52% of Indian apparel makers expect festive sales to rise: CMAI
A CMAI survey points to improving festive-demand sentiment in India’s apparel sector: 52% of member manufacturers expect sales to increase year on year, while 30% expect sales to hold at last year’s levels.
What happened
Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) · CMAI survey indicates improving festive demand sentiment in India’s apparel industry: 52% of member
Key facts
- 52% of CMAI members expect higher festive-season sales versus last year
- 30% expect sales to remain at last year's levels
- Fewer than 20% expect lower sales
Why this matters
Strengthening festive-demand expectations could improve the appeal of Indian apparel sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution partnerships, particularly with suppliers positioned to scale quickly during peak-season demand.
What to watch
- Actual July-October retail footfall and e-commerce apparel order trends.
- Wholesale order-book growth, factory utilization and retailer replenishment frequency.
- Festival-period promotional depth, average selling prices and return rates.
- Cotton, synthetic fiber, freight and wage-cost movements.
- Monsoon outcomes, rural income indicators and consumer-finance availability.
- Performance divergence between premium urban brands and value-oriented mass-market apparel.
- Increase production planning for high-velocity festive categories, especially ethnicwear, occasionwear, kidswear and value fashion.
- Secure fabric, trims and logistics capacity early to avoid peak-season input and delivery bottlenecks.
- Use demand forecasts by region and price tier to limit broad inventory bets and prioritize replenishable assortments.
- Retailers may pull forward orders and expand marketplace promotions, increasing bargaining pressure on suppliers.
- Monitor discount intensity and channel mix closely, as volume gains may not translate proportionately into profits.