# Apparel and footwear: Follow one offering through the chain Brands and garment makers selling finished clothing, shoes and accessories to shoppers Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/story/ #### Follow one offering through the chain **2** Example story · 7 steps · India ### A cotton T-shirt knitted in Tiruppur Follow a T-shirt from a brand's order through Tamil Nadu's knitwear hub to the shop rail and beyond. 1 / 7 · Brand and design #### A brand places the order **$1.86tn**world fashion and footwear sales, 2025 The chain starts with a brand, whether a US or European label or an Indian value chain, choosing the design, fabric, colours and price, then ordering thousands of pieces months ahead. Brands own the customer and keep the largest share of the retail price. Worldwide, shoppers spent about US$ 1.86 trillion on clothing and footwear in 2025, according to Euromonitor.^[1](https://www.modaes.com/global/markets/global-fashion-market-on-track-for-2-trillion-by-2026-and-a-37-increase)^,^[2](https://fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/china-2023-s-top-global-rmg-exporter-bangladesh-2nd-vietnam-3rd-wto-297174-newsdetails.htm) **Constraint** Brands can move orders between countries each season; China alone made 31.6% of world garment exports in 2023 (WTO). [Ct Cotton](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cotton/)[PSF Polyester fibre](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polyester_fibre/)[Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/software_it/)[Media and entertainment](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/media_entertainment/) 2 / 7 · Materials and components #### Cotton yarn knitted and dyed **24%**India's share of world cotton Spinning mills in Tamil Nadu turn cotton into yarn, and Tiruppur's knitting units make it into jersey fabric that is then bleached and dyed. India grows about 24% of the world's cotton, yet cotton is only about 19% of world fibre output while polyester, at 59%, dominates. Dyeing a single batch takes large amounts of water, salt, alkali and dye.^[3](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/apr/doc202541530401.pdf)^,^[4](https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/materials-market-report-2025/)^,^[5](https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/waste/dyeing-cities-47605)^,^[11](https://www.iitm.ac.in/happenings/press-releases-and-coverages/iit-madras-develops-and-deploys-new-technology-treat) **Constraint** A 2011 Madras High Court order shut about 700 polluting dye units; the rest must run zero-liquid-discharge plants, which carry high capital and operating costs. [Ct Cotton](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cotton/)[Dye Dyes](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/dyes/)[NaCl Salt](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/salt/)[NaOH Caustic soda](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/caustic_soda/)[H₂O Water](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/water/)[Textiles and leather](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/textiles/)[Water and sanitation](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/water_sanitation/) 3 / 7 · Manufacturing #### Cut, sewn and packed in Tiruppur **₹46,000cr**Tiruppur exports, 2025-26 In Tiruppur's factories the fabric is laid out in layers, cut to pattern and sewn on lockstitch and overlock lines, then labelled, pressed and packed into cartons. The cluster exported a record ₹46,000 crore of garments in 2025-26, up 3% from ₹44,747 crore, the Tiruppur Exporters Association says, and employs more than a million workers, many in small units.^[6](https://www.maritimegateway.com/tiruppur-exports-hit-record-high/) **Constraint** Sewing is labour-intensive, so wages, power supply and worker shortages decide whether orders ship on time and at what margin. [Ct Cotton](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cotton/)[PSF Polyester fibre](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polyester_fibre/)[Dist Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_distribution/)[Textiles and leather](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/textiles/)[Machinery and equipment](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/machinery/) 4 / 7 · Sourcing, compliance and logistics #### Audited before it can ship **35.8%**EU share of world garment imports Before shipment, inspectors from firms such as SGS, Intertek or Bureau Veritas check wages, working hours, fire safety and restricted chemicals, and test the garment for colour fastness and shrinkage. European rules weigh heavily here: the EU took 35.8% of world garment imports in 2023, and its due-diligence and sustainability laws set terms for suppliers everywhere.^[2](https://fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/china-2023-s-top-global-rmg-exporter-bangladesh-2nd-vietnam-3rd-wto-297174-newsdetails.htm) **Constraint** A failed audit or forced-labour finding can stop a factory's shipments overnight, and buyers increasingly demand proof of where the cotton was grown. [Dye Dyes](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/dyes/)[Rgt Reagents and high-purity lab chemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab_reagents/)[Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/software_it/) 5 / 7 · Sourcing, compliance and logistics #### Shipped to the US, tariffs permitting **32-33%**US share of Indian apparel exports Cartons are trucked to Tuticorin or Chennai, packed into containers and shipped, or flown when a buyer is in a hurry. The US takes 32-33% of India's apparel exports, ICRA estimates, so tariffs matter: US duties reached 50% in August 2025, a February 2026 deal set 18%, and since July 2026 a 10% Section 301 duty has applied instead.^[12](https://www.icra.in/Research/ViewResearchReport/6867)^,^[7](https://www.deccanherald.com/amp/story/business%2F50-us-tariff-on-indian-apparel-exports-could-be-death-knell-for-small-firms-aepc-3670074)^,^[8](https://kpmg.com/us/en/taxnewsflash/news/2026/02/united-states-removes-tariffs-imports-india.html)^,^[9](https://elplaw.