Indian fabric wholesalers look for alternatives to Chinese silk amid coronavirus outbreak

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Feb 20, 2020

Indian fabric wholesalers are looking for alternatives to in-demand Chinese silk as imports of the textile are decreasing due to the knock-on effects of the coronavirus outbreak, as the wedding season is about to begin.

 
Silk imported from China is widely used to make Indian traditional wear, in high demand ahead of the spring/ summer wedding season. However, as trade slows down due to the coronavirus outbreak and international government measures taken to slow its spread, a number of textile businesses in the capital are finding their supply drying up, TNN reported.
 
“In the last 15 days, I have turned down orders worth Rs 10 lakh [$13,938.26] to 12 lakh because, even if it is available, I do not want to buy any Chinese silk right now,” Noida-based wholesaler catering to the NCR Navesh Goyal told TNN.

“We do not want to take any risks since it is a natural fabric. It is very likely that the fabric won’t even be available with wholesalers soon as consignments are not reaching here. Given that there are travel restrictions, many traders who used to supply fabrics to retail stores and fashion designers can’t visit their suppliers in China.”
 
Other textiles imported in large quantities from China to India include tulle, chiffon, net, crepe, and georgette, textiles used in large quantities for summer occasion wear.

If businesses cannot find alternatives to Chinese imports, they may have to sacrifice orders or quality. 
 
Some traders are looking for alternatives to textiles from China to complete orders. Chinese textiles are in demand due to their quality and price, which is often cheaper than domestically produced alternatives.