The festival season this year has been an unexpected boom for powerloom weavers in Somanur, Thekkalur, Avinashi and Palladam parts of Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts. After more than six years, they are seeing higher wages and increasing demand for fabrics.
“The demand for fabrics woven on normal looms was high before 2014 because there was good demand from African countries. The government also gave incentives to export to African countries. Then these export orders dropped. Now master weavers are giving 20 to 25 paus more workers and looms are not available because the demand from Africa has picked up mainly for 20 fabrics. do the math cotton yarn,” says E. Bhoopathi, president of the Coimbatore District Jobworking Powerloom Weavers’ Association.
K. Sakthivel, president of the Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council, says demand from Africa has declined for several years mainly due to currency problems in some African countries. The African market is shifting between Chinese and Indian exporters and this time the demand is more from India. When demand shifts to China, there will be about a 20% drop in demand from India. When India gains the African market, it sees a 20% jump in exports. China is now not focusing on textiles and therefore African orders have improved for Indian suppliers.
The demand is for a specific type of fabric – fabric woven on conventional looms, not automatic looms. The market in Africa is also in vogue and there are more than 50 multi-colored patterns that are printed and sold to African buyers. It used to be less than half a dozen designs in two or three colors.
However, weavers should also be careful, he points out. The number of looms in Tamil Nadu which used to weave for the African market was earlier about 35000. Now it is about 25000. The weavers are now getting better wages. However, they should not completely switch to the variety that is in demand in Africa. There should be caution in increasing capacity and weavers should maintain a balance in the markets they cater to, he said.
G. Arulmozhi, president of the Open Spinning Mills Association, said weavers have good demand for 20, 25 and 30 count yarns. The factories get only a nominal price for the yarn, but the demand is huge and several factories that used to supply the Tiruppur and Karur markets have now switched to the required varieties. Most open rolling mills are operating at full capacity because of African exports, he said.
Mr. Sakthivel added that the Tamil Nadu government should encourage weavers to set up a finishing unit in the state. “If we have a finishing facility, exports worth ₹ 1,500 crore can shift to Tamil Nadu from western states. We are currently supplying the fabric to exporters in Maharashtra or Gujarat,” he said.
Published – 25 Oct 2025 21:09 IST
