Tiruppur sets sights on 50:50 production split to regain export dominance

India’s premier knitwear hub, Tiruppur is now moving beyond its long-standing reliance on cotton-based manufacturing. In consultation with the Union Ministry of Textiles, industry leaders have outlined a target to achieve an equal manufacturing split of 50 per cent cotton and 50 per cent MMF products. This recalibration is designed to capture high-growth global segments, particularly in athleisure and technical textiles, where demand for synthetic fibers currently outpaces traditional cotton.

The initiative responds to a maturing global market where synthetic and regenerated fibers including polyester, viscose, and nylon dominate the apparel trade. As A Sakthivel, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council explains, diversifying the product base is a fundamental requirement to leverage new free trade agreements, such as the India-UK FTA that offers preferential access to markets accounting for nearly 66 per cent of the global population. To support this shift, the industry is lobbying for a 50 per cent capital subsidy in MMF processing to overcome current infrastructure gaps. This transition is essential for Tiruppur to hit its ambitious export target of $11.5 billion by 2030, reinforcing its status as a foundational pillar of India’s $100 billion national textile export objective.