The relationship between textile manufacturing and India is long back. You must have read about the Swadeshi Movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi to boycott the products from the European nation and encourage indigenous products. During the movement and his whole life, Mahatma Gandhi used to make his costumes by himself with the help of Charkha (an indigenous spinning wheel). At present also, the government and several NGOs promote Indian handloom and the manufacture of fabric in India. It is one of those industries on which numerous people’s livelihood depend.
In your lifetime, you must have heard of or worn Indian fabric like Khadi, Kanchivaram Silk, Chanderi Silk, and Cotton. Won’t it encourage you to see the textile manufacturing with your own eyes and buy them from places it gets manufactured?
If Yes! Read on to know about India’s own textile cities.
Famous Textile City in India
It’s said if you want to see the real India. View its textile industry, spend time on the farm, and travel by train. So, here we have curated a list of India’s top textile cities and your visit to the textile industries. Rail app will help you to plan your trip to textile cities online.
Surat
A vibrant city in Gujarat, also known as ‘the silk city of India’, Surat is a prosperous textile hub of India. The town produces a huge variety of clothes, including polyester, embroidered, printed, and silk. Surat textile market mainly focused on the weaving process, yarn production, embroidery, saree making, and synthetic production. The place is a perfect shopping destination where you can buy quality products at minimal prices. Sahara Darwaja, Shanivari Market, and Old Bombay Market are some of the best markets in Surat to buy fabric, home decor, jewellery etc.
Bhuj
If you’re fascinated with the traditional textiles of India, Bhuj welcomes you with its colourful heritage. In the Bhuj region of Kutch, you can get fabrics with intricate embroidery, metalwork, natural dyes, Bhandiani (tie-dye), weaving, block printing etc. Here, you can witness the process of dying in the small fabric industry by visiting villages around the Bhuj and Kutch regions. Moreover, you can buy beautiful textiles for yourself and your loved ones.
Bhagalpur
A city in Bihar, Bhagalpur is well known for its garments, fabrics, designer scarves, and silk sarees. It is the second-largest producer and exporter of silk fabrics. The Bhagalpuri silk is one of the unique silk fabrics known as Tussah or Tussar silk. It has domestic and international markets like Japan, West Asia, Europe and the US. Visiting Bhagalpur will offer you to explore glorious traditional fabric production methods. Although, the Bhagalpuri Silk craftsman doesn’t get the direct benefits. The industry is fighting for its existence as the traditional craftsmen are below the poverty line, searching for their livelihood in other professions.
Ludhiana
Wearing apparel, textile mills and the livelihood of numerous people, Ludhiana is among the top textile cities in India. It is the industrial capital of the state of Punjab. Ludhiana is a huge producer of domestic apparel needs, including woollen and acrylic knitwear, hosieries, and various ready-made garments like T-Shirts, shirts, pullovers, cardigans, tracksuits, socks, jerseys, sweatshirts, gloves, shawls, inner garments, etc. The textile industry in Ludhiana uses natural fabrics like cotton, silk, jute and wool and artificial fibres such as polyester, viscose, nylon, acrylic and blended fibres.
Banaras
Banaras or Varanasi is a city which is wholesome for each tourist. It is probably a city that you must want to visit to find peace for your soul, take the blessings of Mahakal, and pour yourself into the pious Ganga. Moreover, you must have heard about the Banarasi saree or seen it in the saree collection of your mother or grandmother. The textile industry of Varanasi is the heart of the development and production of silk. Varanasi silk sarees are considered one of India’s finest saree with gold and silver barcodes, zari and vibrant embroidery and design. In Varanasi, you can visit the silk production houses of the city.
Bhilwara
Bhilwara is Rajasthan’s largest textile city in India. It has the highest number of textile companies and is the largest producer of it. The popular textile destination of India is known for exporting textile products like woollen commodities, cotton yarn, fabrics, and synthetic yarns. You can see here the spinning, weaving and processing of fabrics in textile mills. Moreover, you can also view the denim production here. It is perfect destination for your textile city tour by train.
Aurangabad
Aurangabad is a city famous for its textile industry in India. It is well known for silk and cotton production. The city develops a fine blend of silk with locally grown cotton called Himroo textile, which has huge demand. Mughals and Pathans first introduced the fabric. Pathani Kurta and Himroo Sarees are aesthetic and integral parts of Marathi apparel culture. Being in Aurangabad, you must shop for a Himroo wearable.
Coimbatore
Manchester of South India, Coimbatore, is a top textile city in India. It is a great revenue source for the people of Coimbatore. Coimbatore is known for the production of cotton and dye fabric. The southern city has a balanced hold on current fashion trends and traditional wear with a strong Indian influence. It specialises in spinning, weaving, power looms, yarns, and knitwear. You can buy the best quality knitwear and apparel at affordable prices in Coimbatore.
Jaipur
Rajasthan’s capital, also known as the pink city, Jaipur, is a famous city for textiles in India. Jaipuri saree, bandhani, kurta, safas, skirts, salwar-kameez and other ethnic wear, are globally famous because of their fine work, pattern, prints, colours, and design. Textile companies in Jaipur offer a huge collection of wearing apparel. Bangura and Sanganer are two towns near Jaipur famous for hand-printed textiles. An Indian fabric-obsessed person must visit this city and find a great piece of fabric in Jaipur.
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat, is among the big cities in India for the textile market. Vested on the Sabarmati river and cotton belt, It is famous for cotton textiles in India. The city is also known as Manchester of the East. Since its establishment, Ahmedabad has been a textile hub. Today, the city is a major textile destination that also processes denim for jeans and other wearables. Visiting Ahmedabad to explore its textile hub will enhance your knowledge about the great transformation and development in India’s textile industry.
Which City is Popular For The Textile Industry In India?
Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Surat, Bhagalpur, Coimbatore, Banaras, Aurangabad, Bhilwara, and Ludhiana are among the top 10 textile cities in India. Apart from these top textile cities, Kanpur, Madurai, Malda, Maheshwar, Kota, and Bagalkot are the largest textile manufacturing cities in India.
How Can I Plan Textile Cities in India?
By Indian railways, you can conveniently plan your trip to the largest textile-producing city in India. You can check trains between stations, book your train ticket online with IRCTC, check its PNR status, and pre-order your rail food for a hassle-free journey experience.
RailMitra is an AI-enabled rail app that lets you check IRCTC PNR status, order food in train, check trains between two stations, live train arrival and departure in 2 to 4 hours, current train running status and many more.
