Maarg Manthan · Topic 13.2

Textile Industry: Cotton, Woollen, Silk, Synthetic and Man-Made Fibre – Location, Trends, Distribution, Production

Geography › Industry · Topic 13.2

The textile industry makes yarn, fabric and clothing from natural fibres (cotton, wool, silk), man-made cellulosic fibres (rayon) and synthetic fibres (nylon, polyester, acrylic). Cotton is the oldest and largest part. India is among the few countries with the whole chain from fibre to garment, and textiles are one of its largest employers and export earners.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Industry

At a Glance

Natural fibres Cotton, wool, silk, jute
Man-made Rayon, nylon, polyester, acrylic
Cotton centres Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Coimbatore
Woollen centres Ludhiana, Dhariwal, Panipat
Scheme PM MITRA parks (2021 announcement)
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Industry

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows iron and steel and takes the largest consumer-goods industry. It uses the fibre crops described under agriculture and leads to engineering, which makes the machines of textile mills. Previous topic: coking coal, limestone, water Process Blast furnace to pig iron to steel Largest producer China,…">Iron and Steel Industry: Production Process, Location, Distribution, Global Production, International Trade. Next topic: Engineering Industries: Machine Tools, Industrial Machinery, Agricultural Machinery.

What Are the Types of Textile Fibres?

Fibre	Source	Main producers or centres
Cotton	Boll of the cotton plant; see regur) Acidic leached soil Laterite Desert soil Arid soil, sandy Classification…">Black soil; alluvium Types Long, medium, short staple Top Indian states…">Cotton: Varieties, Growing Conditions, Production Pattern, International Trade	China, India, United States; Lancashire, Osaka, Mumbai and Ahmedabad were historic centres
Wool	Fleece of sheep, also goat, camel, alpaca	Australia and New Zealand (merino), China, Argentina; Yorkshire (Leeds, Bradford)
Silk	Cocoon of the silkworm	China is the largest, India second; Japan, Brazil, Uzbekistan
Jute	Stem of the jute plant; see Jute: Growing Conditions, Production Pattern, International Trade, Substitutes (Flax, Hemp, Sisal)	India, Bangladesh; Kolkata and Hooghly mills
Rayon	Man-made from cellulose of wood pulp	The first man-made fibre; Japan, China, India
Synthetic	Petrochemicals: nylon, polyester, acrylic	China, India, United States, South Korea, Taiwan

Synthetic fibres have grown fast since the 1950s because they are strong, cheap, easy to wash and made from petroleum products. Polyester is now the most used fibre in the world, ahead of cotton. Nylon, invented in the 1930s, was the first fully synthetic fibre.

How Are the Cotton, Woollen and Silk Industries Located?

Cotton: cotton mills need the raw fibre, humid air to prevent thread breaks, cheap power, labour and a market. Mills first grew in Lancashire (Manchester) and later moved to Asia. In India, Mumbai and Ahmedabad grew near the black cotton soil, and Coimbatore, with hydro-power from the Pykara and Mettur schemes, became the Manchester of south India. Kanpur, Indore, Solapur, Madurai and Salem are other centres.
Wool: woollen mills grew near sheep-rearing regions and cool climates. Yorkshire in England is the old centre; in India, Ludhiana, Dhariwal and Amritsar in Punjab, Panipat in Haryana (recycled wool and blankets), Srinagar, Kanpur and Jaipur are important.
Silk: India is the only country that produces all four types: mulberry, tasar, eri and muga (golden silk, produced only in Assam). Karnataka (Mysuru, Ramanagara), Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam lead. The Central Silk Board was set up in 1948. Kancheepuram, Banaras, Pochampally and Mysore are well-known weaving centres.
Man-made fibres: plants stand near petrochemical feedstock, ports and large markets. Surat in Gujarat is the largest centre of synthetic weaving in India, and Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Ludhiana also have mills.

What Is the Production Trend and Government Support in India?

