With the ban on Chinese products reducing import of Chinese circular knitted polyester cloth to 200 tons, Surat –based manufacturers are gearing up to produce the fabric, used in the T-shirts for IPL players, in their facilities. There are 150 manufacturers of circular knitted polyester fabrics in the city who have about 3,000 machines. Labor cost in creating these fabrics is only 50 paise per meter as compared to normal fabrics, and the demand in the local market is very high. Polyester fabrics made by circular knitting industry are in demand for its multipurpose uses, including the making of shoes, suitcases, baby frocks, swimming costumes, leggings and T-shirts.

Before the pandemic, Surat imported 800 tons of polyester knitted fabrics from China, which has now reduced to 200 ton. In comparison, Surat manufacturers produce more than Rs 5.5 crore worth of textiles at an estimated 4.5 lakh kg per day. About 80 per cent of this fabric that is used across the country is produced in Surat, while 20 per cent of the fabrics are exported to Arab countries.