D E N I M
An eternally young fabric for clothing (page 2)
TECHNOLOGY
The yarn mostly preferred for making denim is open-end spun yarn, which is twisted harder than that of ring spun. Therefore, it is harder for the indigo dyestuff to penetrate during dyeing. This will well suit for denim. The required raw material for denim cloth manufacturing will be spun 6s to 7s 100% cotton (open end), for which short staple cotton is sufficiently available in Gujarat. With a new look, feel and style, many are also producing ring-spun denim in a non0conventional way, besides development with fancy yarn and finish. Indigo Dye Stuff of good quality may be imported to get cost advantage. Indigo has a low affinity for cotton; deep blue dyeing is only obtained when dyeing and oxidation are repeated several times. Then rinsing takes place and from the accumulator, warp yarn goes for usual sizing and then for weaving.
The Rope Dyeing system is the most preferred method by the majority of "World Class" indigo dyers. It offers the highest production and assures multiple warps set range with consistent shade for two or three warp sets as they are processed simultaneously. However, this technology is more capital intensive. Plant and machinery includes warping machine, dyeing and sizing machine foam finishing, looms, singeing machine and raising machine. Sizing and dyeing and finishing machines are mostly imported as on now. However, singeing, raising and other finishing machine ,may be taken indigenously.
Major Plant & Machinery for Denim project involvet
- Blow Room (Indigenous)
- High production cards (indigenous)
- Draw Frames (indigenous)
- Open End spinning
- Re winders (yarn)
- Balls Warper
- Sizing
- Rope Dyeing Unit and
- Air Jet Looms
The economic size of denim plant in India is around 10.0 million meters per annum capacity of production with an investment ranging from Rs. 800-1000 Million.
Subsequently, fabrics are processed through anti-shrink and other finishing process as per market demand.
OUT LOOK
In India Production of Denim Fabric (cotton) has gone up to 112.42 mn. Sq. mt. in the year 2002-03 from 74.94 mn.sq.mt. during 1998-99 in the country. 100% non-cotton and blended denim are available in the market with an estimated size of 7 to 8 million square meters.
India exported 61.40 million kg. cotton denim fabric (valued at Rs. 9790 million) in 2002-03 from 60.24 million kgs (valued at Rs. 8566 million) in the previous year with a growing trend. During April-December 2003, India exported 83.13 million kgs. cotton denim as against 43.56 million kgs. during the same period of previous year.
In Million Meters
| Denim |
As on
March 2005 |
Expected by Early2007 |
| Total Capacity |
288 |
360 |
Actual Production |
235 |
360 |
Domestic Consumption and supply to Garment Exporters in India |
142 |
236 |
Total Export |
91.5 |
124 |
| Total World Consumption 4,500 |
Denim fabrics are used as jeans trousers both for men and ladies. It is extensively used in the world as casual garments, shirts, jackets and children wears. Its versatility, finds applications in furniture upholstery, bed covers, curtains, etc. In coming years, for the domestic market too, India will be a major consumer of denims with a population of over 1000 million due to rapid exposure to new culture and trends. The per capita consumption of denim fabrics in India is bound to go up from the existing 0.04 jeans per head against 2 pairs in the U.S.
It is eminent that India and, in specific, Gujarat is having the competitive advantage for manufacturing denim fabric in the world mainly due to availability of raw material and chemical processing capability. As per International Production Cost Comparison-2003, per yard of open end woven fabric cost in India comes to US$ 0.614 as against 0.647 in China, 0.600 in Brazil, 0.696 in Korea, 0.675 in Turkey, 0.746 in USA and 0.953 in Italy. Union Textile Ministry has also made a target of US$ 25 billion garments export by 2010 from the present export of US$ 6 billion in the year 2004.
International Buyers like JC Penny, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, Wal-Mart have already established their offices in India and started outsourcing extensively from India, which in turn, will further boost to Indian Denim Industry in the years to come. In the emerging situation of ending MFA, this industry, however, needs to understand fast changing consumer trends, styles and tastes as continuous efforts towards success.
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