123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012

123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012
KNITTING
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012

GROWTH IN KNITTING INDUSTRY

DINESH LAKRA

Indian Textile and Clothing industry which turned to be a sunrise industry in the recent past, its
importance lies in the fact that with the market size, it is the 2 nd largest industry in India. Indian
Industry and the Government on their part needs to invest heavily in Infrastructure facilities and
developing supply chain capabilities. Now in India, the machines are even available with full
computerized Jacq and with wrapper also and Indian knitters can produce just every fabric that falls
within the scope which has become the first choice of various top brand Indian/foregin garment
manufacturing units.
Key words : Kintting, circular knitting, flat knitting, growth of knitting industry.

of small batch and low speed GROWTH OF KNITTING

INTRODUCTION
Modern Knitting Industry is quite
young in our country. It was from
the year 1984 only when people
started importing Circular Knitting
Machines to India either second
hand reconditioned or brand new ,
from where this journey started.
Within the last 22 years every body
in India, in particular, have shown
their interest and started hard
working and put their all efforts in
this industry. So the growth in this
industry was tremendous.
Although, initially this industry was
reserved for SSI sector but the
Government of India with the
Modernisation and technical
upgradation of Machinery, have
allowed this upto Rs. 5.00 crores.
Now this is open for all small and
large industries and as such now
knitting industry looks towards large
scale industry to set up big units
specially composite units starting
from spinning to garmenting not
only for exports but for domestic
market also. To run this industry in
large scale under one umbrella is
not a joke and that was the reason
people from SSI sector were
handling this industry as a
scattered or specialized item-wise
or job-wise work in their Small
Scale units
In earlier days specially in Circular
Knit fabric problem was in an area
machines. With the advancement
in technology, at present the
knitting industry has minimum body
size-18” diameter to 60” diameter
and roll size from 18” to 1 meter
hight that means from 15 Kg to 150
Kgs jointless roll is now possible in
Knitting Machines and with that
there is very less wastage specially
at rollends. Secondly with the
computerization in the machines
now there is tremendous scope of
making different combination of
knits almost within no time. Now
in India, the machines are even
available with full computerized
Jacq and with wrapper also and
Indian Knitters can produce just
every fabric that falls within the
scope of Circular Knitting and Flat
Knitting which has become the first
choice of various top Brand Indian/
Foreign garment manufacturing
units.
Now even we have quite a big
range of Auto-striper machines not
only structures or Mini Jacq. but
we have fully computerized jacq.
machines with inertia facility with
striper and with fully computerized
jacq. auto striper with mesh
possibilities to cater a very vast
range of ladies lingeries or dress
material lines. Full computerized
Jacq with wrapper and auto-striper,
we can make almost any kind of
check designs on these machines.
INDUSTRY
Indian Textile and Clothing industry
which turned to be a sunrise
industry in the recent past, its
importance lies in the fact that
with the market size, it is the 2nd
largest industry in India,
contributes roughly 20% to the total
industrial output and 8% to GDP
and about 31% to the country’s
expor t earnings, provide
employment to about 40 million
persons i.e. 18% of the country’s
workforce.
With the end of the quota regime,
India and China alone are regarded
as major clothiers of the World.
Major Developed Countries, EU
and USA have placed restraints on
exports of garments from China
which will be in place until end
2008. This is the opportunity for
India to seize and establish herself
to take away the leadership from
China. It is under such
circumstances that India needs to
plan her strategy and make India
an alternative to China as a
sourcing hub. Major importers of
garments have already taken the
initiative to source from India. It is
now for us to give a push to this
initiative by ensuring that adequate
production is available to meet with
their requirements. India’s total
production in knit garment during