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/ELP-Trade-Update-USTR-Finalises-Section-301-Forced-Labour-Tariffs.pdf) **Constraint** Tariff swings of tens of percentage points within a year can wipe out thin garment margins and push orders to Bangladesh or Vietnam. [Shp Ship propulsion](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_marine/)[Jet Aviation propulsion](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_aviation/)[Oil Crude oil](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/crude_oil/)[Transport and logistics](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/)[Paper and packaging](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/paper_packaging/) 6 / 7 · Retail and after-use #### On a Zudio rail at home **963**Zudio stores, March 2026 T-shirts made for Indian shoppers reach them through value chains and apps. Trent's Zudio, which sells low-priced own-label fashion, had 963 stores by March 2026 after opening 212 in a year, and Trent's standalone revenue rose 18% to ₹19,701 crore in 2025-26. Myntra, Amazon and other chains compete on price, range and delivery speed.^[10](https://nsearchives.nseindia.com/corporate/TRENT_22042026161303_PressRelease22042026.pdf) **Constraint** Fast store openings need prime retail space on long leases, and unsold stock must be marked down, so forecasting errors land on retail margins. [Bld Energy in buildings](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_buildings/)[Wholesale and retail trade](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/wholesale_retail/)[E-commerce and digital marketplaces](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/)[Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/real_estate/) 7 / 7 · Retail and after-use #### Worn, passed on, rarely recycled **<1%**fibre from recycled textiles, 2024 Once worn out, the T-shirt is handed down, sold to a used-clothes trader, cut into rags or thrown away. Turning old garments back into new fibre is still rare: recycled fibre was 7.6% of world fibre output in 2024, and less than 1% of output came from recycled textiles; most recycled polyester is made from PET bottles.^[4](https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/materials-market-report-2025/) **Constraint** Cotton-polyester blends, dyes and prints make fibre-to-fibre recycling hard, and sorting capacity in India is small and largely informal. [Ct Cotton](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cotton/)[PSF Polyester fibre](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polyester_fibre/)[PET PET resin](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pet/)[Waste and recycling](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/) #### What the chain shows India grows the cotton and sews the shirt, but brands, tariffs and foreign rules set the price; sustainable dyeing and recycling are where Tiruppur can lead. Sources 1. [Global fashion market on track for 2 trillion dollars by 2026 (Euromonitor data)](https://www.modaes.com/global/markets/global-fashion-market-on-track-for-2-trillion-by-2026-and-a-37-increase) Modaes, 2026 2. [China 2023's top global RMG exporter, Bangladesh 2nd, Vietnam 3rd: WTO](https://fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/china-2023-s-top-global-rmg-exporter-bangladesh-2nd-vietnam-3rd-wto-297174-newsdetails.htm) Fibre2Fashion (WTO data), 2024 3. [Indian textile sector: overview and schemes](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/apr/doc202541530401.pdf) Ministry of Textiles (PIB), 2025 4. [Materials Market Report 2025](https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/materials-market-report-2025/) Textile Exchange, 2025 5. [Dyeing cities](https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/waste/dyeing-cities-47605) Down To Earth (Centre for Science and Environment), 2014 6. [Tiruppur exports hit record high (Tiruppur Exporters Association figures)](https://www.maritimegateway.com/tiruppur-exports-hit-record-high/) Maritime Gateway, 2026 7. [50% US tariff on Indian apparel exports could be death knell for small firms: AEPC](https://www.deccanherald.com/amp/story/business%2F50-us-tariff-on-indian-apparel-exports-could-be-death-knell-for-small-firms-aepc-3670074) Deccan Herald, 2025 8. [United States removes additional tariffs on imports from India](https://kpmg.com/us/en/taxnewsflash/news/2026/02/united-states-removes-tariffs-imports-india.html) KPMG TaxNewsFlash, 2026 9. [USTR finalises Section 301 forced-labour tariffs](https://elplaw.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/ELP-Trade-Update-USTR-Finalises-Section-301-Forced-Labour-Tariffs.pdf) Economic Laws Practice (ELP), 2026 10. [Trent Limited press release: FY26 results](https://nsearchives.nseindia.com/corporate/TRENT_22042026161303_PressRelease22042026.pdf) Trent Limited (NSE filing), 2026 11. [IIT Madras develops and deploys new technology to treat textile dyeing effluent](https://www.iitm.ac.in/happenings/press-releases-and-coverages/iit-madras-develops-and-deploys-new-technology-treat) IIT Madras, 2025 12. [Apparel and fabric: half-yearly update, March 2026](https://www.icra.in/Research/ViewResearchReport/6867) ICRA, 2026 ## Other sections - [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/index.md) - [Where ₹100 goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/cost-mix/index.md) - [Price links with suppliers](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/price-links/index.md) - [Linked industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/linked-industries/index.md) - [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/value-chain/index.md) - [Materials drawn on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/materials/index.md) - [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/risks/index.md) - [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/apparel/sources/index.md)