CHAPTER III

FASHION TECHNOLOGY: AN OVERVIEW

3.1 FASHION TECHNOLOGY

The field of ‘fashion technology’ was non-existent as an independent

discipline, but inhabited the margins of scholarly pursuits and belonged mostly
to costume and art history, anthropology and the frivolous end of the social
sciences. Today majority of the work are, however innovative in its
methodological shift from observational to experiential approaches, and its
theoretical shift from a focus on stereotypic clothing’ to ‘everyday dress’
(wardrobe research), charting new ground at the periphery of core discipline
(experimental social psychology), which was oblivious to such trivial pursuits.
So it is with genuine delight that it has been observing the field of Fashion
Technology coming into its own.

The definition of fashion technology research studies is the study of

beauty, fashion and dress as material and visual evidence of social and
economic processes, or as an object of contemplation, reflection and critique.
More specifically it is the study of the meaning of body and beauty procedures
in clothes and adornment, production and crafts, practice and symbol,
observation and experience, self and identities, fact and fiction, reality and
representation, using the advances of technology.1

In principle, such a field contains two levels: visible and invisible. The
visible level focuses on details of objects or images, taxonomies and specific
examples, and examines them closely and meticulously. It highlights certain
periods, locales or styles and uses the rich detail either to paint a previously
unknown picture, or as data to support social historical observations.

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 The invisible level is a conceptual layer of meanings, both personal and
collective, that reflects the wearer’s experience and perspective on reason
giving and meaning making, neither of which are inherent in objects or
practices but are contextual in terms of time, place and function. The invisible
level is not necessarily anchored in specific details, but can refer to sartorial or
appearance elements metaphorically or allegorically, to ‘the idea of beauty’ or
‘the idea of dress’ (or other material objects) or to ‘generic clothes’. It is also a
layer that involves a meta-reflexive approach that examines the assumptions
underlying the practices that secure ‘fashion’ its place, the power relations that
sustain or subvert it, the values that inform it and the ideologies that provide it
with the certainty of the taken-for-granted veneer.22

3.1.1 Task of the Field

The task of fashion technology is not merely to record, describe or

analyse. It is about engaging by way of innovative research and application of a
range of theories in a critical reflection, and challenging and interpreting the
received ways of doing fashion, observing fashion, understanding fashion,
explaining fashion and talking about fashion. To engage in research in fashion
studies does not necessarily require detailed knowledge of historical styles,
technical craft, knowledge of designing or making fashion, or an intimate
knowledge of the fashion industry. ‘Fashion studies’ as a field of knowledge is
not just about ‘fashion icons’ and ‘designer collections’, couture and catwalks,
historical styles or the latest trends; it is not just about how to cut, sew, craft a
collection or market a label. It is about more than creating synergies with the
industry, producing rich descriptive accounts, documenting trends or doing
‘fashion technology’.

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3.2DEVELOPMENT AS DISCIPLINE

The development of any discipline depends on natives and migrants. In

fashion technology too it depends on fashion natives and fashion migrants.

The fashion natives see themselves as guardians of the original and true
spirit of the field. They come from a tradition of working with detailed fashion
artifacts, either historical (museums, art, costume history) or contemporary
(fashion design, fashion business, journalism). 2

Fashion migrants, on the other hand, include people working within

social science framework, health science, philosophy, and social and cultural
theory – who are interested in fashion and appearance as instances of social
activity, and as a vehicle for exploring and understanding social processes and
meanings.24

The group features of these fashion natives and fashion migrants are
shown as under:

TABLE 3.1

GROUP FEATURES OF FASHION NATIVES AND FASHION

MIGRANTS

S.No Group features Fashion natives Fashion migrants

1 Disciplines Arts, humanities, Sociology, psychology,
Museum curation, philosophy, social and
ethnography, journalism, cultural theory
fashion marketing
2 Level of research Specific, concrete Generic, abstract
focus
3 Dimension of Visible, observable (e.g. Invisible, conceptual
research focus style, craftsmanship) (attitudes, lived
experience,
perceptions, emotions,
principles, patterns)

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4 Object of ‘Object’ of material ‘Idea’ of a garment or
research focus culture, beauty appearance, analogy,
procedures metaphor, symbol
5 Aims of research Chronicle, classify, Explain meanings,
categorize, describe uses functions,
reasons
6 Method of Inductive, evidence Deductive, conceptual,
research based, Systematic eclectic
7 Research Detailed thematic or Critical argument,
outcome period account, typology, reflexive
record account, set of meanings
keeping


3.3 REAL FASHION IN A SOCIETY

Since the 1990s, the landscape of ‘real world’ fashion had undergone a
sea change, and this has been mirrored in ‘academic fashion’. It is better to
sketch the relevant developments in both spheres.3

The processes of globalization changed not just the nature of production

and retail but also ushered in new types of relationships between consumers
and objects. The instantaneous availability of catwalk styles from around the
globe and the speed with which ‘fast fashion’ retailers translated these into
ready-to-wear, as well as the emergence of street fashion (championing a
ground-up approach) signalled the end of trend as an industry dictate
(Hedström and Ingesson 2008)27. The demise of trends coincided with a
backlash against the mass market and a rise in nostalgia for ‘objects with a
story to tell’ (either by virtue of their qualities, or the experiences woven into
them).

