Weavers and textile processors in Surat have shifted their attention to cotton and cotton-blended fabrics. Reason: growing demand for cotton fabric in the country. Units want to move ahead in garment manufacturing from synthetic fabrics to cotton fabrics. The trend has been visible after the implementation of GST as there is a flat five per cent GST on cotton yarn and fabrics. Around 25 mills in Surat are processing cotton fabrics. Unfinished cotton fabric from Ichhalkaranji and Bhiwandi is also making its way to textile dyeing and processing mills for processing.

Traditionally, Surat is known for its low-cost polyester fabric or manmade fabric. Surat’s manmade fabric sector manufactures four crore meters of polyester fabric a day. The industry employs more than 10 lakh workers in the manufacturing and processing sectors. There are about 6,00,000 plain power looms, around 1,00,000 embroidery machines and also 50,000 water jet and rapier looms in Surat. There are also numerous yarn texturising units. Export of synthetic fabrics from the Surat textile industry is around Rs 20,000 crores.

Cotton manufacturing is expected to have a 40 per cent share of the manmade fabric center in the next five years.