Apparel Online India 16-31 July' 17 | Page 53

INDIA CANVAS Indian womenswear market to beat menswear by 2025 According to a report titled, ‘Women’s Apparel Landscape in India’ by Avendus Capital, the women’s apparel market will overtake menswear by the year 2025. The report claims that Women’s apparel which accounted for Rs. One lakh crore of the Rs. 2.6 lakh crore apparel market in 2015 is growing at 11 per cent CAGR, while the branded segment is noticing a 20 per cent growth. It also highlights understanding of women’s shopping behaviour, a significant shift towards branded apparel and the various distribution channels available in the market. Women’s branded apparel market is expected to grow at around 20 increase in number of working women and spending power, ease of retail trade and the shift to ready-to-wear and aspiration- based shopping. per cent, raising its share of the total market to over 40 per cent. The report attributed the growth to factors such as the entry of branded players including foreign labels, “Impulsive buying, online and digital shopping, availability of a plethora of niche brands and the influence of social media are also changing the women’s apparel landscape,” said Abha Agarwal, Director – Investment Banking, Avendus Capital, adding, “I believe ease of payment, the growing concept of visual merchandising and seamless shopping and delivery experience will make the women’s apparel market more attractive going forward.” India's textile hub Tirupur to become ‘smart city' Good news came in for India’s apparel hub Tirupur (Tamil Nadu) when it found itself on the list of 30 new cities that are being added to the Centre’s ‘Smart Cities Mission’, as announced by M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation. Besides Tirupur, Tirunelveli, Thootukkudi and Tiruchirappalli from Tamil Nadu have also been placed in the list. Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) has expressed happiness over the Government’s move to include the city in the list of Smart Cities Mission. Commenting on the move, TEA President Raja M Shanmugham said, “We would like to thank minister for selecting Tirupur under Smart Cities Mission which will go a long way in the development of infrastructure in this happening city. We are certain that under the Mission, all the ongoing issues will be addressed for the city’s development.” The inclusion will improve the infrastructure in Tirupur which is targeting to achieve Rs. One lakh crore from knitwear business by the year 2020. Old rates of ROSL to be continued for nex t three months The Government has cleared ROSL (Rebate Of State Levies) for the next 3 months (till 30th September 2017) at the old rates. This becomes effective after Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC)’s request for restoration of the previous rate of ROSL at 3.9 per cent in reaction to the announcement made by the Ministry of Textiles, through a notification issued on 27th June 2017, which had notified the interim ROSL scheme at 0.39% and through another notification dated 30th June 2017, had made it compulsory for the exporters to give declarations and certificates in a prescribed format at the time of export for claiming the duty drawback. AEPC had claimed this sharp reduction of 90% as ‘not being acceptable’. Ashok Rajani, Chairman, AEPC shared, “We are happy with this decision as our demand has been accepted. This will be a good support to Indian apparel exporters.” 15-18% growth in garment export next year India is likely to note a 15-18 per cent growth in garment export to touch US $ 20 billion during the current fiscal. The increase from US $ 17 billion in FY 2017 is expected mostly owing to the improved market conditions in the US and other markets. However, India failed to grab the desired export target for the year 2016- 17. “The US market is doing reasonably well and we are also looking at good exports potential to South America, European, Middle East and Japanese markets this year,” stated President of Clothing Manufacturers Association of India President, Rahul Mehta. www.apparelresources.com | JULY 16-31, 2017 | Apparel Online India 53