Tiruppur textile hub rebounds as exports revive

The Tiruppur Exporters’ Association (TEA) attributed this positive shift to the Green Tiruppur sustainable strategy adopted by local manufacturers.

After experiencing an 11 per cent decline in exports during the 2023-24 fiscal year (FY24) due to a ten-month streak of reduced exports from April to January, the Tiruppur textile industry has made a recovery in 2024-25 (FY25). This knitwear hub, which accounts for 55 per cent of India’s total knitwear exports, reported a 13 per cent growth in exports over the first five months of FY25, with August recording a 22 per cent increase — the highest in more than two years.

Global brands such as Primark, Tesco, Tommy Hilfiger, Marks & Spencer, and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products are now planning to place substantial orders with Tiruppur manufacturers.

The Tiruppur Exporters’ Association (TEA) attributed this positive shift to the Green Tiruppur sustainable strategy adopted by local manufacturers, which has enhanced the cluster’s appeal among buyers in the United States and Europe. TEA also noted that political instability in Bangladesh has contributed to the appeal of Tiruppur as an alternative sourcing destination for major global apparel brands. This has led to orders from US companies like GAP, Carter’s, and Walmart, European retailers such as Next and Duns, and Australian firms like Target and Woolworths in the initial months of FY25.

Traditionally, the textile sector is resource-intensive, demanding significant energy and water, while generating notable greenhouse gas emissions. However, investments in zero liquid discharge systems, green energy, and large-scale tree planting have enabled the Tiruppur knitwear cluster to meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, establishing it as a carbon-negative zone that attracts companies prioritizing green compliance.

K M Subramanian, President of TEA, explained that manufacturers are promoting the “Green Tiruppur” initiative, noting, “We are planting two million trees and generating almost five times our energy requirement—around 1,900 megawatts (MW) from wind and solar energy sources—while we only need about 300 MW.” He added that the industry now recycles nearly 100 per cent of its daily water requirement of 150 million litres for fabric processing, with excess power being supplied to the grid.

In the first five months of FY25, the region’s exports reached Rs 146.79 billion, reflecting a 13 per cent increase from Rs 129.95 billion during the same period in FY24. August alone saw a 22 per cent rise, totalling Rs 31.14 billion, up from Rs 25.50 billion in August 2023.

This growth comes after an 11 per cent fall in overall exports in FY24, which dropped to Rs 306.90 billion from Rs 343.50 billion in 2022-23, largely due to the Ukraine conflict, financial issues in Europe and the US, and global disruptions.

The Tiruppur region is home to approximately 28,000 manufacturing units engaged in various stages of the textile supply chain, employing nearly 800,000 people in knitting, dyeing, bleaching, fabric printing, garmenting, embroidery, compacting, calendaring, and other related operations.

News courtesy: Business Standard