Most theorists of consumer culture problematize the appeal to image or

appearances over the appeal to substance or values – on conceptual and ethical
grounds. The metaphors of Alvin Toffler’s ‘future shock’4 and Zygmunt
Bauman’s ‘liquid modernity’5, which they have elaborated on in several books,

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capture the spirit of this approach. In 1970 Toffler envisaged that the shift from
the industrial age to the information age would generate an accelerated rate of
technological and social changes leaving people disconnected and disoriented.
Zygmunt Bauman21 explains the dynamics of globalization, the loss of
community and the gradual privatization of public life, as closely related to the
nationstate’s renunciation of its functions of security and stability
(employment, finance, health). The hero of liquid modernity may not be
disconnected and disoriented but he/she is still anxious: with only loosely
connected and unstable communities online and offline, with no bonds but
‘connections’ of a transient and non-obliging nature. The consumerist habits of
such a hero are likewise geared more to fun, conviviality and temporality than
to duty, values, and rational choice behaviour. Even if they are not customers
of the fast-fashion value chains, the heroes of liquid modernity participate in
the throwaway society by virtue of shopping for pleasure, not necessity. But
objects are not the only way global consumers distinguish themselves. Bauman
describes a new class of elite global consumers defined by the privilege of
increased mobility. Unlike the forced mobility of the displaced, these
globetrotters are truly ‘citizens of the world’.

3.4 ‘ACADEMIC FASHION’ SINCE THE 1990S: A DISCIPLINE IN

SEARCH OF A CHARACTER

As a field of enquiry until the 1990s, with some notable exceptions such
as Hebdige24, Eicher and Roach25, Kaiser29, Polhemus34, Steele39, Wilson,
among others, fashion exhibited very little theoretical or empirical
sophistication. Before 2000 there were only a handful of interdisciplinary
conferences dedicated to fashion and appearance topics (e.g. the psychology of
fashion in 1985 (Solomon 1985)35; mask, masquerade and carnival in 1994;
masquerade and gendered identity in 1996 (Tseëlon 2001).

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 Theoretically fashion scholarship has tended to recycle a number of
causal explanations from a limited core of theoreticians (e.g. Veblen’s
conspicuous consumption, Simmel’s trickle down, Barthes’ semiotics, Flügel’s
psychoanalytic explanations). Empirically fashion research relied on insights or
anecdotal evidence, avoiding a systematic meaningful analysis. The early
experimental work tended to reify te notion of ‘indexical meaning’ inherent in
the clothes themselves and in certain styles, and to embody all that the critique
of positivism in social sciences targeted. However, in the last couple of decades
fashion studies has emerged as a broadly defined, constantly evolving and
incredibly versatile multidisciplinary field (combining arts, social sciences,
textile chemistry and business) in search of an identity and a distinctive
character.

The transition from a series of loosely connected research areas on the

periphery of established disciplines to an interdisciplinary field in its own right
has followed the familiar trajectory of a discipline in the making, whose place
is not yet safely secure. When organizations (or societies) enjoy recognition,
acceptance and prestige, they tend to display relaxed and generous tolerance of
heterogeneity and pluralism, and an appetite for cooperation. But in times of
uncertainty and struggle, the level of tolerance goes down, and internal
struggles intensify. Remembering this spirit of ‘fashion technology research’
has been detected in three main stages such as 31

• Identity formation

• Agenda settings

• Gate keeping

3.4.1 Identity formation

In the first stage ‘fashion Studies’ was preoccupied with setting

boundaries, fencing, territorial marking, delineating insiders (exclusive club of

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those who are invited to participate in special activities, symposia, publications
etc.) from outsiders.

3.4.2 Agenda setting

The second stage involved a production of hegemonic discourse in terms

of topics, perspectives and methods. This was accompanied by an increase in
platforms – both journals and books – where fashion-related work could be
published. While such topics could always occupy the margins of social
science, history, art, and/or the up-and-coming cultural studies domain of the
more established disciplines (like cultural sociology and psychology), the
addition of more dedicated journals like Visual Culture, Fashion Theory and
the Journal of material culture created a positive environment for the field to
flourish. Increasingly, publishers started giving space to fashion studies
monograms with some, like Berg for example, specializing in these themes.

Another feature in the academic landscape is that in the last two decades
the number of fashion themed conferences or panels at conferences has
multiplied. Fashion is increasingly the focus of many conferences, symposia,
seminars and museum exhibitions.

3.4.3 Gate keeping

The third stage in the consolidation of the field is the internal power
struggle with certain groups representing certain agendas (e.g. fashion natives
and fashion migrants) trying to establish themselves as ‘centre’ and position
other perspectives as ‘marginal’ (for example fashion practice vs. fashion
theory; costume/social history vs. social theory; production vs. consumption;
engagement with special occasion wear vs. everyday wear; focus on designer
fashion vs. real people’s wardrobes). These groups define the scope of
legitimate activity using practices which include production of collections,
taxonomies, ‘Readers’ and textbooks which purport to provide definitive and

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encyclopaedic knowledge and the authoritative version of the field, as well as
deciding who to ignore and who to cite, especially as there are so many
‘parallel communities’ not very familiar with each other’s work. Gate keeping
also involves regulating activities of the kind employed by professional bodies
that guard the interests of their members (for example in job references,
publication refereeing, interview panels or grant panels).

