About hundred knitwear garment making units in Tirupur have shifted to making of personal protection equipments (PPEs) such as gowns, masks, gloves and goggles to meet the rising demand. Raja M Shanmugham, President, Tirupur Exporters’ Association, says PPEs could be manufactured in hubs like Tirupur more swiftly than the import time asserting the 100-odd units in the knitwear export cluster had started making PPEs based on order, he said the units are geared up with support from the district administration.

A number of these units are engaged in making of surgical masks, while some are into PPEs as well. These units use SITRA (South India Textile Research Association) approved standard fabric. They are utilising less than 10 per cent capacity for making 1,000s of masks and PPEs. There should be no issue in meeting the country’s requirement of 15 million PPEs,

The TEA President requested the government to extend support by helping the manufacturers’ source approved fabric, prescribe the standard and manufacturing process to be followed and place orders.