India shipped $15.99 billion in ready-made garments in FY2024–25 - a 10% jump from the year before. That number comes from a sourcing shift that has been building for years: US fashion companies, European retailers, and Middle East distributors are moving orders to India faster than almost anywhere else. In the 2024 USFIA benchmarking survey, India ranked third as the most-used apparel sourcing base for US fashion companies, with nearly 60% of respondents planning to expand India sourcing in the next two years.
This category covers the full range of what Indian garment and accessories manufacturers export. Women's and men's clothing, children's wear, sportswear, footwear, jewelry, handbags, scarves, belts, watches, outerwear, bridal wear, uniforms - it's not a narrow catalogue. Tirupur handles knitwear and sportswear at volume. Delhi NCR covers fashion garments and western wear. Jaipur leads on artisan, handblock-printed, and embellished ethnic wear. Surat dominates synthetic fabrics and embroidered occasion wear. Each cluster has its strength, and suppliers here reflect that geography.
India's edge in this category is less about being the cheapest and more about handling product complexity that other origins struggle with. Embroidery, smocking, detailed finishing, handcraft techniques - these are not Bangladesh's lane. Over 45% of India's apparel newly introduced to US retail in 2024 targeted the premium and luxury segment. Buyers are paying more and accepting it because the product justifies it.
Sustainability credentials matter here too. India has 977 SA8000-certified units and produces 40% of the world's Fair Trade cotton - infrastructure that EU buyers facing mandatory due diligence requirements will need to lean on. Browse by subcategory to find the product type and supplier profile that fits your range. MOQ varies widely: some suppliers start at 300 units, others run 50,000-unit programmes. Both ends are represented.
