 "Workers at a manufacturing unit in Tiruppur Source: Premier Agencies")
Cashing in the most on the renewed interest of global majors due to the political crisis in Bangladesh during 2024–25, India’s knitwear capital Tiruppur clocked a record ₹40,000 crore worth of exports for the first time in history, up from around ₹33,000 crore last financial year, said a top industry source.
During the last financial year, a lot of global majors like Primark, Tesco, Next, Marks & Spencer, Warner Bros, Walmart, and Tommy Hilfiger, Australian brands like Target and Woolworths, along with European players like Duns, had placed significant orders from Tiruppur. The region accounts for 55 per cent of India’s knitwear exports.
A Sakthivel, vice chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), said that as predicted, Tiruppur’s knitwear exports recorded a remarkable growth of over 20 per cent in the financial year 2024–25 compared to the previous year. “This achievement highlights the sector’s sustained momentum and the robust global demand for Indian knitwear and apparels. The Tiruppur knitwear cluster played a pivotal role in this exceptional performance, helping the region reach the much-anticipated milestone of ₹40,000 crore in exports,” Sakthivel said.
India’s readymade garment (RMG) sector also maintained its upward trajectory, registering a 10 per cent growth in exports during 2024–25. Total RMG exports in 2024–25 stood at $16 billion (approximately ₹1.36 trillion), out of which 49 per cent were exports from the knit sector, marking a significant increase from the previous year. This reflects the continued global confidence in Indian apparel products and manufacturing capabilities.
“This consistent month-on-month growth underscores the strength of our export sectors, particularly in readymade garments. I had earlier projected a 15–20 per cent growth for Tiruppur knitwear exports this year — but I’m pleased to note that we have crossed the record mark with over 20 per cent growth rate over last year.” He added that the growth in knitwear exports is a highly encouraging sign, and he remains optimistic that this momentum will continue despite global uncertainties.
Sakthivel also emphasised the role of India's robust apparel manufacturing ecosystem, particularly in clusters like Tiruppur. “This performance highlights the resilience and global competitiveness of Indian exporters. We are confident of sustaining this upward trend in the years ahead. With Tiruppur’s export milestone, it reaffirms its status as a leading hub for knitwear and garment exports and a major contributor to India’s overall export growth,” he added.
Tiruppur’s recovery is also rooted in its embrace of technology. The adoption of AI-driven manufacturing has significantly increased productivity, raising production capacity from 45 per cent to 65 per cent. This modernisation follows a difficult year in 2023–24, when the region saw an 11 per cent drop in exports. The downturn was attributed to global disruptions: the war in Ukraine, financial instability in Europe and the US, and the fallout of supply chain crises.
