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Textiles & apparel

Export knitted fabrics

Cotton and synthetic knit fabrics from Tiruppur and Ludhiana for T-shirt, sportswear and innerwear factories abroad.

Free to exportHS 6006
HS code
6006
Other knitted or crocheted fabrics (6006): single jersey, rib, interlock and fleece of cotton (6006 21–24), synthetic fibres (6006 31–34) and other fibres.
Export policy
Free to export
Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 2; no licence is needed. Confirm the 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you ship.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 328 mn
to 93 countries

What is exported

Knit fabric is made in large volumes in Tiruppur, Ludhiana, Kolkata and Mumbai, mostly for India’s own garment makers. Exports go to garment factories in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other neighbouring countries, and to Gulf and African converters. Cotton single jersey and synthetic sportswear fabrics are the main lines.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Cotton single jersey and ribFor T-shirts and innerwear.
  • Interlock and piqueFor polo shirts and children’s wear.
  • Fleece and loopknitFor sweatshirts and track suits.
  • Polyester and spandex knitsDri-fit and stretch fabrics for sportswear.

Where it is grown or made

  • Tamil NaduTiruppur — knitting, dyeing and processing.
  • PunjabLudhiana — woollen, fleece and synthetic knits.
  • West Bengal and MaharashtraKolkata hosiery cluster; Mumbai and Bhiwandi.

Export packing

  • Open-width or tubular rolls in polybags, with roll tickets showing lot, shade, GSM and weight; sold by the kilogram.

Who buys abroad

  • Garment factories in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal
  • Converters and garment makers in the Gulf and East Africa

The quality buyers ask for

Structure
Single jersey, rib, interlock, pique, fleece, as ordered
GSM and width
GSM within about ±5% of order; open or tubular width
Spirality and shrinkage
Within buyer tolerance after washing (often about 5% or less)
Colour fastness
Washing, rubbing, light and perspiration, usually grade 3–4 or better (ISO 105 / AATCC methods)
Restricted substances
No banned azo dyes; formaldehyde, pH and heavy metals within REACH and buyer limits

Certificates

  • RCMCRequiredRegistration with the export promotion council or board for your product (not needed up to ₹3 lakh FOB per consignment since 15 Sep 2026).
  • OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100Often askedTests the finished textile for harmful substances; widely asked for by retailers.
  • GOTSOften askedGlobal Organic Textile Standard, for goods sold as organic cotton or silk.
  • BCI / Kasturi Cotton BharatOften askedTraceable or responsibly grown cotton programmes that brands ask for.
  • Social audit (SA8000, BSCI/amfori, SMETA, WRAP)Often askedLabour and workplace audit required by most Western retailers before they place orders.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Rolls in polybags in 20-ft or 40-ft containers; trucks to Bangladesh and Nepal.

How it travels

Sea from Tuticorin, Chennai, Kochi and Nhava Sheva; road via Petrapole and Raxaul.

Storage

Dry storage; keep dyed lots separated and labelled.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Fabric and yarn: roll or carton ticket with quality, lot/shade or merge number, length or weight, and “Made in India”.
  • Every carton or bag: product, grade, lot or batch number, net and gross weight, exporter name and “Made in India” / “Product of India”, matching the invoice and packing list.
Where to get it tested

Test at the textile research associations — SITRA (Coimbatore), NITRA (Ghaziabad), BTRA (Mumbai), ATIRA (Ahmedabad) — at Textiles Committee laboratories, or at any NABL-accredited textile lab (search the NABL directory for “textiles” and your city). Retail buyers often name a global test house with labs in India.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • TEXPROCILRCMC from the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council, which covers raw cotton, cotton yarn, cotton fabrics (including knit fabrics) and cotton made-ups such as towels, bed linen and scarves.texprocil.org ↗
  • SRTEPCRCMC from the Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council for polyester, nylon, viscose and other man-made fibre yarns, fabrics and made-ups.srtepc.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Buyer test reports for fibre content, GSM, colour fastness, shrinkage and restricted chemicals (azo dyes, formaldehyde); EU buyers apply REACH limits.
  • Fibre-traceability declarations: US Customs can detain cotton goods under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act unless you can show the cotton’s origin.
  • GSM, width, spirality and shrinkage after washing, measured to the buyer’s standard.
How to start small

Supply dyed cotton single jersey from a Tiruppur processing unit to a Bangladesh or Sri Lanka garment factory that needs short lead times. Ship by road or sea in rolls with a lot-wise test report. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires for the product still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Spirality and shrinkage beyond tolerance, which twist the finished garments.
  • Shade variation between dye lots in one order.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. TEXPROCIL — The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council
  3. SRTEPC — The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council
  4. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  5. US Customs and Border Protection — Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act