In fact most of the changes described above occurred inside the

discipline. In the wider academic context it appears that changes have been
slower. Despite improved standing and greater understanding of a cultural
agenda, fashion is still somewhat tainted with ‘craft image’ and a ‘not quite
serious image’. Other than a handful of journals in a number of disciplines
which specialize in fashion, the research area is still not considered a proper
specialization within the established social sciences as expressed in the
structure of associations (e.g. ASA, ISA, ESA, APA), and the content of
associations’ flagship journals (and other ‘high impact’ journals), or the
publishing lists of mainstream publishers.

3.5 CONTENTS OF FASHION LABEL

If people from different branches of ‘fashion studies’ were to compile

lists of those they consider to be ‘the key players’ there would be very little
consensus about cAnonymousical lists. Every branch (representing different
core disciplines, or different linguistic communities) has its own list of star
performers and every new ‘fashion studies reader’ or encyclopaedia is trying to
rewrite history as they see it, and to place a different set of celebrities at the
core of the narrative. This is obvious not just from the content of the
anthologies and the entries of the various encyclopaedias but also from the
reality of the market. To get a good idea of what ‘fashion’ is about outside
academe a survey of what is available in a nonspecialist bookstore is a handy
clue. With five floors and more than 200,000 titles in stock the iconic Foyles is

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Europe’s largest and London’s leading bookstore. A visit to the shop reveals
fashion to contain a number of themes: a periodization of costume/social
history with some work that focuses on a specific period, style or artefact;
books which feature a specific exhibition or the work of a particular designer;
books about the craft of fashion making; and DIY books (from manuals to
reality TV programmes).35

Many titles are of the coffee table variety. There are also a handful of
current books about theory. Similarly, if one examines the fashion courses that
exist in UK higher education a clear trend is visible which revolves around
engaging with luxury fashion and the fashion industry (the process of
producing collections, the study of designers, branding, collaboration with
fashion houses: labels and magazines and manufacturers). Additionally, if one
looks at the work displayed in graduate fashion weeks, fashion shows and
publicity materials, it is obvious that the industry mindset (whether of the
couture or ready-to-wear variety), conventions and practices are followed
uncritically; these include the catwalk conventions: the skinny models, the
killer heels, the loud music, the mindless walk of mechanical dolls. Except in
rare token gestures the standards of designing and displaying adhere to the
industry’s tendency to design for slim Figures, professional models, stylized
presentations, or to design for size (a tradition whose origin lies in the military
uniform) rather than body shape (as some fashion gurus have been advocating).

3.6 TOWARDS DEFINING A ‘FASHION STUDIES PROJECT’

It is only in the last two or three years that fashion studies gained
institutional recognition in the form of specialist fashion theory chairs and
dedicated degrees (e.g. Stockholm, Leeds, NY Parsons). At this point it seems
appropriate to rethink a fashion studies project. In particular it is better to
outline how Critical Studies in Fashion and Beauty (CSFB) is to fit within that
project. On the one hand its role is simply to enhance the gallery of dedicated

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publications that address issues of dress and appearance specifically. At this
juncture any such bolstering is an asset to the field and to its practitioners.
Beyond that, the remit to the journal, not so much in terms of content, but in
terms of methodology and approach.

In particular their challenge to the hegemony of totalizing theories and

unifying narratives of nation and subjectivity created a paradigm shift. In
fashion this new reflexivity was expressed in two principal ways: 33

(1) the semantic shift from the indexicality of clothes as reflecting rigid and
fixed categories to an appreciation of their contextual nature and the
realization that meaning is always negotiated, and

(2) the blurring of boundaries between art and fashion with both artists and
fashion designers engaging in reflection and questioning of the
assumptions underlying their own craft – fashion design, practice and
consumption – through installations and performances. This has been
most clearly demonstrated with the emergence of deconstructionist
fashion led by Japanese and European designers (e.g. Belgian, Dutch,
Cypriot) who rewrote the rules of the game, and managed to combine
conceptual fashion with commercial success and to perform not just
articulate a ‘participant observer’s’ critique.

3.7 FASHION TECHNOLOGY HERITAGE

India’s fashion heritage is rich in its tradition, vibrant in colours and

extremely attractive in look and style. In fact, Indian fashion varies from
village to village and city to city. The country’s ancient fashion garments
generally used stitching although Indians knew sewing also. Most of the
clothes were ready to wear as soon as they left the loom. The traditional Indian
dhoti, the scarf or uttariya, and the popular turban are still visible and continue
to be part of Indian fashion. For women, the dhoti or saree with a stanpatta

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forms the basic ensemble, which again consists of garments that do not have to
be stitched, the stanpatta being simply fastened in a knot at the back.36

The fashion industry in India keeps on changing. A rapid stride was

made in this regard towards the end of the previous century when the Indian
beauties were crowned Miss World and Miss Universe in quick succession.
The attires of these beauties need special designing. Their dresses included
costumes from head to toe and matching ornaments. These modern and rich
dresses were liberally adopted by the young ladies from the upper strata in the
fashion cities of Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and elsewhere.

