Welspun foresees textile sector increasing in significance in India; driven by antiviral fabrics, home textiles

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Nov 24, 2020

Textiles business Welspun India has seen demand for antiviral textiles increase after it created a vertical for health and hygiene due to the pandemic. The brand believes the textiles sector will further increase in importance in India.

In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Welspun India has increased its focus of the product categories most popular in the new normal -- antiviral fabrics, technical textiles, and home textiles -- to respond to evolving demand. The brand has also been developing textiles designed to improve the quality of sleep, believing shoppers' online-focused lifestyle has brought the importance of sleep to the fore.  
 
“I would say that textile[s] will become a very important space for India as a whole, because I think we are talking about moving towards non-farming jobs,” Welspun India’s CEO and joint managing director, Dipali Goenka, told the Economic Times in an interview.

“I think textiles will play a very important role because it's the highest employer. Definitely the demand that we see coming in for the next two years and more, home will be an important place for a consumer.

“So, definitely, I think textiles will be the focus… And we have the manpower, the knowledge, because textiles have been something which is inherent in our country. So, definitely, I think textiles could be a saviour," continued Goenka. 

The Union Government is also working to build up India’s textile industry and increase exports as part of its ‘Make in India’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ campaigns. The Textiles Ministry is considering building mega textile parks to boost production and recently proposed joining forces with Bangladesh to increase joint global market share.