Trade data

Indian knitted fabrics exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 328 mn
-1.3% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -20.8%
US$ 414 mn → US$ 328 mn
Buyer countries
93
Average export price
US$ 5.26
per kg · 62,275 tonnes shipped · US$ 4.97 the year before
Sri Lanka: US$ 153 mnBangladesh: US$ 59.5 mnUnited States of America: US$ 26.6 mnKenya: US$ 22.5 mnVietnam: US$ 15.3 mnEthiopia: US$ 7.7 mnSouth Africa: US$ 5.9 mnNepal: US$ 5.7 mnEgypt: US$ 4.4 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 3.5 mnMauritius: US$ 3.1 mnDjibouti: US$ 2.9 mnIndonesia: US$ 1.9 mnPhilippines: US$ 1.6 mnChina: US$ 980kMyanmar: US$ 840kTürkiye: US$ 680kGhana: US$ 610kUnited Kingdom: US$ 600kBenin: US$ 520kMexico: US$ 490kJordan: US$ 460kThailand: US$ 450kSri Lanka: US$ 153 mnSri LankaBangladesh: US$ 59.5 mnBangladeshUnited States of America: US$ 26.6 mnUnited States of AmericaKenya: US$ 22.5 mnKenyaVietnam: US$ 15.3 mnVietnamEthiopia: US$ 7.7 mnEthiopiaSouth Africa: US$ 5.9 mnNepal: US$ 5.7 mnEgypt: US$ 4.4 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 3.5 mnMauritius: US$ 3.1 mnDjibouti: US$ 2.9 mnIndonesia: US$ 1.9 mnPhilippines: US$ 1.6 mnChina: US$ 980kMyanmar: US$ 840kTürkiye: US$ 680kGhana: US$ 610kUnited Kingdom: US$ 600kBenin: US$ 520kMexico: US$ 490kJordan: US$ 460kThailand: US$ 450kIndia
Where Indian knitted fabrics goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 350 mn3502020-212021-22: US$ 608 mn6082021-222022-23: US$ 405 mn4052022-232023-24: US$ 342 mn3422023-242024-25: US$ 414 mn4142024-252025-26: US$ 328 mn3282025-26
India’s knitted fabrics exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2020-21 — a 48% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 4.03 per kg4.032021-22: US$ 5.25 per kg2022-23: US$ 5.97 per kg5.972024-25: US$ 4.97 per kg2025-26: US$ 5.26 per kg5.262020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian knitted fabrics · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 350 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 608 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 405 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 342 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 414 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 328 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 337 mn (US$ 245 mn – US$ 465 mn)3372026-272027-28: US$ 322 mn (US$ 225 mn – US$ 460 mn)3222027-28
India’s knitted fabrics exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 322 mn

Likely range US$ 225 mn to US$ 460 mn.

Trend
-4.6% a year
Fit (R²)
0.15 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1Sri LankaUS$ 153 mn-16.8%
2BangladeshUS$ 59.5 mn+9.9%
3United States of AmericaUS$ 26.6 mn-67.6%
4KenyaUS$ 22.5 mn+0.1%
5VietnamUS$ 15.3 mn-8.1%
6EthiopiaUS$ 7.7 mn-6.6%
7South AfricaUS$ 5.9 mn+33.3%
8NepalUS$ 5.7 mn-14.4%
9EgyptUS$ 4.4 mn+44.3%
10United Arab EmiratesUS$ 3.5 mn-14.1%
11MauritiusUS$ 3.1 mn+32.6%
12DjiboutiUS$ 2.9 mn-37.7%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. EgyptUS$ 3.1 mn → US$ 4.4 mn+44.3%
  2. South AfricaUS$ 4.4 mn → US$ 5.9 mn+33.3%

Low demand

  1. United States of AmericaUS$ 82.3 mn → US$ 26.6 mn-67.6%
  2. DjiboutiUS$ 4.7 mn → US$ 2.9 mn-37.7%
  3. Sri LankaUS$ 184 mn → US$ 153 mn-16.8%
  4. NepalUS$ 6.7 mn → US$ 5.7 mn-14.4%
  5. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 4.1 mn → US$ 3.5 mn-14.1%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Other knited or crochetd fbrcs of cotton , dyed6006 22 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyedUS$ 155 mn-10.3%26,687 tonnesUS$ 5.83 per kgwas US$ 5.95
Other knited or crochetd fbrcs of cotton , unblchd or blchd6006 21 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, unbleached…US$ 48.4 mn-48.2%13,286 tonnesUS$ 3.65 per kgwas US$ 3.56
Other knited or crochetd fbrcs of cotton , printd6006 24 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, printedUS$ 44.2 mn-12.1%6,279 tonnesUS$ 7.03 per kgwas US$ 7.09
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of other fibres6006 90 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04,and other than those…US$ 35.1 mn-41.9%7,563 tonnesUS$ 4.64 per kgwas US$ 4.35
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of syn fibrs, dyed6006 32 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of synthetic fibres, dyedUS$ 25.8 mn+31.4%4,409 tonnesUS$ 5.84 per kgwas US$ 5.31
Other knited or crochetd fbrcs of cotton yarn of diffrnt colr6006 23 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, of yarns of…US$ 8.6 mn+21%1,349 tonnesUS$ 6.40 per kgwas US$ 6.49
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of syn fibres, unblchd or blchd6006 31 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of synthetic fibres…US$ 3.5 mn+5.4%1,134 tonnesUS$ 3.12 per kgwas US$ 3.70
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of artifcl fibres , dyed6006 42 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of artificial fibres, dyedUS$ 1.8 mn+174.2%299 tonnesUS$ 6.05 per kgwas US$ 5.36
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of syn fibresof diffrnt colr6006 33 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of synthetic fibres, of…US$ 1.7 mn-37.8%572 tonnesUS$ 2.99 per kgwas US$ 5.62
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of artifcl fibres , printd6006 44 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of artificial fibres…US$ 1.1 mn+1,144.4%126 tonnesUS$ 8.86 per kgwas US$ 6.94
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of artifcl fibres of diffrnt colr6006 43 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of artificial fibres…US$ 750k—239 tonnesUS$ 3.13 per kg
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of syn fibres,printd6006 34 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of synthetic fibres…US$ 710k-19.3%272 tonnesUS$ 2.61 per kgwas US$ 3.42
Other knited or crochetd fbrcs of wool or fine animl hair6006 10 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of wool or fine animal…US$ 220k+83.3%15 tonnesUS$ 14.61 per kgwas US$ 10.40
Other knitd or crochetd fbrcs of artifcl fibres, unblchd or blchd6006 41 00 · Fabrics, knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of artificial fibres…US$ 210k-86.6%44 tonnesUS$ 4.81 per kgwas US$ 6.44

