With an annual growth of over eight per cent, knitwear exports from Tirupur are likely to touch the Rs. 15,000-crore mark in a couple of years as the town is exploring new and non-traditional markets like Japan, according to Tirupur Exporters’ Association sources.
Entering the knitwear export market in 1984, Tirupur recorded exports worth Rs. 1,162.43 crores in 1993. The figure touched the Rs. 13,000-crore mark in the next two decades, contributing 42 per cent of the total knitwear exports.
Exports from this ‘sleepy’ town started in 1981 with European retail Chain C and A, which was followed by other major stores abroad approaching Tirupur exporters, making the town register total exports of Rs. 9.69 crores within three years. It never looked back, and many bigger names started buying from the area. By 2006-07, the hub clocked exports worth Rs. 11,000 crores.
However, exports suddenly dipped to Rs. 9,950 crores the next year, mainly due to external factors. However, Tirupur again became active and registered exports worth Rs. 11,250 crores in 2008-09, Rs. 11,500 crores in 2009-2010, Rs. 12,500 crores in 2010-11 and Rs. 13,000 crores in 2012-13.
The major brands doing business with Tirupur, which has currently 1,500 knitwear units and 2,500 garment making units, include Wal-Mart, Target, Primax, Sears and Mothercare and H and M, besides the old guard C and A.