Hosiery industry in upbeat mood as cold wave spurs sales
Intense cold wave has gripped the entire region with chilly winds accompanied by mild rains lashing the area. The cold wave was much awaited by the hosiery industry here that had kept its fingers crossed, hoping for good business. As per their expectations, the stocks they had this year, are almost sold out with the cold wave intensifying.
Talking to The Tribune, Darshan Dawar, president, Knitwear Club and Ludhiana Woollen Manufacturers Association, said that stocks were cleared and the hosiery industry was feeling good. “This season, a majority of the hosiery manufacturers had cut down their productions to 70 per cent and the entire stock was cleared timely. No woollen stocks are left in factories,” said Dawar.
The retailers also feel the same and maintained that the sale of winter wear picked up well in the last 7-10 days. Coats, sweaters, jackets, mufflers, cap and gloves — everything was in demand as cold wave conditions gripped the area.
Sudershan Jain from Oner Knitwear said that the season remained good for the hosiery industry. He added that as always, the innovations were liked and preferred by the youngsters. Tweeds, furs, satins and sequins added to woollens highlighted the products and got a good response.
It was not just the leading shops and malls that received a good footfall of customers wanting to buy branded woollens, the regular, interior parts of the city also got a good number of buyers for woollens.
“Akalgarh market, Gandhi Bazar and AC market which are involved in wholesale trade, were doing reasonably good business, which picked up suddenly after the rains and chilly winds in the last 6-7 days,” said Vishal, a wholesale dealer of woollens in Gandhi Bazar.
Hosiery manufacturers from Ludhiana supply products to neighbouring states like Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and expect to get payments anywhere between two to three months. The manufacturers maintained that as compared to last year, the season was better this time.