About the Apparel and Garment Industry in India

The apparel and garment industry is one of the oldest industries in India. For centuries, Indian apparels have been felicitated all around the world. The fine craftsmanship of Indian garments is what makes them so appealing. Indian silk, cotton and denim products are the ones with the most demand. Indian ethnic and traditional garments always have a broad market both overseas as well as domestically. And when it comes to western attire, some Indian brands are also competing toe-to-toe with big foreign brands.

The export market for Apparel and Garments Industry from India

India is the second-largest exporter of apparels and garments in the world (right after China). The countries that Indian Apparel and Garments are expired to most are-

• United States - The United States is the biggest market for Indian Exporters of Apparel and Garments industry. Export to the USA has grown 1.6%, exporting $7.74 Billion worth garment products. It also accounts for 21% of share in India's total apparel and garments export.
• United Arab Emirates - UAE is the second biggest market for Indian apparel. It's export value stand at $3.42 Billion and accounts for 9% share in India's apparel and garments export.
• Bangladesh - Bangladesh has taken the third position for importing Indian apparel, important $2.3 Billion worth products.
• United Kingdom - The United Kingdom has taken fourth place, where $2.27 Billion worth apparel and garments are exported from India.

Other markets for Indian apparel and garments exports include Germany, China, Spain, Italy etc.

Indian Exporters of Apparel and Garments Industry

While India has many big companies of textile and garments, they are mainly manufacturers. These companies use smaller companies to export their product all around the world. Here's a list of top Exporters of Apparel and Garments in India.

• Trident Limited
• Truetzschler India Pvt. Ltd
• Royal Touch Overseas Pvt. Ltd
• Welspun Global Brands Limited
• Khosla Profil Pvt. Ltd
• Phoenix Trading and Consulting Pvt. Ltd

These companies usually export most of the apparel and garments from India.

Important Statistics for the Exports of Apparel and Garments Industry

India's share in the global trade of apparel and garment in 2017 was approximately 5%. The Apparel and Garments industry contributes 2.3% to India's GDP. It also accounts for 12% of India's export earnings. However, the export of apparel and garments dropped 3.46% to $16.37 billion in 2018-19 from $16.71 billion in 2017-18. Meanwhile, exports from Bangladesh and Vietnam increased by 13.7% and 11.19%, respectively, as Indian garments were 10-15% more costly than theirs.

However, it is also considerable that Indian exporters have to face higher trade barriers, 5.9% in the European Union and 6.2% in the United States, while it's 0% (yes!) and 3.9% for Bangladesh. Estimated at $16.2 Billion in Financial Year 2018-19, India’s apparel and garments exports fell by 1.2% from the previous year.

Past and Present Trends in Apparel and Garments Export

Apparel and Garments exporting saw a growth of 1% in FY 2016 and 3% in FY 2017, but fall 4% in FY 2018. In 2019, the export for apparel and garment industry is estimated to de-grow 4-5%, similar to the previous financial year.

Indian Cities from Where Most Apparel and Garments are Exported

Indian garments are exported most from these major cities of India

• Gurgaon

  Gurgaon is the city with most garment manufacturers of apparel and garments. A big percentage of apparels are exported from here. Some of the leading exporters from Gurgaon are Aryan Apparels Pvt. Ltd, Magsons Exports, Modelama Exports, Sangar Overseas etc.

• Ludhiana

  Ludhiana holds the second place for exporting apparel and garments. Some of the exporters from Ludhiana are Pee Jay Import Export, Knitwell Apparels Pvt Ltd, Rider Exports etc.

• Tirupur

  Tirupur is the third city in India where most garments are exported from. Some major companies are Fedmac Export Pvt Ltd, Eastman Exports, Leshark Exports, Senshiv Exports etc.

Other major Indian cities that export the most amount of apparel and garments to the overseas market include Delhi, Noida, Faridabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Jaipur, Surat and Bangalore.

Sub Categories of Apparel and Garments

The Apparel and Garments industry is massive and can be divided into several subcategories. Here, we are picking our top five apparel and garments that get exported from India.

• Formal Clothing

  Many Indian Brands like Raymond and Reliance manufacture some of the best quality shirt, pant and suit for both men and women, that get exported to countries like UAE and UK.

• Men Casual Wears

  Men casual apparel such as Jeans and T-shirts are manufactured by Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Peter England etc brands, exporting their products to a number of countries including Bangladesh and USA.

• Women Casual Wears

  Brands like Allen Solly, Pantaloons and Spykar export their trendy women wear to countries like US, Britain etc.

• Men ethnic wear

  Brands like Raymonds and Manyavar export the finest quality Indian ethnic dresses, such as Kurtas and Sherwanis.

• Women Ethnic Wear

  Brands like Manyavar, Anavila, Global Desi produce and export Indian ethnic dresses for women such as Lehengas, Kurtis, Churidars and Sarees which have high demand in countries like Bangladesh, UAE, US etc.

Indian Ports Where Apparel and Garments are Mostly Exported From

The main export ports that Indian Exporters of Apparel and Garments use are Delhi TKD ICD, Delhi Air, Delhi PPG ICD etc. Delhi TKD ICD alone is used to export approximately 51% of garments. Other important ports are Gurgaon ICD, Kolkata Air, Bangalore ICD, Mumbai Sea etc.

Government Initiatives in Improving the Apparel and Garments Export from India

Indian Apparel and Garments exports are expected to reach $20 Billion in the current fiscal, with a growth rate of 15-18%. With the government introducing new schemes, Textile Commissioner Kavita Gupta said, “Rebates on state levies have been introduced to encourage exports. There is a provision of an additional 10% subsidy for the garment.

She also noted that the textile industry will get an effective 25% capital investment subsidy on the new machines so that the efficiency of the sector could be increased. Also to support the Apparel and Garments industry, The GST Council of India has kept most of the industry under 5% GST Slab. As requested by CMAI, the government have also reduced the tax from 18% to 5% on jobs like Cutting, Knitting, Weaving and Embroidery.

Applications of the Apparel and Garments Industry

In India, almost 45 million people directly work in the garments industry, twenty million people work indirectly, and it is the second-largest employer in the country. By 2020, it is expected that almost 55 million people will work in apparel and garments industry in India. Also, the garments industry is very closely connected to the Fashion Industry of India. So there are a ton of opportunities for creative fashion enthusiasts.