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 13.7 bn
2023
India among exporters
#8
of 118 countries
India’s share of world exports
1.8%
US$ 329 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 17.9 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 10.2 bn 56%
  2. 2TürkiyeUS$ 1.25 bn 6.8%
  3. 3Other Asia, nesUS$ 851 mn 4.7%
  4. 4Viet NamUS$ 738 mn 4%
  5. 5Rep. of KoreaUS$ 714 mn 3.9%
  6. 6ItalyUS$ 420 mn 2.3%
  7. 7USAUS$ 342 mn 1.9%
  8. 8IndiaUS$ 329 mn 1.8%
  9. 9UzbekistanUS$ 327 mn 1.8%
  10. 10SpainUS$ 238 mn 1.3%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1Viet NamUS$ 2.98 bn 21.8%
  2. 2CambodiaUS$ 1.81 bn 13.3%
  3. 3IndonesiaUS$ 733 mn 5.4%
  4. 4JordanUS$ 592 mn 4.3%
  5. 5Sri LankaUS$ 433 mn 3.2%
  6. 6IndiaUS$ 424 mn 3.1%
  7. 7MoroccoUS$ 356 mn 2.6%
  8. 8EgyptUS$ 353 mn 2.6%
  9. 9NicaraguaUS$ 319 mn 2.3%
  10. 10USAUS$ 317 mn 2.3%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

VietnamUS$ 3.7 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 3.69 bn
IndonesiaUS$ 849 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 848 mn
EgyptUS$ 443 mnIndia 1.9% · gap US$ 435 mn
Sri LankaUS$ 509 mnIndia 29.3% · gap US$ 360 mn
ItalyUS$ 279 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 279 mn
ChinaUS$ 272 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 271 mn
United States of AmericaUS$ 322 mnIndia 24.4% · gap US$ 244 mn
GermanyUS$ 150 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 150 mn
KenyaUS$ 142 mnIndia 14.5% · gap US$ 122 mn
FranceUS$ 97.6 mnIndia 2.4% · gap US$ 95.2 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export knitted fabrics

China leads world knit-fabric exports, followed by countries such as Turkey, Vietnam and Korea; India’s knit fabric mostly feeds its own garment industry. Exports are growing to garment makers in neighbouring countries that need fast, flexible supply. Demand for sportswear and stretch fabrics is rising. Openings lie in sustainable cotton knits and synthetic performance fabrics.

  1. 01Send samples and agree the spec

    Send swatches or cones with test reports; fix construction, GSM or count, shade, tolerances, packing and the testing lab in the purchase order.

  2. 02Knit

    Knit grey fabric on circular machines to the agreed structure and GSM.

  3. 03Dye and compact

    Dye, finish and compact to control shrinkage and spirality.

  4. 04Test and roll

    Test GSM, shrinkage and fastness; roll and label by lot.

  5. 05Book, stuff and file the shipping bill

    Book the container, stuff it at the factory or a CFS, file the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit code and the RoDTEP/RoSCTL declaration, and get the bill of lading.

  6. 06Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP, RoSCTL or drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting knitted fabrics

Which council issues the RCMC?
TEXPROCIL for cotton knit fabrics; SRTEPC for synthetic knits.
How is knit fabric sold?
Usually by the kilogram, with GSM and width fixed in the order.
What is spirality?
A twist in knit fabric after washing that makes garment seams move; good finishing keeps it low.
Who are the main buyers?
Garment factories in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, and converters in the Gulf and Africa.
What RoDTEP applies?
Cotton knit fabrics (6006 21–24) earn 3% capped at ₹22.4 per kg; synthetic (6006 31–34) 0.9%.
Sources (4)
  1. TEXPROCIL — The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council
  2. SRTEPC — The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council
  3. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  4. OEKO-TEX — STANDARD 100

Who buys Indian knitted fabrics

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