CMAI’s 81st NGF kidswear show draws 15k visitors and signals growth

The kidswear edition of the trade show not only reinforced NGF’s reputation as the country’s largest apparel trade show but also garnered an enormous response from both exhibitors and buyers.

The 81st National Garment Fair (NGF) – Kidswear Edition, organised by the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), marked a landmark occasion dedicating a trade fair exclusively to Kidswear. Held from June 23 to 25, 2025, the fair witnessed overwhelming participation, drawing over 15,000 buyers—including key retailers, distributors, and wholesalers—from across India and 50+ overseas buyers from various countries such as Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Europa Island, Fiji, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mozambique, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and USA.

The kidswear edition of the trade show not only reinforced NGF’s reputation as the country’s largest apparel trade show but also garnered an enormous response from both exhibitors and buyers. The trade show helped attract significantly large bookings, with major orders being secured for the upcoming festive season, highlighting the strong growth momentum in the kidswear segment.

The fair featured about 590 kidswear apparel brands, showcasing their latest collections for the upcoming autumn/winter, festive and wedding season across an expansive 3.5 lakhs square feet of exhibition space across 3 halls at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, NESCO Complex, Goregaon East, Mumbai.

Witnessing the growth of the Kidswear apparel industry, Santosh Katariya, President of CMAI remarked, “The kidswear segment is emerging as the most dynamic and fastest-growing category within India’s apparel industry, projected to grow from $22 billion (Rs 1.87 trillion) in 2024 to $34 trillion (Rs 2.89 trillion) by 2029—an impressive CAGR of 9 per cent. This robust trajectory is underpinned by rising household incomes, increasing prioritisation of comfort and quality by discerning parents, and the expanding influence of digital access and fashion-forward sensibilities. While the broader apparel market is witnessing some short-term moderation in discretionary spending, kidswear continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience. The category is increasingly driven by functionality, style-consciousness, and aspirational buying—particularly in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. With children’s apparel now seen as an extension of lifestyle choices for young families, the segment is poised for sustained long-term growth.”

Speaking on the success of the Kidswear Edition at the 81st National Garment Fair, Rohit Munjal, Vice President and Chairman of the Fair Sub-Committee, CMAI, said, “The dedicated Kidswear Edition of the 81st National Garment Fair represents a defining moment—not just for the kidswear segment, but also for how we curate industry platforms in response to evolving market dynamics. Recognising the growing strategic importance of this category, we introduced an exclusive, standalone format to offer sharper visibility and more focused engagement between brands and buyers. I’m delighted to share that this initiative has exceeded expectations. The format enabled buyers to spend meaningful time with exhibitors, resulting in high-quality interactions and encouraging order volumes. The feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. In particular, the strong and rising footfalls—surpassing our projections by Day 2—highlight the clear demand for curated, category-specific trade platforms in today’s rapidly maturing apparel ecosystem.”

Some of the notable kidswear retail brands that visited the fair included G3+ (1 store), Paridhan (6 stores), Big Shop (2 stores), Kalyan Silks (23 stores), Pinakin Garments (7 stores), Kings Life Style (4 stores), Kasam Selection (24 stores) and Madan Collection (6 stores). Their participation highlighted the fair’s significance as a key platform for sourcing the latest trends and innovations in kidswear, while also highlighting the growing interest and investment in this dynamic segment of the apparel market.

Participant at 81st NGF Kidswear Edition – Sandeep Jain, Owner of Suruchi (Indore), expressed, “The weddings in India are all about happiness and meeting family and friends and it is a great opportunity for our kidswear as families are oriented toward traditional weddings, and they go for clothing which suits their tradition and culture.”

Rawal Mehta, Owner, My Silk, exhibitor from Surat, said, “Earlier, people used to buy garments according to the festival season. Now that’s over, people buy garments as per their requirements. Surat is growing in ready-made, and in particular, lehengas for kids.”

Exhibitor from Ludhiana – Varinder Joshi, Business Head of Duke Fashion, said, “Over the past 5–6 years, I have observed tremendous growth in the kidswear market. New trends, fresh fashion styles, and innovative fabrics are constantly being introduced, and the pace of growth is very fast.”

Apoorva Khandhar, Owner of Badboys from Ahmedabad commented, “I’m expecting to receive a lot of orders this season, and we’re confident in our ability to satisfy our customers. India is growing across all sectors. In the garment market, I believe customers are no longer focused only on price — they’re asking for quality and value for money.”

Exhibitor from Delhi, Manish Khurana, Owner of Rivaaz, said, “Kidswear is a big market, but what we make depends on how we make the garments. If we make the best of the best in style and quality, people will like it.”

Kanji Patel, Managing Director of Tiny Girl from Mumbai, expressed, “This year, festive period is almost a month earlier than usual. As a result, we are anticipating around 15 to 20% growth this season. Last year was fantastic, every category in kidswear saw growth, with a major focus on co-ord sets, so the market outlook is very positive.”

Shubham Bagariya, Chief Marketing Officer, Casa Dee Neene from Kolkata, added, “The kidswear market, compared to last year, has been somewhat bittersweet. Some areas have performed very well comparatively. Still, kidswear remains a strong market, and I see the forecast for the next 8 to 10 years, it will be healthy and keep growing.”

Following the dedicated Kidswear Edition, the second phase of the 81st National Garment Fair—Men’s and Women’s Wear Edition—is scheduled from the 14 to 16 July 2025 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO) in Mumbai. Spanning over 15,300 sqm for men’s wear, 21,200 sqm for women’s Wear, and 680 sqm for Accessories, the Fair will showcase more than 800 menswear and womenswear brands alongside over 40 accessory labels. This expansive event promises a comprehensive, category-focused marketplace that truly represents the scale, diversity, and energy of India’s apparel industry.

The upcoming men’s & women’s wear edition is scheduled for July at the same venue and will offer seamless access to both shows through a single visitor registration.