The changing fashion has resulted in the hem-lines of skirts moving up

and down over the years. Before the Second World War and even some
decades later, the length of the skirt that covered upto the knee was considered
obscene. However, towards the end of the century, the length shortened above
the knee. This ultimately reached drastic proportions with the mini skirt
expressing most of the feminine thigh. The men also started sporting longer
hair-equal to trendian women.

The present-day youth are in the haute culture of wearing mix of

western and Indian trends because of coming up of sprawling call centres, BPO
centres, IT parks, mega markets and mall culture. Perhaps the setting up of the
multinational company’s offices in India is one of the reasons of fashion boom
in India. Men’s fashion draws a lot from films. The young boys not only
imitate the glamour of men’s clothes but also their hairstyle. TV serials and
advertisements are the other source which is closely watched by the youth. The
branded names in men’s wear sold at famous shops in big arcades, malls,
plazas and markets attract the young boys and girls in large number every day.

Fashion designing offers vast opportunities for learning the skills from
famous institutes like National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Indian

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Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT), Pearl Fashion Academy (PFA), etc.
Many Indian universities offer diploma, graduate and postgraduate courses in
fashion and cosmetic designing. Such learning helps improve the creative skills
and provides a cutting edge technology in designing. The Fashion Design
Council of India (FDCI) holds the fashion extravaganza to offer a platform to
the exponents of Indian fashion industry and to give them right opportunities
for displaying their skills and marketing their creations to the outside world for
a high profit. There are also perennial features like the Lakme India Fashion
Week that show glitz, superb designs and new designers to display their skills
on the ramp shows. The vogue designers like Pooja Nayyer and Anju Modi
provide inspiration for creative styles.

With the evolving fashion and style and the changing face of Indian
retail, our consumers are gearing up for a rapid transformation. Their spending
too has been on the rise. Most of the organised retail businesses have reported
an increase in their sales and consequently higher profits.

Good designers should be genuine, practical and give incentive in

making the custom made outfits, designer dresses and costumes. The maker
should create ideas according to the seasonal changes-winter, summer and
spring. There should be an attractive combination of traditional, modern, local
and foreign-creating every possible wearable product-and providing a wide
range to the consumers. It is fashion which has revolutionized the retail brands
in clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, footwear, etc. As a matter of fact it has brought
a retail boom in India and continues to act as a driving force in all kinds of new
markets, malls and stores.

The media plays an important role in the fashion boom. Various kinds of
fashion magazines provide latest designs and styles in colour photographs
along with details of stuff used, measurements, price range, shades available
and the places from where they can be used. TV programms give live telecast

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of major fashion shows conducted not only in India but also in all parts of the
world. These programmes provide a good look at the fashion world in all the
seasons so that the people can make their own choices while shopping. The
stars shown in flamboyant dresses make an indelible impression on the
consumers. This accelerates the fashion industry and enables it to prepare to
compete with the best in the world. Fashion has become such an important part
of the present-day world that even in colleges there are frequent ramp shows
for boys and girls.

Fashion industry in India is now facing a tug of war between the

designers for copyright protection although there are imitations by some
designers from other designers’ work. There should be strict law to prevent
such copying. The other important requirement is to ban shows and telecasts of
such shows which show nudity in the name of fashion. Besides, there should be
legislation against consumption of dangerous medicines like autorexia and
bulimia which some models consume to remain slim. Fashion designing is a
creative art and it should be promoted as such.

3.8 INDIAN FASHION INDUSTRY - A GLANCE

A Bird’s eyeview is given here so as to have a basic knwoeldge on he

Indian fashion industry. Indian Fashion Industry is at its infancy at the moment
and has great potential to make the mark on the world stage. Fashion in India
has thousands of years of tradition behind it. India has a rich and varied textile
heritage where each region of India has its own native dress and traditional
costumes. Fashion Industry is growing at a 'rapid pace with international
developments, such as the India Fashion Week gaining popularity and annual
shows by fashion designers held in major cities of India. In Indian culture, the
body is invested with various meanings and reflected in its rich sculptural
tradition decorating the body is yet another way of conveying meaning and
personality.17

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3.8.1 Market Capitalization

A report on Indian Fashion Industry recently stated that this Industry

can increase from its net worth of Rs 200 crore to Rs 1,000 crore in the next
five to ten years. Currently, the worldwide market for designer wear is
amounted at $35 billion, with a 9% growth rate, with the Indian fashion
industry creating hardly 0.1 % of the international industry's net worth.

According to approximations, the total market in India is calculated to

be about Rs 20,000 crore. The branded Fashian market's size is nearly one
fourth of this or Rs 5,000 crore. Designer wear, in turn, covers nearly about
0.2 % of the branded apparel maFket. Today the largest sales turnover within
the designer wear segment is about Rs 25 crore, with other well-known names
having less turnovers of Rs1015 crore.

