Apparel April 2019 Apparel May 2019 issue | Page 43

FEATURE
WHAT ARE EXPORT SURPLUS
FABRICS?
‘Export surplus fabrics’ is a broad term that is
used to refer to fabrics which have been rejected
in the export market. The cause for rejection
could be quality, delay in supplies or simply
excess quantity ordered which could not be used.
Export markets are usually very finicky about
quality—not only in terms of fabric quality but
also detailing like colours, size of prints and so
on—and delivery schedules of fabric. At times,
there are colour variations in the fabric lots due to
which they get rejected. Sometimes, the ordering
or delivery is delayed and the entire lot is rejected.
This and variation in colours are the main reasons
why such bulk quantities of fabric become
available. Exporters earlier would sell them at
dirt-cheap prices to domestic wholesalers, who
would then offer them for sampling and even
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What makes these fabrics attractive is that
they are trendy, stylish and are ‘in’ with what is
selling on the streets of New York, Milan or Paris.
The downside to this is that the fabric is available
only in limited quantities. The design available,
say of 100 metres, cannot be reordered or
more quantities cannot be obtained. This could
be limiting to a designer but the cost benefits
usually make up for this. For instance, what in
a production run would cost around R200 per
metre could be got as export surplus for R50 a
metre. Some shops at Shanti Mohalla sell the
fabrics by weight. Thus, the cost of production
is reduced dramatically. Of course, one has to
take into account the colour fastness and general
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Ű
352'8&7,21&(175(6b
The fabrics come from several places, of
which South India and Surat stand out. Surat
is considered a haven for fabrics made using
man-made fibres like polyester, viscose filament
yarn, spun yarn, nylon, noil and its varying blends.
Given the properties of the yarns, it is easier to
experiment with and try out permutations and
combinations to get different textures, weaves,
effects and fabrics of varying weight. The trade,
however, is organised akin to the South India-
based system of dealing through traders. Most
traders are located in Surat with their base in
Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru. Alternatively, the
sampling outlets in Delhi are linked to a trader
who has looms under him where the production
is carried out. The buyer sends the prints for
development. Most of the fabric designing,
printing, and size of prints are buyer-driven. There
GIVEN THE PROPERTIES OF THE
YARNS, IT IS EASIER TO EXPERIMENT
WITH AND TRY OUT PERMUTATIONS
AND COMBINATIONS TO GET
DIFFERENT TEXTURES, WEAVES,
EFFECTS AND FABRICS.
APPAREL
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May 2019
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37