Indian Texpreneurs Federation (ITF) has appealed to all brands and retail chains operating in India to source their requirements from within the country instead of importing. ITF’s appeal comes in the wake of a huge jump in import of readymade garments from Bangladesh. The government is making best possible efforts to promote ‘Make in India’, ‘Skill India’ and incentivising job creation. Indian textile clusters can serve better, source the needs of both western and Indian brands both in terms of quality and competitive pricing. Products sourced from within were far better than those sourced from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Indonesia.

Retailers and brands should explore possibilities to partner with garmenting hubs in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Karur, Erode, Surat and Ludhiana, among others, and focus on local sourcing. Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data has revealed that Bangladesh exports touched a high of $1.07 billion between July and April of 2018-19 fiscal compared to $701.56 million earned during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal That's not all. The resultant impact is far more in terms of job loss across the textile value chain.