3.8.2 Total contribution to the economy

Fashion Industry; it was further revealed that the Indian fashionindustry

accounts for barely 0.2 % of the international industry's net worth. Currently
the market for designer wear is worth about Rs 1,62,900 crore and growing at
9.5 % every year.

As per the estimates, Indian designer wear commands a category

engagement of 66 % for male customers and 57 % for female customers. The
category engagement in western designer wear is 5%. The per capita per
annum on designer wear for men amounts up to Rs 48,627 and Rs 56,271 for
women.

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3.8.3 Domestic and Export Share

India Fashion Industry is a very big exporter of Fabrics and accessories

for the global fashion industry. Indian ethnic designs are considered as a
significant facet for the fashion houses and garment manufacturers all over the
world. India also plays a vital role as one of the biggest players in the
international fashion arena for fabrics, while sourcing for fashion wear. India's
strengths are due to its tradition, but even its raw materials. India is the third
largest producer of cotton, the second largest producer of silk and the fifth
largest producer of man-made fibers all over the world.

3.8.4 Employment opportunities

There has been growing consciousness among the Indian men and
women towards the fashion, styles and designs of the dresses since long times.
There are several institutes like National Institute of Fashion Technology
(NIFT), Indian Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT) and other fashion
academies which have been established where the students are taught to
translate their creativity into dresses and fabric designs. The media has also
played an important role in the fashion boom by providing good coverage to
the fashion world and even several magazines are specifically devoted only to
the fashion scene.

The proliferation of fashion-based programmers on the satellite

television channels has increased the consciousness of the average Indian
masses about the changing trends in the global fashion. This industry is also
generating a lot of business and becoming a booming industry for generating a
lot of jobs for people. More and more fashion training institutes and fashion
corporations are cropping up. Many national and international brands are
establishing themselves in Indian market. The mall culture has

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immenselyhelped in the growth of our fashion industry. Thus, globalization has
completely changed the face of our Indian fashion industry.

3.8.5 Latest developments

The organized market for designer apparel is about Rs 250 crore and
designer wear calculates to less than 1 % of the apparel market. The global
market for designer wear is 5 % of total apparel market and the global market
for designer wear industry is largely dependent on the small-scale sector.
Consumers for designer wear have a yearly household income of Rs 10 lakh-
plus. There are 3 lakh such households developing at 40-45 %. Designer wear
industry is projected to increase to Rs 1,000 crore by 2015. More than 81 % of
the population below 45 years of the age is fashion conscious.

Today the fashion designers and management experts foresee an average

growth of about 10-12 % for the Indian fashion industry in the coming
years.Though, the growth rate could be more than 15%, if infrastructural and
other logistical bottlenecksand drawbacks are over come, Indian fashion design
industry is expected to grow much fasterthan projected (Rs. 500 crore) and
likely to touch Rs.750 crore by 2012 from the current level ofRs.270 crore.
because Indian companies are heavily investing big sums in the industry,
consumersare increasingly shifting focus towards designer wear, exposure to
western media and readily available of designer wear in the shopping malls in
India.

3.9 INDIA VIS-À-VIS TEXTILE INDUSTRY A SCENARIO

The archaeological surveys and studies have found that the people of
[1]
Harappan civilization knew weaving and the spinning of cotton four
thousand years ago. Reference to weaving and spinning materials is found in
the Vedic Literature also.

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 There was textile trade in India during the early centuries. A block
printed and resist-dyed fabrics, whose origin is from Gujarat is found in tombs
of Fostat, Egypt.[1]This proves that Indian export of cotton textiles to the Egypt
or the Nile Civilization in medieval times were to a large extent.Large quantity
of north Indian silk were traded through the silk route in China[2] to the western
countries. The Indian silk were often exchanged with the western countries for
their spices in the barter system. During the late 17th and 18th century there
were large export of the Indian cotton to the western countries to meet the need
of the European industries during industrial revolution. Consequently there was
development of nationalist movement like the famous Swadeshi movement
which was headed by the Aurobindo Ghosh.

There was also export of Indian silk, Muslin cloth of Bengal, Bihar and
Orissa to other countries by the East Indian Company. Bhilwara is known as
textile city.

India is the second largest producer of textiles and garments in the

world. The Indian textiles and apparel industry is expected to grow to a size of
US$,223 billion by 2021, according to a report by Technopak Advisors. This
industry accounts for almost 24% of the world's spindle capacity and 8% of
global rotor capacity. Abundant availability of raw materials such as cotton,
wool, silk, and jute as well as skilled workforce have made the country a
sourcing hub.

The textiles industry has made a major contribution to the national

economy in terms of direct and indirect employment generation and net foreign
exchange earnings. The sector contributes about 14 per cent to industrial
production, 4 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP), and 27 per cent to
the country's foreign exchange inflows. It provides direct employment to over
45 million people. The textiles sector is the second largest provider of

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employment after agriculture. Thus, growth and all round development of this
industry has a direct bearing on the improvement of the India's economy.

