A comprehensive concept paper, prepared by the research team of NIFT-TEA Knitwear Institute, was submitted to Union MSME Ministry for turning Tirupur knitwear export hub into a ‘zero defect’ manufacturing cluster as envisaged by the Union Government.
Findings of the analysis, incorporated in the document, highlighted the need for Government support towards adoption of ‘soft interventions’ such as creating awareness on the benefits of reducing the defects for enhancement of profit margins, and for skill upgrading of the existing workforce.
Besides, the document had suggested setting up a model zero defect garment factory in the cluster, funds to have access to world-class technical consultants, and identification of an anchor institution for taking forward the initiatives for attaining the objective of becoming ‘zero defect’ hub.
“One of the main problems that presently confront the Tirupur knitwear cluster is the higher rate of rejections of apparel products due to the defects that creep in during the manufacturing process.
“It should be noted that garments from some of the small countries such as Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Cambodia have greater penetration into the niche global apparel markets than the products from India only because the former groups are able to keep the rejections at the bare minimal level,” NIFT-TEA Institute chief mentor Raja M. Shanmugam told The Hindu .
The zero defect garment factory was recommended for educating the entrepreneurs about the modern techniques/concepts that could be followed to wipe out the defects during manufacturing and for upgrading the skills of workers.
“We have recommended for identifying an anchor institution, which can carry out researches on new technologies in the cluster itself, because the existing idea of setting up Centres of Excellence in some select institutions which have no industry linkage is not giving desired results,” Mr. Shanmugam said.
He pointed out that turning Tirupur into a ‘zero defect’ manufacturing cluster at this stage would be of immense boost to the apparel exports considering the shrinkage of China’s share in world apparel markets.
