By Dwijendra Kumar
A good portion of Indian as well as global apparel markets today comprise knitted garments which can be worn as both formal and casual wear. Notwithstanding the history of knitwear which is just over 100-year-old, it has emerged as one of the fastest growing segments in the apparel industry.
According to experts, Indian knitwear would continue to maintain its share in the world apparel market due to certain favourable factors such as the growing demand of the product and the reasonable price on which the Indian market offers it to the world market.
Earlier knitted garments comprised sports wears only, but now we are having knitted wears in daily use as well as fashionable and party wear. Such garments which include T-shirts, Cardigans, Pullovers, Sweaters, Socks, Gloves, Mufflers, Gowns etc. score over woven ones across the world for its comfort, strechability, softness and absorbency. Further knitted garments are comfortable to wear and easy to maintain when compared to woven ones.
No wonder then, knitwear is said to comprise around 40 per cent of total garment market.
According to estimates, the export of knitted apparels during the period April-July 2020 stood at 1.32 billion US dollars as against total ready made exports of 9.50 billion US dollars during the 9 months period from April 2020 to January 2021.
The current knitwear market is said to be worth 68,000 crore. Tirupur, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore are some of leading knitwear manufacturing centres.
India also has an edge over other countries as a number of fashion design schools offer training in knitwear designing in the country.
The trained designers not only provide a contemporary international look to their garments but also keep on innovating designs to keep up with competitions from other fashion conscious knitwear manufacturing countries. It is further estimated that India’s knitwear market would record a steady growth of 8 to 10 percent over coming decade.
Professional Courses: All the leading institutes in fashion education having courses in fashion design include knitwear design in the syllabi, but many institutions including National Institute of Fashion Technology, Ministry of Textile, Government of India, New Delhi, offer a 4-year Bachelor of Design course in Knitwear design at its various regional centres across the country.
The aim of such specialised courses is to enhance and further develop graduates as design specialists, within the field of knitwear design.
The Knitwear Design specialisation programme offered by NIFT is structured keeping in view the future requirements of the Indian knitting industry. The students get an opportunity to work on state-of-the-art equipments.
Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology, Government of Punjab, offers a 3-year B. Sc Fashion Design (Knits) at its Mohali centre.
The curriculum of the course provides talented individuals with an environment in which personal and professional aspirations can be fulfilled. The course gives students an opportunity to develop their individual specialisation at an advanced level, by exploration and experimentation with new approaches to Knitwear Design & Technology, supported by professional staffing facilities, contemporary studio space and modern technical resources.
Apparel Training and Design Centre, Gurgaon, under the aegis of Apparel Export Promotion Council offers diploma course in knitwear manufacturing technology.
The course is aimed at creating professionals with technical skills and knowledge for knitwear industry, coordinate and control vertical manufacturing of knots and impart knowledge of various types of knitted fabrics.
