India's apparel andtextile industry is on an expansion drive, looking at new marketslike South Africa, writes fashion commentatorRenato Palmi


The India Clothing and Textile Trade Show heldat the Durban International ConventionCentre recently highlighted theimportance of South Africa to thedevelopmental growth of India's clothing, textile and fashion sector.


Durban has the largest Indian Diaspora outside India and cementing closer links with the two countries through fashion can create a path of mutual sustainable economic benefits. Theinjection of large capital by Durban businesses into an expanding Indian marketwill create further competition within the South African apparel landscape.


However,instead of looking at the negativeaspects alone, it is important toacknowledge that the South Africanclothing industry, and in particularthe clothes and fashion sector in KwaZulu-Natal (due to the cultural andhistorical links here), can and needto explore mutually beneficial links.


Indian fashion sectors arealready exploring these ties by experimenting withand developing cultural imagery that will appeal to the Indian population.


India'sclothing and textile sector continues to grow, as isapparent by the existence of more than 20 000 members of its ClothingManufacturers Association of India. The country has existing export councils ranging from textile to fashion councils, whose primary focus is to globally promote these industry sectors. It is estimated that the Indian textile sector will grow to nearly $90billion (R672bn) by 2011.


The country isthe second largest, after China, in worldwide textile development. In the last quarter of 2009, India's $5bn textile export sector had marginaldrops due to the global recessionand declining orders from the US and Europe. Indias industry is not immune to global economic shifts, with its government allocating around $510m to assist domestic textile companies last year. The industry is on an expansion drive not just here but in Japan, South America and New Zealand aswell.


With theirrange of textiles, efficientmanufacturing systems and a stronginstitutional support system, India's dominance in the global market may grow to such an extent that they will be seen by China as a serious competitor. Many Indian designers are also beginning to influence trend development and fashionbranding.


The SouthAfrican industry can learnfrom the support structures the Indiangovernment and their textile sectorshave in place for promoting Indianstyle, as they have a collaborativefocus, working as a collective forthe betterment of the industry.



Originally Published in the Mercury newspaper: 11th May2010, South Africa