Textiles Minister launches Indian Size Project

Hon’ble Minister of Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani launched the Indian Size Project in collaboration with CMAI recently at a function held in Mumbai. Also present at the event were Raghvendra Singh, Secretary Textiles, and Ajit B Chavan, Secretary, Textiles Committee.

The first-of-its-kind Project in the Indian history, ‘Indian Size’ will feature a size chart that is specific to the Indian Consumer’s measurements. The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), working with the Union Ministry of Textiles on this project unveiled the ‘Indian Size’ logo, signaling the launch of an all India anthropometric study of the measurements of the average Indian consumer. The study will see an analysis of close to 25,000 consumers spread over various age groups, and covering the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Shillong. This will enable the study to cover all the important regions of the country.

The Indian Size will put the country on par with all the developed countries, which typically follow a standardised size for their consumers – such as the US Size, UK Size, Mexican Size, etc.  The Indian Size will provide tremendous benefit to the Consumer by offering standardised sizes, better fitting clothes, reduced hassles of purchase returns, and reduction of wasteful expenditure on wrong purchases. To the manufacturer, it will enable minimisation of wrong inventory being piled up, expenses on returned goods, and better sales. All these factors will reduce ultimate prices to the consumer. With better sales, increased consumption, and lower expenses, Investments will also go up in the industry.

With increasing spread of the Indian diaspora across the whole world, such an Indian Size will also increase exports from India to such diaspora. Speaking at the function, Rahul Mehta, President, CMAI, thanked the Textiles Minister for accepting CMAI’s proposal of having such a study, and extending the full support of the Ministry of Textiles. Speaking on the occasion, he said, “We have been following international sizing charts all these years and every brand which is launched in India also follow their own charts. This creates disparity for the Indian consumers. With the launch of Size India project, there will be a standard size for all manufacturers and will help the consumers shop online and offline by making size identification easier. As a country, during exports a standard Indian size will help create harmony for all manufacturers.”

CMAI also announced the launch of a Study of the Apparel Consumption in India. Representing over 45,000 apparel manufacturers and retailers, CMAI will be conducting a study over three to six months for arriving at an accurate assessment of the total apparel consumption in the country – thereby resulting in more accurate business projections, aid marketing strategies, and a more confident investment into the Industry. The report would be ready for release by July 2019