CMAI’s 61st National Garment Fair kick-started today

The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) is hosting the 61st National Garment Fair, touted as the ‘India’s largest ever apparel trade show commences at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai today.

Strong business activity expected

The fair has been inaugurated by S.K. Panda, IAS, Secretary (Textiles). While appreciating the work of CMAI, he said, “CMAI is doing a good job, industry’s great participation is appreciated, Mumbai is the commercial capital and from here we need to take the development to under developed regions such as north east and others.” “The government is very keen on exports and production with focus on quality and design at affordable prices. North east has tremendous potential; it has been my experience while working over there. Organizing the industry is what we are targeting for Odisha, Bihar and north east”, he added. Applauding Panda on this occasion, Rahul Mehta, President, CMAI & IAF, stated, he has infused some radical thoughts into the textile and handloom industry. And he has been working hard in the north east to promote the industry.” Elaborating further on the gamut of the fair this year, Mehta added, “This B2B fair will be spread over around five lakh sq. ft., covering all the halls at the Bombay Exhibition Centre. There will be more than 700 exhibitors displaying over 780 brands. This will be the India’s largest ever garment fair held so far.”

Around 40,000 retailers from all over India are expected to visit this three-day B2B fair. To promote the fair on national and international level, over one lakh invitation cards displaying information about the participating brands in men’s wear, women’s wear and kids’ wear have been sent by the exhibitors to their retailers, wholesalers, agents and distributors. CMAI, for the first time had also introduced online registration for visitors to save time. The business networking sessions will continue this year as well and CMAI has for the first time, invited eCommerce companies to participate in this session.

Other important initiatives of CMAI

CMAI was last year appointed as one of the lead implementing agencies under Component II of the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) of the Ministry of Textiles to impart training to 35,000 trainees in the 12th Five Year Plan. CMAI plans to set up 50 apparel training centers across India. CMAI has already set up 35 training centers across six Indian states.

The association is also working on a new Initiative ‘Size India’ to carry out a scientific, systematic anthropometric study of the Indian population for the purpose of developing a sizing system for the Indian domestic apparel industry. It has also launched ‘CMAI’s Domestic Apparel Retail Index’ to gauge the health of the domestic apparel retail market and provide concrete and credible information for assessing the performance of the industry which can facilitate all the stakeholders in taking informed business decisions.

Readymade garment manufacturers were very much disturbed with payment delays and defaults from the trade. CMAI has appointed a ‘Conciliation & Arbitration Sub Committee’ under the Chairmanship of Rajesh Masand, Vice President of the association. Now, in case of any payment complaint, CMAI calls both the parties involved and try to amicably settle the matter. If the settlement does not take place, the message of default is circulated within the industry to caution the manufacturers about a particular buyer and his default.