Making India a Sourcing Destination for Man

Among the residual effects of pandemic-era life is consumers’ quest for

Among the residual effects of pandemic-era life is consumers’ quest for comfortable clothing. According to a survey by PowerReviews, 84 percent of shoppers consider comfort when buying apparel.

Knitwear checks the comfort box. Knit textile structures are the building blocks for T-shirts, leggings, intimate apparel, athleisure and more. Synonymous with softness, these fabrics are easy to wear and care for. Cotton and polyester have traditionally dominated the knit category, but man-made cellulosic fibers like viscose are on the rise. From 2020 to 2021, global MMCF production grew from 6.5 million tons to 7.2 million tons, according to Textile Exchange. And the organization anticipates that MMCFs will rapidly accelerate over a 15-year period to reach 10 million tons per year.

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India-based Birla Cellulose, the pulp and fiber business of Aditya Birla Group, sees significant growth potential for man-made cellulosic fiber (MMCF) based knits in its home country's textiles and apparel industry. India's knit production heavily relies on cotton today, but Birla Cellulose wants viscose and other MMCF speciality fibers, like modal, lyocell and more, to win a bigger piece of the knitwear pie thanks to the global trend.

Specifically in India, knitwear and woven attire have different supply chains. In many areas of India, woven textiles are still often sold as fabrics, which consumers take to a tailor for sewing to make the final garment. In contrast, knitted garments are typically retailed as finished apparel, with a supply chain that includes yarn production, knitting, processing and garment manufacturing.

Two challenges that must be overcome to expand MMCF usage and knitwear production in India are technology constraints and skill gaps. It can also be difficult to reach the scale required for larger orders, making the finished fabrics costlier.

Another local obstacle is how the industry is organized. "A major challenge for the Indian apparel sector is its fragmented nature, with a large part of the industry in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) segment, with low adoption of technology and best practices," said Jyotiprakash Mohapatra, joint president, business development and marketing at Birla Cellulose.

To help the industry tackle these hurdles, Birla Cellulose is investing in upgrading the knowledge and skills of downstream manufacturers in how to process man-made cellulosic materials to create more value for their businesses. As part of this effort, Aditya Birla Group is investing about $25 million in its Center of Excellence Knits (CoEK) with appropriate technology and critical operating skills for the processing of MMCF knits, with an intent to overcome the given limitations associated with this textile segment. This center will also impart skills and technical insights on knit production to the larger Indian knits ecosystem and the manufacturers. "This will be a knowledge center for Indian manufacturers to visit and learn best-in-class technology and technical know-how, so that India will become a sourcing destination for MMCF knits," Mohapatra said.

As a responsible supplier, Birla Cellulose provides various supports to its customers and the value chain at large.

The Textile Research and Development Center (TRADC) of Birla Cellulose assists its customers by developing new products and applications in MMCF-based knitwear. This center also works toward knowledge sharing, efficiency improvement and skill development of the value chain partners. "Speed and flexibility are the new normal in the export industry, and there is a greater need for the industry to move faster with innovation to meet the market changes," Mohapatra noted.

Another hurdle in expanding MMCF knitwear from India is getting export orders for the Indian value chain. Through its Liva Accredited Partner Forum (LAPF), Birla Cellulose offers sourcing support and connects brands with a 450-plus strong network of yarn and fabric suppliers. LAPF operates physical Studio spaces in India (4), Indonesia (1) and New York (1) that showcase downstream partners’ fabric collections to attract business from international retailers, readymade garment factories and buyers. LAPF also helps domestic and international designers to stay on top of trends with seasonal forecasts that share the latest in colors, prints, finishes and weaves, and also by showcasing newly available fabrics.

Birla Cellulose's plan for the future of viscose and other MMC fibers, such as its Birla Modal and Excel [Lyocell], also centers on sustainable actions, and the fiber maker aims to become the sustainability leader in the global MMCF industry. To get there, the supplier has adopted a five-pillar strategy addressing responsible sourcing, responsible manufacturing, sustainable and circular products, partnerships and social responsibility.

As with capabilities, sourcing and marketing, collaboration and downstream engagement on sustainability are critical for progress. Therefore, Birla Cellulose also provides chemical management support, which includes helping value chain partners adopt better practices to meet international benchmarks in areas like chemical management and also audit of the value chain's facilities to improve work practices and chemical management.

"Sustainable products have been the major focus area for all the apparel brands globally, so our focus on this aspect is at the prime spot," said Mohapatra.

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Making India a Sourcing Destination for Man