Branding Practices & Market Analysis of Knitwear Industry- An Empirical Study of Ludhiana Cluster

Abstract

The Knitwear industry all over the world is at the threshold of far-reaching institutional changes. The removal of quantitative restrictions has brought about important implications. It has thrown open both the opportunities and threats, especially for the low-income economies seeking to industrialize through promotion of the garment sector. This sector contributes about 14 percent to industrial production, 4 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP), and 11 percent to the countrys total export earnings of which 45% comes through the share of knitted garments. Over 95% of the nations output of woolen/acrylic hosiery comes from Ludhiana. The textiles sector is the second largest provider of employment after agriculture. Ludhiana Knitwear Industry, though it is one of the biggest clusters of the knitwear units in Asia, lacks in its image building, image that promises consistent hi-quality and conveys the personality it deserves, both for the domestic as well as international market. In the absence of any recognizable brand, consumers mostly make their selection entirely based on the liking of the styles, fits and range of prices vis-a-vis their choice. There is absolutely no assurance for product quality for such choices. With a daily factory employment of 55 workers per 1,000 population, compared to 11 for India as a whole, and 19 for Punjab, Ludhiana district is clearly Punjabs Knitwear hub which is also known as Manchester of India.

Keywords: Brand Orientation, Branding Strategies, Cluster

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