3.9.1 Growth

The Indian textiles industry is set for strong growth, buoyed by strong
domestic consumption as well as export demand. The most significant change
in the Indian textiles industry has been the advent of man made fibres (MMF).
India has successfully placed its innovative range of MMF textiles in almost all
the countries across the globe. MMF production recorded an increase of 10 per
cent and filament yarn production grew by 6 per cent in the month of February
2014. MMF production increased by about 4 per cent during the period April
2013-February 2014.Cotton yarn production increased by about 10 per cent
during February 2014 and by about 10 percent duringApril2013-February
2014. Blended and 100 per cent non-cotton yarn production increased by 6 per
cent during February 2014 and by 8 per cent during the period April
2013February 2014. Cloth production by mill sector registered a growth of 9
per cent in the month of February 2014 and of 6 per cellt during April 2013-
February 2014.Cloth production by power loom and hosiery increased by 2 per
cent and 9 per cent, respectively, during February 2014. The total cloth
production grew by 4 per cent during February 2014 and by 3 per cent during
the period April 2013-February 2014. Textiles exports stood at US$ 28.53
billion during April2013-January 2014 as compared to US$ 24.90 billion
during the corresponding period of the previous year, registering a growth of
14.58 per cent. Garment exports from India is expected to touch US$ 60 billion
over the next three years, with the help of government support.

The textiles sector has witnessed a spurt in investment during the last
five years. The industry (including dyed and printed) attracted foreign direct
investment (FDI) worth Rs 6,710.94crore (US$ 1.11 billion) during April 2000
to February 2014.

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3.9.2 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE UNION BUDGET 2014-15 - FOR
TEXTILE INDUSTRY36

• Around Rs 200 crore for six more textile clusters in Rae Bareily (Sonia
Gandhi’s Constituency), Lucknow, Surat and Bhagalpur.
• Plan for development of a Hastkala academy in PPP (Public private
partnership) mode.
• Nearly Rs. 50 crore for Pashmina Production prog in Jammu and
Kashmir.

India has improved its ranking as per the recent data released by 'UN
Comtrade' in Global Textiles as well as Apparel exports. In Global Textiles
Exports, India now stands at second position beating its competitors like Italy,
Germany and Bangladesh, with China still retaining its top position.

India's share in Global Textiles has increased by 17.5% in the year 2013
compared to the previous year. Currently India's textiles export to the world is
US$ 40.2 billion. This growth is phenomenal as the global textiles growth rate
is only 4.7% compared to India as it has registered the growth of 23% beating
China and Bangladesh which has registered 11.4% and 15.4%, respectively.

Total global textiles exports are to the tune of US$ 772 billion with
India commanding 5.2% of the share. This growth in the increase in share of
the Textiles Exports from India is largely attributed to the growth in the
Apparel and Clothing sector as it accounts for the almost 43% of the share
alone. The Apparel Exports ranking has also improved from 8th position in
2012 to 6th position in 20!3. India's apparel exports, was to the tune of
US$15.7 billion in 2013, as against US$ 12.9 billion in 2012. Among the top
five global clothing suppliers except for the Vietnam; India's Apparel Exports
growth was highest registering 21.8% growth during the year 2013. Apparel
exports from India accounts for 3.7% of share in the global readymade garment
exports.

78
 The Availability of speciality fabric is big bottleneck for which AEPC
has been aggressively demanding 5% duly scrip on the input, so as to increase
exports and optimally use to the fullest extent our potential. The rising interest
rate is another issue which hampers growth for which AEPC once again has put
in its request to the Government for a Separate chapter for pre and post
shipment export credit at fixed rate of 7.0% interest, as was done in the past
also to the apparel export sector and treat Readymade Garment as the priority
sector lending.

Increasing labour cost in China, non-compliance of large number of

factories in Bangladesh provide India a big opportunity in view of its relative
advantage; risk appetite of Indian entrepreneurs and a small push from the
Government may help India to get more business as overseas buyers are
looking at India as safe and reliable option for the sourcing. But to capture the
space in market left by China and Bangladesh, India have to be competitive in
pricing, apart from meeting strict timelines, better quality delivery by Indian
exporters and therefore, Government agencies active support is very crucial.
AEPC ispushing in this direction to seek export friendly enabling environment
from the Government which attracted the buyers and International brands
across globe to source from India.

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Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: KǁŶǁŽƌŬ

Figure 3.1 Map of Handlooms in India

80
 Fig. 3.2 The Textile and Apparel supply chain

The fibre and yarnspecific configuration of the textile industry includes

almost all types of textile fibres, encompassing natural fibres such as cotton,
jute, silk and wool; synthetic / manmade fibres such as polyester, viscose,
nylon, acrylic and polypropylene (PP) as well as multiple blends of such fibres
and filament yarns such as Partially Oriented Yarn (POY). The type of yarn
used is dictated by the end product being manufactured.

