MMF offers good opportunity to capture rising demand for affordable fashion: Report
India's man-made fiber (MMF) sector has a significant opportunity to capture the burgeoning demand for ‘affordable synthetic fashion; in the global South, according to a recent knowledge paper by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) and Wazir Advisors.
To seize this potential, the paper emphasizes on the urgent need for India to expand and modernize its downstream MMF capabilities. While India has a strong base in polyester fiber and filament yarn, its capacity for weaving value-added fabrics and garments remains limited. Strategic investments are crucial for enhancing MMF fabric processing and apparel manufacturing, including the creation of vertically integrated MMF apparel clusters with shared infrastructure.
To seize this potential, the paper emphasizes on the urgent need for India to expand and modernize its downstream MMF capabilities. While India has a strong base in polyester fiber and filament yarn, its capacity for weaving value-added fabrics and garments remains limited. Strategic investments are crucial for enhancing MMF fabric processing and apparel manufacturing, including the creation of vertically integrated MMF apparel clusters with shared infrastructure.
Unlike most global MMF suppliers, who currently cater to premium Western brands, India can focus on this underserved market. Specific opportunities include the development and export of lightweight synthetic hijabs, wrinkle-free uniforms, and weather-resistant workwear.
The study points out, India lags behind countries like China and Vietnam in synthetic-focused garmenting units capable of handling large volume orders with global quality standards. It recommends that government initiatives like the PM MITRA Parks prioritize "plug-and-play" facilities for MMF apparel, coupled with incentives to attract significant domestic and international investment in synthetic garment production. Furthermore, supportive government policies are needed to ensure raw material security, guaranteeing competitive prices for quality inputs.