Govt codifies fabric, stitching, and colour standards for shirts, trousers
garment manufacturing—especially in the domestic market—has relied on company-defined specifications rather than nationally harmonized benchmarks.India’s shirt market, valued at over ₹39,000 crore and dominated by men’s wear (94%), is expanding steadily, with women’s segments growing at an 11% CAGR (compound annual growth rate), while the trouser market is also witnessing strong growth, driven by rising incomes and urbanization, and is projected to reach ₹78,480 crore by 2027.This assumes significance as India is a major exporter of shirts, with outbound shipments of men’s and boys’ shirts rising from $1.06 billion in FY24 to $1.08 billion in FY25, while exports of women’s shirts increased from $1.04 billion to $1.10 billion during the same period. Despite this, the new standards are unlikely to alter export volumes, as manufacturers will continue to follow the sizing and specification norms of importing countries, while ensuring compliance with BIS requirements for the domestic market.Similarly, exports of men’s trousers rose from $1 billion in FY24 to $1.12 billion in FY25, while women’s trousers saw a sharper increase from $2.84 billion to $3.10 billion during the same period, underscoring India’s strong presence in the global apparel trade.“A uniform standard will benefit exporters, as different buyers currently impose varying testing standards, increasing compliance costs.
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