Indian garments have a limited market with consumption only in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Therefore, Surat Technical Education and Research Society (STERS) has got on a mission to encourage textile entrepreneurs in the country’s biggest man-made fabric (MMF) hub Surat to grab the opportunity by manufacturing and marketing western outfits, in order to increase garment exports across the globe.

As part of Valentine's Day celebration, over 140 fashion designing students displayed their elegantly designed western and Indo-western outfits at the three-day exhibition, which concluded on Monday.

STERS now plans to hold a fashion show in the textile market on Ring Road where outfits of the designing students will be displayed.

STERS secretary Dinesh Jhaveri said that saris and dress materials worth Rs110 crore are traded at the textile wholesale markets in Surat on a daily basis. Only 3% of Indian outfits are exported to other countries except Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. As production of western outfits is on a very small scale in India, China has grabbed the opportunity to export garments from that country.

City's textile industry is the polyester fabric hub employing over 10 lakh workers. There is a big opportunity for textile entrepreneurs to create job opportunities by setting up western outfit manufacturing units. Due to addition of the garment sector, city’s textile industry which is the polyester fabric hub employing over 10 lakh workers due to addition of the garment sector employment in the textile industry can rise from 10 lakh to 20 lakh.

At present, there are a few players in the textile industry manufacturing western kurtis and leggings, while majority of textile players make Indian outfits including saris, chudidars, lenghas, Punjabi dresses, etc.

Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkatta and Ahmedabad have been manufacturing western and Indo-Western outfits for India and export markets. Most western outfits are exported to UAE, the US and Europe.