Journal of the Textile Association – Nov.-Dec. 2006 165

2005-06 is estimated at 4.61 billion respectively. India was the largest because of these high costs the
pcs, out of which 1.06 billion pcs gainer in both US and EU markets machinery pay back period is not
for expor t and 3.55 pcs for after China. It is heartening to note less than 6 - 7 years by using
domestic market. Based on this that Indian Textile and Apparel machine atleast 300 days a year.
presumption, the CMAI (Clothing exporters in 2005 despite falling Indian Knitting & Knit Garmenting
Manufacturers Association of prices in both US and EU, were industry already stands at the
India) has estimated the additional able to maintain its unit value crossroads as a reliable and
production 2.75 billion pcs of knit realization in both these major competitive sourcing destination
garments for exports by 2010/11 markets. and we must use the present
and 5.58 billion pcs for domestic buoyancy as a springboard for the
Circular Knitting Industry is a
requirement. According to CMAI big leap forward in the international
fashion driven industry in which you
sources, it is estimated to reach area. Next two years are very
cannot make most fabrics on one
an export target of US$ 23.00 important. Investment to the tune
machine. For every next fabric we
billion by 2010/11 from an of USD 7.00 Billions is reqd. for
need to have another machine. To
estimated export of US$ 6.6 billion upgradation of technology and to
use different count of yarn we have
in the year 2005-06 at the existing build the scale of operations.
to have different gauges. For
unit value realisation of US$ 3.42
different widths we have to have Though during the last two
per piece. It, therefore, projects a
altogether new machines. If we go decades, the Knitting Industry in
year-over-year increase of US$
for Flat Knitting this has very vast India has grown up magnificently,
3.38 billion based on the current
design possibility but very high in yet looking at the performance of
UVR.
cost as compared to Circular our competitors in the International
The following table depicts the Knitting. So the scale of economy Market, we visualize that Indian
picture of cumulative growth from is only with low cost high Knitting Industry has not ripen to
2005-06 to 2010-2011 in different production. If we look at the the extent so as to withstand the
areas. International Market, there is no
challenge of our competitors fully.
2005-06 2010-2011 Cumulative Remarks
The International Demand and
growth Supply Scenario for Knit Fabric and
Knit Garments on year-to-year
Production 8.39 billion 19.58 billion 13.74%
pcs pcs
basis surely indicates that there is
tremendous scope for the
Value of Production 1.19 2.84 19,01% development of Knit Industry in
(Trillion Rs)
India and to take the lead, we have
Machinery Required 26.10 lac units 87.08 lac units 27.3% Includes second to fully utilize the sources and
(Knitted & Woven) shift Working. resources available to us to seize
this opportunity in the right earnest
Labour Employed 73.09 lacs 243.73 lacs 27.6% Based on 8%
apart from maintaining quality of
GDP at Factor cost Rs.27.01 Rs.39.68 7.99% Growth Y-O-Y International Standard and
Current prices Trillion(estd) Trillion(estd) committed deliveries.
GDP %age for 4.41% 7.16% 10.20% A number of Government initiatives
garments
in setting up Integrated Textile
Exports $6.6 billion $23 billion 47.2% Parks and SEZ have also
generated increased interest in this
World Exports $275 billion $440 billion 9.90%
(Estd) sector. Despite all round positive
developments, the Indian Textile
India’s Export share 2.4% 5.20% 18.90% and Apparel sector faced a number
in World Trade
of challenges. Foremost challenge
Domestic per capita 5.87 pcs 19.13 pcs 27.8% Steady being the infrastructure India still
Availability of population of lag behind in the infrastructure as
garments 1:1 billion
compared to most of the developed
assumed
countries of the world. Lack of FDI
Source: CAMI: is an other concern for the Indian
The Textile and Apparel Exports import duty and very low rate of Textile & Apparel sector. Another
(Knit and woven) to US and EU interest. So they are able to reduce challenge is most of the Indian
increased by 27% and 18% their costs overall; whereas in India Textile & Apparel is based on

166 Journal of the Textile Association – Nov.-Dec. 2006

unorganized sector which lack
technology quality and skill to
match the best in the world.
Archaic labour laws have also
hampered the growth of the apparel
industry. In fact India needs to
overcome these challenges on
priority if it is to challenge China in
the Textile and Apparel Market.
CONCLUSION
• Indian Industry and the
Government on their part
needs to invest heavily in
Infrastructure facilities and
developing supply chain
capabilities.
• We should all concentrate on
using cotton and allied yarn in
Knitting industry for value
addition for the economic
upliftment of our country rather
than selling raw materials like
cotton and cotton yarns as it
is. Let us join hands together
and put our efforts in Knitting
industry for its growth and your
own growth.
• Initiate more reforms and
extend the TUF facility for
another five years if it really
wishes Indian Knitting and Knit
Garment industry capture a
major chunk in the International
Market and contribute to the
major economic development
of the country.
• Sacrifice in Customs Duty of
Rs. 1,092.00 crores is not too
big for the Government
considering the benefits to the
economy. I would, therefore,
urge the Government to
consider this sacrifice
favourably.
• Government should reform its
Labour Policy and make it
industry friendly This would
further encourage the setting
up of new units.
• Government should reduce the
transaction costs from the
present 11% to 4%
which is still higher than the
international 2%.
• Government should refund
taxes, duties and subsidies on
export production in time.
• Government should strive for
a uniform Taxation Policy for all
States. This will help all round
uniform development of all the
States of India and add
considerably to the economic
growth of India. n

123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012

Announcement – Regarding
International Conference at DKTE
D.K.T.E. Society’s Textile & Engineering Institute has entered into 25th year on 28th September
2006. To commemorate progress & outstanding achievements during last 25 years. Silver
Jubilee International Textile Conference has been arranged on 16th, 17th and 18th February
2007, venue will be in the institute’s premises.
During the conference eminent speakers from industry, academia, research & management
areas from India and abroad will be presenting on the emerging areas like, Nano Technology
in Textiles, Bio Technology in Textiles, Recent Advances in Machinery & Technology, Technical
Textiles. Experts from abroad representing Zurich University, Bargamo University, Savio, Rieter,
Then, Marzoli & others are likely to present their research. The details are available on institute's
website as well as they can be obtained from institute’s office. (www.dktes.com)

Journal of the Textile Association – Nov.-Dec. 2006 167