India to get standardised clothing size chart

In a first, India will have its own size chart for ready-to-wear clothes. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi under the Ministry of Textiles will undertake an extensive research study to develop a comprehensive size chart for the ready-to-wear garment industry based on body measurements of the Indian population.

Expected to be ready by 2021, the sizing chart will be prepared from anthropometric data collected from a sample population in the age group of 15 to 65 years. This database of measurements will then culminate in a standardised size chart truly representative of the population, which can be adopted by the entire apparel industry.

Using 3D whole body scanners, measurements of 25,000 males and females from six cities located in different regions of the country namely Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Shillong will be compiled, NIFT officials said.

Funded by the Ministry of Textiles, this Rs 30-crore project sanctioned under the Research and Development Scheme will develop Indian size charts based on body measurements of the Indian population for better fitting of ready-to-wear garments. The government has promised assistance of Rs 21 crore, while NIFT will contribute Rs 9.1 crore from its own sources. The mapping exercise is likely to take two years.

NIFT is currently in talks with government-approved cloud service providers to ensure that all the data captured is safe and secure. Screening of people for data will not be like a photograph, but an avatar. It will come out like a dotted outline. NIFT will also conduct awareness programmes to sensitise people and make them aware about the research project.