Textile Sector In India- An Overview
The textile industry is the single largest foreign exchange earner for India. Currently
it accounts for about 8 % of GDP, 20 % of the industrial production and over 30 %
of export earnings of India and it has only 2-3 % import intensity. About 38 million
people are gainfully employed with the industry making it the second largest employment
providing sector after agriculture.
The textile policy of 1985 and the economic policy of 1991 accelerated the economic
growth during 1990s. Textile sector growth has been led by the spinning and the
manmade fibre industry.The number of cotton/ manmade fibre textile mills rose from
1035 in 87-88 to 1741 by December, 1997. The number of spinning mills number rose to
1461 in December 1997 from 752 in 87-88. Liberalisation led to the installation of open
end rotors and setting up of Export Oriented Units (EOU).
Currently India has the second highest spindleage in the world after China. Aggregate
production of cloth during 1996-97 was 34,265 million sq. metres, an increase of nine
percent over 1995-96. India's contribution in world production of cotton textiles was
about 12 % a decade back, while currently it contributes about 15 % of world
cotton textiles. The production of silk has increased from 9498 tonnes in 1987-88 to
14,093 tonnes in 1996-97. For wool, which is another major raw material , India depends
on imports, especially from New Zealand, to meet its requirements.
Growth rate in exports of textiles/ clothing during 1996-97 was 11%. Introduction of a
soft loan scheme during the 7th plan called Textile Modernisation Fund Scheme (TMFS)
facilitated the process of modernising textile industry significantly. Indian textile industry
has performed remarkably well during the last one decade, but it still needs to carve a
competitive edge through quality output and high value addition especially when today
India is on the fast track of globalisation.
Future Scenario Of The Clothing
Industry
Information revolution promises to bring the world closer to cohesion. In the emerging
face of fast moving information, technological transfer is bound to take place at a higher
speed .
As the International borders blur Supply Chain Management and Information Technology
take a crucial role in Apparel manufacturing. Global partners in the clothing supply chain
are exchanging information electronically, thus the need for Indian Clothing
Industry to spruce up.
Upcoming technologies for mass customisation such as three dimensional non-contact
body measurement and digital printing ought to be discussed thoroughly and
implemented fast. This mass customisation shall be successful for meeting unpredictable
demand levels, for luxury goods, uncertain customer wants and for heterogenous demand.
It is to be noted that mass customisation is different from mass production
The future requires generation of real value service for the customers, comprehensive
study of multifaceted and multi-layered supply chain, and global integration of supply
system in a cost and time effective manner. Inventory planning, sales forecasting,
manufacturing strategy, distribution network and transportation management are some of
the areas which need improvement.The economic scene of US and its trade partners need
to be eyed carefully if India is to survive in the faster and throat cut competition of 21st
century.
Competing Across The Globe
The Multi-fibre arrangement is due to expire by the year 2005, as a result competition
will increase drastically. In Italy a cluster of small specialised textile firms are competing
on end products, Germans weave for 24 hours under "lights out" arrangement,
Total quality Management is ensured in Japanese and American plants, ' looming
robots ' are installed and firms in Southern USA are reported to be researching the use of
genetic engineering, cellular biology and tissue culture to grow coloured cotton .
3C 'S
Under these circumstances India needs to go a longer way. An
IIM Ahmedabad study points out the loopholes in Indian Textile
Industry as -- long manufacturing & delivery times, conflict 'n'
competition between small medium & large players and amongst
links of supply chain viz.cotton producers, spinners, weavers etc.,
poor process control, outdated technology, non existent
indigenous R&Ds, etc.
FRAMEWORK FOR
CAPABILITY BASED
At present Chinese textile firms are imparting 70 hrs. of training
COMPETITION
each year to an experienced worker as opposed to 10 hrs. by
Indian firms, investing in R&D for New Application Areas,
Commitment addressing the issue of quality systematically and also canalising
export through centralised channels.
To decide to be in the
business in the LONG The main challenge for Indian textile Industry lies in protecting
RUN domestic market after year 2005. The 3C's of Commitment, Co-
ordination and Co-operation need to be applied at all levels by the
Co-ordination industry to be able to maintain its presence in the global market.
Willingness to see
industry as a single Table 1
SUPPLY CHAIN
Vis a vis our competitors
Co-operation
Jointly developing
OPERATIONS &
TECHNOLOGY
( IIM Ahmedabad - McGill Univ. Canada - Renmin Univ. China study )
Canada China India
Environment : External to Firm Infrastructure 100 5220
Regulatory Regime 100 36 20
Breadth of Home Market 100 116 164
Quality of Home Market 100 36 52
ENVIRONMENT :
100 52 36*
Internal to Firm Quality of Work Environment
Absenteeism 100 68 36
Wages 100 200 170
R&D Investment 100 68 20
*we have "islands of excellence"
CAPABILITIES : People Quality of Workforce
Managerial 100 52 116
Technical 100 132 116
Operator 100 68 52
Training & Development 100 84 52
CAPABILITIES : Technology
Extent of Investment in Technology 100 84 68
Type of Technology Available 100 84 68
Indigenous Development 100 148 116
CAPABILITIES : Managerial Practices 100 52 84
Quality Control In Textile And Clothing
Industries
Production of fibres in the world is expected to increase to 50 million tonnes in the year
2000. Scenario for textile and clothing industry is fast changing with internet becoming a
global market place and increased consumer awareness. World seems to be shrinking,
bringing down trade barriers. Under these challenging market conditions effective quality
systems have emerged as a major thrust point.
Quality control is not a recent realisation, though it has become paramount now. In the
past, techniques like Coal Tar distillation, Mercerization and Sanforization have led to
quality enhancement/ improvement. Now even flame proofing, anti-microbial,
water and oil proofing and several other properties can be obtained with new finishes.
And with each finish came specifications and special quality control parameters.
In 1970s and 80s readymade garments became the premier retail outlets for fabric. This
brought a revolution of sorts, expanding quality parameters from more dimentional
stability and colourfastness to garment appearence, feel & fall, construction, physical
properties, special finish and presentation.
Garment manufacturing and processing techniques have come a long way. Enzymes in
bio-polishing, use of resins and subsequent curing in Garment forms are required to have
their own quality parameters.Speciality products of special end uses also requires their
own set of quality specifications. For example, defence textiles need rot proofing,
children's wear should be colourfast to saliva and garments for Arctic conditions require
ability to withstand extreme cold.
Based on end uses, specifications are even further categorized, like for schoolwear tear
strength is 700 g.: warp & weft. There are similar ranges in dimentional stability, steam
strength, abrasion resistance, seam slippage and other test descriptions for various
clothings.
While improving on quality of textile ecological factor cannot be overlooked. Textile
industry uses many chemical polutants, allergens & carcinogens. These have to be
severely restricted by laying down ecological requirements. Only limited use of various
chemicals like azo dyes, heavy metals, odour, etc should be permitted.Textile industry
also needs to address the problem of indiscriminate disposal of waste water loaded with
toxic chemicals. Quality parameters & specifications in future will revolutionise/
pervade/ define the whole ' life-cycle ' of a textile product.
The quality of a final product is as good as at the various levels of manufacturing . To
achieve consistency in quality it is necessary to define quality parameters. With this view,
the International Standards Organisation ( ISO ) has published the standards series ISO
9000. In the long run, good quality always pays.