Structure: the sector has a large decentralised part (handloom, powerloom, hosiery, knitwear) and a smaller mill sector. The powerloom and handloom sectors weave most of the fabric.
Rank: India is among the largest producers of cotton, jute and silk, and is the second largest in the world for textiles and apparel after China. Exports go mainly to the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the Gulf.
Employment: textiles and clothing are among the largest employers after agriculture, with many women workers.
Schemes: the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme supports modern machinery. The National Technical Textiles Mission (2020) promotes textiles for industry, health and defence. The Production Linked Incentive scheme for man-made fibre and technical textiles was approved in 2021. The Prime Minister’s Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) parks were announced in 2021 and approved for seven sites in 2023, in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Issues: dependence on cotton prices, small units that lack scale, shift to man-made fibres, water pollution from dyeing and competition from Bangladesh, Vietnam and China.

The figures change with each season and policy, so check the latest data when quoting them.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Fibres Natural and man-made
Centres Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Surat
Policy PM MITRA, PLI, technical textiles

What Came Next?

The next topic describes engineering industries: machine tools, industrial machinery and agricultural machinery. Next topic: Engineering Industries: Machine Tools, Industrial Machinery, Agricultural Machinery.

Key People and Terms

Rayon Man-made cellulosic fibre
Tasar Wild silk
Muga Golden silk of Assam
Powerloom Mechanised loom in small units
Technical textiles Textiles for function, not apparel
Merino Fine-wool sheep of Australia

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Muga silk is produced only in Assam.
Ahmedabad: the Manchester of India (old title).
Surat leads in synthetic weaving.
Central Silk Board was set up in 1948.
PM MITRA parks: seven sites.

Do Not Confuse With

Rayon and nylon Rayon is made from cellulose; nylon is fully synthetic
Tasar and muga Both are wild silks; muga is golden and found only in Assam
Handloom and powerloom Hand-operated versus power-operated looms

Memory Hook

Cotton, wool, silk and the man-made: from fibre to fabric, each finds its place.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about the location of the cotton textile industry and the problems and policies of the textile sector. These points add depth.

Shift From cotton mills to man-made fibres
Clusters Surat, Tiruppur, Coimbatore
Policy PM MITRA and PLI

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the factors that led to the location of the cotton textile industry in India, and discuss the challenges facing the textile sector.”

How to Answer

Factors Raw material, climate, power, market.
Centres Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Coimbatore.
Shift Synthetic fibres and powerlooms.
Policy Schemes and challenges.

GS Relevance

Prelims: types of fibres, centres, Indian clusters, textile schemes. GS Paper 1 and 3: industrial location, agro-based industry, employment and exports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did cotton textile mills grow in Mumbai and Ahmedabad?

Cotton mills grew in Mumbai and Ahmedabad because the black cotton soil of the Deccan and Gujarat provided raw cotton, the humid coastal air of Mumbai prevented thread breakage, the port allowed import of machinery, and capital and labour were available. Later hydroelectric power spread mills to places such as Coimbatore.

Which is the only state that produces muga silk?

Muga silk, a golden-yellow silk with a natural sheen, is produced only in Assam. India is the only country that produces all four commercial silks: mulberry, tasar, eri and muga. Karnataka is the largest producer of mulberry silk, with centres at Mysuru and Ramanagara.

What are PM MITRA parks?

The Prime Minister's Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel parks aim to bring the whole textile chain, from spinning to garments, into one large site with common facilities. They were announced in 2021, and seven sites in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were approved in 2023.

Which man-made fibre is the most widely used in the world?

Polyester is the most widely used fibre in the world today, ahead of cotton, because it is strong, cheap, wrinkle resistant and made from petrochemicals. Nylon was the first fully synthetic fibre, while rayon was the first man-made fibre, produced from the cellulose of wood pulp.

Where is the woollen textile industry concentrated in India?

The woollen industry of India is concentrated in Punjab and Haryana, with Ludhiana, Dhariwal and Amritsar in Punjab and Panipat in Haryana, which makes blankets from recycled wool. Srinagar, Kanpur and Jaipur are other centres. The industry also depends on imported merino wool from Australia.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Muga silk is produced only in Assam.

True

It is the golden silk of Assam.

2 Rayon is a fully synthetic fibre made from petrochemicals.

False

Rayon is man-made from cellulose; nylon is fully synthetic.

3 Surat is a leading centre of synthetic textile weaving.