Garment makers focusing on online space: CRISIL

India’s garment makers have begun to increasingly focus on the online space, says a new CRISIL report. The textiles sector has aggressively adopted digital channels for business prospects with digital adoption growing from barely 20 per cent pre-COVID to 58 per cent currently in the textile sector. A similar trend is being observed in Gujarat as well, where apparel makers are aggressively moving towards online platforms to find buyers, says Rahul Mehta, Chief Mentor, Clothing Manufacturers’ Association of India (CMAI).

As per Gujarat Garment Manufacturers’ Association (GGMA), Gujarat is home to some 7,000 apparel manufacturing units, most of which are SMEs. Manufacturers Iin the state have begun to launch new product lines and fresh collections online as well. Mehta says, several clothing brands and manufacturers have started offering fresh merchandise online instead of merely pushing old stocks because of rising digital adoption by consumers. They also launched a B2B platform in November-end to help manufacturers list their collection online, and tap new buyers.

The platform can help connect buyers from across the country with manufacturers and also enable them to place their orders, adds Mahendra Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director of an apparel manufacturing company that has developed the platform.