MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES
(SHRI AJAY TAMTA)
(a) & (b): Research studies on fit and human-body measurements conducted across the globe indicate that a large percentage of shoppers face difficulty in finding clothes that fit perfectly according to their body measurements. The overarching reason is differences in anthropometric built of people in different geographical regions across the country. Doyens of the Indian Apparel Industry have admitted that body sizing is a major problem for domestic apparel brands. In absence of any standardised size chart for Indian sizes, the prevalent practice in apparel industry is to adapt available size charts to Indian need. The online Indian Fashion catalogue is dominated by Apparel (47%) followed by Fashion Accessories (40%), Footwear (9%) and Lingerie (4%) in 2016. There were higher percentages of Customer Initiated Returns (CIR) in apparel and lifestyle segment in comparison to other segments. This increases the cost of reverse logistics. Online clothing retailers struggle with high return rates, which is about 25% says Forrester Research a global research and advisory firm. For expensive items, returns rates are even higher than 50%. Typically, 5%-35% of products get returned to the seller through marketplaces.
(c) to (e): National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi has been sanctioned an extensive anthropometric research study to develop a body size chart for Indian population. The project is likely to be completed by the year 2021. The survey will result in the creation of Size identification number for a customer through mapping, categorization and defining of their body size. This will help manufacturer to produce goods suited for the body size of the target consumer and help consumer to identify size which will be best suited for them resulting in a match and hence sales.
(f) & (g): Industry has represented that imports of apparel from Bangladesh have increased as Basic Custom Duty (BCD) is exempt and post GST, there is no Countervailing Duty (CVD) or Education Cess. Industry has pointed out that there is need to have Fabric Forward Rules with neighboring countries that have Foreign Trade Agreements (FTAs) with India. Government is trying to deepen engagements with countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka by leveraging India’s capacities in the value chain and linking export of apparel by these countries with the requirement to source fabrics and raw materials from India. Government has taken various steps to boost the Indian textile industry. Products such as fibre, yarn and fabric in the textile value chain are being strengthened and made competitive through various schemes, inter alia, Powertex for fabric segment, Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Schemes (ATUFS) for all segments except spinning, Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP) for all segments, etc. in the silk sector, the Indigenous Automatic Reeling Machines and “Buniyad Reeling Machines” have been introduced to increase quality and productivity. In order to reap the benefits of demographic dividend, the Government has skilled 7.54 lakhs persons in 3 years under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS). Since the apparel sector has the greatest potential for employment growth, Government has introduced the Pradhan Mantri Paridhan Rozgar Portsahan Yojana (PMPRPY) Scheme under the Special Package for Apparel and Made-ups under which Government bears the entire 12% of the employers’ contribution of the Employers Provident Fund Scheme for new employees of garment and made-ups sectors for first 3 years of their employment as a special incentive.
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