupee, reducing export competitiveness
- Fierce competition from regional exporters like Bangladesh and India
While the company has not revealed employee layoff figures, the move is expected to reduce financial losses, improve liquidity, and allow Gul Ahmed to focus on profitable segments like home textiles, spinning, weaving, and retail. Importantly, only the export apparel unit has been shut down, not the entire export business.
Gul Ahmed vs Other Textile & Fashion Brands
To understand Gul Ahmed’s position, it is important to compare it with other major textile and fashion players in Pakistan:
| Brand / Company | Strengths | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Gul Ahmed | Strong retail through “Ideas,” recognized exports, premium fabrics | Shut down export apparel in 2025 due to losses |
| Nishat Linen | Part of Nishat Group, strong retail, diversified textile business | Fierce competition from newer fast-fashion brands |
| Khaadi | Innovative designs, global retail stores, popular among youth | Less focused on exports compared to industrial players |
| Sapphire | Trendy ready-to-wear collections, rapid retail expansion | Relatively newer compared to Gul Ahmed & Nishat |
| Alkaram | Strong textile heritage, wide variety of fabrics | Retail growth slower compared to Khaadi & Sapphire |
Impact on Market & Future Outlook
Compared to its competitors, Gul Ahmed remains one of the few brands balancing both retail and large-scale textile manufacturing. The shutdown of export apparel highlights the tough conditions facing Pakistan’s textile exporters but also shows the company’s strategy to protect profitability. Going forward, Gul Ahmed will likely strengthen its home textile exports and retail network to compete with brands like Khaadi, Sapphire, and Nishat Linen that are aggressively expanding their domestic presence.
Conclusion
Gul Ahmed’s decision to stop export apparel is a turning point for the company and the textile industry in Pakistan. Although challenges remain, its strong retail foundation, loyal customer base, and diversified textile operations make it a resilient brand. In comparison with Nishat Linen, Khaadi, Sapphire, and Alkaram, Gul Ahmed still stands as a pioneer and a trusted name, adapting its strategy to survive and grow in an evolving market.
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