The combined capacity of denim fabric production by various mills in India is set to cross the 1.2 billion metres per annum by 2015 as several companies are going in for their capacity expansion.
Etco Denim, Aarvee Denim, LNJ Denim, Sangam Denim, Jindal Denim, Nandan Exim, Shri Lakshmi Cotsyn and the SEL Group have either increased or currently in the process of raising their denim fabric production capacity.
“It is just a matter of time before India's denim fabric production capacity reaches one billion metres mark. It would touch 1.2 billion metres per annum by 2015,” Mr. Rajesh Dudeja, founder of Denim Club of India (DCI), told fibre2fashion.
“It would mean that there would be a sea-change in production capacities of denim in North India during the coming years. Denim manufacturing will move to locations where denim was not given even a thought in the last five decades,” adds Mr. Dudeja.
In the domestic market, the demand and consumption of denim has been growing consistently during the last few years. However, there still remains a huge potential to be tapped.
As Mr. Dudeja says, “The mere fact that India has a huge semi-urban and rural population makes it evident that the domestic market will consume most of the denim that is produced in the country.”
“It also implies that a major part of the more than one billion metres of denim manufactured in the country would be low value, basic denim fabric, which will be cut by the predominantly unorganized garmenting sector, and turned into economy jeans,” he adds.
“At the same time, innovation will be driven by the growing 'brand-conscious' segment in metros and cities, who will certainly demand better products. Interestingly, in the very near future, we will also see regular import of better qualities of denim fabrics from neighbouring countries, which will be converted into garments domestically,” he predicts.
The demand for high quality denim fabrics and innovative finishes and functionality has been constantly driving the demand, with Japan having taken the lead in the premium denim segment.
“To remain in the competition, the Indian industry will essentially need to make investments in order to bring in improvements in wear life, as well as hand, drape and colour retention, while at the same time focusing on processes and technology that are more eco-friendly and sustainable. The denim manufacturers have to be more responsive to fashion trends, and must get out of their comfort zone and start bringing out collections for at least two seasons in a year,” avers Mr. Dudeja.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
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