The Union Minister for Textiles Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani launched the India Size project in Mumbai today. A first-of-its-kind project in the history of India, India Size aims to arrive at a standard Indian Size for the ready-to-wear clothing industry, on the lines of the standardized sizes available in countries such as the USA and the UK. A size chart that is specific to Indian consumers' measurements will be developed. This will help Indian apparel manufacturers to tailor their cuts closer to the actual body measurements of consumers. This will benefit consumers, manufacturers and the industry as a whole. The project is being undertaken by the Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI).

 

Addressing the gathering, the Textiles Minister complimented the clothing manufacturers' industry and the retail industry for coming together for the greater cause of the industry and the economy. 

The Minister said that India Size is an emblem and a resolve between the industry and the Government, which will benefit both consumers and manufacturers. She said that the never-done-before anthropometric study will lead to a size chart that will mainly benefit our consumers, besides the industry. She hoped that the project will also arm the Ministry with data so that the government can apply itself to solutions. 

The Textiles Minister also launched a Study of Apparel Consumption in India. Representing over 45,000 apparel manufacturers and retailers, CMAI will be conducting a study spread across three to six months, for arriving at an accurate assessment of the total apparel consumption in the country, thereby resulting in more accurate business projections, better marketing strategies and investment into the industry. The study aims to bridge the lack of accurate and reliable data on the size, spread, and extent of the domestic market. The study will attempt to come up with region-wise and product category-wise consumption patterns in the country, to arrive at a statistically reliable database, which could then become the foundation to study growth patterns in the coming year. The report would be ready for release by July 2019.

The survey which CMAI is going to undertake, to study apparel consumption in India, was long-awaited, said the Minister. The survey will help realize the potential of the sector. This study, done independently by the industry, will enable the Textiles Committee and the industry to together decide on the course of the industry, said the Minister. 

Smt. Irani said that many are yet to realize the potential of the Indian retail sector. She thanked brands which have collaborated with the Ministry of Textiles, under the India Handloom Brand launched by the Prime Minister. The Minister expressed satisfaction that many leading brands have come together and expressed their desire to partner directly with India's weavers. 

Referring to the recent signing of MoUs between the government and leading textile companies in Mumbai, the Minister said that the CEOs' Roundtable held today will lead to new beginnings. She said that the government is committed to ensuring that those who seek to train people in stitching, tailoring, apparel making and in retail will come together under schemes of the Ministry and start upon a new journey in skilling segment. 

The Minister announced that CMAI, along with its members, has resolved that in conjunction with the Ministry of Textiles, powerloom clusters will be identified from which adequate resources for retail businesses can be procured, with assistance to powerloom weavers by the government. 

The Textiles Minister also presented the Transforming India through Retail Awards on the occasion. 18 retailers were honoured for their contribution to the retail industry. The awards were given by CMAI, supported by RAI (Retailers Association of India) and Ministry of Textiles, in recognition of the innovative, bold, and creative thought processes and business models adopted by the awardees, thereby transforming the way retail is conducted and contributing to societal development.

Congratulating the award-winners, the Minister noted the variety in the sectors served by the awardees. 

Secretary, Textiles, Shri Raghvendra Singh recalled that MoUs were recently signed with industry players wherein Government will facilitate sourcing of handloom products from handloom clusters, based on requirements of industry, so that cost of production comes down for weavers. He said that specific discussions were held today with CMAI members, and it has been decided that Government and industry will work together for enhancing income of weavers and generating employment. The Government is going to go ahead in a big way for skilling of powerloom sector, with the synergy with CMAI. To help indigenous retail industry, trend forecasting centres are being set up in hub and spoke model; Incubation Centres and Innovation Centres are also being set up to strengthen domestic retail segment, said the Secretary. 

President and Chairman, CMAI, Shri Rahul Mehta said, “We have been following international sizing charts all these years and every brand which is launched in India also follows their own charts. This creates disparity for the Indian consumers. With the launch of India Size project, there will be a standard size for all manufacturers; it will help the consumers in both online and offline shopping, by making size identification easier. As a country, a standard Indian size in exports will also help create harmony for all manufacturers.” 

Project India Size

Under India Size, an all-India anthropometric study of measurements of the average Indian apparel consumer will be undertaken. The study will include an analysis of close to 25,000 consumers spread over various age groups, and covering the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Shillong. This will enable the study to cover all important regions of the country.

The Indian Size will put the country on par with developed countries, which typically follow a standardized size for their consumers – such as the US Size, UK Size, Mexican Size, etc. The Indian Size will provide tremendous benefit to the consumer by offering standardized sizes, better-fitting clothes, reduced hassles of purchase returns and reduction of wasteful expenditure due to incorrect purchases. It will benefit the manufacturer by enabling minimization of wrong inventory and expenses on returned goods and improving sales. All these factors will contribute towards reduction in ultimate prices paid by the consumer. With higher sales, increased consumption and lower expenses, investments will also go up in the industry.

With increasing spread of the Indian diaspora across the world, an Indian Size will also increase exports from India.

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DJM/ST/SP

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