Apparel & home textiles meet brainstorms industry issues

With a vision to provide a common platform to industry

experts for tackling issues which have hindered the growth of apparel industry and find out possible solutions, the 8th International Conference on Apparel & Home Textiles was held in New Delhi’s India Habitat Centre recently. The theme was: ‘The New Excellence’. The conference was an amalgamation of workshops and presentations, with about 450 delegates from different parts of the country. The event was attended by industrialists, manufacturers and research institutes.

Speakers shared their views about the current status of apparel sector in India and discussed how the anticipated growth can be achieved. Steps to address various challenges that the industry faces today were discussed at length, out of which substantial suggestions and solutions emerged as inputs for framing the growth policy.

India ranks as the world’s fifth largest exporter of apparels contributing four per cent to total world’s apparel exports. The industry is extensive and wide ranging, and has contributed enormously to the country’s economic development. It fulfills a vital role as an employer and a generator of foreign earnings. Despite being one of the major contributors to Indian exports and having almost every required advantage, Indian apparel industry has not grown as it should have. Indian apparel exports was valued at $14 billion (Rs 73,871 crores) in 2011 which has grown at a CAGR of two per cent only in the last five years, this is very less when compared to its competitors. A Sakhtivel, Chairman, AEPC who was the chief guest at the inaugural session Sakhtivel opined that diversification of product and market is most important for India. He mentioned compliance and skill development are the need of the hour for apparel industry.