Your Linen Might Be Shining, But Fashion Shop Floors Aren't

India is making its move in manufacturing, and we might well hit the jackpot this time. According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), India received a total foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow of US$ 58.77 billion last year. We are at a watershed moment in manufacturing on the road to becoming a major global manufacturing hub with a projected capacity to export goods worth US$ 1 trillion by 2030. Furthermore, by implementing several schemes and policies, the government plans to draw 25 percent of the economy’s output from manufacturing by 2025.

The major focus is on electronics, and rightly so. But we as a country, have so much potential in manufacturing maybe something more than we believe. The textile industry is an example. But the major challenge is helping employees benefit from it. According to a communique issued by the Tirupur Textile Association (TEA), out of the eight lakh textile workers in the district, six lakh are employed directly, out of which 60 percent are women workers. The average monthly wage in India is 31,900 rupees (£308). According to a photography research by Photographer S Sathya, the average monthly wage for a home worker in Tirupur is 5,600 rupees. It paints a disturbing picture. Most of these workers work with basic tools six days a week from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. While climbing the mountain of global manufacturing, the country needs to take them along with them. The shining fashion enterprises in the country that depend on Tirupur must comprehend these aspects more than anyone else and make a difference by setting new examples. We shed light on the fashion industry through this special issue.