81
 The Manmade textile industry comprises fibre and filament yarn
manufacturing units of cellulosic and noncellulosic origin. The cellulosic
fibre/yarn industry is under the administrative control of the Ministry of
Textiles, while the noncellulosic industry is under the administrative control of
the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

It is wellestablished that India possesses a natural advantage in terms of

raw material availability. India is the largest producer of jute, the
secondlargest producer of silk, the thirdlargest producer of cotton and
cellulosic fibre/yarn and fifthlargest producer of synthetic fibres/yarn.

The industry structure is fully vertically integrated across the value

chain, extending from fibre to fabric to garments. At the same time, it is a
highly fragmented sector, and comprises smallscale, nonintegrated spinning,
weaving, finishing, and apparelmaking enterprises. The unorganised sector
forms the bulk of the industry, comprising handlooms, powerlooms, hosiery
and knitting, and also readymade garments, khadi and carpet manufacturing
units. The organised mill sector consists of spinning mills involved only in
spinning activities and composite mills where spinning, weaving and
processing activities are carried out under a single roof.

3.10 GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

The Government’s role in the textile industry has become more

reformist in nature. Initially, policies were drawn to provide employment with
a clear focus on promoting the smallscale industry. The scenario changed after
1995, with policies being designed to encourage investments in installing
modern weaving machinery as well as gradually eliminating the
prodecentralised sector policy focus. The removal of the SSI reservation for
woven apparel in 2000 and knitted apparel in 2005 were significant decisions
in promoting setting up of largescale firms. Government schemes such as

82
Apparel Parks for Exports (APE) and the Textile Centres Infrastructure
Development Scheme (TCIDS) now provide incentives for establishing
manufacturing units in apparel export zones.

The new Textile Policy of 2000 set the ball rolling for policy reforms in
the textile sector, dealing with removal of raw material price distortions, cluster
approach for powerlooms, pragmatic exit of idle mills, modernisation of
outdated technology etc. The year 2000 was also marked by initiatives of
setting up apparel parks; 2002 and 2003 saw a gradual reduction in excise
duties for most types of fabrics while 2004 offered the CENVAT system on an
optional basis. The Union Budget of 20052006 announced competitive
progressive policies, whose salient features included:37

• A major boost to the 1999established Technology Upgradation Fund

Scheme for its longevity through a Rs 4.35 bn allocation with 10%
capital subsidies for the textile processing sector

• Initiation of cluster development for handloom sector

• Availability of health insurance package to 0.2 mn weavers from 0.02

mn initially

• Reduction in customs duty from 20% to 15% for fibres, yarns,

intermediates, fabrics and garments; from 20% to 10% on textile
machinery and from 24% to 16% in excise duty for polyester oriented
yarn/polyester yarn

• Reduction in corporate tax rate from 35% to 30% with 10% surcharge

• Reduction in depreciation rate on plant and machinery from 25% to 15%

• Inclusion of polyster texturisers under the optimal CENVAT rate of 8%

83
 To meet the challenges of the postMFA setup, the Government of India
initiated a reforms process which aimed at promoting large capital investments,
pruning cumbersome procedures associated with the tax regime, etc. The
Textile Vision 2010 was born as a result of interaction between the government
and the industry which envisages around 12% annual growth in the textile
industry from US$ 36 billion now to US$ 85 billion by 2010. Additionally,
Vision 2010 also proposes the creation of an additional 12 million jobs through
this initiative.

3.11 THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY[Small and Medium Enterprises –

SME] 40

The phasing out of the international quota system is a major turning

point for the Indian textile industry – an opportunity and a threat. The textile
industry is among the SME intensive sectors in India, largely an outcome of
government policies during the early years of Independence. Focusing on
promoting domestic employment, largescale production in the textile industry
was curtailed through restrictions on total capacity and level of mechanisation.
Several textile items were reserved for the small scale segment. These policies
promoted the extensive growth of small scale textile enterprises that were
highly labour intensive, though it eroded the competitiveness of the industry
and acted as a disincentive for capital investment.

These policies  pursued from the 1950s to the 1970s  resulted in the
dominance of the decentralised powerloom and handloom sectors in the textile
industry, which are mainly small and medium scale enterprises. In fact, many
of the large textile companies are also conglomerates of medium sized mills.
Statistics released by the Ministry of Textiles shows a highly fragmented
industry, except in the spinning subsegment. The organised sector contributes
over 95% of spinning, but hardly 5% of weaving fabric. Small Scale Industries
(SSIs) perform the bulk of the weaving and processing operations.

84
 Dereservation of textile products has been a priority area for the
government since 1997, which was believed to be the most effective way to
foster productivity and efficiency within the sector. All textile items were
removed from the reservation list by 2005. These measures were a prerequisite
to compete globally in the postMFA regime. As trade barriers come down and
capital mobility increases, large, organised and integrated firms will gain
importance in establishing a presence in the global market and to tap
opportunities.

In the new scenario of a quotafree world, the readymade garments

sector will play a crucial role in the economy, in terms of contributing to
exports as well as employment generation, considering its inherent
labourintensive nature. In the cloth production segment, the hosiery and mill
sectors are likely to be the gainers.

3.11.1 Defining MSMEs

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006,38

which came into effect from October 2, 2006, define SMEs on the basis of
investments in plant and machinery.

