Knits in knots
THE WEEK|April 12, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic could break the already ailing Tiruppur knitwear industry
LAKSHMI SUBRAMANIAN
Knits in knots

THE TIRUPPUR KNITWEAR industry may soon be on its knees. The textile hub, which exports apparel worth ₹26,000 crore every year, could witness a major setback with the Covid-19 outbreak forcing cancellation of orders, complete lockdowns and reduced import of raw material from China. Buyers from countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US have already frozen or cancelled orders.

“We thought the market this year would end in March, [with exports worth] ₹25,000 crore,” A. Sakthivel, former president of the Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA), told THE WEEK. “But, till now, we have made only ₹23,250 crore. There is a decline in exports and the loss will be ₹1,750 crore.”

Europe buys around 46 per cent of the exports from Tiruppur. Countries such as France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain and Denmark import most of their garments from here. The US and the UK together account for about 30 per cent of the exports. While T-shirts make up around 35 per cent of the exports, the rest is a mixed bag comprising pyjamas, dresses, kid’s wear and innerwear.

This story is from the April 12, 2020 edition of THE WEEK.

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This story is from the April 12, 2020 edition of THE WEEK.

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