Surat: The industrial city of Surat, renowned for its textile industry, is now expanding its horizons into the garment sector. Laxmipati Group, a prominent name in Surat's textile industry, has officially entered the garment industry, marking a significant shift in the region’s business landscape. The global potential in the garment industry has encouraged textile entrepreneurs to diversify from sarees into garments.
On Wednesday, August 28, a delegation from the Brand Sourcing Leaders Association (BSL), along with officials from various brands, visited Laxmipati Apparel's garment unit. The visit resulted in substantial orders from both national and international brands. The visitors congratulated Laxmipati Apparel on meeting all standards and expressed confidence in the company’s future success in the garment sector.
Raman Dutta of BSL highlighted that BSL includes top executives from domestic and international apparel and textile brands. BSL is a unique organization that brings global and local brand leaders onto a single platform, with over 400 renowned brands and sourcing office representatives as its members.
Smita Verma, a member of the delegation, noted the evolving market dynamics, explaining that while sarees once dominated the market, the new generation is increasingly diversifying their fashion choices. She emphasized the importance of maintaining quality to meet international market demands, as failing to do so could leave entire productions unsold. Verma pointed out that China’s garment business is worth $180 billion, while India’s exports only amount to $14 billion, underscoring the immense potential for growth.
Rakesh Sarawgi from Laxmipati Apparel shared insights from a meeting between the BSL delegation and Laxmipati Apparel’s management team. The discussion focused on enhancing India’s garment sector through strategies involving skill development, global market research, infrastructure improvement, export growth, international collaboration, sustainability, government support, and quality control. The talks were aligned with the Prime Minister's Five F Vision for uplifting the textile industry on a global scale. Sarawgi emphasized that their focus will now be on increasing exports, noting that Surat's entrepreneurs have abundant opportunities in the garment sector. With favorable conditions such as raw materials and transportation, Surat is poised to reach new heights in the garment industry, alongside its established saree market. Currently, Laxmipati operates 800 machines, with plans to expand production to include dresses, tops, bottoms, and various other women's clothing items.
In closing, Sarawgi remarked on the importance of boosting the textile industry to enhance India's GDP. After agriculture, the textile sector is the largest provider of employment in India. He noted that just as women work in the fields, providing them opportunities in stitching and boutique work under more comfortable conditions is essential. With all necessary raw materials available in Surat, the industry is expected to establish itself quickly. The quality of fabric in Surat is more than sufficient to meet buyers’ demands, and while much has been achieved, there is still plenty more to do.