For enterprises engaged in the manufacture of goods:

• Micro  Investment in plant and machinery less than Rs 2.5 mn

• Small  Investment in plant and machinery over Rs 2.5 mn but not

exceeding Rs 50 mn

• Medium – Investment in plant and machinery in excess of SSI limit but

less than Rs 100 mn

• For enterprises engaged in providing or rendering of services:

85
 • Micro  Investment in equipment not exceeding Rs 1 mn

• Small  Investment in equipment over Rs 1 mn but not exceeding Rs 20

mn

• Medium – Investment in equipment is in excess of SSI limit but less

than Rs 50 mn

3.11.2 Buyer Driven Network

The global textile industry, a buyerdriven network, is dominated by

retailers, marketers and manufacturers. In the newly defined business
environment for textiles, retailers like Zara, H&M, etc. have redefined the life
of fashion trends from the earlier five to six months to around two months. In
this scenario of such short shelflife, the small scale operations of Indian SME
apparel manufacturers gives them the flexibility to service custommade orders
at low cost. It is likely that India will become a preferred destination for global
manufacturers and retailers as well, and big opportunities for SMEs are
forthcoming.

Today, apart from the big Indian textile manufacturers like Gokuldas
Exports, Alok Industries, Raymonds, Welspun India, Arvind Mills and Madura
Garments, several small and medium sized apparel manufacturers have also
become significant contributors to the total apparel exports of the country.
Cotton knitwear suppliers of Tirupur, hosiery suppliers of Ludhiana and
suppliers of home textiles from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Punjab, among others,
have been accepted as high quality and cost effective apparel suppliers in
international markets.

These regions are also SME dominated textile clusters that have emerged
either due to market access, availability of raw material or private initiatives.
The textile industry of India operates largely in the form of clusters  mostly

86
natural clusters  with roughly 70 textile clusters producing 80% of the
country’s total textiles. Based on a UNIDO study conducted on SME clusters
in India, some noteworthy textile clusters include:

• Panipat, accounting for 75% of the total blankets produced in the

country

• Tirupur, responsible for 80% of the country’s hosiery exports

• Ludhiana, which accounts for 95% of the country’s woollen knitwear

produced.

3.11.3 Clusterbased Approach to Development

Inspite of some natural advantages such as low costs and flexibility, the
SMEs suffer from disadvantages of being in a relatively isolated environment.

The Government of India’s cluster development initiatives, involving

technical assistance, subsidies for technology upgradation and marketing
support, have strengthened the competitiveness of the SMEs, which has also
consolidated their position in the global value chain. A case in point is the
initiative undertaken by the Textile Committee under the Ministry of Textiles,
which has undertaken a clusterbased programme for capacity building in
textile and clothing SMEs in across 20 clusters in the country.

Some key benefits of a cluster based approach for developing SMEs are:

• Networking among enterprises

• Economies of scale

• Improved bargaining power

• Technology and skill upgradation

87
 • Global visibility and being part of the value chain

• Easier access to finance

• Greater institutional support.

Among the successes of the Textile Committee’s cluster development

initiatives has been the acquiring of intellectual property rights protection for
the Pochampally Ikat tieanddye sari, from Andhra Pradesh. It is the first
traditional Indian craft to receive this status of XXVIII geographical branding,
and is expected to benefit at least 100,000 weavers in the state. The powerloom
clusters in Sholapur and Salem are also following suit in acquiring
geographical indications protection.

Another successful initiative is seen in the Terry Towel cluster of

Solapur, where some major interventions were undertaken by the committee
such as setting up of a polytechnic institute, acquiring quality certifications for
some of the units, setting up an export consortium and establishing networks.

The concentration of textile firms in the form of clusters is to a natural

advantage for adopting a clusterbased development approach of the textile
SME segment. International and domestic experience has proved that this
approach has helped firms in attaining competitiveness  a requisite in today’s
new market.

3.11.4 Linking with the Global Value Chain

An inevitable outcome of the opening up of the textile markets is the

rationalisation of supplier base by large retail chains such as Wal Mart and
Gap. Under such circumstances, it will be difficult for small enterprises to
individually meet the requirements of these international buyers. Hence, it will

88
be essential to build value networks through linkages with large players who
can win large orders, while smaller players service these orders.

This entry into value networks will not only link up small players to the
global value chain but also assure a market for their products. Incorporation of
textile SMEs as third and fourth tier suppliers will be an effective way of
ensuring that they gain from the growing demands of the global market.
However, here the role of the government and the large textile companies will
be imperative.

3.12 FUTURE OUTLOOK

Expectations are high, prospects are bright, but capitalising on the new
emerging opportunities will be a challenge for Fashion Technology. Some
prerequisites to be included in the globally competing fashion industry are:

• Imbibing global best practices

• Adopting rapidly changing technologies and efficient processes

• Innovation

• Networking and better supply chain management

• Ability to link up to global value chains.

3.13 CONCLUSION

In this chapter a brief over view of fashion technology has been

provided. The publication output and growth of literature on fashion
technology research has been analysed and the same is discussed in Chapter
IV.

89
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