Indian wool industry spreads its roots globally

Indian textiles is spreading its roots in the global market not only with the famous Indian fabrics like pure cotton, tussar silk and khadi (hand-spun and hand-woven cloth), but also the Indian wool and weaving techniques, which is in the limelight from cashmere pashmina wool, mohair wool to the angora wool. Indian focus have been well known and admired across the world for their beauty, texture and craftsmanship.

In a recent development, the Woolmark Company, based in Australia and India, hosted a fashion event at The Grand Hotel, Vasant Kunj in New Delhi, titled ‘Grown In Australia, Made In India’ to discuss the potential of merino wool in India, especially when blended with other fibres like bamboo, cashmere and polyester.

Designers like Suket Dhir, Nachiket Barve, Ritu Kumar, Janne Einola – CEO and country head of H&M India – and Ram Bhatnagar – Vice President of Raymond Textiles, graced the occasion with their presence and raised a potential possibility of using the trans-seasonal fabric even in summer.

The company has started its journey for this concept with the Bhutti Weavers of Himachal who in India with the merino wool grown in Australia. Artisans of Bhuttico knit woollen scarves, stoles, dresses, jackets, ties and socks, along with other accessories, to showcase the heritage of handloom weaving in India to the world.

Union Textiles Minister, Smriti Irani said that the farm-to-fashion journey truly highlights how merino wool can beautifully be transformed into fashion pieces in India. They encourage the use of wool as a natural fibre as they aim to promote the Indian wool industry.

As wool consumption is expected to increase to 260 million kilogram by 2019-20, it is yet to see if the Indian wool industry witness a further boost.
India is the seventh largest wool producer in the world and has a huge wool production capacity with sufficient raw material, manufacturing capacity, a large pool of skilled and cheap work force, big export potential, large domestic market and very low import content, because of which the US, Europe, Middle East, Latin America, South East Asia and East Asia are key export markets for Indian wool and its blended products.