Garment exporters in Tirupur, want a Free Trade Agreement with the EU, a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Australia and a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with Canada. Tirupur’s knitwear garment exports last year recorded Rs 21,000 crores, an all India share of 20.38 per cent. The industry employs about 3,50,000 workers, of which 70 per cent are women. Exporters in Tirupur feel trade relations with European countries can help combat competition from Bangladesh. They also want reforms in other sectors including customs and yarn supplies and shortage of skilled manpower. They say the proposal to increase the power tariff to high-tension and low-tension consumers by 30 per cent would have an adverse impact on exports.

More than 95 per cent of the factories in Tirupur adhere to importers’ compliant norms. Tirupur is probably the first textile cluster in the country to have zero liquid discharge technology.

Non-cotton based fabrics is an area that exporters in the region are keen on focusing. These include fabrics such as viscose, polyester, polymate etc. Right now Tirupur predominantly caters to the summer/spring market. Once it goes in for other blended fabrics, it can cater to the autumn/winter market segment too. This will mean a steady inflow of business throughout the year.